The Storm Approaches

"Well done! That bastard Urvato deserved to die long ago!"

"I've heard that Allen, the apprentice cleric, was badly injured during a mission to spread the faith. After he lost his memory, he sometimes acted a little... foolish. No wonder people say that while you might not fear encountering a madman, you should be terrified of meeting a fool. Regardless of their status, they can stab you without a second thought!"

...

News of Allen's slaying of Urvato quickly spread to every corner of the settlement, creating an unprecedented stir. The streets and alleys were alive with discussions about the seemingly foolish cleric who had recently arrived, and the monastery was no exception. Even the rarely seen Elder Akashi, as well as some of the elders who typically secluded themselves for years, were stirred.

While the divine court had always been powerful, publicly executing a direct descendant of a major family was no small matter. One wrong move could spark a bloody storm, even shaking the foundation the divine court had painstakingly built in the wilderness.

Upon hearing the news, Elder Akashi quickly convened a meeting to interrogate the matter.

"Allen, do you... do you not realize your crime?" Elder Akashi's gaze was icy as he looked down at Allen. "Do you know who Urvato was? Do you have any idea of the Morgan family's vast power in the wilderness? By killing him, do you have any understanding of the trouble you've brought upon the monastery and the divine court?"

Elder Akashi, who already had a naturally severe face, looked even more merciless in his fury. Behind him stood several rarely seen elders, each radiating immense magical power, a testament to their extraordinary strength.

"Elders, I wasn't fully aware of Urvato's identity, nor did I know the extent of the Morgan family's influence. All I knew was that a pompous, arrogant scoundrel, who abused his family's power to harass a holy nun, deserved to die. If we let him live, it would be the greatest sacrilege to our divine court and our faith."

Despite Elder Akashi's harsh interrogation, Allen remained calm. With an air of righteousness, he scanned the crowd and, with a solemn expression, removed his crimson cleric robe, continuing, "If you all think I was wrong, then fine, I will bear the consequences of my actions. Elder Akashi, I'll return this robe to you."

Sacrilege against a holy nun?

The crowd was stunned, and whispers filled the air. Urvato had a notoriously terrible reputation within the settlement. Although the details were still unclear, Allen's words suggested there was more to the story.

"Wait, Allen, don't act rashly." Seeing Allen remove his cleric robe and turn to leave, Ophelia anxiously stepped forward.

"Ten years ago, our divine court was weak in the wilderness, struggling to make a name for itself. But we pressed forward, overcoming countless obstacles to spread our faith. Ten years later, we have built monasteries and churches, and amassed a vast number of devoted followers. Our power has grown, but so has our corruption. If we can't even protect a single nun, how can we talk about dignity or holiness?" Allen's voice was heavy with weariness. "Ten years have passed, and the divine court is no longer what it once was. Staying here has lost all meaning. It would be better for me to continue wandering the wilderness."

Before slaying Urvato, Allen had anticipated this moment and prepared himself to retreat strategically.

"Allen, explain yourself. What exactly happened? Which nun did Urvato desecrate, and how has the divine court and monastery fallen?" Elder Akashi's face grew colder, and an oppressive aura enveloped him, his robes swaying with no wind.

"Elder Akashi, some things are better kept between those who know. If too many people find out, it might cause more harm than good." Allen's face darkened, but his heart was coldly amused. This time, not only had he killed Urvato, but he had ensured that even in death, Urvato would be branded with an indelible stain that no one could clear.

"Enough! Everyone leave!" Elder Akashi waved his sleeve, summoning a gust of cold wind that swept the others from the grand hall, leaving only Ophelia, the white-robed priestess, and a few other elders.

"Teresa, come forward and explain what happened to the elders." Allen clapped his hands, and before the sound faded, the disheveled nun Teresa stepped out from a shadowy corner. Her eyes were swollen and red, and her hair was in disarray, showing signs of great humiliation.

"Elder Akashi, Urvato... he... he's not human!" Teresa's face was wet with tears as she choked out her words, her body trembling. After a while, she continued, "Life has been especially difficult for my family lately. To help my father recover, I went to the wilderness to gather herbs. When I was returning, I was delayed. I never expected to encounter Urvato and his group on the way back through the Black Woods. Urvato... he... he ordered them to drag me into the forest. If it wasn't for Lord Allen passing by, I... I would have been... better off dead..."

After some further persuasion, Allen deepened the imprint of his teachings in Teresa's mind. Under his guidance, her words became far more powerful than if she had spoken them on her own. Even if Urvato were resurrected, he would never be able to explain himself.

"How dare he! This is an affront to the monastery! This is a declaration of war against the divine court!"

