The Wandering Priest in Dark Fantasy

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Max]

Chapter 68: Ancient Dungeon (4)

Hamel looked at the box with a complicated expression.

'...I should open it soon.'

Quite some time had passed since Rupert closed the box.

He was the only one left.

Despite this, he couldn't bring himself to open it.

Was he afraid?

Well...

He didn't think so.

But it felt like an abyss-like eerieness was holding him back.

Even so...

'Everyone is waiting for me.'

When Hamel turned his gaze, everyone met his eyes and nodded.

None of them were without a painful past.

Daniel had to recall the tragedy of his family from long ago.

Ono, his comrade he couldn't protect.

Rupert, the words he never wanted to hear again.

Lena...

'Come to think of it, Lena didn't seem to struggle that much.'

Rather, she seemed to enjoy hitting Melina...

Well, let's move on from that.

The important thing was that none of them turned away from their vulnerable past.

Hamel clenched his fists.

He couldn't run away, not if he wanted to face them without shame.

He already knew what would come out of the box.

There was only one thing that could appear.

Hamel steeled himself and placed his hand on the box.

The silence around him grew heavier.

The box opened, and at that moment...

Click

Hamel's time was reversed.

***

It was a fragment of a night from more than six years ago.

He could hear the beast's breathing.

The first thing that caught his eye were the pieces of cloth scattered on the floor.

They were blood-soaked bed sheets and his mother's clothes, torn to shreds.

"...Ah."

Hamel slowly raised his head.

There it was, the being he had searched for endlessly, reliving the memory thousands, tens of thousands of times.

Every time it breathed, the white scales covering its skin rippled like waves.

Because of that, the blood splattered on its body seemed to glow even redder.

It was the one.

The monster that had turned his life upside down overnight.

Perhaps it was because he had searched for it for so long.

He almost felt a sense of familiarity.

"Hah."

Hamel let out a hollow laugh, a sneer escaping his lips.

It was exactly the same.

The sight of the monster, just as he remembered it from that day, sent shivers down his spine.

That's why Hamel knew its weakness well.

"Burn."

Azure Flame ignited in Hamel's hand.

That day, the monster had retreated due to the Azure Flame right before it attacked Hamel.

It couldn't harm Hamel and even ended up running away.

It was clear that the Azure Flame was its weakness.

This was also the reason why Hamel firmly believed it was a demon.

He hadn't been able to see it clearly that night because he had fainted.

'But today...'

Hamel intensified the flame in his hand.

The Flame of Life, Incentium Vitae.

Flames surged and spread in all directions.

Like a fire on a dry field.

Like a tsunami surging from beyond the horizon.

Hamel's Azure Flame, filled with his killing intent, surrounded the monster, closing in without any gaps.

'Now, what are you going to do?'

Hamel's hand trembled with excitement as he gripped his sword.

Hamel rarely showed his emotions.

Moreover, this was the first time he had ever felt this way during a battle, as he usually kept his head cool.

Hamel stared at the monster without even blinking.

‘Would it struggle? Or would it scream?’

Even though it was a cruel imagination, he felt a strange sense of pleasure.

But...

"...Huh?"

The monster's reaction was completely unexpected.

Rustle

Even though the Azure Flame completely engulfed the monster, it didn't even flinch.

It simply stared at Hamel, moving its scales as before.

That was all.

After staring intently at Hamel for a while, the monster's body crumbled into dust and disappeared.

"..."

Hamel was speechless.

The Azure Flame hadn't burned the monster, not even in the end.

[TL/N: Plot Twist??💀]

***

What had just happened?

Hamel couldn't understand at all.

Could it be that the monster wasn't a demon after all?

Or was it a demon that was immune to the Azure Flame?

Then why was he safe that day?

Questions piled up in his mind.

Clank

The last lock on the stone door disengaged.

There was nothing left to bar their way.

"Hamel."

Daniel called his name, as if asking if he was alright.

Hamel finally nodded slowly.

As if waking from a deep sleep.

Collecting his dazed thoughts, Hamel calmly said,

"...Let's go to the next room."

Although confused, Hamel knew his priorities.

He had to put out the thought of figuring out the identity of the monster as no matter what he did, he wouldn’t be able to do so now.

His current task was to follow David's trail.

After all, David's whereabouts would lead him to the answers he sought.

"I'll take the lead."

"...Alright."

Daniel seemed worried at first, but then nodded.

He realized that Hamel's words weren't driven by emotion.

Hamel moved forward with steady steps.

The others also finished their preparations and followed behind him.

As they stepped into the next room...

Whoosh

Like the rays of light, daggers flew towards them.

But...

Clang

It were simply deflected by Hamel's sword, which was already at the ready.

Hamel caught one of the daggers as it spun and fell.

'A black dagger.'

A dagger, with its blade dyed black.

If thrown at night, it would be impossible to see and dodge.

As expected.

"Assassins?"

Daniel stepped forward protectively in front of Hamel, drawing his sword.

Hamel nodded and spoke in a low voice.

"They're the ones who killed those people."

"Then... are they allies?"

The marked men who were dead at the entrance of the dungeon were clearly enemies of Hamel and his party.

