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Chapter 77:

Blood Knight shivered and looked around.

However, the ghastly sound was not coming from just one place. Blood Knight instinctively realized that the noise originated from something as big as a mountain, vibrating through the air. Something was writhing in the darkness beyond.

Belatedly, Blood Knight deduced that Isaac was summoning something and hastily lashed out with his whip. In an instant, Isaac seemed to clench Blood Knight’s body and legs with his fingers.

Crack.

A gust swept through as if the atmosphere itself had shattered. From the colored mist beyond, tentacles as thick as a torso emerged and coiled around Blood Knight’s body and legs.

Blood Knight’s eyes widened as he saw the tentacles crush his armor and flesh in moments.

“Wait…”

Blood Knight tried to say something in desperation, but Isaac mercilessly spread his arms wide.

The sound was horrifying.

Blood Knight screamed, in resistance or agony, it was unclear.

Suddenly, trolls appeared from above the valley. Isaac recognized them as the trolls once controlled by Hesabel.

Now, effectively stripped of her authority, the trolls were being manipulated by the more powerfully controlling Blood Knight.

‘It seems they were lying in ambush to attack all at once.’

But the situation became urgent, leaving no choice but to summon them. The trolls charged at Isaac all at once.

Isaac slightly twisted his finger.

Boom, the sound was like a bursting water balloon. Giant tentacles twisted and shredded Blood Knight’s body into pieces. Fragments of armor and flesh were scattered around the valley.

As Isaac waved his finger, the tentacles swiftly swept the surroundings.

Unlike Blood Knight, the trolls couldn’t withstand even for a moment. Instead of bursting upon impact, they were torn apart by the teeth and thorns on the tentacles and disappeared. Only the tragic remnants of battle and bloodstains were left everywhere.

The tentacles devoured the remaining flesh and disappeared into the colors beyond.

[‘Blood Knight’ has been devoured.]

[‘Intestines of a Dead God’ perk increases consumption efficiency.]

[Health recovery ability has increased.]

[Stamina recovery ability has increased.]

[Blessing lasts until digested.]

It seemed to be a mere physical force monster, hence no special ability was obtained. However, Isaac felt his depleted strength rapidly returning after using his power just now.

‘Such insane power.’

Isaac looked at the remains of Blood Knight, expression incredulous.

The ability Isaac had just used was a result of synthesizing ‘Touch of Chaos’ with ‘Colors Beyond’, a reward for defeating the Prophet of Red Flesh.

This led to the acquisition of the skill ‘Grasp of the Abyss’.

[Grasp of the Abyss (S)]

[Summons the Grasp of the Abyss from the colors beyond. The thickness, length, and number of tentacles summoned depend on the user’s satiety consumption. Observers receive mental shock proportional to the duration of exposure.]

‘This was a technique originally usable only by high priests of chaos, wasn’t it?’

Moreover, as a monster-specific skill, players couldn’t use it. True to its monster-specific nature, it boasted an insane level of power without concern for balance.

Of course, eating the red flesh and receiving the sanctuary buff might have further enhanced its power. The downside was the enormous amount of satiety consumed by such a powerful technique. Even after devouring Blood Knight, Isaac momentarily felt hungry.

Isaac thought that if he had this ability when facing the Prophet of Red Flesh, it would have been much easier.

‘Though I can’t exactly use this in front of others…’

Isaac mused with a bitter smile. Still, he felt he had gained enough ability to deceive and influence those around him. Even the bishop considered canonizing him a saint. The Duke was eager to have him on his side as well.

‘Well, as long as no witnesses are left, it’s fine.’

A shocking thought, but Isaac considered it calmly as he walked on.

The remains of Blood Knight turned to ash upon contact with sunlight, just as the human hunters had. However, the marks of battle remained vividly. Isaac, examining the site where Blood Knight died, discovered something.

It was the saddle and tack of a Phantom Steed.

