Chapter 230: Descent

Chapter 230: Descent



In a residential building not far from Baron Elliot's Manor, Archdeacon Rudolf and six fully-armed Templar Knights were waiting, observing an object resembling a golden compass.

As the silver conch medal on Rain's chest vibrated, the golden compass also began to tremble in response.

Watching the compass's vibrations, Rudolf's calm expression suddenly turned solemn.

"This disturbance is stronger than I imagined. It seems this place is likely an important stronghold of the Black Flame Church!"

"Let's go! We must support Baron Rain immediately."

"Yes, Your Grace!" the Templar Knights responded in unison.

The group quickly rushed towards the Elliot Manor.

Meanwhile, Rain fell into a cave, and the surroundings instantly darkened. However, with his dark vision, he quickly adapted to the dim cave interior and steadied himself.

Soon, he realized that this was not just a cave.

Beneath the meeting room was a spacious underground hall covering an area of at least 700 to 800 square meters.

In the center of the hall was a large wizard array, emitting a black glow.

At the center of the array were several meters high piles of corpses, surrounded by over a dozen Black Flame Adepts kneeling in a circular formation, and nearly a hundred Black Flame Disciples.

At that moment, they were chanting fervently, their expressions focused and fanatical. Additionally, a particularly noticeable, large and corpulent figure stood out, reciting a prayer loudly.

Rain's expression turned solemn.

He could clearly sense the evil energy here, so thick it was almost tangible, and it continued to surge and intensify.

Apparently, it was due to the ongoing ritual, and it seemed that the ceremony was nearing its conclusion.

As the group of people dropped from the top of the hall caught his attention, the corpulent figure slowly turned and glanced at Rain.

At that moment, Lamar rushed over to the corpulent figure, pointing at Rain and shouting in panic, "High Priest, that's Rain!"

Sensing the High Priest beside him, Lamar calmed down a little. He had been genuinely terrified by Rain.

Rain calmly said, "So, this is the one you rely on."

At this moment, Rain had already focused his attention on the large and corpulent High Priest, from whom he felt a sense of dread. His level 3 danger perception was going off like an alarm!

High Priest?

Shouldn't they be on the same level as the bishops of the Goddess Church?

It seemed like he had encountered a big catch!

Alonso, standing nearby, was already regretting his decision.

He thought he should have left with his father's messenger.

Although it seemed that Rain was still at a disadvantage, Alonso found himself in a precarious situation.

These heretics were all mad, and they had always maintained what they considered a safe distance. But now, they had clearly crossed that line.

Watching this spectacle had put him in a dangerous and embarrassing situation, which was not worth the trouble.

However, the problem now was that as soon as Alonso got close to the edge of the hall, where the burning black flames were, he felt a stinging sensation, meaning he couldn't leave even if he wanted to.

At this moment, the entire underground hall was enveloped by some kind of evil energy, turning it into an inescapable cage.

The corpulent High Priest stared at Rain with his small eyes, sizing him up. Then, with interest, he said, "So, you're Rain. It's nice to finally meet you!"

"I've heard you're quite formidable, and you even killed Giovanni. Let's have some fun." The High Priest smiled with narrowed eyes.

Without waiting for Rain to respond, he snapped his fingers.

Instantly, the Black Flame Disciples, who had been fervently kneeling around the ritual, rose up in large numbers.

Over thirty disciples, as if under mental control, rushed towards Rain with hideous expressions.

As they ran, they took off their shirts and shouted, "Praise the great God of the Hunt!"

Rain was baffled by their actions.

These disciples were ordinary people, so were they here to die? As they approached rapidly, Rain sensed something stirring within them, and his level 3 danger perception gave him a dense warning.

Rain realized that these ordinary Black Flame Disciples might not be as harmless as they appeared.

Rain narrowed his eyes, nocked an arrow, and fired rapidly with lightning-fast fingers.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

When a steel arrow struck a Black Flame Disciple, there was a "Pfft" sound, and the disciple's chest was pierced. He cried out in agony, looking down at the gaping hole in his chest with a mixture of fear and bewilderment.

