Subscriber of the Gods Episode 153
Episode 153. Take it
“Lure is impossible. They never come out of there.”
The inquisitor who had been fighting the Moon’s followers in the foggy forest said.
“We also tried to drag them out somehow. The place where they were holding out was so narrow that just entering it caused a lot of damage. But we couldn’t enter through the other entrance. It was even narrower and had magic… … .”
Since luring was virtually impossible, there was no other answer than a head-on confrontation.
“When Lady Kazinska was here, we continued to push them into a direct confrontation, but the power of the star fragments they had was so great… … After that, it was just a war of attrition.
However, in the midst of the ongoing war of attrition, a powerful reinforcement force was created on the other side, and this side lost Kazinska, who could be considered a key force.
Even if reinforcements had arrived, it was questionable whether we could win.
“I actually think it would be right to retreat now….”
In fact, retreating was the right thing to do now, since there was no one to take care of the apostles.
Neither Director Jared nor the veteran interrogators who accompanied him could guarantee that they would be able to defeat the Apostle.
“Do you think this operation will fail?”
“Yes, I probably won’t be able to come back. I’m not even sure if I can hold out, let alone be lured.”
The interrogators who had been dispatched to the Foggy Forest first did not know the details of what Ethan had done as an instructor.
But it doesn’t matter what kind of results you achieve.
“I heard you were a teacher at the academy… … .”
The forest inquisitor shook his head.
“It will be difficult.”
They thought it was a waste of time and even precious lives. That was why the forest interrogators could not understand the director’s decision.
Aren’t the Inquisitors who are waiting here right now and digging traps only looking at Ethan?
Even while we’re wasting time like this, the Moon Followers will be steadily carrying out their goals.
If you can’t even stop it and can’t even run away, you will end up losing the initiative in the future battle.
“Don’t worry.”
But the interrogators at the Errant branch, who had been dealing with Ethan for the past week, were not worried.
“Because Ethan will definitely lure them.”
The forest interrogators looked at the director and the interrogators of the Errant branch with bewildered eyes.
“I don’t understand it at all.”
“That’s only natural.”
“yes?”
“It’s natural that you don’t understand.”
The other interrogators all nodded at the director’s words. The new interrogators who had been trained by Ethan nodded especially vigorously.
* * *
Ethan was disguising himself very naturally.
‘It can’t be helped. Right now, I’m working as a First Order member within the Academy, and when I was doing my mission, I went deep into the Moon Followers’ compound and carried out their orders.’
Although he did not become an apostle, he rose to the rank just below an apostle.
Of course, I don’t know if it was really under the apostles, but at least Ethan had a lot of information related to the followers of the moon.
‘The first thing we need to worry about is which apostle came.’
The followers of the moon continue their power under the powerful twelve apostles.
‘The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Apostles will not be directly assigned to this mission, so the apostles below them must have come.’
Even if the apostle below had come, this side was at a great disadvantage in terms of power.
‘In the end, what matters is whether I can win or not.’
Ethan was having a hard time objectively assessing his own strength at the moment.
‘It is difficult to confirm because the power of the new world has been added.’
Ethan was continuing to grow in Mephant in his own way, but it was safe to say that he had almost no mana due to the extinction.
‘I’ve grown without mana. I can’t tell if I can defeat the Apostle now.’
That’s why I had to test my strength even more.
Ethan doesn’t have much time.
Extinction will be a constant threat to his life, and the more Ethan moves to cure it and build his reputation, the more enemies he will have.
‘Ironically, in order to meet the saint, you have to take risks.’
That’s why I had to become strong even though I was carrying the disease.
‘Check how strong you are and what you lack.’
Ethan strained his eyes.
Then, the followers of the moon standing guard in the distance came into view.
‘You can see the expression on your face too.’
They were wearing black robes turned inside out, but some had their hoods removed.
They were talking, and Ethan could easily read what they were saying just by the shape of their lips, even from a distance.
-The apostle has gone inside, so we must guard this place until he comes out.
-yes!
-Anyway, this is the only entrance. You can’t come in from any other way. It’s so narrow that it’s the perfect place to get slaughtered.
As the Moon Follower had said, there were several entrances to enter this place. However, the other entrances were too narrow for more than ten troops to move through.
‘There is a wide magic spell surrounding this area.’
It was a magic that activated the moment someone approached.
‘The ultimate thief.’
Ethan decided to test Hong Gil-dong’s strength. The ultimate thief’s technique is to infiltrate secretly.
Then it should not be affected by magic.
“Hoooooo.”
Ethan took a deep breath and moved. The moment he entered the range where magic could detect him.
‘also.’
The great thief’s extreme will crushed the magic.
‘There’s a reason Hong Gil-dong is a great thief.’
He is a man who founded a nation through theft.
Ethan quickly entered inside.
‘I wondered what he was guarding.’
What the followers of the moon were guarding was a cave hidden in a corner.
The followers of the moon were standing guard in formation near the cave, the entrance of which was barely visible.
‘There’s something in there.’
And it was clear that there was an apostle in it.
‘Then shall we begin?’
In that case, the priority was to deal with the followers of that moon before the apostle came out.
Ethan immediately took out his bow.
“Reverse divergence.”
After drawing out powerful strength from his entire body, he imbued his bow and arrows with the power of lightning.
Phage crackle-!
