Chapter 185
Thanks to Simon and Prince's efforts, the Holy Train successfully escaped the pursuit of the Blood Heaven Cult.
With plenty of fuel remaining and no fear of being caught, it was safe to say they had completely shaken off their pursuers.
And now, just as planned, Simon and Lete were preparing to jump off the train.
"You're really leaving."
"Yes."
Having packed their belongings, Simon and Lete stood in front of the wide-open wall of the train.
Metin and Ellen, along with the first-class girls they played with, the third-class uncles, and even the priests from other cars who had actively helped defend the train, many who knew them had come to see them off.
"This incident will become a major turning point in my life."
Metin said.
"I won't regret it, even if I fall into a slump. I'll never forget you."
"Yes, we'll be cheering you on, priest."
"Live without regret."
Metin said his farewells to the two. Ellen approached Simon, her voice filled with sorrow.
"So we're parting again. I thought we'd spend more time together."
Unable to hide her disappointment, Ellen was met with a gentle smile from Simon.
"I'll probably have a reason to come back here someday. When that happens, I'll be counting on you."
"Yes! I'll be your guide for sure next time!"
"And,"
Lete said, placing her hand on her waist with a smile.
"If I catch you impersonating me again, I won't let it slide, senior."
"I just have to make sure Lete doesn't catch me, right?"
Hahaha!
A few who understood the situation chuckled knowingly. Simon bowed his head to the people he'd grown attached to.
"Well then, we'll be off."
Simon said.
"Don't pretend you know us if we meet again."
Lete grumbled.
Receiving farewells from those around them, the two jumped into the darkness outside the train, conjuring Darkness and Holiness on their legs.
"They're gone. Will they really be alright?"
At Ellen's question, Metin nodded calmly.
"Of course. If it's those two, I truly believe they'll stop the war."
* * *
Though their jump from the train was impressive, they rolled awkwardly through the grass for a bit, but they were unharmed. Using the darkness as cover, they muffled their footsteps and began walking slowly.
"You can come out now, Prince."
As Simon opened the subspace, Prince shot out as if he had been waiting.
[Ahhh, subspace is so cramped!]
Dusting himself off, he spotted Lete beside him, who looked utterly disgusted. Prince snapped.
[What! What now!]
"Ugh, still can't get used to it. An undead talking and throwing a fit…"
Simon shrugged.
"Even the scholars of the Dark Alliance haven't figured anything out about Ancient Undead. It's a completely unknown realm."
[Don't talk like I'm some kind of research specimen! I'm the great Zombie Prince!]
Pounding his chest in indignation, Prince then sighed as if forcing himself to stay calm.
[Forget it, so what am I supposed to do this time?]
"I just called you out because I thought you might be cramped and bored. No one's watching, so get some fresh air."
[What? Bored? A great Ancient Undead feels no such thing as boredom!]
"Then go back inside."
[No! I am bored!]
"…?"
Watching the back-and-forth between the two, Lete felt her mind grow fuzzy. It really did feel like a bizarre being even scholars knew nothing about.
'Well, he's not the only weird one here.'
She glanced sideways at Simon. When he smiled as if asking what was wrong while calming the angry Prince, she quickly turned her head away.
"No time to waste. Let's move."
The three walked through the night, keeping a bit of distance from the railroad.
After walking briskly for about an hour, they began to see torches here and there, along with murmuring voices. It was the Blood Heaven Cult's pursuit forces, the same ones who had attacked the train but been left behind.
Lete whispered in a cautious voice.
"Since they failed to catch us, they'll probably head back to their base now. Let's trail them from a safe distance."
As she said that and took a step forward, she suddenly flailed in surprise. A zombie lying in the grass was crawling toward her, baring its teeth.
[Go away.]
But with just that one command from Prince, the zombie obediently turned and vanished like a tame lamb.
"God, my heart."
Lete gritted her teeth and glared at the zombie's retreating back. She desperately wanted to pierce its spine with a holy spear.
[Coward.]
Prince chuckled.
"Fine then. You're first in line for purification."
Lete rolled up her sleeves. As the two began squabbling, Simon quickly stepped between them and spoke to Lete.
"By the way, when's that acquaintance of yours arriving?"
"Ah."
She checked her wristwatch.
"They're pouring money like water, hopping through Teleportation Circles one after another, so they'll probably arrive by dawn at the latest."
Simon's eyes widened.
"By dawn? That fast?"
"Yes. If they're dropping everything to come here this urgently, the situation must be really serious."
"Let me ask again, are you sure this person is trustworthy?"
She nodded.
"Yes. Other than Professor Anna, they're the one I trust and follow the most. More than that, they hold considerable influence in the Holy Federation. Right now, we have no choice but to rely on this person."
* * *
Blood Heaven Cult Headquarters, 5th floor.
The place was filled with pools of crimson blood. Dried-up mummies were scattered everywhere, and on the walls and ceiling hung test subjects with both arms chained up.
This was the Undead Laboratory.
The cult's bishop, Judah, stood over a restrained test subject on an iron bed, letting blood droplets fall as he focused on his experiment.
Screeeech!
