ALL NOVEL chapter 53
53. Priest Yai-ba 4
The sound of inhalation roars.
Boom!
It’s coming again!
He bends his knees, pulling back to evade, but Gildia lunges forward.
Having gained distance, yet discarding that reach?
I don’t understand; what he said just now contradicts everything.
Boom!
The combined force unleashes a blow even stronger than before.
Even when parrying with his sword, he is pushed back by the momentum.
And in the tremendous shock, he sees a flicker of memories.
◇◇◇
I never thought I could live a normal life.
I was born as the son of a priest.
My father, the priest, was a scoundrel.
In the holy city, there are two types of people: those who deceive and those who are deceived. I am surely one of the deceived.
Until I turned fifteen, I had never actually seen my father. Though he was an assistant priest, he was lost in women and power, immersed day and night in power struggles, paying no mind to me.
One day, while training to become a knight, I had no particular reason for wanting to be a knight; perhaps I just wanted to understand this country. I got injured during training, and blood dripped onto my sword.
The guide who witnessed it was greatly astonished.
After all, the forged sword had gained a brilliance akin to that of a magical blade, acquiring a sharpness and strength that seemed to be infused with a core.
It was then that my father came to see me for the first time.
A priest with a protruding belly, precious metals visible from beneath his clothing.
Ah, to think that such blood flows through my veins… I was suddenly filled with dread.
It was not merely a figment of my imagination.
“You are my son, and the power that resides within you shall be put to good use.”
His voice was persistently unsettling, much like that of a poison dart frog.
From that point on, it was hell.
I was confined in an unknown room, my hair torn out, my blood drained. It seemed I possessed the ability to enhance the capabilities of weapons to their limits.
Utilizing that, I began to create ritual implements.
At first, I merely enhanced the abilities of the implements I possessed. But whether it was a moment of madness or a calculated plan, I began to deceive others by passing off ordinary magical tools as ritual implements. My father gained fame through this and rose to the rank of priest.
I think I spent a long time underground.
Perhaps around three years; having not moved, my flesh had withered, my bones protruded, and my face had become gaunt.
As usual, the door opened, and I thought I would be subjected to more torment, but there stood a woman.
“You look terrible… Do you have any awareness left?”
With her blonde hair, she somehow evoked a sense of protectiveness, yet
In her eyes was a spirit that could be described as both spirited and unyielding.
She approached me, raised her hand, and a dazzling light burst forth, healing my wounds.
“…I can’t heal old scars, but I’ve mended what I could.”
Then, I heard a sound of destruction from outside.
“Hey! Elcia! Stop wasting time and help out! These guys have some uselessly good stuff, so it’s a hassle!!”
From outside, I felt an intense heat. Even the underground, which should have been chilly, became warm.
“Hotch is too hasty… I’ll call for help, so just wait here.”
After that, the sounds of destruction echoed, and when silence fell,
Several healers appeared and took me to the church.
After receiving treatment and completing rehabilitation,
I decided to repay the girl named Elcia who had saved me. For I was liberated from the curse of my father, and for the first time in my life, I had a goal (a wish).
I trained diligently, honing my skills to become a knight, and the girl I met was different.
Truly, she could be called a spokesperson for the divine.
—
Yet I relentlessly sought to repay
Using this power that I found so detestable
◇◇◇
“Ugh!”
A shock pierces through my body; the pain in my shoulder does not let me lose consciousness, though I have already lost a great deal of blood.
With a single hand, I covered…
Gooo
The giant mantis clicks its scythes before its prey, the sound of inhalation echoing.
“Now, let’s deliver the finishing blow; when you wake up, it will all be over.”
It’s coming!
This sword cannot defend against it; the wall of high temperature is
Blocked just as the words say, strong against that woman’s heat.
Perhaps the magic itself possesses such a nature.
“Saint… I’m sorry, I cannot repay you.”
With the final released strike, I completely lose consciousness.
◇◇◇
Gildia removes the gauntlet, reverting to a knuckle duster.
“Hah… hah… haah…!”
Breathing heavily.
This magical tool has a significant flaw.
It consumes a vast amount of magical power.
The earlier strike was like a high-quality bullet created by magic.
Thus, it is designed for short, decisive battles that consume a large amount of magical energy.
“I am fast.”
Using the already dwindling magical power, I dash forward, enhanced by my body.
I couldn’t win without using it, but if I used it, I would be unable to participate in the fight.
I had saved it as a trump card, but without it, I would have surely lost.
With frustration in my heart, Gildia ran.