Chapter 484: Apostle Evan (1)

“Evan Martinez…!!”

Zaif’s expression, reeling back a step in shock, was not one of surprise at something unexpected and new.

It was the uncanny feeling of confirming something he had vaguely suspected but desperately hoped wasn’t true.

The moment Lennok saw that look on Zaif’s face, he was certain he had hit the mark.

“No way, truly… there was someone who became an Apostle without the Selection Ritual…”

Zaif’s trembling hands repeatedly touched the carapace shield Lennok had summoned.

But the more he touched it, the more certain he became that this was indeed material separated from an Apostle’s body.

An Apostle’s body, which becomes an Incarnation of Ruin, manifesting as something not of this world.

He knew what it meant for Lennok to be able to directly pull out and show him a fragment of it.

“You can even partially manifest your true body… You are, in essence, already a complete Apostle.”

After touching the carapace fragment for a while, Zaif turned back to Lennok with a significantly more cautious gaze.

Already half-convinced of Lennok’s true identity, even his way of addressing him had become serious.

“Apostle Evan, what is it you wish to tell me, hiding it from Archbishop Nidri?”

“You must have already guessed.”

Lennok crossed his arms, observing Zaif’s reaction with cold eyes. From this point, he needed to choose his words carefully.

He had succeeded in planting the suspicion in Zaif’s mind, through the Penteract, that Lennok might be an Apostle himself, and then turning that suspicion into certainty.

However, he hadn’t yet explained why Lennok had specifically signaled only Zaif.

Of course, he knew nothing about Zaif as an Apostle, but his current reaction wasn’t without some discernible clues.

The challenge was to artfully mix truth and lies to subtly guide Zaif’s actions in the direction Lennok desired.

Only by closely observing the agitated Zaif in front of him could he improvise and manipulate the situation.

Control of the conversation was on his side. Lennok reiterated that in his mind as he opened his mouth towards Zaif.

“You know what it means to have become an Apostle without the High Priestess’s aid in the Selection Ritual, don’t you?”

The words were utterly vague, filled with ambiguity. The choice of words was such that they could be interpreted differently depending on the situation.

But for Zaif, that seemed to be enough.

With an astonished expression, Apostle Zaif eagerly latched onto Lennok’s words, as if he had been waiting for them.

“Are you saying Archbishop Nidri is aware of that fact, yet is hiding it from the Proxies…!!”

“…Precisely.”

It seemed he hadn’t inferred the fact himself, but rather had been hoping for those words to come from Lennok’s mouth.

With a stiff, hardened face, chin propped in his hand, Zaif’s true thoughts spilled out, echoing Lennok’s words.

“Certainly… I did have questions about Archbishop Nidri overseeing this ritual, rather than the current High Priestess.”

“Indeed.”

“But the Archbishop, having overseen a ritual of the main order as the former High Priestess, I thought this matter also had her approval.”

Lennok’s mind raced.

Two facts could be gleaned from Zaif’s words:

The one overseeing the Apostle Selection Ritual was Archbishop Nidri, not the Cult’s High Priestess.

The Archbishop was a former High Priestess who, for some reason, had left the main order and settled in the Far Eastern Branch.

While Lennok was organizing his thoughts, Zaif, too, began to mutter with a grave expression.

“Does the Archbishop have other intentions, separate from the Selection Ritual? I did find it strange that the ritual was being performed in the Sea of Understanding, but…”

“The important thing is that the Archbishop intentionally concealed information.”

Before Zaif’s thoughts could stray, Lennok sharply redirected the topic.

“Unless she desired something else, she wouldn’t hide the fact that one can become an Apostle without going through the Selection Ritual. Right?”

“…I cannot deny it.”

With a pained expression, yet as if he had been waiting for those words, Zaif nodded heavily.

Lennok, too, maintained a serious expression and uttered a lie without a flicker of hesitation.

“I realized this fact shortly after arriving on the island, and realizing I couldn’t trust the Archbishop, I was seeking an ally.”

“And that ally was me. So, the strange sense of déjà vu I felt in the plaza, too, was…”

Zaif nodded, his face clearing as if all his doubts had finally been resolved.

Perhaps the reality was quite different, but Lennok realized that wasn’t important right now.

No matter how much they were called Incarnations of Ruin, Apostles’ thought processes and intellect wouldn’t be much different from exceptional superhumans.

Instead of resolving all the suspicions within him, it was enough to simply provide a plausible answer.

The more all the circumstances seemed to align perfectly, the more Zaif would implicitly trust Lennok’s words.

