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Chapter 033: Fear the Cardinal

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Siva had already decided that he will take charge of the Blood Dragon God Church and so backing out of the situation did not even enter his thoughts.

—are we going to survive this?

If he was only a little bit stronger, he could fight a battle of attrition against these five within 3minutes with the help of the [Artemis MOD] and IPU's 50m short-distance teleportation.

(AN: reminder, the [Transcendent State] is coined from the Artemis MOD Siva received from Cramer in Volume 2)

But there are too many of them. Even if he wasn't being affected by the Blood Prison, there are still the Vajras who will be subjected to suppression as soon as they approached the vicinity of the spell.

And with what he'd seen and what he'd read about the Blood Prison of the Bloody Church, it was real and frightening thinking about the power they held in their grasps.

"No other choice. They're building an Ark Gate to connect Horbe into somewhere else, possibly for reinforcements or something... I can stop them!"

Siva didn't waste words and left a Mini Realm in the underground place and passed through on another as he appeared above the city of Horbe next.

This was a gigantic city.

By a flip of his hand, three items disappeared from his palm and into three different locations.

With the help of a few parts to carry them in place, the three items formed a triangle and locked the 'space' within their domain.

These were the very items themselves that locked the space in Alexandria during Kladis's siege. It will prevent any form of teleportation in its confines.

Of course, the Mini Realm was also affected.

Unless Siva upgrades the [Inventory Plus Ultra] in the same level as Gabriel's mastery, he could only wish on the day that he can travel freely through the fabrics of space.

When that was done, he flew outside the domain of the three Space Locking Pillars.

After a few minutes, through the messages passed on by the Liberty Drone with the group Leader, he knew that a struggle had finally begun with the 800 outside the city.

"It can't continue for more than a minute."

Siva looked into the distance and took a step. After an instant of the space fluctuating, he vanished as he appeared next on the location of the battle on the eastern side.

30 Vajra against 800... with the Blood Prison active, even though these are 30 Gods battling mere 800 mortals, the suppression of the Blood Magic still proved that it was a lethal counter to all things.

"No. Something's not right..." Siva noticed where the reason why it hasn't finished yet.

There was someone in the middle of the Acolytes and he was giving orders while powering up the Blood Prison Formation with his own Mana.

Siva had long noticed that Priests and Priestesses wore the same robe designs and he also had seen the robe designs of a Cardinal.

If so, then this third design...

"A Bishop! What in blazes flames a Bishop doing in this group?!"

Siva felt scared by the manpower the Church had put in this operation tonight.

He felt really scared.

If he hadn't casually thought to deploy that Liberty Drone earlier, then this calamity would've befallen Horbe —with them being unable to do anything.

Damn it.

Siva roared on the comms, "Group Leader, I'll take care of the Acolytes. Restrain that Bishop!"

"Bishop?!" the shocked voice of the Group Leader was heard and Siva realized that even Vajras were wary of the high-ranking members of the Church of the Blood Dragon God.

He didn't tarry any longer and deployed all the blades he had in his possession —all 50 of them!

With a dash, he entered the 2km range of the Blood Prison and as soon as he got close to the nearest Follower, the Malevolent Aura exploded to control his body once again.

But he didn't stop approaching. He entered their firing range and spell flew at his direction with all their sparkling splendor and destructive might.

He dodged left and right, up and down, but he did not stop and entered their ranks as the blades took one life after another, voiding his area of Acolytes in just a few breaths' time.

Since he didn't have the BMA right now, all Siva could do was fight on this B-Ranked long sleeve and slacks outfit that doesn't have solid protection.

With the help of the Absolute Domain and Cortana marking out which spell would hit him and which is going to miss, Siva maximized his movement as he circled around his opponents.

BANG!!

A spell luckily hit him from behind and disrupted his rhythm. He felt that pain and his vision blurred as he was shot down from the sky.

His body ached, wounded, injured, and he fell with frightening speed towards the solid ground.

BZZZTTT!!

With the buzzing noise of being forced to a stop by the Absolute Domain, Siva inhaled deeply and chased his breath, drinking a vial of Red Potion to heal himself of the pain and suffering. His face is as flat as the ground and his nose was just 12in away from being flattened.

To the 'people' above, he was already a casualty so no one paid him another spell as he fell down to the ground.

"If I was just a little weaker, that hit would have put me to bed already. That was a Tier-5 spell!"

The dust settled and Siva, back facing the ground, watched the battlefield in the air.

His eyes focused on the center where 20 Vajra are engaging the Bishop in a struggle flurry of spells and lightning bolts.

The issuing explosions as the Lightning Domains of the Vajras parted the wind wall rattled the entire area and the weaker Acolytes paled in fright as the Bishop and the Vajras' fight escalated in intensity.

But the more the fight dragged on, the worse the Vajras came out to be. The Blood Prison drained a lot of their strength and it only increased more as time went to pass.

