Chapter 32: Holy Word

Chapter 32: Holy Word

Although it had been less than a week since Klein entered the Forsaken Land of the Gods, he had long since gained enough understanding of this place through Little Sun. He knew that normal humans, and even saints, had to use fire and create light when walking in darkness. Otherwise, they would easily encounter attacks from the terrifying monsters hidden deep in the dark, or be swallowed by Concealment, vanishing soundlessly and never to be found again.

Yet at this moment, that aged clergyman carried no beast-hide lantern. He simply walked through the thin mist in utter darkness, slowly entering the church’s interior illuminated by the lantern’s dim yellow glow.

If not for his deep, calm eyes and the absence of even a hint of madness, Klein’s first reaction would absolutely have been that he had encountered a special monster.

Of course, this normal human-like state and his behavior of being immersed in darkness were so contradictory that any creature whose intelligence reached the standard line could easily conclude that the newcomer might be even more terrifying than a special monster.

Among existences that could walk through darkness unaffected while still possessing sufficient intelligence and spirituality, Klein had only ever seen one before:

The Blasphemer, Amon!

Feeling the dim yellow light shine upon his face, the tall, hunched elder in the deep-black clergyman’s robe stopped and looked at Klein beside the demonic wolf statue. In a low, hoarse voice, he asked, “Where did the master of this city-state go?”

Klein was the kind of person who, if he could avoid fighting strangers, would resolve things peacefully as much as possible. While raising his guard, he answered calmly, “I only just entered this city. I also do not know where its master went.”

No sooner had he finished than the entire church abruptly darkened. Thin mist surged in from outside like a tide, drowning the interior.

The lantern’s light in Klein’s hand could no longer illuminate the windows or entrance. The outside was deep black. Nothing else could be seen at all.

In the blink of an eye, the church that housed the demonic wolf statue seemed to have been isolated from the ancient city of Nois, transported to some unknown place.

Klein’s pupils dilated slightly. Looking at the wrinkled, white-haired clergyman, he asked in a low voice, “Who are you?”

The hunched clergyman answered with a lofty, overlooking attitude:

“I am the servant beside the Lord God’s throne, the Angel of Holy Word, Stieff. I walk this land of the past in the Lord’s stead, searching for blasphemers hidden in the darkness.”

As he spoke, the old man’s figure instantly expanded to four meters tall. Behind him appeared sheet after sheet of dark, illusory feathers. Their interwoven light and shadow wove into four pairs of deep yet sacred wings.

“Angel of Holy Word” Stieff… servant beside the Lord God’s throne… land of the past… This is a blessed of the True Creator, subordinate of the Angel of Fate, a member of Rose of Redemption? No wonder he can walk through darkness—he has the power of Depravity protecting him… That evil god is still searching for the Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic? Klein had no choice but to lift his head and meet the gaze of Stieff, who clearly still wore a black clergyman’s robe, yet had grown four pairs of angel wings. Even in angelic form, this high-ranking existence still had obvious wrinkles and withered white hair, His entire body filled with contradictions.

Pretending as though he had never been an enemy of the Aurora Order, Klein calmly said, “That blasphemer has long since fled. I am also looking for Him.”

Angel of Holy Word Stieff stared at Klein for two seconds, then asked in a deep voice, “Who are you?”

This is not a good question to answer directly… Klein sighed and smiled.

“I am a lonely traveler.”

No sooner had he given that answer than he abruptly sensed an extremely dark self being born within him…