Free Web NovelChapter 98: Chapter 74: You’ve Caused Trouble, Reinhardt
Scholar Lakon let out an agonized wail, a sharp, grating screech like glass grinding on glass that could pierce the very soul.
The residents who had not yet evacuated the streets all clutched their ears, their faces contorted in agony as they staggered and fell. Even the Judges, protected by their Holy Emblems, crouched on the ground, clutching their heads, unable to bear it.
The only ones unaffected were the Cultivators in Caster Monastery.
Amidst the agonizing wails, black crow feathers began to sprout from Scholar Lakon’s body. His face started to twist and mutate, losing all its former elegance and arrogance.
Wandering Evil Power, like smoke and dust, seeped into his eyes.
His teeth fell out and his jaw shattered. A large, dark-yellow beak jutted out from his mouth. In that moment, Scholar Lakon could no longer maintain his disguise. He transformed completely into a grotesque, humanoid crow, letting out an unsettling, low growl.
Then, completely ignoring the Red-Eyed Crow still struggling on the wall, a mysterious black smog lifted his body and he fled quickly toward the Lower City District.
This all happened in less than four seconds.
As the dust settled, Judge Kirk took a sharp breath of the Desolate Wasteland Ruins’ turbid air. Cold sweat streamed down his cheeks, and he took a step back, nearly stumbling.
The young Priest, Raphael, sat paralyzed on the ground, lost and dejected. The Red-Eyed Crow, not yet fully dead, seemed to possess an endless Magic Power, captivating his gaze and refusing to let go.
An unintelligible, whispered murmur, clinging to him like maggots to a corpse, echoed relentlessly in his mind.
A large, rough, and powerful hand rested on his shoulder, and Raphael snapped out of it as if from a nightmare. He quickly looked up as a tall, sturdy figure strode past him, casting a shadow over him.
’Reinhardt...?’
Under the watchful eyes of the many Monastery Priests, the local law-enforcing Judges, and the Upper City District residents who had yet to flee, Reinhardt walked with a steady pace. He grabbed the Red-Eyed Crow pinned to the wall with one hand and drew his Iron Sword with the other.
Even now, desecrating Evil Power still billowed from the crow’s wings like black smoke.
Silent whispers filled the minds of everyone in the Upper City District.
Except for Reinhardt.
All he could sense was a contemptuous sneer. It seemed the Demon hiding behind the crow had no interest in tempting him; in fact, its attitude was one of extreme disgust.
It was as if... Reinhardt’s very existence was more repulsive and irritating to it than the Divine Emperor’s followers.
’Messenger of hatred... slave to slaughter... brainless fool...’
Reinhardt released his left hand, and the crow’s corpse fell to the ground. He looked down at its dark red eyes, then stomped it into a bloody pulp.
After doing all this, Reinhardt, sword in his right hand, flicked it in a graceful arc before walking to Raphael and extending his left hand. His tall frame was as imposing as a mountain.
The passionate young Priest looked up. He saw the blood-red sun resting on Reinhardt’s shoulder. He saw the thick dust churning endlessly in the perpetual breeze of the Desolate Wasteland Ruins, like an Angel unfurling its wings.
So holy.
So solemn.
And yet... so deadly.
In that instant, he thought he saw an Angel of the Divine Emperor. He saw... the burning flames of vengeance.
Raphael had never imagined that the silent gaze of the Divine Emperor would one day be so close, almost within his grasp.
In that moment, the vision before his eyes was like a fleeting dream.
Reinhardt was still Reinhardt—dressed in coarse linen, taciturn, his body covered in battle scars. He only ever cracked a smile during occasional small talk.
The Desolate Wasteland Ruins were still the Desolate Wasteland Ruins.
The dark red sun coated the city in a decaying, rust-like color.
He looked back. The profane Demon’s Blood still clung to the statue of the Divine Emperor, cold and unclean.
Raphael took Reinhardt’s hand to pull himself up, dusting himself off. He stared wordlessly at the young man he had known for four years.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"Th-thank you."
Reinhardt clapped him on the shoulder, a rare smile on his face.
"If you run into a Mage or a Demon again, remember not to look them in the eyes. It’s very dangerous."
Raphael wanted to ask, ’Why aren’t you afraid?’ But he couldn’t voice the question, because High Tier Cultivator Hayden, his mentor, was calling his name.
Judge Kirk knew there was a knight’s attendant recuperating at Caster Monastery, but he never expected that this attendant could kill the Cursed Crow—the source of Scholar Lakon’s power—with an old Iron Sword that had not been blessed by the Holy Word, undergone Radiant Reforging, or even possessed a Demon Curse of its own.
Although he wasn’t a National Church Judge, he had systematically studied demonology and received relevant training.
Even if he didn’t know the Cursed Crow’s specific name, based on his knowledge from the archives, that thing was most likely a Void Divine Artifact bestowed upon Lakon by the Thousand-Change Monarch.
To be able to desecrate a statue of the Divine Emperor, that Mage had to be an evil entity of at least Great Demon’s Chosen Level.
But Kirk didn’t step forward to thank Reinhardt for his help like Raphael had. He only gave the young knight’s attendant a silent glance before looking up at the statue of the Divine Emperor, stained with Demon’s Blood.
His slightly stooped body was wracked with exhaustion.
Deep within his cloudy eyes lay the staunchest faith and the most profound... despair.
Kirk took a deep breath. He felt helpless against the Empire’s collapse. He felt helpless against the meager power of the Judgement Court in the Desolate Wasteland Ruins. And he felt helpless against this young man’s recklessness. freēwēbnovel.com
He could only silently pack up and leave, leading the Judgement Court’s remaining members to follow the Mage’s trail toward the Lower City District.
High Tier Cultivator Hayden called Raphael back. The old, completely bald Priest let out a heavy sigh and gently stroked Raphael’s head, just as he had when he first taught the passionate, devout boy years ago.
They were not Imperial Knights, nor were they National Church Judges.
They were just Mortals.
Even with unwavering faith, they still felt fear and confusion.
In four years, they had sent over a thousand distress signals to the Radiant Holy City and the surrounding world. Without exception, every single one had vanished without a trace.
He was a Priest of the Divine Emperor. Of course he knew a Demon was desecrating this world, attempting to enslave the Imperial Citizens here.
But all he could do was pray, beg for aid, and continuously compromise with the Demon, pleading that someday, there would be a response from the City Lord’s Radiant Beacon.
That an Angel of the Divine Emperor would descend upon this world.
His own mentor had not hesitated to bear the name of Desecrator, martyring himself and dying in a public execution by the Judgement Court.
All to appease the anger of the city’s residents.
All to maintain the stability of this world’s last sanctuary. freewёbnoνel.com
Once the Desolate Wasteland Ruins fell, the Defense Army on the front lines would have nowhere to retreat. The entire world would be lost.
High Tier Cultivator Hayden stared at Reinhardt, his calm voice laced only with despair.
"You’ve caused a disaster, Reinhardt."
Killing the Red-Eyed Crow meant the city had just declared all-out war on that Demon.
And the only forces they could muster were a group of old and weak Priests, a squad of outsourced Judges, and one reckless knight’s attendant.
