Chapter 34 – Dark Blood Demon

“Oh, you have come? Tell me, you imprisoned the inquisitor safely, did you not?”

To the question of the bishop, whose dark circles had settled deeply,

Rashid showed courtesy as he replied.

“Yes, Your Excellency Bishop. I imprisoned the inquisitor without any issues. He will no longer pose a threat to this diocese.”

The bishop’s lips curved in a wide smile.

“You are truly a treasure. To think you imprisoned the inquisitor without resistance. As expected of the Honorary Cleric.”

“You do not need to worry too much about the inquisitor. I will take responsibility and monitor him.”

“Will monitoring him be enough? How about killing him instead?”

That would not do.

“Imprisoning the inquisitor and killing him are issues on entirely different levels. If we kill him and a problem arises, another inquisitor might come from the outside, or unpredictable variables might appear. Therefore, I believe maintaining the status quo is the direction that is more helpful for Lord Arkan’s manifestation.”

“Is that so?”

The bishop put his hand to his ear and began to mutter as if communicating with someone.

“Lord Arkan is also contemplating it deeply. However, He agrees that there is merit to your words.”

“Your Excellency Bishop. That inquisitor is absolutely necessary to create the Holy Blood Spear. Thus, how about killing him only after we make the Holy Blood Spear?”

“Is that so?”

The bishop began to communicate with someone once again.

The communication was not long.

The bishop responded with a bright smile.

“Lord Arkan has permitted it. Whatever else happens, there must be no mistake in making the Holy Blood Spear. Lord Arkan is truly looking forward to it. That Holy Blood Spear, I mean.”

Rashid saw the message that popped up in his field of vision.

– Sanctuary Contamination Level: 76%

At 80%, communication with the outside would be cut off, and at 90%, entry and exit would be restricted.

Since it was currently 76%, it would eventually reach 100%, but Rashid had no intention of staying here for very long.

He planned to shorten the time if possible.

Because even at this moment, other villains were growing, and time was gold.

‘Once the Holy Blood Spear is made anyway, all preparations will be complete.’

Furthermore, once the Holy Blood Spear was created, Scarver would absolutely not leave the inquisitor of the Jaeger family alive, as he posed a threat to him.

For this reason, Rashid felt the need to bring forward the timing of the archdemon’s descent a bit more.

“But when on earth will Lord Arkan manifest? The atmosphere outside is unusual. Shouldn’t we manifest Lord Arkan as quickly as possible?”

“There is no need to rush so. Lord Arkan will manifest soon.”

“No. The demonic energy is too thick for that. If possible, may I take the lead to bring that timing forward?”

“You will bring it forward?”

“Yes. There must be something necessary for Lord Arkan’s manifestation. I will prepare it and bring that timing forward. This is surely what Lord Arkan would want as well. Is that not so, Your Excellency Bishop?”

A look of bewilderment flashed across the bishop’s face, but only for a brief moment.

The bishop, who had finished communicating with the archdemon, soon nodded his head.

“Very well. If that is indeed your wish. First, we need the blood of wild beasts and monsters. With that blood, I will draw a summoning magic circle in this sanctuary. Then, the preparations will be complete.”

“A summoning magic circle?”

“It is a holy calling. Are you perhaps doubting it?”

“I dare not doubt it. I will prepare the ingredients and arrange Lord Arkan’s manifestation soon, then.”

“Good.”

“Just in case, I will make the gathering of the wild beasts’ and monsters’ blood my personal order. My faith is firm, but I fear others might ruin the task due to a lack of faith.”

“You…”

The bishop’s smile remained unchanged.

“You are truly a treasure. Ah, speaking of which, I almost forgot the promise I made to you.”

Rashid also wanted the words that followed.

“I will grant you full authority over the matters here. From now on, take the initiative to assist in Lord Arkan’s manifestation.”

“Including the Holy Blood Spear. I will prepare everything perfectly without any gaps.”

* * *

A nun who got off a magitech bike stopped at a place not far from the knighthood branch.

Far away.

Much like the cathedral, the knighthood branch had also transformed into a fortress, creating a rather chaotic atmosphere.

The knighthood, which was her former workplace and could be called the symbol of the Imperial Army.

Although she stood on the street where that knighthood was visible, there was not a speck of change in her expression.

As if she had temporarily turned off the function of emotion.

Her heart was calm, and her fingertips did not tremble.

When she touched the air with her fingertip, a magic circle drawn in concentric circles tore through space.

In the sub-space warehouse that opened next,

an armory lined with numerous weapons poured out as if lining up on both sides of her.

And in the center stood the mana armor she enjoyed wearing.

It was a Class 2 mana armor specially manufactured to fit her body type.

From Class 2 onwards, the mana armor had a name, and the name of her mana armor was Siren.

Even within the Conquering Knighthood, those who possessed better mana armor than hers were extremely rare.

If one had to find them, there were only about two.

Ryden and Varasha, who were called war heroes, were all.

‘It has been a while.’

As she flicked her finger toward the mounted mana armor, the exoskeleton expanded slightly and parted along the division lines.

Taking off the veil she was wearing without hesitation, she inserted her body into the mana armor, and the parted exoskeleton all slid back into place.

The gaps closed, and the chest plate, which was crafted with a convex shape, also held her chest firmly as if gripping it.

Next, the helmet’s visor came down, and although her vision became slightly uncomfortable, she felt an inexplicable comfort as she caught the lingering scent of blood brushing past the tip of her nose.

‘What would be good today? Ah, this is better. Still, I should show some manners. I did not come here to play, after all.’

Among the various weapons mounted in the armory, what she chose was a giant halberd.

