Chapter 25: Gidon’s Dawn And Dusk

“Cardinal Nonsup, we are ready”. A short, plump nun from Luminous Church’s crew notified with hands beneath the loose sleeves of her silver robe.

“Go ahead and wait by the pathway”. The gorgeous Bishop Nonsup instructed and when the plumped, Peak Core Master abided him, his line of sight dropped to the bloody figure at his feet.

“Sinister Chain...” He mused and revised the information he extorted from the dead Donkey.

Encountering her was pure coincidence and deciding to interrogate her was done on a whim. Nevertheless, who would have thought that he actually caught a rat in the midst of group operation to steal the cheese? ‘His grace the Archbishop’s suspicions were correct. The chain new recruit came from New Earth’.

Not all of it was conclude by solely what he managed to force out of Donkey. With the data chip the church received from the Mercenary Association, they learned a bit of Zax’s background. He was supposed to act in the High Rankers’ trials as the Sensensar family’s envoy, but abandoned his duty by basically not proceeding in the trials after the Event in Demirva Ridge. The church and the other four powers even knew some stuff on Zax before he registered in Glorious Ground. As it so happened, the earlier confirmed sighting of him was in the village, Vergil’s Pasture, when he appeared out of nowhere and practically rescued the warrior villagers and the hired mercenaries, from Mendor’s mercenary band, during a skirmish against the Black Chrome Alligator that terrorized the village.

All of that, coupled with what he got from Donkey, and Bishop Nonsup was hundred percent positive that Zax originated from New Earth.

“Mm...” Bishop Nonsup glanced at the surrounding. ‘I erected the Bewildering Archons Magic formation, exhausting all the resources his grace Archbishop Silternja and his grace Cardinal Northstar had managed to convince the other powers to contribute, all for the sake of eliminating the potential risk of an indigenous fifth level Martial Mortal. I was meant to use it in case any of the chain’s leaders would show up or that lad, Zax Walaow. To constrain or kill them, if possible, and if failing doing either, it would have been awkward, but overall fine, so long as I capture Zax’s loved ones’.

Baleful, fiery aura emanated from his body, burnt Donkey’s body until nothing was left but ashes and scorched earth.

‘I rushed to use the formation because of that heretic woman ... no!’ He shook his head, knowing that he, a fourth level Martial Mortal, could not shift the blame to mere Core Master. ‘Because I got riled up ... The army and troops forbade anymore Martial Mortals coming if a fourth level one is sent. They expect me to hold off Gid Chu or Yurnal alone and cry for help. Making the church losing face is ridiculously important to them as eliminating the rise of an indigenous fifth level Martial Mortal’.

It was half true. The Blessed Army and the Violet Scaled Troops had a Feather and a Lieutenant General on a standby not too far, waiting for a transmission from Bishop Nunsup asking for reinforcement. It will not take them long to arrive at all.

Rescinding his aura, Bishop Nunsup shut his eyes. When he opened them again they were lucid with a gleam of tranquility.

‘Never mind. The formation is fully operational and it can’t be stopped for eight hours, even by a Peak Martial Mortal. Besides, if that Zax Walaow really has loved ones down there, then he doesn’t necessarily have to be threatened with an exchange of his life for theirs. Though he swore, evoking The Almighty’s name, The Almighty is merciful and may spare him, if such talent agree to repent’.

Someone with so much talent such as Zax, who even though absorbed God made perfect attribute’s essence still unmistakably had potential surpassing any of the Holy Palace’s Ascended Elite, has honestly caused Archbishop Silternja contemplating whether it was worth killing than convert.

In the gathering of the five powers’ leaders, Archbishop Silternja presented a mien bent on killing Zax especially for this reason, posing him as undeniable threat so none of the five powers would consider engaging him for negotiations.

He even kept such plan from Cardinal Northstar and shared it only with his trusty Bishop. While Cardinal Northstar will gain more by pacifying His Young Eminence, Stelero Mars, with Zax’s death, those who stuck on this mud ball, Archbishop Silternja and his Bishops, will profit vastly by presenting such prospect before His Holiness. So much that he will definitely summon them back to the Holy Palace.

Bishop Nunsup sighed. ‘This will be the best scenario for us, but his grace Archbishop Silternja said not to put all hope into it. There is a high chance that Zax Walaow will forsake his loved ones if it means strengthening the forces of the indigenous, particularly now that our contact with the Holy Palace was severed’.

Turning, papering to decent to New Earth and leave the watch at Selivereb’s side of the pathway to the Blessed Army’s third level Martial Mortal Major General, Bishop Nunsup halted mid step and swiftly turned back.

Just a moment ago he used his amplified by fiery attribute energy Sublime Soul Sense to survey the area before departure and his scan caught thirteen figures approaching, actually, seconds from reaching the pathway and most likely confronting with the members of the five powers already there.

“Sinister Chain!” He clamored in complete confidence. Who else could they be? Then he realized that the strongest in the group are two third level Martial Mortals. ‘Good! Nearly alerted the army and troops for naught!’ He hastened to overtake their advancement to the pathway. ‘If that Major General will call for help, it will be even worse!’

For him, the strongest and orders giver, to be away while the rest facing the chain ... what level of disgraceful incompetence would that be?!

...

“Bonjier, Gidon, combine forces against Bishop Nunsup, the rest of you divide accordingly!” Kloky shouted the moment he identified the church’s Bishop. As for the man named “Gidon”, it was the moniker Zax casually picked for his disguise.

Bishop Nunsup made it to the pathway a step before Zax and the twelve. He was confused as to how they located the pathway under the influence of the Bewildering Archons Magic formation. Since Yurnal and Gid Chu were not among them, he wondered whether they were given for safety some unique treasure for obstructing formations or other purposes and even more was intrigued what that treasure may be and how the chain got it.

‘Could it be? Did they uncover an item belonging to that Immortal?’ He suspected and a tinge of excitement cased the edges of his lips to curve upwards. He will not need to speculate if he will just kill them and snatch their possessions. “Major General Hei, they have three third level Martial Mortals”, he was not clear about Zax, but assumed he was since he collaborated his assault with Kloky and Bonjier, two faces he recognized from field reports regarding Sinister Chain, gathered and shared by all five powers. “I’ll deal with them. You take care of Rockwell and his companion. Don’t call for help, I repeat, don’t you dare transmit for reinforcement without my permission!”

The others could split against the enemies without his orders, so he did not bother giving any, nor did he had the time.

Bonjier transformed to her human form, a black skinned, long smooth haired middle age beauty. She did so to accompaniment Kloky’s human physique so together they could execute the Companion’s Link formation.