novelraw Chapter 31 : Requiem Cult (3)
Chapter 31 : Requiem Cult (3)
Chapter 31: Requiem Cult (3)
A shocking storm had just passed.
Even after Yohan and Scarlet disappeared, Kim Geunsik couldn’t bring himself to leave the spot.
‘A man who knows about our cult….’
That alone was absurd.
But he even knew about the “Egg of Darkness,” which they had prepared for a long time for this operation.
Would anyone believe him if he reported that?
No, it would sound far more plausible to say that there was a traitor who leaked internal information.
But the bigger problem was the opponent’s strength.
Crack.
Fragments fell from the claw marks.
The barrier hadn’t completely recovered.
Could that really be possible?
He had been recognized for his talent and even received a Knight’s Token from a low-ranking administrator.
‘There’s no way I could ever do something like that.’
No, even the senior executives of the cult wouldn’t be able to wound the Domain of the Evil God.
His headache grew worse.
Kim Geunsik pressed his throbbing temples hard.
Just then—
Step. Step.
A group of Orcs approached from one side.
They were drenched in blood from head to toe.
Judging from the heavy stench of blood, it hadn’t been long since their massacre.
“Don’t tell me—you didn’t kill the sacrifices, did you?”
“Of course not. We just toyed with a few humans we met on the way. So stop glaring at us like that.”
A warrior with crimson skin sneered.
They were from the Black Fortress Tribe—a gathering of berserkers who reveled in blood and slaughter.
They had joined hands due to mutual interests, but they were an unpredictable headache.
“Hunters as strong as Jung Seongtae are particularly valuable sacrifices.”
“Don’t worry. As you said, we’ve tied the sacrifices by the lake. But once that ritual or whatever it is ends… you’d better keep your promise with us.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. But there’s another matter—some unexpected variables we’ll need you to deal with.”
“Variables?”
The Orc’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.
“A duo… they’re dangerous. I think they could become a major obstacle to our plan.”
“Two people? Just two? Hah! Hahahaha!”
“So this is the same human who supposedly wiped out an entire division of the Fang of Hatred Tribe? When did you become such a coward?”
The Orcs burst into louder laughter.
The warriors they brought from the Black Fortress numbered one hundred and fifty—
Among them, fifteen were Warrior-class Orcs.
Two humans wouldn’t even make a decent snack after a meal.
“……”
Kim Geunsik gave a bitter smile at their reaction.
No matter what he said, they’d just mock him.
Better to steer the conversation toward preparing for the worst.
“Because I used the barrier earlier than planned, cracks may form before the ritual finishes. It would be best to fortify those weak points at least.”
“Our great chieftain is already on his way here with the main forces.”
A massive army—three thousand strong.
Once they arrived an hour later, no amount of human resistance would matter.
＊＊＊
At the same time—
Away from the barrier, Yohan and Scarlet were moving to find a new path.
The place Kim Geunsik was in served as the origin point of the power, meaning the barrier would be strongest there.
To find a weaker point, they had to circle around the outer perimeter, far from the origin.
The path was tougher than expected.
To reach the lake again, they needed to make a long detour through a dense forest.
“I know. You’re lost, aren’t you?”
……Huh?
“Well, back in the fortress you were always reading quietly, weren’t you? I guess adventures like this must feel unfamiliar.”
Scarlet’s shoulders rose higher with pride.
At the same time, Yohan’s sense of unease grew.
“Just trust me! I was the second president of the Vampire Girl Scouts, you know. They called me not only Scarlet of the Blood Threads, but also Scarlet Grills!”
When did useless things like the Vampire Girl Scouts even become a thing?
And who was the first president, anyway?
Yohan’s headache worsened, but Scarlet strode forward with confidence, unfazed.
“Look! I already found something edible!”
That was a poisonous mushroom.
Anyone who ate it usually died.
If they were lucky, they’d just spend three days bedridden.
“This one looks like a rare herb! What do you think? Could it be useful?”
That was a mandragora.
When pulled from the ground, it would shriek loud enough to burst eardrums.
Still… how strange.
Those were not easy to find.
