“So… no one has been able to contact Cardinal Karon since yesterday?”

Dominic asked, a bit flustered.

As the group headed towards the temple, he tossed the question as a casual remark, slightly worried since Karon hadn’t answered his calls.

However, the response he received was bizarre.

Not a single person among them had been in touch with Cardinal Karon.

‘Does that even make sense?’

Dominic could somewhat understand that Karon wasn’t picking up his calls. After all, he was distancing himself and had his hands full dealing with the situation with the Black Fangs.

But ignoring everyone here?

There were over twenty people present. That was clearly strange.

“Oh, now that you mention it, I haven’t been able to reach a friend working here either. I thought they were just busy…”

And just to make matters worse, the mention of Karon wasn’t the only concern. A certain archbishop added that he hadn’t been able to contact any of his acquaintances too.

The murmuring among the group began to grow louder.

Noticing the odd atmosphere, everyone was attempting to contact those in the temple, but…

No answers were coming back.

Even emergency signals were met with silence.

The ambiance became increasingly chaotic.

Everyone was starting to realize that something strange was going on.

And soon enough… someone finally spoke up.

“Could it be that the Black Fangs…?”

That was likely a thought everyone in the room was having but was too afraid to voice.

The topic everyone wanted to avoid was now on the table, and naturally, the seriousness of the situation reflected in everyone’s faces, including Dominic’s.

‘Could something have happened to Cardinal Karon?’

That thought flashed through Dominic’s mind, but it didn’t quite add up.

Cardinal Karon was one of the greatest of the great.

If asked who was most loved by the gods, Dominic would instantly name him without hesitation.

Just look at the stigmas on Karon; it was obvious.

He was known to have the extraordinary grace that could save anyone as long as he was alive.

Even the Pope, who had disappeared for reasons unknown, didn’t have such overwhelming stigmas.

And that divine power… was at a level no one could match. The kind of power that made it hard to believe it belonged to just one person.

Maybe a bit silly, but every time Dominic saw Cardinal Karon, he felt like he was looking at a congregation of hundreds of believers all wrapped up in one.

Just how much faith must a person have to achieve such a feat?

It was beyond his imagination.

But now, to think that such a person could be assassinated overnight?

That everyone in the temple had been slaughtered and no one could get in touch with them?

Such a thought was incredibly far-fetched.

But… not a single person dared to voice it. Even Dominic himself walked in silence.

The Black Fangs.

The weight of that name held back any words.

There was no way such a thing could have happened.

The power of the name Black Fangs was too overwhelming for anyone to declare it as a truth.

So, they sat in heavy silence for a long while.

And the silence was finally broken by…

“…This is…!”

A shout from someone drew immediate attention.

In an instant, the man’s face drained of color, and cold sweat trickled down his neck.

But Cardinal Dominic didn’t question why the man was reacting that way.

There was no need to.

The fifth strongest in the Holy Church, after all.

He’d have felt it too.

The substantial energy emanating from the temple in the distance.

The overwhelming divine power was beyond comprehension.

Was there an experiment that went wrong?

Had the holy relic malfunctioned, causing the blackout of communication?

Thoughts spiraled in his mind.

What on earth was happening in there? He had no idea.

But what needed to be done was clear.

In this situation,

Their only option was straightforward.

As if they had made a promise, they quickly dashed towards the temple.

And what lay before their eyes…

Was a white-haired man gently cradling a girl stained with blood.

*

A splitting headache washed over me. I felt like I might go insane it was so ridiculous.

‘Why on earth are these people here?’

There’s a line you just don’t cross with absurdity.

If the folks showing up were just citizens taking a stroll, sure, I could chalk that up to coincidence.

But these people are decked out in clerical robes.

And they all emanate a strong aura, clearly high-ranked.

But why, of all times, did they appear right in front of me?

‘Didn’t the church folks get wiped out by Lucy?’

Were there any stragglers left behind? Or were the dead guys calling in reinforcements?

[Changes will occur in 10 seconds. To alleviate the pain during the change, the user’s senses will be temporarily blocked.]

My head was already spinning with confusion. The status windows took this chance to attack my eyesight.

As always, the sudden blue notification window flickered in front of me, threatening my eye health and scratching my already-frayed nerves before fading away.

Naturally, a stream of curses welling up in my throat,

‘…That’s not what’s important right now.’

I held back with superhuman patience.

Why this obnoxious notification rang again was not something I needed to focus on now.

If I had time to waste on that, it should be spent figuring out a solution.

‘If I call for backup right now…’

The first thought that popped up was to summon Siel or Lien. I hadn’t used the talisman Siel had given me yet.

Tearing it would allow me to summon both of them anytime.

But the crucial part is…

The powers they wield happen to clash with ours.

One’s a half-elf who almost became a Demon King, while the other made a contract with a demon.

Considering those conflicting traits, betting on that number of people made victory hard to guarantee.

Even if we managed to win, we’d likely suffer severe losses. And that’s definitely not a good outcome.

So, the best strategy I need to choose is… winning without fighting.

Making my exit without engaging in combat.

If I had an option, that would be the best outcome.

‘…But how the heck do I do that?’

My head spun.

I’m no mastermind.

In a situation like this, thinking of some brilliant strategy in no time flat is a tall order.

Right now, the only plans popping up in my head were pathetic.

You know, the ones you see in novels or comics, where someone uses killing intent to incapacitate the enemies? Total fantasy nonsense.

Not something that’d work in this reality…

‘…Wait.’

Is that really impossible?

Sure, overpowering them with killing intent was unrealistic,

But intimidating them to make them think twice might have some feasibility.

Convincing them that I’m strong enough that I could wipe them out before they even think of attacking seemed plausible.

Even they would likely value their own lives.

If they believed they’d be obliterated in a fight, the chance of conflict would reduce significantly.

And I could see that plan starting to take shape in my mind.

Let’s rethink the situation.

These people are likely affiliated with the Holy Church.

And behind me lies the scene of an enormous massacre.

So, what do you think they’re making of me right now?

It’s painfully obvious.

The leader of the Black Fangs.

The one who declared he’d bring down the Holy Church has committed this massacre.

They’d surely deduce it that way.

Then…

There’s only one thing I need to do right now.

It’s really not a hard task.

I might as well be an expert at impersonating the leader of the Black Fangs.

Before me gathered numerous clergy members.

Catching their attention, I slowly descended the stairs.

Now, I was just an arm’s reach away.

Yet, my expression didn’t betray any unease.

With a blank face, I met their gazes, calm as if I was enlightened to all things in this world.

Then… a man, not long after, asked me,

“W-who are you?”

I couldn’t help but notice the odd stares he gave as he asked that question.

It felt like he was looking at something behind me rather than directly at me.

But… what’s back there?

I wiped any silly thoughts from my mind and opened my mouth to respond to the man’s question.

“Isn’t it obvious? You lot should be the ones that know better.”

It seemed my strategy might be working since their faces turned pale. A very good sign.

“I’ve been watching you, all of you, reveling in your ugliness.”

I carried the momentum and continued speaking, wearing a serious expression.

In a low voice, I declared,

“I’ve come to judge you.”

In the name of the Black Fangs’ leader, I’ve returned to mete out punishment.

And then…

Soon enough, my mind was flooded with questions.

It was almost to be expected.

The scene unfolding before me was completely out of the blue in terms of reactions.

‘…Why are they crying?’

Suddenly, why are they praying to me too?