In A Fantasy World I Can Absorbs Abilities

Flattering Xenon, Orpheus said, "Your Excellency, you truly embody the grace of Lumina. I'm in awe of your wisdom and power."

Pleased by the praise, Xenon tucked the pouch into his sleeve and stood. "Then I'll begin immediately. Lend me 300 of your sturdier fanatics. I'd rather not waste my knights on this task."

Orpheus led Xenon out of the chamber, the two discussing their next steps. While Orpheus had little faith in Xenon's abilities, he trusted in the relic's power.

Now, their only remaining task was to find and eliminate the Outer God's fragment while waiting for the punitive force to arrive.

Entering the forest, Xenon activated the sacred relic. The device, resembling a compass, emitted a faint glow and a subtle vibration.

Three distinct signals appeared.

Xenon frowned. Why were there three traces of the Outer God?

The closest one, he reasoned, was likely the blood-marked target. Another must belong to the fragment of the Outer God accompanying the priest. But what of the third?@@novelbin@@

Did this mean another trace of the Outer God had appeared within a 300-kilometer radius?

That would complicate things.

"Ah, I see now," Xenon muttered, studying the relic closely.

One of the signals was weak, suggesting it merely marked an item imbued with the Outer God's essence. That could wait. After dealing with the fragment, Xenon planned to retrieve the item and sell it at auction—there was always a market for such relics.

Focusing on the relic's guidance, Xenon began moving deeper into the forest, followed by his knights, 300 fanatics, and priests tasked with controlling the fanatics.

Among the group was Albert, a bald former bandit who had unexpectedly found himself ordained as a priest of the Outer God. Nervous and uneasy, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

The disappearance of the high priest was suspicious enough, but the man they were now following, appointed by the sub-priest, looked far too much like someone from the Lumina church.

Albert, the bald man who had once been a bandit and now found himself an unwilling priest of the Outer God, was tense.

Despite his rough past, he had always adhered to certain principles. Orphaned and raised in the temples of the Lumina Church, he could recognize the signs others might miss. The silver armor adorned with the church's sacred insignia was unmistakable.

He held his breath as dread washed over him.

Though he had chosen this path in the hopes of helping bring about change, as his former leader had envisioned, things had taken a darker turn. His companions were becoming increasingly deranged, and he felt fear tightening its grip around him.

This wasn't the life he had wanted. He had to escape—no matter the cost.

Xenon advanced with the sacred relic in one hand and the hilt of his sword gripped tightly in the other. Three days had passed since he began tracking the aura of the Outer God.

The accursed aura kept moving, and its path was perplexing.

Was the priest heading toward the capital with the Outer God fragment in tow?

The trajectory suggested as much, and that posed a significant problem.

The punitive force was supposed to stage a grand performance by slaying the fanatics in front of the capital. If the Outer God itself made an appearance, it would create chaos, rendering the situation uncontrollable.

Xenon needed to resolve this matter before the priest reached the capital.

The relic's signal grew stronger with each passing moment, vibrating more intensely to indicate the proximity of the Outer God's presence. Xenon pressed on, determined to follow the trail.

Eventually, he stopped in shock. From a distance, he could see the punitive force's encampment.

What was this incompetent priest doing here?

Could he be hiding among the troops, disguised as one of them?

Xenon deliberated for a moment before reaching a conclusion: this might actually be an opportunity.

By orchestrating a small skirmish to draw part of the punitive force into danger, he could then "rescue" them with his knights and gain their trust. Once embedded within the troops, he could discreetly locate and eliminate the Outer God and its priest.

With the sacred relic in hand, this plan seemed feasible.

After discussing the plan with his subordinates, Xenon selected a priest of the Outer God to carry out the task. It was the bald one—Albert—whose audacity to meet his gaze directly had irked him from the beginning.

The next morning, Baron Kensington and Michael decided to demonstrate progress by increasing the supply unit's marching pace by one kilometer per day. The move was meant to impress Louis and his escort knights.

Michael made a deliberate show of bustling around the camp, urging soldiers to hurry, all while Louis and Chris observed.

The soldiers played along, motivated by the knowledge that more spoils would mean larger rewards for themselves. Their performance grew increasingly convincing by the day.

Watching the chaotic yet strangely effective preparations, Louis and Chris were left speechless. Managing to safely transport supplies under such conditions, without deserters or major incidents, was a feat in itself.

Louis's admiration for Michael deepened. What had initially been a superficial desire to befriend him had transformed into genuine respect. According to the rules of nobility, the more competent allies one had, the better.

Despite increasing the pace, they delayed their departure from camp as much as possible. They needed time to ensure the raiding knights had returned before the supply unit arrived at the next campsite.

Half a day passed as other units moved ahead. Finally, the supply unit began its slow march, prompting Baron Kensington and his knights to slip away to their next raid.

Michael, watching his father depart once again to earn their keep, sighed and returned to training the soldiers.

Using wagons as props, the training focused on building strength and teamwork. They practiced maneuvering through difficult terrain, defending the wagons, and maintaining formation.

By noon, the soldiers had improved remarkably. No one had to endure the punishment of skipping meals—a significant achievement.

Everyone shared hearty bowls of porridge enriched with meat, eating together in good spirits. Michael joined them, eating the same meal as the soldiers.