But in the next moment, a loud "Boom!" reverberated.

The Black Flame Disciple exploded like a bomb, spraying blood and flesh, accompanied by a burnt smell, and a black flame suddenly spread out.

Rain's eyes widened at the sight.

These heretics were using 'suicide bombers'!

It seemed that whether in his previous life or this one, heretical groups always employed similar tactics.

However, what surprised him even more was the Black Flame High Priest.

The High Priest had received intelligence about Rain and knew he was skilled with a two-handed warhammer and a greatsword, but when did Rain become proficient with a bow?

Just as Rain was about to fire each arrow, he was about to unleash a volley of arrows.

Among them, several arrows directly pierced through two cultists, turning them into human skewers, and one arrow even managed to pierce through three at once!

Rain had assumed that if he used a sword or warhammer, close-range weapons, the cultists' suicide attacks would have severely injured him, or at least left him in a dire situation.

The current outcome made the High Priest slightly annoyed, and his previously mocking attitude was now slightly restrained.

At this moment, although Rain had successfully eliminated this wave of Black Flame cultists' suicide attacks, the High Priest's face revealed a faint smile, saying, "Young man, your archery skills are impressive."

However, you only have three arrows left now.

Just as the High Priest was speaking, Rain swiftly raised his hand and fired another arrow!

Enough talk!

The steel arrow, like a silver lightning bolt, shot towards the High Priest!

But just before hitting its target, a dull 'boom' sound echoed!

The arrow was blocked about thirty centimeters away from the High Priest's corpulent body by a layer of black flame shield, and the arrow's tip trembled slightly, trying to break through the circle of black flames surrounding the High Priest.

"Black Flame Shield!" Rain narrowed his eyes, recalling his previous encounters with Black Flame Guardians and the malevolent energy he had witnessed.

The steel arrow struck the circle of black flames, creating a bowl-shaped indentation, almost breaking through the High Priest's defense, but falling just short.

Although the High Priest remained unharmed, his small eyes glared at Rain, realizing the formidable defensive power of the Black Flame Shield.

He knew from experience how powerful the Black Flame Shield's defense was, yet Rain's arrow had nearly penetrated it!

Rain, not only a Great Knight, but also a master of Great Techniques.

This is the source of your confidence!

However, the High Priest's smile faded as he noticed something intriguing.

Lamar, along with several Black Flame Adepts, stood in a fan-shaped formation behind Rain, encircling him.

Lamar, with a sense of self-satisfaction, glanced at Rain and said, "If this weren't our stronghold, you might have turned the tables on us again!"

"But unfortunately, you've made the wrong choice!"

Lamar's voice grew more agitated, whether due to the ritual's influence or his twisted mindset after believing victory was within reach.

The High Priest's small eyes narrowed, and he could clearly see that his subordinates' bodies, which had begun to collapse unevenly on the ground, with blood seeping from their mouths and other body cavities.

The High Priest's eyes widened in surprise, realizing that Rain's strike had rendered his followers immobile, their eyes devoid of life.

Even their nerves had been shattered.

The High Priest was stunned, realizing that Rain, at such a young age, had not only achieved the rank of a Great Knight but also mastered Great Techniques.

"You've truly mastered a Great Technique!" he exclaimed, finally understanding why the previous assassination attempts on Rain had all failed.

Alonso, witnessing Rain's terrifying strike, stood with his mouth agape and eyes wide, his face frozen in shock.

What had he just heard?

Rain had become a Great Knight and mastered the Great Technique!

Heavens! This makes him even more talented than Kraya!

At this moment, Alonso couldn't help but regret not recruiting this young man at first, seeing him as merely an ant that could be easily crushed.

The High Priest intended to take care of this young man personally, rather than wasting his underlings on the task.

Although these disciples were like garlic chives to the High Priest, it wouldn't take long for him to absorb another batch of followers.

However, the current battle situation was damaging to the High Priest's dignity!

Alonso waved his hand, and two Black Flame disciples struggled to carry a heavy, two-meter-long giant scythe to him.

