Chapter 59: Fluttering Ashes (5)

The Huayans patriarch watched the approaching hand before suddenly recalling the title the Pope of the Church of the Fire of Purification used to address Cale.

The Purifier.

The Pope and the church were treating Cale Henituse like a god.

However, the Huayans patriarch remembered the information about this person.

'I don't know about the other patriarch bastards, but I definitely read it!'

He made himself remember even the smallest bits of information because he believed that he always needed to be one step ahead.

According to that information, this Cale Henituse had stopped that test subject, the White Star, but he was just a regular person who got lucky and gathered multiple ancient powers. He was someone who was trash in the past.

'…No. That information could have been lies.'

All the information he had about this person had been wrong until now.

All sorts of thoughts filled his mind after realizing that everything he knew had been wrong.

'This bastard has such an amazing power. Maybe he really will purify all of my dead mana and turn my body into that of a regular person. Maybe he will take away my powers as a black mage and make me a powerless and useless regular person.'

In that case…

'Am I even able to stop this bastard?'

Even if he overloaded, it was highly likely that they would be evenly matched.

'Then what about my followers? Would my entire faction be able to stop this bastard and his friends?'

It was at that moment.

Boom-!

Cale's hand stopped. He calmly commented.

"They're fast."

The Huayans patriarch turned to look.

He had the same thought as well.

'…So fast.'

The black skeleton snake's head fell to the ground.

The black bone was cleanly cut.

The large snake's body then leaned to one side.

Boooooooooooooooom-!

There were strong rumblings as the fallen black skeleton snake's body twitched. It seemed to be trying everything it could to move again.

However, a large black Dragon descended on top of it.

Boom-!

The black Dragon stomped on the twitching headless black skeleton snake and calmly lowered its head.

A person stepped down to the ground from the head of the Dragon.

It was Choi Han.

Chh.

He shook his sword and the dust on his blade scattered.

"Mary, we don't have time to rest."

Choi Han looked into the sparkling eyes of the black Dragon before looking around the plaza.

Amidst the citizens of the Empire who were running away…

The Hunters, the subordinates of the Huayans patriarch, were also running away.

"Wow, amazing!"

Zero commented leisurely before approaching Choi Han. Choi Han slightly frowned after turning his head.

"What's wrong? Isn't it cool?"

Zero's entire body was covered in blood.

He was not injured at all. He was covered in other people's blood.

"Keke. You guys, all of you are strong."

Zero's pupils were shaking.

"Very strong."

Choi Han looked away after seeing the slightly crazed look in Zero's eyes.

He had no time to pay attention to this guy.

"What is the current situation?"

He simply spoke to gather information about the current situation.

"Ugh! I thought you were an innocent little bastard, but you are the most intense."

Zero responded cheekily before moving his blood-covered disheveled head back. His gray eyes headed down to the black skeleton snake that was slowly stopping its movements underneath the black Dragon.

"The church and Imperial Princess Olivia decided to focus on evacuating the civilians. A portion of the forces will then head to the Imperial Palace with Imperial Princess Olivia at the center."

Zero pointed to himself.

"And we are hunting the Hunters. The battle-focused believers are with us as well."

"And the Pope?"

He did not see the Pope nor priest Durst.

"I am here because I have a message to deliver regarding that."

There had been a reason that Zero, who had been fighting like a crazed maniac, had approached Choi Han and Mary.

"All of the Hunters ran away to the Huayans' Estate. Their plan seems to gather there to fight."

"…And?"

"A lot of civilians would get injured if we fight here. The surrounding area will also turn into a mess. We decided to gather them in one area before fighting them."

Zero let out a short sigh.

"We were able to handle most of the Huayans' forces. However, those Hunter bastards were very strong. We could not deal with excessively strong individuals such as the sword master."

"They also ran away?"

"Yes. I think there must be something in the Huayans Estate they need to protect."

Zero reached his hand toward Choi Han and Mary.

"So, come with me, and let's fight together. I'm sorry I have to ask this of you, but I hope you guys can handle their sword master and other strong individuals."

"Did they suddenly run away?"

"No."

Zero pointed toward the platform.

"They started running the moment the Huayans patriarch was captured by our esteemed Purifier. We would have had a lot of casualties if they had not done so."

He snickered before smiling.

"They must have thought it was a lost cause and ran off after seeing their leader in such dire straits."

