How the Cult Saves the World

Reader survey

"Well, let's start off lightly."

Khalid smiled and looked at the lush green meadow. Beyond his field of view were Kyros Church's knights, finished with their war preparations.

And that wasn't all. In front of them, various races were arrayed as if escorting the Kyros Church forces. Which meant Kyros Church had already noticed everything and prepared.

'How did they know? Well—even if they did know, I suppose it doesn't matter.'

But even if they had all finished their preparations, that didn't mean they could stand against Diego Church. Which was why Khalid could still be smiling.

"Go, you fools."

When Khalid gave a light gesture, the monsters who understood his command began to move.

Boom, boom—

The massive-bodied monsters advanced, shaking the ground heavily. All of them were powerful monsters with genuine "Black Arc" embedded in their foreheads or abdomens.

"You all move out too."

When Khalid sent the monsters forward, the Second Apostle now sent the knights and priests onto the battlefield.

"Kill them!"

"Deal with all of them!"

Those who received the Second Apostle's orders followed a Archbishop at the vanguard and advanced. With massive monsters alongside them, they felt no fear whatsoever.

"How crude."

"How unfortunate......"

Two spirits who had been watching them advance spoke contrasting words. The Earth Spirit Felcia shook her head, and the Life Spirit Phinis clasped her hands together in pity.

The eerie, foul presence of Diego Church drew unmistakably closer. But from Kyros Church's side, not a single person moved.

Boom! Boom!

Even as the massive monsters had closed to just a few dozen meters away.

Crack-crack-crack!

But at that precise moment, the advancing monsters were electrocuted and collapsed. Because a massive, semi-transparent barrier they had failed to see and collided with discharged lightning.

"Heh heh, the test subjects walked right into it."

"Those large monsters—they were orcs, weren't they?"

"Right. Made more savage by the black orbs embedded in their foreheads, but certainly. Perfect as test subjects."

"They'll be sturdy."

They were the mages positioned to the right within Kyros Church's formation. The barrier that had struck the large monsters was a protective shield created by fifteen or so mages from the mage tower.

"As expected of the Mage Tower......"

Several people in the formation who witnessed the sight even let out sounds of admiration.

Though they were not Archmage-level, the mages who had set out under her orders possessed considerable skill.

Enough power to fell even monsters with genuine "Black Arc" in a single blow. Though of course it was an achievement made by all of them combining their power.

Even so, thanks to the powerful magic they had shown, nearly half of the monsters with "Black Arc" stopped breathing.

Thwack—!

Their barrier had been broken through now, admittedly. But that alone was enough for the mages to have done their job.

"It will take time for our magic power to recover, so we'll leave the rest to you."

Elise, who was the leader-type figure among the mage group, said. At that, the short-statured dwarves beside them picked up their custom-made weapons and nodded.

"Don't you worry! Now it's our turn!"

"Forward, Dwarves!"

The dwarves completed their preparations. Then the Centaurs who had been waiting nearby came running.

"Let's do this together."

"Ha ha! Great!"

Katu, Lufu, and Mos, and others—the dwarves who had received help from Kyros Church climbed onto the Centaurs' backs.

"For our benefactor, advance."

The one who took command of the Centaurs was Quir. Quir gripped a spear made of wood and ran out with the Centaurs.

"We join too!"

Whoosh—! Thwack!

The Elf tribe's chieftain Lasen then joined the fray, firing arrows at the monsters. The Elves followed behind and entered the battlefield.

"We shall lend our aid as well."

Arghen Bahano, the armored king of Bahano, also joined the battlefield along with his knights.

Clang, clash!

In an instant, battle broke out between the various races and Diego Church. Though the number of large monsters had decreased, the fighting was quite fierce.

The number of monsters still bearing "Black Arc" was still considerable, and the knights led by Diego Church's Archbishops were also powerful.

'They resist?'

Even as the fierce battle continued, Khalid coolly assessed the situation. As he swept the battlefield, the Second Apostle sent the remaining knights and priests onto the field.

Only the apostles and a few priests attending them remained at the rear.

'They lured us here to protect the territory.'

Khalid snorted a laugh. The mastermind behind this scheme was undoubtedly that one. Khalid raised one corner of his mouth and thought of Leviathan, the Kyros Church leader.

And he turned his gaze toward where he was likely to be. Because surely he would be commanding from the deepest part of the battlefield.

Khalid's gaze turned toward the area near a large tent at the very rear of Kyros Church's formation.

And Khalid's guess was exactly right. Right there, Revelof was watching over the entire situation.

'......What's this.'

Revelof suddenly felt goosebumps rise all over his body. Because it felt as if someone was staring at him.

'Surely not.'

He knew that the one standing at the vanguard in Diego Church's formation was Khalid. And yet somehow, despite the tremendous distance between them, it felt as if their gazes had met.

'That man really gives me the creeps.'

Revelof gave a small shake of his head and kept watching the situation. Things were not bad. For this war, people from every corner had come to help Kyros Church, and Revelof was deeply grateful to them.

