I covered my face with both hands. The weight of reality was crashing hard on me. 'What do I do? What am I supposed to-'

My thoughts came to an abrupt halt as my hands started to tremble uncontrollably. The strange heat from before grew even more piercing.

Tzzz!

Steam rose in the air and my body continued to heat up.

I didn't understand what was going on but the pain made it hard for me to properly think at the moment.

And I didn't want to think.

Especially not when notifications continued to flash across my vision.

■ EXP + 1%

■ EXP + 3%

EXP +7%

■ EXP + 2%

I was floored by the number of notifications that popped up in front of me. There were so many of them that they covered my entire vision, preventing me from seeing properly.

However, it was thanks to them that I realized there was something beneath the pain. Something...

Euphoric.

Stifling a groan, I held on the side of the chair. Faint miniature cracks formed while I gritted my teeth tightly.

I could feel the sweat trickling down the side of my face.

However, I continued to hold on.

I had a vague idea of what was happening and as a result, I didn't panic.

"This shouldn't hurt me. I will be fine.'

Tzzz!

With steam continuously rising from my body, the room started to grow damp. My clothes and hair were damp, but the thing I feared the most at the moment was the thought of someone entering the room at this moment.

For that reason, I kept my mouth shut.

I couldn't let out a single sound.

I just continued to withstand the pain in silence. I didn't know for how long I'd have to withstand the pain, but I knew I just had to.

I... just had to.

Tzzz!

Unknowingly, so much steam had formed around the room that my vision fogged up. It almost felt like I was in a sauna. From the heat to the suffocating feeling that came with each breath that I took.

"Hoo."

I took deep and steady breaths, slowly adjusting my mind to the pain and it gradually started to become bearable.

Taking a few more steady breaths, I managed to tear my mind off the pain and onto the situation before me.

"Fuck."

My heart sank the moment it fell on the body beneath me.

Seeing the shriveled-up corpse in front of me, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was dead.

"Why?"

I pressed my lips tightly while brushing the notifications that were still flashing in my vision away.

"....Aren't I supposed to be your god? Why would you...? Ah!"

A thought occurred to me.

'Right, there's that!'

Fiddling with my ring, I retrieved a small vial that contained a certain red liquid.

I looked at it with a complicated look, but seeing the situation that I was in, I knew that I had to use it.

'Yes, it's not a waste. So long as I can get out of this situation then...'

"I'm not letting you die like this."

I popped the vial open, leaned forward, and pressed my finger gently under the Pope's chin, tilting it up as I poured the blood into his mouth.

Immediately after pouring the blood, I moved back, expecting an immediate reaction, but...

Nothing.

All I was met with was a strange and still silence.

"Wha... what?"

For a moment, I thought I had given him the wrong blood. However, looking down at the vial and tracing my finger over the insides, I knew that wasn't the case.

I could tell this was the right blood.

'Why didn't it work?'

My heart sank into my stomach. Feeling a lump in my throat, I looked down at the Pope's corpse, the reality of the situation hitting me harder than before.

I didn't even have it in me to curse.

■ EXP + 2%

EXP + 4%

The continuous flash of notifications wasn't helping either. They felt more like a distraction,

adding to my stress.

However, I didn't want them to stop.

I let them distract me.

Staring at my experience bar which was filling rapidly, I watched as my level progressed

further and further with the seconds that ticked.

[Lvl 47] --> [Lvl 48] --> [Lvl 49]

The notifications only began to taper off as the progress bar inched closer to the barrier marking the fiftieth level-or, more precisely, the gateway to the fifth tier.

81% --> 84% --> 88%

The bar continued to move higher and higher with each minute that passed, but the slow

down was noticeable.

It was as if the hurdle to the next tier required a lot more mana.

89% --> 91% --> 92%

'No, more.'

I sat down and gripped the side of the chair with all my strength.

Crack!

At this point, I didn't even care that it shattered under the force that I exerted. All I could

think about was the experience bar.

'More, more...'

93% --> 94% --> 96%

'Ah, almost there.'

