It meant if he were to fail the quest; Rescuing the Prisoners, Eradicating the Embinyu Church’s 11th Sect, and the rest would also end.
Weed’s eyes had already started sparkling the moment “rewards” were mentioned.
“As a righteous adventurer journeying across the Versailles Continent, I cannot turn a blind eye on the evildoings of the Embinyu Church. For the sake of the Matallost Church, I will ensure their ritual will be stopped for good.”
– You have accepted the quest.
Black smoke gushed out from the Statue of Death, and the River of Lamentation began to overflow. The water surged to the riverbank like crashing waves, and after a while, Knights walked out of the river.
Ghosts!
The 100 Guardian Knights who were hazily coming into existence were Weed’s reinforcements.
* * *
Weed put the Guardian Knights, the Five Phoenix Brothers, and Yellowy on standby where he stood and stealthily crept near the location of the Embinyu Church.
The Embinyu Priests and Dark Knights had suspended their slaughter ritual and were plunged into chaos. The over 1,000 Demonic Spirits who had been guarding them also looked somewhat weakened. The light in their eyes had weakened, and their steps were strengthless.
‘Seems like the purification of the River of Lamentation had an effect.’
Weed used the opening the Dark Knights on guard duty provided to inch closer.
There was a blood-red Skull and Coffin sewn on the robes of the Embinyu Church Priests. There were only 10 Priests who had Crows on their robes.
He could overhear their conversation.
“The River of Lamentation is not responding to our ritual.”
“Sacrifice more offerings.”
Priests with the Crow emblems looked like they were in charge. As they performed the ritual, hearts of lambs and deers were sacrificed.
The ritual showed a violent response, enough to flood the River of Lamentation! It had been potent enough to erode the rocks, and ghosts flew out helterskelter.
Weed watched the ritual nervously, but the river continued to flow leisurely.
The Priests, whose faces were barely visible due to upturned robe hoods, halted the ritual and said, “The strength of the ghosts has decreased.”
“What about the Demonic Spirits we sent aboveground?”
“They will also become increasingly weak.”
“The ritual must continue in order to make additional Demonic Spirits…. We’ll have to bring the Matallost Church prisoners and ask them the reason why.”
The survivors of the Matallost Church!
It seemed they had become prisoners and were captives of the Embinyu Church.
“If we are to bring the prisoners, we will have to report to His Holiness, the Pope.”
“His Holiness will lead us. Let us return to the temple for now.”
They left about half of the Embinyu Priest and Dark Knight troops behind and moved downstream.
The temple was at a place where Weed hadn’t scouted yet. He snuck behind them, and after following them for about two hours, a brilliant fortress made of gold and jewels appeared.
It was a high-class temple, entirely different level from the ruined temple of the Matallast Church!