Chapter 190: The Goddess Church

Chapter 190: The Goddess Church



Half a minute ago, a carriage escorted by several knights turned around the bend of the forest path, just in time to witness the might of Rain's hammer strike.

The knights were shocked by this sight, and at that moment, a curtain was drawn aside in the carriage window, revealing a beautiful young face beneath a hood, curiously gazing in Rain's direction. Suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise, and her cherry-red lips formed an 'O' shape. What caught the young girl's attention was a towering figure with bulging muscles, wielding a dark iron hammer, and with each strike, it felt like an earthquake was shaking the ground beneath them.

In an instant, the ground cracked, and an invisible force of shockwaves emanated from the point of impact, spreading rapidly.

The stones and pebbles on the ground turned to dust upon encountering this force.

Giovanni, the Beast Knight, stood there in panic and confusion, and in that moment, a powerful shockwave hit him!

Despite his plate armor and the vine-like, living protection of the Black Flame, he remained frozen in place for half a second under Rain's full-force attack.

Giovanni's body began to change rapidly, his black fur receding and his face transforming from a wolf's head to a human one, but the devastating injuries to his jaw and broken bones throughout his body remained.

However, he couldn't help but think, how could this young man be so formidable?

He opened his waist pouch and found a token made of an unknown metal with a design of three burning black flames, similar to the one dropped by the Black Flame Apostle he had defeated.

Rain considered that he was about to engage in a bloody duel with Baron Norman and didn't want to deal with the Black Flame Cult at the moment.

This was a great opportunity for the Goddess Church to take action, as the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood had been defeated.

Rain's eyebrows arched slightly as he approached and bowed, saying, "Your Excellency, it is an honor to meet you."

In the county city, gaining the support of the Goddess Church would ensure his family's safety and ease his worries.

"Well, Sir Lawrence, you mentioned that my father's friend—the young man who might be able to help with that matter, how does he compare to this young man?"

"Oh! So, it's Giovanni. I see his distinctive weapon, the long-handled, odd-shaped scythe, and his hair..." Rudolph's eyes narrowed as he recognized the Beast Knight.

"Your Excellency, I have a matter that may require your assistance," Rain said, gesturing to the tall carriage behind him, and then fell silent.

Rain found another item in his waist pouch, a special scroll made of animal hide, and upon opening it, he discovered a scroll containing prayers written in divine script.

Soon, Rain arrived at the central area of the church, a grand hall with a high-arched ceiling and ornate decorations, including sculptures and murals related to the Goddess.

"Rain? I heard about the duel with Baron Norman. What do you think of that young man?"

"Well, I haven't met him yet, so I can't make a judgment," Lawrence said after some thought, demonstrating his wisdom.

"Haha! So, you're worried about this, Rudolph. I'll have two Temple Guardians set up the 'Detect Evil' ritual for Rain's visit."

The sound of shattering filled the air like firecrackers going off, 'Crack!'

However, Rain didn't want to engage with strangers at this time, as he had a duel with Baron Norman approaching. He mounted his black horse, drove the carriage and chestnut horse, and hurried towards the county city.

"Also, considering you're about to face a battle, I have a blessing from the Goddess Church that might be of use," Bishop Sean said with a smile.

Rain had gained the most experience in hammer techniques during the recent battle, followed by sword techniques.

She didn't know about Beast Knights, but she understood the power of Great Knights, the strongest warriors in the Crowley Family. The fact that Rain could defeat such a formidable opponent spoke volumes about his strength.

[Ding! Detecting a large amount of unknown energy surrounding the host. Absorb? (Note: Absorbed energy can be converted into specified job experience points.)]



"Thank you, Sir Rain," the Temple Guardians said as they hurried up the steps towards the temple.

Rain's heart leaped with joy. It was indeed possible.

The man had white hair but appeared quite energetic.

The temple, visible from afar, was a grand square structure supported by ten tall columns in the Ionic style, a distinctive feature being the two symmetrical volutes at the top of each column, connected by a small decorative band.

"Inform Rudolph that Rain is here to visit," Rain said.

"Your Excellency, you're too kind. Please continue to call me Rain," Rain replied.