Alonso watched as the High Priest prepared to take action himself, and his heart raced like a rollercoaster, filled with excitement!

High Priest! High Priest!

Don't let me down!

Alonso witnessed the fat High Priest move swiftly despite his size. When he was still over twenty meters away from Rain, the giant scythe slashed diagonally, and a torrent of black flames, like a giant serpent, spiraled towards Rain in a vortex!

Rain quickly tumbled on the spot, dodging the High Priest's attack, then fired a swift shot with his war hammer, striking hard!

"Clang!!!"

The High Priest's body was engulfed in black flames, but he managed to block Rain's hammer.

Rain showed no surprise, as he was, after all, a member of the Black Flame Church. If the High Priest had been killed by his hammer, that would have been strange!

Alonso watched as Rain circled the fat High Priest, swinging his hammer repeatedly from various angles.

The Black Flame High Priest's defensive Black Flame Shield was powerful, absorbing much of the impact from Rain's heavy blows, while the remaining force was absorbed by the High Priest's thick layers of fat.

During this 'brick-laying' process, the Malevolent Energy Wizard Array's power surged even more intensely!

"Shockwave!"

Alonso seized the opportunity as the High Priest was caught off guard, and Rain's hammer shattered the Black Flame Shield's defense, striking the High Priest's fat-covered abdomen.

This time, the thick layers of fat were also shattered by Rain's hammer!

The High Priest cried out in pain, his black robe tearing open, revealing his true form.

Alonso saw that the High Priest's body had seven or eight closed eyes and twice as many arms. At this moment, although Rain's war hammer had created a basin-sized hole in the High Priest's body, the High Priest's numerous withered arms grabbed him!

Suddenly, Rain's heart raced with alarm!

Seven or eight black fire columns erupted from the open mouths, sweeping the area in front of the High Priest. If Rain hadn't dodged in time, he would have been hit!

Although Rain possessed the talent 'Basic Steel Body', he didn't want to experience being roasted by the black flames.

Alonso didn't have time to be happy that Rain had lost his war hammer when he saw a huge dog suddenly running towards Rain.

Damn!

This dog, Rain calmly drew the Radiant Great Sword from the back of his Lynx Battlehound, aiming the tip at the High Priest!

Suddenly, the energy waves of the Malevolent Energy Wizard Array reached their peak.

"This is great!"

"The prayer ritual has finally succeeded!" Alonso praised.

Just as Alonso thought the ritual was complete, Rain swiftly swung his sword, slicing through the incoming energy wave and creating a gap. High-speed airflow swept past on both sides of Rain's body.

Meanwhile, Alonso was hit by this wave of Malevolent Energy, causing him to start wailing miserably!

Alonso kept tearing at his clothes, soon becoming completely naked, and then his skin surface suddenly grew feathers. Simultaneously, his scapula rapidly grew into wings!

The fat High Priest expressed admiration.

"Not bad! Not bad! Alonso has become a Divine Blood Noble under my command. It seems the legends are true; the Habsburg family did merge with the bloodline of the Cali Bird."

"After consuming Divine Blood, the effects are indeed noticeable!"

In fact, for the Black Flame Church, whether these nobles are alive or dead, they have all consumed Divine Blood. If they die, their corpses become the best 'fertilizer', enhancing the prayer ritual's effectiveness!

If they are alive, they will also be transformed by a thread of the God of the Hunt's will after the ritual, becoming the best fighters!

The High Priest observed Alonso's current state with satisfaction.

Rain watched this scene without a trace of sympathy.

These foolish nobles had colluded with the cult, and it was only a matter of time before they faced the consequences of their actions, in his opinion.

Alonso, whose form had drastically transformed into a bird-like creature, soared in power to the level of a Great Knight. His eyes turned pitch-black, as if the whites had been devoured, and with a flap of his wings, he rapidly charged towards Rain.

"Great Hunting God above, humble and devout believer that I am, I pray for the Lord's blessing," Rain muttered as he focused his attention on the approaching bird-man, Alonso. However, the High Priest, though injured, maintained a smile and began chanting a prayer in a deep voice.

