At the same church, some moments before, Asmari was running for his life while being chased by an angry guard.
“How dare you pretend to be Priest Anvil, you thief.
I’m going to make sure you’re caught and crucified for your crimes.”
The guard who’d followed me inside lunged at me with his spear.
I barely had time to react before it came hurtling toward my chest.
If my sword spirit hadn’t warned me, I’d have been stabbed through the heart.
That same sword spirit was screaming in my head.
“Hey, bastard boy, stop running and fight back.
He’s only one star above you—where’s your pride?”
“Only one star?” I echoed mentally, dodging sideways as the spear grazed my arm.
“He’s a major rank above me—what do you mean, ‘only’?” I barely avoided another attack from the left.
“Just sum—” But I didn’t let her finish.
“Summon you and let everyone see the wielder of a cursed katana?
No thanks.” I dove behind a pile of weapons, catching my breath and asking a genuine question.
“How did you know I wasn’t the priest?” The man didn’t answer—he just hurled his spear at me.
I barely rolled aside.
He picked up his spear and finally spoke.
“The priest isn’t a virgin.” That was all I needed to know.
I realized how he’d figured me out—and why my eagerness almost got me killed.
The Orb of Purification reveals whether someone is pure.
Since I was pure and didn’t change the orb’s color, he caught on.
I guess the real Anvil wasn’t.
The two-star guard sprinted towards me.
I picked up a random shield next to me and held it in front of me.
The guard was unfazed.
He drove his spear through the shield, impaling my stomach.
“Argh,” I grunted—it wasn’t deep, but it hurt like hell.
“This damn shield…
why is it so useless?”
He ripped his spear free and readied another attack.
I tried to retreat, throwing the shield at him, but he batted it aside and charged again.
I clutched my bleeding stomach, pain contorting my features.
Hokoria kept grumbling beside me.
“Why did such an unworthy brat have to find me?
It’s unfair.
And here I thought he’d be perfect just because he was a Dragaoth.”
“Instead of whining about your choices, how about actually helping me?!” I screamed in my head, dodging another spear with growing frustration.
“Who is crying?”
“JUST HELP!
Use that damn ability—the one you used on Seraphina!”
“I can’t.”
“What?”
“I can’t, but—” She paused, only making me more annoyed.
“Damn it, Hokoria, this isn’t the time for dramatic pauses!
Just tell me!
I’m on the verge of dying, for God’s sake.” I really was; blood loss made my eyes heavy, my body begging for rest.
“Brat, watch your mouth.” She clicked her tongue, then finally said, “You can use the ability.”
“How?” I asked, not even asking what it was or how it worked; I had no time for that.
“I’m going to activate my first curse; you’re going to feel it when it activates.
Just pour your essence into it.” I was listening to Hokoria’s instructions—until I slipped.
Yes, slipped.
The guard didn’t waste the opening.
He drove his spear into my shoulder, wrenching a scream from me.
“Fuck—shit!” The burning in my shoulder kept me conscious.
The guard ripped the spear out and aimed it at my neck.
“Give up,” he demanded, arrogance dripping from his tone.
“You’ve lost; surrender now and face crucifixion for your crimes.” My mind went blank.
Surrender?
Have I lost?
Those words cut deeper than any wound.
My expression darkened.
Anger threatened to explode from deep within me.
My voice turned icy as I replied to the arrogant man that had made such ridiculous assumptions.
“Who do you think you are?”
“Wh—” But the man didn’t have time to utter another word before I spoke again.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?
Does it look like I’ve lost?” My anger flared even hotter as I kept going, refusing to back down.
“Who are you to decide that?
Who are you to say I’ve lost?” I practically spat the words, voice shaking with rage.
“I’ll be the one who decides my fate!” My fury was aimed at the man who dared wound my pride.
The guard actually looked surprised by my shift in tone, but his spear didn’t move.
I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth might crack.
Planting my good hand on the ground, I forced my battered body upright, a groan escaping my lips.
The guard didn’t hesitate—as soon as I got up, he attacked again.
