Myths Reawakened

Sandrine’s expression tightened. “The underground catacombs are the Death Knight’s territory. He’s too powerful. I’d advise against a visit.”

“What if I insist on going?”

“I-I would arrange a group of attendants for you.” Sandrine smiled bitterly. “As for me, I apologize for not being able to freely leave as the High Reverend. Even if it’s your request, I’d need the Pope’s permission before I could enter the catacombs.”

Wayne couldn’t find any flaws in her answer or expression. He said with a frown, “To tell you the truth, I’m here on business. Headquarters received intel from our informant at the Church of Heavenly Father that the Papal State has been on the move lately. It’s said that they’ve sent strong individuals who might be reincarnated angels to Palis, their target being the underground catacombs.”

Sandrine’s breath hitched. “Reincarnated angels? How could the Papal State make such a heavy investment? Is the information from a reliable source?”

“Very much so,” Wayne said slowly. “Based on the source, the Papal State sensed the presence of a large group of demons in Palis, who plan to open the Gate of Hell in the underground catacombs. That’s why the Papal State sent the army of reincarnated angels.”

“That-that...” Sandrine took a deep breath. “Oracle High Reverend, that’s a significant revelation that I need to confirm. Please wait a moment. I know Archbishop Theo of the Saint Sulpice Church. Perhaps I could get some clues from him.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Wayne stopped her with a gesture. “The Papal State suspected that the local Church of Heavenly Father had already fallen under the demons’ control, so the Archbishop wasn’t informed about the army of angels. He won’t be able to answer you. Besides, we belong to different factions at the end of the day. He won’t tell you anything even if he knows something.”

“You’re right.” Sandrine nodded. “I’ve allowed my emotions to get the better of me. It’s just that I can’t help but panic when I think about such a tremendous force arriving in Palis while the church has no way of defending against them. I worry that after the angels take out the demons, they’ll see the church as another target.”

“That is possible. The angels are each more arrogant than the last. If they barge in with the justification that our district head office is housing a demon, it’ll be impossible to stop them.”

“That’s why the headquarters sent me to check in,” Wayne said. “If necessary, we’re to evacuate the combatants here to avoid a conflict with the Church of Heavenly Father.”

Sandrine nodded. That was a sensible decision she could get behind.

“I’m here to greet you today and to make an acquaintance with you. Believe it or not, we actually have quite a history.”

“Oh, how so?”

“My master is Silvia Lando—no, Silvia Valentine, once the head of the surgical strike unit of Palis. She’s worked for you...”

Wayne gossiped on and on about everyone and their grandmothers, keeping Sandrine in the office for three hours.

Sandrine was ready to tear her hair out. She had never met a yapper like Wayne. It seemed that he would be able to talk all day.

When he finally took a breather, she quickly said, “Oracle High Reverend, it’s about dinnertime. Please go ahead to the canteen. We’ll talk more over the meal.”

Only I’m allowed to interrupt others! Wayne grumbled in his head, nodding. “Alright, I am getting tired. Let’s shelve the topic for now. We’ll get back to it later.”

“Isabella, accompany the Oracle High Reverend to the canteen,” Sandrine said. “I’ll be right with you after getting changed.”

After Wayne and Isabella walked out, Sandrine sauntered into the inner quarters. Under her white robe, her simple attire hugged her curves tightly. She was captivating like fine, aged wine, while retaining a trendy radiance.

The robe fell to the floor. She bent down to pick it up, her long, shapely legs going taut. Under the warm light, she seemed to radiate white light like a piece of art that made one want to swallow her.

Sandrine closed her eyes and focused on her senses. Only after making sure that no perverts were peeking at her did she slowly straighten up and hang the robe.

She changed into another white robe. Fingertips gliding over the bookshelf, she opened a hidden compartment, from which a white carrier pigeon leaped out.

Coo—

She tossed some corn kernels while silently chanting a spell, storing information in the pigeon’s head. After she snapped her finger, the pigeon glowed and transformed into a white-robed girl with a youthful appearance. She walked toward the office outside with childlike innocence.

The door opened. A hand reached in and pushed the girl back by her forehead.

“I just remembered something, High Reverend.” Wayne looked at Sandrine’s voluptuous body under the white robe with interest, saying apologetically, “It seems that you have important things to take care of. I’m not interrupting you, am I?”

Sandrine’s heart leaped to her throat. She kept her smile and said, “You’re not. It’s my duty to serve you. I’ve gotten changed, so let’s head to the canteen now.”

“No rush.”

Wayne closed his fingers. The robed girl turned into a white pigeon with a cry, batting its wings. Propping it up on his palm, he said coolly, “An encoded message written with thoughts. What does it say?”

“It’s private!”

“Wonderful, I love breaching other people’s privacy, especially right in front of them. That makes it more fun.” Wayne’s voice grew cold. A thread of his thoughts spread and showed him the encoded message in the pigeon’s eyes. “It’ll take a bit of time to decode this. Please wait a moment. I’ll figure it out as quickly as possible.”

