Apostle of the Goddess of War

Chapter 56

Ch.56 Apostle of the Goddess of War

“Uwaaagh.”  

Several couldn’t hold back their nausea and turned their heads away.  

The sensation of slicing through flesh with a knife still vividly lingered in their palms.  

They were people just thrown into real combat. Of course they weren’t accustomed to killing. Sion was the abnormal one.  

Tier took charge of the cleanup after the battle. His heart was still pounding rapidly.  

But the task had to be done.  

He took the lead.  

“Let’s quickly treat the injured and move out. There might be more scouts around. Next time, don’t confront them head-on—sneak up behind, capture them, and find their main base.”  

“Yes, Commander.”  

Locating the main base and eliminating it—this was the core of their current mission.  

Even dealing with three scouts had been this exhausting and overwhelming. Doubts arose whether wiping out the main force was even possible.  

Yet they had to do it. Retreating here would mean civilian casualties. They bore the responsibility as members of the Order of the War Knight.  

Tier gave the order.  

“We move out in ten minutes. Dismissed.”  

The knights struggled to maintain their composure, moving despite the draining fatigue. They checked their wounds and gulped down water in large swallows.  

“…Phew.”  

Sion, watching the scene from afar, also relaxed his tension. He had been gripping his hands tightly, anxiously observing every moment in case someone died.  

He had been ready to rush in at any second.  

Experience was valuable, but life came first.  

If you died, nothing else mattered.  

Fortunately, no tragedy occurred. He believed the Goddess had intervened.  

Sion closed his eyes briefly in prayer. His long eyelashes lowered gently.  

“Thank you, my Goddess. Thanks to you, no one was injured.”  

[I did nothing. My warriors fought well—that’s all.]  

The Goddess patted Sion’s shoulder. Though her voice didn’t physically reach him, Sion felt joy.  

Lately, Sion never forgot to offer prayers of gratitude to the Goddess. He kept doing it deliberately until it became a habit. Thanks to this, Sion’s divine power slowly, like specks of dust, began accumulating.  

Alongside this, there was another practice he was undertaking.  

It was a concept of divine power manipulation taught by Garfenn. Sion was interpreting it himself and refining it further into an advanced form.  

‘Until the path of divine power forms a loop.’  

From the moment he woke and opened his eyes, he continuously circulated his divine power. It wasn’t merely stored and used only when needed.  

‘By constantly circulating it, I reduce even the brief moment required to summon strength.’  

This way, he could react faster and more effectively to threats. His body would always adapt to divine power, maximizing efficiency of its use.  

Moreover, once this became second nature and possible without conscious effort, the loop would form and flow even during sleep.  

The path of holiness would soon become a self-traveling ring, circulating infinitely.  

This would directly lead to enhanced physical recovery and regenerative abilities.  

That wasn’t all.  

His control over divine power would naturally improve, and resistance would develop against magic or mental interference.  

Eventually, when the divine power loop was fully formed, his body would merge with divine power. His very existence would become sacred—truly a walking nemesis to demons.  

Of course, this required immense time, effort, and patience.  

When he asked Garfenn and Marquisin, they said it was a concept that would normally take an average person ten years to fully understand and master.  

‘I don’t have that kind of time.’  

Sion was someone who had to live one year as if it were ten.  

Signs of war were erupting everywhere.  

No one knew when the devil-worshippers might launch a full-scale war. The tension was so intense that such a scenario tomorrow wouldn’t have been surprising.  

Time was gold. Sion wasn’t impatient, but he worked as if every person’s life depended on the next day.  

His current goal was to drastically shorten the time required to complete the ‘Divine Loop’ he was now practicing.  

“If I keep going like this, it won’t be long. Even in the worst case, I should be fully adapted within this month.”  

Given that he had maintained divine power circulation even during this tense period, the time required should have been even further reduced.  

Sion shifted his focus back to the Order of the War Knight. He narrowed his eyes, carefully observing each individual.  

“…Still, this is truly unbearable.”  

Not intervening and merely observing was paradoxically more exhausting and difficult. The mental fatigue felt heavier than the dampness of a swamp.  

“Tier’s first judgment was half a beat late. Still, I’d say it was passable.”  

His gaze turned to Set. It was a look of both cold objectivity and deep affection.  

“That kid Set. His shield technique is still a complete mess, but this time he definitely did well.”  

When Set blocked the goblin’s attack, Sion instinctively clenched his hand without even realizing it.  

He had almost impulsively intervened, fearing his younger brother was in danger, but forcibly suppressed the urge.  

But thanks to Set’s brave initiative, no one fell into panic, and they succeeded in counterattacking.  

Had Set not stepped forward, everyone would have frozen in fear at the monster’s roar and ended up bloodied.  

Set’s contribution to this first battle was significant.  

As an older brother, Sion felt secretly proud.  

That was when it happened.  

“Huh? Just now…”  

Sion turned his head toward the east.  

He had been continuously spreading his divine power to detect movement, and a certain group had caught his senses.  

“Not goblins, but humans. Who are they?”  

His hair stood on end. His instincts sensed danger.  

“Their direction of movement…”  

It overlapped with the Red Knights. Could their target be the same?  

“Meeting them feels troublesome.”  

Wanting to eliminate such variables, Sion decided to move in. It was time for him to fulfill his role.  

Sion calculated distance, direction, and time. His mind worked quickly and precisely.  

“The knight unit still has a long way to go before encountering the goblin group. They need at least half a day more. So…”  

Since nothing major would happen in the meantime, Sion decided to hurry and check on the unfamiliar group.  

If they posed a threat, he would eliminate them and return.  

Just then, the ten-minute rest ended.  

Tier got his men back on their feet and resumed the march. They had to cross a deep swamp, so the burden would be heavy.  