I clenched my teeth tightly, forgetting about my surroundings for just a brief moment.

97% -->98% --> 99%

'Just one more... One more...!'

My entire body tingled with anticipation.

I was so close to reaching the fifth tier. It had been so long since I had been stuck in the fourth

tier that I started to grow impatient. Even in the situation that I was in, I couldn't hide my

greed, and...

100%

"Ahh."

A cool sensation ran through my entire body.

It directly combated the heat radiating from within my body, alleviating a lot of the pain, and

my mind, which had previously been foggy, suddenly started to clear up.

Everything seemed to fade in that moment.

All I could see was the all-too-familiar scenery. It was... beautiful.

From the faint breeze that lingered in the air to the grass, flowers, and trees. The sight was

intoxicating.

Or at least, was.

Standing still, I watched as the beautiful scenery started to wither right before my very eyes.

Leaves drifted to the ground, trees started to wither, and the grass wilted.

In a matter of seconds, the scenery was reduced to nothing.

I watched everything in silence before the scenery shifted away and I found myself back in the

room.

As much as I wanted to observe my domain, I knew that I didn't have much time.

Lowering my head, I stared at the Pope's body.

"How exactly do I deal with this?"

All the excitement drained away, replaced by the heavy weight of the situation I was facing.

My heart sank once again, and my lips pressed together.

Right as my mind worked in overdrive, another notification flashed across my vision.

My mind blanked then.

Why?

"H,how is this...?"

Because it didn't make sense.

[Foresight] --> [Eyes of the Seer]

***

The Seven Churches extended their reach across all Four Empires and even beyond their

borders. Their influence was vast, and some might argue that their power rivaled-if not surpassed—that of any single Empire.

One of the main reasons for this was their numerous devotees and followers which included high-ranking members of each Empire, and another reason was the Templars.

The Templars were a 'holy' based military order that served the purpose of protecting the Seven Churches. Composed of devotees from all Seven Churches, their iconic red cross, split into seven red lines, emblazed in their chests served to display their neutrality amongst the

Seven Churches.

At the helm of the Templars were the Keeper of Holy Light, the most elite guard unit, in charge of guarding the Cardinals and Popes of the seven churches.

Beneath them were the Sergeants, and further down were the...

Inquisitors.

To Tok-

"Come in."

A soft voice echoed from the other side of the wooden door.

The door opened, and a figure came in.

"Ah, if it isn't a familiar face." Holding onto a teacup, a man with dark hair and deep brown eyes smiled. Wearing a brown

coat, Inquisitor Hollowe placed the teacup down and stood up.

With a warm smile, he greeted the man who had just entered the room.

"It has been a while, Keeper Matthias."

"...It has indeed been a while."

Entering the apartment, Keeper Matthias glanced around, looking rather impressed.

"Not bad. It looks like your treatment here is quite good."

"Oh, yeah, it's not bad at all."

Hollowe laughed while sitting back down.

He looked rather carefree.

Keeper Matthias didn't stand in the ceremony and sat down on the opposite end. A teacup was

ready at his seat. As though Hollowe had anticipated his arrival.

"Doesn't seem like being a Professor is hard."

"Haha, how about you give it a try?"

"...I'm happy with my job."

"I would like to say that I'm also doing my job right now."

"Well fair enough."

The two engaged in casual conversation for the next few minutes, their voices mingling in the

air. The atmosphere felt light and harmonious as if they were old friends reconnecting after

years apart.

That was until Inquisitor Hollowe placed his teacup down and asked,

"So, what brings you here?"

The atmosphere changed then.

It became...

A lot more formal.

"...The other Cardinals have already left. Realistically speaking, you shouldn't be at the

Academy. What is it that made you stay?"

"That's a secret."

Matthias smiled while answering.

"A secret?"

"Mhm."

That was all he said.

However, this was enough of a hint for Hollowe to understand the situation.

..... Looks like not all Cardinals left.'

Or at least, someone of importance was still staying within the Academy. Hollowe brought

the teacup to his mouth and took a sip.

He dropped the topic there.

