Sebastian stood silently in the darkness; his eyes open but unable to see what lay before him. The only sounds he could hear were his own breathing and the beating of his heart. Despite being in such utter darkness, he felt a strange sense of calm, as if he wanted to stay in this place forever. Sebastian closed his eyes and leaned against the cold stone wall, allowing his memories to take him back to a place filled with happier times.

  Sebastian recalled running through the streets of the village, where people still smiled warmly. His friends followed behind him, holding wooden sticks as if they were trying to pierce the sky. He could see Justin busy forging weapons, his mother tending to her small garden, and Father Daniel visiting villagers, their homes filled with laughter and joy.

  Everything felt perfect. The sun shone brightly in the sky, as if this happiness could last forever. But then, Sebastian’s memories took him to a place filled with thorns. Blood was splattered everywhere, the houses he once knew were reduced to ashes, and people screamed for help as monsters roamed wildly, devouring anyone they encountered. Sebastian kept running, passing dozens of corpses and attacking monsters, until he found himself back in his own home. He slowly entered his parents’ room and saw Apollonia and Daniel lying there, their eyes staring at him as if they could see straight into his soul.

  “Save us…”

  Sebastian’s eyes snapped open, his heart pounding and his breath coming in rapid gasps. He could now see the light of a torch approaching and soon recognized Alexi standing there.

  “We’ve arrived,” Alexi said.

  Sebastian walked through the muddy ground and tangled roots, following Alexi’s trail through the dark tunnel. Eventually, he saw several soldiers and Ipsilas staring at a stone wall ahead. When the soldiers noticed Sebastian, they immediately stepped aside to make way. After all, Sebastian was now under Ipsilas’s protection, even though Ipsilas had never officially declared it.

  “Looks like we’ve arrived, golden boy! Now we just need to call in all the troops and storm this place.”

  “I’m going in now.”

  Ipsilas grabbed Sebastian and said, “If you go in alone, you’ll die a foolish death.”

  “I don’t care. You can follow me if you want,” Sebastian snapped irritably.

  Ipsilas burst into laughter and said, “You never fail to amuse me, golden boy. Fine, I’ll go in with you.”

  Ipsilas and a few soldiers began slowly dismantling the stone wall in front of them. They didn’t want anyone to know about their plan, especially since they didn’t have enough people to fight. Gradually, the stone blocks crumbled and were removed, and after some time, a large hole appeared, allowing them to sneak inside.

  Sebastian and Ipsilas now found themselves in a dark hallway. They used their abilities to see through the darkness and determine which path to take. After sneaking through for a while, Sebastian finally realized where they were. He could see the broken cell door lying on the floor. From here, he knew he wasn’t far from the staircase leading to the upper floors.

  Sebastian ran toward the staircase. The place was eerily empty, with all the cells seemingly abandoned. He wondered why the church had built so many cells so deep underground. Eventually, Sebastian and Ipsilas arrived at the entrance to the soldiers’ barracks. Sebastian signaled Ipsilas to be cautious. Slowly, Sebastian opened the door, only to find Cain sitting on a chair, gripping his sword tightly.

  “You’re back, Saint. And you—how bold of you to show your face here,” Cain said, addressing Ipsilas.

  “Aren’t you happy to see me again? I thought we were friends,” Ipsilas taunted.

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  Cain immediately attacked Ipsilas, ignoring Sebastian, who stood nearby. Ipsilas blocked Cain’s strikes with a wide grin, and a fierce battle erupted between the two. Cain’s attacks were far more vicious than Sebastian had experienced before. He realized that Cain hadn’t been serious during their fight the previous night. Now, Sebastian could see the vast gap in strength between them. Ipsilas, however, was no less terrifying. His attacks were elegant yet deadly, each thrust of his rapier carrying immense force capable of ending a life in an instant.

  It was a battle between superhumans—that was the conclusion Sebastian drew from what he was witnessing. The two seemed evenly matched. If Sebastian tried to join the fight, the only fate awaiting him was death. Every strike from Cain created small shockwaves, his movements precise and explosive. On the other hand, Ipsilas’s body moved with incredible flexibility, expertly dodging attacks while his strikes were as swift and deadly as a snake’s bite.

