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!
The temple had been built into the natural terrain of the rocky mountain. It was equipped
with a thick stone gate, a moat, ballistas, and even defensive installments for the deployment
of Archers.
“Defend this place.”
Uuuoooohh!
At the command of the Embinyu Priests, the Demonic Spirits guarded the fort like an iron
wall.
Weed couldn’t go inside the fort, so he turned back to the place where the rituals had been
performed.
“If they’re to come back, there’s probably only going to be a day, maybe two days in
between!”
Weed mounted Yellowy in his full equipment, the armor and equipment gave him happiness!
He stood in front of the Guardian Knights with his cloak flapping.
It was a decisive moment.
Weed raised his sword high and burst out with Lion’s Roar—
“GUARDIAN KNIGHTS, ATTACK!”
60 Guardian Knights ran forward in unison.
It was a charge made by only 60 party members towards over 500 Demonic Spirits, Embinyu
Church Priests, and Dark Knights!
It looked incomparably reckless, but the reality was actually very different from the exterior.
The Guardian Knights who lead the dead were not living beings. As warriors of the Matallost
Church, they were no different from ghosts. They would never die from normal methods, and
they only received blows from the holy power of high-rank Priests or the black magic of the
Dark Knights and above.
“It’s the remnants of the Matallost Church.”
“Stop them!”
30 Dark Knights and over 500 Demonic Spirits held the front lines, but the Guardian Knights
broke right through them.
Grawr?
“Get them!”
The Dark Knights turned and chased after the Guardian Knights.
The Guardian Knights only had one purpose.
Eradicate the Embinyu Church’s Priests!
Just as Weed had commanded, they ran straight towards the Priests.
The Embinyu Priests uttered an incantation.
“O beastly and dark power, let merciless punishment fall. Dark Sword!”
Blessing magic! The Priests endowed holy power into the guarding Dark Knights’ swords.
Rawr!
“Wipe out the remnants of the Matallost Church.”
The Dark Knights intercepted the Guardian Knights. Demonic Spirits were surrounding them
layer by layer, so they were really like rats in a trap.
*Woosh!*
Weed raised his hand. Then the Phoenixes outstretched their wings.
The Phoenixes breathed flames towards the ground as they flew over the battlefield. The
Demonic Spirits were b