"Oh? You noticed me already?"
A man stepped out of the darkness.
He wore a pitch-black priest's robe and a pair of glasses, giving him the refined, scholarly appearance of an intellectual clergyman.
But Akira knew better.
Standing before him was a Level 22 priest.
His overall attributes were even slightly higher than Baron Noda's.
Though… Akira thought calmly, this Priest House seems to only use Holy Light–attribute magic.
"Priest House?"
The moment the man revealed himself, both Ivsha and Sister Moran recognized him instantly.
"Oh?" House adjusted his glasses and smiled faintly. "Sister Ivsha, Sister Moran… It's been quite some time."
His gaze swept over the two corpses on the ground and the unconscious Moller nearby.
A flicker of killing intent flashed across his face.
Coldly, he said, "As nuns, you shouldn't be entangled with demons. And on top of that—you've ruined an experimental subject I spent many years cultivating. That makes me very angry."
"…Experimental subject?"
As confusion spread among them, Priest House calmly walked over to the unconscious Moller.
He nudged Moller's body with his foot. After confirming that he was essentially no different from a corpse, he let out a sigh.
"All ruined," House muttered irritably. "Absolutely infuriating."
He lifted his head, glaring at Akira and the others with eyes brimming with fury—an expression that looked ready to devour them alive.
"A single failed product made you this angry?" Akira said lightly, a faint smile on his lips. "Seems the priests of the Holy Church don't have much composure after all."
Akira had already checked Moller's status earlier. Though he didn't know exactly what the church had done to him, one thing was certain—Moller's body would never have lasted until the experiment was completed.
At most, in a few months, he would have died from being unable to withstand that bizarre power.
"Failed product?"
Hearing his creation dismissed so casually, Priest House's anger twisted into an ugly grin.
"That was a masterpiece I spent years perfecting!"
He pushed up his glasses, his expression warped with disdain.
"It seems you know nothing. But that's fine—someone who runs with demons couldn't possibly be intelligent. Just rats crawling around in the sewers."
From within his priest's robe, House pulled out a blue-bound tome.
"Sister Ivsha. Sister Moran."
His gaze shifted back to them, icy and merciless.
"Your special relationship with demons violates the regulations of the Holy Church. In my capacity as Vice-Seat Priest of Blue Moon City, I grant you the salvation of death."
"Due to your stupidity, the church in Silvermoon Town will also be placed under the supervision of the Inquisitors until it's confirmed that no other nuns are connected to demons."
"You wouldn't dare!" Sister Moran clenched her teeth, worry flashing across her face.
"And as for you—"
House's sinister gaze turned to Akira and Loserine.
"I judge you guilty of harboring demons, corrupting nuns, and using despicable methods to murder a baron of the Star Kingdom. Your crime warrants execution."
"Now—"
As he spoke, the blue tome in his hands erupted with dazzling light.
"Begin the judgment."
The moment his words fell—
A golden radiance lit up the heavens.
An overwhelming, terrifying aura of sanctity flooded the area.
"Not good—! It's Holy Light Judgment!"
Sister Moran's face went deathly pale.
She immediately turned to Akira. "Take Ivsha and leave—now! I'll hold him off!"
"There's no need," Akira said calmly, shaking his head. "It hasn't come to that."
"Don't be reckless!" Sister Moran snapped, abandoning her usual cold composure. "This is a sacred spell used by the Holy Church to judge sinners! Only priests who possess the Blue Codex can cast it! You're no match for him!"
She was panicking.
She never imagined Priest House had already obtained the Blue Codex.
With it, House was several times stronger than Baron Noda ever was.
To fulfill her master's instructions, she would rather sacrifice herself than allow Ivsha to be harmed.
"We can handle him."
Akira's voice remained unhurried, utterly composed—as though failure had never once crossed his mind.
"You…!"
Sister Moran stared at him in disbelief. She couldn't understand where this confidence came from.
"Ivsha," Akira said, turning to her. "I'll leave this to you."
"Yes, Mr. Akira."
Ivsha nodded gently and stepped forward.
When Priest House saw Ivsha approach, a cold smile curled his lips.
"You? A mere insignificant nun dares to oppose me? How laughable."
"…Very well."
House adjusted his glasses again, flipping through the pages of the blue tome.
"I'll grant you salvation first—then deal with the rest."
As his words fell, the holy light in the sky condensed into a colossal golden sword, its tip aimed squarely at Ivsha.
As if it could fall at any moment.
"I won't let you harm Mr. Akira… or anyone else."
Ivsha spoke softly.
Behind her, demonic wings slowly unfurled.
"…You're a demon?"
Seeing the wings, Priest House froze in shock.
Then, in the next instant, he covered his face and burst into an excited, mocking laugh.
"Unbelievable! A demon hidden within our church—and no one noticed?"
"Excellent. Truly excellent! It seems the church in Silvermoon Town does need a thorough purge. By tomorrow, every single nun there will be branded with the mark of sin!"
"And all of this—will be your fault for consorting with demons!"
"You won't succeed."
Ivsha gently interlaced her fingers and began chanting.
In an instant, a translucent nun-shaped phantom woven entirely from golden holy light appeared in the sky, radiating brilliance.
"A demon who learned holy-attribute magic?" Priest House sneered. "How utterly ridiculous."
He flipped another page of the tome.
"Die beneath the glory of the Church—vile demon!"
The next moment—
Several massive blades of light plummeted toward Ivsha from the heavens.
"Ivsha!"
Sister Moran cried out in panic.
She was powerless to stop it.
All she could do was watch as Ivsha faced holy magic specifically designed to suppress demonic existence.
"I promised my master… I must protect her…"
Sister Moran clutched her chest, anxiously turning to Akira—
And froze.
Akira wasn't doing anything.
He was simply watching the battlefield.
But within his eyes burned a single emotion—
Trust.
Deep, unwavering, absolute trust.
That trust confused Sister Moran.
And yet, somehow, it was precisely that absolute faith Akira placed in Ivsha that gradually calmed her racing heart. Her anxiety faded, and she turned her gaze back to the battlefield.
At that moment—
The gigantic swords of light crashed down.
BOOM—!
A deafening explosion rang out.
Blinding golden radiance erupted from Ivsha's position, spreading outward like rippling waves.
The terrifying aura threatened to obliterate everything in sight, drowning the world in holy light.
"This is the fate of demons," Priest House sneered.
Just as he was about to turn his attention to Akira and the others—
Suddenly—
The holy light on the ground began to rotate, forming a massive vortex that rapidly collapsed inward.
In the blink of an eye, the radiant brilliance vanished completely.
When the light faded, Ivsha's figure once again appeared before everyone.
She stood there unharmed.
Not even her clothes bore a single trace of damage.
Seeing this, Akira smiled faintly.
Do you even understand the value of Holy Light Immunity?