After a month on the carriage
After nearly a month drifting along the rocky dirt road, the carriage finally stopped.
The wind here was much colder.
Gigantic mountain ranges stood upright like the walls of the world.
Lioren stepped down from the carriage. His body had stiffened from the long days sitting inside the cramped cabin.
He looked around.
This place was unlike any land he had ever seen.
There were no villages.
No roads.
Only enormous mountain ranges.
Lioren turned to the coachman.
"Where is this on the map?"
The coachman did not answer.
He simply turned the horse.
Then the carriage quickly departed, leaving the two of them standing in the middle of the desolate land.
Kiriel looked around.
"Perhaps… this is the center of the world map."
Lioren frowned.
"The center…"
Before he could think further, two figures in black cloaks appeared ahead.
One of them stepped forward.
"Are you the chosen ones from the fortress of Graver — under Father Vincent?"
Lioren nodded.
"Yes."
The man frowned.
"Then why are there only two of you?"
His voice turned cold.
"I am beginning to doubt Vincent's loyalty. Did he dare to defy the ritual?"
The other one raised a hand to stop him.
"Follow us."
"The Pope is waiting."
---
They led Lioren and Kiriel through the mountainside.
When they stepped inside the mountain — the sight before Lioren made him stop.
He could not say a word.
Bodies.
Human bodies everywhere.
On the ground.
On tree trunks.
Floating in the black water.
Dry skeletons, corpses not yet decomposed, and remains already rotted away.
The air was thick with the smell of blood and decay.
A chilling sensation ran down Lioren's spine.
…What is this place?
The guide spoke as if telling an ordinary story.
"Do you know what this place used to be?"
"A hundred years ago… this was the land of the elves."
Kiriel frowned.
"Weren't the elves already extinct or enslaved?"
The man nodded.
"Yes."
"But this was their last land."
He pointed toward the enormous cliffs.
"The elves created these mountains to hide their forest from humans and monsters."
He smiled coldly.
"Until the Pope found this place."
Lioren felt his throat dry.
"He killed all the elves."
"And established the Holy Land — Maria."
No one spoke again.
Only footsteps echoed.
Each step Lioren took crushed dried blood and broken bones.
He did not want to look down at his feet.
---
He was walking on the corpses of an entire race.
---
Finally, they arrived before a massive castle.
Inside — the largest chamber.
Statues lined the walls.
At the center stood a colossal statue of the Turning God.
In the middle of the chamber, a man sat upon a throne.
The Pope.
His voice echoed.
"My sheep."
Lioren looked straight at him.
"You are the Pope."
The Pope's eyes darkened.
"Rude."
Lioren said nothing more.
He only spoke softly.
"Do it, Kiriel."
Immediately—
Darkness erupted.
A massive black veil enveloped the entire chamber.
---
Earlier — on the carriage
Lioren had said:
"After we meet the Pope… I will kill him."
Kiriel shook her head.
"Every Pope possesses an innate ability."
"They absorb miracle energy from the environment."
"In battle… they are almost immortal."
Lioren fell silent.
"Then what do we do?"
Kiriel looked at him.
"I will create a veil that isolates the outside world."
"But while maintaining it… I won't be able to fight."
---
Now
Darkness closed in.
Kiriel's black veil covered the chamber completely, severing it from the outside world.
The air instantly became heavy.
The Pope frowned slightly.
He slowly raised his hand, as if trying to sense something in the air.
But then his gaze grew colder.
"…You."
"You cut off my miracle energy."
His eyes slowly shifted toward Kiriel.
She stood behind, both hands raised, her entire body tense to maintain the veil.
"Was it that girl?"
One of the Pope's fingers lifted.
At that very moment—
A black bullet shot straight toward Kiriel.
KENG.
Two blades appeared and blocked the bullet.
Ice and lightning.
Lioren stood in front of Kiriel.
"Your opponent is me."
The Pope looked at him for a moment.
Then he smiled faintly.
"…An elemental swordsman."
Red veins slowly spread from his fingers.
"Come."
---
Lioren rushed forward.
His twin swords slashed straight at the Pope's neck.
But—
BAM.
The Pope's punch slammed into his stomach.