Siva's 'blades' danced in midair but these guys had Tier-5 Barrier Spells cast to protect them and only when the blades bombarded the shield ten times will they be able to attack the Acolytes hiding within the Barrier Magic. And by then, another Barrier is already up and he'd only get to take down one of them so the cycle went on.

Siva didn't want to make this battle last longer.

With the ripple of space, he teleported 50m away from the battlefield, then another short-distance teleportation, and another... and another...... until he was 4km away from the battlefield that he took out two Dáinsleif and aimed at the Bishop far away.

"Cortana."

[All adjustments complete.]

"Fire."

Two muffled explosions rung as the bullet flew out of their LONG muzzles and just a moment later, the first bullet hit the Barrier Magic and cracked it while the second hit the same spot that the bullet shot straight at the Bishop's head.

Blood spurted out. The Bishop was a Terran and he was killed on the spot.

Siva shouted, "The Bishop's dead. Destroy the rest of them!"

The Group Leader heard his command, realizing the reason why the Bishop died mysteriously is because of Siva.

"Bishop Morris!"

"Bishop!"

"The Bishop is dead!"

"They killed a Son of God!"

"Kill these infidels!"

"Kill them!"

The Acolytes paused for just a moment as they saw the falling lifeless Bishop with a hole on his head towards the ground.

As the same time, the Group Leader shouted from the deepest parts of his lungs.

"Destroy the Church!"

"""Aoooooooooooooo...!!"""

A unified war cry came from the Vajras as they all charged at the Acolytes with burning animosity. As the power of the Blood Prison greatly lessened with the death of its core controller, the struggle only lasted for a short while before all the 800+ Acolytes and one Bishop were destroyed and were rounded into a final flash.

Siva had joined the fray as soon as the Bishop had died and with the blades killing their way, one guy at a time, in addition to his presence and the effect of the Killing Zone and Blood Verse, the event only lasted for a good ten minutes.

"How many are dead?"

"Four." The group Leader was downcast. It was a large loss for them. Even Siva knew just how hard it was for Vajras to reproduce and in fact, gathering a number of over 1000+ as the entire country's fighting force was already a great feat in itself.

The appearance of a Bishop in this place had really put a thick thorn on their throats.

But the situation didn't allow them to cry even just one bit. He understood that the longer he delayed, the higher the danger the city will face.

So Siva made a decision.

"The City's in danger. Hurry back immediately. I will buy you time."

Without waiting for a reply, Siva took a step and he disappeared out of their sights.

The entire group and its leader were wide eyed at the marvel but the surprise only lasted a moment before he gave the order to go back to Horbe.

"What are you still dawdling there for? Move it!"

*****

The fights in the city were not as eye-catching nor it also was suspenseful, but they're still a challenge for the Blood Prison Magic proved to be the bane of all those who had blood flowing in their veins.

It was truly a sinister Magic.

When Siva arrived at the edge of the domain that his Space-Locking Pillars controlled, he saw a city ladened with panic and strife.

He reached to his ear, tapping the Communicator.

"I thought you evacuated most of the civilians?"

The one on the other line was Mohindra, "Only the areas close to the location of the spies were not alerted to the evacuation. But we've put our agents in place to ensure that there wouldn't be any stray spells that would hurt the civilians."

"I will go to the hole at once. After you mop up the rest of the Acolytes, reinforce the defensive line in the surroundings of the underground entrance and get these people out of the area. This place will be a battleground. Go!"

After giving out the orders, Siva darted off in the distance and reached the area controlled by the Guard Captain.

Siva gave the man a slight nod, "Remember to get into fighting positions. I will alert you of when the enemies will come. I will intercept the Cardinal and hope to buy as much time as possible. There are more than a thousand Baptized Acolytes in there and an additional group of Elites that might have already been baptized. Those 40 are very strong. I will buy you time as much as I can but you have to hurry and evacuate the citizens before reinforcing me down there. As much as possible, we have to do our best to not bring the fight in the surface."

"What about right now? Won't you need support now, Your Excellency?"

Siva hesitated, "I will inform you when I need one."

"I shall order the troops to be ready, then."

"Just do as I say for now."

After confirming the arrangements, Siva advanced with a leap towards the direction of the hole in the underground area of a warehouse.

The gaping hole was constructed through years of preparations and thinking about his chance discovery of their plan, who knows what might have become of Horbe when they succeeded?

He jumped down and could feel that the BMA he sent as early detection marker was floating 3km in midair just below the entrance connecting to the surface of the city, waiting for the targets.

Its onboard module was ordered to intercept the Bloody Church Followers but avoid being in a tight pinch and retreat if needed.

"I can't pass through space but I at least could use the 'space' to connect faraway places through the Central Station Mini Realm..."

He felt really glad that he had the Inventory Plus Ultra because 80% of this overall fighting capability was actually anchored at the IPU's functionalities.

Siva dived down as fast as he can, watching all the events happening below.

He felt glad that his spying wasn't discovered yet but before he could further cheer, the foreshadow bit him in the leg.

"Ah, shit! They've discovered it!"

*****

Cardinal Hossain was frowning all the way.