But this time was different.
I felt a cold, soothing sensation blooming in my chest.
“Now, brat, pour your essence into your heart.” I focused, channelling my essence straight into my heart.
Instantly, the air in the room shifted—the guard’s spear, inches from my chest, halted and dropped to the floor.
Cling.
The spear’s fall echoed through the vault.
The guard was frozen, face bone-white, horror etched in every line.
I recognised it instantly: killing intent.
But how?
Killing intent is something you accumulate over time—not something you just gain.
So how do I, who’s never killed anyone in either life, have killing intent strong enough to paralyse someone a major rank above me?
All those questions rang inside my head, but I was too angry to think about them.
“Hey brat, you’re running out of time.
Kill him.” Five seconds left.
Can I kill him and grab the orb?
No way—I’m too slow for that.
Damn it, I want to kill him so badly; my blood boils, screaming for revenge against the bastard who wounded my pride.
Four seconds.
I clicked my tongue, irritation flaring.
My body burned from blood loss and my vision blurred.
With little time left, I decided: revenge could wait.
I sprinted for the orb.
Two seconds.
The moment I started running, the paralysed guard snapped out of it.
He grabbed the spear and hurled it at me with everything he had.
One second.
I grabbed the orb just in time, not realising a spear was already hurtling toward my back.
But just then—thud.
The spear pierced my lower back.
I felt the adrenaline controlling my body start fading, the feeling in my body almost disappearing completely.
I didn’t even have time to scream before the whole world descended into darkness and I fainted.
Mina’s POV
I lay on the floor, gasping for air, a smug smile on my face.
“Damn, I actually survived a seven-star,” I muttered.
But suddenly—a woman’s scream split the air, snapping me upright.
I glanced around the familiar setting—Asmari’s hotel room.
My gaze landed on a woman with brown hair and grey eyes, her hands clamped over her mouth in shock.
The woman was Lilya—the one who used her Aspect to teleport us here, just as planned.
As for the person on the floor?
My eyes dropped, and my blood ran cold.
Asmari—still disguised as the priest—clutched an orb to his chest, a spear running clean through his back and out the front.
He had wounds on his stomach and shoulder.
I leapt up and ran to him.
Panic twisted my face—and I hated every second of it.
I bent down to check if he was breathing.
Luckily, he was, but every breath sounded fainter than the last.
“Hey, you!” I snapped at Lilya, who was staring at Asmari in terror.
“Get me the healing potions in the drawer.” But she didn’t move—she was paralysed with shock.
“Are you fucking deaf?
Get me the healing potion!” Lilya finally snapped out of it.
She looked at me, confused, not recognising my disguise.
“It’s me—just get the potion!”
Lilya still looked confused but moved to the desk.
I stared down at Asmari’s pale face, worry twisting my features—even if I wouldn’t admit it.
“Don’t you dare die, Asmari.
Who else would I yell at for dragging me into this mess?” I muttered to the unconscious idiot beside me.
Lilya finally found the potion and rushed over.
I quickly gave her instructions.
“I’m pulling the spear out.
You need to pour the healing potion as soon as I do.” Lilya nodded and crouched by Asmari’s head.
I moved to where the spear stuck out of his stomach.
“Three, two, one—now.” Without hesitation, I yanked the spear free in one motion.
Blood gushed everywhere, but Lilya poured the potion into his mouth immediately.
Before the blood loss could kill him, the wounds in his back and stomach closed with shocking speed.
Asmari’s skin regained its colour, and the rest of his injuries vanished.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
“You can go now—but don’t forget the essence contract,” I told the shaken-up woman.
She nodded and left without hesitation.
Click.
The door closing echoed through the room.
My gaze shifted from Asmari to the orb in his hand.
“An orb to purify someone’s bloodline, huh?” I grinned.
“Wouldn’t hurt to try it before you wake up.
It’s the least you can let me do after making me distract a seven-star.”
Without hesitation, I reached toward the Orb of Purification.
A/N
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