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promotion
The way to prove his strength was simple. He could prove it by beating up that rascal.
The problem is how to create an excuse to swing one’s fist…
“Joanna. Tell me the truth. Cardinal Gobert… no, the King of Heresy was in such a bad shape that he couldn’t fight. He exaggerated it because he wanted to return as a shining knight of the Holy War.”
The Knight of the Temple of the Kanjok laughed. The Knight of the Temple of the Kanjok seemed to have a strong sense of entitlement to the rank of the slain. However, the slain, who was the target of the rank, did not seem to care much about it.
His words were surprisingly helpful. Just as he was about to add that Gobersan had been coughing and seemed to have a fever-
After the lungs pointed at me, he raised his thumb. Everyone’s attention was drawn to his sudden and confident action.
After that, the old man pointed to the Kkanjok Temple article and gave a thumbs up.
It was a short gesture, but it was a more powerful provocation than everything the Knights of the Kanjok Temple had done so far combined.
The face of the knight of the Kanjok Temple suddenly distorted. The mini-lung behind him seemed embarrassed and grabbed the lung’s arm. The lung’s thumb was still down.
“Joanna Inquisitor, does that mean that the Honorary Monk Aaron is superior to the Maroon Temple Knights?”
“Ha, Holy Inspector. What the hell is that nonsense right now···.”
Nod nod.
“Then the heretic king and the Johelia Temple Knight who were in bad shape, the Joanna Inquisitor who was a demon slayer even though he didn’t have the blessing now, and the Aaron Honorary Monk who was stronger than the Maroon Temple Knight. It’s not that far-fetched.”
The Holy Inquisitor spoke calmly, as if calculating the value of the items he had put in his shopping cart.
“···Brahmin Holy Investigator! Watch your words!!”
The Knight of the Templar shouted. He seemed to have great pride in the Knights Templar.
There was nothing but legends floating around about the Knights of the Holy War, so there was something to be proud of.
‘Back in the raccoon days, even the mini-lungs fought well.’
The only reason his opponent was the fourth eldest son was because he was too strong, but as expected from a blood relative, he fought very well.
The mini-lung that met my eyes moved its mouth quickly. I couldn’t understand what it was saying.
“Maroon Templar, I am currently taking a statement from Inquisitor Joanna. I also know that the Templar is ineffective against anything but the sword of the cult, the devil.”
The Holy Inquisitor rebuked the Knight of the Temple in a tone that was just like the abbot. It was quite entertaining to see the face of the Knight of the Temple of the Temple of the Clans crumple in real time.
“This is ridiculous.”
The Knight of the Kanjok Temple openly showed his displeasure. The face of the Mini Lung-Gyeop who saw him turned pale.
The one who had provoked him was still holding up his thumb, and the divine investigator who had asked the question was looking at the paper. Only the mini-lung was fidgeting.
The Knight of the Kanjok Temple ground his teeth so hard that my gums started to hurt.
“Yes, Joanna. So you’re going to hide the truth until the end.”
Dori dori. Thumb, thumb.
The knight’s voice became even colder, but the sergeant nodded and raised his thumb diligently. The knight’s face, which had been wrinkled even more, forced a sneer.
“Huh, Joanna, you always ignored what I said. You were so arrogant about being favored by the Pope that you didn’t even listen to a fellow Templar. And…”
The Knight of the Kanjok Temple must have had a lot of things piled up, so he listed all sorts of things one after another.
‘I don’t think it’s exactly ignorance, though.’
Although the child was quiet and uncommunicative, far from being ignored, he did not protest.
At that moment, Lunggyeop closed his lips slightly and opened his eyes wide. To him, it seemed like he was trying hard to hold back a yawn, but to others, it looked like he was holding back a yawn.
The face of the knight of the Kanjok Temple became even more sullen.
“It seems like you’re trying to exaggerate your accomplishments to get back into the Knights Templar, but you have no place in the Knights Templar. Hey, you.”
The spark suddenly flew towards me. A scowling knight with a scowling face pointed at me and wiggled his finger.
“I don’t have any ill feelings toward you, but it’s my job to find out the truth. Come out.”
