chapter 92
92. Heater
“I’m very sorry about earlier.”
“We didn’t know you were a real warrior……”
“How can we apologize to you?”
The Paladins bowed their heads to Joo-in.
Priest Jalman had gone to meet the Saintess, and in his place, the remaining Paladins came to apologize to Joo-in.
It seemed that the incident earlier was weighing on their minds.
However, the direction the Paladins were bowing in was strange.
“Hey. That’s not the right way.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. Lord Joo-in.”
“No matter how I look at it, this person seems more real……. Did you say your name was Leo?”
“This silver hair is exactly the same as the person the Saintess told us about……”
The Paladins glanced at each other, looking embarrassed.
Dae-ho snickered as if their expressions were funny.
“Anyone can tell that he’s the warrior.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s handsome.”
Look at this kid?
Of course, Leo looked like a hero.
Anyone can see that he is handsome and has the unique atmosphere of a hero…
“For the time being, you’re acting like a villain boss.”
This kid?
‘Even so, I’m the one holding the holy sword.’
These guys were discriminating against people based on their appearance.
However, the protagonist’s companions thought differently.
“I’m on your side.”
“I think Lord Joo-hyeon is a hero, Your Majesty.”
“I agree, Lord Joo-hyeon.”
“Yeah. You’re better than that pale, lanky guy.”
Karahan, Haken, Olson, and Daedo were there, too.
Of course, among the new characters, there were some who believed in Joo-hyeon.
Unlike the priests, she was a woman.
“Mister, I still think you’re a hero.”
“Who are you calling mister?”
She was the little girl that Priest Jarman had left behind.
To be exact, she was a child who had persuaded Priest Jarman and stayed on her own.
“Were you planning to join the fake hero’s party?”
“Priest Jarman told me to.”
She was a junior priest.
However, Joo-hyeon could tell right away.
‘…This is the next saintess.’
You can tell just by looking at her face.
Those around her or herself were not aware of it at all, but she was a person who would awaken as a saintess with overwhelming power.
It was also the main quest of the Sun Temple.
Even the popes did not know her true identity, but they knew why Jarman had tried to attach her to the fake hero’s party.
‘Because this guy can understand and handle the language of beasts.’
Depending on her growth, it was also possible for her to use the divine beast.
So Jarman’s purpose was obvious.
‘Were you planning to give the fake hero a divine beast instead of the holy sword?’
Of course, no matter how much of a saintess she is, it is difficult to awaken the divine beast.
So, he might have tried to attach a divine beast that was similar to the divine beast.
Because the symbols of the hero were the holy sword and the divine beast.
If the divine beast followed her around, it would have seemed plausible.
In fact, it was almost certain from the information he had heard from Daedo through the Knight King.
– It seems that the temple is looking for a divine beast. They said that even if it looks a little similar, they don’t care if it’s a divine beast or a demon beast. It seems that they have judged that it is virtually impossible for a human to obtain a divine beast.
‘But I have that impossible divine beast.’
It is currently in a state of darkness, so no one here knows that it is here.
That’s not all.
I didn’t have to worry about other guys taking it away.
Animals have an instinct to <imprint> the first person they see when they’re born as their parent.
‘The same goes for the Heavenly Dragon. Since I was the first one it saw, it’s supposed to follow me like a parent.’
They never go against their parent’s will.
That’s why the Demon Tribe worked so hard to get their hands on a Heavenly Dragon.
Once they <imprint> on someone, they can ignore their instinct to follow the Hero.
In short, the Temple is doing something they shouldn’t be doing.
But what Joo-in found strange was something else.
‘Why me, not Leo?’
Joo-in looked at the young priestess.
She had stayed here after arguing with Priest Zalman.
Priest Zalman had scolded her in shock.
-What do you mean you’re staying here! Surely you don’t think that’s the real Hero?
-That’s what I think.
-You fool…! With Lord Leon gone, the Cardinal won’t leave you alone!
-Shouldn’t you be the one thinking more clearly, Priest Zalman?
-What? You insolent…! Fine. Do whatever you want, even if it kills you!
