Chapter 109: Chapter 109

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: The Betrayal

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The Round of 64 had concluded, followed by the Round of 32.

The matches for the Round of 16 were scheduled to resume tomorrow.

With so many formidable participants advancing, fierce battles continued thereafter.

The first match had made a significant impact.

To overshadow that, the students had no choice but to fight even more desperately.

The International Individual Tournament was a stage to display one's renown and prowess.

Everyone fought desperately to make their mark on the world.

But where there were winners, there were bound to be losers.

Among them, two of the Six Stars were eliminated early on.

This clearly demonstrated how intense this main tournament was.

One of those Six Stars was Akredde Saint Narea.

She was the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom of Lyum.

'Just as planned.'

I saw the Lyum Kingdom's carriage rattling along.

Currently, I was following the Saintess's carriage with Baek Mok-gong.

The Round of 32 had been unfortunate for Akredde.

This was because her opponent in that round was none other than Iris Hysirion, one of the most prominent figures among the Six Stars.

She was said to be the strongest royal in the Empire.

No matter that Akredde was a Saintess, she was no match for Iris.

Thus, despite her valiant struggle, she couldn't avoid defeat.

This was always the case, regardless of the historical timeline.

Akredde would face Iris in the Round of 32 and be eliminated.

'Perhaps there's someone involved with the Holy Order or Mysticism among the International Individual Tournament organizers.'

Otherwise, it made no sense for her to always face Iris in the Round of 32.

'According to the plan, Akredde must have needed to return at precisely this time.'

If I got the chance later, I should look into that as well.

Just then, Baek Mok-gong straightened up.

"They're scattering."

As she said, the high priests cleared the area around the carriage as if they had received urgent orders.

I saw the cardinal in charge of the carriage's escort go to Akredde's carriage and speak to her.

It was undoubtedly a delaying tactic.

Soon after, Baek Mok-gong looked up at the sky.

Above the clear blue sky,

untimely flashes of light began to shimmer.

I knew well what they were.

They were divine artifacts, possessing power similar to the one I wielded.

Star Caller.

Stars poured down from the sky.

A thunderous crash!

The entire area was devastated, and the Holy Knights guarding Akredde were sent tumbling to the ground.

The carriage Akredde had been riding in shattered into pieces, and the cardinal who was supposed to protect her also rolled across the ground.

Yet, Baek Mok-gong didn't move.

This was because she had noticed that while the Star Caller could destroy the carriage,

it didn't possess the power to kill Akredde in a single blow.

"That shady cardinal deliberately took the hit, pretending to protect the Saintess."

Baek Mok-gong had accurately read the situation.

This was, after all, a staged act.

It was meant to create a situation where Akredde couldn't be properly protected.

Amidst the smoke created by the Star Caller,

the Holy Knights who had been struck by it belatedly regained their senses and stood up.

However, smoke wasn't the only thing that appeared.

Suddenly, the surroundings were filled with a pure white mist, making it impossible to distinguish anything.

Whiteout.

This term refers to a meteorological phenomenon where the horizon becomes indistinguishable due to snow, fog, or sand.

Someone among the Mystics possessed a mystery related to fog.

"Boy."

At the same time, Baek Mok-gong swept her cloak and stepped forward.

"You, boy, go straight to the Saintess."

A chilling smile crept onto Baek Mok-gong's lips.

The fierce aura of a wild beast erupted from her.

"I'll take care of all the Mystics myself."

She was the most reliable ally one could ask for.

"Yes."

Baek Mok-gong plunged into the mist like a wild animal.

Simultaneously, screams echoed from within the mist.

The Mystics had encountered an unexpected beast.

For them, there could be no greater misfortune.

Meanwhile, I also plunged into the mist.

I pushed through the fog, heading in Akredde's direction.

"Agh!"

At that moment, a member of the Mystics tumbled past me and disappeared.

They had been hit by Baek Mok-gong and sent flying all the way here.

'She's just going absolutely wild.'

Baek Mok-gong wasn't called a living legend for nothing.

Unless it was a boss-level figure among the Mystics, Baek Mok-gong was unstoppable.

The Mystics had truly met their match.

'More importantly, I need Akredde.'

It was when I arrived at the shattered carriage to get her out.

My eyes immediately widened.

This was because there was no one near the broken carriage.

Akredde, who should have been by the carriage, was nowhere to be seen.

And it wasn't just her.

'Cardinal Centriole.'

That bastard, who was involved in this incident, was also gone.

A thought flashed through my mind.

I widened my eyes slightly.

Cardinal Centriole.

He must have realized something had gone wrong and kidnapped Akredde.

***

In the forest, far from where the commotion had erupted,

a man in pristine white armor was running.

A wound on his forehead dripped blood, but he paid it no mind.

Cardinal Centriole.

He was one of the Holy Order's most devout followers.

Born in an orphanage run by the Holy Order, he had risen through the ranks from Inquisitor to High Holy Knight, even earning the title of Paladin.

He was one of the top powers within the Holy Kingdom.

Such a desperate sight from Centriole was rare.

But today, Centriole was exceptionally frantic.

The woman in his arms swayed.

Her curled, platinum blonde hair scattered with the movement.

A woman enveloped entirely in a pure white dress, symbolizing purity.

Akredde Saint Narea.

