"Hmm?"
Archbishop Latius, who was concentrating, suddenly lifted his head and looked around.
He felt a faint energy around him.
"Your Eminence? Is there a problem?"
The knight standing next to him in the escort asked cautiously.
He seemed to sense nothing unusual.
"No, nothing at all. Continue on."
Right now, he was in the midst of an important task—maintaining a large-scale invisibility spell until the elite force opposing the Immortal King's descendant approached.
And preparing for the possibility of the enemy escaping through spatial teleportation.
He couldn't afford to be distracted by anything else.
The encirclement was perfect, and they were prepared for spatial teleportation.
If the surprise attack succeeded, their chances of victory would increase even more.
***
Even after receiving information from the familiars, I couldn't identify the opponent's identity. Understandable, since there was no visible form.
The trigger of encountering a human seemed to have activated purely based on the animals' instincts.
The opponent was a human.
'Can hide the approach of all personnel from all directions? Can hide their energy to avoid detection by magic?'
It was someone who had thoroughly prepared to capture him.
'Who is it? Brokolak? Or the Oath of Reversal? How did they find out that I'm here?'
Understanding the situation was urgent.
Although I could disappear at any time with reverse summoning, avoiding the problem wasn't a solution.
'I need to find out who and how they pinpointed my location. I need to know the cause to prepare.'
This time, I was lucky to have noticed first, but interference during crucial moments in other situations could complicate matters even further.
'Prepare and gather information about them while buying time.'
I quickly returned to the cave.
It wasn't very deep, but it was better than being ambushed from all sides unexpectedly.
And a brief moment later.
Creak—
All the various barriers surrounding me shattered in an instant.
At the same time, I felt the presence of those who had discarded their invisibility.
'Huh? What is this energy?'
A powerful and tingling force.
The force opposing Hans's dark magic.
'Not a dark wizard or a vampire, right? Could this be holy power?'
Clank, clank.
While I was still bewildered, knights clad in white armor entered the cave.
"We finally caught the tail. The descendant of the Immortal King, Hans! You can no longer escape!"
The middle-aged knight at the forefront shouted, pointing his sword at me.
'That emblem... the Sacred Order? Are these knights of the Order?'
It was the symbol Heinz II learned during his education in the clan.
Be cautious of the Order's holy power and opposition.
Especially the aura from the leading Paladin was no less intense than the NobleBlood vampire I encountered not long ago.
Considering the opposition of the opposing attributes, they would be even more formidable.
[Underlings of the Church. How did you find me?]
With just one sentence, I gleaned valuable information from the start.
The Church had been relentlessly tracking me, aiming for the power I gained from the Immortal King.
They had thoroughly investigated me to the point of knowing my name.
It was necessary to buy time while gathering more information.
"No evildoer can escape the gaze of the Divine!"
However, the Paladin charged at me, drawing his sword, seemingly uninterested in further dialogue.
'Well, this turned into a situation where I need to collect combat data on dealing with holy power.'
***
Kwaaang!
With the sound of an explosion, Arch-Lich Hans burst out from the crumbling pile of rocks.
Immediately, a Paladin emitting a radiant aura followed, attacking him.
The opposing holy power was more formidable than anticipated.
'Ugh, this guy sticks like glue!'
The cave was on the verge of collapse due to the aftermath of the fight, but the Paladin persistently clung on.
Other knights who had withdrawn from the cave had already surrounded the area, and beyond them, soldiers and priests with the emblem of the Sacred Order were closing in.
The sacred song echoed from all directions, and the holy light illuminating the surroundings burned away the dark magic covering my body.
Enhanced by various holy spells, the knights spewed radiance from their entire beings, applying relentless pressure.
The waves of light delicately adorned the surroundings.
The convergence of holy power, filling the surroundings, focused on a single goal, was awe-inspiring.
It would have been better if their goal was something other than my demise.
'They're really well-prepared! What did I do to deserve this treatment?'
Hans had done nothing but punish the villains until now.
I had simply done what needed to be done, and yet, this was the treatment I received.
I protested based on that, but the answer I received was firm.
"No being can fully accept the Immortal King's power. From the moment that power is embraced, the mind becomes tainted, and the soul begins to corrupt! And it will lead the continent to destruction!"
A voice full of conviction and belief.
"An evil dark wizard who has touched forbidden power! If you really still have a human heart, surrender and accept purification! I promise you a peaceful rest!"
