The horrified acolytes quickly regained their senses but didn't fall into panic. Seeing the enemy was being dealt with by the priest, they exchanged glances and tended to their comrades' injuries, casting low-level healing spells.

At the same time, they stopped the ritual and went on guard, keeping vigilance against the unexpected sneak attacker. Their practiced cooperation and firm mentality, despite encountering the unexpected adversary was commendable.

Meanwhile, the weak light arrows mercilessly pierced the fleeing villagers' bodies. They fell while screaming in agony, but none of them were seriously injured.

'Come out now!' The priest hollered.

'Please have mercy upon us, Lord Hermes!'

'Lord, spare us! We are innocent!' The villagers cried pitifully.

''He...actually attacked the civilians.''

I felt guilty, as I didn't expect him to act so unbridled, otherwise, I wouldn't have mixed up with the poor villagers.

'Capture him if you want your lives!' The unpleasant voice rang.

Shit! So that was his plan. They wouldn't actually do it, after everything he's done, right?

I gulped down, feeling pressured and disgruntled, noticing how the villagers' eyes focused on me like hungry wolves.

Come on, are you guys being serious right now?!

I shouldn't have felt sorry for you guys in the first place. Sheesh, what a letdown.

They stopped fleeing. I found myself surrounded by tens of people. How do I even escape now? I thought everybody would be a little more cooperative, but I guess, that's not too unexpected from the brainwashed mob either.

'Get him!' Someone took the initiative. A few others followed with chilly eyes.

Here goes nothing...

I was knocked down, as a bunch of bulky villagers held me down and restricted me.

'We got the heretic!' They shouted as the people made way for the priest. The other fleeing villagers also stopped in their tracks and looked back.

Seeing the situation favorable, they no longer found it necessary to run.

'Son, are you alright?'

'Uni, are you hurt?'

Some people rushed to help the villagers, who now had small bloody holes in their bodies from the light arrows.

Meanwhile, the others started chirping how they weren't associated with me and how I was a heretic, how I had to be punished, that they had to be spared, blah, blah, blah...

Who even cares? Come here, servant of the bullshit god. This daddy here has a little surprise for you!

I chuckled to myself. I didn't bother to struggle free, but I had enough brains to show some false struggle.

The priest confidently strode over, while hitting the bottom of his long staff on the ground for each of his step.

'Bind!' He chanted as I was shackled by some shining ropes.

'Move away!' He said annoyedly.

My restrictors quickly dispersed to the side, not forgetting a few kicks and curses to please the priest.

Wow, they are also smooth ass lickers. These guys are so talented. They practice top-notch shamelessness art, unrivaled and unparalleled.

'Who sent you?' The priest frowned as he stopped a few meters away from me.

Tch, cautious bastard.

I didn't answer and continued struggling against the restrictive spell, appearing like a squirming worm.

'Lord Hermes, please help my father. He's dying!' The little boy wrapped in linen clothes begged while crying as he held his old man, whose chest area was stained with blood, from the injury.

The priest gnashed his teeth as he turned his head, opened his mouth, but hesitated, then raised his hand.

'Heal them!' He ordered the acolytes and once again turned towards me.

If only he was standing a bit closer...

'Hmm, a bunch of question marks on some weak punk? Derobe him. I want to see his face.'

Out of my expectations, he didn't even bother to approach this weak, restricted old me.

I grew furious as a bunch of villagers once again started making their ways towards me.

They leave me no choice now!

Just as I was about to order my bats, something out of my expectations happened.

Somebody lifted a giant greatsword and smashed down on one of the people, who were about to approach me.

That person instantly turned into a bloody pulp as he couldn't even scream in time.

'Why...you!' Another middle-aged guy turned around and eyed the man with a greatsword with contracted eyes as he saw the sweeping iron chunk approaching his waist.

He barely jumped back in time, but to his side, a desperate wail was made by a young man, whose stomach was cut open, while his innards spilled out.

'Rodak, what are you doing?!' The middle-aged man yelled, his tone laced with anger and disbelief.

The ordinary looking man in his thirties with a cleanly shaven beard, but short and unkempt brown hair walked out from the crowd. He wore a worn out gray linen shirt, and old, dirty ankle length pants.

I was surprised and curious about his intentions.

'You...animal! What have you done?!' The old man with a walking stick howled at the man.

Rodak stood in front of me as if shielding me from the psycho priest. Now bloody greatsword was pierced through the ground, while its hilt was held by his left arm. The villagers were staring at him with aghast, horrified and disbelieving expressions.

The sun shone down upon his lowered head, while wind ruffled his coarse clothes. My heart beat faster as I felt moved. What? I don't swing that way, but, you know, that's some moving fantastical circumstantial coincidence...yeah, let's call it that.

The man who was called Rodak didn't seem to hear the old man as he quietly stared at the frowning priest.

