Level Up Inquisitor [EN]: Chapter 173

173. Pursuit (2)

“I didn’t expect the Light Church to get involved at this point. I should have listened to Thatcher back then.”

Mute muttered, facing Eile.

Even if it were other forces, being pursued by the Light Church was a very troublesome matter for them.

“Well, it’s meaningless to say that now.”

Mute shrugged.

Eile, facing her, gripped his sword tightly and took a stance.

It was only recently that he learned she was one of the key figures of the Iron Cross.

She was a heretical mage who showed great talent and achievement in the field of forbidden magic, and was highly regarded within the organization.

Considering the power of forbidden magic, which easily surpasses the restrictions and limitations of ordinary magic, it was natural that she possessed great power.

‘But I can’t let her get away here.’

Being a key figure of the Iron Cross meant she also possessed a lot of information.

If he could capture her alive, she would reveal a considerable amount of information, and he might be able to find a way to wipe them out.

At the same time, according to information gleaned from other members, there were only a few mages who could freely use the magic power accumulated in the spirit stones.

A magic that only heretical mages with a very deep understanding of forbidden magic could use.

It was a highly difficult magic that only a few key figures, including Mute in front of him, could use at best.

That meant that just killing her could greatly suppress their activities.

“You’re thinking of taking me down right now, aren’t you?”

Mute asked with a smile.

“I’m sorry, but you shouldn’t think that you’re unilaterally hunting us. We’re also targeting each other.”

“It’s just a futile struggle.”

Eile scoffed and retorted.

The small Iron Cross and a church as large as the Light Church in the Warlord continent could not be compared.

There was an insurmountable difference in size between the two groups.

Moreover, for the Light Church, which had fought countless heretics and demons throughout its long history, it didn’t matter who they had on their side. [Referring to allies or support]

All they could do was simply resist to survive.

But Mute gave a confident smile.

“No, things will be over before that. Once the prince ascends to the throne, everything will be over.”

“What is that…….”

Sss!

Suddenly, a thick fog filled the center of the contaminated area.

The fog, which seemed like a normal phenomenon, gradually intensified, becoming so thick that the two standing not far apart could not see each other.

“By the way, shouldn’t you at least have some awareness that you’re an Executioner?” [Elite members of the Light Church, tasked with hunting heretics]

The highest position in the church, with only six members.

From the perspective of those at odds with the Light Church, they were bound to be a target.

It was as if she knew from the beginning that he would come.

However, Eile, who was not shaken, calmly deciphered the voice he heard.

In the fog where he couldn’t see an inch ahead, Eile, having grasped her location through the sound, immediately threw himself into the shadows.

Thwack!

The outstretched longsword pierced Mute’s heart in an instant.

“Kugh… You didn’t have to be so hasty. I sent it to see your face for the last time.”

Mute staggered, dripping with blood.

But there was an unknown smile on her lips.

“I wanted to take care of it myself, but something urgent came up…….”

As she continued to speak, her pronunciation gradually became slurred and her form collapsed.

Mute crumbled away like melting clay.

‘Was it a clone again?’

Eile quickly turned his gaze.

It didn’t seem like the spirit stone here had been recovered yet, and they wouldn’t just hand it over to him.

In other words, someone else was here in her place.

Kwaaaang!

As expected, the floor swelled up and a huge explosion occurred.

Eile quickly threw himself to avoid the explosion, and infused holy power into his raised longsword.

But the fact that his vision was not secured remained the same.

Even though an explosion had occurred, the thick fog did not budge.

Kiiiiiek!

A chilling cry was heard from within the fog.

Not just one, but the cries of many.

Monsters with grotesque appearances popped out of the fog, and Eile quickly raised his weapon and slashed at them.

But they weren’t weak enough to fall at once.

There were quite a few of them, rushing in from all directions without giving him a chance to catch his breath, and he barely managed to dodge them.

‘Is it a monster, not a person……? No, it must be a summon.’

Eile immediately grasped the situation.

The monsters rushing at him had many similarities to the summons of the Iron Cross member Thatcher, whom he had faced before.

Of course, the simple specs of the summons were incomparable to those at that time, but it seemed certain that they were monsters summoned through forbidden magic.

“There’s nothing easier than dealing with a blind man.”

A woman’s voice was heard from behind.

‘Found her!’

Eile, who immediately turned in the direction of the voice, rushed at her.

But what he faced there was not an Iron Cross mage, but a huge fireball flying at him from close range.

“Damn it!”

Kwaaaang!

Thanks to Eile’s quick reaction, he barely avoided a direct hit.