Considering the time when I absorbed the power of the fragment, I could somewhat understand their perspective.
However, how could I prove I was an exception?
[Sigh, can't help it. For now, I need to retreat from here.]
I slowly felt my body creaking. Although an intense dark magic continued to transmit from my heart, my skill in handling it was insufficient to resist holy power completely.
As sudden as the acquired power was, I needed more time to use it efficiently.
'Still, if I go all out, I can inflict significant damage on them...'
I had many cards left to play.
By summoning undead forces to buy time and deal with the soldiers and priests who have built a huge sacred formation surrounding the surrounding area...
During that, I could endure the constant supply of dark magic and synergy with "Immortality" to some extent.
'No, maybe it's better to just let this one go. It's a bit wasteful to consume energy in such a meaningless fight.'
Moreover, it felt uneasy that the Church's side wasn't necessarily the bad guys.
Due to the clash of perspectives, we found ourselves in opposition, but they were likely individuals who gathered with noble beliefs.
As I had my own criteria, punishing only those I deemed as villains, engaging in indiscriminate harm felt repulsive.
Even if I could exterminate them here, the angered Church would likely come back even more aggressively.
They were undeniably one of the continent's major powers.
There is nothing to be gained by fighting any longer.
I had gained experience with holy power and realized my own shortcomings, which was sufficient.
"Think you can escape?"
Hwaaack—
Had they sensed my intentions?
A holy light started from one side, connecting through those who formed the encirclement, filling the space.
'What kind of Holy spell is this?'
It didn't seem to be a type of power that constrained strength.
It felt a bit uneasy, but it was something I could easily ignore.
[I see… distortion and disruption. A holy spell to hinder escape. You've been quietly preparing, not participating in the fight since earlier.]
I had already been aware of another presence with a force comparable to the Paladin.
Even while fighting, he had been on guard for an intervention, and it seemed they were preparing to block any attempt to flee.
Taking advantage of the momentary lull, I surveyed the surroundings.
Paladins and knights surrounded the area.
Priests and soldiers who had enclosed the region.
'It's formidable. If it weren't for the Avatar, I wouldn't have been able to escape so easily.'
The belief in gods strengthening holy power within the Church.
Moreover, they seemed to have a way to track mana.
'I'm going to get entangled with them for a while... I need to come up with a plan.'
Hans, and of course, Heinz II, were targets for their suppression.
Understanding the situation, a response was necessary. However, for now...
[Quite an effort they put in to capture me.]
"Now do you feel like accepting purification willingly?"
[No chance.]
I shrugged lightly, and they tensed again, adjusting their weapons.
[I knew there was no room for dialogue with such stark differences in perspectives. And continuing to fight here wouldn't gain anything more.]
"..."
They looked at me as if to say, 'So what now?'
With a cheerful tone, I threw a word at them.
[Hehehe, farewell here. Try catching me if you can. Minions of the Order.]
"Ha! You think you can get out of here..."
I didn't bother to listen to the end of his sentence.
'Cancel Summoning.'
I had already obtained everything I could.
***
"Ugh, this is troublesome. There are too many enemies now."
The Oath of the Reversal and the vampire clan, Brokolak.
Unlike them, the Church was undeniably one of the continent's major powers.
They didn't enforce their faith on others or suppress other small sects.
But having temples worldwide, they were practically a de facto monotheistic religion, surpassing even the combined followers of all other religions.
"Perhaps that's why karma has been generous so far..."
Now, I could finally understand.
Unintentionally, I had drawn attention on a continental scale.
I wrapped my head around the problem, then suddenly lifted it.
"Let's think about that later. Right now, there's an immediate issue that needs addressing."
A layer of darkness spread across the floor, and from there, Hans smoothly emerged.
[Hehehe... the time has come to reveal the results of my research during this time.]
Finally, it was time to showcase the prototype of the completed 'Infectious Necromancy Final Version_Modification_2nd_FINAL(3)_ReallyFinal.'
'And with the research results obtained this time, reinforcing the concealment magic should also help hide Hans' presence.'
It was a helpful time in many ways.
***
Hans wandered through the city, casting Infectious Necromancy magic on animals seen within a certain range.
Later, after the numbers increased through the contagious effect, periodic adjustments would be necessary.
I was busy doing this when the first signal came.
Ziiing—
Quickly, the first signal arrived from a distant place.