He lifted up his sword and abruptly swung it my way. I was alarmed as there was no time to dodge, so I only managed to change my position in the robes along with others, so we wouldn't be hit, but the expected attack never came.

The greatsword grazed past me. With a booming sound, the white glowing ropes shackling me dispersed into light particles.

'How dare you side with the sinner?' The priest showed his yellow teeth while revealing an unnatural grin.

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The villagers followed the priest as they erupted. The women screamed while men started cursing and questioning him.

'Just what kind of child did you raise, old Jun?'

Some people started cursing at the old man with a walking stick.

Receiving insults from others, old Jun grew even more furious as he yelled.

'You dog bastard, degenerate! I don't have a grandchild like you! Did I teach you this? Is this how you pay me? You...'

'Shut up!' Hermes grew tired and annoyed, listening to the brainless bunch and roared threateningly.

Meanwhile, I got up from the ground and transmitted to him through telepathy.

'Thanks, I guess.'

Rodak turned his head a little and eyed me with surprise, which was soon replaced by the calm look. He nodded at me slightly and looked ahead. I stood by his side.

'So you guys are together in this, huh? Hehehehe~' Looking at us, standing side by side, staring at him with unkind intent, the priest chuckled as he grabbed his forehead and grinned as if having seen something funny.

'You see, God hates rebels. It is my due duty to eradicate them if they are beyond saving, and you two...certainly are.' He continued, appearing at ease.

'What's wrong? Why are you not making your moves? Could it be...that you're scared?' The priest laughed in amusement and ridicule, while his eyes glinted with sinister light.

'Don't worry. This lord doesn't need to bully a bunch of retards with numbers. I will personally teach you a lesson!' He appeared excited.

'Hey big guy, you aren't thinking of fighting them, are you?' I transmitted to Rodak, then slightly shook my head.

'The villagers, the acolytes, and the crazy fellow...we're disadvantaged. He's just giving us a false sense of safety by fighting us solo. How about this...let's pretend we fight seriously, but when the opportunity arrives, let's grab the witch and escape, alright?' I tried to persuade him, sensing his seriousness.

He looked at me with eyes full of disapproval. His brows were knitted together.

I had to continue persuading him.

'We can always have our revenge later. There's another variable. If the priest is weak, we'll just finish him off and without him, they'll be like headless chickens.

After a brief hesitation, he nodded solemnly.

I like this guy. He's so cooperative.

As we were silently hatching our schemes, the aura around the priest began to change.

His goatee started moving, even though the wind wasn't blowing. His robes also started fluttering, while his body began emitting light.

He lifted three fingers, which was some kind of sign to the acolytes, following which the changes around him intensified.

Feeling the dangerous aura coming from him, I was alarmed and didn't dare move rashly.

Things won't be as easy as imagined, I thought.

In fact, I was having a bad premonition.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the priest's body was lifted off the ground as he started levitating five centimeters above ground, while his body emitted weak holy light.

The staff broke out of his hand and began floating behind his back. His coarse hands shone with blinding light as they were enveloped by transparent light spheres, like boxing gloves.

He rolled out his tongue and started cackling.

'Where there is light, there is no place for darkness. In the name of the god of light, I, Hermes, shall banish you into the abyss!'

Light Priest, Hermes [Elite] Realm: 3rd Level: ?? HP: 71/71

I cursed as I found the current situation unfavorable, but we still had to proceed.

To uplift his battle power like this, this guy's clearly not planning a fair fight.

Rodak gave a roar and charged at Hermes. I followed closely behind.

'Die, you son of a whore!' Rodak threw profanity as his grip on the weapon tightened.

'Kekekeke~' The priest chuckled sinisterly.

Is he not going to dodge?

'Haaaaaaah!' Rodak roared as he swung around the giant greatsword across his shoulders, his body twisting in a way, that helped him exert 120% power of his body.

*Bang!

The greatsword was rebounded as transparent light barrier rippled to the priest's side.

My expression turned ugly as I realized what kind of game Hermes was playing.

We weren't exactly fighting 2 VS 1, but 2 VS 8! The acolytes were casting buffs and spells to help him indirectly.

'You stall him. I'll get rid of the acolytes!' I transmitted to Rodak through telepathy, while dashing past the priest.

'Funny!' I heard a ridiculing chuckle as the staff floating behind his back shot a thin, sweeping, light beam at my direction.

I ducked and dodged, unobstructed, and continued running in the acolytes' direction.

*Bang

I smashed into a transparent barrier and fell on my back, cursing. So that's how it is. These guys sure are sinister. We're trapped here.

'You are worse than a beast!' Rodak growled as he swung around his giant sword at amazing speed and momentum. Each attack was perfectly blocked by transparent barriers, which rippled upon contact.

'Kekekeke, futile, futile!' Hermes guffawed.

...