"What is it?" asked Priestess Sandra.

"I've always felt it ever since you came... that there was this sticky feeling in my skin I can't explain in some manner."

"It might be the doing of that Immortal."

"Might be."

Sandra released her Mana Sense and as soon as she did, she jolted.

"We're being monitored!" when she spoke, she insta-cast a Tie-5 spell and with it, a Fire Domain erupted around them as it pushed something very intangible away —or outside— the fire domain.

"What is that?" asked the Cardinal and he too cast his Mana Sense and couldn't sense anything. "I can't feel anything but I can somehow—ah! That sticky feeling is gone!"

"I specialize in Earth Magic and blended my Mana Sense into the earth around us. The surface of the earth here had something sticking into it and so I cast a Fire Field Spell to isolate it. True enough, it proved my suspicion. We are being monitored."

The Cardinal's facial tendons looked like they were going to snap.

"It's safe to say we've already been discovered." At the last note of his words, tension rose in the rank.

Sandra and the other Priest's expression sank. He continued, "Prepare for battle. We'll force our way into the city and establish the Ark Gate. Leave one team behind to free the Dragons and lead them to the city. Hear our Lord's Decree! This world is full of infidels and pagans who worship the illicit, the unlawful, and the corrupted heathenism of their endless pursuit for greed and power! The one and only true God command us! As his messengers, all children will sacrifice these varmints as tribute! The cleansing to give way for the new era will rise from this day! We will use this battle as sacrifice to our God and receive his blessings! To once again rise and forever rule this land away from the heathens!"

Cheers erupted and then ranks upon ranks moved in unison according to their orders.

A priest left with 100 people and Stern watched as the Cardinal led Priestess Sandra and two other priests, along with the rest of their contingent to the other entrance to this secret underground cave in Horbe.

Although he was baptized, unlike the others who'd forsake their lives for their God, Stern did not have their fanatical worship or anything that will tie him to this cult.

He treated himself as an extra muscle for all their purpose, nothing more.

What he wanted from the start to finish, was just a single thing. Revenge.

He watched the group depart and they then bathed themselves in a blood rite... the taboo amongst the Divine Beast Dragon Race, the [Soul Puppet Spell Ceremony].

100 Fire Dragons...

100 of the most Elite Acolytes...

One Priest as the overseer...

They began the ceremony, merging a Dragon Soul into their own then using their bodies as a weapon controlled as puppets according to their will.

*****

The evacuation became full force right after those secret spies of the Bloody Church had been put to sleep for eternity.

Although there was still the threat of there being a few spies left in the evacuees, as long as they are not using their Blood Prison Magic, they wouldn't be discovered and they wouldn't pose a threat.

"Move it! Faster!"

The "Guardian Claws", the Police of the Vajras, all put forth their all into guarding the civilians.

A few Terrans with a sense of love to their country also signed up for this force and they too made a separate group that handled the peace and order of the situation in the shatter dome. They, too, are briefed about the situation.

{Mother!}

Through the device on her ear, the clear voice of her daughter sounded and its tone did not carry a hint of its former vigour.

"What's wrong?"

{The situation is worse. There is a Cardinal and the group in the East had just encountered a Bishop!}

Mohindra's vision almost blurred. She may be the Matriarch but her strength is far too weak than her husband. In fact, she's even weaker than Electra!

After they defeated the Bloody Church followers, they immediately moved to evacuate the city of its last remaining citizens because the situation had just changed and now...... it changed again. And it was far worse.

There is a Cardinal... in the group!

Cardinals, Bishops, Priests... with the exception of Pope-level existences, they almost had no change in their strength levels aside from the fact that their rankings are measured on who had better mastery over the Blood Prison Magic.

The higher the mastery of the Blood Prison Magic, the greater its scope of influence, the stronger its ability to suppress, and the more control they can exert in the entire picture of the battlefield.

At the lowest of levels, the Blood Prison Magic can only be cast through a collaboration of a group to supplement its high requirements for control.

There is always a formation and there is always the center —or core— of the formation that controls the Magic itself.

What makes the Blood Prison Magic scary is that in the Acolyte level, they can defeat multiple Vajras in just under an hour's time.

Priests as the core can shorten that time by 25%.

Bishops shorten it more by 50%.

Cardinals... they can defeat everyone within a big area within 15 minutes —and that is outside of the spells they and the people inside the formation use to deal with the suppressed.

If a Cardinal was to serve as the core of the Blood Prison Magic, the Vajra will experience a cataclysm that would last just a few minutes or more. But right after that..... extinction!

Mohindra felt scared hearing that a Cardinal came and intended to destroy Horbe.

"What about his Excellency?"

{He went in the hole to buy us time to evacuate the citizens and make preparations to reinforce him and said he can only last for 3 minutes. Mom, can he last three minutes against a Cardinal and four Priests?}

"I don't know... I don't know..."

Mohindra bit her lip. She didn't utter a reply as she gave new orders to rush the evacuation and also personally helped to hasten the process as fast as she could.

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