It was information sent by a street cat.
["He-help me! Is anyone there?! Please, someone help!"]
The voice of a terrified woman.
I immediately teleported into the darkness where the cat was.
"Hehehe, cry louder. Maybe then someone will hear you?"
"Wh-why isn't anyone coming? Please save me! C-call the police, please!"
"Hmm~ The sound of desperate screams is so satisfying."
The scene I arrived at was like a scene from a thriller movie: a woman collapsed on the ground in an empty park, a madman holding a dagger and a recorder in front of her.
"Alright, it's done. The recording came out well. This should easily make it into my top 3 collections."
"Save me! Help, please! Ahhh—!"
"Hehehe, scream all you want. No one will hear anything outside."
The guy approaching with a knife and the woman screaming as if on the verge of being murdered.
It looked like a moment right before a murder.
'Definitely, as that guy said, there's a strange barrier around. Is it this guy's ability?'
An aura enveloping the surroundings of the murderer.
It not only blocked sound but also prevented observation from the outside, making people unconsciously reluctant to approach.
The cat that signaled me must have been inside the area from the beginning, so it wouldn't be affected.
'It's an interesting ability. But judging by the way he talks, it seems like this kind of thing has happened more than once.'
There was nothing more to see.
I revealed myself behind the guy.
"Ahhh... Ah, huh? Wh-who... how did you—"
The woman, whose gaze belatedly met mine, froze in place while screaming.
'I tried my best to conceal my presence, but...'
It was an unavoidable problem for an ordinary person.
I reached out and put the woman to sleep.
"What?! Who are you? How did you... ge, get here?"
The murderer, who noticed my presence too late, turned around with his dagger raised and stopped short.
I casually reached out and used magic.
Shururur—
Dark shadows rose from the ground, restraining his entire body and muffling his screams.
"Ugh! Ugh—!"
[Even so, just in case, I'll go through the last confirmation procedure. No need for answers. I'll take care of it myself.]
I reached out with a gloved hand and grabbed his head.
And I used the command magic, 'Requiem of the Dead.'
["Save me... urgh!"]
["Ah... sir, please..."]
["Aaah—!"]
The final words of the victims sacrificed to that guy replayed and echoed.
It wasn't just one or two.
To confirm whether this situation was a sudden surprise or something like a hidden camera prank, I checked just in case, and indeed, it was.
[No need for further words. You are sentenced to death.]
A serial killer, especially a pleasure killer, didn't deserve any mercy.
"Ugh! Ugh!"
The guy started to resist, twisting his body.
His eyes were filled with madness as he glared at me.
Well, who are you to judge me, that kind of meaning, probably.
'I don't care.'
I poured dark magic through the hand holding his head.
"Kkuhue... Kkuug!"
The eyes that had been glaring at me flipped, and blood flowed from all over his body as he convulsed.
Foam from his mouth dripped down from the corners that were blocked by the shadows.
'For such a guy, even a peaceful death is a luxury. I needed a useful undead to command on Earth, and you'll serve that purpose.'
As black magic permeated each cell, the convulsing body gradually relaxed.
The ground was already soaked with the blood he had spilled.
[Rise. You shall become my servant and bear the punishment eternally.]
Using dark magic on the corpse, the guy twitched again and began to move.
Wriggle, wriggle...
[Kihhihihi…]
Eerie laughter, a distorted face in pain, and blood flowing endlessly from the seven orifices, along with the deathly pale skin.
Through the knowledge from the 'Forbidden Knowledge,' I learned that it was a high-level undead, a Ghast.
I didn't know it would turn out like this, given that it required a considerably high-level sacrifice and had a cruel production method...
[It might be suitable as a form of punishment. It's useful enough.]
In a position of voluntary service, this level should be acceptable.
I stored the Ghast in a subspace and examined the fallen woman.
'I should provide some after-service.'
A smartphone, seemingly dropped during the struggle, was rolling on one side.
I picked it up, dialed 911, and placed it on the ground along with the items the murderer had.
After contemplating for a moment, I used dark magic to write on the floor with the cheerful blood puddle.
- Execution completed.
Beside it was a poorly drawn picture of a grinning Harlequin.
'I should inform them even though I'm taking the corpse. Wasting police resources to catch a dead guy wouldn't be good.'
I nodded and hid in the shadows.
A while later, confirming the approaching sirens, I left the scene.