Chapter 81

Ch.81 Apostle of the Goddess of War

A silence fell over the Temple of Decay.

Even the notoriously talkative Apostle of Decay shut his mouth and focused his gaze on the blade drawn by Sion, from which a murderous aura flowed.

Blood dripped thickly from his hair and fingertips.

The attack came without warning.

Damn it!

At the very moment the Apostle of Decay belatedly raised his arm to defend himself, Sion’s body silently expanded.

He rushed in with the speed of an eagle soaring through the sky—a movement too inhuman to be considered human.

Ssak!

The Apostle of Decay’s arm, raised to block the attack, flew upward into the air. Blood sprayed like flower petals on a spring day.

The decaying and regenerating flesh of the Apostle of Decay scattered through the air, forming a spectacular scene like a painted masterpiece.

Up to this point, it was already astonishing—but this was not all.

Fire ignited.

The divine power of War clung to the severed end of Fedebrenis’s arm like a burning flame.

“Kkut!”

Divine power suppressed demonic energy.

Not decay and circulation, but purification and annihilation.

This was a fatal variable for the Apostle of Decay.

Sion smirked as he watched the subordinate of the Evil God panic.

“I told you. You’d regret it.”

Fedebrenis grimaced.

Swish!

Sion had already dashed to stand before him once again. The speed was incredible. A blackish haze rippled and swayed along the path Sion had run.

Another flurry of sword strikes rained down.

It wasn’t flashy.

Seok!

A precise, swift blade sliced across the Apostle of Decay’s flank.

Taa— at!

Fedebrenis, emitting strong demonic energy, quickly pulled his body backward.

“What insolent nonsense!”

He groaned as if scraping his vocal cords. He seemed to be in pain, perhaps because the processes of decay and circulation had halted and he now felt purification.

Fedebrenis gritted his teeth and forcefully summoned more power.

His flank, from which intestines had been spilling, rotted further, and his internal organs snapped. Then, new flesh and fresh organs filled the gap once more.

The black divine light, which had been burning like holy fire, faded away. It was demonic energy powerful enough to erase the Goddess of War’s divinity.

The Apostle of Decay glared at Sion.

A green gleam in one eye flashed savagely.

“You…”

Fwip!

Sion casually flicked the blood off his blade. His posture as he resumed his attack stance exuded calm confidence.

The blessing of the Goddess of War felt stronger than ever. Protected by the deity’s grace, ordinary attacks had no effect, and divine energy was being replenished steadily.

‘I’ve got this.’

Sion reaffirmed his confidence inwardly.

His eyes held not a trace of fear.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

From a mere novice knight, an untouchable aura radiated forth.

The knight of the Goddess of War—it seemed as though a formless aura rose from behind him.

An illusion? Or reality?

It didn’t matter. The crucial fact was that the Apostle of Decay was shaken.

‘Damn it.’

At that moment, the Apostle of Evil God recalled something.

The terror he had felt when swept away by the blade of the Goddess of War.

The humiliation of fleeing helplessly, hiding in the dark lands beyond the continent…

‘He is…’

The Apostle of War.

An instinctive fear surged through him upon seeing even a fragment of that existence.

One so unmatched that even the Apostle of Light would hesitate to challenge.

Even the Apostle of an Evil God would not dare act rashly as long as such a being existed.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the Evil God only moved after grinding down his claws, descending from his prime physical condition.

But there was one more thing.

An even more monstrous creature was growing.

He swallowed hard.

Now he finally understood why the forces of evil feared the War Cult so much.

‘I thought they were a ruined cult.’

But that wasn’t it.

The cult might have fallen, but the power of the Apostle of War had continued unbroken.

And now, as the era of peace ended, and the forces of evil once again stretched their claws across this land, the Goddess of War and her Apostle unfolded their folded wings.

It felt like a providence, inexplicable yet destined to protect the world.

A blade that, when the time comes, regains its strength and begins hunting the followers of Evil Gods.

‘What utter madness.’

Even the Apostle of Evil God could not easily shake off this fear.

Perhaps it stemmed from an instinctive dread engraved over countless eons, deep within the consciousness of every Evil God.

