Chapter 254: The Prophet [2]

Chapter 253

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Episode 64 - The Prophet [2]

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"November 25th, 789 of the Imperial Calendar."

Astrid’s voice said that. At that moment, I got up from the floor and took a deep breath.

I held the air in my lungs for a minute before finally letting it out.

’Three months have already passed.’

There were only five days left before Chapter Three began.

In the meantime, I stretched my body for a few seconds before clenching my fists.

’Six Stars, huh.’

With that thought, the status window appeared in my mind, and I looked directly at my Mana stat.

Mana -〖★★★|★★★/11,29.%〗-〖Stage/Initial〗

After all this time, I had finally advanced to Six Stars.

It was an extremely fast rate of progress.

It had taken me three months if I counted every day I had spent trying to Awaken the Higher Mind and, ultimately, create my Zone of Isolation.

But if we counted from the moment I advanced to Five Stars, then nearly five months had passed.

"What time is it?"

I asked Astrid, and she replied.

"It’s six in the morning. By the way, you could put on a shirt. No, better yet, go take a bath right now."

"Of course, Mom."

"I’m not joking. Go take a bath. You smell awful."

I flashed a faint smile before going to take a bath.

Ten minutes later, I came out of the bathroom in clean clothes. I fixed my hair and finally went downstairs.

’At this time, the cadets at the Academy should be taking their second-semester written exams.’

There was only one week left until the exams ended.

Which meant winter break would begin, officially marking the end of the cadets’ first year, since they would enter their second year at the Academy the following year.

The Holy Academy consisted of three years in total, and each year had two vacation periods.

Additionally, each semester lasted five months.

"Aah, good morning."

I took a seat on the sofa in the living room. At that moment, Mia was cooking breakfast in the kitchen.

Rowan and Astrid were sitting at the table, waiting with plates and spoons in their hands.

"Good morning, Master."

"Good morning, Lord."

Mia and Rowan said at the same time. I nodded slightly before going over to sit at the table with the others.

Over the past few months, everyone in this house had grown genuinely closer.

’Although it’s a pain whenever that depraved witch comes over.’

I kept Astrid away from that damn witch. Even though she was under my control, she was a bad influence on my sister.

"Master, I heard that the Academic Exchange between the Holy Academy and Elvenheims Academy begins in the second week of December and ends in the last week of December."

Mia said as she filled the plates with food.

I picked up my fork and nodded.

"Mhm."

"The Academic Exchange will also be divided into three parts: the Inter-Academic Ceremony, the Inter-Academic Games, and finally, the Inter-Academic Tournament. Each of them lasts one week."

"That means three weeks, almost the entire month, huh."

"Yes, it seems so. Ah, and according to Astella, Headmistress Bernice of the Holy Academy still hasn’t returned from the World Congress."

As I brought the forkful of meat to my mouth, I stopped for a moment.

’Headmistress Bernice left around the time of the practical exams, when we went to the Phlegra Continent.’

It had been six months since she left for the World Congress.

’It seems that ’that’ problem regarding the Abyss is proving difficult to resolve, but I think she’ll return during the second week of the Academic Exchange.’

I nodded slightly in response to Mia’s words.

"Oh, and what about the newspapers?"

Mia took a seat after serving food onto her plate. She picked up a fork and knife before speaking.

"For now, it’s the same as always. The manhunt for him has already spread across the entire continent, and the Holy Church has classified him as a villain comparable to a Nine-Star, due to his potential for growth and the massacre he committed at the Holy Academy after defeating an Eight-Star knight and the entire order of Inquisitors..."

The day after I left the Academy and did what I did, the news appeared in the newspapers, and within a week, the entire Imperial Capital knew about it.

Then, numerous bounty hunters began appearing everywhere.

Entering every house and investigating every corner of the Imperial Capital.

For a month, Mia, Rowan, Astrid, and I went somewhere else, far away from the Imperial Capital.