'Aaah!'

A few seconds later, I heard Rodak's miserable cry. I quickly jumped on my feet and turned around.

Fuck, is this guy really a priest?

Hermes was punching Rodak with his light gloves. Not only that, but this brute, who wielded the greatsword with ease was constantly retreating as he barely defended himself, shielding himself with the greatsword.

*Bang!

Hermes' shining fist connected with Rodak's sword once again, which hurled his bulky body behind.

He slid off the ground and barely stabilized himself.

Hermes grabbed the staff from his back and whipped Rodak's shoulder.

He was unprepared. The bone-cracking sound rang as Rodak grunted, while his shoulder started bleeding.

Damn it! I need to do something! He won't hold for long and next, it'll be my turn.

I lifted the long sleeve of my robes, which touched the barrier.

'Lurkers, break through it!'

The shadows rushed from my sleeves. They merged and unleashed devastating blow to the barrier.

*Bang, crack, crack!'

The cracks began spreading on the transparent barrier.

'Huh?' The dumbfounded priest looked back, astonished.

The acolytes were also shaken.

Well, what did you expect from 12 third realm lurkers' synthesized attack? Even though their strength value is low, it's only relatively and individually.

If they combine their formless bodies, their add up strength isn't merely an addition.

'Again!'

With another heavy bang, the light barrier crumbled.

'Kill him!' Hermes roared. He ignored the beaten Rodak and prepared to pursue me, but Rodak suddenly gave a beastly roar as he sprang from the ground and swept the greatsword now coated in earth elemental aura across the priest's waist.

Hermes floated back swiftly and dodged the strike, which broke through his transparent barrier. He ground his teeth in anger.

'I'll eliminate you, heretic!' The light arrows were conjured around his head, then launched towards Rodak, who started spinning along with his sword unnaturally and blasted off the arrows.

Meanwhile, I sprinted towards the acolytes, dodging their light projectiles with high agility.

'UU, SEI, IAAN!' They chanted something simultaneously, following which I found myself sandwiched between two light barriers.

My body appeared to be convulsing as lurkers smashed over and over against the barriers, while hidden inside the robes' chest.

The barrier quickly broke, but about dozen light projectiles were just about to smash into me.

There was no time to dodge. The bats took all the damage, while I was unharmed. I didn't want lurkers to be struck by the light spells, which they were especially weak against.

'Light bind!' The acolytes chanted once again.

I was once again bound by light ropes.

It's useless! Even if you wrap iron chains around us, it won't work, since we aren't human, hehe!

The distance considerably shortened between us.

You guys...are doomed now.

'Sonic bat!'

*Screech!'

Their chants were interrupted as they were momentarily stunned from the sonic shriek.

'Water bat!'

*Ssssss~

The mist started spreading around my body and enveloped the priests.

Good! Now, it's my playground!

'Aaah! Get away from me!'

Go ahead crunchie, bite his face off!

The miserable screams rang from the mist. Trickster bat painted the mist with vague bat outlines, tricking them into attacking the nonexistent targets.

Now, they were basically helpless lambs, ready to be slaughtered. The lurkers revealed themselves and under the mist's cover slit the acolytes' throats with daggers.

Their defensive spells quickly crumbled, while their offense was offset by the confusing situation created by me and my troops.

In a few seconds, the new notifications were issued by the system.

+3% Exp

+2% Exp

+2% Exp

+3% Exp

+3% Exp

+2% Exp

+2% Exp

I quickly ordered everyone to return in the robes, then freed the witch.

'Kill them! Don't let them escape!' The priest hollered wrathfully.

I looked back, only to realize that villagers were slowly surrounding us.

The injured Rodak was running in my direction. He had abandoned his longsword. Good choice. You can't run with that iron junk!

'Quick, I'll cover you.' I spoke to him through telepathy.

The priest lost his blessings and was chasing after us with ferocious expression.

He no longer used long distance light spells as villagers blocked his view. He wouldn't be so stupid to attack them as they were aiding him in capturing us.

'Rodak, you traitor! I won't let you get away!'

The angry looking middle-aged man blocked his path while wielding an iron hammer.

Fuck off, bitch! Lurkers, kill him gruesomely!

All the lurkers split off from my robes and crawled up through the middle-aged man's shadow.

The pursuing villagers halted and stared, horrified as the shadows wrapped around his body and ultimately devoured him.

They went in and out of his seven orifices and ruthlessly cut his flesh with the daggers, peeling his flesh, causing his corpse to be slowly broken down into bloody pus.

Rodak used this opportunity and broke out of the encirclement.

'Disgraceful fools! Don't let them escape!' The priest was screaming himself hoarse, but we have already made quite some distance. The villagers were too scared to follow us after I killed the monkey to scare the tigers.

Regretfully, we couldn't kill the priest, but we survived and rescued the witch.