I scratched my cheek at the bastard’s confident voice.
‘The mat looks nice, so I guess it’ll be okay.’
When I thought about how the mini-lungs survived even among the demons during the raccoon era, I felt like I could hit them with peace of mind.
At that moment, my eyes met with Mini’s. The guy, who looked like he had to pee, was chewing his lips repeatedly.
“As a Divine Inquisitor, I have no choice but to confirm the statement of Inquisitor Joanna Ethan. The method is somewhat extreme, but it is equally as certain.”
The divine investigator nodded after a moment of silence.
‘It might be a good idea to fight the Templar Knights first.’
There was a story, but in any case, he had the devil’s handprint-.
I thought it would be a good idea to try it out in advance just in case something happens.
***
‘···Why did it turn out like this?’
Johelia muttered, chewing her lip.
The situation quickly became extreme. The thing that had the biggest impact on him was…
‘Joanna, why on earth···.’
Johelia looked at Joanna next to her. Joanna had an expressionless face, as she had always had.
I wanted to ask something, but I couldn’t because the Brahmins Holy Investigator was right next to me.
Johelia turned her gaze forward again. There, Aaron and Maroon were standing face to face.
Outwardly, Aaron appeared to be superior to Maroon by two heads, but Maroon was a knight of the temple and Aaron was a captain of the guard.
It seemed to be quite useful when fighting the King of Heresy, but in the melee, Johelia was so focused on Joanna that she couldn’t see it clearly.
‘No, there’s no way a temple knight and a guard captain would fight in the first place.’
It was basic common sense. The Knights Templar weren’t called the Sword of the Church for nothing.
The Knights of the Holy War were created by selecting only the best children from among the children of the church and providing them with the full support of the church.
Even if Maroon was only a mid-level knight, he was strong enough to fight even the average knight.
On the other hand, the security chief who was his opponent was a man who was rolling around on the floor, crying, saying that he had a knife stuck in his hand.
It was a fight whose outcome was obvious even before it started. But it couldn’t be stopped.
‘Why is that guy’s leash on us…’
There might have been a better option, but Joanna’s out-of-the-blue testimony sealed the deal.
If successful, it would be a clean choice that would prevent any other stories from coming up later.
‘We have to trust Joanna now.’
The situation had already occurred. Then, Johelia turned her gaze towards Joanna.
‘Even though she was demoted to an inquisitor, Joanna was always upright···.’
Johelia turned her gaze and was speechless at the sight of bread crumbs on Joanna’s lips.
‘We need to stop it now···.’
The moment Johelia opened her mouth, Aaron ran towards Maroon.
Drawing the long sword on his back felt as natural as swinging his hand.
The distance had suddenly shortened, and Maroon pulled out the longsword from his waist instead of his greatsword.
Even the simple act of drawing a longsword instead of the broadsword he was most familiar with showed Maroon’s wealth of experience in one-on-one combat.
It had already started.
‘Please tell me Joanna isn’t stupid…’
Johelia said a small prayer as she brushed the bread crumbs from Joanna’s mouth.
“Your posture is quite useful. Where did you learn it?”
Maroon said as he deflected the sword. As if he had anticipated it, Aaron’s sword slid across Maroon’s blade.
Maroon’s face crumpled slightly. Aaron couldn’t see his expression because of his scar.
‘The swordsmanship is rough yet sharp.’
Johelia looked at Aaron’s sword with a small exclamation of admiration. Even though it was only one move, its level was extraordinary.
Maroon lowered his center of gravity by holding the guard with his palm. Aaron followed suit and bent his hands.
The sword twisted in an instant. This time, Aaron’s sword snaked up Maroon’s sword. Maroon’s arm, which was supporting the guard and trying to lift Aaron’s sword, naturally followed.
Maroon’s front was clearly visible. However, Aaron’s sword was also raised above it.
‘The weakness is revealed, but it is still effective···.’
Aaron raised his knee without hesitation. Boom! Maroon’s chest plate dented with a heavy sound.
“···This guy!!”
The armor of the Knights Templar, famous for its strength and hardness, was only able to penetrate the knees? I couldn’t help but be amazed at the monstrous strength.
