Deep within the capital city of Dawn, the central location and seat of power of the Church of Light. A cardinal, who was accompanied by two ragged looking people with slave collars on, stood outside a large ornate door. The two slave held a fancy chest between the two of them that was adorned in jewels and precious metals. The cardinal wiped the sweat from his brow nervously before knocking on the door.

“Enter.” A commanding voice came from the other side of the door.

The doors opened into a large, oval shaped office, and at the very back, stood a man in a pure white robe that had golden trim. He wore a tall hat that had a cloth on it that covered almost the entirety of the man’s head with the exception of his mouth. The part that was before his eyes obscured any onlookers but allowed him to see clearly. The cardinal walked down the room to just short of the desk, with his slaves in tow. The cardinal looked nervously to the various female Heroes that flanked both sides of the desk. They were the Phoenix Squad, the strongest of the Heroes and the Pope’s personal guards. They were adorned in thin red robes that showed a considerable amount of skin in multiple places.

“Speak.” The Pope commanded.

“Um, your eminence, I bring this month’s earnings…” He motioned his slaves to place the chest on the desk.

Kathunk.

“Hmm? That sounds lighter than last time. Nicky, open it.” One of the ladies, a well-developed woman with fiery red hair opened the chest and checked for traps.

“No traps my master.” She spoke in a flat tone.

The Pope turned and looked in the chest. “I see more coppers and silver than gold.What is the meaning of this?” The tone in his voice was cold, squeezing the very soul of the unfortunate cardinal.

“I-I’m sorry your eminence. It’s the people! T-They have not been hiring Heroes for monster hunting.”

“Explain.”

Blood drained from the man’s face and he broke out into a cold sweat. “The fault belongs to an interloper! H-His name is Hephaestus!”

“Hephaestus? Why have I not heard this name?”

“He created a new weapon, it makes dealing with Class A monsters simple! Even killing a basilisk is simple when using them.”

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“What is this weapon?”

“They call it a crossbow. They also have a larger one that is wielded by giants called a ballista!”

“Hmph, then send out the Basilisk Queen, they will not be able to handle the Apex of monsters.”

The cardinal shrunk at the Pope’s demand.

“What is it?” The Pope demanded to know.

“It’s, dead your eminence…” The cardinal’s shoulders slumped, fully expecting to be either tortured, killed, or both.

“Dead? They killed my Basilisk Queen? Who?”

“It is said that it was Hephaestus. Dunlap made him a Duke and gave him control over the Grand Forest Path for, his, actions…”

The cardinal trailed off, he could feel a horrible death coming for him. With a wave of the Pope’s hand, one of the ladies casted a spell, shooting lightening from her hands at the cardinal.

“AHHHHH!” He writhed on the ground as the two slaves stood still, the terror on their faces apparent at their soon to follow deaths.

After minutes of screaming, the cardinal was a blackened corpse.

“Hephaestus. Seems my cardinals have been keeping things from me. You two slaves, it is your lucky day. If you can bring the remaining four of my cardinals here before the sun sets, I will make sure that you are placed in a favorable place.”

The two slaves looked to one another, “Yes! Your eminence! We will do as you desire!”

The two charged off to fulfill his command, not knowing that the Pope meant to put them in a place that would be favorable to himself, buried ten feet underground, alive.

“Ellen, open the window and air out the room, it smells of cooked pork in here.”

One of the ladies did as ordered.

“Now, who shall I promote to the five vacant positions?” The Pope contemplated to himself.

When news of the Church of Light’s involvement with the attack upon the people of Dunlap became known worldwide, it greatly weakened their influence in many cities, but the Pope was quick to react. He blamed the actions on a corrupt group of cardinals and subsequently executed them which kept them from completely losing all influence. The countries of Dunlap and Alta set a permanent ban on fanatical beliefs of the church and drove them from their homelands. Only the countries of Meerka, Merluka, and Obai did they have a little bit of power. Goun was a close ally Dawn, so the Church of Light was prevalent there.

Duke Hephaestus’ name spread throughout the world to become known as a Master Craftsmen, The Lord of Fire, and Apex Slayer. His town of Lenmos grew quickly as many wanted to be a part of such a prosperous location.

The Grand Forest Path became a major trade route between Dunlap and Meerka, enriching both countries and Hephaestus’ rapidly growing town of Lenmos. The new tactic of defeating monsters rapidly grew the strength of both adventurers and hunters as the occupation became easier.

The hub area that was in the middle of the forest became a central location for top rated adventurers, hunters, and even researchers like Simon and his friends. Kingdoms around the world stopped hiring Heroes for monster hunting as Dunlap and Alta made sure to provide crossbows at easily affordable pricing. Kingdoms would have elites forces put together for dealing with the strongest of monsters while regular hunters and adventurers would take care of the rest. Hephaestus put the world on a path of freedom from the Church, but he was not finished, not until all the Heroes were free and there would be no one else to suffer the Mark of Domination.