Paladin of the Dead God

'Ah, did I have another crazy thought?'

It was difficult to clearly distinguish whether the thought that came to mind without realizing it was an expectation for a new perk or influenced by the nature of Nameless Chaos. But Isaac was trying to avoid eating humans (as much as possible).

There were some ambiguous cases, such as Kalsen, vampires, and undead, but he still didn't want to blatantly try to eat people.

But he needed to check how strong the Molter was.

If the Scorched Ones were changing into Molters and then into Ascendants or whatever, he would be meeting them a lot in the future.

"Do you have any personal grudges against Ramael, by any chance?"

Isaac asked Zihilrat, just in case.

Zihilrat had been closer to a hunting dog that obeyed orders until now. It was rare for him to ask Isaac for anything, but this time, not only was he blatantly asking for it, but there was a subtle anger in his words.

As expected, Zihilrat revealed his teeth and smiled for the first time at Isaac's words.

Zihilrat said with a growl.

"I intend to make him suffer the same fate."

The direction was a little unhealthy, but Zihilrat seemed to have grown a sense of 'responsibility' in his experiences in Ushak.

As they say, children grow up when you don't see them, and it didn't seem like a bad change.

At that time, Isolde opened her mouth.

"The Molter Ramael is someone who is being noticed as a future Ascendant. He started awakening during the Dawn Army and quickly experienced molting, but he was pushed out of the center because of his competent but arrogant personality."

"Do you know him?"

"There are so many people who have suffered. It's better to collect as much information as possible about Molters and Ascendants. Anyway, he's doing all sorts of things to return to Lichtheim as soon as possible. He'll probably bite quickly even with a light provocation."

Both Isolde and Zihilrat seemed to have a personal grudge against that Ramael.

If so, he had no value in living. Thump, thump.

Isaac sentenced Ramael to death in his heart. There were many ways to keep Ramael from seeing the sun for the rest of his life without having to use his rich imagination.

***

A terrible nightmare crept in.

A bizarre color that crawled up from beyond the horizon covered his entire body and gnawed at him from his fingertips. Then, a demon suddenly appeared and stuck his hand into his chest, grabbing his heart and pulling it out.

The heart, throbbing in the demon's hand, which was wearing human skin like a cloak, throbbed.

The demon bit into the heart as if chewing on a sweet fruit. After finishing his meal without leaving anything behind, the demon began to roughly peel off his skin. To add and attach it to his tattered cloak.

At that time, a brilliant glory poured down from the sky and pounded on his mind.

The Molter Bishop Ramael woke up from his dream.

Ramael, without even feeling a sense of relief that it was a dream, rolled his eyes and stood up immediately. The young acolytes who had been waiting woke up from their sleep in surprise at the bright light that permeated the hallway. They hastily tried to bring water and towels to wash as usual after seeing Ramael's appearance.

But Ramael was different from usual.

"I have received a revelation."

Ramael's lips moved and a voice came out between the rustling feathers.

"A demon has revived and is calling his subordinates into the world. The demon has already infiltrated this city. The demon is aiming for my heart and trying to peel off my skin to decorate himself. Immediately summon the Millennium Brotherhood."

The acolytes stared blankly at him with bewildered eyes.

It was because they had heard that Molters sometimes received 'prophecies', but it was the first time they were actually seeing it.

It wasn't their fault. Ramael often replaced the acolytes because of his cruel attitude.

He would have given the order one more time if it were normal, but Ramael, who had received a shocking revelation, didn't have that luxury. He suddenly grabbed the head of the acolyte who was closest to him and burned it in an instant.

The acolyte's head was crushed, leaving his neck intact and only the head inside his hand turning to ashes. Ramael, who had instantly turned his head into a pile of ashes that could fit in his hand, stared blankly at the other acolytes.

The acolytes didn't even scream and ran out, repeating Ramael's orders.

Ramael didn't even look at the acolyte who had lost his head. It would take a long time for the burned head to regenerate, but the sin of standing there dumbly even after hearing the revelation was greater for a mere commoner.

He continued to repeat the contents of the revelation he had received.

'Horizon, color, invasion, heart, skin, meal, demon'

Revelations weren't clear unless an angel came down and whispered directly. But what the content of the revelation was referring to was clear.

Some evil being was targeting him.

And Ramael didn't miss an important keyword.

"Demon."

Just by saying it, he felt the wings that had grown out of his face tingle. What a creepy vocabulary.

Before the Millennium Kingdom, the word 'demon' was just a vague and abstract meaning referring to an angel who wasn't on our side, especially an evil angel. Since it was a word made before the Light of the Holy See, it was ambiguous as to what it actually referred to, but its meaning had clearly changed after the descent of the Millennium Kingdom.

One who opposes the light and wears colors that cover the eyes of the sun.

One who seduces humans with a beautiful appearance, but hides a snake's tongue in his body.

The reaper of death who will bring death and the end to the world in the future.

"Isaac..."

The moment he tried to say that name with force, Ramael slumped down, feeling a creepy feeling that he didn't even realize. It was as if the demon would pay attention to him the moment he uttered the name.

It wasn't a delusion.

Ramael felt the vague fear he was feeling, and the terrifying gaze from the unlit corners under the bed, places that his eyes couldn't reach, and places throughout the garden that was still covered in the darkness of dawn.

The demon's eyes were lurking everywhere.

Ramael recited the prayer without stopping, hoping that the light of the sun would protect him.

