The Black Gold Bloodtear Sword, revered as a supreme artifact among dark creatures, rested on the display stand, encased in a powerful protective barrier.
Yet, it was sheathed in a plain scabbard meant for a beginner’s Holy Light sword. Beside it, a placard provided a detailed description of the exhibit:
**[Exhibit: Black Gold Bloodtear Sword]**
**Description**: The sword of the third Dark Monarch, forged from Black Gold Crystal Stone of the Devil’s Mountain and the spine of a Bone Dragon King.
The blade carries a curse of inevitable death—its victims perish the moment their blood is drawn. It absorbs the flesh, energy, and soul of its enemies, feeding its wielder with boundless power.
The third Dark Monarch used this accursed weapon to slay his father, seize the throne, and leave a bloody legacy in his wake.
Now, moved by the blessings of the Goddess of Light, it deeply repents its sins and strives to transform into a sacred weapon of salvation.
The Church of Light, recognizing its sincere repentance, has awarded it the Beginner's Holy Glow Scabbard as an encouragement.
---
Eldorph, the alpha werewolf, nearly coughed up blood. These sanctimonious bastards from the Church of Light!
They were outright slandering the Bloodtear Sword, a weapon that couldn’t even speak to defend itself!
“Repentance for its sins”? “Moved by the goddess’s blessings”? “Striving for goodness”?
And being “awarded” a scabbard? They made it sound like an honor!
In reality, the scabbard was a standard-issue weapon for trainee clerics—and an incomplete one at that!
It was outright humiliation—not just for the sword but for the entire dark race!
Eldorph knew the Church’s description was nothing more than propaganda, exaggerating their achievements while mocking their enemies.
But ordinary pilgrims? They believed every word. They marveled at the sword’s transformation, praised the greatness of the Holy Light, and even shed tears of joy over its redemption.
It was absurd! Insulting! Infuriating!
Fighting back his rage, Eldorph moved to the next exhibit—only to be angered even further.
The **Codex of Sin** had been covered with a book jacket made from the cover page of the Holy Light Codex.
The **Blasphemer’s Medallion** was embedded into a larger Beginner’s Holy Glow Badge.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
And the **Crystal Skull of Gelthoth** wore a cutesy trainee cleric’s hat atop its crown.
---
One after another, the exhibits were not crafted with precision but instead deliberately arranged to provoke. To any member of the dark races, this was nothing short of desecration—a blatant insult to their history and pride.
It was as if the Church had taken the flag of a revered battalion and used it to wrap dumplings.
The intent wasn’t deadly, but the insult was unbearable.
Even though the werewolves knew the exhibit descriptions were fabricated nonsense, they couldn’t stand it. The crude presentation was enough to make their blood boil, and the reactions of the surrounding pilgrims—gasps of admiration, heartfelt exclamations, and praise—only added to the sting.
---
From the vantage point of the exhibit hall’s upper level, the Knight Commander observed the crowd while sneaking glances at Rowan Kai beside him.
When he first heard this plan, his scalp had gone numb. Now, seeing its effects, he was chilled to the bone.
He was certain that no member of the dark races could walk through this exhibit without launching an attack—suicidal or otherwise.
Even he, as a holy knight, could barely tolerate the thought of his ancestors’ proudest artifacts being displayed in such a degrading manner.
This was a blatant provocation—a ruthless yet transparent ploy.
The Knight Commander tried to put himself in their shoes. If the dark races had done this to the sacred relics of the Church, he would want nothing less than to flay the perpetrators alive, grind their bones to dust, and slaughter them a thousand times over.
Desecration—pure, unadulterated desecration.
And to devise such an insidious plan? No one but Rowan Kai, infamous as the “Saint of Sin,” could have pulled it off.
Rowan slapped the railing and turned to leave.
“The challenge has been issued. By tonight, they’ll come for us.
Get ready—there’s bound to be bigger fish behind this lot.”
---
Nightfall was the dark creatures’ best ally.
By now, nearly every lurking faction of the dark races had been summoned.
This was no longer just the werewolves’ fight; it was a matter of pride for the entire dark realm.
United by a shared resolve, they were ready to sacrifice themselves to destroy the damned exhibit. Only the blood of their enemies could wash away this humiliation.
Of course, if they could snag a few relics in the process, it would be a boon beyond measure—surely a sign of the Dark Emperor’s favor.
Regardless, these disparate factions, rarely united, now banded together for a common cause.
---
The exhibition had been strategically placed on a barren hill outside the town, far from the civilian population.
Though it lacked the formidable defenses of the Lin Tower encampment, the open terrain offered a clear view of any approach.
In the brief hours between the exhibit’s closing and the onset of night, Rowan Kai had laid numerous traps and his own custom-designed holy light formations around the hill.
As the dark creatures closed in, Rowan remained composed, exuding an air of complete confidence.
Beside him, Knight Commander Keltis stood solemnly, the increasing density of dark energy in the air weighing heavily on him.
This wasn’t new to him. When he first joined the Black Knights, he had endured the two-week Black Iron Uprising, where hordes of high-ranking demons launched relentless assaults on the prison gates.
Compared to that, tonight’s situation was hardly worth fretting over.
However, with the safety of the Lin Tower encampment and the town in mind, most of the guards and Black Knights had been stationed near the watchtower.
Here at the exhibit, it was just Rowan, the Knight Commander, and the traveling mage who had accompanied them.
---
“Your Highness, should I call over a couple more Black Knights?”
“No. If there are too many of us, the enemy might get scared and not attack.”
Rowan clapped Keltis on the shoulder. “Relax. Just focus on protecting her. Leave the rest to me.”