Ascension of the Dark Seraph - Chapter 80

Chapter 80: Blood Priests Chapter 80: Blood Priests A commotion could be heard from the bedroom inside a small, humble house consisting-of three rooms.

Vicious whipping sounds that cut through the air could be heard, followed by a restrained, painful whimper.

“Pray louder!

Louder I say!” “Dear Blood God, please accept this-hahkk!

O- Offering…” Inside the room was a woman, she seemed to be a nun from the outfit she was wearing.

But right now, the backside of her clothes was exposed, ripped.

and torn-exposing her back that was riddled with bleeding laceration wounds from whipping strikes.

As she prayed to the Blood God, she was whipped by her husband from behind.

“I’ve prayed enough, please dear…” “Are you talking back to me, huh?!

I am your husband, you must do well to listen to me!” Her whimper and cries were ignored-her husband kept going with a twisted smile.

Despite the excruciating pain, the nun could only bite down on her lips and endure.

It was nothing new, this has been her life for years.

She spent her time in the church, praying to be blessed and before dark, she would return to the house-to prepare food for her husband.

But whenever her husband had a rough day, he would vent it out to her through this.

Every time she felt pain and suffering, she was told to pray hard to the Blood God.

He said that this was to help her be seen more by the Blood God, through pain and suffering.

But the nun knows that was only an excuse.

Living like this is hard and when she sought help from the pastor, she was declined.

Just like her husband, the pastor said she should listen to what her husband said.

Or else, the Blood God would never blessed her and make her one of the Blood Sisters.

A consequence that incredibly scares her.

“Phew~ that was refreshing.

Clean up this mess in ten minutes, I want to sleep” Crumpled on the ground with throbbing wounds on her back, the nun nodded.

“Hey, do you hear me?!” the husband barked angrily.

Eventually, the nun forced out an answer, her voice trembling.

“Y- Yes, dear…

I’ll clean it up” “And…?” “Thank…

Thank you for helping me” “Hahah~!

Now that’s a good wife!” Despite the wounds, the nun poured water and cleaned the blood with a cloth.

As she did this, memories of her cries and the laughter of her husband and the pastor came flashing in her mind with each stroke-of the cloth on the floor.

Her face dark, she had been doing this for years, and there was bound to be a limit.

And today, that limit was touched as her hand stopped.

“I’ll sacrifice them…” She said, her eyes red with anger.

“I’ll sacrifice them for the Blood God!” …

“You lied just now, pastor…”  Lucivar stared directly into the pastor’s eyes, a menacing smile crossed his lips.

He could see through the bullshit that this city offered him instantly.

Something was wrong with this city.

As soon as he crossed with Kaki, Lucivar’s suspicion was confirmed-as Kaki was evidently surprised to see Lucivar and the academy hunters.

In addition to that, a dark trail also came from Kaki, connecting to Lucivar.

Kaki bore killing intent the moment he laid eyes on them.

From that fact alone, Lucivar knew that the condition of the village was not what it seemed.

Hearing this, the pastor smiled sheepishly, sweat drizzling down the side of his face.

“W- What are you saying, I’ll be damned if I lie….” “You are one sly bastard, I didn’t sense any killing intent from you but you see…

you might be good at hiding your emotions but your people, not so much.

I can see through your bullshit-you all are trying to kill us, aren’t you?” “That’s a ridiculous accusation,” Recovering from the initial uneasiness, the pastor pushed Lucivar away calmly.

“All of us are on edge, that’s probably why my people made you feel that way” He added.

Upon hearing this, Lucivar smirked, his Angel constitution is never wrong.

“Oh, really?

Then can you please show me where your other people are, I want to see them” “No, you can’t.

It’s the middle of the night and all of them are sleeping.

Sigh…

Just go back to your friends, eat and rest.

We’ll talk again tomorrow when your mind is clearer.

I’ll not keep on entertaining this conversation” “Might as well tell me the real reason now,” Lucivar did not let up.

“If your people are on edge as you say, then all of them would be awake especially-when the academy hunters came.

If you want to lie, make it consistent” Upon hearing this, the pastor’s face darkened.

It was clear that Lucivar struck a nerve.

“Seems like you know a lot about lying, friend Lucivar,” “Of course, I’m not a good person myself.

So if you lie again, I’ll know” “So you want to know the truth?” “Yes, that’s the only thing you could do to have a chance of survival.

Going against me is-” Just before he could finish his sentence, two figures appeared behind him and struck.

Lucivar, already sensing their approach, made a roll to the side, barely avoiding the attack.

He lifted his gaze to identify his assailants and saw the people in cassocks-the very ones the pastor had assigned to guard the portal.

They were the ones who attacked.

And at the sight of this, Lucivar’s eyes gleamed with wild excitement.

All of them wielded weapons forged entirely from blood.

Naturally, Lucivar couldn’t help but laugh, thrilled by what was happening.

“I applaud your attempts, but this level of trickery is not enough to make my heart dance, you foolish pastor!” Lucivar declared loudly, his that were bright yellow shifting to the deep shade of emerald.