In that instant Lioren felt as if all his internal organs were crushed.
His body flew backward.
BOOM.
He crashed hard into the veil of darkness.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
Damn it…
That punch…
If it had hit my head… I would already be dead.
The Pope slowly walked toward him.
"You think… a small veil can weaken me?"
Lioren stood up.
Every breath stabbed with pain.
But he did not step back.
If I retreat… Kiriel will die.
He raised his hand.
A lightning bow formed.
The string pulled tight.
WHOOSH.
The arrow shot forward.
The Pope caught it with his hand.
But the moment it touched his palm—
BOOM.
A massive surge of electricity exploded.
Lightning ran along the Pope's arm.
He frowned slightly.
At that moment—
Lioren had already rushed in.
If his hand is numb…
I will win.
Twin blades descended.
But—
The Pope only tilted his head.
The blade grazed past his neck.
Missed.
Another punch.
BAM.
This time it struck his chest.
Lioren heard the sound of bones cracking inside his body.
He was sent flying again.
His body slammed into the veil once more.
Not good…
At this rate I'll die.
The Pope slowly approached.
Not hurried.
Like a beast playing with its prey.
Lioren wiped the blood from his mouth.
He stood up.
His eyes turned cold.
Ice armor covered his body.
An ice spear appeared in his hand.
Two lightning daggers spun around his wrists.
The Pope saw it.
The red veins had now spread across his entire body.
"Interesting."
Both of them charged at each other.
---
Lioren swung a dagger straight at the Pope's neck.
But the Pope blocked it.
His punch came down.
This time the ice armor absorbed most of the force.
But Lioren was still pushed back.
It held…
This armor can hold.
He rushed forward again.
Spear.
Daggers.
Sword.
Elements changed continuously.
Attacks like a storm.
For the first time in the battle, the Pope stepped back.
He jumped away.
Lioren immediately chased him.
A long sword appeared.
He slashed across the neck.
The Pope dodged.
His eyes began to change.
…This brat.
Why is his power increasing so fast?
A trace of fatigue crept into his body.
The veil.
His gaze shifted toward Kiriel.
Kill that girl… and the battle ends.
The Pope immediately rushed toward Kiriel.
But—
Lioren had already predicted it.
Behind him a gigantic axe formed.
BOOM.
The axe fell.
The Pope barely dodged.
At that very moment—
A lightning dagger pierced straight into his hand.
The Pope grabbed the blade.
Electricity surged violently through his body.
But he did not release it.
Lioren's other hand formed a rapier.
He thrust it straight into the Pope's abdomen.
The long blade pierced into his body.
Lioren whispered.
"Can you endure a large amount of electricity?"
BOOM.
Lightning exploded.
Electricity ran through the rapier and surged through the Pope's entire body.
The fingers gripping the dagger were severed.
The nervous system paralyzed.
At that instant—
Lioren did not hesitate.
The dagger stabbed into the carotid artery.
Another axe appeared.
BOOM.
It chopped down onto the back of the neck.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
The Pope's body collapsed.
---
The room fell silent.
Lioren stood there, breathing heavily.
He stared at the corpse.
Kiriel spoke softly.
"The carotid artery is cut."
"The neck is severed."
"Electricity destroyed the organs."
"…He's dead."
But Lioren did not take his eyes off it.
Something… was wrong.
Blood from the Pope's body was flowing.
Across the stone floor.
But…
It was not spreading.
It was moving.
The stream of blood quietly crawled across the floor.
Heading straight toward Kiriel.
"Kiriel—"
He didn't finish the sentence.
THUD.
A hand emerged from the pool of blood.
A skeletal hand grabbed Kiriel's throat.
"KH—"
Kiriel was lifted into the air.
Lioren rushed forward.
But it was too late.
CRACK.
Kiriel's neck snapped.
Her body fell to the ground.
The veil of darkness shattered.
Lioren froze.
And before him—
From the blood, a skeleton rose.
No skin.
No flesh.
Only bones.
Then—
Miracle energy flooded in from all directions.
Flesh.
Blood vessels.
Skin.
The Pope's body regenerated before Lioren's eyes.
He looked down at him.
And smiled.
"Now… we begin again."