“You’re right. Now we can leisurely wait for the day of the total solar eclipse. Ah, did I tell them to gather as many people as possible? Since I told them to gather Superpowered Individuals if they could, I should post an announcement on the Hero App. I’ll make sure plenty of money-hungry bastards come flocking.”
He felt satisfied, as if he had just finished a full meal.
Abellus crossed his legs with a relaxed expression, never dreaming that the person who would help Iris was hidden among the people from the Enraka Church who would arrive tomorrow.
***
The next day, Reyners and Johannes entered the Enraka Church Shrine.
Along with three priests, they climbed the stairs to reach a location that used to be a basement but was now situated at the highest point of the Shrine—no, the Black Castle.
Outside, a wall as high as a fortress loomed, and the interior was just as pitch-black as the exterior.
Multiple buildings had been merged into a single castle.
If they hadn’t seen the Enraka Church Insignia scattered across the walls, they would have thought they had stepped into another dimension.
In a way, it was another dimension, as the buildings had been completely fused and transformed into something new.
Everyone stood dazed, overwhelmed by the sight of the temple’s interior, which had become unrecognizable overnight.
Reyners, draped in his white High Priest robes, looked around anxiously and whispered to an old priest.
“How… how is this even possible? This power is practically godlike.”
The old priest covered the side of his mouth and whispered back cautiously.
“With this level of power, I wonder if they’re not just close to a god, but are a god themselves. What on earth happened in just one night? I’ve lived in Gyodam City my whole life and seen all kinds of strange things, but I’ve never seen anything as incredible as this.”
The other priests nodded slightly, their faces filled with terror as they agreed with the old priest’s words.
“Truly. It rivals the power of the Goddess…”
“The Goddess only appears in the scripture. We’ve never actually seen her, have we?”
At their conversation, a frown creased Johannes’s forehead.
These men were supposed to be the leaders of the Cult, yet they were already so cowed.
It was clear they would be led around by That One’s will.
Johannes was also surprised by the transformation of the Shrine.
Whether That One had been hiding immense power or had found a way to obtain it, he also felt that this ability was close to that of a god.
However, he did not utter blasphemous words comparing That One’s power to the Goddess.
Furthermore, he couldn’t believe these high-ranking officials—not just ordinary congregants—were denying the Goddess they had served their entire lives in an instant.
‘The Goddess isn’t just a being from the scripture. She’s trying to reclaim her power through Iris.’
If the situation was unfolding according to the Legend of the Savior, That One would gather the Relics and become the Evil God that brought ruin to Gyodam City.
The legend stated that a person of good, not a villain, must gather the Relics for peace to return to the city.
That person of good was likely the Hero, Iris.
Saving Iris was his own desire, but it was also a way to restore the Goddess’s power.
To achieve that, he had to find Iris’s whereabouts today.
However, he wasn’t sure if he would have the chance, as they might be sent away after a brief conversation.
Johannes turned to his father, whose eyes were still darting around anxiously.
“By the way, for what purpose were we summoned?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t hear the details, but they asked for help preparing a ritual to be held on the day of the total solar eclipse. It seems That One has found the person meant to be the master of the Relics. I should have paid more attention to the Relics… I never thought the legend was actually true…”
“A ritual? Did you hear what kind of ritual it is?”
Suspicion clouded Johannes’s eyes. A ritual. There was no way That One would perform a hollow religious ceremony.
Moreover, the fact that it was scheduled for the day of the total solar eclipse was significant.
It was highly likely to be a meaningful ritual related to the Enraka Goddess, rather than a mere formality.
‘The Enraka Goddess is also the Goddess of the Sun. Since the sun is completely hidden by the moon during a total solar eclipse, the scripture states that the Goddess’s power is at its weakest on that day.’
The scripture also contained another passage: when the sun reveals itself again after the total solar eclipse, the newly born Enraka Goddess’s power will be at its peak.
