Goblin Dependency

Totally unlike someone who just obtained Professional Level not long ago, a newcomer who has just embarked on the path of professionals.

"Interesting."

The impression deepened, the image of the black-haired youth carrying Dual Swords, extracted from the soon-to-be forgotten memories over the coming years.

But he did not pay much attention, just regarded it as a minor episode in this disastrous adventure.

Retracting his gaze, Cornell rubbed the Iron Ring on his finger, looking at the Priest beside him.

"Do you know this Xia Nan?"

Based on the observation of the tone and content of their previous conversation, although the two didn't seem very familiar, they also didn't appear to be complete strangers.

"Do you remember the residents I mentioned a few nights ago, who seemed suspicious and paranoid?"

Isidor brushed a speck of dust from his coat.

"Those few residents claiming to have encountered some Evil God, seemed suspicious and paranoid?"

The Priest nodded.

In the middle of the night, fully armed, accompanied by a few civilians, suddenly came to the church.

Being such a young professional himself, he naturally remembered.

He recalled casting Divine Arts on some people at the time, which helped alleviate the fear of those civilians who fled their homes in the dead of night.

Wondering how they later dealt with the statue…

Wait a minute!

"Statue!?"

Isidor unintentionally shouted.

Like a bolt of lightning crashing in the depths of his mind, a shadow-covered vague realization became clear in an instant.

Origin unknown, seemingly appearing out of nowhere within Neum City, this strange statue,

So popular, within a short time it gained much attention from the crowd, even captivating someone like himself who usually had no interest in such matters, with its bizarre allure,

During the Resurrection ritual, preoccupied, behaving peculiarly, the Mage Cornell, and the wooden sculpture in his hand…

His body shook violently, the Priest's face, usually calm and serene while presiding over sacred ceremonies and spreading the Holy Light of the goddess, was now showing an expression of shock and horror not seen for years.

"Damn it!"

Swearing ungracefully, Isidor sharply turned to look at the Mage beside him.

Before him was a face equally puzzled and filled with intense fear, pale.

Without a doubt, when he uttered the word "statue," like some kind of keyword, Cornell also realized his obscured understanding.

The arrival of a "suspected Evil God" wasn't a coincidental event.

Already months ago, this strangely-shaped wooden sculpture had quietly circulated within Neum City.

Including himself, no one noticed anything unusual about it.

Even those most upright and meticulous sheriffs had never considered the wooden sculpture's origin, questioned its appearance, or its oddly fitting aesthetic to everyone.

This is a conspiracy!

A plot involving the entire Neum, even deceiving clerics like himself into it!

Like falling into a Bottomless Abyss, his thoughts gradually extended into darker areas.

Know this, the statue circulated within the city, even before Cornell's team arrived in River Valley Town.

Does this also mean that the Elf's death, Cornell and his team's encounter in the goblin nest, moreover earlier, their acceptance of a task from the Association Task Board, is also part of it!?

An evil soul snatching fresh bodies not long dead during his hosted Resurrection ritual was already determined when the first statue appeared in Neum City.

Isidor instinctively felt a chill rush from his tailbone to the top of his skull, goosebumps rising all over.

Before he could speak, he sensed a sudden fluctuation in the magic particles in the air.

Buzz—

Slightly silver-white magical brilliance flashed at the corner of his eye.

Turning his head to look.

He saw Cornell, who had just slightly recovered from the predicament of exhausted spiritual power, holding his wooden Magic Wand.

Dazzling complex patterns, centered at the wand's tail, rapidly spreading across the ground around him.

Faintly able to see the numerous casting materials, seemingly flowing freely from the flickering Space Iron Ring, merging into the brilliance of the Array.

No time for farewells.

Even though the cost was high enough to buy an entire street in the outer city for casting materials, Cornell didn't want to stay in this hellish place any longer, not even a second.

"When you have the chance to come to Huancai City, I'll treat you to..."

The words were only halfway spoken.

Enveloped in magical brilliance, Cornell vanished with a twist of space.

Isidor stared at the empty air before him, dazed for two seconds.

Then gritted his teeth.

"That damn bookworm..."

His mind rapidly rotating, thinking of countermeasures.

Gesturing to the nearby guards, telling them to call their sheriff over.

Firstly, that statue resembling a Sheep Deer, definitely has an issue!

Affecting such a large range, involving so many residents, even professionals cannot escape its influence, with altered understanding.

Even though he now recognizes the statue's peculiarities, in some sense it also indicates its effectiveness seems to have weakened.

But whether as a Serenne cleric like himself, or the Neum officials informed of the truth, it is impossible for the wooden sculpture to continue circulating within the city.

Emergency recovery is needed!

On the other hand, although the reasons are unknown.

The being revived through the Elf's body hasn't harmed himself, even Mage Cornell, who had close contact, merely lost a few pieces of his Magic Equipment, exhausted spiritual power, without even minor injuries.

And the goddess's ambiguous attitude also indicates something strange about it.

But this does not mean the other party is benevolent.

In the mind appears the golden-haired Elf's eyes, lifeless and ashen, Isidor couldn't help but shiver.

No matter how things develop next, as the leading Priest of the Moon God Church, he needs to perform his duties properly.

Standing at the front door of the church, waiting for the sheriff to arrive and warn them of his discoveries.

A chilling wind swept from the back of his head.

Suddenly his entire person was startled, like recalling something.

No longer caring for the sheriff hurriedly approaching the church led by the guards from afar.

Isidor abruptly turned around.

With hurried steps, he vanished behind the corridor door leading to the inner hall.

Sheep Deer Statue.

Although the one in Cornell's hand was taken away by that being.

But in his room… there's still one brightly placed.

...

...

Walking on the streets back to Jeff's house.

His gaze retracted from the direction of the church where faint sounds of commotion came.

Xia Nan's face showing a thoughtful expression.

Re-evaluating his performance earlier before the Priest and Mage.

"There should be no problem."

He could certainly disclose his experiences completely to gain assistance from the officials and the church.

But likewise, as the incident's witness, he would inevitably get caught up in the turmoil.

From Xia Nan's perspective, ever since the Elf appeared during the battle, everything seemed so sudden, perplexing.

He knew the Elf was the Mage's teammate.

But why they fought within the Moon God Church, why the Elf turned into that evidently abnormal state, why it controlled him to utter the so-called "true name" from the system remarks… he was utterly baffled.

Xia Nan was even unaware of Neum's official and Serenne Sect's role and stance in the entirety of the incident.

In this situation, it's hard for him to clearly explain to them why he could return unscathed after contacting the Elf.

If he encounters those with extreme views, he might even be thrown into jail for a few days, under severe interrogation for non-existent connections with the Elf; if a memory-searching Spell exists, then it's even more troublesome.

Xia Nan pondered in his mind.

At least, he needs to understand the events' origins so he can judge who he can talk to in a way beneficial to himself, and what information should be held back to avoid negative impacts.

Then he can further take action.

The golden-haired Elf had disappeared, and he returned from the Secret Realm to the real world.

In some sense, although he lost two pieces of armor.

But his gains are far greater than they appear.

Now all he needs to consider is his Level up task.