Of course, as York stared at the deep, narrow path, he hadn't forgotten the last Thermobaric Warhead.
Under the gaze of Hili and the other, York reached back into the helicopter, picked up the assembled RPG-7, and hoisted it onto his shoulder.
Novice Nun Irene looked on in a daze. Wearing her white novice habit, she clutched the grenade belt across her chest with both hands, staring at the priest beside her with a look of pure shock.
She had never seen a priest like this before.
A grenade launcher in his right hand.
A belt full of ammunition draped over his body.
An RPG-7 held in his left hand and resting on his shoulder.
Combined with the priest's physique, he was the spitting image of... Though she felt an odd, overwhelming sense of security, Irene couldn't help but find it very awkward.
In contrast, Hili's eyes were practically glowing as he held the SHAK-12 Heavy Assault Rifle.
"Father Yorkes, you're so cool! Explosively cool!"
He shouted.
"This is my idol!"
York ignored him. The RPG-7 on his shoulder was already aimed at the entrance of the narrow path, only twelve or thirteen meters away.
"Clearing the area first!"
Amidst his low whisper, he pulled the trigger.
With a pfft sound!
The Thermobaric Warhead rode a plume of exhaust, hurtling toward the bottomless entrance of the path.
A perfect parabola traced its way into the narrow passage.
The next second.
BOOM!!!!
The explosion roared.
The ground and the walls shuddered from the blast, shaking loose clouds of dust.
It also caused debris to slide down from the tops of the surrounding ruins.
A dazzling flash of fire and pure white light erupted from the entrance.
A powerful, visible shockwave surged out of the path, rapidly sweeping toward York and the other two.
Compared to Irene, who stood frozen with wide eyes, Hili's face twitched as he held the SHAK-12 Heavy Assault Rifle.
Knowing his stuff, he realized that this incoming shockwave could blast the three of them back at least a dozen meters.
"What the fk! What kind of power is that?"
Hili clutched the SHAK-12 Heavy Assault Rifle and looked at the priest standing at the very front, complaining loudly in his heart.
Since the first shot, the power of every RPG warhead had exceeded his understanding. Those weren't RPGs; they were missiles.
"Father Yorkes!"
"Don't panic," York said calmly. Watching the shockwave sweep toward them, he swung the RPG in his left hand like a drumstick, striking the empty space in front of him.
[5 points of Mana used]
A mechanical voice sounded in York' ear. An equal level of energy erupted from the point where the RPG struck, violently colliding with the incoming shockwave.
York didn't feel much, but the two behind him heard a loud thud. The resulting gust of wind whipped their hair and distorted their faces.
The helicopter swayed.
The next second, all was calm.
Before the two could react.
York casually tossed aside the bent RPG-7 and stepped toward the entrance of the path.
"Let's go."
"Ah, okay..."
Irene, being the closest, snapped out of it and habitually followed.
"So damn cool!"
Hili licked his dry lips. Although he didn't understand how the priest had neutralized the shockwave, he subconsciously followed behind the nun.
"It's certainly a lot cleaner," York said as he led them to the edge of the path. Sensing that the dark haze was mostly gone and seeing a turn deep inside, he plucked another Holy Hand Grenade from his belt and unscrewed the pin with one hand.
"But it's not enough."
Under the watchful eyes of the two behind him, York threw a Holy Hand Grenade toward the turn in the path.
Seeing the grenade bounce off the wall toward the turn, York grabbed the dazed Irene and pulled her behind the wall at the entrance.
Hili's mouth twitched. Left with no choice, he also hid behind the opposite wall and asked.
"Father Yorkes, when are we going in?"
"After this grenade," York replied calmly, his massive frame shielding Irene.
"There's something inside. Let's test it first."
Hili was stunned for a moment. The next second, as the roar of the explosion echoed, he finally realized what the priest meant by "something."
A shockwave of white and red light, carrying debris and unknown fragments, sprayed out from within.
"This..."
Hili stared at the ground covered in viscous, blurred chunks of meat and black fabric, falling into a brief silence. With his experience, he knew these were fragments of a corpse.
"It's likely part of a nun's body that had been possessed by evil."
York withdrew his gaze and responded. Carrying the MK14 Rotary Grenade Launcher, he led the way into the path now cleared of dark haze.
"Keep moving!"
Irene followed quickly, clutching her grenade belt. She knew exactly what she needed to do right now.
Hearing the hurried yet steady footsteps, a look of satisfaction appeared on York' face. What was good about this Novice Nun was her obedience, her calm, and her sensibility; she would do what needed to be done of her own accord.
If she were at Pluto Church, he would probably be able to spend more time away.
Thinking of this, York looked back at Irene, who was following obediently. He saw her hands clutching the grenade belt, her knuckles already stark white.
"No need to be so nervous. You should have learned the relevant Funeral Prayers at the convent, right?"
"Eh?"
Irene looked up, confused.
"Sense it carefully."
York stepped aside slightly, staring at the mangled corpse lying at the turn deep inside. He believed that with her Spiritual Medium Physique, Irene would be able to see what he saw.
In that gap, Irene instinctively looked ahead. At first, she saw nothing but a blurred shape on the ground.
The next second, her eyes gradually widened.
A strange nun, glowing with a pure white light, stood beside the blurred shape, smiling at them.
"You see it, don't you?"
York looked at the nun floating in the air and smiled, then spoke gently.
"If you've learned them, we can actually see them off."
Looking at the strange nun floating ahead, Irene recalled the scenes she had seen earlier from the helicopter. She slowly loosened her grip on the grenade belt and said seriously.
"I have learned them, but Father... I'm not a real member of the clergy yet."
"It doesn't matter."
York smiled. Under his control, a total of five points of Spirit spread toward his feet, and a thick Power of Faith diffused like a warm breeze.
"Come on."
Irene seemed to feel something. She took a deep breath and began to recite the Funeral Prayer.
[Dear Lord, Dear Heavenly Father]
[May the souls of those who died here, under Your guidance, find eternal life, peace, and joy in the Kingdom of the Father]
[All that we ask today is...]
[...]
The moving words of the prayer echoed in the dim path.
At the very back, Hili also fell into a strange silence, though he couldn't see anything.
The three of them silently passed the nun, whose form was gradually fading.
Floating above her own corpse, the nun's form became increasingly blurred. Tears streamed down her pale face as she pointed her hand to the right.
York nodded slightly in acknowledgment and led the way into the path to the right...