“Do you really think I wouldn’t notice?” Upon hearing this, the pastor gritted his teeth, furious at the unfolding events.

Lucivar had anticipated the attack from these people.

He knew that Veloria City was religious, as it was stated in the mission description, but he was sure that even for a religious city, not everybody wore cassocks like a member of the church-that was obvious in his eyes.

Since he saw no one who wore different clothes, Lucivar realized one important fact.

It was the fact that the city was sabotaged, probably by a member of the church.

And from that, it was easy to tie it all to the pastor being the one behind this.

Standing upright once again, Lucivar put down his bag and unsheathed his weapons.

He tilted his head and turned to look at the pastor, his eyes glowing green.

“So, should we do this the easy way or the hard way…?”  “Kill him now!!” Responding to the pastor’s command, the priests rushed in-their blood weapons ready.

Lucivar cracked his neck and also sprinted ahead, meeting the ferocity the same.

Clang!

Two of the four priests swung their blood sword that clashed with Lucivar’s weapon.

Despite swinging with full power, both of them couldn’t push through Lucivar.

“He’s an Acolyte-rank Hybrid!” One screamed, expecting the academy hunters sent here to be Neophyte-rank Hybrids.

Lucivar’s eyes gleamed with killing intent, “Where are the people of the city?” “I’m not telling you shit!” “A priest who uses cursed words?

Now that’s new” Gritting his teeth, the two priests, put more strength-but Lucivar easily parried their blood swords, pushing them back and causing them to fall backward.

As Lucivar was about to do the finishing blow, another priest came from behind.

His sword raised high and he made a strong vertical downswing.

A smile crossed his face seeing Lucivar’s behind was exposed.

But as the tip of the sword was about to connect, he felt his momentum halted suddenly.

Looking at his arm, his eyes widened seeing emerald chains wrapping around it.

Following that, Lucivar glanced over to the priest and before he could react, used the dagger to stab him from below the chin, spurting brain matter and blood through the top.

One down, Lucivar turned to the other one.

He tried to thrust his blood spear forward but Lucivar swiveled from the way.

Reacting, the priest gathered his arm strength and tried to cleave the spear to hit Lucivar.

It was supposed to work, at least in his mind-but a blast of energy, suddenly caught him off guard from below, knocking him off of his feet and also propelling the blood spear upward.

It was then did Lucivar closed in and grabbed him by the neck.

“Are you going to answer?” Lucivar asked.

“No?

Alright then” “GRAARGHKK!!” the priest screamed.

Lucivar used his Greedy Grasp ability and absorbed the priest’s vitality away to the last drop.

Everyone including the pastor saw how the priest’s body drying up rapidly.

And when Lucivar was done, he was no bigger than a twig.

Upon sensing the fear, Lucivar turned and smiled but this time, the pastor gulped harshly.

He now saw Lucivar’s smile akin to the devil’s smile.

“Come on, at least if you’re going to disappoint me in your cunningness, be good at fighting” Seeing this, the two remaining priests took a step back and turned to look at the pastor.

It was clear that both of them were scared to attack once again.

However, knowing that letting Lucivar alive is going to be catastrophic to his plan, the pastor decided to participate in the fight.

His eyes turned red with a blink before he pointed both of his open hands forward, “On me, I’ll help!” Nodding, the two priests charged once again even more determinedly.

Lucivar readied himself but then he grunted, a pain infiltrated his left foot.

A thorn made of blood pierced his foot and spread into branches, pinning him in place.

‘How did he…?’ Lucivar frowned-he didn’t know how the pastor was able to reach him, from that distance but then his eyes widened in realization.

‘It’s the mud…

it’s mixed with blood, it was how he was able to do this’ Recovering from the initial shock, Lucivar raised his weapons.

He saw the two priests were already swinging from two different angles.

But then, their attacks struck a barrier, catching them completely by surprise.

Lucivar was the same and as he turned to his left, he saw Leandra and Mirel were there.

On top of that-in that moment of slow motion, he also saw the pastor-was already running away.

He used the two priests as decoys to make a run for himself, knowing that he wouldn’t win against Lucivar.

Seeing how selfish the priest was, Lucivar smiled, “Mirel, go and chase after him!” “Go, me and Lucivar will handle these priests and catch up,” Leandra also added.

Since he was the fastest with his Lightning Elemental bloodline, Mirel nodded and quickly ran after the pastor.

He didn’t know what was happening-but Lucivar for sure wouldn’t be doing this without a legitimate reason.

Picking up her pace, Leandra rushed to help Lucivar.

But she frowned when a thorn protruded out of the ground suddenly.

“Watch out, the ground is a trap!” Lucivar shouted.

Focusing deeply, an invisible platform appeared above the thorn, allowing Leandra to step.

She then blasted ahead.

Sensing her incoming, Lucivar gritted his teeth and channeled the Radiant Burst spell.

An explosion of energy knocked the two priests skywards, and before both of them could do anything, Leandra already came in with her sword.

Her sword made a beautiful arc under the moon as she decapacitated the two priests with one stroke.

Splash!