Actually, Joo-in thought she had stayed because of Leo.
But wasn’t she actually sticking close to Joo-in? She glanced at Leo, but she seemed to believe in Joo-in more.
That’s what was strange.
‘Aren’t priestesses supposed to be drawn to the Hero?’
Technically, Leo was still the Hero.
But that wasn’t important right now.
‘It’s about time I showed up.’
That was because the guy I thought would show up before I got to the Duchy hadn’t appeared.
But then it happened.
Screech-.
Suddenly, the Heavenly Dragon rubbed its face against Joo-in and wailed. Its eyes were bloodshot.
The Great Mage was so surprised that he jumped off the carriage.
“Enemy!”
Joo-in’s eyes also flashed.
‘Yup. I knew you’d show up, you bastard.’
Soon, a man appeared in front of the carriage.
Black robe.
Black mask with a red pattern.
I couldn’t see his face properly.
Olsen shouted angrily at the sight of him.
“Who are you! How dare you block our path when you see the crest of the carriage?”
The carriage bore the crests of the Edmer family and the Hero.
“If you weren’t a demon, you wouldn’t even dare to block us! How can you commit such an unholy act in the North!”
Then, the man who had been hiding his face spoke.
“My name is Shaska. An interrogator from the Temple of the Sun.”
“……!?”
Everyone’s faces, except Joo-Yeon’s, hardened.
They knew the danger that the three letters ‘interrogator’ held.
An entity that punishes on behalf of the temple.
Superhumans of the Eight Temples.
Even if their pure divine power was inferior to that of the cardinals, they were combat specialists whose combat abilities were comparable to even the pope.
Even a knight like Olson couldn’t help but tremble at his voice.
“Why is an interrogator…”
Blocking the carriage? Can’t you tell when you look?
Joo-Yeon chuckled lightly.
As expected.
A cold voice flowed from the mouth of interrogator Shaska.
“Because you killed Lord Leon.”
“Lord Leon?”
“Surely… the fake hero? Did you come here to avenge his death?”
“That’s right.”
As soon as he finished speaking, murderous intent gushed out.
It was a dangerous murderous intent that one wouldn’t believe came from a figure of the temple.
However, Joo-Yeon’s face remained calm.
He had heard the news of the interrogator from the priest’s mouth beforehand.
‘Of course, I expected a hunting dog to come out.’
It was a matter related to the son of a cardinal, who could be called the head of the Eight Temples. It was a ploy to shut the mouths of witnesses.
There were often such cases in the game, so he knew it very well.
‘I needed the item the interrogator has anyway. This works out well.’
At that moment, the interrogator lifted an object in his arms.
A round medallion with the crest of the Temple of the Sun.
Soon, light poured out of the medallion and pointed at Leo.
“You’re the one.”
That was what Joo-Yeon needed.
[Mark of the Sun]
It was an item with an effect similar to the ‘Mark of Death’ that his former comrade, ‘Death’, used to cast.
The Mark of Death chases its target until they die.
However, if you cast the Mark of the Sun on someone, you can identify the location of the culprit who harmed them.
You can’t escape anywhere under the sun.
However, Joo-Yeon also knew another way to use it.
‘If you use it on your opponent, you can track the target as long as the sun is up.’
It can also be used for .
The disadvantage of Reflection is that you can’t attack if your opponent loses their will to fight and runs away.
But with this, no matter where the demon runs, I can definitely catch it.
Finding the interrogator was a problem, but I could say that I had less to do because he came to me on his own.
‘He’s definitely strong. Leo can’t handle him right now.’
He was the kind of strong guy who could handle most demons by himself.
Of course, Joo-eun could handle him.
‘I have <Reflection>.’
Whether he knew that or not, Leo took a step forward as if he felt a little sorry.
It seemed like he was concerned about getting into trouble.
“Don’t interfere. This is my problem.”
“Of course, human! It’s not like I did anything wrong. Can I help you fight?”
“……”
Joo-eun only had to get the item.
But Leo shook his head.