What they are after are the followers of the moon gathered in front of the cave.
Wheaaa …
Ethan’s arrows hit the moon followers straight in the eye.
Phew-.
Pah-ji-ji-jik-!
The followers of the moon looked surprised at the lightning spreading from the arrow.
Ethan fired arrows at them one after another.
‘You have to shoot at least a few hundred rounds.’
To do that, you need mana.
Ethan actively utilized Anisida’s bracelet.
‘Because you can store mana in the bracelet.’
Pavabababak-!
After firing almost a hundred rounds, the mana stored in Anisida’s bracelet also ran out. Ethan immediately took out a potion from his subspace pouch and drank it.
-I drank the Lucareiji herbal medicine soaked in holy water!
-Your whole body will feel energized!
“Hoooo.”
This was just the beginning.
Ethan immediately used his arch-thief’s extreme and approached the men from the other side with all his might.
“shit!”
“Is this the enemy!”
“The magic clearly didn’t react! Did the Inquisitors come in!?”
The Moon Followers were thrown into confusion by Ethan’s arrows.
Some were lying on the ground badly injured, while others were checking the direction from which the arrows had come and trying to figure out what had happened.
Taking advantage of the commotion, Ethan naturally joined them.
“Check where it came from!”
“Over there! It flew in from over there!”
Ethan quickly recognized the First Order and stepped forward.
“First Order, I was watching that direction. The arrow definitely came from that direction.”
“Damn it. Are you saying that they have the power to ignore magic and come in?”
Since it hasn’t been used yet, reinforcements must have arrived from that side too.
The First Order was impressed by the thought that had reached that point. Then Ethan quickly approached him and assumed his signature stance.
A posture of kneeling on one knee and raising both arms, a kind of reporting posture often adopted by followers of the moon.
“I will go and do some reconnaissance right away. Please allow me.”
There is a certain coolness that is unique to the followers of the moon. That coolness can be easily imitated with the power of the Moon Force.
Moreover, with his wealth of knowledge, the First Order leading this group gave orders to Ethan without question.
“Don’t go too far. We must guard this cave.”
“yes.”
Ethan brushed past the First Order with an answer.
Then he naturally went to where he had just shot the arrow and came back again. This was the most important part.
“Gasp… … Ugh… … Ouch, this is serious.”
The expressions of the First Order and other followers hardened as Ethan returned with an urgent expression.
“No, they’re here! The Inquisitors came through the back door! They’re going to surround us now!”
“These guys have reinforcements after all. They came in ignoring the moon’s magic.”
The First Order bowed their heads for a moment, as if thinking. Then Ethan continued.
“Now is the time. I checked and it seems that not many people have come over.”
“Was the shooting of a large number of arrows intended to hide the number of troops?”
“Yes, that’s right. It looks like reinforcements have arrived, but not in large numbers.”
The First Order, which had been pondering for a moment, seemed to have made a decision and gave the order.
“We can’t afford to be surrounded here. It would be better to lure them to a different direction than the cave.”
Then he looked down at his hands and said.
“And we have this, that we may endure until the Apostle returns.”
The First Order held a single magic stone in their hands.
That was the star fragment, the treasure of the forest that they were trying to protect at all costs.
Shaaaaak-.
The aura of the bright blue moon flowed out from the star fragments. Even at a glance, it was clear that powerful mana was condensed there.
“I will take the lead.”
Ethan took the lead immediately with a gloomy expression.
“Capture him quickly and receive a reward from the Apostle. Understood?”
“yes.”
“Yes, First Order.”
* * *
“coming!”
Jared stared at the interrogator who had been insisting that it was impossible for a moment.
The interrogator’s eyes were shaking.
No, that really won’t work.
“No, why is that happening… … This really can’t be happening… … I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
The director smiled faintly as he looked at the bewildered interrogator.
“That may be so. But from now on, don’t doubt it.”
It was a moment when my trust in Ethan exceeded 100 percent.
As the director gestured, the interrogators stood by with their maces drawn.
A calm anger rose up.
The Forest Inquisitor looked at the followers of the moon that Ethan had brought. He quickly counted the number and it seemed that all the followers waiting inside had come out.
“How on earth… … .”
“charge!”
As soon as the Director gave the order to charge, the Inquisitors immediately attacked the followers of the Moon.
“Huh!”
“Why are all these guys here?”
“Second order!”
But Ethan was no longer there.
“Damn it! What the hell is going on here!”
“So, you’re on the loose?”
“Sir, no way.”
The First Order searched frantically for the believer who had led them, but he was nowhere to be found.
“You’re saying… you weren’t a believer?”
The First Order gnashed its teeth.
But it didn’t matter. Rather, it was an opportunity to take these guys down in one fell swoop.
I have a fragment of a star imbued with the energy of the moon. With this power, I can defeat any heretic inquisitor.
“Huh!? Huh, where did you go?”
The First Order was in a panic as they tried to retrieve the star fragment from their arms.
The star fragments that were clearly there just a moment ago are now gone.
“This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening.”
“First Order! Star Fragments!”
“I can’t stand it any longer!”
“Sir, no way.”
Of course, that was a lie. The star fragments were already in the hands of someone who had learned the techniques of the great thief Hong Gil-dong.
“Don’t miss a single one!”
Jared’s Mace charged at the First Order.
fantasy,