"No…"

"Huh?"

Choi Han shook his head.

Zero's face stiffened after seeing the look on Choi Han's face.

"…Why do you have such an expression on your face?"

Mary had already reached her hand toward the black Dragon as he asked in confusion.

The black Dragon flapped its wings again as it prepared to fly up once more.

"Zero."

Choi Han's voice was low.

"The Hunters are not running away."

Although he had not gotten a thorough look, Choi Han had seen a sword master, as well as an archer and a martial artist of similar strength.

Of course, there were different levels among sword masters so none of them were strong enough that Choi Han was scared of losing to them.

However, if it were Hunters who were so strong…

"They just need to make an offering of karma."

Then they could run away.

They could go to a different dimension.

That act of offering karma was the thing Cale and his group was most worried about.

Things would become complicated if they ran away to a different dimension.

'Cale-nim definitely told the church members to immediately do whatever they needed to do to stop any Hunter who talked about making an offering of karma and reporting it to him.'

In that case, these Hunters who were supposedly running away-

"They are not running."

They were heading into the Huayans' Estate?

'Then there is something there!'

Choi Han had looked around the Estate with Aphei.

'But there might be something that Aphei doesn't know, something only the Hunters know about!'

It was something that would make them move as soon as the Huayans patriarch was captured by Cale!

'This is not good.'

He had a bad feeling about this.

"Mary, I will go report this."

"I understand. I will immediately head to the Estate."

"Huh, huh? What the hell?"

Zero flailed around. However, the black Dragon had already grabbed him by his back and flew up.

Choi Han watched Mary head toward the Estate before quickly heading to the platform.

Cale. He thought he should report the situation to Cale.

Choi Han then saw Cale clutching Reddock Huayans' hair.

The hand that was grabbing the patriarch's hair had a rose gold light that looked as if it would melt everything away surrounding it.

"U, ugh-"

Reddock Huayans couldn't help but groan.

His eyes were trying to look at the top of his head. He was trying to look at Cale's hand that was clutching his hair.

Cale spoke in a gentle tone.

"Reddock Huayans. Don't worry."

A warm smile appeared on his face.

"I don't have any intentions of killing you. I will definitely keep you alive."

"...!"

Reddock scowled. Cale's smile became even wider. No, it became brighter.

'I can't kill him. I have so many things to ask.'

Cale had quite a lot of things to ask the Huayans patriarch.

Why did they attack the Roan Kingdom?

What happened to the king?

Why did they burn down the Duke's Estate and what did they do with the first young lady and the youngest young lady?

Cale continued to clutch the Huayans patriarch's hair as he whispered in a gentle voice.

"I will definitely take you around with me."

'Along with the Blood Cult's Number 7.'

Shaaaaaaa-

The Huayans patriarch's white light was disappearing with the wind.

Instead, white ashes that were fluttering out of the rose gold light filled the air above the plaza.

– Human, you have that reliable smile on your face again!

Cale ignored Raon's voice as he commented.

His face was stoic again.

"Should we try it now?"

Crackle.

A current crackled as Cale let go of the patriarch's white hair. His hand slowly moved toward the patriarch's shoulder which had become dyed black.

"...!"

The Huayans patriarch's eyes were full of astonishment and fear, yet they could not look away from the approaching rose gold light. Furthermore, he felt suffocated by Cale's presence which was pressuring him.

Crack.

"Ugh!"

A current flowing out of the rose gold light slightly touched his shoulder.

The Huayans patriarch opened his mouth.

"S, stop-!"

Cale stealthily smiled as the patriarch shouted.

– Cale, you got him.

He slightly nodded his head at the Super Rock's comment.

– Human, gramps said he finished looting the tomb! He said he teleported all of the jiangshis! As expected, Goldie gramps and the timid Aphei are both amazing!

He listened to Raon's report and…

Warmly asked the patriarch.

"Why? It is good to be purified. Hmm?"

"You, you crazy bastard-!"

Reddock's eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Do you think that I don't know your scheme?!"

'It sure feels like you don't.'

"I will no longer be fooled by your wicked schemes of hiding your strength!"

'…See? He still doesn't know.'

"I will never tell you anything even if you purify me! And do you really think that everything will be over once you kill me?! Keke."

Reddock quietly chuckled as the corners of his lips twisted up.

"The plans for the ritual are already starting! Although I may die, this world will perish!"