Suddenly, an indescribable terror descended upon them!

---

Minutes earlier, as the griffin they were riding rapidly approached the skies above Myester County City, the Shielded Man's expression changed. He quickly reached into his chest and pulled out something resembling a compass, examining it closely.

The numbers on it kept climbing higher and higher!

"Huh? Why is the malevolent energy fluctuation so strong? Has the cult's ceremony already begun?"

"This is earlier than expected!"

He had thought there was still time, planning to visit the county's magistrate, but now it seemed there was no time for that.

The Shielded Man looked at the brightly lit Myester County City below, shook the reins vigorously, and the griffin let out a loud cry, changing direction and flying rapidly towards the source of the malevolent energy.

Almost simultaneously, when Archdeacon Rudolf arrived at Baron Elliott's manor with an elite group of Templar Knights, they were stopped by the manor's butler, who led a team of fully armed guards.

The butler immediately recognized Rudolf and the Templar Knights by their distinctive attire.

"Guests from the Goddess Church, I'm sorry, but this is a private noble residence. Without an invitation, I'll have to inform the master first," the butler explained.

"We've detected malevolent energy leaking from this manor, and we need to inspect it immediately!" Rudolf declared solemnly.

"Step aside!"

At that moment, Alonso's butler, Michel, emerged from the manor and greeted Rudolf with a smile.

"Archdeacon Rudolf, what brings you here?" Michel asked.

"Baron Alonso is inside! The malevolent energy you mentioned must be a misconception. With so many of us here, we haven't sensed anything amiss!" Michel argued.

Rudolf was taken aback, knowing full well that Alonso was the eldest son of Baron Habsburg. He quickly assessed the situation. But the next moment, he realized that Rain might be in danger, and staying here any longer could be detrimental.

As he was about to rebuke Michel, a majestic and commanding cry echoed from the sky.

A powerful creature with the body of a lion, the head of an eagle, and enormous wings descended from above.

"A griffin!" Rudolf recognized the creature instantly.

Griffins were the second-best flying mounts in the Dragoon Empire, after dragons, and only the top nobility and elite members of special departments could ride them.

As the griffin landed, two figures jumped off its back.

The Shielded Man glanced at Rudolf and the Templar Knights, then at the butler and guards blocking their path, and immediately understood the situation.

He approached Rudolf and said, "Are you from the Goddess Church, dealing with cult matters?"

"Yes, my lord," Rudolf nodded gravely, briefly summarizing the situation and emphasizing the obstruction they faced.

The Shielded Man took out a badge from his chest and showed it to them. "Please cooperate immediately. The Swordsmen are on official business. Even if your master doesn't comply, we have the authority to kill on the spot!"

Michel and the manor's butler exchanged glances, unsure of what to do. They knew this situation had become dire. The reputation of the Swordsmen was well-known to them.

Without daring to obstruct further, they watched as the two Swordsmen and Rudolf's group entered.

As Rudolf's group made their way through the corridor, they felt the ground tremble beneath their feet, even without the aid of the 'Golden Compass'. A heart-pounding surge of evil energy erupted like a flood, causing Rudolf and all the Templar Knights to turn pale.

"Not good! The ceremony is about to be completed!"

"Hurry! Faster!"

When they reached the meeting room, they saw a massive hole, covered by a black energy shield resembling an upside-down bowl. Below, a large wizard array was faintly visible, and the sounds of intense combat echoed from within.

Rudolf's eyes widened at the sight before him. "Is this the lair of the Black Flame Cult?"

Rudolf realized why the malevolent energy fluctuations were so intense.

This wasn't just an important outpost of the Black Flame Cult; it was their lair.

Rudolf turned to a Templar Knight beside him and said, "Go inform Bishop Shane that we've discovered the lair of the Black Flame Cult!"

As Rudolf quickly took out a high-rank divine scroll, intending to blast through the black energy shield, a nameless fear gripped everyone's hearts.

"This is the will of the gods..."

"It's too late! Rain is done for!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end