How the Cult Saves the World

The Second Apostle Rine, who had been quietly working within Diego Church, had one weakness. It was the fact that she had been abandoned by her parents when she was a child.

Among them, Rine had a strong attachment to her mother and harbored a complex about adult women older than her. And Rine yearned to receive affection from such women.

The reason Rine used a considerable portion of her power to transform her appearance was the same. She used more than half of her power to make herself look younger than her actual age.

Rine's real age was in her late twenties, but she always made herself appear as a girl in her mid-to-late teens. In truth, her mental age was just as young, and going around the world with a young appearance meant that middle-aged and older women would dote on Rine greatly. In this way, Rine received the love she hadn't gotten from her mother.

Of course, Helena didn't know all of this. But fighting Rine, Helena perceived that the Second Apostle was still an immature person. And so Helena deliberated over what to do with Rine.

Sasha, who had been watching everything from beginning to end, was feeling jealous for some reason. Because to Sasha's eyes, the battle between the two looked rather like Helena playing along with Rine.

"Grandmother!"

And so finally, Sasha decided to end this battle herself. Sasha took up the single-handed sword once gifted to her by Helena and joined the fight.

At her appearance, Helena was a little surprised, and Rine furrowed her brow. Because that short girl had gotten between Helena and herself. And a girl who wasn't even worth comparing to her level, at that.

"Who are you?"

Rine asked sharply toward Sasha. But Sasha didn't answer and just glared at Rine. At that, Helena spoke gently.

"Sasha, you don't have to step in. It's dangerous, so please stay back."

"N, no. I'll be the one to protect Grandmother!"

Sasha cried out with resolute eyes. The sight of it made something surge within Rine's heart. It was envy and jealousy.

'That girl......'

She had heard of it before. That among Kyros Church's officers were young children. And Rine also knew something about Helena Holden, whom she was fighting.

'Not even Helena Holden's real granddaughter......'

Rine bit her lip hard. Then immediately rushed at Sasha.

Terdius fixed a cold gaze on First Apostle Jaken standing before him. Jaken had removed the eye patch on his left eye and dark energy rippled across his entire body. Not only that—Jaken's fingertips and toes were stained black as well.

It looked as if he had been encroached upon by Diego's energy and transformed of his own accord. Terdius sensed a dangerous energy flowing from Jaken.

And dimly, he perceived that in this battle, one of the two's lives would be extinguished.

"You're afraid, Third Apostle."

At that, Jaken spoke as if reading Terdius's feelings. Terdius replied without a change in expression.

"I am no longer the Third Apostle. I am now simply a holy knight of Kyros Church."

"Ha ha! Right. If you say so. But...... you should have known your place. Lord Diego regarded you fondly and specially placed you in the position of Third Apostle...... and a former Inquisitor has now become a heretic himself."

Jaken shook his head. From Jaken's words and manner, Terdius's composure wavered for a brief moment. And Jaken didn't miss that moment.

Flash—!

Jaken vanished from Terdius's field of view in an instant. Terdius's eyes widened slightly. But he wasn't caught off guard.

Clang—!

Jaken's sharp hand was blocked by Terdius's sword. The strong force pushed Terdius's body slightly back. The two's exchange continued without pause. Jaken used both arms and both legs to attack Terdius.

Every time, Terdius blocked Jaken's attacks—but that was all. He couldn't easily keep up with Jaken's speed. Because Jaken had been substantially empowered by Diego befitting the position of First Apostle, dealing with him wasn't easy.

Of course, Terdius also clearly possessed great power, but he was entirely consumed by blocking.

Clang—!

After the two clashed hard, they separated once. With distance between them, Jaken and Terdius glared at each other. The corner of Jaken's mouth curved.

"Ho, not bad after all. But...... I wonder how far you can keep blocking."

Jaken cackled and drew up the power stored within him. Then his arms and legs were immediately stained black. No—not just arms and legs. Jaken's very face began to be stained jet black as well. As if all things were being swallowed by darkness.

'If I let this go on longer I'll die.'

Meanwhile, in that moment, Terdius, watching Jaken's transformation, had a direct sense of that fact. Every time Jaken drew up power, his body was stained black. Even now with the opponent not being easy, if Jaken's whole body was stained black, there would be no more hope.

Terdius completed that calculation and drew up his own power. Terdius wreathed holy power around his whole body and poured what remained into the tip of his sword. In the meantime, by now Jaken's entire body had been completely stained black.

Clang—!

In one moment, the two clashed. But between the two, who had been fine until now, red blood flowed. And it came from Terdius's forearm. His left arm had received a long cut.

"Hmm, too shallow."

Jaken said with an expression of regret. Terdius acted as if such a wound was nothing—but it wasn't. Because Jaken's sharp fingernails were coated with paralytic poison. Terdius noticed that his left arm was barely moving.

