The most convenient thing about the system was probably the fact that all I needed to do was to think of something happening and if the system could, it would make that something happen.
Back then, I had no chance of beating that monster, the system clearly stated that. I immediately thought of opening my status menu, and it appeared right in front of my eyes as I did.
[Name: Vilome]
[Race: God]
[Age: Irrelevant]
[Specialization: Dark Arts]
[Realm: Base]
[Progress Towards Next Realm: 1.2%]
[Quests Completed: 1]
[Authorities Acquired: None]
[Weapons Mastered: None]
Not much had changed from when I first saw it. It seemed like my training Necromancy for two days had increased the "Progress Towards Next Realm" from 1% to 1.2%. But, aside from that, pretty much everything was the same.
Looking at it made me realize that my progress so far wasn't much to be proud of, and I still had long ways to go. I was reminded when looking at that very unimpressive status menu - I really needed to get High Priestess Valerie's help if I could.
***************
All bandaged up, lying in a bed, constantly being healed by the temple's priests and priestesses, Valerie felt many emotions twirling inside her, many negative emotions, that is.
She was barely able to make a sound. She was barely able to move a single finger. The result of those two things combined was that whatever she needed, she had to keep to herself. There was no way to tell anyone if she needed/wanted anything at all, be it as simple as water.
In that pitiable state, Valerie felt like dying would be better than living.
It was humiliating enough that a couple of goblins overpowered her. It was even more humiliating that a mere child looked down upon her. And it was furthmore humiliating that she needed to rely on others for every single thing at that moment.
So, obviously, she felt like death would be less cruel than living like that.
However, just when she was busy wishing for death, she felt a tremor. The nuns around her felt it too and quickly came towards her.
"Priestess Valerie, please don't be troubled!" A nun said to her. "I'm sure it'll be over soon."
'I'm sure'? Do better than that, you numbskull! She cried out in her mind, not making a sound in reality.
That brat! How dare he-
Her cursing was interupted by the sound of people panicking. She turned her gaze to the nuns beside her, who immediately understood the meaning of it and went to check out what's going on.
'At least I can move my eyes', was the only soothing thought in her head as of that moment.
"Huh? What are you doing here, child? Are you lost?" A nun's questioning voice came from somewhere in the distance, making Valerie's attention turn to it.
Every time she heard 'child', she was reminded of the painstaking humiliation of the previous night.
Well, it's probably not him she is talking to. She reasoned with herself to calm down. And as soon as she calmed a little,
"Priestess Valerie, Vilome wants to see you." Her temperature rose again.
The one person she didn't wanted to see was standing there, smirking beneath the facade of innocence and admiration.
"He says that he is the boy you saved yesterday. He wants to thank you for it."
Bitch! Would you stop talking!?
She cursed the nun who couldn't see the obvious lies in that boy's words.
"Um?" He looked at the nun with a slight blush. The nun understood and left the room, leaving the two alone.
She probably thought just what Vilome intended for her to think, "I feel embarrased about thanking her in front of other so could you leave?" or something like that.
"So," He said, as he smirked at the priestess with a condescending look, "I see that your hate towards me has grown tremoundously. Good, good!"
She tried, and failed to even click her tongue, which irritated her even more as Vilome continued.
"That said though, there's a more pressing matter to address to." He said. "It seems a terrifyingly dangerous monster has arrived in this city."
Those words grabbed her attention.
"With the adventurer's guild as it is, I doubt they would be able to handle it. And with you out of comission, the Royal Church wouldn't fare much better either."
Despite an obvious abundance of flaws, Valerie was a high priestess and a very good one at her job. So, despite her hate towards Vilome, she knew that she should listen to him at that moment.
"The best bet would be to evacuate. In fact, an evacuation order should already have been issued. But, the monster attacked the mayoral office before anything so it's highly likely the mayor's dead or hidden somewhere and can't issue the order."
That, without a doubt, seemed like a troublesome situation.
"As things stand now, many lives will be lost. There's nothing one can do about that. However, if you make at least a good portion of the city evacuate before everything goes to hell, you might have a chance of getting a promotion for dealing with such a high-stake situation with calmness even while injured so badly."
While there was obvious sarcasm in his tone, she could tell that his suggestions made sense. Provided, there actually was a monster like that in the city.
"Priestess Valerie! Priestess Valerie!" A young nun came rushing in. "There's a really powerful monster ravaging through the city."
Well, that confirmed it.
"You fool!" The nun from before came in, angry, and pulled the young nun's ears. "Don't disturb Priestess Valerie when she is in such a state."
She looked at Valerie as she said with as best a smile as she could manage. "We will deal with it, Priestess Valerie. You need not worry!"
"B-but, the monster is really-"
"Shut up!" She dragged the young nun, who had tears in her eyes, out of the room.
When they left, Vilome looked at Valerie with a questioning gaze. She deliberately slowly blinked - to say a 'yes'.
"Smart decision, slut!"
Her eyebrows twitched but she ignored it. She was more focused on asking him something else. He understood it pretty well just from her face.
"You want to know why I am helping you?" He guessed it right, and knowing that he did, he continued to answer, "It's because I think I can make use of you."
***************
I truly could make use of her. If I didn't think so, I wouldn't have told my goblins to hold back the previous night. I would have told them to go through with killing her. But, as vile and delusional that priestess was, she was also pretty cunning. And I could definitely make use of that.
"Are you sure, Priestess Valerie?"
Back to the church though, I had called the nuns saying that Valerie wanted to say something. Obviously, they couldn't understand the language of a woman who can neither speak nor make hand signs so I told them in her place, "She wants you all to evacuate as many people as you can and leave the city."
All Valerie had to do was blink to showcase her agreement. Seeing that, the priests became quiet nervous.
"Is is because of that monster, Priestess?" Asked a priest.
She blinked, saying 'yes'. And so, the people present there grew even more tensed. We didn't have time for them to gather themselves together though. Thankfully, a nun, who was second-in-command to Valerie only, gave a small but loud speech,
"Stop sulking, people! If this a test of our resolve and faith by the god, we will pass it!"
She said that and clapped her hands. The priests and priestesses all bowed to her and immediately started on the mission Valerie had just given them.
Then, that nun came to us and said to Valerie, "I will personally take you to safety so don't worry!"
She turned to me as she said, "You bring your family and come with us as well. I will make sure to keep you all out of harm's way."
I nodded and ran back to my house. With that, we were ready to evacuate. But, but ...
***************
The streets were covered in crimson.
Flesh and gore had painted the city anew.
Cries were the music of the city.
Corpses were it's scenery.
As soon as I stepped out of the church, I realized I had underestimated the threat that would be that monster. Within such a short amount of time, it had destroyed over half the city.
It was truly something terrifying. And the worst part was - I didn't even know what it was.
I had only come to know through the system's help that a monster had come to the city. I had then ran to the church.
Therefore, in all this time, I had not gotten the opportunity to see what that thing even looked like.
BOOM!
But, as that sound rang out and a building close to my house was blown to bits, I had finally gotten the chance to see it.
With a body of a big, toned-up man, black wings stretching out from it's back and covering the entirety of the road, that red-skinned monster with four yellow eyes, all glaring at me, stood there with a stern expression as he said,
"You - are the one!"
I had no idea what the hell it meant. But, I knew one thing. I knew that it had ridiculous amounts of killing intent towards me. And that was enough information for me to know what to do - run.
But, was running away from such a monstrosity even possible?