T/N:

I cut this chapter down to one part by skipping some pointless rambling and information about irrelevant side battles. This is something you'll encounter me doing more often from now on because I'm getting damn tired of this author's long-winded way of yapping about completely unrelated stuff, getting an orgasm from describing how beautiful a woman is for the umpteenth time, running his flap about trivia no one needs or cares about, or telling us how the MC or his friends fight some nameless one-chapter smallfries in all detail and glory.

In my eyes all of this is word padding as it adds nothing to the story. If you dislike my decision, you're free to read the raw and make your brain suffer from countless repetitions and overflow of useless info.

Only Solck's eyebrow moved faintly, but he himself didn't go along with my invitation. His Demonic Eyes lit up and at the same time, the Sanskrit characters on his forehead started glowing as well.

Those characters look different from the symbol on the chest of the other priests. Maybe they form a magic symbol signifying War God Vice?

As I pondered about that, he tilted the magic spear in one hand, changing its angle and causing the metallic chains connected to the spear to clatter. Meanwhile, he held up the other hand like a Buddhist monk who was about to pray.

Is he planning to chant sutras?

Suddenly he started to slightly move his lips as if praying for real.

"Spear Heaven is Back, Sword Back is Heaven…Heaven is War God."

Immediately following, yellow auras billowed up from his lower arms, flickering like the corona of the sun. Those two auras took the shapes of arms.

『Two arms made out of mana…with a divine aura…』

『Are spirits gathering around them?』

『A lot of fire and earth spirits. But, I feel a divine power from those arms』

Divine, huh? Are they a representation of the war god's arms? Maybe some secret skill, word magic, or possession technique?

With a slight delay, the glowing of the Sanskrit characters on his forehead intensified. His Demonic Eyes, which emitted a wild mania, also changed. A flame started to dwell deep inside them. That flame looked like a brick of seething hot iron that was glowing crimson as it had been just taken out of the furnace. His eyes looked like spirits may dwell in them as well, but Helme didn't mention anything about that.

I felt a special power from his eyes, and I could also tell that those eyes had seen many battlefields and fights. Solck clearly exuded the aura of a martial artist.

While staring at me, he shifted his body sideways and slowly walked leftwards. He let his wander scan the vicinity while rotating the spear in his hand.

Then his eyes got fixed on the even battle between his subordinate Delgug and Kisara.

Both of us circled around each other like two beasts ready to pounce at any moment. The area was filled by a breathtaking, dangerous atmosphere. But, my opponent seemed to have his attention drawn by the fight between his subordinate and Kisara as he kept looking there.

I didn't really feel like getting lured into it, but took a peek anyway.

Kisara and Delgug were having a fierce battle with neither of them giving the other any room. Yet it was a mostly even fight.

At some point, their fight reached a breaking point, and Delgug asked as he caught his breath, "…Those heads surfacing on that bloody spearhead and the ogre-like faces depicted as patterns on your black attire…that's Demonic Ogre Princess of Dark Plays Mephalla, isn't it?"

"…That's true, but what about it?"

"As I thought. So does that make you a Spirit World Knight of Mephalla?" He further asked.

"…No. I'm Kisara, one of the Four Heavenly Witches of the Black Witch Church and the 【Witch of Damon'Anun】 who used to believe in Mephalla-sama, Kyulha-sama, and Lulodis-sama."

"Used to? Are you saying it's different now?"

"Yes. Nowadays I believe in Shuuya-sama, the great Bringer of Light and Darkness and the man who was kind and loving to me," Kisara smiled after casting a glance in my direction.

"Light and Darkness? What an abomination of nature."

"For you to mock the savior of the Black Witch Church…"

"That organization again? Hmm? …Wait, now I remember that ancient martyr group. They were a weird bunch who worshiped gods of the divine domain and Spirit World at the same time. But, I also heard they were heretics who performed ceremonies where they buried pagans in cemeteries. Supposedly they continue to wander the lands as if to run away while causing such incidents all over the place…"

Kisara's disturbance was clear from her eyes' trembling, "…I didn't know that. Where are they wandering right now?"

"Who knows…you can find their black-clothed groups in any bigger city."

"I heard from Shuuya-sama that he witnessed such a group in the religious district of Pelneet, but…"

That group, huh? Anyway, I guess it means Kisara's friends are wandering the lands to this day. I'm sure she wants to meet them. But well, that's just a hypothetical story, assuming it's them.

"Why are you pretending to be disturbed by this piece of news? Are you actually a Kushanan who pretended to be a Spirit World Knight?" Delgug provoked Kisara.

After looking at me and regaining her composure, Kisara answered with a powerful glare, "…Priest of the War God Faith, today will be the day you die. I will rip apart and crush that mouth of yours, which mocked Shuuya-sama just moments ago, into a blood pulp before I kill you…He is one who pierces through evil and divine alike without paying heed to the blessing of the gods…and even though he was defeated by a monster of divine power, she still tried to pierce through Sela as well…Damon'Anun is thirsting for blood as well."

"…Pierce through the divine, you say? What nonsense by some random demon. …Still, the power seeping out of your spear appears to be genuine. I guess I'll introduce myself. My name is Delgug. My fatherly master calls me Violent Monk Delgug."

"I see. But even if you tell me your name, I will judge you regardless of your affiliation. Ready yourself…"

Kisara activated the abilities she had used during our mock battle, and her fierce clash with Delgug continued as it entered a new stage.

Soon I turned my eyes away from there and looked at Solck, and so did he.

"…For you to possesses a subordinate capable of toying around with Delgug…are you also a kin or apostle of Mephalla who's operating under some sort of order?"

"No, I'm no Spirit World Knight, nor a vampire. But you won't believe me anyway, so I won't bother to explain."

As I talked to Solck I could see only one response to my words in his Demonic Eyes: Doubt, or rather, a lump of seething bloodlust.

"…You denying it makes it all the more suspicious. You're saying you got nothing to do with a Vampire God sect or the Valmask family despite sucking blood like you did earlier?"

"You can test it out by launching light magic at me. Then again, you saw my own light magic, didn't you…? In the first place, I've never heard of some vampire god sect or similar. And we're enemies of the Valmask family as well, you know?"

Hearing my words, Solck's eyebrow twitched as if he was about to ask whether that's really true. Maybe there's still some room left for negotiations?

But, the hatred in his eyes hasn't vanished. A hatred directed at anyone related to the Spirit World, huh?

"…Huh, what nonsense…the spell earlier was something you unleashed through a magic tool… Anyway, before our fight, I guess I'll take a look at my friends who obtained their abilities through rigorous training at the Martial Arts God's temple," he answered before averting his eyes from me.

A Martial Arts God's temple, eh? Must be the one in Tandarl. It's a place famous for being a gathering spot of many strong and masterly martial artists in all kinds of styles.

Following Solck's eyes, he was looking at Shuhelia. She was having such a fierce exchange of blows with another monk that crack-like traces remained on the ground from their swords and spear's slashes.

Solck stopped watching and commented, "Both are strong, huh? Very well, let us fight then."

While saying so, he was checking out my defensive equipment. He stared at my shoulder dragon, the item box on my wrist, the ruby loop ring, and Dark Hellbone Knights.

"By the way, the protective clothing I wear is Mythological, so you won't be able to hurt my body unless you come at me with a fairly powerful attack, you know?" I boasted while tapping my neck with the side of my hand.

"You're telling me you want me to take your head? Then I shall humor you with a technique of the War God Style!