Eventually, once word spread that I wasn’t in the Imperial Capital, the number of bounty hunters dropped by more than 90%, and the news about the bounty on my head spread beyond the cities surrounding the Imperial Capital.

Now, even during these past few days, when I had been shut away in order to advance to Six Stars, I had barely learned anything about what was happening outside.

"And as for his other identity, Master, the Holy Church has labeled him a blasphemer. A person who appeared out of nowhere, calls himself a Prophet, and, above all, kills only the corrupt knights of the Holy Church. This has attracted the attention of the Holy Church’s headquarters in the Ordeal Democracy "

"So they finally figured it out, huh."

Over the past few months, I had been using my identity as the Prophet, which until now had only been known to Clana and the others.

My purpose in revealing the identity known as the Prophet was simple.

’Kill every corrupt member of the Holy Church.’

Leaving behind only the newcomers, the innocent, or those who knew nothing about the corruption within the Holy Church and simply followed their faith, like anyone who believed in a God.

At first, I started in the Imperial Capital, and within a matter of days, I had killed every corrupt member of the Holy Church.

Eventually, I went beyond the Imperial Capital.

And something I truly hadn’t expected was that many people began following me as some kind of emissary of God.

People who knew that the Holy Church was simply exploiting what they called the Holy Church.

People who genuinely wanted to seek out or follow a true God who had good, uncorrupted followers.

’Aah, it’s a little embarrassing, but I had to come up with a name for this ’God’ they believe in.’

I gave them the name of a False God, and at some point, a Church emerged. However, this Church has yet to reveal itself to the public.

That was because I had clearly stated that once the God they followed saved the world from its impending end, their Church could finally reveal itself to the world.

The name of the False God I came up with was... The Preserver.

A God who protects the world from evil Gods and preserves the natural order of life and death; in other words, reincarnation.

"It’s embarrassing. Please disguise yourself whenever we go out in public, understood?"

"...."

I let out a sigh at Astrid’s comment. If there was one person in this place who teased me the most, it was none other than that cunning girl.

"Yes, yes, whatever you say."

A few minutes later, I finished my breakfast.

I also finished my favorite coffee before getting up from my seat.

"Are you going out?"

Astrid suddenly appeared in front of me. At her question, I nodded slightly.

"Yes. Why, do you want to come with me?"

"No, actually, I just wanted you to bring me some chocolate-flavored coffee."

"Of course you do, you coffee addict."

"Says the person who drinks coffee whenever he gets the chance."

Astrid crossed her arms and glared at me.

’Seriously, this little girl has gotten so shameless compared to the first day I met her.’

I patted her little head and said:

"I’ll bring you some, so I’ll be back soon."

I took a potion from my Inventory and drank it in one gulp.

At that moment, my appearance changed into that of a man with black hair and black eyes.

The bandage covering my eyes naturally disappeared from view. Although it remained a complete mystery, I had discovered that my bandage had the ability to become invisible.

Of course, only for a short period of time, and it also consumed a considerable amount of Mana.

Thus, I left Mia’s shop and walked through the streets.

I didn’t have any particular destination in mind; I was simply going for a walk to see how active the Holy Church’s members were in the Imperial Capital.

Half an hour later, I made my way around the central square, where one of the Holy Church’s headquarters was located.

There were far more guards than there had been a couple of months ago.

Each of the guards was quite young and possessed power somewhere around Five to Six Stars.

Aside from the corrupt members of the Holy Church, I had also completely eradicated any trace of villains in the Imperial Capital.

’It feels like taking a breath of fresh air.’

No villains, no corrupt members of the Holy Church, and simply people going about their daily lives.

With the sun and clouds in the sky creating a peaceful, tranquil day.

However...

"....?"

I came to a sudden stop the moment my senses detected movement.

’They’re finally here, huh.’

People I knew very well. The Abraham Clan had finally sent them.