After some time had passed since entering the dungeon, Amon, who had been exploring while protecting the students, had not encountered any threats.
Feeling at ease, he leisurely analyzed the trainees’ combat techniques.
Most of the students used holy power.
Naturally, since Sonia had enrolled to learn holy magic, it was a department that inevitably attracted individuals with holy abilities.
However, not all students used holy power.
‘That person is using essence instead.’
A wealthy-looking young man replaced holy power with essence.
‘Those tonfas look like something I saw in the priest’s room.’
Some used equipment typically utilized by exorcists.
There were even those who relied purely on gunpowder and magic for their combat strategies.
This was only natural.
Just as not all holy knights possessed holy power, it was unreasonable to assume that everyone in a theology department would.
The students showcased a variety of styles as they eradicated venomous insects and plants.
However, the most outstanding among them was Sonia.
While she limited her engagement to avoid overshadowing the purpose of the training, her firepower was overwhelming when deployed.
Boom!
The deafening explosions were occasionally interspersed with gunfire.
All of it came from Sonia.
She fired a machine gun without recoil and channeled her restored holy power through essence to project holy magic forward.
Gunpowder and lasers equally turned plants and insects into ashes.
‘As expected of the “Saint of Gunpowder.”‘
The only concern was close-quarters combat.
Assuming Sonia had a skilled vanguard alongside her, she was at the security chief’s level in terms of sheer firepower.
The truth was that Sonia participated in the training merely for graduation credits; there was nothing for her to learn here.
It was easy to forget, but Sonia had also been part of the MegaCorp recapture.
Afterward, like the others, she had her equipment upgraded by Cassie.
In terms of gear and experience, it was absurd to classify her as a student.
Amon was confident that, in real combat, Sonia could teach the professors a thing or two.
***
While Sonia was demonstrating her prowess, Amon felt a sharp sting on his neck.
“Ah.”
Slap.
Amon swiftly struck his neck.
An unpleasant sensation of something crushing spread from his neck to his palm.
He checked his hand.
It was a mosquito.
However, it was much larger than normal, with a colorful body, green wings, and enormous red eyes resembling a dragonfly.
It was unmistakably a venomous insect.
Amon frowned in disgust.
A student who happened to see him approached.
“Do you need purification magic, sir?”
The student’s tone was warm and friendly toward Amon.
Other students chimed in.
“Oh no, teacher, you’ve been bitten. You should purify it quickly!”
The students all expressed concern for Amon.
Although only a few hours had passed since they entered the dungeon, they were all captivated by Amon.
Perhaps it was because of his experience as the eldest brother at the orphanage or the aura that even his mask couldn’t hide.
In addition, he had already won their hearts by sharing small tips with the vanguard students.
Amon waved his hand dismissively, signaling it was nothing to worry about.
“This is something I can purify myself.”
He circulated his holy power.
This alone was enough to cleanse the venom the mosquito had left in his body.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a precise purification spell but an overwhelming surge of holy power that forced the venom out.
Regardless, the result was effective.
Amon checked his condition.
‘Hmm. No problems at all.’
There was no numbness, blurred vision, or anything similar.
‘Perfect.’
Having finished the purification, he returned to his task.
However, the students’ gazes on him had changed.
They were all staring at him in shock.
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“Are you a holy power wielder, sir?”
One of the students asked on behalf of the others.
Amon nodded.
There was no reason to hide it.
In the past, he had concealed it because his power was insufficient and entanglements were frequent.
But not anymore.
Now, his personal strength was on par with MegaCorp’s security chief.
Moreover, he had a powerful company backing him.
There was no longer any need to keep it a secret.
The students were simultaneously astonished and convinced by Amon’s admission.
‘Indeed, to have achieved that level at such a young age…’
It made sense if he possessed holy power.
The students now looked at Amon with newfound respect in their eyes.
Feeling embarrassed, Amon simply averted his gaze.
***
The training proceeded smoothly afterward.