The Goddess of War.

Even for Fedebrenis, a newly appointed apostle under Achille’s tyranny, this fact was deeply ingrained.

“Haha.”

And so, precisely because the opponent was so overwhelmingly strong, the Apostle of Decay burst into laughter.

“Aa— hahahaha!”

It wasn’t laughter born of fear. It was ecstasy. Pure ecstasy.

His maniacal laughter didn’t cease. The pleasure spilling from his mouth grew deeper and richer. The Apostle of Decay tilted his green head sideways and cackled.

Then he spoke.

“I admit it— you are strong.”

Even though Sion didn’t respond, the Apostle of Decay continued talking on his own.

“Such shocking power, such talent— capable of severing the chain of decay and circulation.”

“Your words mean nothing to me. I’ll just cut you down.”

Fedebrenis wore a satisfied expression at Sion’s reply. He slightly tilted his head, and his long green hair flowed down.

“Your strength truly belongs to me— to decay and circulate into my power. With that genius and divinity, coveted even by the Goddess of Light, I shall bestow the blessing of Decay upon the entire world.”

“Stop spouting such ridiculous nonsense.”

“I don’t seek the understanding of foolish humans. We apostles are not here to explain, but to act.”

The bones throughout the Apostle of Decay’s body screamed and shattered. From his ankle to his spine, they twisted and reshaped his flesh.

He grew larger, stronger-boned, and his skin surface became swamp-like and malleable.

His form became grotesque, so bizarre that it was impossible to tell where to strike or hit.

At the sight of this horrifying figure, Sion sighed.

“Desecration of divinity.”

“It is a blessing. Watch your words, hunting dog of the Goddess of War.”

Fedebrenis retorted.

He raised his hand.

The followers of Decay, who until now had not moved a muscle, shifted their gaze.

“Kill them all without exception and throw their corpses into the swamp of life.”

Immediately, toward the Order of the War Knight.

“War Knights! Back to back! Prepare for battle!”

Kegan  instantly issued the command.

Kwing!

Kwing!

Chwarrrr!

The blades rang coldly.

In the dim space of the Temple of Decay, battle erupted.

***

As soon as the apostle’s command fell, the Decay followers, who had seemed like living corpses, moved in unison.

The mercenaries, who had nearly fallen into confusion, instinctively obeyed his order.

Kung, kung, kung!

With heavy military boots clattering, they formed a circular defensive formation, backs pressed together. Twenty weapons pointed outward, radiating murderous intent.

“First squad attacks, second squad supports! When they charge, first squad thrusts and retreats! Never break formation!”

Kegan’s command was flawless. The tactics he had honed over decades on the battlefield now shone brightly.

At the same moment, Sion and Fedebrenis clashed once again.

Sion moved first.

His body plunged toward the apostle at a speed that once more seemed to defy the laws of physics.

His goal was singular: the enemy’s leader.

Once Fedebrenis fell, the fanatical followers of Decay would cease their assault.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Fedebrenis had already experienced Sion’s speed.

Twisting his grotesquely enlarged body, he swung an arm that flowed like a swamp.

The arm whipped like a lash, blocking Sion’s sword strike while attempting to wrap around him.

Sseung! Chaak!

Sion’s sword sliced through the arm, but the sensation of cutting through boneless flesh was horrifyingly unpleasant.

The severed flesh melted upon hitting the ground, becoming part of the poisonous miasma. Fedebrenis didn’t even seem to feel pain.

At that moment, the Order of the War Knight and the Decay Cult collided head-on.

“Uwaaaaaaah!”

The Decay followers, throwing off their green robes, charged forward weaponless, using their own bodies as weapons.

Their sole objective was contact—touching their cursed, decaying bodies to the enemy.

At the moment of contact, whether metal or flesh, decay would drain all vitality.

“Block it!”

Jena, standing at the front line, blocked the follower’s charge with her shield.

Kwaang!

The heavy impact numbed her arm. She gritted her teeth and held firm.

A mercenary beside her seized the opening, thrusting his spear forward.

Psshuuk!