But which Extraordinary profession should he add this experience to? In a flash, Rain could deliver at least three powerful hammer strikes.

"Indeed, it's said that the power of the Black Flame Guardians surpasses even Peak Knights."

Giovanni was the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood, responsible for many behind-the-scenes schemes.

This was a significant improvement over Rain's initial expectations.

[You have experienced a battle. Extraordinary Swordsman experience points +298, Extraordinary Mage Apprentice experience points +13.]



"The Black Flame Guardian's token!"

However, Rain's eyes lit up as he had an idea, "Perhaps the Goddess Church will appreciate this gift."

The way Rain controlled the shockwaves was extraordinary, and it would have taken decades of practice to achieve such mastery.

"It's the Black Flame Guardian's token!" They exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

"Additionally, this medal is imbued with a divine detection spell for evil. When evil approaches, it will vibrate slightly as a reminder." Rudolph explained as he stood nearby.

"A blessing?" Rain was taken aback, but Rudolph kept signaling for him to agree.

Rain nodded, understanding the situation.

As Rain and Rudolph walked away, several young Templar Knights and guards in the temple's courtyard whispered:

"Yes, if I'm not mistaken, his opponent was Giovanni, the leader of the Wild Brotherhood, nicknamed 'Beast Knight'. It's said that he has escaped from Great Knights several times."

"That's correct, Your Eminence. However, you might be more interested in his other identity." As Rain spoke, he took out a diamond-shaped medal with three black flame tokens and a prayer written in divine script, presenting it to the three of them.

"Baron Rain, please keep this medal safe. In any place within the Empire, as long as there's a temple of the Goddess of Wind and Sea, you can seek and receive assistance."

Almost all of his progress during this time was put to the test in this battle.

Compared to outsiders, it was evident that the church members who worshipped the divine understood the value and extreme difficulty of killing a Black Flame Guardian.

These words, though faint, reached Rain's ears. However, the grudge between him and the Black Flame Cult had become irreconcilable, so Rain didn't really care if this news leaked out.

"A Black Flame Guardian token and a Black Flame Protection prayer!" Rudolph exclaimed as he took the items, his eyes widening in surprise.

It was also very fitting for the gentle nature of the Goddess.

After witnessing Rain's defeat of Giovanni, Rain was shocked and muttered to himself, "Impossible! How could Rain be so strong!"

However, he didn't expect to receive a personal audience with the highest authority in the county city church - Bishop Sean.

As the high-pitched chanting continued, the white-haired Bishop gazed at Rain, raising his staff. The aqua energy around the bishop became more intense, and in the next moment, this aqua energy enveloped Rain.

"This young man's strength is truly exceptional!"

The third strike was a powerful 'Ascending Hammer' technique using the Tokkar Hammer Technique.

Their exclamations, especially from the usually composed Dean Rudolph, caught the attention of several Templar Knights and guards practicing in the temple's courtyard.

"Greetings, my child!" Bishop Sean approached with a warm smile, gently embracing Rain.

However, when they lifted the body, they noticed that it was like a pile of mush, with shattered bones, and a distinctive scythe-shaped weapon nearby. The two glanced at each other.

"He's strong! No, he's extremely strong!" A knight in full plate armor standing by the carriage spoke solemnly, looking at Rain.

Being a hammer technique practitioner himself, he immediately recognized the wounds and the mush-like state of the body, clearly caused by powerful hammer strikes.

With each strike, Giovanni's body was covered in blackened vines, and his plate armor shattered into pieces, accompanied by the crisp sound of breaking bones.

Rudolph added, "Recently, various mysterious incidents and cult activities have been on the rise, consuming our resources. Otherwise, we wouldn't have sent just two Templar Guards."

Rain kicked off the ground and quickly caught up to Giovanni's convulsing body in mid-air, delivering another series of heavy hammer blows. "Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Rain then turned to Rudolph and the two Templar Knights, asking with confusion, "What's a Black Flame Guardian? I remember getting a Black Flame token after defeating a Black Flame Apostle last time."

Although he found it hard to believe that the Black Flame Guardian was killed by this young-looking boy, Rain's previous feat of defeating a Black Flame Apostle seemed to constantly remind him of this fact!