The battle continued. Aaron was unstoppable, as if he knew exactly what Maroon would do next.
Aaron kept pushing without a moment’s pause after he had pushed once.
Maroon’s face, which had been full of laughter, turned into confusion. Maroon’s face turned red as he glanced behind him.
He seemed embarrassed to be pushed around by someone he had previously ignored, even though he was the security guard.
Aaron continued his offensive, swinging his feet as he turned, his movements clean and without any unnecessary detail.
There was a sound of tearing air, and Aaron’s sword drew a black line. It was so fast that it was hard to believe it was the sword of the guard captain.
‘This is no way···.’
Johelia muttered softly as Maroon continued to push her. Yes, Joanna couldn’t have made such a claim without any basis.
‘I might win now.’
Johelia’s eyes widened at Aaron’s unexpected swordsmanship skills.
However, that anticipation did not last long.
Chae-Ang-.
“It would be an honor. To mix swords with me, a knight of the temple.”
Maroon, who lightly blocked Aaron’s sword, raised the corners of his mouth. His face, which had been wrinkled just a moment ago, was smiling again, and his rough breathing had regained its composure.
A brilliant white light spread around Maroon’s body. It was proof that Maroon had taken out a blessing.
‘You’re using a blessing on someone who isn’t a demon! You vulgar bastard!’
There was a harsh curse. Maroon, that rascal, seemed to be fighting with his sword, but when he was pushed back a little, he immediately took out his blessing.
If there was a knight coming, there was a blessing for the temple knight.
As the white light took over, Maroon’s sword, which had been pushing, instantly pushed away Aaron’s sword.
Kuung-. Even though the swords clashed, a heavy sound rang out. However, Aaron did not let go of his sword.
“Yeah, so you were skilled enough to recognize me?”
Maroon, who had been muttering strangely, stabbed his sword. The speed was incomparably faster than before.
‘···Has the suitability increased?’
It was much faster than the last time I saw it. It wasn’t common for blessing suitability to increase, but it wasn’t uncommon.
There was a story that if you catch a devil or your faith becomes strong, you will rise. That is why the knights of the temple prayed or worshiped even if they had only a little time.
Of course, there were some that had extremely high pure fitness without any of that.
Johelia glanced at Joanna and furtively furrowed her eyebrows at the bread crumbs that had appeared again at the corner of her mouth.
‘···It’s the end.’
Maroon was already a mid-level knight. If his suitability had increased, he would have been mid-to-upper level, but he couldn’t even deal with knights.
‘Still, if it’s to this extent···.’
Johelia chewed her lip.
Maroon, who was in the upper-middle ranks, brought out the blessing. That alone gave him room.
The question was whether Maroon would acknowledge him. He was a simpleton, after all…
If you scratch gently, it seems like you can get the level of force that the Brahmins Divine Inspector has classified as a category.
at that time.
Kuung-. The two swords clashed head-on, producing a heavy sound.
‘If you try to fight them head-on…’
Johelia sighed softly. She must have sensed her opponent’s strength, but she chose the worst option.
However, Aaron’s subsequent actions were different from what Johelia had expected.
Aaron, whose sword was blocked, put down his sword without hesitation. The movement was so smooth that it almost seemed natural.
Putting down your sword in a standoff situation? That was clearly crazy.
Kuung! Maroon’s sword, shining with a brilliant white light, was blocked by Aaron’s breastplate.
Although the blessing had an effect similar to that of an aura, it did not have the cutting power of an aura. It could cut through the shell of a black demon with a blessing, but it could not penetrate solid iron.
‘···How do you know that?’
No, even if I knew him, how could I put down the sword when it was right in front of me?
Maroon panicked and tried to retrieve his sword, but Aaron instead took a step closer and grabbed Maroon’s sword with his left hand.
The green gauntlets, which were the only ones that stood out, were not made of good material, unlike the armor, and they split open, sprinkling red blood on the floor.
Whack-. Aaron’s fist landed squarely on Maroon’s face. It was a mistake not to be wearing a helmet.
Maroon’s new form shook violently with one punch. The heavy sound alone made the power in the fist feel real.