The blade gleamed silvery-white as if holding the moonlight, and the small barb rising from the side flashed sharply as if to snatch and snap the enemy’s weapon.

She intended to blow away her gloomy mood entirely with the swinging halberd.

Once she finished choosing her weapon, the armory, having lost its use, was instantly sucked back into her sub-space.

“Hey, look over there.”

Since it was a situation equivalent to wartime,

the two knights standing guard in their mana armor saw a single knight approaching in the distance, holding a halberd.

“That mana armor… I think I have seen it somewhere before?”

“Just by its appearance, it is Class 2 mana armor. But who is it? If they are the owner of Class 2 mana armor, there is no way we would not know.”

The gazes of the two turned toward the black reaper holding the halberd.

Anyone with war experience could not fail to recognize that knight.

Although her fame was somewhat overshadowed due to the two monster-like war heroes, she was also the recipient of the Second-Class Medal of Military Merit and the Silver Rose Medal.

The knight who was searching his memory realized her identity belatedly.

“The Dark Blood Ghost? That’s right, that knight is the Dark Blood Ghost.”

“If she is the Dark Blood Ghost, she is a Conquering Knight like us. Why is she here?”

“Could it be reinforcements? Reinforcements could have come from the headquarters.”

“No way… The headquarters abandoned us, did they not? And if it’s the Dark Blood Ghost, I heard she left the Conquering Knighthood?”

The black reaper, who was slowly approaching them, vanished.

Their surprise was brief.

One of the two was literally crushed by the descending halberd.

A moment later.

An alarm rang out through the entire knighthood branch, and the knights who came out late in their mana armor encountered a single black reaper who was slaughtering their fellow knights.

“The Dark Blood Ghost…”

A few recognized the black reaper who had been active on the battlefield, while others raised their voices in anger.

“What are you doing! It’s an enemy!”

The movements of the knights drawing out the power of their mana armor unfolded like lightning as they targeted the single reaper, but their strength could not overcome a single giant hornet that had visited a honeybee nest.

* * *

“Honorary Cleric.”

Paladin Lampel came to Rashid, who was leading the clerics.

“Yes. What is the matter?”

“Have you heard the news?”

“What news do you mean?”

“Well, it is about Sir Aria.”

At this time, the clerics who approached Rashid complained about the oak barrels vibrating with the stench of blood.

“Honorary Cleric. What on earth is this used for? Do we have to gather not just one, but enough of this foul-smelling stuff to fill the warehouse?”

“It all has a purpose. Since it is my personal order, please put it all in the warehouse. Oh, and starting tomorrow, we will need monster blood. We will be conducting a large-scale monster subjugation, so please be aware of that in advance.”

“To place such unclean things in the sanctuary… No matter if you are the Honorary Cleric, we cannot understand this.”

“Have you already forgotten that His Excellency the Bishop here gave me full authority? Do not question the work I order you to do.”

Although the complaints of the clerics erupted from all sides, they did not dare to disobey or mutiny against Rashid, who had been handed full authority by the bishop.

“Sir Lampel. Let’s continue the conversation we were having earlier. What is the news?”

“Ah, that… It seems Sir Aria annihilated the knighthood branch all by herself.”

“Pardon? Did you just say annihilated?”

“Yes, I have just confirmed it. It is absolute chaos outside right now. Even if it is a branch-level knighthood, is such a thing even possible? What on earth does Sir Aria do? Do you happen to know anything about her? It seemed like you two were quite close.”

Rashid also looked slightly shocked.

‘She was capable of that alone?’

It was something even he could not guarantee.

Of course, part of it was because his growth was incomplete,

but that woman.

She did not seem to be an empty boaster.

‘Is she definitely a named character? But I have no data on her. Because I have never cleared this place.’

If.

If there was someone who had cleared this place,

they would know what name she would be called by in the future.

‘Perhaps that guy who wrote the strategy guide for this place might know. He is probably the only one who knows what kind of named character she will be called.’

“That worked out well. It seems we do not have to worry about the knighthood here, at least.”

Right on cue,

there was a magitech bike entering through the entrance of the cathedral.

As if nothing had happened.

A single nun returned unexpectedly.

The gazes of those who had heard some of the news had already changed as they looked at her.

It was only natural.

Because she was a monster who had returned after annihilating the branch knighthood single-handedly.

“There she comes. I heard she is a relative of His Excellency the Director of Palace Affairs. I never knew she was such an incredible person.”

Lampel walked away toward her.

Rashid stood in place and pondered about her.

‘Is she an enemy?’

If he had to face the Director of Palace Affairs in the future,

she, who was of his bloodline, could not be ignored either.

‘If she is an enemy, I must eliminate her.’

However,

there was a part that could not be easily judged.

Because of her psychopathic personality.

‘For all I know, that woman is not normal. Just as the inquisitor said, she might think of family matters as entirely separate from herself.’

The words she had spoken back then certainly sounded sincere.

But Rashid could not help but tilt his head.

Because it was utterly incomprehensible within his own way of thinking.

‘No matter what, would she just let it go if her family was eliminated?’

Since he was not a psychopath, it was something he could not know.

‘She is a more complicated woman than I thought. I cannot easily gauge her.’

Upon arriving, she glanced at Rashid in the distance and immediately entered the cathedral.

It was probably to report her deeds to the inquisitor.

Rashid was still thinking about her.

‘But if she belongs to the normal category that I know of, I must eliminate her no matter what. I cannot leave her be. She will definitely seek revenge, and before that happens, I must eliminate her.’

If she truly maintained neutrality,

there would be no need to kill her,

but if that was not the case, Rashid had no choice.

Since the end with the Director of Palace Affairs was already set, there was no choice but to kill her, his relative, as well.

This was an unavoidable choice for the greater cause.