Meanwhile, Rain, holding the Pig Head Hammer, was breathing heavily after exerting himself.

Additionally, having a Templar Knight stationed there made him feel a bit uncomfortable, as if he was receiving excessive attention. After all, every Templar Knight possessed the strength of a formal knight, and if he were a count, it would be more appropriate.

Rudolph smiled as he saw Rain riding a tall black warhorse around the corner, and called out, "Now, I should address you as Baron Rain, shouldn't I?"

Just as Rain appeared at the road's corner, the Templar Guards had already noticed them.

The medal had a remarkably clear seashell design, almost lifelike! "Thank you, Goddess, and thank you, Bishop!" Rain carefully took the medal and wore it inside his coat.

"I never expected Giovanni, the leader of the Wild Brotherhood, to be a Black Flame Guardian!" Rudolph exclaimed.

After all, the church had more effective means of protection and response to mysterious curses and spells than he did.

"Bang! Bang!"

As the old man appeared, Rain smiled and jumped off his horse.

"I must report this to Baron Alonso immediately!"

"Is Dean Rudolph available?" Rain asked politely with a smile.

Because any extraordinary profession he added would grant him a level-up reward. - Meanwhile, in the study of the Habsburg Count's mansion.

The two Templar Knights opened the carriage door and took out Giovanni's tall, thin body, now a lifeless corpse.

"Serkelin, deliver these items to Bishop Sean, and report the situation." Rudolph thought for a moment and immediately gave the order.

"Is he stronger than you?" The girl asked in disbelief.

"That's right, Rain. This Black Flame Guardian is second only to the Black Flame High Priest in terms of status, and he is not only extremely powerful but also well-hidden. We previously knew that the Black Flame Cult had two Black Flame Guardians, but we never knew their exact identities."

Rain glanced at the merchant caravan in the distance, which was hesitant to approach due to fear, and then ignored them. Instead, he dragged the werewolf-like man and his distinctive weapon, throwing them onto the carriage.

Soon, a human body lay before Rain.

Rain's remaining attribute points, having increased Agility by 1 point during the battle, were now down to just 2 points, while his remaining skill points remained unchanged at 1 point.

Rain's heart was filled with awe when he heard this news. Giovanni, as the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood, not only helped the Black Flame Church but also assisted many nobles in the county city with matters they couldn't handle directly.

"So powerful!" The girl exclaimed.

"It seems we haven't killed such a high-ranking member of the Black Flame Cult before, have we?"

After entering the county city, Rain didn't immediately go home. Instead, he headed to the Temple of the Goddess of Wind and Sea, a place he had never visited before.

Rain nodded, and Bishop Sean slightly bowed in return, expressing his gratitude.

"Do you know Dean Rudolph? The Dean just returned yesterday. How should I address you? I'll pass on the message." The Templar Guard who heard Rain's mention of Dean Rudolph relaxed upon hearing that Rain knew the Dean.

Rain was a little disappointed. He had expected more loot, but it turned out to be just these two items.

An elderly man in aqua-blue robes with thick gold trim and a staff in hand was smiling as he watched Rain enter the hall. A miniature waterfall formed as water continuously flowed from the goddess's conch shell.

Since the high-ranking official had spoken, Rain felt it was an appropriate time to voice his opinion.

"Huh! If Rain can kill him, doesn't that mean Rain..." Rudolph immediately associated this with something.

"Bishop, killing heretics is my duty without question. However, I'm concerned about the safety of my family in the county city. You know, the heretics have some evil sorcery that makes them hard to guard against."

Rain thought for a moment and then nodded, "It would be my honor. Please trouble yourself, Bishop."

At the same time, Rain nodded slightly to the Templar Knights standing next to Rudolph.

From his posture, it was highly likely that not a single bone in his body was intact, as if he were a pile of mud lying on the ground.

"What!" The two Templar Knights gasped in surprise.

[Your skill, Bear Claw Sword Technique, has improved. Experience gained: +232]



The system prompt sounded:

"Huh! This time, the Goddess Church has indeed come to the right place."

