I found myself looking around for no reason. I’m not going to end up becoming a thief, am I?
It wasn’t like I was committing a cri, but I felt strangely nervous.
I looked down at the entrance again.
’Could it be a dungeon? The info window isn’t popping up, so probably not. Who made this place? A hidden piece?’
I had never seen a hidden piece like this before. I took a mont to catch my breath, then went down.
Thump-thump.
I descended the cold stone steps. The door closed by itself with a sound.
This is a horror story cliché.
’What could happen?’
Of all places, this was under the Lord’s statue. It felt completely bizarre.
The stone steps looked quite old, and there were cloths or curtains hanging on every wall, though I couldn’t tell which. It looked about a hundred years old.
When I went down, a large cavern appeared.
’It’s cleaner inside than I thought?’
It was so clean it felt sowhat empty. However, paths extended in all directions. I thought it was so kind of ant nest.
’Which way should I go?’
A total of four passages were visible. I needed to explore to figure out where this place was.
I surveyed my surroundings, trying to find where a human presence was strongest.
’This way.’
When I listened closely to the path on the far right, I heard what sounded like human voices echoing.
I advanced in that direction. As I stealthily got closer, the human presence grew stronger.
Soon, the sound changed to singing, like a hymn.
’Hymns in a place like this underground?’
Tilting my head, I passed through the entire passage. I peeked inside, hidden by a curtain.
"The Lord shall descend, and all sinners shall repent!"
"Those Who Recite Sins, Heavenly Divine Punishnt Agents! The world shall be subrged in a black flood, and angels shall descend from the Outer Cosmos!"
I let out a hollow laugh. This is the hideout of Those Who Recite Sins, isn’t it?
Should I call it a church? It’s a cult, so I don’t even want to give it the na ’church’.
’Hmm? What’s that corpse?’
Surprisingly, a corpse was hanging from the ceiling where the hymns were being sung.
It was a middle-aged man wearing what looked like expensive clothes, but he was so covered in blood that I couldn’t tell who he was.
The cult mbers all looked up at the corpse and said in unison:
"We recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins!"
Fuck, I’m going to go insane.
I was inwardly horrified when I heard footsteps behind . Fuck, I’m going to get caught like this!
’Ugh, I’ll hide here.’
I hid behind a curtain hanging on the wall. Even if I hid here, if soone looked carefully, they’d eventually see my feet.
"Hmm...."
One of the believers was staring at where I was. Should I silence them? Just as I thought that.
Suddenly, a voice ca from where the hymns were being sung.
"Brother, have you arrived now?"
"I apologize, my stomach hurt...."
"The Lord has forgiven you. Co and sing with us."
"Yes, Pastor."
The person who seed to be the pastor and the believer went inside. I was speechless for a mont.
Did you not see ? Or are you just pretending not to, gritting your teeth?
’That’s strange. Ah... my title!’
The epic-grade title, Presence Concealnt.
A stealth-exclusive effect that prevents detection by enemies below my level.
I can’t believe this would shine here. Wow, its performance is definitely reliable!
’This could be fun if I play it right, couldn’t it? It ans they won’t know even if I follow right behind them, as long as they don’t see , right? Infiltration mission, start! Assassin-o!’
I licked my lips and turned my body towards another direction. Just in ti, a quest popped up.
『Side Quest - Lucian Creed』
◆Infiltration, You Can’t Stop This
-Objective: Explore the hideout of Those Who Recite Sins and enter the archives.
-Reward: Dexterity 3, ntal Immunity Potion x2
The reward was unusual. Stats aside, a ntal Immunity Potion?
’It’s a potion that grants immunity to ntal interference itself for 1 hour.’
Anyway, it would be useful. It would also sell for quite a bit.
I began my exploration.
I skipped the singing area and wandered through the other places.
I wanted to get anything useful, even a single line of information.
’It’ll take an insane amount of ti to search this ant nest-like place, but let’s do it. It’s worth it, isn’t it?’
This is a cult’s hideout, no less. If I raid it, sothing’s bound to co out.
So I kept moving around. After wandering for a long ti, I realized sothing.
The paths I saw in the cavern.
Each of those paths had its own concept.
So areas were decorated as worship halls or eting places, while others were used as dining halls, and there were also places where cult mbers rested or slept.
Moreover, the last path was blocked by an iron door, making it impossible to enter.
Instinctively, I sensed that sothing was beyond it.
’Is the archives beyond this?’
The problem was I couldn’t open it and go in. It looked like a really shady place, the kind where you’d find a conspiracy if you raided it, but it was blocked.
But if I broke in, it would cause a commotion. If I ssed up, I might provoke all of Those Who Recite Sins.
’Besides, the cult leader might find out soone’s snooping around.’
According to the information I’d gathered previously, the cult leader was in this Weaverpool Territory.
No matter how strong I was, I couldn’t take on the entire cult with him alone.
’And besides, this is a stealth action now, hehe.’
I tried to stay calm. First, I went back to wandering around.
Then I spotted the pastor I’d seen earlier, wandering alone.
’Oh, that direction is where the believers sleep. No way?’
The pastor cleared his throat for no reason and headed sowhere. I followed right behind him.
My breathing should have been audible, but this guy was walking as if no one was there, like a lie.
’Fuck, this is kind of funny, doing this. Crazy, I’m right behind him.’
Following the pastor, my prediction was correct. It was even a private room.
The pastor knocked on the door.
"Sister, are you there?"
There was no answer. The pastor imdiately smiled like a snake.
"Looks like the drug worked well."
He grabbed the doorknob and twisted it.
