I Became the Priest of Blasphemy of the Outer Gods

Chapter 70. Bustling Streets (3)

Gluttony’s reflexes surpassed the speed at which the opponent threw weapons. Despite the shorter time to respond given the close proximity, Gluttony managed to deflect every attack.

‘I must turn the tables now.’

The number of weapons the opponent threw was significant. Though it wasn’t limitless, a lapse might occur if the situation persisted.

‘I also need to watch out for reinforcements or another person intervening.’

I shifted most of Gluttony’s tendrils from defense to offense. Despite Gluttony’s rapid onslaught, the opponent dodged with agile movements, increasing the distance.

‘As expected, this isn’t just about honing the skill to throw.’

While launching more attacks, I became certain. Although not as fast as words, the opponent’s skill to dodge with minimal movement was considerable.

‘It’s indeed challenging to gain a complete edge over a seasoned warrior with Gluttony alone.’

My attacks were almost within reach, yet the opponent’s evasion highlighted a gap that couldn’t be closed right now.

‘But my means of attack aren’t limited to just this.’

I unleashed an assault using the web-whip from the sky—a whip that smashed the ground and shattered building walls.

Due to the sheer number of attacks, it seemed difficult for the masked woman to dodge them all; she eventually sought to escape the range by running.

Just when it seemed she was about to flee, something shone from her body.

‘Is she attacking again during all this?’

Gluttony caught an incoming dagger that was launched as a surprise attack. Even in such a disadvantageous situation, the opponent seemed intent on continuing the battle.

‘Her determination is formidable.’

There was an ominous feeling that perhaps she held a grudge against me.

It was odd for a veteran mercenary, who seemed to have honed her skills, to insist on fighting this unfavorable battle, unless it was due to money.

‘Hmm? She’s coming back this way…?’

The masked woman, evading the web-whip diligently, suddenly sprinted toward me. The swamp, which had been gradually disappearing, had nearly vanished, and within a minute, would disappear completely.

Approaching would no longer be a problem. She likely anticipated that the risk of me getting hit by the web-whip would hinder my aggressive offensive.

‘But she miscalculated.’

The miracle of the 【Weaver of Destruction’s Threads】 divides into two main types: weaving the threads and utilizing the web that has already been woven. Once the weaving was complete, I only needed to use the threads.

“Silver-white threads pouring down like rain. Praise the beautiful disaster woven by Him. 〈Rain of Silver Threads〉”

The threads and the web-whip that covered the sky scattered, starting to pour down like rain as the web straightened. These weren’t ordinary threads; despite looking harmless coming down from the sky, they were anything but.

*Thwang!*

A hand axe thrown by the masked woman hit the web and bounced off. The threads had the strength of steel and were so sharp that they were practically arrows falling rather than webs. It was impossible to dodge the endless rain of threads just by moving one’s body. Finally, the masked woman chose to flee.

*Slash!*

But she couldn’t escape unscathed. The range of the pouring threads was narrow, but it was impossible to escape it without getting hit. Her body was stained with blood, and her mask cracked, falling to the ground.

“Ah!”

The woman spoke for the first time, revealing part of her face beneath the plain mask. The first things that caught my eye were her vivid green eyes and shiny platinum blonde hair. Those eyes filled with bewilderment as they looked at me, though I had no idea why she seemed so alarmed.

‘Is she in a position where revealing her identity is a problem? Even if I see her, I don’t know who she is anyway.’

“Ha… Yes, I assumed you wouldn’t know.”

She was a woman I had never seen before, yet something about her words bizarrely tugged at my heart.

‘Though she seems strangely familiar, I am sure I’ve never met her before.’

I attempted to stop and question her, but she had already disappeared into the smoke grenade she detonated.

Without even a footstep in the air, her escape route remained unknown. The cobwebs that blanketed the sky were also unraveling here and there due to the sequence of miracles followed by that action.

『Lord Ethnos!』

From a distance, Eldritch came running in human form. It appeared he found an opening to enter, with the cobwebs that had cloaked the surroundings finally lifting.

『What in the world is going on here?!』

“The miracle seems to have become unstable. When the illusion abruptly dissipated, the mercenaries rushed us.”

『Because of that, we’re in deep trouble.』

With an alarmed expression, Eldritch stomped his feet anxiously.

『An Order of the Church has already reached nearby!』

“It’s alright. We can retreat before the Luminaries arrives.”

『No! Neither the Luminaries nor Stigmata!』

Eldritch’s voice was urgent. Only then did I realize who was coming upon hearing his words.

“Damn it…”

There were three knight orders within the Church of Hayat. The Luminaries, a knight order formed by selecting a powerful and reliable few.

The Stigmata, a knight order composed of repentant sinners to handle dirty tasks. Lastly, the fanatical knight order that everyone feared and avoided the most…

“Could it be the Inquisitors coming?”

