Player-Hunting Inquisitors

Chapter 23

When Riel and Yuria arrived home, I immediately showed them the Pope's letter.

"I have received the Pope's permission. As soon as the investigation results come out, we will head to the Black Market to conduct a forced investigation on Neno's shop and the family behind it."

"Understood. Riel and I will take care of the Black Market. Please investigate the backers with Natasha."

I wanted to head to the Black Market immediately.

However, if we raid Neno's shop first, it would give her master time to hide the evidence.

"Yuria, let me tell you about the master of Neno I saw. Their child was treated by the Cult of Light for an illness, and I sensed the unique accent of the Empire."

After hearing my explanation, Yuria fell into thought for a moment before quickly responding.

"Among the current Empire's nobles, there are three whose children are in critical condition. Among them, only one person can travel to and from the Black Market within a day by carriage."

"One person?"

Yuria took out a parchment map from her pocket and spread it on the table. The map detailed the Empire's geography, major cities, and the locations of the nobles' territories.

To assist Yuria, Riel moved Yuria's finger to the location of the Black Market.

Yuria nodded in gratitude and began her explanation.

"This will make it easier to understand. From the location of the Black Market, there are four territories that one could travel to and from overnight. Among them, only one has a child who is ill—Baron Serin."

Yuria's finger moved, pointing to several territories.

Among them, there was only one person who matched the characteristics we were looking for.

"Baron Serin, huh. What kind of person is he?"

Yuria answered without hesitation.

"He's insignificant. He enjoys a noble title only thanks to the money inherited from his ancestors, but he hasn't accomplished anything noteworthy in years."

"A person the Cult of Light would favor. Someone with status but no ability."

It seemed the Cult of Light had found a pawn they could easily manipulate.

Even so, being a noble likely helped him evade the Cult's scrutiny to some extent.

"Alright. Then there's no need to drag this out. I'd like to attack tomorrow directly. What do you two think?"

I proposed while looking alternately at Riel and Yuria.

They nodded without a moment's hesitation.

"Alright!"

"Sounds good."

We planned for the next day and disbanded.

The very next night, at sunset.

Natasha and I rode the carriage prepared by the Cult to Baron Serin's territory.

Silence filled the carriage.

I drew a sword and inspected its condition.

Natasha had her eyes closed, communing with spirits and preparing for what lay ahead.

Finally, the Cult's carriage discreetly arrived near the Baron's estate, and Natasha and I disembarked with our weapons.

"I sense a familiar energy."

"Those disgusting fanatics. They're all over this place."

The presence of the Cult of Light's members was strongly felt.

The sticky sensation of their unique Divine Power spread through the air.

'With this scale, it's safe to assume they're prepared for armed conflict.'

From the Cult of Light's perspective, the Baron seemed to be an important figure.

Wealthy, with a child held hostage, yet a naive noble unaware of the situation.

It appeared they were managing him as a valuable pawn.

I revealed myself and confidently walked toward the front gate of the Baron's mansion.

Natasha would conceal herself and head to the back gate to block their escape route.

"Who goes there?"

A man who appeared to be a guard approached, pointing a spear at me.

"Tsk, fanatics pretending to be guards. The world's really gone to the dogs."

"What did you say? State your business!"

The guard, irked by my words, aimed his spear at me as if ready to strike any moment.

I raised my voice and shouted loudly.

"I am Kian Fable! A Saint from the Cult of Darkness. This household has been accused of heresy, and I have come to deliver judgment myself!"

Heresy. Players are heretics, but so are those who collaborate with them.

Unlike the former, the latter can be judged openly by our Cult.

Because the Cult of Light is involved.

If they move, it's only fair for us to move as well.

"You have two choices: fight or lay down your weapons and surrender quietly."

The fanatic, hearing my words, was thrown into confusion.

I didn't give them time to react.

"Not coming? Then I'll come to you."

I drew my sword and took a step toward them.

The guard, who had been confidently pointing his spear at me, retreated step by step as I advanced.

Finally, when I crossed the gate, they sprang into action.

"Don't back down! There's only one enemy! Fight!"

"Yeah! There's no way what he says is true!"

Unfortunately for them, they made the wrong choice.

What they should have done was simple.

Escape over the wall immediately.

But they didn't.

"If that's your choice, then I have no choice but to pave the way for you."

Slowly, I drew upon Divine Power to strengthen my body.

A seemingly endless surge of Divine Power filled me, and I felt strength coursing through my entire body.

"From now on, I will guide you to your god."

I stomped hard on the ground and rushed toward the guard holding the spear.

"Quickly! Surround him! There's only one enemy!"

The one who seemed to be the leader shouted orders to the fanatics.

One guard clumsily thrust his spear.

I easily twisted my body to avoid the spearhead and simultaneously extended my sword to stab the guard's side.

Crack-! The sensation of my sword piercing through armor and flesh transmitted to my hand.