The spear pierced the fanatic’s chest, but the follower didn’t even scream.

Instead, with the spear still embedded, he pushed his body further forward, baring his teeth and trying to bite the mercenary’s neck.

“Damn it, you freakish bastards!”

“Don’t be afraid! The divine power of the Goddess of War protects us!”

“It’s true! Even if we touch the curse of Decay, we’re fine!”

“We don’t have time to relax! We can’t receive infinite supplies!”

Kegan shouted.

“Fast and decisive! Cut their heads off!”

“Uwaaa!”

Amid the fierce combat of the Order of the War Knight, Sion performed a dazzling sword dance against Fedebrenis.

His blade,, imbued with black divine power, continuously slashed, stabbed, and carved into the apostle’s body.

But Fedebrenis’s body was like cutting through water.

No matter how many times he was cut or severed, he regenerated persistently and tenaciously.

Blocking the cycle with divine power had its limits.

‘Could it be because we’re in the Temple of Decay? The demonic energy is overwhelming the divine power!’

Rather, as time passed, Fedebrenis’s body merged with the swamp-like demonic energy around him, growing even larger.

“Where has your earlier momentum gone, hunting dog of the Goddess of War! Use your blade and try to stop decay and circulation!”

Fedebrenis roared, reaching his hand toward the swamp on the floor. Dozens of corpse arms erupted from the mire, whipping like lashes and attacking Sion.

Buu— woong!

Sion ducked low to avoid the lashes while simultaneously swinging his sword to sever the decaying arms.

From the arms that fell to the ground, the demonic energy of Decay seeped out.

The flesh and blood that fell from the followers’ bodies were the same.

They were all continuous mediums drawing out the power of Decay.

Someone shouted.

“Damn it! The floor!”

“It’s all turning into a swamp of Decay!”

“There’s no place to stand!”

Even without looking, just hearing their voices, one could tell the situation was dire.

Regardless of relative combat power, the overall battle situation had become extremely unfavorable.

This was precisely why the Apostle of Evil God had deliberately invited them here—against his own will.

‘We can’t go on like this.’

No matter the principle, the situation here in the Temple of Decay was too disadvantageous.

Was the Goddess of Decay directly anchored in Kashibelli Rock, supplying endless demonic energy?

Even if he cut with a blade anointed in divine power, overwhelming demonic energy instantly covered the wound, allowing the power of Decay to continue.

‘Something has to change.’

This wasn’t an opponent Sion could defeat with speed or cheap tricks, as in many of his past battles.

Trivial variables wouldn’t work against the Apostle of an Evil God.

Strength against strength.

Only by overpowering him with pure skill.

That was the only way.

Fedebrenis calmly raised his massive frame and took one step forward.

“No wonder your spirit seems broken. Now you’re somewhat more pleasing to look at. You were too arrogant before. After all, you’re just a human.”

The power of Decay condensed in Fedebrenis’s palm. A deep green sphere formed perfectly.

‘…Think. Think of a way to cut off the demonic energy of Decay.’

Whoosh!

A foul, rotten wind blew in. This was clearly due to the Apostle of Decay manifesting his power.

Delaying was dangerous. The Decay followers were gradually gathering here.

Sion’s mind grew colder and clearer. The battle was going against him. But he strained every neuron, desperately seeking a path to victory.

Finally, Sion found the answer.

‘…Sever the space itself.’

He had been training for exactly this method.

Ascending one level higher in cultivation. In this fight, Sion had to become a Sword Master.

He couldn’t wait for inspiration to strike. He had no time to close his eyes and dive inward, swimming through his inner world.

Right now, at this very moment, he had to ascend one level higher.

Into Sion’s inner world.

Breaking the boundary between inner self and reality, so that his conviction could stand firm even within the Temple of Decay.

“Apostle of Decay.”

Sion’s expression, as he gazed at the underling of the Evil God, was icy cold.

“What? Are you surrendering?”

Fedebrenis wore a mocking expression, as if daring Sion to speak.

Sion opened his mouth.

“Have you ever heard of a Sword Master?”

Schedule: Every mon, wed, fri and sun

Review at

NovelUpdate