"It's Master Aita… How could it be Master Aita?"
Kellis looked in disbelief at the figure who had stepped out of the cabin. It was none other than Aita, the mysterious elder who had disappeared for over ten days. And the "heretic" the Guardian Swordsmen spoke of was, astonishingly, Aita.
Merlin stared at Aita, stunned. He'd known Aita was mysterious, holding secrets of some kind, but he had no idea that the old man possessed such extraordinary power. Aita had easily defeated a group of elemental swordsmen, including a powerful Level 2 Bright Swordsman who had barely escaped with his life.
But what fascinated Merlin more was the question of what kind of power Aita had used to overcome such formidable foes.
"Silence, heretic! Your soul has fallen into darkness. Refusing to believe in the Divine means you will suffer the wrath of the Divine!" the white-robed man shouted, his voice shrill. With a sharp gesture, he motioned for Borg to advance.
Borg inhaled deeply, raised his sword, and in an instant, brilliant light emanated from it.
"Sword of Light!" he cried as he struck, releasing an energy so intense that even Merlin could feel its force pressing against him, almost as if it were trying to push him away.
"A Level 2 swordsman… he's incredibly strong!"
Merlin felt a shiver run through him. His own enhanced physique, gained from practicing the strange poses engraved on the mysterious sculpture, had allowed him to rival a Level 1 elemental swordsman. But facing a Level 2 swordsman? Merlin knew he would stand no chance.
Yet, as Borg unleashed his powerful attack, Aita didn't flinch. Instead, he shook his head slightly and said, "Sending ordinary men to their deaths… the hypocrisy of your Church knows no bounds."
With a single finger raised, Aita conjured a fireball the size of a fist, which floated in midair, spinning fiercely.
"Go."
At Aita's command, the fireball shot toward Borg. Upon impact, Borg's radiant sword began to melt as though it were wax, and the flames quickly spread toward him. Thinking fast, Borg discarded his sword and summoned his inner light to shield himself, retreating hastily.
The discarded sword melted into a pool of molten iron in mere seconds, revealing the terrifying heat of the fireball. The three dead Guardian Swordsmen must have suffered a similar fate, burnt alive by those fiery orbs.
Aita's gaze fell upon the white-robed man, who, with a sharp tone, retorted, "Heretic! You seek death!"
His voice was so shrill it hurt to hear, and he, too, began casting a spell. Raising his hands to his chest, he chanted, "Merciful Lord, omnipotent and omniscient, grant your faithful servant the power to purge this heretic from the earth! Holy Judgment!"
The sunlight seemed to dim as blinding beams of white light formed in the sky above the cabin, whirling in a great vortex, then striking down toward Aita with a deafening roar.
Aita's hat was blown off by the gust, revealing his thinning hair. His expression grew tense, and with a swift gesture, he conjured four or five additional fireballs, which hovered in the air, spinning violently. His face paled from the effort; clearly, this was his limit.
"A Level 1 Holy Judgment spell…" Aita muttered, both cautious and exhilarated. With a flick of his hand, the fireballs shot toward the Holy Light.
The fireballs seemed to dissolve into the white radiance with a faint hiss, disappearing without effect.
Seeing that the fireballs had failed, Aita took a few steps back, nearly tripping as he backed against the cabin steps. He was now cornered, with no way to retreat further.
"Whirlwind!"
Gritting his teeth, Aita waved his hand, summoning a fierce whirlwind in the cabin's garden. Trees and shrubs were uprooted, and soil spun wildly within the cyclone, tearing up the landscape.
The swirling vortex collided with the Holy Light, creating a powerful shockwave. Sand and dirt flew everywhere, and the cabin trembled as though it might collapse under the intense vibration.
Finally, the Holy Light overwhelmed the whirlwind, pressing toward Aita like a vast net.
Aita's expression relaxed, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
A blaze erupted from Aita's body, engulfing him entirely. In an instant, he was reduced to ashes, and the Holy Light struck the ground, pulverizing the cabin steps and scattering debris in all directions.
Aita was gone, his body consumed by fire.
The white-robed man's mouth tightened in frustration as he stared at the spot where Aita had stood. After a long silence, he instructed Borg, "The heretic is dead. Borg, take the men inside and search every inch of the cabin. Bring everything out."
Borg nodded and led the remaining Guardian Swordsmen into the cabin.
Those who had witnessed the battle couldn't contain their excitement; they knew today's events would be a memory they would carry forever.
"Reverend, please bless us and cleanse us of the heretic's corruption!" cried a voice from the crowd. To these people, the white-robed man was a holy priest who had purged the heretic's evil.
The white-robed man gave a faint smile, playing the role of priest, though he was actually a mage of the Inquisition. Nevertheless, he raised his voice and declared, "Fear not. The heretic's vile magic sought to deceive you, but if you remain true in your faith, the Divine will not forsake you."
With open arms, he chanted, and a gentle white light enveloped the crowd, instilling a sense of calm.
As the townspeople prayed and thanked the Divine, Merlin and Kellis stood awkwardly at the edge. Kellis's face was pale, and her lips had turned purple; she was clearly shaken.
Like many in the Kingdom of Light, Kellis had been raised under the Church's influence and had a deep-seated fear of heretics. That Aita, the wise, kindly elder she'd known, was a heretic horrified her.
Merlin, too, felt uneasy. He didn't fear Aita's identity as a heretic, but he worried about the trouble this revelation might bring.
"Miss Kellis, let's leave."
He reached for her hand, feeling the cold sweat in her palm, a sign of her fear.
The crowd was absorbed in their prayers, so no one noticed as Merlin and Kellis slipped away and got into their carriages to leave quietly.
---
Back at Wilson Manor, Merlin rushed upstairs to his room.
"Whew…"
Merlin exhaled deeply, finally feeling a sense of relief. Recalling what he had witnessed, he was still overwhelmed.
The battle between Aita and the white-robed man had opened a new door for him. He'd once thought elemental swordsmen were the pinnacle of strength in this world; a Level 1 elemental swordsman's power was devastating. But Aita and the Church mage had wielded powers that transcended anything Merlin had imagined. Elemental swordsmen, who seemed so formidable, were utterly helpless before Aita.
Aita and the mage had shown him what true strength looked like.
"Wait… Aita gave me a ring."
At that moment, Merlin remembered the ring Aita had given him. He had assumed it was a simple trinket, but after seeing Aita's true power, he no longer thought it was an ordinary piece of jewelry.
He began searching his room eagerly.