"Ha ha, but don't worry. My next attack will kill you."

"Who is killing whom?"

At that moment, someone appeared before Terdius. It was a stooped old person. Jaken's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?"

"You don't need to know."

The old person turned their head to look at Terdius. Then reached their hand out to Terdius. Brown-hued energy flowed toward Terdius. The paralysis permeating Terdius's body vanished, and a warm power began filling him within.

And that power blended together with holy power, bolstering Terdius with an even greater energy. The old person disappeared immediately after. But Terdius knew who she was.

'The Earth Spirit......'

She was a being Revelof had introduced to him before the war. Though this was the first time seeing her form, and she appeared as an old person, he knew.

From the strength of the energy that had flowed into him, and the deep scent of earth emanating from the old person.

"Ho, the atmosphere has changed...... somewhat."

The moment the old person disappeared, the subtly changed feel of Terdius made Jaken's expression turn serious. Terdius raised his sword toward him instead of answering.

Thud—!

For the last time, the two collided.

The war between Diego Church and Kyros Church was slowly drawing to a close. Kyros Church received much help in the battles against the apostles, and the results were finally showing.

Above Holden territory.

Revelof stopped the Grand Apostle's breath with his shining holy sword. Achieved at last with the Archmage's help.

"Thank you, Archmage."

Revelof wiped the sweat from his forehead and spoke to Jenna. At that, Jenna snorted.

"Hmph, I only did it all for Helena."

"Yes, yes. Of course."

Just as Revelof was laughing softly, at that very moment—

[You have eliminated Diego Church's "Grand Apostle."]

Revelof's eyes went wide.

At the same time.

"Ghk......!"

Blood poured from Khalid's mouth all at once. He crumpled, falling to his knees on the ground. The sword that had been buried in his chest was slowly pulled out.

"Ugh."

Even with blood pouring from his mouth and chest, Khalid let out a laugh. He hadn't expected to meet his end at the hands of those he had looked down on.

'Was I too careless.'

Then he lifted his head and looked at the sky. He had only ever wanted to see beautiful things. And he now finally understood that it was all because he himself was not beautiful.

Khalid looked only at the sky through his blurring vision.

'Damn it, even the sky looks beautiful now......'

And so Khalid's eyes closed. His breath stopped completely.

"Huff, huff."

"Haa, haa."

Rawin and Chester, having confirmed Khalid's death, collapsed to the ground. At the end of a battle with everything they had, they had finally dealt with one apostle.

Rawin and Chester looked at Khalid in silence and then their gazes met. Chester was the first to get up. And he extended his hand to Rawin.

"You worked hard."

Chester said with a faint smile, and Rawin smiled too and grabbed Chester's hand and stood up.

"Thank you for helping me."

"Think nothing of it."

The two looked up at the sky with relieved faces.

'The Grand Apostle, Khalid......?'

Sixth Apostle Meos perceived the energy of the Grand Apostle and Khalid vanishing from afar. Their breath had finally stopped. The moment he realized that, Meos understood that they could not win this war.

He had been diligently holding off Troy and Sevenus's attacks until now, but the moment he realized the hope of victory was gone, he gave up on everything.

"Ha, damn it......"

Meos gazed at the two people in battle with the hybrids he had created, a little way off. By now Meos also had almost no power remaining.

At most, all he could do was direct combat. But most of the other apostles fighting nearby also had breath barely remaining.

Most importantly, there was no longer any response coming from Diego. Meaning this war...... was lost.

Having completed all his calculations, Meos smiled bitterly and drew a dagger from his breast pocket. And he thrust it into his own throat without a moment's hesitation.

Stab—!

Simultaneously, the hybrids attacking Troy and Sevenus collapsed to the ground. At the sudden development, both were startled and looked up.

And there was Meos, already without breath.

"What in the world......"

As Sevenus was surprised, Troy said with an unreadable expression.

"This war is ours."

At the same time, First Apostle Jaken perceived the breath of the apostles going out one by one. And he too realized that his own breath had not long remaining.

'So it comes to this in the end. Lord Diego.'

Jaken called on Diego one last time, but no response returned from him. And not long after, Jaken's heart was pierced by Terdius's sword.

"......It's over."

At Terdius's final words, Jaken said nothing and closed his eyes.

Revelof was utterly startled.

[Your subordinates have eliminated more than half of Diego Church's apostles.]

[The Evil God Diego is greatly furious with you!]

Several messages appeared quickly, and simultaneously dark energy appeared around Revelof. And that dark energy swallowed Revelof in an instant.

"......Brat!"

Before Archmage Jenna could do anything, Revelof had disappeared in an instant.

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