Seeing Teresa in such a state, Elder Akashi quickly pieced the events together and was filled with rage. "Well done! The Morgan family may be powerful, but desecrating a holy nun—no, not even the grand elder of the Morgan family could escape such a price. This will not go unpunished. Allen, you are now a full first-tier cleric. You are authorized to command a squad of devout knights. But for your own safety, it would be best if you remain at the Angelic Altar for now and focus on your meditation."

Looking at the pitiful Teresa, Elder Akashi was utterly convinced.

Originally, he had intended to punish Allen severely to prevent any major conflict with the Morgan family. However, after hearing the full story, his anger surged, and he immediately summoned all the nearby devout knights, secretly planning how to seek retribution from the Morgan family.

Urvato was notorious within the settlement. His licentiousness, arrogance, and brutality were well-known. If not for the Morgan family's formidable power, the divine court would have already bound him to the stake and burned him alive. Elder Akashi, though strict and decisive, was renowned for protecting those under his care. He had turned a blind eye when Urvato had tormented powerless beggars, but how could he tolerate such an open desecration of a future holy nun?

"Thank you, Elder."

Allen bowed respectfully, his face unreadable, but his heart swelled with excitement. Compared to an apprentice cleric, a first-tier cleric was a true figure of authority within the divine court. Allen now had the right to recruit followers, to command a squad of elite knights, and his status and treatment were vastly different. The Angelic Altar was the most secretive building in the monastery, its magic concentration hundreds of times greater than that of the Saintess's Hall, allowing for rapid cultivation. Only high-ranking priests were allowed access, and Allen was one step closer to the Crystal Tower's peak!

"Urvato, you died without regret."

Looking at the retreating figures of Elder Akashi and the others, Allen smiled coldly, turned, and vanished into the night. Using his connection to the Soul Summoning Banner, he silently disappeared and returned to the Lich Castle, tens of thousands of miles away.

Compared to a few days ago, the Lich Castle was now somewhat different. Skeleton soldiers patrolled the area, monitoring every movement in the castle's vicinity. Under the cover of the dark sky, not even a mosquito could approach unnoticed. Although high-level undead such as Dark Knights and Ghost Dragons had yet to arrive, the castle's power had grown stronger each day thanks to the efforts of Isu, Sarathos, and the others.

Sensing Allen's presence, Isu and the others quickly arrived at the Lich Hall, their expressions as calm as ever, as if they had no emotions at all. "Master, the Vampire Necropolis in the west is expanding at an alarming rate. Currently, five of our outer patrol squads have been ambushed by vampire strike teams. All soldiers perished, not a single skeleton soldier survived."

All perished?

Allen frowned. The vampire necropolis was expanding faster than he had anticipated. It seemed that a fierce battle was inevitable.

"Master, it's time to take action. If we don't strike first, the vampires will soon infiltrate and gather intelligence on the castle. The situation will be dangerous!" Arno, the zombie general, expressed his concern. Seeing more and more vampires lurking around the castle, he, as the leader of the zombie forces, felt an immense pressure.

The third-tier zombie warriors were strong in terms of both offense and defense, but their slow movements made them vulnerable against the swift vampires. Without a significant numerical advantage, it would be a one-sided massacre. If the Vampire Necropolis continued to grow unchecked, the zombie warriors patrolling the outskirts would be in grave danger!

"Eliminating the vampire patrol teams won't accomplish much. Either we stay still or we strike with everything we have and destroy their main base, raze the

 entire Vampire Necropolis to the ground!" Allen paused for a moment, drawing a large arrow on the map that pointed directly from the Lich Castle to the Vampire Necropolis hundreds of miles away. "Scout deeper into the Vampire Necropolis, don't miss any useful intelligence."

The situation was growing more dire, but Allen decided to wait a little longer.

Vampires, naturally powerful with sixth-tier strength, could move like the wind. Their teleportation skills on the battlefield were nearly impossible to counter. With no high-tier undead guarding the castle, killing small vampire strike teams wasn't a problem. However, should they face an army of vampires, things would become troublesome.

Since exhausting the top-quality crystals left by Ovicius, the power of the Soul Summoning Banner had greatly diminished. Many powerful spells were now beyond his reach. If he wanted to deliver a fatal blow and destroy the vampire stronghold in one fell swoop, Allen knew the only way was to rapidly increase his own strength.

"The Saint Jewel of the monastery, I said it's mine—it's mine!"

Looking up at the perpetual gloom over the Cursed Valley, Allen gripped his black magic pen tightly. It was time to accelerate his plans. The threat of the vampire necropolis was drawing near, and the wilderness was becoming more unstable by the day. There was no time to wait indefinitely. He had to break through to the demigod realm as quickly as possible and then gather his strength to break into the divine realm!