『I saw their banners from afar! We must flee immediately, by all means necessary!』

The Inquisitors, a heretic inquisitorial knight order that was rarely dispatched. Although seldom seen in person, their very name incited the greatest fear among people.

The Stigmata often carried investigation requests from the Inquisitors as a form of intimidation.

“How long until they get here?”

『Judging by the distance, they should arrive in about 15 minutes.』

Unlike other knight orders, the Inquisitors did not ride horses. They also didn’t run, which meant they always approached slowly.

This slow march became both their characteristic trait and an element of horror, signifying their confidence in capturing their target no matter where the target hid or fled.

‘If it weren’t for the Inquisitors, I could have simply run away…’

But the reason that wasn’t possible lay in the miracle they wielded.

A miracle that revealed the target’s location and guided them along the shortest path toward the target.

Engulfing the escape route along with the miracle from the outset ensured that even if the target was on horseback, they couldn’t escape.

‘But… 15 minutes should be enough.’

It seemed like the right time to use the item I had obtained recently.

“I have a way to escape.”

『What is it?』

“It’s a teleport item. No matter how formidable the Inquisitors are, they can’t stop us from teleporting to another region. But it takes about 10 minutes to activate.”

I took out the black gem received from Belido, but then one realization dawned on me—I couldn’t use enchanted items.

“I’ll keep watch around us, so you do it.”

Fortunately, Eldritch was by my side. After examining the gem through a monocle and determining how to use it, Eldritch closed his eyes. Meanwhile, I prepared the minimal resistance measures.

“Under His protection, this place shall be severed, allowing no one to cross without permission. 〈Net of Severance〉.”

The spider web scattered on the ground by the ‘Silver Rain’ began to move again. The web spread out in the form of a barrier.

It wasn’t just a simple spider web wall; it was a barrier with strong resistance even to magic or miracles.

Although its amount was much less than during the ‘Heaven Shrouding Net’, it was still enough to create a sturdy barrier with webs stretched in every direction.

‘…… Here they come.’

Beyond the spider web, from far away, they began to appear. Inquisitors marching slowly, holding banners adorned with the symbol of the Hayat Order.

Draped in dark robes, they looked more like members of a sinister cult or gloomy black mages than knights.

‘Disgusting people……’

And from a distance, their weapons, marked with a distinctive red tint, stood out. That red color was the trademark of the weapons they used—rusted ones.

‘They do everything possible to inflict maximum pain under the pretense of punishing heretics……’

They deliberately used rusted weapons to induce more suffering, rather than offering a swift death, and even provoke tetanus.

The victims executed by these people ended up unrecognizably mutilated after brutal torture, reflecting the nature of those who stubbornly wielded such cruel weapons.

‘I really didn’t want to encounter these psycho people.’

Moreover, they belonged to the type of religious zealots that I despised. For example, in their inquisitors, there is a saint who must be blind.

I once recoiled at Dowol’s explanation that, if not naturally blind, there is a custom of blinding or gouging out their eyes.

‘They’re approaching faster than I thought……’

Their dark procession drew nearer. Two of them led the charge, muttering ominous prayers and holding up an incense burner emitting thick, black smoke.

That so-called incense burner didn’t contain fragrant wood but the body of a heretic. Therefore, whenever they appeared, the scent of burning bodies always accompanied them.

“…….”

When the spider web that I had set up blocked their path, those wielding weapons stepped forward.

They struck the web with rusty saw-edged swords or axes, but the web neither broke nor tore, instead gripping the weapons tightly.

“…….”

Those at the forefront retreated silently, allowing those with rusted branding irons to step forward.

‘That’s the ‘Radiant Brand’.”

A weapon-cum-relic supplied solely to the inquisitors. Despite there being approximately fifty of them, which was a lot for relics, their performance was not diminished by their numbers.

Flames erupted from the branding iron spontaneously. However, instead of turning crimson hot, it emitted a Radiant Light even while engulfed in flames. Using this branding iron, the inquisitors began striking the spider web wall.

*Sizz-!*

‘Spider webs that even didn’t burn from the Fire of Ansandy are…’

Each strike of the branding iron made the web burn away instantly. The previously sturdy spider web barrier began to collapse effortlessly.

‘No matter what, this is so shallow… What kind of power is this?’

Without any expression changing, like emotionless machines, the inquisitors marched forward, clearing away the spider webs.

“We shall serve nothing but the Radiant Light. Nothing but the Radiant Light. Radiant…”

As they got closer, their unpleasant muttering grew clearer. The wall that had served to block them from me had almost burned away, and I was preparing a new miracle.

“……?”

Suddenly, one of the approaching inquisitors stopped. Tilting their head as if something was amiss, the inquisitor hesitated. I wanted to understand what was causing their behavior.

*Whoosh!*

Leaving behind the ominous group of inquisitors, Eldritch and I vanished from that spot.