The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 118

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Fire

Erendor began causing a commotion. The Cardinal beside him and the Central Church officials who were standing nearby started panicking.

 

In that situation, I calmly crossed my arms and observed the situation from within my veil.

 

Since I was standing on the high podium, I could look down at Teacher sitting in the building beyond.

 

Teacher had uncrossed her legs and was gripping the building’s fence, watching to see what had happened.

 

‘She definitely didn’t predict this would happen…’

 

If this had been something Teacher expected as usual, she would have continued watching me with her legs crossed.

 

To see whether this was something I had done or not…

 

I felt a slight thrill that my greatest obstacle and unpredictable Joker hadn’t figured out my plan.

 

If anyone had seen me grinning in this situation, I might have faced a heretical inquisition. I quickly suppressed my smile and continued observing Teacher.

 

‘Erendor will cause chaos here for about 6 more minutes.’

 

The falling rocks he broke and the buildings collapsing with Tuba’s support made very loud noises.

 

I naturally acted and slipped away from this place.

 

“At this rate, people will get hurt or die!”

 

“A-Ascetic! Where are you going!”

 

“You going there won’t be of any use! Come back!”

 

These bastards started speaking informally to me the moment I turned around, calling me this and that.

 

I tried to use the skills of hierarchical discipline and maintaining order that I learned in the military, but they tried to stop me from various directions.

 

“Please return, Ascetic!”

 

I was busy shaking off the hands of those trying to grab me. And I urgently shouted.

 

“How can I stand still when there are so many suffering people below!”

 

Even the anti-Saint faction members made strange expressions. I earnestly went down the stairs from the upper floor toward the chaotic plaza.

 

“We need to move the Sacred Fire to a safe place! What are you all doing!”

 

“T-That won’t listen to us right now, and the entrance is blocked with stones, so we can’t help it…!”

 

I could see people groaning from injuries here and there. There were children and elderly among them too.

 

They were hurt because of my plan. Guilt washed over me.

 

I’m sorry for getting you involved in such a plan, but if this plan doesn’t succeed, the world will be doomed, so it can’t be helped.

 

I quickly took in all the injured people within my sight.

 

When I thought about distributing my power to spread to those within my vision, vines of light bloomed from their wounds and their injuries healed.

 

“It’s the Saint…”

 

“The Ascetic has come!”

 

This is the ultimate version of causing the disease and providing the cure, but anyway, it’s all good deeds, so please understand.

 

Bang- Crash! Thud!

 

Even though Erendor wasn’t attacking, the pillars around collapsed.

 

A stone statue carved from marble depicting the sun god crumbles.

 

As the statue collapses, only the head breaks off cleanly and rolls around the plaza.

 

Clear malice… This seems like Tuba’s doing even without seeing it…

 

“Are there more people who need treatment?”

 

“Over here!”

 

I headed toward those sitting in front of the pile of stones, waving their hands.

 

There, one person had collapsed, either knocked unconscious by a stone, and what appeared to be a Bishop or Priest was maintaining their life by infusing divine power as emergency treatment.

 

The Priest who had been struggling hard enough to sweat opened his eyes wide the moment I laid eyes on the patient, quite anticlimactically.

 

“Are there no others? Bring the injured here…”

 

People murmur and crowd around me. That’s when it happened.

 

Swoooosh…

 

It sounds like something heavy is cutting through the air and falling from somewhere.

 

‘Without even giving a signal…!’

 

No, damn it. Tuba, if you fall here now, what about these people!

 

“Get away from here immediately!”

 

Thud!

 

A tall, black-clad man wearing robes so heavy that metal clanked and boots landed in the middle of the plaza.

 

I healed the injured people instantly.

 

Even if it’s part of the plan, I don’t like unnecessarily hurting people.

 

Tuba seems to have a lot of ill feelings toward the Imperials. It looked like he just tried to kill one or two people with that landing.

 

“What a shame… I was hoping to kill about five people before starting…”

 

This bastard, he was serious. Don’t go around killing people randomly!