[Phantom Steed’s Tack (A)]

[Tack for the Death Knight’s mount. Without this tack, one cannot ride a Phantom Steed. If put on a normal horse, it becomes immune to fear or pain. Even if fatally wounded, death is postponed for a short period, and after death, it is reborn as a Phantom Steed.]

“Could this be useful? Perhaps it could be.”

Although the recent battles in the valley and siege warfare did not involve much mounted combat, Isaac hadn’t forgotten the romance of a cavalry charge.

Considering the vast areas he would traverse, there would likely be many opportunities for mounted combat, so he decided to keep it.

***

Isaac thought it would seem odd to descend immediately after declaring the fight dangerous to Duchess Delia, so he decided to look around a bit more. If a paladin or a bishop were to come and see this site, his greatness would be even more pronounced.

“Especially curious about why the Blood Knight was here and what he was lurking for.”

If targeting Isaac, hiding in a place like the holy underground would have sufficed. It would be easier to attack at night. Yet, the Blood Knight was hidden in a secluded valley cave, like a trap. As if he knew Isaac would come here.

Though the causal relationship might be reversed, Isaac was convinced that the Prophet of Red Flesh had hidden something here.

Inside the aqueduct cave leading to the mine.

Isaac slowly walked into the cave.

The cave was dark but spacious enough for the Blood Knight to move around.

Mining debris, impurities, and remnants piled up along the groundwater. Among these sediments, half-buried was the body of a paladin.

“I’ll need to have it recovered later.”

Isaac passed the body of the paladin and moved further in.

“Hmm.”

Soon, Isaac stopped again.

The cave narrowed due to excessive sediment accumulation, making it difficult to proceed further. While it might be possible to crawl forward facing the stream, he wasn’t keen on doing so.

“Nothing here? Was it all for nothing?”

Just as Isaac was about to turn back, something caught his eye. A solid rock beside the groundwater was sparkling.

Isaac brought the Luadin key closer to see what it was.

Then, the rock he was touching became hazy and disappeared like mist.

“This is… Ah.”

Isaac realized it was because of the Ruadin key.

Although he had been using it as a light source, the Luadin key, true to its name, had the ability to unlock seals from low to medium level. It seemed that whoever wanted to hide this place had sealed it with an illusion.

Several rocks vanished, breaking the illusion, and revealing a mine inside.

Isaac waited with a nonchalant expression, wondering what could possibly be hidden in the mine, but soon his eyes widened in realization.

‘This was the secret of the Hendrake territory.’

The mines of the Hendrake territory weren’t closed due to exhausted veins.

They were closed to hide what was discovered beneath the mines.

Plastered on the massive wall of the mine was a being with multiple wings, fossilized. The platinum-colored fossil was only partially exposed, but even that was enough to be intimidating.

Isaac estimated the size of what lay buried under the rock.

‘It must be almost 10 meters. Bigger than the Prophet of Red Flesh.’

Its identity was unmistakable; it was an angel.

And from its form, it seemed like an angel from the Codex of light. It wasn’t hard to guess why the angel ended up in such a state.

‘A fallen angel…’

As seen with the Prophet of Red Flesh, an angel’s will doesn’t always align with the will of God. However, if their will diverges too much or they commit an unforgivable sin, they are punished.

The nature of the punishment varies by faith. However, the Codex of light is known to consign the punished to the darkness below, turning them into stone.

Such punished angels were called fallen angels.

This angel, too, likely committed apostasy or a grave mistake.

The former lord of Hendrake must have been terrified upon discovering this fossil. And to hide the fallen angel in his territory, he must have ordered the mine closed. After all, if an inquisitor were to find out, things could get complicated.

This fallen angel was the source of the enormous amount of divine power lingering in the Hendrake territory. Likely, as the angel fossilized, its divine power leaked out but didn’t escape the mine, remaining pooled there.

It was a tragic discovery, yet Isaac felt a smirk forming on his lips.

“The divine power is one thing, but… a fossilized angel like this can be used as a precious material for making powerful equipment.”