"So, is there anything that I can help you with, Matthias?"

"...There is, actually."

"Oh, please ask."

"I want to know about your recent findings in your stay at the Academy." Hollowe's hand came to a brief halt, a flicker of a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Right, there was that." "....Hm?" Matthias raised his brow.

"Don't tell me you were so immersed in your job as Professor that you forgot your main job as

inquisitor?"

"Hahaha, of course not."

Hollowe rose and approached a nearby desk. He retrieved a small key, inserted it into the

drawer, and with a satisfying 'click,' opened it to pull out a brown leather book. He patted the

cover a couple of times before heading back to his seat.

"I haven't been neglecting my job at all, Keeper."

Staring at the worn-out pages of the book, Matthias smiled. He indeed had not been idle

during his stay at the Academy. "That's a relief."

Leaning back on the chair, he asked,

"Tell me what you've found so far."

"It would be my pleasure."

Opening up the book, Hollowe began to speak.

"It's as we suspected. There are a lot of traces of the Inverted Sky within the Academy. There

are quite a lot of incidents in relation to them."

"Yes, I'm aware."

"....Here's the thing."

Placing the book onto the desk, Hollowe leaned forward, his smile fading.

"The number of incidents that occur within this Academy is quite abnormal, even for the

Inverted Sky. I have reason to believe that they have some sort of motive to be here, and I have

two guesses for this."

"Oh?"

"First, the Academy hosts a lot of talented students. Perhaps they want to recruit students into their organization or kill the promising ones."

Matthias nodded. However, the next second, he paused.

"That does indeed sound like something they'd d-"

"That's why it's not that."

"What?"

"...It would be a little bit too obvious in my opinion. Looking at the pattern of events, they all

seem to be centered around the first, now second years. It's different compared to their seniors who go through their Academy days unharmed." Amongst the most obvious observations that Hollowe had during his stay at the Academy was

how the now second years were always at the center of most troubles.

One or two times could be a coincidence.

But three? Four...?

Hollowe was no fool.

"Could it be a coincidence? The second years are quite talented."

"Probably, but the incidents started before they were even famous. That's why I'm almost

certain of it."

Hollowe drummed his fingers over the book.

"...They're purposely targeting a few second years because they must want something from

them. Something precious. Precious enough to attract the attention of the Inverted Sky."

"Could it be...?"

The Keeper's face shifted.

"I don't know."

Hollow shrugged his shoulders and leaned back.

"It could or could not be the case. However, given the pattern that I'm seeing, it does indeed

seem to be the case."

Licking his lips, Hollow pressed the table.

"One of the cadets within the second year is in possession of one of the Holy Relics, and given

the most recent incident-Please wait."

Hollowe raised his hand to stop the Keeper who was about to stand up. Thankfully, Matthias

was more calm than he expected and held himself back.

Seated down, his presence almost felt suffocating.

Hollowe went ahead and continued,

"There's something else I've been wondering about the incidents."

"....Like?"

"How is it possible for so many incidents to occur? Sure, the Inverted Sky is a lot more

powerful than a mere Academy, but should I remind you who currently lives within this Academy?"

"You don't."

A figure appeared in Matthias's head as he shook his head. He couldn't forget her suffocating

presence even if he wanted to.

"Wait."

Frowning, Matthias raised his head.

"Are you suggesting that—" "No, she's innocent. I'm sure of it."

Hollow flipped through the pages of the book in front of him. "There's a higher chance of her wiping the world than her helping the Inverted Sky."

"Then...?"

"Here."

Hollowe flipped the book to the other side and pressed his finger over the page where an image appeared.

Matthias's expression immediately grew stern.

"How sure of this are you?"

".... Not very, but he seems like the most probable candidate. From the fact that he has enough

power and influence to make it happen to what I've managed to observe over the past few

months.

Hollowe flipped the book back to his side and glanced at the image displayed - A dashing

man with long blonde hair and eyes that seemed to suck one into them.

"Atlas Megrail."

Hollowe mused, staring intently at the picture.

"He's the most probable spy from the Inverted Sky."