And in order to minimize the number of injured, Revelof had spent the past few days producing high-quality healing potions.

Then before the battle began, he had distributed one to each of those who had come to help fight. If luck held, there would be no fatalities at all.

'And Holden territory has been protected too.'

Near Holden territory, the Archmage's magic was in place just as Diego Church had anticipated. Designed so that if enemies approached the territory's vicinity, the hypnosis and movement magic would activate together.

But Revelof hadn't stopped there. Just as during the Rizes Church invasion before, he had used Kyros's blessing again.

Of course, back then it had been with the "system's" help—but this time he had used Kyros's and his own holy power to create a protective barrier.

'So even if something happens to the territory, it should be fine.'

Revelof felt a quiet relief inwardly, but didn't let his guard down. He kept his eyes on the battle where monsters bearing Black Arc and Diego Church's knights kept pressing forward in waves.

And before him, Kyros Church's officers stood firm, and beside them were Leira Holden and Sevenus Holden and the Holden family knight order.

Revelof watched the backs of Leira Holden, Sevenus Holden, and Helena Holden.

'My family, at least...... I will protect no matter what.'

Revelof watched them and thought back to the events of a few days ago. Leira and Sevenus had been more surprised than anyone at the news that war was coming—but they had trusted and followed Revelof's words.

Thanks to that, Revelof had been able to manage things smoothly. Of course, Grandmother Helena Holden and Archmage Jenna Lewis had also been a great help here.

'And thanks to the reinforcements, we can conserve our own power too.'

Because it was important to conserve strength for the fight against the apostles.

'Still...... it's also important that the reinforcements don't get badly hurt.'

Revelof took the “Skeleton King's Staff" from his inventory. It was a weapon he would have used in the Continental War originally—but what did that matter now.

Flash—

Revelof poured his power into the staff. Then he swung it lightly, and the large monsters that had been felled by the mages' barrier began to rise.

Though the "Black Arc" embedded in them had now spent its usefulness, it didn't matter.

Because the sheer overwhelming mass of those enormous bodies attacking Diego Church's knights and priests alone was enough to reverse the momentum.

Caught between attacks from both front and back, those unable to flee fell one after another.

'This should be enough.'

In an instant the tide of battle turned in Kyros Church's favor. All that remained was to deal with the apostles, and that too seemed like it wouldn't be particularly difficult.

'On this side we have the Archmage and the spirits together too.'

If they faced the apostles together with these allies, everything would be over in no time. But why was it—

'......Then why do I feel strangely uneasy?'

Revelof looked around at the unease rising from deep in his heart. The battle situation was clearly tilting toward Kyros Church—and yet Diego Church looked excessively composed.

It didn't seem to be simply because their remaining apostles were present. Something was definitely being missed.

'What in the world?'

Revelof worked his mind rapidly. Thinking about what he was missing, and why Diego Church's apostles still hadn't appeared—when—

Far away, the sight of Khalid smiling became visible. It was a fleeting moment, barely visible—enough to write off as an illusion—but—

'......Oh no.'

Revelof realized one fact he had forgotten. It was a single existence that had nowhere been seen until now.

'The Grand Apostle.'

He had definitely heard Rawin describe it before. About the Grand Apostle's appearance. But the Grand Apostle was nowhere to be seen. Not even in the place where Diego Church's apostles were gathered.

'With an appearance that distinctive, there's no way I'd miss it.'

Was it perhaps hiding somewhere, or was he simply the one missing it?

"Troy, by any chance......"

Revelof immediately called Troy nearby and described the Grand Apostle's appearance. Troy used his exceptional eyesight to look around, but the only answer that came back was that it was nowhere to be seen.

'Why?'

Revelof's unease amplified gradually. He raised his ki sense sharply and swept the surroundings again. But an energy strong enough to befit the name "Grand Apostle" was nowhere to be felt.

'Don't tell me......'

Just as the sense of foreboding kept growing—

—Child!

Kyros, who had been quiet until now, called Revelof urgently.

—Someone is trying to break the territory's blessing!

"Damn it."

Only then did Revelof's unease become reality.

†

Above Holden territory, in the skies.

The "Grand Apostle"—with snow-white flesh, snow-white pupils, and black irises—looked quietly down at Holden territory.

Having come to Holden territory under the father's orders, something was strange.

Because neither the apostles who had set out earlier, nor anyone else belonging to Diego Church was visible.

The Grand Apostle felt the strangeness and tilted their head. The Archmage's magic had only activated within a range of about ten meters above ground. And the Grand Apostle was flying in the sky far above that—so it was natural they hadn't been caught by the magic.

"......"

The Grand Apostle stared blankly down at Holden territory. Then they confirmed that a disagreeable presence was emanating from all of Holden territory.

Crack-crack—

The Grand Apostle immediately reached their hand toward the territory. Dark energy began gathering into a spherical shape in their hand.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!