Aaron continued to swing his fist without letting go of his sword. His movements were devoid of any emotion, and almost had a piety about them, like an executioner.
Thud. Thud. Then Maroon’s legs shook and the new model began to collapse backwards.
Aaron let go of the sword he had been holding, grabbed the upper part of Maroon’s breastplate and held it in place before starting to strike again.
‘A mere guard captain can defeat a knight of the temple?’
Everyone was left speechless at the situation that was far beyond their expectations.
At that moment, Joanna approached with long strides.
Johelia reached out to stop him, but her body was frozen and she was slow to react.
Joanna approached Aaron like that…
‘···Let’s hit each other?’
As Joanna grabbed the unconscious Maroon’s head, Johelia lowered her helmet and ran out in a hurry.
***
‘What the heck is this kid?’
I clenched my numb hands and muttered while crying. In front of me, the Knight of the Kapjok Temple was lying there, bruised and bruised.
His swordsmanship wasn’t bad. Better than a knight, but below an imperial knight.
Although he was confident enough in his skills, he was not a difficult opponent if you only look at his swordsmanship.
but···.
‘···That white light.’
The problem was the white light it was emitting. I had seen the white light that the Mini Lungs were emitting before, but seeing it in person was completely different.
When I was faced with that white light, all the muscles in my body became weak as if I had a cold. It was as if I was under a curse.
The Templar and the Holy Inquisitor were watching. They tried their best to show that their strength was not diminished, but they could not be sure.
He swung his fist a little harder to erase the previous provocative situation.
‘···Is the devil the devil?’
I waved my numb hands and smiled bitterly.
The one who took out the white light became stronger and faster just like a knight who had caused an aura. On the contrary, I became slower as if I had been debuffed.
That’s why what I intended to be a short story ended up being long. I was excited by the unexpected classic.
‘That’s good information.’
Exposure to the strange light of the Temple Knights inflicts a debuff. It was a natural result of having the Devil’s Handprint, but it felt different when I experienced it firsthand.
‘···There’s something about that power.’
I used to receive treatment from the abbot often, but now I’m suddenly getting a debuff.
There was something about the light that the Holy Knight was emitting. It even had an effect similar to that of the knight who had created the aura.
It was fortunate that the aura had no cutting power.
It seemed like his stuff was just a buff for himself and a debuff for the opponent.
‘That’s why it’s called the devil’s natural enemy.’
If I, who even ate raccoons, feel this way, how much more so must the other demons feel.
‘It seems that the raccoon was not affected by the mini-lungs.’
– That’s because you’re in an awkward position.
‘Yeah, that would be stupid.’
I muttered softly and turned my gaze. The divine investigator was frowning with a more complicated expression than before, and the lungs were nodding.
The mini-lung next to it had an expression on its face like it had eaten fish bread.
“So what Inquisitor Joanna Ethan said was true. Of course, since the opponent was not a demon, the Maroon Temple Knight could not use his full power···.”
The divine investigator calmly recited the words, as if he were an abbot reading the Bible.
I tried to suppress my rumbling insides and smiled. I felt like I had passed the test.
“······And as written in the report, the heretic king’s condition was dire. He was also exposed to my sacred light···.”
Mini Lung-gyup, who seemed to have come to his senses late, attached himself to the Holy Investigator and added some extra information.
Mini Lunge peeked at the paper the Holy Investigator was holding with his magpie feet.
It was quite funny to see that stupid helmet wiggling around.
Nod. Thumbs up. Shout.
I turned my head away from the sight of the poor man expressing something by himself.
At that moment, the divine investigator opened his mouth.
“I can’t say there are no suspicious parts, but that doesn’t mean it’s unreasonable. Also, since the testimonies of other priests and monks are consistent, I think the report submitted by the Johelia Temple Knight is correct. It seems like it was a matter of luck, but credit is due.”
The work was done very neatly.
“In the Central Council, two-rank promotion is a common reward for contributing to the capture of the Great Demon. Although it is rare for an honorary monk to rise further, it is not unheard of. And the rewards for the Inquisitors, the tribunal of judges, and the Knights Templar, who are directly under the Pope, are beyond my authority, so I will contact you later from the parish.”