And Lennok’s prediction was not wrong.

“How can I assist you?”

The words came out of Zaif’s mouth on their own.

It was practically beyond mere agreement with Lennok’s words, akin to an offer to actively cooperate in the current situation.

Lennok immediately replied.

“We need to investigate inside the temple. If the Archbishop is hiding something, it would undoubtedly be there on this island.”

Truthfully, Lennok didn’t know if that was true, but what did it matter? Once inside the temple, there would be plenty of excuses to come up with.

The only important thing was whether Zaif took this situation seriously enough to let Lennok into the temple.

“Inside the temple, huh… I suppose so.”

Zaif also nodded with a more cautious expression.

“But with the Selection Ritual preparations complete, when the ritual begins is entirely up to the Archbishop’s will. Entering the temple now would entail considerable risk.”

The ritual preparations were already finished, and the Archbishop was simply biding her time to decide the moment? This was unexpected information, but Lennok showed no sign of it, even smiling.

“So, she hasn’t even properly informed you when the ritual will begin, has she?”

“…”

Did that single, mocking remark finally drive a wedge into Zaif’s doubts?

After a long silence, Zaif abruptly turned his back.

“…Follow me. I’ll guide you into the temple.”

A colossal crystal palace stood in the heart of the Far Eastern Branch’s island, a landmass sailing on the sea.

The beautiful palace, meticulously carved from colorful rock and marble, was guarded by hundreds of Cult Guard personnel.

Originally, Lennok would have had to struggle more to breach their tight security and the temple’s internal defenses.

But now, simply by walking behind Zaif, he was effortlessly making his way into the temple.

The moment they saw Zaif’s face, most of the Cult Guards didn’t even dare to offer a greeting.

With stiff, nervous expressions, they simply hoped the Apostle would pass by without even glancing at them.

Zaif, too, paid them no mind, as if such an attitude was natural, and passed through the massive arched gateway.

The moment Lennok tried to follow Zaif through the gateway, a light spark flew.

Crack!

A light spark flew, and the barrier inside the gateway pushed Lennok back.

“Hmm?”

Zaif and the other Cult Guards looked back at Lennok due to the anomaly.

“What’s going on?”

“It seems the temple’s Grand Barrier has activated. It shouldn’t happen unless it’s for an outsider…”

The Cult Guard looked at Lennok with a slightly sharper expression.

“May I please confirm your identity for a moment?”

“…He is my guest. What is the meaning of this?”

As Zaif faintly frowned and expressed his displeasure, the Cult Guards instantly recoiled, their expressions crushed.

There were not many followers within the Cult who could easily defy Apostles, who held a special status.

“I-I apologize. However, it’s difficult even to determine the cause of the Grand Barrier’s blockage like this…”

“This is absurd. He is not an outsider. How is this Grand Barrier managed that it fails to recognize a fellow member of the Cult?”

“Pardon? Never before has a fellow follower been rejected by the barrier.”

“…What?”

“That’s enough.”

Seeing Zaif speechless, Lennok stepped forward.

Standing still like this would only make Zaif suspicious again.

It was better for Lennok to step forward himself and dispel the suspicion.

Fortunately, Lennok had a way to release the barrier’s curtain.

In a slightly sharp voice that might be perceived as sensitive, he instead blamed the Cult Guard who couldn’t let him through.

“This is intolerable, from what I hear. I knew the Far Eastern Branch lacked flexibility, but to this extent…”

He pulled out a slip of paper with a control code from his pocket, naturally brought it to the barrier through his sleeve, and rubbed it.

At the same time, the barrier blocking Lennok melted away as if by magic, opening a path.

Perhaps it was an uncommonly seen sight for the Cult Guards stationed at the gate, as the eyes of the other priests, who had been watching tensely, widened.

“The temple’s Grand Barrier, with just one gesture…”

“Is he an esteemed guest from the main order?”

“If Apostle Zaif himself is guiding him, then it must be so.”

Beyond simply letting Lennok pass, he had maintained the barrier’s appearance but completely halted its function.

This would make it much easier for Rapperd, Piyo, or Gapseon to enter the temple later.

“I’ve adjusted the barrier’s performance, so do not touch it under any circumstances until I personally speak with the Archbishop.”

He had virtually stopped the Grand Barrier, yet with a brazen face, he raised his voice as if he had accomplished something great.

But with his casual manipulation of the Grand Barrier right before their eyes, combined with his authoritative demeanor, there was no Cult Guard who didn’t bow their head.

