[Today I say to you]
[Oh Children born of light]
[Obey your father with faith and amity]
[Guide your sons with firmness and love]
[For children born of bad fruit]
[Will bear bad harvests]
-The Soliocos; The Book of Guidance; Chapter 11 Verses 1-6
“Father Hoffman! We have an emergency!” Tenma shouted at the Head Priest in the main cathedral, the Light Side of the Alchemic Order. Hoffman was accompanied by the sly Reed Rowley. He turned around in shock, but composed himself to fit the standard image of a priest. He must be dignified. He must be enlightened.
“What is it, Disciple Tenma?”
“Intruders have invaded the Dark Side! Father Tellow has also been defeated on the eighth level of the compound!”
“...?!” Father Hoffman found it quite difficult to maintain a neutral expression after hearing those words from the Disciple.
Hm…what convenient timing. It seems Rowley wasn’t lying about his pursuers. However, this could present a viable opportunity. Should I simply kill Rowley and burn the Karma fragment? It would be easy to pin it on the intruders. No…Rowley isn’t that short minded. The fact that he could obtain such an item proves that he has connections with significant power in the city. That confidence of his wasn’t a bluff…
More importantly, Blithe actually lost a fight? When was the last time that happened?
If they’re capable of taking down a priest, they should be around Rank 5, or a highly experienced Rank 6. This is quite troublesome…
“I see. I would like you to escort our g-”
BANG
A sudden and loud knock on the front door interrupted Father Hoffman.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
The knocking continued excessively.
“Who could that possibly be? The nerve…” Tenma approached the front door, unaware of the danger.
“Tenma!” Father Hoffman roared.
“Y-Yes…Father?” He turned around, visibly confused.
“Are you confident in your barrier techniques?”
“I…I suppose so?”
“Then grab the VIP and run.”
In an instant, the front door of the church burst open with an explosive force. The wood splintered and shot out like a buck-shot.
Father Hoffman sprung into action and confronted the mysterious assailant. He held back the man’s monstrous strength with advanced spirit body reinforcement.
“How may I help you?”
“Fa…Father…here…” the man whispered.
Sensing the malicious intent coming from the mysterious figure, Father Hoffman blasted the man away with a strong burst of energy. They confronted each other in a standstill.
“Do I know you?”
“…” The man stood in silence.
My arm is swollen and it won’t stop shaking. With just a single attack, he managed to push me to this extent. What a nuisance. Another dangerous person has entered the fray…
The man leaned forward like a panther hunting its prey, his muscles bulging unnaturally as his foot dug into the ground.
“Cutting…the front…”
He lunged towards Hoffman with a flying knee. The attack just narrowly missed Hoffman’s head, but it destroyed the statue of the Holy Lady Solest.
“You would even destroy a holy artifact? What obscene blasphemy!” He weaved a simple hand-sign before summoning a massive monkey paw that sent the mysterious man flying. “I’d rather keep you out, thanks.” Using two hand-signs instead of one, Hoffman called upon a swarm of mosquito-like insects that tracked the man down.
The man attempted evasive maneuvers, but their numbers were simply too great. They pricked and tore at his stick like maggots as they absorbed his spiritual energy. Individually they were weak, but a swarm was enough to kill a man.
“...” Suddenly, the man stopped resisting and walked towards the smug priest. “Itchy…but weak…Father…”
“Sorry, would you mind speaking up louder? I couldn’t hear you through all the buzzing.”
“Father…this man…” the young man let out a sinister smile that stretched his face unnaturally. “This man is weak…” He raised his right knee as high as possible, tightening his muscles to their limit before unleashing a thunderous kick onto the floor. The entire cathedral shuddered as the floor gave way. It wasn’t just one floor either. Two floors became three, three floors became five, five floors became seven.
The cratered was coated in the thick paint of blood of countless unsuspecting cultists. Their limbs, entrails and various other viscera were strewn throughout the dungeon.
The Bloody Devil scratched his neck as he observed his surroundings. “Father…is near…”
Hoffman could hardly contain his rage. “It is one thing to destroy the cathedral, but it is another matter entirely to destroy my fellow clergymen; and for that, you will pay.” Father Hoffman steeled himself for combat as he confronted the Bloody Devil. This man was no longer an annoyance pest meant for the usual act of disposable. He was a threat to the very foundation of the church. No, it was something far more important than that.
This man will disrupt the tree!
“Wait!” A bloated, pompous looking man emerged from the rubble with a snake-eyes detective. It was Flavio McLoren, the father of the Bloody Devil. “Isalde! It’s me, your father!”
“Ah…I am here, father…what is…your order…?”
“There isn’t enough time to explain, so I’ll give you one order.”
Father Hoffman had no time for their father-son bonding and lunged towards Isalde with full intent to kill. However, Isalde caught the priest’s spear-fist with no effort at all.
“I give you the authority to remove all twelve of your restraints. Now kill him dead.”
After a short period of silence, a sickening expression crept upon Isalde’s face. “Haha…HAHAHAHA!” He laughed a great laugh as the countless bandages adorning his body slacked and fell apart, revealing his three eyes, two on his right side, one on his left. “Oh, I can’t thank you enough, Father! I am elated!” Isalde regained his capacity for language, becoming a sharpened, refined monster.
Father Hoffman tried to wrench his hand free from the man’s vice grip. This beast was sealed?! This is bad! I need to increase the distance between u-
SNAP
In an instant, Isalde tore off the priest’s arm without much effort. It left the man in an utter state of shock, completely cutting off his thought processes for but a moment. Isalde opened his ghastly Glasgow jaw and consumed the arm in just a few bites. The disturbing sounds of crushing bone and tearing flesh left Hoffman frozen in place.