He couldn’t understand Joo-eun’s way of thinking at all.
Then he took out his sword.
So did the interrogator.
Instead, Joo-eun said.
“By the way, do you know that he has the hero’s seal? Just in case.”
No matter how much of an interrogator he is, he can’t harm the hero.
That would be the same as negating the very existence of the Eight Great Temples.
Then the interrogator chuckled.
“I’m not here as an interrogator right now. I’m here to avenge my master.”
With those words, the interrogator attacked Leo.
Joo-eun was very satisfied.
‘Yes, that’s what you should do.’
At that moment, Leo and the interrogator’s swords clashed.
Clang!
At that moment, Joo-eun secretly used <Reflection> while pinching his hand.
[Please select a target]
[<Hero Leo>, <Interrogator Shaska>, <Seed Haken>]
At the same time, an invisible force tormented the interrogator.
Crackle!
Pain rose from various parts of the interrogator’s body. Joo-eun secretly stabbed himself with a knife and stabbed his eyes.
Unaware of this, the interrogator gritted his teeth.
“This vicious bastard. You’re attacking me so despicably!”
“What the…”
“Do you think I wouldn’t know an invisible attack?”
It was actually fun to watch Leo’s expression of injustice.
Dae-do glanced at Joo-eun, who was watching with his arms crossed.
“I don’t know, did you do it?”
“How could I?”
“You…are you enjoying this situation? Aren’t you?”
“How could I-“
Joo-Yeon glanced at the interrogator and Leo.
In fact, there was no other reason he had made the two confront each other.
‘I’ve roughly confirmed Leo’s abilities. He’s faster than I thought, but it’s within my expectations.’
But that’s why it’s more regrettable.
Joo-Yeon, an experienced veteran, could tell.
‘This guy is not an ordinary guy.’
He was still growing, but he had overwhelming specs among the guys of the Valentino family.
It made sense because he was a combination of Ryu-Jin and Leo, who were considerable even alone.
Maybe he could become stronger than himself in the end. Of course, that was excluding Ban-Ya.
‘Anyway, there are more than one or two strange things, like the fact that he has Ryu-Jin’s face, who is already dead.’
One thing for sure was that he could achieve something if he used this guy properly.
‘It would be good to make him an ally before he becomes stronger than me.’
Soon, Leo bounced off.
Leo’s mouth was roughened by the attack of an opponent who was stronger than he thought.
“You call yourself an interrogator. Did you just flap your lips like that?”
Oh! Good! You were a guy who could do it if you tried.
Ryu-Jin was too kind, and there were more than one or two times when he almost got angry.
That’s why Joo-Yeon deliberately added fuel to the fire.
“That’s how those guys are. They talk big, but they don’t have the skills.”
The interrogator twitched his eyebrows at Joo-Yeon’s words.
It was a look that was properly stimulated.
“Indeed. Beheading him like this would not be an apology to the master.”
The interrogator raised his hand.
Then, a tremendous amount of divine power soared into the sky.
Kwaaang!
The paladins and the candidate for the saintess recognized its identity.
“That…that’s our temple’s highest sacred law?”
“It’s Eternal Flame! Run away!”
[Eternal Flame]
It was the highest sacred law of the Temple of the Sun, a technique to create another sun.
It’s not as hot as the real sun.
However, it was a sacred law with such powerful firepower that it could be considered comparable to it.
It was a large-scale technique that the Temple of the Sun was proud of.
It was a force befitting the intention to kill all witnesses.
In fact, even Leo was resisting the aura of the sun with the aura of the moon.
The sun and the moon were incompatible.
So I can endure it.
And Jooyeon knew.
Many warriors die like this.
But Jooyeon smiled.
‘Yeah, this much is worth it for the attack to work.’
He stepped out as if he had been waiting for this much.
“Who turned on the heater when it’s already so hot!”
Jooyeon jumped up.
And a giant sun struck his body.
[<Reflection> activated]
He could not identify the enemy behind the giant sun, but it did not matter.
His <Reflection> could reflect the attack right back at the opponent.
Kuaaak!