Close to sunrise.
The Nighttime was closing to an end, with more and more rotting corpses lying dead like they should. Seichi was practically breezing through the zombies, cutting several of them down and into pieces even. A savage monster, bloodied with black blood and drenched in sweat.
[+1 Strength]
[You have Leveled up]
The third Level, and the seventh Strength value gained. He's been traveling up north for some time now, not stopping for any more breaks as Brynhild follows behind. The zombies grew more numerous, but it all just served to be the perfect sustenance for his rapid growth.
His breath was steady, his muscles now bulging with veins visibly pulsating. Lost Sword, his companion, was drenched in a layer of black blood showing the progress he'd made tonight.
Soon, Seichi stops, as he could feel the sun slowly rising up from the distant horizon to his left. He squints his eyes, sunlight irritating his sight.
"Hkrrraaaa!!!"
Suddenly, the horde of zombies started to scream simultaneously. Monsters of the night, summoned forth by the night, returns at the end of the night. They started to be reduced to ash, then nothing afterwards. The black blood on Seichi's weapon and body also withered into gray ash and disappeared also, leaving no traces of it.
"...Let's go back."
The night comes to an end, and Seichi decides to go back to where they came from. He had a fun time, but this is enemy territory. As far as he's concerned, his life is dispensable, but Brynhild's isn't. He has to consider her safety as well, for the sake of the Quest and for his feelings.
......…
"So, he told you two to return by yourselves?"
"Yes."
"And you obediently followed his orders?"
"Hey, don't make it sound like we're his dogs or something."
"Haahhh… I hope he's okay."
Back at the Followers of Wisdom's church, Agnes was having a conversation with the returning Assassin and Paladin. They were at the gate, where Agnes had been interrogating the returning two on Seichi's whereabouts.
"You two can go back to your quarters now."
"Sweet."
When they were given permission to leave, the two immediately went out of her sight. Agnes wasn't really worried, but she was worried of another problem.
'I need to go fetch him personally.'
To stop a mistake from repeating itself, she went and boarded the carriage.
"Where to, madam Agnes?"
"The northern village, Hector."
......…
I was selected as Grand Bishop 89 years ago. For 89 years, since I was 18 years of age, I've been managing the church in the name and will of my God, Sogthoth. I've faced hardships, with many churches as enemies and many others as allies. I've summoned numerous Heroes, all of which are young, still in training, still vulnerable. I have worked as Grand Bishop for 89 years, and at sunrise tomorrow will mark my 90th year as Grand Bishop.
In all my years, I have guided heroes, sent them off and met many more. I used some of them, I bonded with some of them, I even fell in love with one of them. I have experienced so much, and now it potentially faces total annihilation.
Sogthoth, my God, said so with his infinite wisdom and foresight. Our church will fall, but it still has one chance. Summon the 200th Hero, the one that will have the potential of saving and prolonging the church. A boy with gray ash hair, deep crimson eyes like rubies, and a look that's still young but strong in spirit.
I am Agnes Sylvathan, a Grand Bishop, sorceress, and High Elf. I once belonged to the 17th floor, born there as a halfbreed between human and High Elf, and soon after banished to the second floor. My God, Sogthoth, was the one to shelter my young and fragile body and when I turned 18, I was granted the title and duty of Grand Bishop.
'Seichi Kurotachi… I wonder, will you reach the Haven I was banished from?'
A Chosen Undead, a title that was once mentioned to belong to one being. A monster who comes back after death through sheer perseverance and determination, a being that transcends the most basic and absolute law of Life and Death.
'I cannot let him be taken from me.'
For the church's survival, it is vital that Seichi, the Chosen Undead, stays with us as an ally, not as an unbeatable enemy.
......…
I am Sogthoth, a machine built with the functions of Wisdom. I am, like many of my brothers and sisters, made to one day transcend into Godhood, or be reduced to nothing but names in another's glorious conquest. I have tried my best with the functions I've been given. I have a wonderful Grand Bishop, and now the final piece that I've unexpectedly encountered has come. My ascension is near, but it's not a path of certainty.
I predict that my ascension is at 72,1% success, but I also predicted that one of my numerous brothers, Oreli, would try to tame the piece that I have. The young Undead, now most likely plagued with an unending thirst for power, would be easily swayed if Oreli were to communicate with him first.
'My God, what can I do to ensure that the Chosen Undead can stand with us?'
I hear my Grand Bishop's silent prayer. My functionality begins to take effect, cycling through various predictions that I can safely pass on with at least 40% certainty.
".....A girl, a weapon, and knowledge. Tempt him, propose to him, and offer it to him. With these three motives, use it with the three pieces of advice I have given you."
I have analyzed the one that calls himself Seichi in great detail. A young boy, with close to no aspirations or ambitions that align with us or against us. He is easy to bend, but hard to make him take shape.
'As you command, my God.'
I was returned to my moments of inactivity again. My functionality only works if I am given stimulation, a flaw that only I have.
'I wonder… what would a God feel like?'
......
I pass through the forest to return to where I came from. Outside, I surprisingly saw Agnes greeting me with a wave and smile. Somehow though, I felt there was something amiss.
"Hello, Chosen Undead."
"Agnes…"
I didn't really give her much attention.
"What do you want?"
"Oh? Why are you in a rush?"
I didn't answer her, and just stared at her with a blank expression. Brynhild was hiding behind me, peeking her head out from the side. Agnes noticed this, and her surprise expression was hard to miss.