“Good luck, hold on strong.”  

Sion silently cheered for them as he headed in the opposite direction. He pushed off the ground and leapt swiftly to another tree.  

The marching Order of the War Knight merely thought a monkey had passed by.  

* * *  

Sion heard the sound of mud surging with each step he took.  

The ground sank deeply, and vegetation was thick. The air was sticky, like melting rubber.  

“…Getting closer.”  

Something stirred. A presence burned intensely, glaringly strong. In this kind of terrain, one would normally hide their presence, but not so here.  

“On the contrary, they’re flaunting their presence. Do they have confidence in their strength?”  

Sion hid himself on a tree, lowering his breathing. Soon, a red-clad group emerged, pushing through the underbrush.  

Five in number, they each carried a massive spear, a longsword and dagger, a chain scythe, a scripture marked with flame patterns, and similar items.  

They all wore long robes embroidered with flame-shaped eyes, and seeing this, Sion’s eyes narrowed.  

Sion recalled what he had studied with Ruina—the external characteristics of various major Cults. He had memorized them.  

“The Flame Cult…”  

This group, which worshipped the Goddess of Fire, Agnia, was known among the Round Table Cults as one of the most secretive and mystical.  

Most influential in the southern regions of the Empire, their power was so great that they could have established an independent nation.  

That was when it happened.  

“…Don’t spy on us.”  

Whoosh!  

A steel chain flew toward him.  

Clang!  

Sion instantly drew his sword, deflected the chain, and leapt away.  

Tat.  

Sion nimbly jumped down from the tree and landed opposite them.  

One of the five, a man carrying a long spear over his shoulder, stepped forward. Even in this humid, hot place, he covered half his face with a red mask.  

“Reveal your identity. Are you a devil worshipper?”  

His tone was almost accusatory.  

Sion answered without lowering his guard.  

“I am a War Cult believer.”  

“War Cult believer?”  

The masked man tilted his head sideways.  

“I’ve heard there used to be an old War Cult base in the northern part of this swamp… But wasn’t that Cult destroyed?”  

A vein throbbed on Sion’s temple. The silent Goddess Achille’s furious roar echoed through her throne.  

[You… you firewood wretches!]  

Sion glared at the Flame Cult member and said,  

“Watch your words.”  

“…I see.”  

An apology came from the lips hidden behind the mask.  

“If any remain, I apologize. I meant no offense. I’m not well-informed about the central Empire’s affairs. I truly believed your Cult had vanished.”  

He had heard that a vast tropical region separated the southern and central parts of the Empire. Geographical barriers often caused delayed information.  

Even if Sion’s exploits and the War Cult’s revival had occurred, it would likely only have reached the central and western regions.  

For now, news of War probably hadn’t properly reached the Imperial Capital, the Holy Kingdom, or especially the southern regions.  

Clack.  

Sion sheathed his sword. He also bowed his head slightly.  

“I didn’t mean to spy. I was cautious because I didn’t know who you were.”  

“I understand. I also apologize for attacking first. We were chasing a devil worshipper. I mistook you for him.”  

“That’s understandable.”  

Considering they had started by exchanging blows, the conversation was progressing rather peacefully.  

After all, they were believers in a Goddess. Unlike devil worshippers, they shared the common ground of being able to communicate.  

“So you’re members of the Flame Cult?”  

“Yes. We were burned of sin and reborn from the ashes.”  

“…I see.”  

Is that how Flame Cult members introduced themselves? He had heard they were mysterious and highly closed-off, with doctrines bordering on fanaticism.  

Even from a few exchanged words, he could sense it. Sion revealed his name.  

“I am Sion.”  

“I am Rakian.”  

Sion and Rakian clasped hands. Rakian’s hand was rough—clearly the hand of a spear master who had undergone countless trainings.  

“Still, why is a War Cult believer here? I can’t imagine why you’d come all the way from Elim to this swamp.”  

“I heard monsters have been appearing nearby and attacking villages.”  

“You came to exterminate them?”  

“Yes.”  

Rakian planted his spear shaft on the ground and leaned on his shoulder. Then he continued.  

“I’ve heard the Imperial Capital has been in chaos lately? I heard devil worshippers have started their activities.”  

Sion nodded readily. This was a good opportunity to exchange information.  

“Yes. The Blood Cult has been active near the capital, and I heard the Holy Kingdom was attacked by the Darkness Cult.”  

“…As expected.”  

The Flame Cult priests murmured among themselves, glancing at one another. They apparently weren’t well-informed about the northern regions either.  

Their expressions darkened further. The murmuring ceased as they turned back to Sion.  

“The situation is worse than we thought. I’ve heard it’s even more severe in the east, with the Wisdom Cult. Even the Scales Knights are overwhelmed—mercenary groups are active there.”  

“Mercenaries too…”  

“Retired holy knights have formed mercenary bands to protect people. We’ve even heard of the Owl Mercenaries and the Black Flag Unit’s exploits.”  

Sion nodded.  

He had vaguely heard about mercenary groups. Bishop Gustein had mentioned it in passing. With soldiers in short supply, ordinary people had started forming self-defense units.  

Sion spoke again.  

“What about the south? We’ve had no news from there.”  

“The Death Cult is slowly moving. But for now, it’s minor. Just sending a few Cult knights is enough to suppress it. Though we did let one slip, which is why we’re here.”  

For a moment, Sion was seized by unease. It was the same thought he’d had since earlier.  

“Let one slip? Could it be…”  

“A Death Cult priest who initially mistook you for someone else. He hid himself in this forest.”  

For some reason, Sion felt that the Death Cult priest who had hidden here might be connected to the goblin group.  

And Sion’s anxious premonitions had never been wrong so far.

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