The guard screamed and collapsed, and I turned my gaze to the next opponent without even shaking off the blood on my sword.

'As long as I'm not surrounded, they're easy opponents.'

There were about ten guards here.

Slash-! My sword once again severed a neck.

'Now it's nine?'

Unable to overcome their fear, the enemies rushed at me without forming a proper encirclement.

Crack-!

My sword pierced through armor and flesh several more times.

Before I knew it, only a few of them were left.

They seemed to be waiting for reinforcements, forming a defensive formation instead of charging recklessly.

"Scared? Well, that's typical of that Goddess and her followers."

My words seemed to provoke them, as their faces turned red with anger.

However, they couldn't bring themselves to charge at me due to the deaths of their comrades.

"If you won't come, then I will."

I picked up a fallen spear from the ground.

Then, with a running start, I hurled the spear at the enemy leader.

"Argh!"

He hastily raised his shield, but the spear pierced through it and reached his abdomen.

Taking advantage of their confusion, I threw another spear at the neck of the guard at the front.

The spear precisely pierced his neck, and he collapsed without even a scream.

I gestured with my hand, provoking them.

"Won't come? Then you'll fall to the spear."

"Charge when you raise your spears!"

Unable to hold back, the enemies ultimately broke their formation and chose to charge at me.

However, being pierced by the spear was inevitable.

I thrust the spear I was holding into the one charging at me.

"Kraaah-!" A scream echoed, but the one pierced by the spear held onto it, trying to create an opportunity for his comrades.

However.

I let go of the spear and drew the sword from my waist.

The two aiming for the final opportunity created by their comrade met an empty end.

There were no more enemies left at the front gate.

After defeating all the guards, I closed the front gate and activated the artifact held by the enemy leader.

"Now, they won't be able to escape over the walls."

The artifact created a barrier that blocked external access.

However, it also prevented those inside from going out.

In the end, they were the ones trapped.

I slowly passed through the garden and headed toward the entrance of the mansion.

Waiting for me in front of the mansion were people who didn't match the beautiful garden.

"Oh, so you were all gathered here."

"You scoundrel! This will be your grave!"

It seemed someone with a certain level of authority within the Cult of Light had been waiting for me.

His face bore the insignia of the Cult of Light, and he held a massive stone as large as a person in one hand.

Additionally, about thirty fanatics were heavily armed.

"Then, stop talking and come at me."

When I provoked them with a hand gesture, a few impatient ones charged forward.

However, their skills didn't match their temperament.

The sword strikes they unleashed in their excitement were too monotonous in trajectory.

Swish-! Swish-!

The sound of swords cutting through flesh echoed several times.

Those who charged with great momentum lost their lives just like that.

Feeling the urgency, the enemy commander gave the order to charge.

"Everyone, charge! Overwhelm him with numbers!"

I also drew my sword and charged at them.

"Heretic. Accept your judgment peacefully."

Following the divine power, I summoned the blessing.

The blessing of guidance I received showed me the path.

Literally, the path to judge these guys.

I advanced as guided by the blessing, swinging my sword, and they fell helplessly.

"Surround him! Don't attack one by one!"

"He's too fast!"

The enemies tried to surround me, but I broke through before the encirclement could form.

Following the path shown by the blessing, I targeted the weakest one.

"Why... me..."

"Argh! There he is!"

Repeating the process several times.

Before long, the area in front of the mansion was filled with the corpses of fanatics.

Unable to endure any longer, their leader charged at me, swinging his weapon.

"I'll deal with you myself!"

"So the leader has only been watching until now?"

I provoked him until the very end.

"Hmph. Even you must be exhausted by now!"

The enemy leader approached me.

However, there was no reason for me to follow his intentions.

"Commander!"

"The encirclement has been broken!"

Avoiding him, I eliminated the disorganized ones one by one.

Eventually, when their numbers dwindled to the point I could count them on one hand.

Only then did the enemy leader have the chance to clash swords with me.

Clang-!

He swung his massive stone freely, clashing it against my sword.

With a heavy metallic sound, the blade cutting through the air brushed past my ears.

Clang-! Clang-!

The massive stone, fitting its size, struck my sword with great force. However,

"How dull."

He was merely slightly stronger.

His skill in handling weapons and experience in leading a fight were overwhelmingly inferior to mine.

The one who felt this most keenly would be the enemy commander clashing swords with me.

I didn't overexert myself and waited for him to falter on his own.

The more we exchanged blows, the more desperate he became.

At that moment, as he raised his arm high to strike down with his weapon.

I seized the moment and closed in on him.

He hastily lowered his stone to block my sword strike, but he couldn't match the speed of my sword.

My extended sword pierced his chest, and he fell to his knees.

"You monster..."

As their leader fell, the remaining enemies dropped their weapons and fled toward the back gate.

'Natasha will take care of them.'

I sensed the life force of spirits near the back gate.

Ignoring them, I wiped the blood off my sword.

Finally, the path to the inside of the Sein family mansion was open.