“It is my pleasure to serve you, Father~”
[Today I say to you]
[Oh Children born of light]
[Obey your father with faith and amity]
[Guide your sons with firmness and love]
[For children born of bad fruit]
[Will bear bad harvests]
-The Soliocos; The Book of Guidance; Chapter 11 Verses 1-6
“Father Hoffman! We have an emergency!” Tenma shouted at the Head Priest in the main cathedral, the Light Side of the Alchemic Order. Hoffman was accompanied by the sly Reed Rowley. He turned around in shock, but composed himself to fit the standard image of a priest. He must be dignified. He must be enlightened.
“What is it, Disciple Tenma?”
“Intruders have invaded the Dark Side! Father Tellow has also been defeated on the eighth level of the compound!”
“...?!” Father Hoffman found it quite difficult to maintain a neutral expression after hearing those words from the Disciple.
Hm…what convenient timing. It seems Rowley wasn’t lying about his pursuers. However, this could present a viable opportunity. Should I simply kill Rowley and burn the Karma fragment? It would be easy to pin it on the intruders. No…Rowley isn’t that short minded. The fact that he could obtain such an item proves that he has connections with significant power in the city. That confidence of his wasn’t a bluff…
More importantly, Blithe actually lost a fight? When was the last time that happened?
If they’re capable of taking down a priest, they should be around Rank 5, or a highly experienced Rank 6. This is quite troublesome…
“I see. I would like you to escort our g-”
BANG
A sudden and loud knock on the front door interrupted Father Hoffman.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
The knocking continued excessively.
“Who could that possibly be? The nerve…” Tenma approached the front door, unaware of the danger.
“Tenma!” Father Hoffman roared.
“Y-Yes…Father?” He turned around, visibly confused.
“Are you confident in your barrier techniques?”
“I…I suppose so?”
“Then grab the VIP and run.”
In an instant, the front door of the church burst open with an explosive force. The wood splintered and shot out like a buck-shot.
Father Hoffman sprung into action and confronted the mysterious assailant. He held back the man’s monstrous strength with advanced spirit body reinforcement.
“How may I help you?”
“Fa…Father…here…” the man whispered.
Sensing the malicious intent coming from the mysterious figure, Father Hoffman blasted the man away with a strong burst of energy. They confronted each other in a standstill.
“Do I know you?”
“…” The man stood in silence.
My arm is swollen and it won’t stop shaking. With just a single attack, he managed to push me to this extent. What a nuisance. Another dangerous person has entered the fray…
The man leaned forward like a panther hunting its prey, his muscles bulging unnaturally as his foot dug into the ground.
“Cutting…the front…”
He lunged towards Hoffman with a flying knee. The attack just narrowly missed Hoffman’s head, but it destroyed the statue of the Holy Lady Solest.
“You would even destroy a holy artifact? What obscene blasphemy!” He weaved a simple hand-sign before summoning a massive monkey paw that sent the mysterious man flying. “I’d rather keep you out, thanks.” Using two hand-signs instead of one, Hoffman called upon a swarm of mosquito-like insects that tracked the man down.
The man attempted evasive maneuvers, but their numbers were simply too great. They pricked and tore at his stick like maggots as they absorbed his spiritual energy. Individually they were weak, but a swarm was enough to kill a man.
“...” Suddenly, the man stopped resisting and walked towards the smug priest. “Itchy…but weak…Father…”
“Sorry, would you mind speaking up louder? I couldn’t hear you through all the buzzing.”
“Father…this man…” the young man let out a sinister smile that stretched his face unnaturally. “This man is weak…” He raised his right knee as high as possible, tightening his muscles to their limit before unleashing a thunderous kick onto the floor. The entire cathedral shuddered as the floor gave way. It wasn’t just one floor either. Two floors became three, three floors became five, five floors became seven.
The cratered was coated in the thick paint of blood of countless unsuspecting cultists. Their limbs, entrails and various other viscera were strewn throughout the dungeon.
The Bloody Devil scratched his neck as he observed his surroundings. “Father…is near…”
Hoffman could hardly contain his rage. “It is one thing to destroy the cathedral, but it is another matter entirely to destroy my fellow clergymen; and for that, you will pay.” Father Hoffman steeled himself for combat as he confronted the Bloody Devil. This man was no longer an annoyance pest meant for the usual act of disposable. He was a threat to the very foundation of the church. No, it was something far more important than that.
This man will disrupt the tree!
“Wait!” A bloated, pompous looking man emerged from the rubble with a snake-eyes detective. It was Flavio McLoren, the father of the Bloody Devil. “Isalde! It’s me, your father!”
“Ah…I am here, father…what is…your order…?”
“There isn’t enough time to explain, so I’ll give you one order.”
Father Hoffman had no time for their father-son bonding and lunged towards Isalde with full intent to kill. However, Isalde caught the priest’s spear-fist with no effort at all.
“I give you the authority to remove all twelve of your restraints. Now kill him dead.”
After a short period of silence, a sickening expression crept upon Isalde’s face. “Haha…HAHAHAHA!” He laughed a great laugh as the countless bandages adorning his body slacked and fell apart, revealing his three eyes, two on his right side, one on his left. “Oh, I can’t thank you enough, Father! I am elated!” Isalde regained his capacity for language, becoming a sharpened, refined monster.
Father Hoffman tried to wrench his hand free from the man’s vice grip. This beast was sealed?! This is bad! I need to increase the distance between u-
SNAP
In an instant, Isalde tore off the priest’s arm without much effort. It left the man in an utter state of shock, completely cutting off his thought processes for but a moment. Isalde opened his ghastly Glasgow jaw and consumed the arm in just a few bites. The disturbing sounds of crushing bone and tearing flesh left Hoffman frozen in place.
“It is my pleasure to serve you, Father~”