She was none other than the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom.

"Cardinal Centriole."

Centriole shifted his gaze towards the voice.

Akredde calmly looked up at Centriole with an expressionless face.

Akredde always wore a benevolent smile.

Her benevolent smile made her appear perfectly suited for the title of Saintess.

However, there were times, like today, when she wore such an expressionless face.

At such moments, it felt as though she could see through everything.

Cold.

Every time her emerald eyes met his, a corner of his heart stung.

"Why did you betray the Holy Order?"

A stiff, toneless voice emerged from Akredde.

It was a rigidity completely opposite to the bright, clear voice she usually had.

Centriole felt a chill from it, but

he answered brazenly without changing his expression.

"Saintess, I don't understand what you mean."

"You were incited by the King of Lyum, weren't you? The Lyum Kingdom's power was on the verge of being completely usurped. I can't say I don't understand the King of Lyum's choice."

After the Saintess appeared,

the power structure of the Lyum Kingdom had been completely overturned.

The citizens of the Lyum Kingdom cried out for the Saintess, elevating the Holy Order's prestige.

As a result, the Lyum royal family's power diminished day by day.

The Lyum royal family wanted to eliminate Saintess Akredde more than anyone.

Therefore, it wasn't strange for Akredde to make such a conjecture.

"Saintess, I can understand the attackers appearing at the King of Lyum's instigation, but my betrayal is a separate matter.

Am I not trying to escape this commotion right now to save you?"

As Centriole denied her words, claiming it was a misunderstanding, Akredde looked beyond the forest.

"Is that so? From my perspective, that place seems safer than anywhere else."

"That place, where the attackers are?"

"Anywhere would have been safe, as long as it wasn't by Cardinal Centriole's side."

Words that confirmed Akredde's certainty of Centriole's betrayal.

Hearing this, Centriole gnashed his teeth.

"Then why did you follow me, even though you were certain I was a traitor?"

"Because there was something I wanted to tell Cardinal Centriole."

Akredde spoke, still maintaining her expressionless face.

"The dead do not return."

Stopped dead.

Centriole's running feet halted abruptly.

At the same time, he slammed Akredde onto the ground.

CRASH!

Akredde, whose neck was seized by Centriole, calmly looked up at him.

A deep, burning resentment blazed in his eyes.

"Cardinal Centriole, you know it well yourself."

Even as she was being choked, Akredde stated her opinion.

But Centriole had no intention of calming his rage.

"I've believed in God my entire life."

A tone filled with fury dripped from his lips.

The reason Centriole became an Inquisitor was

because of his son, who had been born ill.

Instead of actively serving as an Inquisitor, he had entrusted his son to the high priests.

"I begged that damned God thousands, tens of thousands of times. I just asked that my son might live longer than me."

The high priests continued to treat his son.

However, his son showed no signs of improvement.

It was a given.

Divine power could only heal wounds or cure illnesses.

It couldn't do anything about a naturally weak constitution.

Of course, receiving continuous divine power could extend one's life beyond their natural lifespan.

But that was all.

A short lifespan ultimately had its limits.

"But God, no matter how faithfully I lived, wouldn't save my son's life."

He had lived his entire life for the Holy Order, yet he couldn't save his own son's life.

If he had known this, he would have spent even a little more time by his young son's side.

He had spent his time trying to save his son, yet he couldn't actually be with him.

Drip.

Blood-tears streamed from his eyes.

They were tears filled with profound sorrow.

"So you intend to resurrect your dead son?"

Centriole had made a deal by joining hands with the King of Lyum.

It was a deal to resurrect his dead son through mysticism.

"Such an act will bring your son no good. It will only incur God's wrath."

"What do you know to babble such nonsense!"

Centriole tightened his grip on her throat even more.

"My son died unjustly, never even seeing the ocean he wished to see his whole life!

My son, who cried wanting his father, whom I couldn't even properly hug, left this world without enjoying it even a little!

God didn't even embrace such a good child, so what meaning is there in His wrath?!"

"Your son merely went to God's side. All living beings—"

"Shut up!"

Drops of blood from Centriole's eyes fell onto her face.

"I will resurrect my son. And I will make sure he can do everything he ever wanted."

Centriole's rampage had already passed the point of no return.

"If only you die, everything will be accomplished."

Centriole's grip tightened even further.

Even as she was being choked, Akredde merely looked at him.

That was the most unsettling thing for Centriole.

"Accomplished? What's going to be accomplished?"

At that moment, a voice reached Centriole's ears.

Engulfed in rage, he hadn't noticed his surroundings. The moment he lifted his head,

a fist had already arrived before him.

WHAM!

With intense pain across his face, Centriole's head snapped back.

However, he was a cardinal who held the title of Paladin.

He wasn't someone who would be knocked out by a mere punch.

The moment he regained his senses and was about to counterattack,

he realized his face wouldn't move.

His face had been frozen solid by cold energy.

By the time he realized this, it was already too late.

The opponent's fist had already reached his face once more.

If once wasn't enough, then once more.

CRACK!

Unable to withstand the second blow, Centriole's frozen face shattered, and he was sent sprawling.

And before him,

a black-haired boy landed.

"Go on, make a scene trying to shatter my son's reincarnation too."

Hanon Airey.

He had arrived.