‘···Promotion by two ranks?’
I mentally estimated myself as two levels above the rank of honorary monk.
‘After the monks comes the priests, and then the abbot?’
Of course, the abbot was not a person who cared about rank, but if he matched the rank, he could still scold the people for forcing worship, as they do now.
‘Then, even if you fight without taking off your rank…’
“···Then am I the abbot?”
I asked, trying to control the corners of my lips.
“No, he is the honorary vice-abbot. As it happens, the Catholic Church only has an abbot and no vice-abbot, so that’s appropriate.”
My face crumpled at the subsequent businesslike response from the Holy Investigator.
‘Plague······ Was there a sub-abbot?’
It was already terrifying, but it was clear what kind of future he would face if he became the vice-abbot and was tied up with that guy. His head was spinning quickly in the face of crisis.
“I guess it’s a bit burdensome to be in such a high position since I’ve only been an honorary monk for a short time. Is there any other way I can be compensated? Maybe gold or silver?”
I quickly asked with a very friendly smile. The divine investigator’s eyebrows furrowed slightly at my question.
“Can someone who is a member of a religious order covet material things? The rewards of the religious order are strictly determined. Regarding the great devil, Article 2 of the religious order rules······.”
The determined voice of the Holy Investigator that followed sounded exactly like the abbot’s. For a moment, I lost my mind.
“Joanna?! Where are you going in such a hurry···.”
When I came to my senses at the sound of Mini Lungeup’s scream, I saw the back of Lungeup’s head running away in a panic.
“이 폐급 새끼가······.”
I gritted my teeth and chased after the lungs.
***
“You’ve lived a long life for nothing. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
The handsome young man looked down at the sleeping old man and muttered softly.
However, the mouth moved but no sound was made.
“······Hmm. Hans?”
The old man who had been tossing and turning blinked his eyes open. Then a bright smile appeared on the young man’s face.
“Yes, I told you to ventilate the room.”
As Hans waved his hand gently, the parchment surrounding him moved gently.
The old man’s drooping eyes sank as he looked at him.
“Your skills have improved again. Hehe.”
“Of course. Whose disciple are you?”
“Who was it······?”
“Oh, I told you that joke wasn’t funny.”
“Hehehe, you’ll understand when you get older. Yeah, I guess I need to get some fresh air.”
The old man muttered and wrinkled his nose. Then the parchments that had been arranged moved and made the window larger.
A warm breeze came in through the window.
‘······What a cunning old man.’
Hans gritted his teeth as he watched the old man subtly asserting his superiority.
The mana under Hans was instantly drawn to the old man and moved.
In a way, it was a natural story. The ancient magic that Hans learned was something that the old man had taught him.
It was still unknown how the old man knew the ancient magic, though…
‘If you look at the wrinkles, it might have been around since ancient times.’
Even after investigating quite deeply, I couldn’t dig up everything about the old man. It was clear that he had been erased.
“So, what happened with the thing you went out to?”
The old man asked as he passed by, taking a sip of ink from a can and drinking it.
Hans wasn’t fooled by that laid-back appearance. He was the kind of guy who would tear you apart at the slightest flaw.
“The one who crossed the wall was more stubborn than I thought. He said he wouldn’t learn the ancient magic that was a legacy of the past that had already been destroyed.”
Hans spoke lightly and observed the old man’s expression. The air had slightly dropped and the density had increased. The old man’s agitation was seen for a moment.
‘The legacy of a ruined past.’
It was a fleeting moment, but it was a gap in time when the old man was barely visible.
“Haha, you’re young, but you’re full of energy. That’s only natural for a transcendent being. But anyone who has surpassed the current wall won’t be able to defeat the master of the sword.”
The old man, whose face soon returned to its original state, clicked his tongue.
It was a funny thing. The one who climbed over the wall didn’t even expect the sword’s owner to be there in the first place.
‘Because the master of the sword hates cold places.’
The one who crossed the wall was only interested in protecting his own kingdom. And it was a well-known fact that the sword’s master hated the cold.
