How the Cult Saves the World

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'This presence......!'

Revelof tensed for an instant. Whoever possessed this level of power had to be a Diego Church apostle without question. And the only apostle who might come here, as far as he knew, was one person.

"Hmm......"

It was instantaneous. Someone appeared at the cabin entrance. Long, straight golden hair reaching the waist, snow-white skin, and neatly worn apostle's vestments.

The man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties was considerably handsome—to anyone's eyes, he seemed like a sincere religious man.

But Revelof, and Terdius and Rawin standing with him—all of them knew exactly what kind of person this was.

'Fourth Apostle, Cornelon.'

Revelof kept his guard up and stared at Cornelon. He couldn't let his guard down at the outward appearance. All of that was nothing but a front. Diego Church's Fourth Apostle Cornelon was a being with a corrupt nature from the very start.

'That's why Diego cherished him, saying he resembled his own darkest parts.'

And Cornelon, having received Diego's affection, was forgiven by Diego even for committing heinous crimes like human trafficking.

'On the surface he looks like a pure high-ranking cleric—but in truth...... he is vile and cruel.'

Revelof kept his guard up as he watched Cornelon surveying the surroundings and sizing up the situation.

'Good timing, one might say.'

He had anticipated that visiting Jungnim around this time would lead to an encounter with Cornelon. And Revelof's prediction had come exactly true.

"Interesting."

What broke Revelof's train of thought was Cornelon's smile. Cornelon, having taken stock of the situation, smiled with even the corners of his eyes crinkling. Then he looked at Revelof, Terdius, and Rawin and spoke.

"I knew that the Third and Seventh Apostles had both converted to Kyros Church—but I didn't quite expect to see it with my own eyes."

Cornelon spoke as if nothing else of immediate importance existed. At that, Revelof shook the evidence he was holding.

"That's not what matters right now. Fourth Apostle of Diego Church, Brother Cornelon."

"Oh ho, so you knew of me after all. Kyros Church leader. But...... what meaning does that paper you're holding have?"

Cornelon shrugged, looking genuinely baffled. At that attitude, Revelof scoffed.

"Evidence at this level is enough justification for Her Majesty the Emperor to move against Diego Church."

"Ha ha ha!"

At Revelof's words, Cornelon burst into laughter. Even clutching his stomach. At the sight, one of Revelof's eyebrows rose.

Terdius, watching the situation, narrowed his brow, and Rawin bit his lip.

"What's so funny."

When Revelof asked in a low voice, Cornelon stopped laughing with difficulty and answered.

"That's because it's funny that you think you can pass that paper to the Emperor. Surely you weren't thinking of leaving here alive?"

Cornelon's atmosphere changed in an instant. The smile that had been on his face vanished entirely, and from his whole body a dark energy began to surge up rapidly.

'This power......'

True to one who received considerable affection from Diego, he was radiating an intense energy.

'But it's not something that can't be overcome.'

Revelof raised the corners of his mouth faintly. Of course it was tremendous power. But how laughable—Diego Church was so utterly underestimating Kyros Church.

"Thinking you alone can kill all of us. Remarkable."

Revelof took his mace from his inventory and gripped it as he answered. He had considered transforming it into the holy sword, but didn't bother wasting the power.

"How could those who have abandoned the power of the great Lord Diego possibly overcome me?"

Cornelon was being arrogant. Revelof didn't miss the opening. He moved his head lightly, and in an instant Terdius moved.

Clang—!

Cornelon's two arms, steeped in dark energy, blocked Terdius's sword. Cornelon smiled faintly.

"As I expected, you'd be the one to come forward, Third Apostle. Or should I call you Terdius now?"

"You talk too much."

Terdius replied casually and swung his sword. Revelof watched the exchange between Terdius and Cornelon and sensed victory.

'As I thought—no matter how strong Cornelon is, he can't beat Terdius as he is now.'

The power of the Third Apostle was gone, but in its place he had gained Kyros's power. Contrary to Cornelon's hasty assumption, at minimum only the First Apostle would be a match for Terdius.

'The believer count keeps steadily growing, and with the holy relics I've found on top of that, holy power keeps being granted to the officers.'

On top of that, the officers hadn't been negligent in their training.

'If only the number of believers were just a little greater, driving out Diego Church would be easy.'

Seeing as they were at this level even with their relatively small believer count. Thinking that, Revelof could perceive that Kyros's power was even stronger now than in the original story.

'Could this also be an effect of the system?'

Thinking back on previous events, it was a plausible guess. The system had genuinely taken Revelof's side.

'Whatever this world's secret may be......'

Perhaps he would have a happy ending. Just as Revelof was thinking that—

"Ggh—!"

An end began to show in the fight between the two who had been clashing continuously. Cornelon was starting to be overpowered.