Cale then heard Choi Han's voice.

"Cale-nim!"

He looked at Cale's back as he spoke.

"The Hunters are apparently running away to the Huayans' Estate! Our allies seem to be planning on gathering the Hunters there before fighting again, but I think that something is weird!"

"Kekeke-"

Reddock laughed.

"Although I may be weaker than you, you should not have looked down on our tenacity."

He smiled at Cale. He seemed to be sneering.

"The black tree. Did you really think that was the end? Kehehehe-!"

He looked at the black vines binding him as he shouted.

"This entire land needs to be dyed black in order to destroy the world!"

Boooooooom-!!

An intense rumbling that could not be compared to any of the rumblings until now shook the entire capital.

– Human!

Cale heard Raon's shocked voice.

"…Shit...!"

Choi Han let out a deep groan.

Something black had shot up from what seemed to be the Huayans' Estate.

It resembled mud.

It was a large black thing that he could not make out properly. Just seeing it made him feel discomfort and dread.

Most importantly, it was extremely large.

That black thing continued to shoot up.

It looked as if a large hill was being created in real-time.

No, it was not a hill, but more like a mountain.

That mountain slowly turned toward the Imperial Palace and continued to grow larger.

"Reddock Huayans."

The patriarch smiled after hearing Cale calling out to him in a low voice.

'I can finally see this bastard's shocked face!'

"That black thing, there are more of them, aren't there?"

"Kekeke, that's right! Those things will start moving from all around this world very soon!"

Aphei did not know about this. She was not a Hunter, but rather just a pawn for the Hunters.

The patriarch realized that Cale was the one who had infiltrated his place. As a result, he wanted to see what kind of reaction Cale would have as Cale would have not expected something like this at all.

"Our original plan would have done this later, but we had no choice thanks to you!"

Those things would start from the Huayans Estate and activate in order.

The black tree was a practice round for this. These black things in all sorts of shapes and sizes would start moving.

The twisted smile disappeared from Reddock's face as he shouted.

"This world will face destruction quickly thanks to you bastards! Even if you are able to purify enough to create that white sand desert! Even if you are able to suppress me! You can't stop that!"

He sneered at Cale who had looked down at him.

"You can't look down on 300 years of work. There is so much we have prepared in that time."

And…

"Even you should not be able to stop everything in this world! All of them will start moving in one hour! Kahahaha- ugh!"

Reddock stopped laughing.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh—!"

He screamed.

Crackle!

His shoulder was grabbed by Cale's hand and covered in rose gold light.

"Man, you are so loud."

Cale calmly commented while looking at Choi Han.

"I'm going to knock this bastard out. Make sure he can't do anything."

"…Will you head over, Cale-nim?"

Cale was silent for a moment after hearing Choi Han ask in a quiet voice.

– Cale, that black thing looks dangerous.

The Fire of Destruction commented.

– Those black things will start to move from different locations all around this world in one hour. We don't have much time.

The Super Rock commented as well before the cheapskate chimed in again.

– But the conditions to get rid of those black things shouldn't be that hard. We are omnipotent here! Khahahaha! What do you think, Cale?

The cheapskate shouted in a crazed voice.

– We will really burn an entire continent! Kahahahahahahaha!

Cale nonchalantly commented to Raon, who was no longer invisible, and Choi Han, who was looking at him.

"I'll be back soon."

Raon let out a sigh.

"…Human, it has been a while since you last fainted and coughed up blood."

Cale started to frown.

"I won't faint and I won't cough up blood either."

The white sand desert was a case of using more power than necessary to purify the black tree.

He only needed to use fifty percent of his strength to release 2,500 percent worth of power.

However, what he needed right now was precisely and quickly destroying a specific target.

That was why Cale's plan was to use as little power as possible to create the best result.

It was at that moment.

"Pfft."

"...!"

This was the first time Cale saw Raon smiling at him with one corner of his lips twisted up.

"I mean it."

"Pfft."

Raon chuckled again as if he did not believe Cale.

Cale's pupils shook for the first time since coming to this world.

"…Raon is slowly becoming more and more like you, Cale-nim."

Choi Han tightly tied up the unconscious Reddock Huayans as he commented with a sigh.

"Anyways, let's hurry, Cale-nim."

"…Uhh… Yeah, we should."

Cale felt something was weird, but he hurried to the Huayans' Estate for now.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]