He suspected that That One’s subordinate, the intended master of the Relics, did not yet fully possess their power.
He had heard that Relics were items that chose their owners, so not just anyone could use them; only the person chosen by the Relic could become its master.
Just like Iris, an Awakening-type Hero whom an object had accepted and awakened.
Reyners frowned at the repeated questions and pulled on Johannes’s arm.
“I told you, I didn’t get a detailed explanation… Anyway, make sure you stay right by my side.”
Reyners tightened his grip on his son’s arm. That One had demanded he bring Superpowered Individuals, and he was the only one there who lacked an ability.
Although he held the position of High Priest because he was the sole blood relative of the Former High Priest, he had always harbored an inferiority complex toward those with powers.
The reason he hadn’t shown interest in the Relics was that he knew that, as an ordinary human, he could never become their master no matter what.
He had hoped the power of the Relics would never be completed as long as he lived, but That One had managed to collect them all while he was caught off guard.
Someone must have helped That One, who was bound to a single location.
That person was likely a Superpowered Individual capable of wielding the completed power of the Relics.
‘It must be someone with a very powerful ability. They’ll look down on me if they realize I’m just an ordinary person.’
There were several reasons why Reyners had insisted on bringing Johannes.
First, he needed his son to maintain his prestige.
Second, he was suspicious of That One’s motives for summoning Superpowered Individuals.
Since That One was an evil entity, a sacrifice might be required for the ritual.
The scripture stated that demons require sacrifices during their rituals.
If That One intended to offer a Superpowered Individual as a sacrifice, he planned to let the priests be the first victims, and if more were needed, he would even sacrifice Johannes.
‘I hope it doesn’t come to that… but Johannes is quite useful in many ways.’
The final reason was that Johannes possessed Mind Reading.
Recently, Johannes had grown bolder and begun to defy him, so Reyners couldn’t force him to use his Mind Reading as he had before.
However, Johannes might still inadvertently read the thoughts of That One or their helper and provide useful information.
Furthermore, despite the cold relationship between father and son, he expected that Johannes wouldn’t be able to turn a blind eye to his father in a moment of crisis.
That One could turn hostile at any moment. To Reyners, the son he had brought in from the outside was a tool with many uses.
Johannes’s expression darkened at the order to stay by his father’s side. At this rate, would he even have time to look for Iris?
“Father, it doesn’t seem like my presence is necessary. I’ll stay in the back.”
“What are you saying? Aren’t you the Next High Priest of the Enraka Church? It’s unthinkable for you to be absent from such a major event.”
“…I understand for now.”
When their eyes met, Reyners quickly looked away.
Because they were on their way to meet That One, he had to follow proper etiquette and could not wear his sunglasses.
He made a mental note to acquire Skill Casting Prevention Contact Lenses manufactured by the Laboratory under J Corporation next time.
After walking upward for a long time, they arrived at a massive door.
Expressionless gatekeepers stood on either side; they were managers who had lost their reason through That One’s power when the Shrine was transformed into the Black Castle.
To be able to strip away human reason and control them like puppets…
Seeing the tragic transformation of the sacred Shrine into a demon’s den and a Black Castle, a plea to the heavens involuntarily escaped the old priest’s lips.
“Oh, Goddess…”
“Perhaps we should say ‘Oh, God’ instead of ‘Oh, Goddess’ now. We are currently on our way to have an audience with a new god.”
“A new god? Then we are on our way to betray the Enraka Goddess—”
“Hush! Betrayal? Isn’t the Enraka Goddess just someone from legends? The god we are about to meet is a being that exists right before our eyes. What will you do? If you consider this betrayal, you are free to turn back right now.”
When Reyners scolded him, everyone fell silent. In the end, no one turned back.
Except for Johannes, everyone there was not truly serving the Goddess; they were merely pretending to follow her to satisfy their own desires and gains.
Soon after, the heavy door opened, and the group walked along the red carpet laid out on the floor.
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