Even in death, an angel remains an angel. In the game world, parts of such fallen angels, although varied in effects and uses, were utilized as incredibly potent catalysts. The Prophet of Red Flesh must have sought this as well.

Suddenly, Isaac realized he had spent too much time here. Priests would soon arrive. If they discovered this, things would become complicated, as the former Lord Hendrake had feared.

Then, an idea struck Isaac.

Adding this fallen angel to his already laid plans seemed like it would make things proceed more smoothly.

“Stay put until I return,” he joked, tapping the fossilized angel with his finger.

***

The priests, inquisitors, and paladins who arrived later were horrified by the carnage spread across the valley.

The remnants of the Blood Knight, just as those from the fight against the Wallachia vampires, turned to ash and disappeared over time. However, the debris from trolls, broken trees, and shattered stones did not.

“It was a formidable enemy.”

Isaac’s testimony was plain.

His appearance was as neat as his testimony, yet one paladin had returned dead and another was critically injured. Moreover, Duchess Delia, who had accompanied them, was babbling about the horrific enemy they had faced.

Actions speak louder than words.

The paladins praised Isaac for defeating yet another terrifying monster.

Back at the castle, Isaac began his report.

“It seems he was the source of the curse.”

Bishop Juan glanced at the inquisitor, who nodded in agreement.

“We found no trace of the curse in the castle, and besides the curse, there was no reason for the Blood Knight to appear. Moreover, the testimonies of Duchess Delia and several knights align, so we believe Sir Isaac, the Grail Knight, is correct.”

“Well done. A commendable achievement.”

Juan smiled, pleased. The obstacles to canonizing Isaac as a saint were now virtually nonexistent.

Then, Isaac knelt before Juan.

“I have a request, Bishop Juan.”

“A request? You could demand a reward.”

“I’m not in a position to receive rewards. It was merely a victory picked up thanks to the heroic efforts of two paladins before I even fought. Please send the fallen paladin to the Paladin Monastery to honor his valor, and I also request maximum medical support and rewards for the injured paladin.”

Though one had been ambushed and killed and the other had been battered, Isaac deliberately embellished their contributions. It was a preparatory step for the next phase. Bishop Juan smiled, pleased with Isaac’s humble and victory-yielding demeanor.

A true asset needed by the scripture of light.

“That should be the Order’s responsibility, not a request.”

“And there’s one more thing. I only drove away the Blood Knight; I haven’t completely eradicated the curse.”

“You mean you failed to banish it?”

“Yes.”

Bishop Juan and the inquisitors were puzzled, unsure how to react. They had succeeded against an angel, but not against the seemingly lesser Blood Knight? Of course, the Blood Knight was no easy foe, but not comparable to an angel.

Bishop Juan asked Isaac,

“Do you mean he escaped?”

“No. While investigating the place where he appeared, I found something profane.”

“Profane?”

Isaac hesitated as if it were too sacred to utter, intentionally building suspense. As Bishop Juan was about to press further, Isaac spoke.

“A fallen angel.”

Murmurs spread. A fallen angel was not a common find. Even if one were discovered, the Order usually dealt with it secretly, so it remained hidden from the public. Before the commotion could settle, Isaac quickly continued, silencing the murmurs with his voice.

“I suspect that the Prophet of Red Flesh was also attempting to use this fallen angel. If so, the origin of the curse might lie with the fallen angel, and we don’t know what harm a being that has blasphemed against the scripture of light could bring to the territory… Please allow the Order’s power to suppress the curse.”

Isaac requested as if he were a devout paladin, but the implication was clear. The members of the Order immediately understood what he was suggesting.

The most common way for the Order to suppress evil emanating from the land was well known.

“Are you suggesting we establish a monastery?”

“No!”

Before Juan could finish, Duchess Delia, as if provoked, stood up and shouted.

“This land was granted by the Emperor to your vassal! The Order cannot just do as it pleases!”

Watching the parties raise their voices against each other, Isaac secretly curled the corners of his lips.

Now, let them fight it out.