The sudden inferno swallowed both Ankh and the assassin.
While the assassin screamed in agony, thrashing within the flames, Ankh calmly strolled out of the fire.
He patted a bit of ash from his bangs, looking completely unbothered.
"Fire Magic," he noted with a hint of interest. "So, there's a Mage pulling the strings."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the sound of rustling fabric filled the vast church.
Dozens of figures emerged from the shadows, encircling him.
"A bunch of rats hiding in the dark. What's your goal with the demon?"
Ankh scanned the crowd with mocking eyes.
Hands in his pockets, he stood his ground, radiating nothing but casual arrogance.
The ambushers wore matching uniforms—ghastly white missionary robes with hoods.
The cuffs were embroidered with a sinister emblem, clearly marking them as an organized cult.
From the circle, a tall man in white stepped forward.
Flames licked at his fingertips; he was the one who had cast the fire spell.
"Kid," the leader sneered, his eyes gleaming like a starving wolf's. "If you end it yourself right now, I promise to leave your corpse intact."
He stared viciously at Ankh with a flicker of jealousy crossing his face.
'This reckless brat... relying on a pretty face and a bit of talent to act so arrogant. Once the Master's plan succeeds, pretty boys like him will be nothing but demon bait.'
Noticing the madness in the man's eyes, Ankh lowered his head and chuckled darkly.
"Heh... You promise me an intact corpse?"
Ankh looked up, his expression shifting into a predator's grin.
"Thats generous. But I can't make the same promise to you."
Before the leader could even blink, Ankh vanished.
He closed the distance with terrifying speed.
His fist, shrouded in black malice and the aura of death, slammed into the man's face like a cannonball.
"God Slayer Secret Art: Devouring Fist."
SPLAT.
There was no resistance.
The leader's robust body didn't just break; it obliterated.
Like tofu under a sledgehammer, his blood, muscle, and bone churned together in a gruesome, wet crunch.
The force of the impact created a vortex, sending what remained of the leader exploding upward in a nauseating shower of red rain.
The surrounding cultists froze.
They watched their leader turn into mist, terror seizing their hearts.
Some of the weaker ones fell to their knees, dry heaving as the reality of the situation set in.
Ankh stood amidst the carnage.
His face was stained with a few drops of crimson blood, making his handsome features look terrifyingly demonic.
He flicked his bloodied hand, looking unimpressed. "All bark and no bite. Your physical durability is pathetic."
He turned his gaze to the pale, trembling subordinates.
"Now... as for the rest of you."
Ankh muttered to himself, "I'll keep a few for questioning. The rest can go."
Under the desperate, tear-filled gazes of the crowd, Ankh slowly raised his clean hand and snapped his fingers.
Snap.
"Terror: Selective Activation."
Ding, ding, ding!
A low hum resonated through the church.
Beneath the feet of the cultists, dark golden Judgment Magic Circles lit up the floor.
"Please! Spare me!"
"No! God, no!"
"You monster! You'll burn in hell!"
Screams and curses filled the air. Ankh watched them collapse one by one, his eyes distant and cold.
"When you used demons to kill innocent villagers, did you listen to their pleas?" he asked softly.
"Don't blame me. You abandoned the light a long time ago."
He flared his Magic Power. The dark golden glow intensified, and the screams were abruptly silenced.
Ankh hated evil organizations like Dark Guilds.
But that didn't make him a hero.
He wasn't a "good person." He was simply a man who did whatever he pleased.
Ankh looked at the two survivors he had intentionally spared.
He sat down casually on the church steps, crossing his legs.
"I ask. You answer. No nonsense," he said concisely. "Understood?"
The two survivors, shaking so hard their teeth chattered, nodded frantically.
They had just watched their friends die instantly; they were ready to talk.
"Y-yes, sir... ask anything..."
Ankh pointed a finger at the floor. "Who are you?"
The taller survivor swallowed hard. "We're... the White Devil Cult. We are a subordinate organization under the Dark Guild, Tartaros."
Ankh frowned.
Tartaros.
He knew the name.
In the future, they would be a major threat—one of the three pillars of the Balam Alliance.
But he was surprised to see their influence reaching this far, this early in the timeline.
The other survivor, a short, stout man, quickly chimed in to avoid being killed.
"Our doctrine is Demon Worship! We came to this village to conduct experiments..."
"That thing in the church... it was the legendary Satan Soul. Our captain said if it consumed enough human flesh, it could materialize into a complete Demon Body."
Ankh propped his chin on his hand, thinking. "So, you tricked the Village Chief into helping you nurture this 'Satan Soul'?"
"Yes!" the tall man nodded eagerly. "But... but a few nights ago, the Satan Soul just vanished! We were preparing to retreat, but then the Chief hired a Mage—you—to investigate. We panicked and tried to silence you."
Ankh nodded thoughtfully.
It all made sense now. The "demon" hadn't escaped; it had been absorbed. Mirajane had accidentally used Take Over on the Satan Soul.
'That is an incredible stroke of luck', Ankh thought. 'That girl gained an S-Class power source for free. It's a shame she cares so much about appearances and hates using it.'
"Well, that solves that."
Ankh stood up and stretched his back.
"I won't kill you two. You're useful proof."
The two cultists didn't fully understand, but realizing they weren't going to die, they threw themselves on the ground, kowtowing in gratitude.
They even obediently found ropes and tied themselves up.
As they did, Ankh took a deep breath.
The air was thick with the unique energy of the recently deceased.
Visible only to him, the Death Wave flowed into his mouth, replenishing his Magic Power.
He exhaled, feeling refreshed but unsatisfied.
"These guys... their Death Wave tastes terrible."
[As you grow stronger, the death energy of weak ants like these will only serve as a snack to curb your hunger.]
"Better than nothing," Ankh shrugged.
He grabbed the ropes of his two prisoners and dragged them out of the ruined church.
"Time to go check on Mira."