“We apologize for not recognizing an esteemed guest from the main order.”

“We will follow the priest’s words.”

Lennok casually passed through the gate and stood next to Zaif.

Zaif nodded with a solemn expression.

“It was the Archbishop’s deception after all. I had noticed it.”

“…What did you say?”

“Wasn’t she trying to prevent you, an Apostle who didn’t pass the Selection Ritual, from entering the temple?”

“…”

Apostle Zaif babbled nonsense, as if he now saw through all the inner workings himself.

From his expression, not a hint of suspicion towards Lennok remained.

“You must have foreseen this situation and made the necessary preparations in advance. My trust in you has grown.”

“S-something like that.”

“Archbishop Nidri…”

Zaif’s expression, now burning with enmity towards the Archbishop who was likely still focused on the worship in the plaza.

Before him, how could Lennok possibly say that everything he had done so far was just an excuse to infiltrate the temple?

However, separate from that, it seemed important to remember the fact that the temple’s Grand Barrier had been replaced with Jindun’s power.

The fact that the followers of the Far Eastern Branch were not properly aware of it also suggested it was not a simple matter.

Before Lennok could finish organizing his thoughts, Zaif strode forward, immediately guiding Lennok into the temple.

Whoosh!

The candles on the walls lit up as the two walked, illuminating the corridor.

“The Archbishop and the Proxies will return to the temple once the worship ends. It’s best to hurry before then.”

Zaif said with a trusting gaze.

“Since you discerned the Grand Barrier’s trickery, you must have a place in mind, don’t you?”

“…”

“I understand that the Archbishop is hiding something from us. Show me what it is.”

Of course, Lennok knew nothing about the temple’s structure or the secrets the Archbishop was hiding.

He was, in fact, in the same boat as Zaif, having to wander through the temple to find that secret.

But instead of panicking, Lennok confidently raised a finger.

He knew that instead of being intimidated here, he should actively pretend to know everything and trick Zaif.

“I can think of about three places right off the bat… The Archbishop’s office, the topmost spires of the temple, and the temple’s internal security vault.”

All of them were areas within the temple that outsiders couldn’t easily access, and suitable places to hide something.

Even Lennok, who had never set foot in this temple, could infer their existence.

Mentioning them so specifically wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

However, upon hearing his words, Zaif tilted his head with a puzzled expression.

“Hmm…?”

“What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s just a more obvious answer than I expected.”

“…”

“For such a grand answer, it’s not particularly impressive…”

He was a guy with surprisingly high standards.

“The Archbishop’s office is, of course, difficult to enter. The spires are closed off unless there’s a special occasion. The vault requires signing a visitor’s log, so it would leave a record.”

“Indeed.”

“I thought about those places from the moment we had to enter the temple. Are there no other candidates?”

Zaif narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing at Lennok.

Had he, in the meantime, found Lennok’s words untrustworthy, and was now trying to test him?

Lennok decided how to react the moment he saw Zaif’s face.

He didn’t need some groundbreaking idea to dispel Zaif’s suspicion.

He needed to firmly establish control so this perceptive Apostle wouldn’t dare to make another peep.

“Apostle Zaif.”

“Yes.”

“What answer should I give you regarding your complacency?”

“…What?”

At Zaif’s flustered reply, Lennok quietly placed a hand on his shoulder with an unreadable expression.

“Did you think we could secure the Archbishop’s secret without taking any risks?”

“…”

“If you thought that, then I misjudged you.”

Lennok turned away abruptly without listening to Zaif further.

Stepping forward, Lennok placed his hand on a nearby corridor wall and unhesitatingly pulled open a small, protruding shelf on one side.

“It seems our plan, which is already becoming complacent, needs a wake-up call.”

“What are you… trying to do? No way…?”

Zaif realized that what Lennok had touched was one of the distribution panels that managed the temple’s internal facility power, and he recoiled slightly.

Lennok, without hesitation, reached for the wires and tore them all from the wall.

CRACK!

He injected magic into the end of the distribution panel, backflowing it to the connected power generation facility beyond, and overloaded the facility itself.

At that moment, the temple’s interior, as evening approached, plunged into a complete power outage.

Sizzle…!!

Instantly, sparks began to fly in white bursts throughout the darkened corridors.

“What, what is it?!”

“The facility is out of power…!!”

“It’s no use, nothing is responding!”

Lennok smiled as he watched the priests scattering in disarray.

“Let’s start with some fireworks.”