"I heard from Dean Rudolph that you killed a guardian of the Black Flame Cult, Giovanni. What do you need, feel free to tell me." Michelle, wiping the sweat from her forehead, said.

Rain had only intended to mention it to Rudolph and gain some favor from the church, but he ended up attracting the attention of the bishop of the county city's Goddess Church.

Rain thought for a moment and felt that this should be the best proof of the Black Flame Cult's guardian status. However, at this moment, Rain's eyes sparkled with excitement. For Rain, such a powerful opponent was a rare find, and this battle was truly exhilarating.

"So he's Rain?"

"He's the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood, known as the 'Beast Knight'. Rain, was he the one who attacked you?" Rudolph asked Rain in surprise.

"Impressive hammer technique!" One of the Templar Knights exclaimed.

In front of the temple, a circular fountain cascaded down a series of steps. At its center stood a three-meter-tall, exquisitely beautiful statue of a female holding a conch shell.

The blessing from the goddess should also be some form of energy.

[Your skill, High Temperature Field, has improved. Experience gained: +12]



Rain thought for a moment and then nodded, "Then I'll trouble you, Bishop!"

"Before, I thought Baron Rain was making a mountain out of a molehill, but now it seems I underestimated him."

"In the previous and this battle with the heretics, I believe you have good reason to receive this medal." Bishop Sean said, taking a medal the size of a child's fist, shimmering with silver light, from a tray held by a nearby attendant.

At that moment, Rain noticed a torn waist pouch sliding out of the mud-like body of his opponent.

Just then, the hesitant caravan, having seen Rain's normal physique and the cleaned-up battlefield, seemed to think Rain wasn't a bad person, so they approached from behind.

"What!" The two Templar Knights gasped in surprise.

[Ding! 1,976 points of extraordinary experience gained. Please choose to upgrade Knight (Extraordinary), Wizard Apprentice (Extraordinary), or Beastmaster (Extraordinary).]



When they saw the formidable Rain riding a tall black warhorse approaching, they exchanged glances and immediately stepped forward, "Knight, is there something we can help you with at the Goddess Church?"

Rain shook his head slightly, indicating that it was of no use to him. Instead, it seemed like the Goddess Church was very interested.

"I heard from Dean Rudolph that you killed a guardian of the Black Flame Cult. What do you need, feel free to tell me."

In the upper echelons of the county city, the 'Beast Knight' was well-known, but he was defeated one-on-one by Rain.

Additionally, the Black Flame Guardian's status as a high-ranking member of the Black Flame Cult was the best proof.

"Rain, perhaps you should meet with the bishop. I believe he would be very happy to see you."

"This is Giovanni, the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood, nicknamed the 'Beast Knight'. I can't believe he was killed by an unknown young man!"

"I never thought he would meet his end here." Laurence, the middle-aged knight, exclaimed.

After a while, the girl in the carriage finally regained her composure. With a voice as crisp as a yellow oriole, she asked, "Knight Laurence, how strong is this person?"

First, it was the imposing stature of Rain's black warhorse that caught the attention of the Temple Guards, who had not yet reached the level of formal knights. Second, Rain himself exuded a fierce aura, having killed a Beast Knight, which made the guards feel a sense of awe.

In the entire Master County, Bishop Sean's status could be said to be second only to Count Habsburg, the Town Magistrate. In matters of eradicating heretical cults, the Bishop's opinions held even more weight, a tacit understanding between the Empire and the Goddess Church.

They had thought it was a skilled knight, but they never expected it to be an Imperial Baron, and such a young one at that—a rare occurrence.

Additionally, Rain's Knight (Extraordinary) level had reached lv5 (795/2000), and his Thunderclap Hammer Technique had improved to lv7 (2724/5000), with his experience points already surpassing the halfway mark.

This made Rain's heart stir slightly. What could it be that high-level experts like this would always carry with them?

These two had fought together in the Night Song Forest before, so they were familiar with each other. One of them seemed to be named Machini, whom Rain recognized.

The cunning old Dean Rudolph immediately understood Rain's intention and said, "Baron Rain, let's go to my place."

After a while, an elderly man wearing a gold-trimmed aqua-blue robe and holding a thick book emerged from the temple.

