Finding a copy of the Book of the Divine King was fortunate, but this grimoire was alive in itself. The unholy and the wicked could not access it freely.
"Damn it. What kind of grimoire is this? Is this the power of the Yaegas Divine Clan?!"
At that moment, rats began screeching near the entrance of the liquor storage. Azadin had arrived.
***
—Squeak, squeak...
A wave of rats surged toward Azadin.
"Oh, damn!"
Seeing the swarm of rats moving like a tidal wave, Azadin quickly leaped onto a barrel. The rats tried to climb up and attack, but Azadin untied the Moon Horn Bow from his waist, half-stringing it instead of fully nocking an arrow.
He pulled the bowstring, then struck the bow frame, releasing it. The elastic force sent the bowstring lashing out like a whip, sweeping over the barrels. The rats climbing up were flung away in pieces by the bowstring's sweep.
—Snap!
With a whip-like crack, the rats were blown away.
"The bowstring is getting worn... but now's not the time to worry about that!"
As he continued lashing at the rats with the bowstring, those attempting to climb up were struck down one after another.
"Hmm... stop. That one over there, you won't be able to kill with that."
At the command of the corrupted holy knight, the rats ceased their attack.
"You must be a herald! One of the Herald Clan!"
Azadin turned to look at the man dressed in the garb of the Salvation Knight Order.
"You're a corrupted holy knight, aren't you? From the Salvation Knight Order?"
"Corrupted? Ha, haha. Corruption, you say? I'm merely serving the true god at last, not the false archangel!"
"False archangel?"
Azadin's expression hardened. To hear such words from someone who was once a holy knight of the Salvation Knight Order—it was an unbearable insult.
"That's right. They claim that believing in the archangel grants white magic? It's all nonsense. The angels are already dead, and their corpses hold no power. The Salvation Knight Order is nothing but a grand scheme of frauds!"
The holy knight pointed at his surcoat. Over the emblem of the Salvation Knight Order, the symbol of Mezeri had been crudely painted in blood.
"The Kurt Divine Clan are the true gods. Their era is upon us! The Yaegas Divine Clan, weakened by mingling their blood with humans, cannot stand against them. When the true gods rule this world, we, their apostles, will become the new nobility who govern these lands!"
"And so, you chose to become an apostle of Mezeri, preying on people? Pathetic. A true holy knight is one who upholds the virtues of wisdom, mercy, and courage. You could never wield the power of the Salvation Knight Order. You are unworthy, unable to even approach virtue."
Azadin condemned the holy knight, clearly provoking him.
"You, daring to lecture me about the faith of the Salvation Knight Order? A soulless heretic like you?"
"In this situation, I'd say you should be worrying more about your own soul."
"You insolent fool."
As the holy knight raised his chin, several figures climbed onto the barrels. They were wererats, their bodies covered in grotesque tumors.
"The followers of Mezeri, I see."
Azadin wrapped the Moon Horn Bow back around his waist and shifted his weapon to a halberd form. The holy knight scoffed at the sight.
"You may have annoyed me, but it seems you have some skill. Considering how far you've come and how you handled the rats earlier. How about it? Why not take this chance to serve the true god?"
The holy knight attempted to entice Azadin. However, Azadin flatly refused.
"Sorry, but I believe in the Archangel of the Trinity."
"..."
The corrupted holy knight's expression was a sight to behold.
A brief, awkward silence filled the space.
"Why?"
"Wait, hold on. Are you serious? A soulless heretic like you claims to follow the faith of the Salvation Knight Order?"
The corrupted holy knight was genuinely shocked by Azadin's words. He had encountered many fanatics who claimed to follow the faith, but never had he met someone with true belief.
And yet, this herald, of all people, was now claiming to follow the Salvation Knight Order's faith.
"Yes."
"You madman! Didn't you hear what I said? The Archangel of the Trinity is dead, they hold no power! The few holy knights in the Salvation Knight Order who actually use magic prowess are all originally from the Yaegas Divine Clan! They're just nobles!"
"Power or no power isn't what matters. It's about whether their virtues hold beauty or not."
"No, but you...!"
The Herald Clan were those who had committed the crime of killing the Yaegas Divine Clan. Because of this, they were persecuted by all of Hubris.
And now, one of them was speaking of virtue and beauty?
"The Archangel of Trinity is powerless, and the Salvation Knight Order is fraud. I speak from experience. This faith has only ever betrayed me!"
"That doesn't matter. Even if the Archangel of Trinity is powerless, I have already received my salvation in advance. So, my faith cannot betray me. I only fear that I may betray my faith."
Azadin spoke as he took his stance.
"You're truly insane. You might have some skill, but... Enough. You disgust me. Die!"
The corrupted holy knight acknowledged Azadin's ability, but his contempt for Azadin's faith outweighed any admiration.
The followers of Mezeri, the diseased ones, lunged toward Azadin. At the same time, the rats swarmed onto the barrels once more, launching an attack.
Yet, even as enemies came from all sides, Azadin remained composed and offered a warning.
"One piece of advice."
He moved toward the followers of Mezeri and the diseased ones climbing onto the barrels to attack him.