They reached the designated floor and had nearly completed the assigned tasks.
Amon checked his watch.
‘By the time we leave, it should be around five o’clock.’
At that moment, a student from Sonia’s team, Kay, approached him.
She began by praising Amon’s holy power.
“I just noticed—how can your holy power be so dense, yet both its adaptability and purity are outstanding? Sonia is the same. Is there a secret to it?”
Amon tilted his head in confusion.
‘Purity? Density? Adaptability?’
He had no idea what she was talking about.
While he understood the literal meanings of the words, he had never heard of these concepts related to holy power.
Kay, reading his expression, explained the terms.
“To activate holy magic, three factors are necessary…”
Five minutes of explanation later, Amon summarized her words.
“So, you’re saying that purity, density, and adaptability are important, right?”
“…Yes, you could put it that way.”
He understood nothing.
He simply concluded that having high levels in all three was a good thing.
Kay returned to her original question about how Amon had achieved such exceptional levels in these factors.
His response was simple.
“Maybe because I pray every day?”
“…Oh.”
Disappointment was written all over Kay’s face.
She might have hoped for some special training regimen, but Amon had none to offer.
The only thing he could think of was his daily prayers—morning, noon, and evening.
Sonia followed his example and prayed in the evening.
Beyond that, there was nothing special.
Kay wasn’t ready to give up just yet.
“Perhaps your diet…”
“I don’t eat anything special.”
“Any extraordinary experiences…?”
“I’ve had near-death combat experiences, but I don’t think that’s it.”
In the end, Kay had to retreat without any answers.
As Sonia’s friend, Amon wanted to help her but regretted that he couldn’t.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, no! There’s no need to apologize! I’d feel guilty facing Sonia otherwise!”
Kay frantically waved her hands.
“Thank you for your concern instead!”
Seeing her reaction, Amon smiled warmly.
“Indeed, Sonia. You’ve befriended such a polite individual. Truly a person of excellent character,” thought Amon as Kay raised her finger, seemingly struck by an idea.
“Oh, right. Would you be interested in learning holy magic?” she asked.
For a moment, curiosity flickered in Amon’s eyes but quickly vanished.
Holy magic was a highly advanced and difficult discipline, far beyond Amon’s abilities.
He only knew how to brute-force holy power.
However, Kay had considered this and reassured him.
“Don’t worry about the difficulty. It’s a simple yet surprisingly useful spell.”
The spell required no knowledge of ballistics, physics, or chemistry—just basic theological understanding and holy power.
Hearing this, Amon’s face lit up.
“In that case, I think I can manage.”
“Right? I bet Sonia hasn’t taught you this one,” Kay teased.
Kay, aspiring to become a theologian, studied older, chant-based holy magic, while Sonia specialized in modern, chantless versions developed after the world wars.
The spell Kay taught Amon belonged to the Confession of Faith class of magic.
“Confession of Faith spells don’t require much—just a desperate wish for a miracle, an incantation, and enough faith to enter a state of rapture,” Kay explained.
These spells were relatively simple and had variable power depending on the caster’s faith.
They had fallen out of favor because entering a raptured state in battle was challenging, but learning them still had value.
Amon willingly accepted her teachings.
Kay sent a PDF with a brief explanation to Amon’s phone.
This time, he understood.
“This feels similar to speaking in tongues,” he remarked.
“It’s a similar principle,” Kay replied.
Speaking in tongues referred to the phenomenon of uttering unknown words or sentences while in a raptured state of prayer.
Those capable of speaking in tongues often excelled at Confession of Faith magic.
For Amon, this was an effortless task.
“I use tongues often during prayer.”
“Then, shall we test it out?” Kay asked, pointing to a direction.
At the center of the dungeon stood a colossal tree with eyes—a boss creature serving as the ecosystem’s core.
Amon looked at the boss with concern.
“Are you sure this is okay?” he asked.