“As long as you don’t pull it—”
“KYAAAAAA!!!!!”
“Kyaaaaaaa!!!!!”
The plant screamed as it was pulled out, and the foolish vampire screamed right along with it.
A complete disaster.
At this point, joining the Requiem Cult didn’t seem like such a terrible option after all.
Actually, wasn’t it the 58th round?
The episode difficulty had been so ridiculous that he’d once tried betraying out of sheer frustration.
The Requiem Cult… their welfare system wasn’t half bad.
Generous benefits, too.
While he was lost in those ridiculous thoughts, he sensed movement among the trees.
“Huh…?”
“Who are you people…?”
It was another raid party.
Not just Koreans—foreign Hunters were among them as well.
‘Oh?’
Yohan’s eyes narrowed.
Unlike the amateurs from Kim Geunsik’s group, this team was well-organized.
They were the main raid teams sent by the guilds.
Balanced compositions of tanks, dealers, and healers exuded both stability and experience.
Their equipment was solid, and the mana flowing from each individual was strong.
“We heard terrifying screams and came to check. Thankfully, you’re not Orcs.”
A blond foreigner let out a sigh of relief.
They must have heard the mandragora and Scarlet’s duet.
“Were you two traveling alone? Or… is there another reason?”
“Well…”
Yohan gave a vague explanation.
That black magicians who worshiped the Evil God had captured people as sacrifices for some horrific ritual.
When the story ended, a heavy silence fell.
“Dealing with Orcs alone is hard enough, and now we have to face black magicians too…”
“Our main force is pursuing the Orc army from the opposite side. Getting this information to them is one thing, but it might take a while for reinforcements to arrive.”
To deal with black magic, Paladins or Priests were essential.
However, the high-ranking members from the Vatican—both Priests and Paladins—had gone to the opposite area, the Rock Cavern.
One of the most intense battlefields in this episode.
Five Orc tribes had taken root there.
No doubt a fierce bloodbath was underway.
Just then—
[Trait ‘Sacred Flame’ has been activated!]
Fwoosh!
A white flame ignited in Yohan’s hand.
“That’s… could it be…?”
“Holy Power?”
A divine authority that could only be obtained by entering the Church and proving one’s worth.
As the radiant light that repelled evil surged, admiration escaped from everyone’s lips.
Indeed, choosing [Sacred Flame] had been an excellent decision, even now in hindsight.
There were countless ways to use it.
At least until Episode (5), when another way to obtain Holy Power would be revealed, this deception would continue to work.
Let’s put the finishing touch on it.
“By any chance, do you know Priest Pack Bedro?”
At Yohan’s words, the Hunters mulled over that name.
“Pack Bedro, you say?”
“Oh! That muscular guy— the one who goes around bashing Undead with his fists.”
“Ah, I remember. Isn’t he affiliated with the Priests of the Sun?”
They whispered among themselves.
Apparently, he was quite a famous figure.
Well, it would indeed be hard to forget that bronze-skinned, violent priest after seeing him even once.
“He’s an old friend.”
They hadn’t shared a meal or gone to the sauna together, but he had saved his life.
That much was enough to call someone a friend.
“Wow, he must be an incredible man.”
“To think he can use Holy Power. Then, it should be manageable.”
“Exactly. No matter how urgent it is, we can’t let those black magicians run wild.”
The entire raid group’s will aligned as one.
It showed just how feared and ominous black magic and the cults of the Evil God were in this era.
“Then, allow us to guide the way.”
About thirty minutes had passed by now, so the weakening zone of the ‘Domain of the Evil God’ would soon appear.
Thanks to those bastards heating up the lake’s magical energy, all preparations were complete.
Thus, they moved through the thickets together with the thirty-member raid group.
How long had they walked?
Kukukuku!
The deeper they went, the air around them changed drastically.
A sticky and unpleasant humidity clung to their skin.
Their breathing felt clogged, as if phlegm had lodged in their throats.
“Yohan-nim.”
Scarlet pointed to one side.
“Yes.”
Yohan nodded as well.
A dark crimson cloud was rising in the distance.
