Chapter 167

Sergio, who had pushed him up and placed him on top, quickly stood up. Sarbelio, who had accidentally climbed onto his back, let out a creaking groan.

At first glance, it seemed like a rough action, but in reality, Sarbelio had hardly suffered any impact. It was due to Diemonica’s precise distribution of strength, sense of balance, and spatial awareness.

Zephis nodded his head and began running in the direction where a civilian house had been discovered. The Diemonica followed closely behind him.

*

They reduced their speed, transitioning from a sprint to a jog, and eventually to a stealthy movement. It didn’t take long for the Inquisition Officers to move almost silently, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.

The light and lively atmosphere had completely vanished. From the moment the outline of the town became visible to the Diemonica, they advanced with a razor-sharp, restrained demeanor.

“Brother. Over there.”

“Let Brother Sarbelio down. Prepare for combat.”

Zephis whispered as he lowered the visor of his helmet. Holding a morning star in one hand and a steel shield in the other, Zephis slowly moved forward.

His tone had already shifted to that of Inquisition Officer Angelo, who had been deployed to the operational zone. Anger was evident in his eyes.

On the outskirts of the town, a shabby wooden fence was split in half and burning. The light from the civilian house first spotted by the Diemonica wasn’t just a bright torch—it was the sight of a burning town.

Not knowing the situation in the north, one might have mistaken it for a simple tribal battle or pillaging. But in the silhouette of the intact midnight town, stakes lined the outskirts.

Stakes with people hanging from them. That was the symbol of heresy.

“From this moment on, the Monastery Head’s combat rules are nullified.”

Zephis spoke as he walked toward the town’s entrance. There was no response. Only the sound of heavily armored warriors silently following behind him.

Monastery Head Beorn Shieldbane had ordered them to avoid indiscriminate combat as much as possible. The north believed in its own religion, which was merely an unfamiliar indigenous faith, not something that could be judged as heresy. It was impossible to label the indigenous religions of foreign continents, with which there was no interaction, as evil.

The gods of the Temple of the Gods each had their origins in different regional indigenous faiths. A sun god here, a warrior god there, a sea god elsewhere… Only apostates who had fallen into the hands of demons advocated for a single religion and doctrine. The benevolent Temple of the Gods generally withheld judgment until the indigenous faiths of external forces were fully understood.

However, hanging humans on stakes, embedding symbols into their entrails, spilling blood to draw magical formations on the ground, and reinforcing those formations with human limbs… That was undoubtedly heresy.

And here, there were five Inquisition Officers.

*

-Crunch.

Zephis smashed a charred skull hanging at the entrance of the half-burned town hall with his fist. It was a skull that had been chattering its jaw upon seeing Zephis. The skull was immediately crushed, scattering ashes.

Hot breath escaped from beneath his helmet. Hatred and anger raged within him. Not because of some kind of holy mission, but because of the massacre and the remnants of the corrupted sacrificial rituals that had taken place in this area.

There was a child stabbing its mother, burned and nailed to the wall in that position. Next to it was an unburned corpse, laughing while biting its own leg. The town was decorated like a festival plaza during the Spring Sun Festival. The only difference from southern civilized society was that instead of linen or dyed cloth, they used human entrails.

Zephis and the Inquisition Officers destroyed every trace of heresy they saw in the town. Practically every corner of the town was like that, so their actions amounted to completely razing the town to ruins.

Despite having spent almost three full days and nights sailing, there was no trace of fatigue in their movements. The smell of burning corpses, along with the stench of blood and rotting oil, dulled their sensitive senses and occasionally made their minds dizzy.

-Swish.

Because of that, Zephis didn’t notice the sound of an arrow tearing through the air until it was too close to dodge. By the time he heard it, it was already too late to avoid.

So, instead of turning his head or raising his shield, Zephis shouted.

“Protect the brothers!”

“Protect the brothers!”

None of the Diemonica questioned or hesitated at Zephis’s shout. The Diemonica, who had been tearing down the town in their rage, heard Zephis’s voice and, at the same time, the sound of arrows pouring down, and immediately leaped into action.

-Thud thud thud thud thud!!

The Diemonica formed a circular wall, protecting only the most vital areas. The rain of arrows poured down on their thick steel armor, creating a heavy, dull noise.

“Are you okay?”

Fabiano looked down at Brother Sarbelio, who was crouched beneath them. Many people don’t easily believe it, but the Diemonica were also humans made of flesh, so when deployed to the frontlines, they often wore excessive defensive gear.

The thick and heavy steel armor, which would render an ordinary person immobile just by wearing it, only made sense because the wearer was a Diemonica.

Free from the constraints of weight, the Diemonica preferred armor focused solely on protection, and these armors were so bulky that it would be more accurate to describe wearing them as “installing” them.

Thanks to that, Sarbelio, protected by such Diemonica, felt as if he were inside a defensive tower. Instead of nodding, Sarbelio closed his eyes.

Just as the Diemonica had their own duties, so did the Enmagika. Therefore, he did not express gratitude. Even if the situation were reversed and enemy magic rained down, he would have sacrificed himself just as they did.

This skilled and trustworthy Enmagika quietly raised a finger and pointed in one direction. Over there. No further words were needed. The seemingly endless rain of arrows ceased, and laughter erupted from all directions.

“I don’t know where these fools came from, but it’s good to have fresh meat for the great ones.”

Rough northern language echoed from outside the town. The Inquisition Officers didn’t understand northern language, but they could gauge the direction the sound was coming from.

Zephis removed his arrow-riddled cloak and sent hand signals. Fabiano, east. Sergio, west. The rest, protect Sarbelio. And I will head straight.

In the direction Sarbelio had pointed. Turning his head toward where the demon and the mage controlling it were, Zephis whispered softly.

“We will burn the demons, the heretics, and the witches.”

“Magto.”

All the Inquisition Officers quietly echoed. Zephis lowered his stance and measured the distance.

“Magto Superlaudo.”

At those words, three Diemonica charged forward like a whirlwind.