"In this kind of terrain, I hold absolute advantage!"
***
Azadin kicked a diseased one as if launching a ball with full force. The creature, climbing onto a barrel, had its skull shattered and was sent flying backward.
Azadin, using his momentum, seemed as if he would fall beneath the barrels...
But instead, he leaped and grabbed onto a pillar stabilizing the barrels, swinging around and landing atop another one.
A diseased one followed, jumping from barrel to barrel to chase Azadin, but Azadin spun mid-air and landed a roundhouse kick on the airborne pursuer.
—Thwack!
Azadin's roundhouse kick struck the diseased one's leg mid-air, sending the creature spinning like a top.
The diseased one smashed its head against a barrel and collapsed upside down.
The rats climbed onto the barrels, swarming toward Azadin, but he dashed across the barrel tops, evading them. He then unfastened his cloak, grasped it, and swung it wide while sliding. A large cluster of rats became entangled in Azadin's cloak.
Grabbing the bundled cloak, he twisted it into a sack-like shape and slammed it onto the ground. Then, with another flick of his cloak, he released it. The impact of the slam crushed the rats, and their lifeless bodies scattered like bullets.
"Urgh…"
"A, Amazing…"
The diseased ones of Mezeri were so far gone in their affliction that they could barely form words. Even they couldn't help but be astounded by Azadin's prowess.
The way he effectively used the environment to fend off his enemies was almost exhilarating to watch.
"This lunatic… But his skill is overwhelming."
The holy knight was aghast at Azadin's astonishing display.
On the unstable barrels where most people could barely move, this herald was running freely, utilizing the terrain to toy with the approaching diseased ones.
"Ah…"
"A, Amazing. Is this the might of the Emperor's Herald?"
Among the captives who still retained their consciousness, those watching Azadin's performance were filled with admiration.
The followers of Mezeri, the diseased ones, carried an insanity-inducing affliction that not only made them faster than normal wererats but also stronger. Worse still, anyone they touched would succumb to a fatal disease.
But that didn't matter if they couldn't even get close.
No matter how much faster they were compared to ordinary wererats, if they moved recklessly atop the barrels, their feet would slip between the gaps, or they'd fall straight to the floor below.
Meanwhile, Azadin effortlessly toyed with them, kicking them off the barrels, slicing their ankles with his halberd's blade, and sending them tumbling down.
"Hm?"
The holy knight suddenly noticed a flickering light and raised his gaze. The glowing pages of the copy of the Book of the Divine King suspended on the ceiling of the storage room wavered.
'That book… chose him?! Unbelievable. A grimoire of the Yaegas Divine Clan is acknowledging someone with the blood of the Yaegas on his hands?'
However, upon reconsideration, this was an opportunity.
'If I kill him, I can claim the copy of the Book of the Divine King for myself.'
The grimoire was currently expending the stored mana within its pages to resist being taken.
But if it chose a new master, this herald, as its bearer, its resistance would weaken. If the herald was slain, the book's struggle would subside, making it easier to seize the grimoire.
"I can't let you do as you please any longer."
The holy knight drew his sword and stood up. The horde of rats below swarmed at his feet.
—Kriiik!
In perfect unison, the rats gathered, lifting the holy knight to the height of the barrels.
"What?"
Azadin looked on in astonishment.
"Now, witness the power bestowed upon an apostle of Mezeri!"
As the holy knight raised his sword, a sinister black energy flickered along the blade.
"Hup!"
Azadin hurled something. It was a broken arrowhead—the ones he had snapped earlier when preparing to set fire to the building. He threw it like a dagger, aiming straight for the holy knight.
But the holy knight scoffed and swung his sword.
A black storm erupted from the blade, sweeping away the arrowheads mid-flight.
"Damn it!"
Azadin leaped sideways to dodge.
Unfortunately, one of the captives, tied to the ceiling with ropes, took the direct hit of the black storm.
"Gyaaah! Aaaaargh!"
His life force drained away, and his body withered instantly. He had been a somewhat robust man, but now he looked at least ten years older, as if time had accelerated for him alone.
"You dodged, huh? A wise choice!"
The holy knight rode the wave of rats, pursuing Azadin while swinging his sword. Each slash sent another black gust toward him.
"Urgh!"
Azadin managed to evade the dark winds, but he quickly realized—every time he dodged, the people behind him were being hit instead.
"Hold on!"
Azadin kicked backward, pushing one of the tied-up captives out of the way, ensuring they avoided the black storm.
Even in this dire situation, he wasn't just focused on saving himself—he was actively protecting those who had been left as sacrificial captives.
"Incredible! Do you really believe in the archangels? A herald trying to save people?"
"Shut up! What's so strange about saving people?!"
Azadin threw another arrowhead at the holy knight, but it failed to pierce his plate armor.
No matter how strong his throws were, with such unstable footing, a mere arrowhead wouldn't be enough to break through plate armor.
"What a useless effort!"
The holy knight unleashed another black storm.
"Damn it!"
Azadin dodged, but then he realized—right behind him was a woman in a satin dress. The baroness.
It was too late to move her to safety.