But he was blown away by the aftermath of the explosion and rolled across the floor, and he had to roll his body right away because of the monsters rushing at him without giving him a chance to lie down.

‘It wasn’t one, but two.’

He couldn’t even tell how many enemies there were because of the fog, but he figured out the number of opponents with the magic just now.

Clearly, the summoning of monsters was continuing without stopping.

But at the same time, a huge fireball flew in.

Dual casting, which prepares two skills at the same time, was impossible even for the most outstanding mage.

Even Riaz, who had monstrous talent in Eile’s party, couldn’t even dare to do that, so it was an area that should be considered absolutely impossible.

“Deploy detection magic.”

As he expected, there were two of them hiding in the fog.

Smoker, who used fog and summons, and IQ, who had high firepower and detection magic.

Both were members of the Iron Cross, and although they were not key figures, they possessed outstanding skills.

‘It’s definitely troublesome.’

Because of the monsters rushing in with a commotion, it was not easy to pinpoint the movements of the two mages.

The movements were as if they were very familiar with coordinating with each other, and this combination was certainly powerful enough.

‘But…….’

Thwack!

Eile, who had finished assessing the situation, fearlessly slashed through the monsters in the fog.

The rushing monsters fell one by one, and the fireballs fired by IQ also dodged while moving his body.

In the process, his stamina was somewhat reduced, but his body was already gradually adapting to the pattern.

In a situation where there was no field of vision, he dodged the rushing monsters and the magic aiming for his back with amazing reaction speed.

‘What a monster…….’

Even the Iron Cross mages couldn’t help but be surprised by his performance.

There were times when they were defeated by simply being overwhelmed by a strong enemy, but it was the first time they had seen an enemy with similar specs endure in such a way.

‘But that doesn’t change anything.’

It was true that Eile was fighting surprisingly well against them.

But that was all.

He was cutting down the rushing summons, but he couldn’t even pinpoint the location of the important mages.

And Smoker’s magic power, which was continuing the summoning, was more than enough.

Thanks to the superiority of forbidden magic, the price required for summoning was also low, and if it went to a long-term battle, only Eile, who was moving his body tremendously, would be exhausted.

The more time passed like this, the more advantageous it became for them.

As time went on, they thought that victory was certain.

Of course, that was just their delusion.

Kiiiiiek…….

The monsters that had suddenly started to back away hesitantly.

Surprisingly, they were so terrified that they couldn’t move.

Even though Eile, who had been slashing without rest, took a breath and lowered his sword slightly, they couldn’t move.

“W… What are you doing all of a sudden!”

Smoker, who was embarrassed, tried to urge the summons, but nothing changed.

“What’s wrong?”

“What the…….”

Smoker’s face was stained with embarrassment.

It was the first time he had experienced this since learning summoning magic.

His summons had never felt fear, but he couldn’t believe they were showing this appearance.

“Hoo, is the effect starting to show?”

Sss!

In the meantime, even the thick fog that filled the space gradually disappeared.

“Smoker, what are you doing!”

“Wh, what……!”

Even Smoker’s fog magic had been released.

He tried to concentrate to cast the magic again, but he belatedly realized that his arm was trembling.

Eile’s heroic skill, ‘Bloody Zealot’.

It was a passive that had the effect of inflicting fear and flinch on all enemies around him the more he cut down enemies.

The fear stats that had been gradually accumulated by cutting down the rushing monsters had accumulated tremendously, and even the summons that had fear resistance were frightened.

Even the summons were like that, so there was no need to talk about the same humans.

Even the maintenance of magic that required concentration was not possible, and the casting of new magic was not done properly because of the distracted mind.

“You guys chose the wrong opponent.”

Eile raised his sword in the clean room where the fog had disappeared.

Even if they summoned summons, it would be different if they were specialized in one-shot battles through attack skills.

In the case of those who focused on combat sustainability or simply dealing with numbers like them, Eile was nothing more than their natural enemy.

“D, damn it…….”

“Fall back!”

IQ, who pushed Smoker, who was in despair, raised his staff.

But she was no different.

In a situation where magic power was hardly gathered even if she squeezed her mind.

Her eyes, filled with fear, trembled precariously.

Thud!

She knelt on the floor, her whole body drained of strength.

“H… How did…….”

She was still trembling as if she couldn’t believe it.

The fear and flinch stats, which were very difficult to notice in advance, had accumulated endlessly, and even if they noticed it, it was already too late.

Tap!

Eile knocked away the staffs they were holding.

“There will be plenty of time to explain in the future. You’ll have to come with me.”

Unlike the external henchmen, these were direct members of the Iron Cross.

They were valuable informants to be sent to the Inquisitorial Office for a more professional and in-depth conversation.