  “Go, golden boy! I’ll hold him here!”

  Cain shifted his focus to Sebastian and lunged at him, but Ipsilas swiftly intercepted. Sebastian was shocked and shaken. The anger he had been holding onto seemed to crumble into dust as he watched Cain’s ferocity. But now, he was too deep into this place. There was no turning back—he had to keep moving forward until he reached his goal.

  Sebastian ran past Cain and Ipsilas, heading for the staircase to the upper floor. Once upstairs, he found himself in a familiar area. The sound of loud explosions echoed from the underground, but Sebastian had no idea what was happening there, and there was nothing he could do about it now.

  Sebastian ran through the church hallway until he encountered a group of church soldiers waiting for him. They now seemed braver than before, their swords drawn and ready to attack. With agility, Sebastian charged forward, wielding his hammer. His attacks felt slower due to the hammer’s weight, but the trade-off was the sheer power behind each strike. Every blow reverberated through his bones, but the pain was mitigated by the holy magic flowing through his body, healing his wounds.

  The human body is remarkably adaptable, especially bones and muscles. When they heal, they become stronger and denser than before. Sebastian continued to attack the relentless church soldiers, feeling his bones and muscles break repeatedly. The pain was excruciating, but his holy magic slowly healed the damage.

  Sebastian’s body was now drenched in blood—whether his own or his enemies’, he couldn’t tell. Every attack he made was risky, given the constant onslaught from his opponents. Moreover, the soldiers no longer held back their strikes. Despite his efforts, Sebastian could only take down a few soldiers, and even that was thanks to the holy magic continuously healing his internal injuries. His breathing techniques helped him recover stamina, but he knew this fight wouldn’t end well if things continued this way.

  Suddenly a slow clap echoes in the church hallway, a faint thud of boots can be heard coming closer from behind the church guard. Sebastian could feel some kind of mental pressure attacking him—it’s bloodlust-—so very thick that Sebastian feels like he’s drowning right now. Sebastian readied his weapon in anticipation, whoever that person is, Sebastian know they’re really dangerous and shouldn’t be underestimated.

  “Our little Saint has returned to God’s house. Who would have thought you’d come willingly? perhaps this is God’s will? Or maybe you’re just lost and didn’t know a way out?”

  From behind the crowd of soldiers emerged a woman in an Inquisitor’s uniform. Sebastian recognized her—she was one of Cain’s subordinates he had seen in the dining hall the previous night. The woman wielded two long, blunt swords that looked more like iron bars than actual blades. She kicked something on the floor, sending it sliding toward Sebastian. It was an intact church soldier’s shield.

  “You’re supposed to use a shield, aren’t you? It’s strange seeing you fight like this—it’s unnatural.”

  Sebastian slowly picked up the shield, his eyes never leaving the woman. Every instinct in his body told him she was extremely dangerous, and he had to keep watching her. Finally, he managed to grip the shield, but now he had to figure out how to move without being hindered by the heavy hammer.

  “That hammer is too heavy for you, Saint. You’re not ready to wield it yet.” Mock the Inquisitor Agent while laughing.

  “That’s none of your business,” Sebastian snapped.

  “After I capture the Saint, everyone here will receive a whipping or maybe flogging. It’s pathetic that you couldn’t catch one young man.”

  Sebastian tightened his grip on the hammer and shield. He didn’t know what would happen next, but the Inquisitor before him was already in a fighting stance, appearing completely unfazed. Sebastian tried to quench his dry throat by gulping his own spit, his sight never wandered off from the Inquisitor agent in front of him. The atmosphere thickens with anticipation, every church guard keep looking at Sebastian and The Inquisitor Agent, waiting for them to finally fight.

  “Oh, by the way, my name is Aspasia.”

  Like lightning, Aspasia suddenly appeared in front of Sebastian, slamming into the shield he held. A massive explosion echoed through the church hallway.