 

My Adam’s apple moved. Even though this was a scripted performance we were putting on together, the heavy atmosphere emanating from his presence made my hair stand on end automatically.

 

“Kyaaaah!”

 

A beat late, the civilians around me flee. Even nobles crawl on the ground, escaping from this disaster.

 

“What… unsightly… appearances…”

 

I removed the veil I had been wearing and carefully put it in my pocket, preparing for the performance.

 

The citizens seemed to have mostly fled from this place, making it quiet. It’s strange how quickly the situation was resolved.

 

Looking around, I could see a woman in black clothes, slightly smaller than average people, giving directions here and there.

 

Teacher had stepped in.

 

‘No wonder the situation was resolved quickly. Now I understand why Tuba appeared early without giving a signal.’

 

The plaza was in chaos with dust and fire.

 

Seeing the collapsed buildings everywhere made my stomach churn. Among them, there were probably buildings I had secretly invested in.

 

Damn, I should have told Tuba not to destroy the 3-story building on Zien R Street.

 

Though smoke was thick, my purification ability was working like an air purifier, so only my surroundings were strangely clean.

 

‘Teacher shouldn’t get more involved.’

 

I sent a group telepathic message to Erendor and Tuba.

 

It was an application of when I fought together with Alderion, Cardil, Kalebrin, and Yelena.

 

-‘It becomes troublesome if the Widow steps in. Let’s move up the plan timing earlier than expected.’

 

Erendor, who had been destroying innocent buildings and pillars from afar, instantly appeared in the plaza at those words.

 

And he approached the carriage carrying the Sacred Fire that was in confusion.

 

The white horses were neutralized under Kalebrin’s spell.

 

Originally, Kalebrin was supposed to control the white horses, but… it can’t be helped.

 

Still, the plan has already been modified.

 

After learning that Kalebrin had become like that, I hastily made adjustments.

 

Erendor’s voice, amplified by Tuba, resounded throughout the plaza.

 

“Hey! I’m taking the Sacred Fire!”

 

“We can’t let that happen!”

 

Erendor, who had caused a huge commotion and drawn aggro, attempted to steal the Sacred Fire.

 

But the Empire wasn’t going to just let that happen. The reinforced guards swarmed in and surrounded Erendor.

 

“Let’s watch for a moment.”

 

I said while looking at Tuba. With all the dust and loud noises anyway… if we weren’t nearby, our voices wouldn’t be heard.

 

Tuba nodded. We looked toward the plaza where Erendor was.

 

No matter how stupid the Imperial Army was, the guards performed their duties excellently.

 

They surrounded Erendor from multiple angles and moved to subdue him. The front row consisted of Knights with several Priests providing support from the rear.

 

The Imperial Army is strong. They’re the ones who go around waging conquest wars everywhere in the world.

 

So would the guards belonging to such an Imperial Army be strong or weak?

 

Of course, they’re strong. However…

 

“What are these small fries again?”

 

The gap was so overwhelming that they were knocked down by Erendor’s light punches without him even drawing his sword.

 

It can’t be helped.

 

Erendor was a Named NPC.

 

Since he was someone who pursued only martial prowess, he wasn’t an opponent that ordinary Guard members could handle.

 

They crawled at Erendor’s feet like autumn leaves in the wind. The Coachman and those managing the carriage had long since fled after seeing that sight.

 

Tuba shook his head. He seemed annoyed with the Imperial Army.

 

All the guards were unconscious, and those who were managing had fled too.

 

The magic circle on the carriage, which would roast anyone unauthorized who touched it, had already been neutralized by Kalebrin.

 

Erendor approached the carriage while laughing like a villain as much as possible with a “kehehehe.”

 

“Ooh, is this the Sacred Fire that the Empire cherished so dearly? I heard it’s over a thousand years old….”

 

“What, what is your identity…!”

 

Someone rolling around at his feet asked with perfect timing.

 

“Should I tell you something like that? I don’t have a hobby of revealing my affiliation to weaklings!”

