Episode 165. The Four Shrines (2)
Once the strongest force in the Order of the Holy Cross.
A powerful paladin with such power that it seems as if he was personally blessed by the Lord.
They were truly the shield of God, capable of driving away thousands of monsters with just one person.
The absolute guardian of the religious order. One of the four priests.
Although they are now gone, their achievements are not forgotten and are mentioned in many Bibles.
Although there are currently four cardinals who hold that role, the prevailing opinion is that they are not as good as the others.
They were once symbols of the Order of the Holy Cross.
… This is the setting of the religious order that I know of.
Sometimes, when you play a game and complete a mission, you may receive various items. If you look at the information about the item, you will see a background story about it.
In particular, the names of the four priests could be seen quite often on items related to the religious order.
Basically, it is a spear and shield that protect the church, and it is explained that it is currently a deceased person.
An anecdote about being brutally massacred by the Demon King Beelzebub.
And I could see three names on the items commemorating them.
——————=
[✞Kale✞] – A holy swordsman who wields a cold and icy sword, but is warmer and more passionate than anyone else. The spark of the relationship you have created will never go out.
[✞Acra✞] – A holy hunter who pierces through evil hordes with his sharp bow. The children raised in the orphanage you established will never forget your kindness.
[✞Rima✞] – The strongest priest who led the atmosphere of the church with his passionate laughter. Thanks to your smile that was like a blooming flower, I was able to move my legs despite all the hardships.
It is thanks to your achievements that we are still alive today.
And your will.
The moment when the church that will be maintained in the future will be revived and revolutionized will be the result of your achievements.
✞Salute the saints who sacrificed themselves for us, please rest in peace✞
——————=
It’s a long game, but items like the above have never been important.
There were cases where it was used for recovery purposes, but there was no such grand explanation.
Unless they were combat support items, they were all easy to forget.
Moreover, many users threw it away because it was not important. To be honest, it was a waste of bag space because it was not even a relic with a special item.
`So you can’t help but remember them. You can’t see their names except for memorial items that waste inventory space.`
Even then, only three people died. Tariel’s name was nowhere to be seen.
A grand setting that is too good to be thrown away.
Because it was placed so easily forgotten among users, it was rarely remembered.
The specific gravity is not even that of an extra, so we don’t know what kind of power it has.
In times like these, you have no choice but to borrow knowledge from those around you.
“Those are three of the four priests that I only heard about through rumors?”
“Yes, that’s right. If you’ve read the scriptures over and over, you’ve seen those faces in countless pictures.”
As expected, the Refrain, a clerical family, knew a lot about them.
A cold sweat was running down the side of the head of the person who was explaining the refrain.
Just by looking at it, you can see how great the positions of the four priests were.
“Be careful!”
As Tariel shouted loudly, the four priests wielding staffs unleashed their magic. An incredible amount of heat was transmitted from her flash magic, known as the strongest priestess in the sect.
Tariel reflexively wrapped his entire body in magic to block the heat rays.
Chaaaaaaa-
A light reminiscent of the sun was emitted in a wide area. Not only the surrounding trees, but even the moisture in the air evaporated. Even the fog that had obscured the view had disappeared without a trace.
We, who were unable to react to the intense heat, would have melted as well. If the mercenary corps had not protected us with defensive magic.
“Ugh! Are you guys okay?”
“Are you guys okay?”
“Damn it! I just blocked it once and it drained most of my magical power. There’s no doubt about it… those are the real Four Guardians!”
The mercenary unit collapsed as if they were exhausted after using only one magic spell. They had used up all their strength to protect the cadets, so it was safe to say that they were virtually annihilated.
Tariel was also aware of the miserable sight.
“this…!”
Tariel barely managed to block the heat ray. He was used to receiving the magic spells used by his former comrade.
It was not difficult to defend against it since he had seen it countless times before. That was why Tariel felt strange.
`It’s the same as Lima’s skills when he was alive!`
It was a level where the brilliance and firepower, all the power it had when it was alive, were recreated.
Although he only received it once, Tariel, who was also a paladin, could tell.
Just that one step tells you what level of skill you have.
It’s a mess. Even just one of the four priests can easily control an army of thousands.
If the power from the previous life really remains, no one here will survive.
`I heard it was dangerous, but I never thought it would be this bad…!`
I had never heard of the fact that the strong men of the past appeared. It was originally a closed space, so there was no way information could be transmitted, but there were quite a few strange parts.
Dead people never come back to life. At least it is assumed that they are a representation of their existence in memory.
However, if the abilities from before life are reproduced as they were, it is the same as being completely revived. It goes beyond the level of recreating them with just memories.