"Oh? Who is this?"
"She's with me."
"Really? The other two didn't say anything about her."
Once again, I didn't answer her and just stared blankly. Agnes didn't say anything about my obviously rude attitude, and just crouched down to be on Brynhild's level.
"Hello there, can I know your name, little one?"
"...Grand Bishop, of the Followers of Wisdom. Agnes Sylvathan, I am Brynhild of floor 20, nice… to meet you.''
Brynhild introduced herself, and slightly stepped away from behind me.
"Oh… a child with a horn, you're the one the villagers were talking about?"
"Y-Yes, I am."
She shivered and shrunk back behind me when Agnes mentioned the villagers. I interject into the conversation since I don't like wasting time.
"What is your business, going all the way out here and greeting me?"
"Fufu, don't like to dawdle, do you?"
"No, answer the question."
"Of course, no need to be forceful. I am here to see if you really came back, is all."
She gazed at me all the same, but the atmosphere suddenly took a sharp dive as something heavy weighed down on me.
"And if you didn't come back, I would simply leave. But, that is half of what I came here for."
"...And what is the other half?"
At this point, I was ready to materialize the Lost Sword to cut her down. Something about her just doesn't seem right.
"I am here to propose to you an offer. Would you like to join our church as my temporary apprentice?"
A window appears in front of me.
[Agnes Sylvathan, Grand Bishop of the Followers of Wisdom, has proposed to make you her temporary apprentice]
[You will be given access to learn Miracles from the Followers of Wisdom]
[Your Intelligence and Faith Stat will rise by 1 for every Miracle learnt]
[You will unlock the Insight Stat through learning and practicing the Miracles]
[You will gain a Path if you so wish]
It continued until the last one, which caught my eye the most, made me raise an eyebrow.
A Path, something that's been synonymous with the World outside. I was born Pathless, viewed as a mistake by everyone who knows of that fact. I lived in anguish because of that small fact.
And now, the opportunity of gaining a Path from this offer.
'But… do I really need one?'
Of course, this offer was good, being able to raise Stats for free is nice, gaining a new Stat isn't bad, and learning what these Miracles are will only give me more options to use in a fight. I have no reason to refuse, so I didn't.
"...Alright, I will accept your offer. But, under 1 condition."
"Oh? What is it?"
"She is to be with me for the entire duration. I won't accept any alternatives."
"....."
Agnes doesn't say anything. She was just standing idly, then smiling widely.
"Pft… kehehehehe, Chosen Undead, it is totally fine. If she is to stay with you and not wander, then it is totally fine. We accept anyone who is willing to learn."
Agnes shakes her head like what I said was absurd. It was pretty reasonable in my opinion…?
"Then, if that is all, let's return so that we can plan out our next attack."
I shrug and Agnes turns and leads the way. I turn around to offer Brynhild my hand, and she grabs it with a tender smile.
......…
"Sir, reports have been received from the Ruvalt group."
"Great, tell me. What is the situation?"
"They said the bodies were retrieved, 47 of them, but there is also another strange and alarming occurrence."
"Hmm?"
Back at the room where the head of the Warmonger church, a Challenger by the name of Felix, was sitting in a chair, one of his subordinates arrived to deliver him a report with a troubled face.
"They reported that… at the Tall Grass Field, they did indeed see two people who can be called trespassers."
"Great, did they also take their lives?"
"No, sir. It's because they reported that… the night, it spawned more Undead than normal."
"What?"
Felix showed a puzzled face with what his subordinate said.
"They said that a Variant, one of the stronger forms of Undead, came up to them and they engaged in combat. It was hard, they said. The Variant was a massive hunk of rotting flesh, with arms that're able to stretch and reach farther. Its skin and meat is also tough, and they show regenerative properties. Grand Bishop, what can this mean?"
"...What about the two trespassers? What happened to them? Did they report what happened to them? Or what their condition was in the end?"
"Umm… no, sir. But, one of them was placed in surveillance of the two trespassers, and what she reported was that one of them is very strong, fighting on par with a skinnier Variant but still has significant strength to it. Gray hair, young, and his companion is a girl with a horn, dark purple hair and green eyes. The boy uses a sword that looks to be in very poor condition, but it still seems to be sharp."
Felix listens to his subordinate's report in fascination. A young boy with strength comparable to a Variant, something that only shows up every 6-8 days. That night, two Variants were reported, one was taken care of with difficulty by the Ruvalt group, while the other was taken care of by the boy alone. This report sparked curiosity in Felix, as he fell into deep thinking.
"Grand Bishop, how should we respond to this aggression?"
"...Let it be for now. If the report is true, then those Followers of Wisdom have summoned some kind of freak. But, the girl. Did she fight?"
"The girl… no, there's nothing on the girl that was with him so she must've stayed behind or was defended by the boy."
"Ahah, then, that will be our clue for his weakness. If we get the girl, we can get to him."
"Then shall we send someone to go and kidnap her, Grand Bishop?"
"Of course not, for now, just let it be."
Felix lies back in his comfortable chair, a smirk slowly forming on his face.
"I will command troops when the time is ready, and when our God has given his Miracle to us."
"As you command, Grand Bishop. That will be all for my report, I hope you have a good night's rest."
"Haha, don't wish for something like that. Rest is only needed when one's limit is reached, and I am far from my limit."
Felix makes a shooing gesture, and the subordinate quietly leaves after bowing his head.
'A gray haired boy… what an interesting one you are.'