“We’ll be leaving soon anyway. The next training session isn’t until a week later,” Kay reassured him.
The boss was not part of the students’ assignments and could be defeated without issue.
By the time the ecosystem stabilized, another creature would take its place as the new boss.
It was a perfect target to test Amon’s newfound abilities.
Still, Amon shook his head.
“I’m on duty right now.”
He wanted to fulfill his responsibilities as a safety officer.
However, an assistant instructor who had been eavesdropping chimed in.
“I think it’s a great idea. Watching a demonstration by an industry veteran could be very educational for the students.”
Though Amon rejected the “veteran” label, the assistant persisted.
“For holy knights, age doesn’t matter. Experience and skill are what count.”
The assistant’s approval soon garnered support from others, including the supervising professor, a squinty-eyed priest.
[Permission granted. This will be a valuable experience.]
The professor conveyed his consent over the phone from outside the dungeon.
Before long, even students from other training groups gathered to observe Amon’s attempt to take down the boss.
Feeling the weight of numerous eyes on his back, Amon reluctantly approached the boss.
***
Clang!
The colossal tree swung its massive branches, but Amon nimbly dodged instead of blocking.
He wanted to show techniques the students could emulate.
Dancing around the boss, Amon pruned its branches like a gardener.
For someone who had conquered far more dangerous dungeons, this boss was hardly a challenge.
Amon deliberately demonstrated various strategies for the students’ benefit.
Once satisfied that he had shown enough, Amon prepared to target the boss’s weak point: a crack in its eye.
‘Let’s get started,’ he thought, stabbing two swords into the tree and using them as a foothold to reach the eye.
Placing his hand on the boss’s eye, Amon began the incantation.
“Erase my sins,” he muttered.
His tongue began moving of its own accord—a strange yet fascinating sensation.
This was the state of rapture.
Oddly, Amon’s mind remained present.
The words spilling from his mouth were just thoughts he usually had during prayer.
The incantation continued smoothly as if guided by an unseen force.
“Wash away my iniquities and cleanse my sins. For the sins I know are ever before me.”
A tremendous pressure emanated from Amon’s spell.
The tree bent, venomous insects fell crushed, and all creatures in the dungeon were obliterated under the weight.
Even the distant students felt the pressure.
“What?!”
Kay, the one who taught him, gasped.
While the pressure only affected hostile entities, its sheer scale was unprecedented.
‘This doesn’t make sense!’ she thought.
Her professor’s version of the spell barely filled a single room, yet Amon’s affected an area equivalent to an entire campus building.
As the incantation intensified, so did the pressure.
Kay wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.
‘I think I’ve taught him something I shouldn’t have.’
She turned to look at Sonia, who also seemed to have something to say.
Their eyes met.
“Kay.”
“Uh… Sorry. I think I taught your boyfriend something weird.”
“That’s not the issue. What exactly did you teach him?” Sonia asked.
Kay confessed, explaining everything. Sonia sighed, rubbing her forehead.
“You really didn’t know him, did you?”
“I’m already regretting it. So, what now?”
“What else? Watch the monster you’ve created,” Sonia replied.
Amon’s incantation grew faster.
“Let the bones you have broken rejoice. Turn your face away from my sins and erase them.”
“Winds of joy! Restore my salvation!”
Whoosh.
The air vibrated, a windstorm forming as the colossal tree cracked and shattered.
Not only the tree but all creatures in the dungeon disintegrated into fragments.
At the heart of it all, Amon completed the spell.
Dele iniquitatem meam (“Erase my sins”).
A massive pillar of light erupted, silencing everything.
When the students opened their eyes, the once-toxic forest was gone, replaced by a serene emptiness.
As they struggled to comprehend what had happened, Sonia let out a long sigh.
“Ha… I knew this would happen eventually.”
Meanwhile, the squinty-eyed priest who had been watching everything from outside collapsed in despair.
“Training just started today…”
He muttered bitterly, now harboring a grudge against Amon.