"I believe that the will of heaven matches the will of the earth. I believe that the will of heaven matches the will of the earth. The will of heaven..."

A moment later, Ramael stopped praying and opened his eyes. The Lightouse of the Watcher had colored everything black and white. This area was a complete heaven of the Codex of Light, and no unreasonable being could hide in it.

Instead, there were warriors chosen from heaven inside.

The Scorched Ones who had arrived while he was praying were silently waiting. They chose to endure while basking in the light that couldn't even open their eyes instead of disturbing Ramael, who was praying.

Ramael went straight to the point without even greeting them or warming up.

"A demon has infiltrated this city."

The Scorched Ones didn't show emotional agitation under normal circumstances.

But there was a word that made even them tremble.

Holy Grail Knight, Isaac, Saint of Resurrection.

They used words like demon or Demon King to avoid calling the name that had been praised as a hero during the Dawn Army days, but they couldn't avoid the fear that tightened their hearts no matter what title they called him.

"Did that cursed succubus Isolde... finally summon that demon!"

Ramael nodded heavily.

"It seems so. Judging from the fact that several squads dispatched to the south have disappeared."

It was Ramael's order that most of the search troops be turned north, convinced that Isolde wouldn't be able to cross the Ushak Bridge. But the Scorched Ones couldn't dare to hold Ramael accountable. Therefore, it was all the fault of the squad dispatched to the south who failed to stop Isolde.

"But the Lighthouse Keeper descended in glory and gave me a revelation. To stop the demon. The demon is dragging darkness in and trying to turn this city back into ruins full of only death.

Of course, there was no such revelation. But Ramael didn't want the Scorched Ones to think that he was just being manipulated to protect his life.

Fortunately, the Scorched Ones, who had already secured enormous vested interests inside Ushak, were outraged by the demon's evil plan.

"We will definitely find that demon!"

'It will be a glorious and important mission for you. First of all....'

Ramael looked out the window with heavy eyes.

From the spire of the church, which was built higher than any other building, he could overlook all of Ushak.

Ramael pointed to the square of Ushak and said.

"That rat covered in disgusting skin. It's clear that that guy brought the demon into the city. Burn their residences and turn them into ashes. Then the rats will come out to avoid the smoke."

***

The Scorched Ones immediately led the soldiers of the Millennium Brotherhood and began to search various places in Ushak. They first searched and closed the passages leading to the Ushak underground tunnel. After that, they were preparing to enter all at once through the remaining passages with the Brotherhood soldiers they were in charge of.

"First, we'll sweep the underground square where those guys are gathered, destroy everything that can be destroyed, burn everything that can be burned, and then retreat."

The Brotherhood soldiers nodded with nervous eyes.

The soldiers whispered, revealing their anxiety about this plan.

There had been several similar attempts before. But in the dark, narrow, and complex sewers, the soldiers scattered and wandered, and then returned half-crazed. The soldiers whose bodies had been torn to shreds by the rats couldn't even be in dark places for a while.

After that, they gave up on entering directly, but the current movement was different. They were determined to sweep the entire sewer, even if it meant searing the entire city.

"Why doesn't Bishop Ramael just burn this place down completely?"

"It's unlikely that setting fire to a sewer that doesn't have anything to burn will catch on well. Besides, if you set a fire big enough to sweep those guys away, the whole city will be covered in smoke."

Of course, Ramael had actually tried to do that several times, but he had been stopped by Zihilrat. But this time, he was planning to catch Isaac even if it meant turning the entire Ushak into a sea of fire.

Still, no one thought that anyone would do that much yet.

"Enter."

At the order of the Scorched Ones, the Brotherhood began to enter the sewers all at once.

And all of their movements had already been captured by Zihilrat.

Zihilrat, who had felt an unusual atmosphere on the ground, released rats everywhere and identified the entrances and routes they were entering early on. That their destination was this underground market too.

"It seems like they're entering using commoners as shields."

It would be an easy task if Ramael entered alone, but it didn't seem like it would go that easily.

Isaac looked at Zihilrat.

"Have you blocked these attacks before?"

"I released rats to create chaos and ambushed them with cooperators. I've also taken action myself, but there were far fewer troops than now. Above all, there are too many Scorched Ones. If those guys use the Lightouse of the Watcher, my subordinates will scatter immediately."

It meant that something much scarier than rats had to come out. Linde had already drawn her sword, and Isolde was also preparing to fight. But Isaac thought that he could subdue these troops enough even if he was the only one who came forward, without either of them having to come forward.

On the other hand, Zihilrat seemed to have judged differently.

"In the end, everything will end if we defeat Ramael. It would be enough to lure him out early."

Zihilrat said, tidying up his ragged human skin.

"I will go out. Then the Scorched Ones won't bother burning or destroying the market. Isaac, please face Ramael when he appears."

It was the most reasonable and efficient method. The original Isaac would have accepted it.

But that's why Isaac had no intention of accepting it.

He hadn't returned as a revered Holy Grail Knight. He had returned as an object of fear and terror.

And the change he would bring about in the Millennium Kingdom was no different.

This world makes what you believe come true. Whether it's positive or negative.

Then, it was better for Isaac to become the king of terror rather than a worshiped Holy Grail Knight.

Just as the Lighthouse Keeper was an object of terror to the ancient gods, the destroyer of the system was always an object of terror.

"I have a better idea."

Since the other side was treating him like a demon for no reason, Isaac was now going to create those terrible reasons one by one.