Akeru activated his spell, but unlike usual, only his mana disappeared from a sensor's view.
"It is working. I can't sense any mana inside your body even when I insert my mana into you. For me, you are just looking like a mana-less kid." Ren nodded at him.
"Let me sum it up for a final check. This rune array allows me to use one part of that spell so that people can't tell if I have high amounts of mana, right?" Akeru asked.
"Yeah, though, you won't be able to use mana externally before willing it. That will take one second." Ren said solemnly.
This was the biggest danger when using this rune, since a second is an eternity in a magic knight fight.
"That's fine. I still can use internal mana, right?" Akeru smiled, reassuring Ren.
'As long as I don't encounter a Grand Magic Knight, nobody could kill me with my internal enhancements.'
"Anyway, I have work to do, Boss. It was fun meeting you, let's get together with the other two sometime in the future."
"Sure. See ya." Akeru waved as he watched Ren disappear from his sight.
'It's not like they are unreasonable to an extreme. What's the worst that could happen?'
"It's about time I start this mission." Akeru tilted his head, looking at the sky.
"Forgive me, Lord Malgeth, for the sins I am about to make."
---
Location - Somewhere in Ashspire.
"So... I just walk to the other side?" Akeru asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
"Yes, to prove that you don't have any ill intentions towards Lord Malgeth. Sounds Easy, Right? After all, you did say that you are a devout follower of Lord Malgeth," The old man wearing a white robe with stripes said with an easy smile.
However, contrary to his face, his eyes carried a dangerous glint.
"This is to prevent spies and heretics from entering our sacred circle. Go prove yourself."
Akeru resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
'Didn't think they would have preventive measures for people like me. Tch, this rune array is pretty complicated too.'
"This arr— rune array?" Akeru put on the most innocent, curious expression.
"Haha, this is beyond the understanding of lost lambs like you. But I will entertain you. When you walk through this path, your mana will be completely blocked. I wasn't supposed to say this as it was a surprise for those heretics who will find themselves to be powerless as they die, but it won't matter even if you know. It's not like you could escape from here."
'If I want, I could slaughter everyone here without the whole Ashspire none the wiser.' Akeru almost retorted.
"It's not like I am a spy or anything. Also, it's beyond a person like me who has so little mana to escape this place, not like I have any intention or anything."
'Let's create a backup plan for what I am going to do. It's a bit risky, but not that high anyway.' A determined glint appeared on Akeru's face as he moved.
Sisilli
Fire crackled as Akeru took his first step.
'Bystander's Indifference.'
All emotion left Akeru—inside and out.
'I need to reach the other side.' That was the only thought in Akeru's mind at that time.
Step.
He took another step.
And then another.
Before he knew it, he was across—unscathed
"As expected, you didn't even bat an eye. You are qualified to be an Emberchild. I do have talent for gauging people, don't I?"
"I guess," Akeru only smiled in response.
'You do have talent. Talent whose consequences will be something... something that you won't forget.'
"Anyway, I will give you a tour. Moreover, it's almost as if it is fate that you joined today. It is the third day of the Annual Rebirth Festival— the most important day. You will see the most devoted followers of Lord Malgeth receiving the gifts from Lord himself. Let's go."
'Coincidence. I am not so sure. Though I did plan to enter today, the fact that the whole thing occurred around when this festival was going to happen is kind of suspicious. Or am I being paranoid?'
"Gifts?"
"You will see."
They walked in silence before they reached a cathedral-like building.
Akeru felt a warm tingling on his skin.
"Hot."
"It is in starting. You will get used to it." He opened the door, entering before Akeru followed.
Akeru's eyes widened in disbelief at the scene in front of him.
A man, with a smile, was saying some prayers while his entire body was on fire.
However, unlike what happened to Akeru a few minutes ago, his body was getting charred with each passing second, skin melting and at some parts, even bone visible.
Akeru watched the scene unfold, and at some point, he had activated 'Bystander's Indifference' to prevent himself from puking.
The man's entire body turned into ash as he died with a smile on his face.
"Did you see that? It's the greatest honour for a follower to get this reward. He would remain in eternity with the lord. I am almost jealous."
To Akeru's surprise, he did notice an envious gaze on the old man.
'Crazy. All of them are crazy. I better leave quickly after I am done before I get affected by their craziness.'
Akeru made up his mind as he tuned out whatever old man was saying.
He watched 4 more people burn like this before the old clergy decided that it was time to move on to a different place.
"This is the place where funerals take place. As you already know, it's a sin to cremate bodies. You must burn them with fire blessed by the lord to send your loved ones to the afterlife."
Akeru watched bodies tied to crosses burn.
He looked around and then remembered something.
'30 Percent of people in Ashveil die due to lung-related diseases, neglected by the system.'
'I think I am starting to understand why.'
"This is where confessions take place. Lord Malgeth is quite a forgiving god. He—"
"UHHHHHHHHH, Please NO. I am ready to repent, but I don't want to die. AHhhhh" A man could be seen burned alive as he got dragged by a nun to a private room.
"Sometimes that happens. Confessions generally took place in the hall, with special-case confessions like those taking place there."
"Oh." Akeru made an O Symbol with his mouth.
'Forgiving my ass. I wonder what they call a sin to get such a punishment.'
"What is it?"
"What did that person commit?"
"Curious? Let's check that out." The old man walked towards the room where that man was taken.
Another nun was standing outside, who conversed with the old man.
"He tricked a nun and slept with her."
"Tricked?"
"I don't know the details, but he must have deceived her. To lose purity for a nun makes them ineligible to be a nun anymore. How blasphemous."
"Blashphemeous indeed."
'Tricked? He didn't use force. So, I don't think it's that big of a deal; then again, I don't know the whole story. My bias against these crazy guys is interfering with my judgement.'
Akeru excused himself, claiming he needed the washroom and got rid of the old man trailing him.
He soon found a place where records were present.
"Kid, this place is belo—"
Thump.
The guard's eyes rolled back as his entire body fell.
'I needed access. Didn't know where it was until now.'
Akeru quickly started going through various sections to get information on one person— Leon.
He soon came across a record with everybody who had served the church in the last century.
'Leon Berserk? No.'
'Leon Chesire.'
'Leon Escarte.'
'What's with so many Leon's? Then again, this spans 20 percent of the Clover Kingdom over the last century.'
He soon scrolled to the section with "R".
'Thank god that there is only one guy with that name.'
Akeru soon flipped through all the info about him from the church's perspective.
Despite a lot of things being cryptic due to it being recorded like that, Akeru, with his basic deciphering skills, could get a gist of it.
"T—Fuck" Akeru cursed as he closed his eyes, thinking about everything that he had witnessed since he had arrived.
'Does Noel know? No, he must know, with his skill set and how much time has passed, this was inevitable. So, if he knows, then what would he do? He has so much power now, if he wanted to do something to the church, he could do it without getting caught... Wait! Today is that festival. The same day, Leon died. He is going to do something today.'
CLICK
Akeru removed his restraints and blitzed through the church's headquarters without any care.
'The problem is that even if I know he is going to make a move, I don't know where? Ashveil in its entirety is big. I need Finral-senpai's help. I hope he is done with his spell.'
***
A/n- Guys, we are at 21 Powerstones... Well, I will throw an offer. If we reach 60 Powerstones before 24 hours, then a double release tomorrow.
***
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