 

Hmm…. I’d give that villain dialogue 65 points out of 100.

 

Tuba, wearing a mask covering half his face, hung his head low. It seemed like reality was hitting him now that he was actually carrying out the operation.

 

Erendor seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit.

 

“The dust seems like it will disappear…. I’m going to destroy the surrounding ground….”

 

Tuba kindly gave a warning. When Tuba stomped his foot, the ground cracked like lightning marks and the earth’s crust shook.

 

This was Tuba’s ability.

 

From far away, I could hear voices calling out desperately for me, shouting “Ascetic~!!”

 

‘Hmm, around this time, it should be about time for the Empire to step in.’

 

Especially since Teacher was also attached, their response would be quick.

 

That’s when it happened. I sensed a well-organized presence.

 

“That’s far enough.”

 

An Elite Knight of the Imperial Army. One who was only assigned as an escort to high-ranking individuals….

 

“Ho. You look quite strong.”

 

Erendor drew his greatsword from behind his back. The whooshing sound of cutting through the air reached even here.

 

A rumbling sound came from inside the helmet.

 

“Interfering with the sacred Sunrise Festival and attempting to steal the Sacred Fire…. This is clearly punishable by death.”

 

“If you can kill me, then try.”

 

Erendor smirked. And in an instant, the knight’s sword and Erendor’s sword clashed.

 

Since I’m not a swordsman and am hopeless at fighting, all I could see were sparks flying. That’s how fast it was.

 

Ah, dust in my eyes.

 

When I rubbed my eyes and opened them, the person standing was, as expected, Erendor.

 

“Hahaha! The Imperial Army isn’t much either!”

 

I nodded to Tuba.

 

Tuba nodded back to show he understood, then approached me and hit me once.

 

“Ugh.”

 

I went flying through the air with a whoosh. Then I rolled on the ground.

 

Even though I possessed the divine power of a Defense Relic, my abdomen throbbed from the hit.

 

Of course, since I was prepared, it regenerated instantly….

 

Damn it…. That really hurt.

 

If the operation had proceeded a bit more slowly, I wouldn’t have had to get hit.

 

I’m dying of frustration from getting hit when I didn’t need to.

 

I deliberately staggered as I emerged from the dust cloud.

 

“Cough, cough.”

 

I added a coughing performance that seemed to come from deep in my lungs.

 

As if the impact from the punch I just received hadn’t faded yet.

 

I could feel the citizens stirring in the distance.

 

Teacher too.

 

‘Good, everyone’s being fooled… If even Teacher is fooled, that says it all.’

 

Teacher, are you watching? This is what happens when you raise a child like catching prey – they become a ninja.

 

I deliberately pretended to limp as I approached the fallen knight.

 

Of course, I didn’t heal him here.

 

Sir Knight needs to stay down a little longer…!

 

“Who are you people to do such things? Making people suffer…. And disrupting a sacred festival!”

 

Ugh, yuck. Saying things I don’t mean is making me lose my appetite.

 

Erendor barely held back his laughter.

 

Hey, don’t laugh.

 

“Oh ho…. Isn’t this the Saint, the face of the Empire? Since the face of the Empire is asking, I have no choice but to answer.”

 

Before I knew it, Tuba was standing next to Erendor. Tuba’s amplified voice echoed through the plaza.

 

“I’m Erendor of the mercenary organization Harmony. I have business with that Sacred Fire, so won’t you step aside?”

 

“I’m afraid I cannot. I am an Ascetic, and I cannot let you go after causing pain to everyone.”

 

As if we were performing a play, only our center was empty of people.

 

Far away, like an audience watching from the seats, people crowded at the edges of the plaza looking at us. It was like a colosseum.

 

We drew aggro quite well.

 

I took out my staff made of light and aimed it at Erendor.

 

Since the pew-pew beams only work well on amorphous monsters, even if he got hit by this, his body would probably just feel better.

 

We took our positions to engage in a staged battle.

 

“Then regrettably, I have no choice but to kill you!”

 

Erendor’s sword filled my entire field of vision.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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