’He’s trying to screw a sleeping woman. Fucking bastard.’
Sohow, the picture beca clear. These bastards really weren’t creative.
How are they all like this?
Clunk, creak.
I followed the pastor directly into the room. I might end up watching soone else’s unexpected sex like this, but...
I’m not interested unless I’m the one doing the ’eating’, you see.
Inside, a blanket was spread out, and a female believer was sleeping. She was completely defenseless.
The mont the pastor was about to take off his pants, I put my sword to his neck.
"Alright, that’s enough!"
"Gah! What?! When did you get here? Who are you?!"
"I have so questions for you. I’d appreciate it if you answered truthfully."
"Who the fuck are you, you bastard?!"
Wham!
I delivered a calf kick. He couldn’t withstand it and collapsed.
I kicked him lightly so his leg wouldn’t break. And he still collapsed?
First, I struck the back of his head with the edge of my hand.
"I’ll ask the questions, and you’ll answer. Understand?"
"Y-yes...!"
"Is this the hideout of Those Who Recite Sins?"
"Y-yes. Are you an inspector?"
"I’m soone higher than that."
I bluffed. The pastor’s face was a sight to behold.
His eyes widened like a low-ranking demon encountering Michael in hell.
"Th-this is the Weaverpool Branch...!"
"A branch? Is there a separate main base?"
"Yes."
He said that and then shut his mouth. I sighed and grabbed him by the collar.
"You need to tell where the main base is too, you bastard. Only then can I let you go after we’re done talking, right?"
I coaxed him sweetly. The pastor licked his lips.
"I don’t know where the main base is either. Even if I look like this, I’m just a low-ranking mber!"
"Then let ask. Why is there a place like this right under the Weaverpool Territory? Who made it?"
"This is one of the underground passages that has existed since the past. We just renovated it."
Underground passages, of course, it had to be that. Every territory is bound to have underground passages.
Still, they hid it very discreetly.
"There was also a place blocked by an iron door earlier. Where is that?"
"...The archives."
"The archives?"
"It’s mainly where docunts are kept, and there’s a safe too. No one can enter there. Not even !"
"You sound like you’re lying."
"It’s true, really! I swear!"
This bastard really seed like a low-ranking mber. Of all people, why did I have to catch soone like this?
He grovelled to .
"I’ve told you everything I know, please let go. Release !"
"One last thing. You have a cult leader, right? Is that bastard here?"
"Yes, he doesn’t appear often, but he usually shows up at night."
"Alright, you’ve worked hard. I’ll let you go."
I took half a step back. Then the pastor smiled, adjusted his pants, and tried to get up.
Slash!
[You defeated an enemy!]
[You obtained 3000 Collector Points (CP)!]
I imdiately cut off his neck. The pastor, who fell spewing blood like a fountain, turned into light and disappeared.
"I’m releasing you from that disgusting life."
Leaving him behind, I briefly looked at the female believer.
She was a plain-looking woman with small breasts.
Even that counts as a woman, huh.
Leaving a scoff behind, I returned to where the iron door was earlier.
’The problem is here.’
Fearing soone might co, I hid behind the curtain and glared at the iron door.
Step, step!
As I was wondering how to open it, soone approached. I subtly peeked and saw a pastor, half-bald, passing and heading towards the iron door.
"My Lord, descend into my heart."
Surprisingly, the pastor placed his hand on the door and began injecting black energy.
’Is that Kahlum?’
It looked like Kahlum at first glance. The pastor easily opened the door and went inside.
That pastor, he’s not a low-ranking mber.
I hastily followed him in. Inside, there were indeed many docunts.
Calling it the archives was no exaggeration.
There was even a huge safe visible. What could be in there?
’If there’s just gold, silver, and treasures, I could live a life of leisure forever, couldn’t I?’
The pastor, looking around, muttered to himself as if troubled.
"Ah, I can’t rember. Where did I put the spare Kahlum...."
"I don’t know about Kahlum, but I’m right here."
I put my sword to his neck. The pastor flinched and froze.
"Alright, let’s begin the questions. I ask, and you answer. Easy, right?"
"Y-you? Right... I understand."
I asked a few questions. A Q&A ensued. But it was disappointing.
He was no different from the previous pastor. Except for confirming that this place was the archives.
"Well, it’s fine. The things here will serve as information or evidence anyway."
"H-hey. You’re ssing with the wrong people right now."
What the hell is this nonsense? Unless this cult holds state power, they wouldn’t be saying sothing like this.
The pastor trembled, yet his lips curled into a sneer.
"We, Those Who Recite Sins, have already grown too large. What can a re rcenary like you do? And alone at that?"
He seed to be mistaking for a rcenary. What kind of misunderstanding is this?
I grinned and retorted.
"Of course I can. If I want to, I can even kill an evil god."
"What?!"
"Because I’m the Debauched Hero."
Thrust!
This ti, I stabbed the pastor in the neck, killing him.
[You defeated an enemy!]
[You obtained 3000 Collector Points (CP)!]
The pastor collapsed with a gurgling sound. He turned into light and disappeared.
I imdiately began to raid everything in the archives.
Docunts, materials that would serve as evidence—I swept them all into my ring.
Among them were several Kahlum encased in iron cases.
Finally, I stood before the safe.
"It doesn’t look like it’ll open easily. Anyway, you can’t escape either."
I said, snapping my fingers.
"I am the inescapable Hero!"
Even the safe went into my ring. Now I’ll be super rich, won’t I?
However, I didn’t have ti to examine them.
I headed outside. Let’s get out of here quickly!
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