"What? Giovanni is dead?" Alonso was startled by the news and stood up abruptly, asking in disbelief.

In the temple's front yard, Rain's expression turned solemn as he said, "Your Excellency, on my way back to the county town, I encountered an assassination attempt by the Black Flame Cult. Perhaps you should first examine the bodies of the attackers."

Then, he signaled two Templar Knights to lead the carriage into the temple.

If it weren't for their unwavering faith in the Goddess, they might have already succumbed to cowardice.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Excellency. I will inevitably have a battle with Baron Norman, and I look forward to it."

A thin man, agile as a monkey, swiftly climbed down from the tree and disappeared in the direction of the county town after a few quick movements.

Despite his calm demeanor, his heart was filled with astonishment.

"However, that was a black flame, and this is a three-flame black flame, which seems a little more advanced than the Apostle's."

"Oh, right. There's been a lot of talk in the county town these past few days, saying that Baron Norman wants to challenge you to a bloody duel. Child, do you need the church to step in and negotiate on your behalf?" Bishop Sean thought of something and spoke up.

Giovanni, with a vitality comparable to a Great Knight, was still convulsing violently at this moment, but it was already the final throes of his life. His wolf mouth was smashed to a pulp, and he was vomiting fresh blood, his entire body contorted in strange ways.

"Machini, gather the team immediately. I'll report to the Bishop and launch a sweep of the Wilderness Brotherhood!"

The reason he had come to the church was to seek support from the church.

Rain turned and, mobilizing the strength of his core muscles, swung his hands, creating a dark shadow that struck Giovanni's wolf head from below with great force.

"Well then, since it's like that, may the Goddess bless you. Child, this is a silver Conch Medal from the Goddess Church, awarded to those who make outstanding contributions in the fight against evil."

"Once the ritual is triggered, the temple will sense it, and we can quickly dispatch church forces to aid you." Bishop Sean turned to Rain and said.

At this moment, Rain glanced at the system prompt: "Your skill Thunderclap Hammer Technique has improved. Experience +1034."

A heavy thud sounded as Rain interrupted his rapid hammer strikes, causing Giovanni's body to slam into the ground.

Read the flawless version at 69 Book Bar! 6=9+Book_Bar first release of this novel.

Additionally, the opponent's strength is not to be underestimated. After transforming, they can even rival a Great Knight. I never expected that they would die at Rain's hands."

"Crack!"

So young, yet already a baron?

However, what neither Rain nor the caravan noticed was a man in patterned armor, holding a brass monocular, observing the situation from a tall tree at a distance.

Rain was no stranger to the Goddess Church. He was well aware of the co-existence of monarchy and theocracy in the Dragon Empire. In the current situation, the monarchy held more power.

He immediately recited a mantra in his mind, and the aqua energy was quickly absorbed.

Such a powerful young man, and he had never even heard of him, let alone met him.

A strange, cool energy permeated Rain's body.

The Goddess Church had wanted to eradicate this toxic tumor long ago, but many nobles in the county town strongly opposed it. Additionally, there was no concrete evidence that the cult was being manipulated, so the matter was put on hold.

"Hmm? Assassination?" Dean Rudolph's expression changed, and he immediately signaled two Templar Knights to open the carriage.

Rain had always been wary of divine blessings, but upon further thought, it seemed that his system could absorb the blood crystal and black crystal.

A row of Templar Knights in silver armor stood guard around them.

Giovanni's wolf head was directly smashed to pieces, and his entire body was struck and lifted four to five meters high. His eyeballs were forced out of their sockets! But it didn't end there!

"Are you sure there was no one else helping?" Alonso still found it hard to believe and asked again.

"Confirmed! The scout was very clear; it was a one-on-one fight. I asked repeatedly about this," Michel nodded affirmatively.

Alonso frowned and paced for a few seconds. He seemed to have thought of something and quickly issued an order: "Immediately notify Baron Norman of this news. Tell him about it and see if he needs any help. If we can help, promise it on my behalf."

"Yes, sir." Butler Michel bowed slightly and quickly left the room.

Thanks to Cai Niao for the 100 starting coins!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end