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As Raphtalia threw the Baron onto the ground, chaos erupted around them. The unfortunate noble's body had turned black from the seal, and when he exploded, it was akin to a slop bucket bursting open; the contents splattered across the floor, creating a grotesque scene. The foul smell permeated the air, and the king was left utterly soaked in the aftermath.
"Ah~~~ vomit~~~" the king's face drained of color, and he doubled over, retching uncontrollably.
The onlookers were momentarily stunned, widely reflecting on the strange turn of events. Alongside their shock at the Baron's explosion, they couldn't help but feel immense sympathy for the king, knowing that his shameful predicament would be the talk of the town by morning. The weight of his embarrassment would likely push him to desperation.
While some nobles contemplated offering assistance, fear of Jason's wrath stifled their courage. They quickly chose self-preservation over loyalty—wishing to avoid the king's fate of humiliation, which would be worse than death itself.
Jason, however, completely disregarded the king and the nobles around him. He was deep in thought.
"Teach? Teach what? The Pope? The Baron's curse mark likely activated when he was about to reveal the word 'Pope.' Truly, that old fox is insidious; he even manages to destroy corpses and wipe away traces."
As each piece fell into place, it became clear to Jason that the Pope was the mastermind of this conspiracy, orchestrating the events to frame him. The Baron and king were mere pawns in his plot. While this realization only fueled his anger, he understood that without solid evidence against the Pope, he could do little in a conventional sense.
But who was Jason? A traveler in this world, determined to enact his will without the need for evidence or justification. He would take action against the one who had schemed against him, no matter how high-profile that target was.
As he surveyed the area, he noticed the robed figures who previously went to aid Myne had vanished.
"Escaped, have they? But can they really evade the monk? Or slip past the temple?" he murmured to himself.
Turning his attention back to the king, still sputtering and gagging on his own humiliation, Jason said nonchalantly, "Old man, don't you dare vomit on me yet!"
The bystanders collectively gasped, stunned by Jason's blatant disrespect towards the king. To call him an "old man" in such a derisive manner was deeply audacious.
Perhaps sensing his authority being challenged, the king managed to cease his heaving for a moment and looked up at Jason, attempting to regain some control over the situation.
"Old man," Jason continued, "while you might not be the mastermind behind all this, you certainly carry responsibility. If I catch you escaping before I return to collect what is owed, I will make sure to sell every last one of your daughters and wives to the highest bidder."
Before the king could respond, Jason turned away without another glance or an ounce of remorse. "Raphtalia, let's move!"
"Yes!" Raphtalia hurried to follow, glancing back at the chaotic scene.
"Master Jason, where are we heading!"
"To the Church, of course. I suspect that old fox will try to vanish if we hesistate for even a moment. We have to hurry."
With determined strides, Jason quickened his pace until he was almost running, forcing Raphtalia to match his speed.
....
Before long, the imposing facade of the church came into view. Unlike its usual radiant glow, it now stood cloaked in darkness, resembling a monstrous shadow veiled in dread.
"Something's off here. Has the Pope fled? Or is he preparing for my arrival?" Jason speculated, scanning the church cautiously.
Typically, the Sanyong Church would be illuminated, symbolizing hope and guidance, but now it was a foreboding sight that raised red flags.
"Master Jason, if the Pope has truly escaped, what do we do?" Raphtalia asked, her voice reflecting uncertainty.
"Even if he's run, we'll collect interest first. Let's go!" Jason replied resolutely. With his formidable strength, he was undeterred by potential traps.
As they approached the church entrance, Raphtalia froze suddenly. "Master Jason, wait—I sense a dangerous aura."
With her acute senses honed from their near brushes with death, she was sensitive to the dangerous air around them.
"I feel it too. Looks like the old fox has left us a little surprise," Jason smirked, continuing forward despite the warning.
He raised his right fist and slammed it against the heavy door of the church.
Boom!
The impact echoed through the air, and cracks spidered out from the point of contact, but the door remained standing stubbornly.
"Quite impressive, this church door! Let's test it again, shall we?" Jason mused, raising his fist for another strike.
From within the darkness of the church, whispers of alarm surfaced as shadowy figures prepared themselves.
"Is the Shield Hero attacking? What terrifying strength! If this continues, the door may be breached."
"Fear not! Our church has been fortified for ages. This door is crafted from special materials; it withstands even the might of giant monsters."
Just then, the door gave way to another thunderous strike, shattering upon impact. The gust of wind, along with fragments of the door, flew inward, knocking down several robed figures who hadn't braced themselves.
"Ah~~~! My feet! Help me!"
"What's happening? Weren't we told this door could withstand anything?" came the chorus of panicked voices.
The chaos unsettled the hall, but Jason and Raphtalia strode through the broken entrance, unfazed.
The robed figures had gathered at the back, chanting incantations as they prepared their spells.
"This dark luminescence feels wrong; this gathering looks less like a church and more like a dark congregation," Raphtalia observed sensibly.
As the magic incantations reached their pinnacle, Jason stepped further into the hall. The moment those spell-casting figures completed their chants, colorful spells rained down towards him.
Without flinching, Jason raised his shield, bracing for the onslaught. As the magic collided with the shield, an explosion of sound and light erupted, flames engulfing him instantaneously.
However, in the very next instant, Jason emerged unscathed from the chaos of magical explosions, not a scar or blemish on his body, and his steady pace never faltered.
The robed figures who had unleashed their magic stared in disbelief, wide-eyed at the sight of the man who had brushed off their most powerful spells without so much as a flinch.
"Too weak," Jason declared, shaking his head as he surveyed the stunned sorcerers. "You didn't even manage to pique my interest. From the looks on your faces, I take it there are no stronger spells in your repertoire. If you can't even give me a solid workout after my meal, then it's time for you to go to hell."
As soon as he finished speaking, a cold glint flashed among the robed men.
Unbeknownst to them, Raphtalia had stealthily positioned herself behind them. The moment an inexperienced magician found himself within striking distance of a warrior, the outcome was all but certain.
With a swift movement, Raphtalia's sword glimmered dangerously, signaling the end for one of the robed figures, whose fate was sealed before he even realized danger was upon him.
As she dispatched her target with lethal efficiency, the remaining sorcerers were left paralyzed by shock, unable to mount any form of resistance.
Ignoring the chaos of her attack, Jason consoled himself by grabbing hold of a robed man who had fallen after the door was broken. He pulled the injured figure to his feet, asking, "Now tell me… where is the Pope?"
"You devil!" the robed man sneered through gritted teeth, fear overshadowed by bravado. "There's no way you'll ever find the Pope! He left long ago, haha..."
"Late again, am I? That old fox really is slippery," Jason remarked, his expression one of mild irritation. "As they say, you can escape the monk, but you can't escape the temple. Raphtalia, look around this place and see if there's anything of value. We ought to collect a bit of interest from this little adventure."
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If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Darkphoenix11
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