The test subject writhed in agony, then collapsed, oozing foul-smelling waste from every orifice. Blood splattered constantly onto Judah's white lab coat, but each droplet slid off smoothly and fell to the ground. As a result, he remained impeccably clean.
"531st failure."
Judah muttered emotionlessly, holding a clipboard and checking off a box.
"Bishop. Forgive the interruption during your experiment. A small problem has occurred."
A cultist emerged from the darkness, bowing his head. Judah didn't take his eyes off his research log.
"They got away?"
"…Yes. I apologize."
"I told you, didn't I? Sending a pursuit team would be pointless."
Judah picked up a clean scalpel from the toolbox. Then, he began slicing into the flesh of a new test subject bound to the next iron bed.
"A warrior strong enough to capture Aloken was aboard the train. They must've also figured out a way to get the stopped Holy Train moving again."
He picked up a small lump of flesh with his thumb and forefinger and examined it carefully.
The cultist bowed his head and said,
"Since the passengers escaped safely, I believe the forces of the Holy Federation will converge on our headquarters at dawn."
"Indeed."
Judah rose from his seat.
"Dispose of this specimen."
"Yes."
"And we'll need to hasten our relocation to another headquarters. Prepare the Teleportation Magic Circle."
"Bishop! Bishop!"
Another cultist came running and knelt on one knee before him to report.
"We have a problem! The Teleportation Circle…!"
Hearing this report, Judah stepped out of the lab and moved to the headquarters' teleportation chamber.
There, cultists were murmuring in confusion.
"All the magic circles have been neutralized?"
"…Yes."
"There's only one who could've pulled this off so easily."
Judah adjusted his glasses and smiled.
"Inquisitor-Director Leight is coming."
At his words, confusion erupted among the cultists.
"L-Lord Bishop! Why are they already—?!"
"This isn't according to plan! We haven't even leaked the information yet!"
"Well."
As Judah turned his back, his white coat fluttered in the breeze.
"I suppose they may have gathered information on us first."
His voice was calm as he spoke.
"This might be for the best. Prepare for holy war. We will take this opportunity to wipe out the inquisitors."
"Th-That means…?"
Judah's lips curled upward.
"We shall summon the Apostles of the Goddess."
WAAAAAAAHHH!
The cultists erupted in a frenzied cheer. The fear they had shown just moments ago upon hearing the word "Inquisitor" vanished entirely.
"Gather all personnel and prepare defensive formations. As long as we hold until the Apostles arrive, victory will be ours."
"Yes!!"
"Glory to the Great Goddess!"
Leaving the fanatics screaming and raging behind, Judah ascended the stairs alone.
Clack!
He entered a room by himself, closed the door, and locked it. Then, chanting an incantation, he bit his own finger and let his blood drip down.
The blood drew a magic circle on the floor, and soon it tore open the ground, forming a crimson, alien-looking portal.
"I've got an interview to prepare for, so I'm off. I hope your sacrifices are not in vain."
Muttering to himself, Judah threw his body into the portal.
After he entered, the portal closed.
* * *
"Inquisitor-Director. The Teleportation Neutralization Magic Circle has been deployed."
"Good."
The hulking man who had been sitting on a rock stood up. It was Leight, the war-crazed Inquisitor-Director known for slaying necromancers.
"How wide is the coverage?"
"Teleportation of any kind is now impossible within a 10-kilometer radius centered on the Blood Heaven Cult's headquarters."
"Understood."
He had waited a long time.
As he turned, his gray cloak billowed behind him.
Standing behind him were 500 elite inquisitors, the most formidable under the Inquisition. They held a variety of weapons and torture tools, each wearing a metal mask over their mouth, eyes gleaming with bloodlust like rabid dogs.
They were slaughtering machines of the Holy Federation, forged through hellish mental reconditioning. If Leight or the Goddess ordered it, they were ready to drive a blade into their own throat without hesitation.
"The world is full of contradictions."
Leight began his speech.
"In the world created by the Great Goddess, there are those who deny Her existence. We live under the same sky as those maggots, breathing the same air. They occupy half the world, corrupt the people, and give rise to countless evils. So why…"
Murderous intent filled his gaze.
"…must we simply watch as these pests continue to breathe?"
Boom!
The inquisitors stomped in perfect unison and raised their weapons before their chests.
"Because we fear war? Because innocent civilians might suffer? Because we too will suffer great losses? Nonsense! There is no victory without sacrifice! We are followers of the Goddess, and the Goddess will not abandon us! And I am certain."
A blend of divine aura and fighting spirit surged from his body.
"The Goddess desires judgment."
Boom!
"Sacrifice is no excuse."
Boom!
"Starting with this operation, we will begin our war against these revolting vermin."
Veins bulged in Leight's bloodshot eyes as he raised his arm. Space split open, and from within emerged a colossal cross-shaped blade of divine light.
A sword that cleaves the heavens, 'Royal Cross'.
It was so massive that even Leight, who stood over three meters tall, had to raise his arm above his head just to lift it. It looked like he was carrying an entire cross-shaped building on his back.
"Let's go. Leave not a single heretic alive!"
Leight and the war-mad inquisitors began their march toward the Blood Heaven Cult's headquarters.