Wheeeeee!-
Kookookookook!-
While I was lost in thought, a blue sword and a holy cross flew in from the front.
Kale’s ‘Knife Wind’ that splits the earth.
Lima’s ‘Cross of Alignment’ that destroys everything it touches.
Two powerful forces approached, sweeping across the ground. Tariel gathered all his magic, ready to fight them off with all his might.
The only person who can stop it is you.
-Crack!
-Koosh!
But something moved before Tariel’s spear. Something suddenly emerged from behind and took the powerful blow with its entire body.
“As expected, it’s the Four Gods.”
“It was quite painful.”
Dolgan, a high-level wind spirit in the form of a cheetah.
Blitz, a high-level lightning spirit in the form of a tiger.
The two spirits that had manifested that appearance were shaking their legs as if they had blocked the attacks of the four priests.
And the little girl who had summoned those spirits came out next to Tariel.
“Let me help you.”
“you…”
Mary Ludciel appeared with her pink hair fluttering like a peach blossom. Despite her small stature, she appeared confidently, and there was no sign of her immaturity.
Even to me, her back looked like that of a completely different person. As if she was carrying something ‘heavy’.
“Are you Mr. Tailley’s daughter?”
“Do you know my father?”
“I owe you something in the past. But let’s talk about it later.”
The four resurrected priests are coming this way again, aiming their weapons.
A doll-like face that seemed incapable of losing any emotion. It seemed to indicate that she was a dead ghost, but the energy felt was clear.
Living. And feeling wronged. There, Tariel felt uneasy again.
The energy felt the same, but it felt much stronger than before.
It was the kind of emotion you get when dealing with someone you have a great grudge against.
“I guess I can’t just sit still.”
I said, holding the Leviathan in my hand.
Although we don’t know their detailed settings, they are known to be the strongest in the religious sect.
It was right for me to join forces with those guys.
“No, Radon!”
“Why are you suddenly like that?”
Suddenly, Refrain stretched out his arm and blocked my path. He spoke with a seriously distorted expression.
“I heard you made a contract with a lord. A high-ranking one at that. But think about who those people are.”
The spirits I have contracted with are of a higher level or higher.
They are of the same or greater level than the two spirits that blocked the attack of the Four Guardians a moment ago.
In the current situation, I am definitely a necessary force with that level of discretion.
But the opponent was wrong.
“It’s not an ordinary paladin, it’s a four-person clan! Since your main power is the main lord, the compatibility is really bad.”
“But the situation won’t change if we just stay still.”
Of course, it is possible to fight without a spirit, using only the ‘Fantasy Sword Technique’ and magic. I have learned how to fight without a spirit.
However, it is dangerous to confront them head-on. If they are still as strong as they were before, there is no need to explain at length that the difference in strength is enormous.
“In a situation where we have to survive in the first place, do we really need to worry about the right method?”
“Then what are you going to do?”
I looked around to find a way to answer Refrain’s question.
The mercenaries were exhausted from blocking Lima’s flash, and Trisha was seen standing with her staff out.
“Senior Trisha, could you please give me that cane?”
“What? Why is this?”
“And everyone, come here and listen to me!”
I tried to explain it briefly and to the point as much as possible.
Even though Mary and Tariel are barely holding on, they won’t be able to last long. It’s obvious to anyone that the situation is unfavorable.
But everyone knew that the situation was tense. With their survival instincts, they had no choice but to believe even a brief explanation.
I don’t know how the four priests fight. I can’t stand in front without knowing their power. I have to aim for the rear.
In the first place, those aren’t the originals. Even if they were identical to the originals, they wouldn’t be able to come back to life as they were.
Even if the power remains the same, there will be a gap in return for being resurrected.
“Ugh!”
“Whoa!”
Tariel, holding the spear, knelt down.
The raised barrier shatters and Mary falls to the ground.
No matter how good their skills are, they cannot turn the 3 vs. 2 situation around.
It was only thanks to Mary, who had genius-level talent, that we were able to endure this much.
Above all, the fact that Tariel is not in his prime played a big role.
“Mary Ludwig, are you okay?”
“Ugh…”
It seemed like he had used up too much magic power to block their attacks. Judging from his sweaty body, he seemed to have difficulty standing up.
Tariel thought. It was all his own fault. If things continued like this, not only would the mission fail, but everyone would be annihilated.
In that case, wouldn’t it be better to sacrifice yourself?
“Ugh…!”
Meanwhile, Mary, who had fallen, was greatly tensed. Suddenly, an ominous feeling came over her chest.