Something ominous was about to unfold.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen a sacrificial ritual of this scale and perfection.’
It was clear that a significant figure within the Requiem Cult was involved.
If they succeeded in hatching the Egg of Darkness, the cult’s priests would be able to advance to Hidden Class.
However….
‘If we’ve approached this close to the lake, it’s about time for it to appear.’
The moment he thought that—
Dding!
Status windows appeared before everyone’s eyes.
[You have entered a zone where Magic Power is distorted!]
[You can now perform a ‘Job Quest’!]
At last, the long-awaited moment had arrived.
＊
[Job Quest]
A companion soul who would share in thirty-three grand sagas ahead.
Your destiny would change entirely depending on which job you chose.
‘Even after a thousand runs, this still makes me nervous.’
Aside from about three rounds where he’d died absurdly, he had chosen over forty-five different jobs throughout nine hundred ninety-six runs.
Some had extreme strengths and weaknesses.
Some were unremarkable but possessed outstanding versatility.
There were even late-blooming ones— weak at first, but shining brightly in the endgame.
However, none of them worked in the final stage of the Episode.
Because the difficulty was simply absurd.
There were too many variables as well.
Therefore—
Considering everything, there was only one conclusion.
‘From beginning to end….’
It had to remain brokenly overpowered.
In other words— a ‘Hidden Class’.
Only by obtaining a hidden job that couldn’t be acquired through ordinary means would there be even a shred of possibility.
“So this is that spot where the magic power gets twisted that everyone was talking about.”
“Came to hunt black magicians and ended up with this kind of luck, huh.”
“What are you all planning to do? Change class, or inherit?”
Various opinions came up among the Hunters.
Each was busy scrolling through the numerous job lists, debating which choice was the right one.
Well. Whatever they picked, it wasn’t any of his concern.
“Scarlet.”
“Yes?”
“What are you going to do?”
A status window had also appeared before Scarlet, who had been in the Tower of Trials.
He had wondered if she might be an exception— but as expected, she too was bound by the system’s rules.
“It’s a little strange, being told to choose a job, but of course, I’ll pick ‘Blood Sorcerer’. Isn’t that what you’d choose as well, Yohan-nim?”
Blood Sorcerer.
The only class among all that could, upon final advancement, become a ‘Vampire’ through one’s own power.
Hmm….
He understood her pride and confidence in her race, but still—
Wasn’t it a bit sketchy, seeing it listed right beside ‘Black Magician’ like they were a matching pair?
As time went on, the connection quests between Black Magicians and Blood Sorcerers would increase.
By the mid-episodes, they would officially be regarded as enemies of mankind.
There were ways to prevent that outcome, but regardless, it wasn’t a smooth path to take.
“You do know we’re going to hunt black magicians right now, right?”
“You shouldn’t lump filthy creatures like them together with noble ones like us.”
“Well… in this world, people will see them as a set. It might be fine for now, but the image will get worse and worse later on.”
If a hamburger came with fries,
And chocolate cookies came with milk,
Then Black Magicians came with Blood Sorcerers.
From society’s perspective, the difference was like that between food waste and regular trash.
“Don’t worry. If there are any lowly fools who dare insult our noble choice, I’ll simply wipe them all out.”
“Wow. I didn’t know it could be solved that easily. Not even in my dreams!”
“Ehem. I’ll gladly take that as a compliment.”
“…….”
He had no words.
Fine, Scarlet, just do whatever you want.
With a small sigh, Yohan refocused on his status window.
[Warrior], [Healer], [Mage], [Thief]….
……[Elementalist], [Druid], [Bard], and more.
About 118 jobs were listed.
Each would then branch into several subclasses depending on the training method, so the diversity was astounding.
‘Hidden Classes aren’t even displayed here, so technically there are even more.’
He already knew five ways to unlock Hidden Classes.
The question was— which one to choose.
With the new privilege he’d gained, his comrades,
And—
The yet-unexperienced, final 33rd Episode.
Calculated probability, accumulated experience, and the instincts sharpened through countless crises stirred within him.
‘I’ve decided.’
Yohan selected one option.