"Why are you this strong? Kyros Church is nothing but a small religion......! You clearly lost the power of the great Lord Diego!"

The composure had long since disappeared from Cornelon's face. He asked Terdius with an expression of utter disbelief. Terdius replied flatly.

"You don't need to know that."

Slash—!

Terdius's sword instantly severed Cornelon's right arm. A spray of red blood burst from Cornelon. Watching that, Revelof roughly swept his hair back.

"Isn't that a bit rough, Brother?"

As Revelof let out a low breath, Terdius shook the blood off his sword and turned around. Then he looked at Revelof.

"This much is necessary to stop that thing from pulling anything reckless."

Revelof understood what Terdius meant. And so he had been about to tend to the bleeding himself. That was when—

"Gkk—!"

Cornelon, who had fallen, suddenly writhed in pain.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Why are you suddenly—"

It was because the holy power flowing from Rawin, who had extended his hand into the air, was constricting Cornelon's throat.

At the sight, both Terdius's and Revelof's eyes went wide. Revelof called out to Rawin urgently.

"Rawin, stop!"

Only then did Rawin startle at Revelof's words and release the power.

Thud!

Cornelon's body dropped limply to the floor.

"I, I just...... I just."

Rawin tried to say something, but Revelof rushed to Cornelon urgently. And he checked on Cornelon.

Even without checking heartbeat and breathing, he could already tell that Cornelon had stopped breathing—but just in case, Revelof checked.

And when he even used a healing skill. Only then was Revelof able to accept Cornelon's death.

"Damn it......"

Revelof let the curse slip from his lips before he realized. At that cold voice, Rawin gave a large shudder.

"I, I just...... thought that without him the trafficking would stop too...... and he is a Diego apostle......"

Rawin rambled and made excuses.

"I also wanted to show my loyalty to Lord Kyros, I just wanted to help......"

"Rawin, this time you went too far."

Terdius spoke coldly to Rawin, whose eyes were growing moist. Terdius, who had been with Revelof for a long time, knew him well.

Revelof didn't like taking others' lives if it could be avoided. And so he tried to resolve things as peacefully as possible.

Except when circumstances made it unavoidable. And that was the same now.

Terdius, without even needing Revelof to tell him, understood to some degree how he would act.

Which was why, even though he had wanted to finish Cornelon, he had only cut off his arm. To make it easier for Revelof to interrogate him.

And yet, as ill luck would have it, Rawin—who had been so nervous and on edge—had ended up making a mistake.

"Ch, Church Leader...... I was just......"

Rawin wanted to say something to Revelof, but didn't know what to say.

Revelof was excessively quiet. That silence was frightening Rawin even more. The thought that he had let down his friend.

And there was a reason Revelof was quiet. Revelof was staring blankly at Cornelon's body.

Or more precisely—he was looking at the system message that had appeared before him.

[One of your subordinates has eliminated Fourth Apostle of Diego Church, Cornelon!]

[The Evil God Diego now directs his gaze toward you!]

That message had appeared the instant Cornelon stopped breathing. Seeing it, Revelof had let out the curse.

'I had intended to bring Cornelon in and interrogate him.'

The plan had changed due to the unexpectedly all-day-tense Rawin. And that split-second mistake had drawn Diego's attention, of all things.

'Diego has begun to focus on me.'

Revelof kept his mind working ceaselessly. The message about Diego focusing on him was a first.

'Of all times for something like this to happen—right before the Continental War.'

Revelof had a bad feeling. Perhaps this incident could cause the war to accelerate.

And not merely a war breaking out within the continent, but a religious war between Kyros Church and Diego Church.

"Phew."

Revelof let out a low breath and got up from his seat. Then he steadied his own reason.

'Stay calm. And keep thinking.'

The worst immediate scenario was Diego Church attacking Holden territory, which was as good as Kyros Church's home base.

'The expected timing is......'

Thinking of the distance between Diego Church's headquarters and Holden territory. Not very long.

'I'll need to gather everyone together as quickly as possible.'

Before everything began, Revelof planned to start war preparations at Holden territory.

"Leviathan."

After his thoughts had sorted themselves to some degree, Revelof turned to face the others. At that, Terdius called him. Beside him, Rawin was drenched in cold sweat.

Revelof first approached Rawin and spoke. His expression was still tight.

"Rawin, this kind of impulsive action creates problems."

"I, I just wanted to help......"

"I know. I understand your feelings. But acting on your own judgment alone while you were overwhelmed with nerves—that's your mistake."

"I, I'm sorry."

Rawin finally shed one translucent tear. Revelof roughly swept his hair back and said.

"Don't cry. In the end, this is just moving up a sequence of events that was inevitable someday."

"What do you mean......"

Rawin asked back. Terdius, who had anticipated the situation to some extent, answered in Revelof's stead.

"A full-scale war with Diego Church is about to begin."

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