“Oracle High Reverend, you’ve crossed a line.” Sandrine’s tone turned icy as well. With rippling thoughts, she projected the Astral Plane and trapped Wayne in her vitality field.

“Vitality field...” Wayne smiled at his palm. The pigeon was gone. “It’s just a breach of your privacy, but you’re immediately using your vitality field? You’ve got a hot temper, High Reverend!”

Sandrine narrowed her eyes. “I know you suspect me, but let me give you a friendly piece of advice: you shouldn’t look into everything. If you find something, neither of us could take the repercussions.”

“That means I must look into this!”

Wayne’s eyes radiated bright light as his vitality field expanded to three meters in diameter. The vanished pigeon reappeared on his palm. He exerted his thoughts to brute force the encoded message. Reading part of it, he recited with a smile, “Angels have descended. Change of plan. Inform the others.”

Sandrine’s face darkened. There was fury in her expression, but also shock and discomfort.

“High Reverend, I’ll get to the point. I caught you red-handed, and I want to know more. Are you going to tell me voluntarily, or should I make you volunteer?”

Wayne let go of the pigeon. It flew to perch on Sandrine’s shoulder, pecking at her in apology.

I didn’t want to, but he forced himself on me. I had no choice but to give it to him.

Boom!!

Fire bloomed and burned the pigeon to ashes.

“You don’t have evidence now,” said Sandrine.

“So? I am evidence.”

“How arrogant and insolent of you!” Sandrine’s expression darkened. “Again, Oracle High Reverend, there are things you shouldn’t look into. For everyone’s sake, stop now!”

“Again, I need to finish an investigation I started,” Wayne countered.

Sandrine scoffed. With a wave, she transformed her vitality field. Above vast, infinite layers of ocean and mountain ranges, the four elements each occupied a corner of the sky. Immense vitality filled every part of the world, creating an endless army of tree people.

Vitality fields consisted of illusion. When two legendary mages came head-to-head, a fight usually dragged on. To swiftly defeat a fellow legendary mage, there was only one way: to leverage one’s knowledge!

Both being legendary mages, Sandrine had looked into Wayne, the man who had become an Oracle High Reverend out of nowhere.

He was District High Reverend Silvia’s student and Acting Pope Senna’s confidant, gaining ample resources through nepotism. It was because Senna needed her people on the seat that he suddenly became an Oracle High Reverend.

In other words, the pretty boy only reached his rank thanks to the resources granted to him.

He wasn’t like other legendary mages who had ranked up through their own effort. The scale of his vitality field alone showed his lacking foundation. He was only a legendary mage in name.

She would win this!

Bam!

Violent currents swept across the world. Everywhere the red light passed, the tree people toppled, bisected like barley. Before they even hit the ground, intense waves of heat made them spontaneously combust into ashes.

Sandrine made a sound of surprise. As she covered the vitality field with her thoughts, she suddenly saw a flash, followed by a tearing pain in her heart. It felt as though her thoughts had been torn apart along with the vitality field.

The next second, a lightning-quick figure reached her, and she saw a fist eating up her vision.

Boom!!

After throwing the punch, Wayne landed elegantly, looking at the blood on his fist. He evaporated the blood with his heat vision.

From the distance came a thunderous rumble. It sounded like the world was falling apart.

Amid the deafening roars of the explosions, Sandrine’s vitality field receded, pushed back by Wayne’s. He waved. Then, clutching her bleeding, palm-sized face, he cocked his head at her. “What a shame. I was quite captivated when you bent down, but I feel nothing when I look at this disfigured face.”

Sandrine opened her mouth weakly, vomiting blood.

She was exhaling more than she was inhaling. The punch had shattered her thoughts and severely damaged her body. Without emergency treatment, she would soon die.

Forget a legendary mage. Even a regular demigod wouldn’t dare to take Wayne’s punch in the face.

“What is that? Louder. I can’t hear you.” Wayne chuckled, tightening his grip and making her skull groan. Soon, though, his smile stiffened.

“I-I...”

“I serve... Pope Senna...”

“The same... side...”

∑(Ò_Ó;)

What do you mean we’re on the same side? Literally?

“Hmph, you’re not fooling me, demon’s pawn...” Wayne panicked a little, but he could still salvage this. Yes, even if she were on the same side as him, she was now a pawn controlled by the demons, making her a traitor.

He inspected Sandrine with his thoughts, getting to know her inside out. There was nothing wrong with her body aside from it being somewhat smashed, and there was nothing wrong with her thoughts, either. Though shattered, there was only the faith of Nature, no signs of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Wayne silently lay her down and streamed life energy through his fingers to repair her damaged face. Injecting her with vitality, he tried to restore her thoughts and body.

“High-High Reverend, wake up...”

Wayne knelt before her, praying for a miracle of life.

“Please, don’t die!”