For some reason, I feel like something sealed inside me is going crazy and running wild.
Even though I was aware of its existence, I felt no abnormality in my body. So why am I feeling upset now?
My stomach hurt so much it felt like my stomach was being ripped apart.
“Ugh…”
“Are you okay? Come on!”
Tariel thought it was the pain he received from fighting the guys. However, Mary only held out until her magic power was depleted, and there were no major wounds on her body that was suffering from pain.
This was an internal problem.
The four resurrected priests were visible to Mary. When she blinked, a different sight suddenly unfolded.
I was somewhere else, and the guys who were standing there perfectly fine were now horribly corpses strewn about in front of me.
-Where is this?
-They must have been fighting until just a moment ago.
-And why are those guys dead?
-Have I already taken it down?
-But I don’t kill people so cruelly.
The sensation was so vivid. At this point, I could almost say I experienced it myself.
I, Mary Ludciel, am seeing this for the first time. But somehow, I know her.
It felt like someone else’s memories had merged with my own. Perhaps it was the entity hidden inside me.
“Ugh…”
“What’s wrong! Mary Ludciel!”
Finally, Mary fainted. Tariel shook her to wake her up, but she did not wake up.
Meanwhile, the four resurrected priests approach. They swing their weapons once more or prepare their magic.
Kwakjik!-
It was Cale who tried to swing his sword first… but something got stuck in his leg.
“….”
A small staff suddenly appeared and pierced Kale’s ankle.
But Cale only hesitated for a moment. Soon, he ignored them and glared at Tariel and Mary.
I don’t care at all how this got stuck.
“It was fake after all!”
Suddenly a voice came from the shadows on the floor, and I jumped out of it as if I was coming out of water.
-Shadow Hide Lv2
A skill that allows you to hide by riding the shadows as if diving into the water. The higher your skill level, the easier it is to hide your presence.
This is a new skill that was created because the sensitivity with Muto has improved compared to before. I haven’t had much use for it recently, but now I can finally show off my true value.
“….”
At that moment, Kale turns his head towards me.
The way they seem to care only after I reveal myself makes me wonder if they are really the famous Four Guardian Gods.
Honestly, it can’t be helped. After examining it with the ‘Maan’, I could see that it wasn’t a perfectly reproduced version of the Four Gods.
However, the output remained the same, and a chilling magical power began to infuse Kale’s sword.
It was the moment when I was about to be shot dead.
“Senior, it’s now!”
“Yeah!”
Suddenly, Trisha appeared at Kale’s feet and kicked the sword away. The sword, which was about to strike, flew away and got stuck in a tree.
Trisha was a sorceress who could teleport. The condition for teleportation was to mark a spot with her staff, and that staff happened to be embedded in Kale’s ankle.
“Got it!”
Within moments, Trisha seized Kale’s opportunity to grab him by the neck. Then she spun him around 360 degrees… A truly grotesque sight unfolded.
and…
For a moment, a curse almost escaped his lips. Kale, whose neck was turned like a faucet, fell down like a doll.
It was natural since it was bent like that.
With the thought that I should look good in front of Senior Trisha next time, I threw my Trans Card at Rima.
She happened to be preparing a spell with one hand, so she was vulnerable. However, she countered it by creating a defensive spell with her other hand.
The reaction speed was amazing. I don’t know about anything else, but it’s certain that he’s reproduced his old skills.
However, what had just been canceled out was a fake created by illusion. The real thing had flown in from the sky with black feathers.
“Well done, Aisha.”
『… .』
There isn’t just one spirit that I’ve contracted. I’m still inexperienced at handling it, so all I can do is manifest it with several feathers, but I can handle it like an arrow.
It wouldn’t have been impossible to attach a Trans Card to it and shoot it.
Lima was teleported somewhere after being hit by the Trans Card. The place she was teleported to was in the middle of the group of mercenaries where I was originally standing.
Fusuk!-
“Please forgive me.”
There, the refrain that had been waiting in advance thrust a dagger into her chest.
And this time, it was Lima who fell again.
“Now only that guy is left.”
Acra didn’t panic even though two of his comrades had fallen. Rather, the sight of him aiming his bow indifferently was even more creepy.
He pulled back the bowstring with monstrous magical power, and the moment he was about to release it, there was a sound of flesh being pierced.
Kwakjik!-
There was something like a mechanical arm sticking out of Acra’s abdomen.
Acra, who had been hit from behind by something, fell down helplessly, and behind her stood the bespectacled head student of the alchemy club.
“Don’t forget me.”
He looked extremely disappointed, having created a sharp metal arm using alchemy.
Surviving as an Academy Fraudster