They didn't have any demonic energy, but they were surely heretics similar to demon worshippers.

However...

"Just because they killed our enemies doesn't mean they're our allies."

Relationships weren't so black and white.

Daniel asked with a troubled expression,

"Then what do we do?"

"That's what we're going to find out."

Hamel calmly stepped forward and continued,

"Greetings."

"..."

There were three people who had thrown the daggers.

Their gender and age were indiscernible because they were wearing black robes.

They didn't reply to Hamel's greeting, just stared at him.

Still, they had stopped attacking, which was a gesture that they would at least listen.

Hamel introduced himself.

It was the easiest way to determine whether they were friend or foe, while revealing minimal information.

"I am an exorcist priest of the order."

"...!"

The figures in robes exchanged glances.

There was a reaction.

With a slightly softened tone, one of them spoke.

"What is your epithet?"

Were they trying to confirm if he was a real exorcist priest?

Seeing their hostility lessen, perhaps they weren't enemies of the Order.

Hamel waited for a moment, then slowly replied,

"I am the Priest of the Azure Flame."

"...I see."

The figure who seemed to be the leader slowly nodded.

Then, he slowly lowered his sword-wielding hand... and suddenly...

Swish

He abruptly crossed the daggers he was holding in both hands and threw them.

"Kill them."

With the leader's murmur, the two figures behind him also threw their daggers and charged towards Hamel and his party.

Hamel deflected all the incoming daggers and said,

"Subdue them all."

"Leave it to me."

Daniel ran towards the charging men.

The distance between them closed in an instant, and they swung their swords simultaneously.

Sparks flew in the air.

The daggers thrown by the men in black robes were sharp and precise.

Their skill was impressive.

However...

"Ugh."

"Gah."

It was the two men who were pushed back after the exchange of blows.

They were easily repelled in the clash with Daniel.

"So this is what it feels like to fight assassins."

Daniel muttered, seemingly intrigued, as it had been a while since he had fought anyone other than knights or demons.

Then, with a fierce grin, he muttered,

"They're nothing special."

"..."

The men in black robes didn't say anything.

They just silently stared at Hamel and his party.

'Are those two mid-level knights?'

Hamel calmly assessed their skills.

Perhaps the leader was a high-level knight.

But he wasn't worried at all.

This was a matter of compatibility.

Thump thump

Daniel walked towards them as if taking a stroll.

There was no fear or tension in his steps.

Assassins were certainly formidable, but Daniel was a knight.

A knight was someone who crushed their enemies head-on and seized victory.

There was no way those who hid in the shadows and used daggers could be a match for him.

"...Attack him at the same time."

At the leader's command, the three figures in robes charged as if they were willing to die together.

However...

Clang! Clank! Clank!

Daniel easily dealt with the daggers coming from three directions.

He swung his sword, deflecting two of the daggers, and caught the remaining one with his gauntlet.

It was the leader whose dagger was caught.

Perhaps he hadn't expected his aura-infused dagger to be blocked by a gauntlet.

The man's eyes, hidden within the dark robe, wavered violently.

As if he had sensed his fate.

Slash

His arm, along with his robe, was severed and flew through the air.

But...

"...Keep going!"

At the leader's shout, the two whose daggers had missed seized the opportunity while Daniel was attacking and attacked again.

But this was also futile.

Clink

Daniel used the flat of his sword and the guard to deflect all their attacks.

One of his unique skills.

Grafting.

With their attacks failing and their stances completely broken, they stumbled and retreated.

Hamel approached them and said,

"The match is over."

"..."

The assassins, too, seemed to sense their defeat, as they remained silent.

The leader, who was clutching his severed arm, glared at Hamel for a moment and said,

"...You seem to believe your companions are alive because of your own skill."

"Aren't they?"

At Hamel's question, the leader scoffed.

"Well, I don't think so."

"What do you mean...?"

Just as Hamel was about to ask...

Crack

They all bit down on something at the same time.

The next moment...

Blood gushed from the mouths of the three figures in robes.

It wasn't just blood.

The blackened, dead blood was mixed with pieces of their internal organs.

A deadly poison among deadly poisons.

'Suicide poison...!'

Hamel gritted his teeth.

None of these people were sane.

Then, the man who seemed to be the leader collapsed, muttering weakly.

"...You're also just one of his pawns."

"..."

"We'll... be... waiting..."

Hamel silently watched him.

The man had already stopped breathing.

***

Hamel examined the bodies of the fallen men.

He easily found a mark on their bodies.

"...Isn't that the mark?"

Ono muttered, tilting his head.

The mark was also on their bodies.

However...

"It's a little different."

It was different from the mark that David, and the monsters who attacked the magic tower and Lonely Ridge, had.

Black wings and a black beak.

And red eyes that sparkled like jewels.

"A crow."

It was different from the previous mark, which was a beast with a black mane.

But Hamel instinctively knew that they were similar factions.

‘Then why were these two factions killing each other?’

Hamel couldn't hide his curiosity and tilted his head.

'This is another issue that needs to be investigated.'

One thing was certain.

The reason why these two groups fought each other would be found at the end of this dungeon.

Hamel had to find out what it was.

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Max]