The North didn’t have much to eat, but it was a safe place, so there was no reason to resort to questionable ancient magic.
“Okay, what about the rest of the seeds?”
Hans’s forehead furrowed for a moment at the sight of the old man asking, even though he probably already knew.
“The seeds in the West will be sprouting soon. We should get going before the Empire collects them… There are still some seeds in the South left.”
The old man nodded.
“Yeah, what about the East?”
The old man’s hazy eyes seemed to see right through me.
“······It hasn’t sprouted yet.”
The old man’s face immediately distorted at Hans’ answer. It was truly an incredible performance, even though he must have already known.
“Why? It must have been a month since the expected germination date.”
The old man’s voice became sharp, as if he had no intention of hiding it.
It couldn’t be otherwise. The Seed of Doom was a very precious thing in the Gray Tower.
“I heard that my announcement influenced the wizard of the White Tower. This is making things funny. It seems like the germination period will be delayed a bit more.”
Hans smiled with his usual friendly smile.
“Ugh······ This is awkward. The northern part is like that, and the eastern part’s seeds are like that too···.”
The old man groaned expressionlessly. The old man tapped his fingers. It was a unique gesture.
The last time I saw that gesture, the next gray tower crumbled.
Hans swallowed with rising tension. He counted in his head. There was still some time left.
“Hans is very smart and useful, so I designated him as the next Magic Tower Master… But maybe my eyesight is deceiving me because I’m old.”
The old man only raised the corners of his mouth. He had a wrinkled face and only smiled with his mouth, so it was a truly bizarre sight.
In an instant, the surroundings changed.
The place that changed was a space filled with ancient letters.
‘Teleportation magic without even a spell.’
Hans looked around in amazement. It was filled with ancient texts, the originals of the magic circle.
When I actually encountered the ancient text, I could understand why it had been improved into a magic circle.
Although its performance deteriorated when it was changed to a magic circle, its versatility increased. It was clear that even in ancient times, there were not many people who could use this character.
‘The old man is very fearful.’
Hans clicked his tongue at the dense ancient text. How could he be afraid of the master of the sword when he had such things…
Hans had never seen the sword’s owner in person, so he couldn’t sense its strength.
“You’re relaxed, Hans. No, have you lost your mind?”
The old man was now holding a very large wooden cane.
‘That’s the Ancient World Tree Staff.’
Hans smiled broadly at the thought that he had finally reached it. It was a kind smile that captivated anyone who saw it.
“I wonder where it went before I died.”
Hans raised his hand and asked, “How could you have noticed that when you were moving so thoroughly?”
“The first ancient magic I taught you was my word.”
Are you saying that you never intended to believe me from the beginning? What a truly wicked old man.
“Oh, it’s done now.”
Hans nodded, relieved that it wasn’t another mistake.
“What the heck···.”
The old man’s face hardened as he swung his cane. He quickly adjusted his grip on the cane, but nothing came out.
“That’s why I told you not to drink ink.”
Hans smiled kindly and shook my hand.
Ancient texts emerged around it.
A huge ancient script was drawn from the surrounding ancient texts that the old man had carved over many years.
The letters began to cluster around Hans.
As the presence grew, the air became heavier.
Hans clenched his teeth as he felt his soul drained away, a characteristic of ancient magic. Wrinkles formed at the corners of Hans’ mouth.
“Uh··· How···?”
The old man muttered in vain as he looked at the ancient texts packed tightly in front of him.
“Oh, there’s a water that blocks auras. It’s called holy water. If you touch it a little, it works on wizards too. You annoying old man, how can you hide something so important? It’s been a waste of time.”
Hans smiled broadly and clenched his fist.
The amount of effort it took to hide him from that cunning old man would be too much to write about in a book.
At Hans’ gesture, all the ancient letters came together.
Soon, the giant ancient text that had become one was torn apart. A flaming dragon emerged from between them and devoured the old man.
A moment later, where the dragon had disappeared, only a large tree remained.
It was a bit too much magic for an old man, though.
It was a fitting succession ceremony for the new Gray Tower Lord.
Hans picked up his cane with his remaining hand and smiled kindly.
