This chapter is sponsored by The Bitch in the Fantasy World Patrons:
• Adventurer GrimV
• Adventurer The orc warrior 261
This is also an extra release chapter as thanks to "Marvin bennett" for being quite active at P-a-t-r-e-o-n. Thanks for the likes, I truly appreciate it :)
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2:03 p.m.
A carriage being escorted by 1 Crusader and 6 Guards on Karfaxes was traveling down a street in a rich neighborhood.
At the front were 2 Guards, behind them was Ronan, behind Ronan was the carriage that had a coachman and Janis seated at the coachman's seat with Wind, Vivian and Pablo inside the carriage, and behind the carriage were 4 Guards.
The group started to slow down and then stopped in front of a tall and large golden gate with a guard house on the side and surrounded by walls that were about two stories high.
Two Guards from the guard house came rushing out and then quickly opened the gate. And as soon as the golden gate opened, the group resumed traveling.
Entering the gate, a front yard and a two-story mansion at the end were revealed.
Compared to the estate mansion of the Nummi family, the entire vicinity was only about 1/4. And when it came to the mansion itself, it featured a modern medieval architecture.
When the group finally reached the mansion, there were 2 butlers and 4 maids waiting by in front of the main entrance and 1 Guard standing on guard on each side of the entrance.
Ka-cha.
The 2 butlers stepped forward. The younger one positioned himself on the side as he opened the carriage door, while the older positioned himself at the front but made sure to create at least a 1.5-meter distance between himself and the carriage entrance.
The butlers and maids lowered their heads.
"Welcome, Honored Priests and Priestess Crusaders, and Lord Councilor," the older butler said.
The first person to climb out of the carriage was Wind, followed by Vivian with her black purse, and then finally Pablo.
The older butler focused on Wind.
"Honored Priestess Inquisitor Wind, Honored Priest Avalon has left us a message. He said that he is expecting you and your group at the Main Training Room."
***
Wind, Vivian, Pablo, Ronan and Janis arrived at the Main Training Room.
The room itself was a wide and open indoor space that had wood floors, several weapon racks on the sides, and a male and a female changing rooms on the left side.
Sitting on the floor in the middle of the room with his eyes closed was a muscular and topless man in his late 60s with long white hair and a full beard wearing nothing but a pair of black pants.
His eyes slowly opened and he focused his gaze on Wind and his group, but he didn't say a word.
Vivian, Pablo, Ronan and Janis glanced at Wind.
"Let's move forward," Wind said and then started walking.
"That's far enough," the muscular old man said with a Holinian accent when Wind and his group were about 5 meters away from him, causing Wind and his group to immediately stop. He stood up. "I am Avalon. I'm already retired so you can choose to call me Avalon or Brother Avalon."
Wind saluted.
"I am Brother Wind of the Inquisitor Division. It's a pleasure to meet you, Brother Avalon, and may the God of Light continue to always watch over you."
Vivian saluted.
"I am Sister Inquisitor Monad. And may the God of Light continue to always watch over you, Brother Avalon."
Ronan saluted.
"I am Brother High Lieutenant Ronan of the Infantry Division, and may the God of Light continue to always watch over you, Brother Avalon!"
Janis saluted.
"I am Brother Lieutenant Janis of the Air Division, and may the God of Light continue to always watch over you, Brother Avalon!"
Pablo gave an elegant bow.
"I am Scholar Pablo Gallego Chitarra, Assistant Royal Adviser of Tapa Village of the Marbleam Kingdom, and the Lord Councilor for the True Death murder case of Priestess Bithiah of the Holy Chapter Temple. It's a great honor to be in your presence, Priest Avalon."
Avalon pointed at Wind.
"You're the Commanding Officer of your group?"
Wind nodded.
"I am."
Avalon folded his arms in front of his chest.
"Since I'm already retired, I don't have any reason to follow any of your orders. The only orders I follow are from the people I respect or are stronger than me. So if you want to interview me, and since you're the Commanding Officer, you have to earn my respect first."
Everyone looked at Wind, wondering how he was going to react.
"What do I have to do?"
"Spar with me."
A serious expression appeared on Ronan's face as he focused on Avalon.
Meanwhile, Janis and Pablo, had their jaws drop.
As for Vivian, she was just like Wind. Although their faces were covered with masks, their body made no visible reactions.
"And since you're still young, you're free to use any skill or spell you want. You can even use Lore Magic if you have one. I, on the other hand, would only use normal attacks."
"I accept."
Ronan stepped forward.
"Hold on for a moment," he said to Wind and then turned on Avalon. "Brother Avalon, Brother Inquisitor Wind is an Inquisitor. Although you're already a retired veteran and you're not obliged to follow any of our orders, it is against the law to reveal the identity of an Inquisitor, especially an Inquisitor who is currently handling a True Death murder case. Moreover, you are the Guidance Counselor of Brother Jeremiah. Let me fight you instead, as a member of the Infantry Division tasked to protect the non-Infantry Division members of my Squad."
Avalon raised his chin a bit.
"I don't mind fighting you both."
"Brother High Lieutenant," Wind said.
Ronan turned to him.
"I'll fight him myself. Remember, he said that I need to gain his respect by sparring with him if I want him to cooperate. He didn't mention anything about defeating him. If you fight him, or you and I fight him, or all of us fight him, then the only way he would cooperate is if you or we defeat him."
A small and amused smile appeared on Avalon's lips for a moment, but he didn't say anything.
Ronan nodded.
"I didn't realize that... Forgive me..." he said and then returned his attention to Avalon.
"It's fine," Wind said as he removed his cloak.
"Let me carry your cloak, Brother Inquisitor," Janis said as he received Wind's cloak.
"Thank you, Brother Lieutenant," Wind said and then focused back on Avalon before walking forward.
When Wind reached about 3 meters away from Avalon, Avalon spoke first.
"I'll try my best not to touch your mask. I'll also let you do all the necessary preparations you need and deliver the first blow."
[Mana Sword].
A one-handed long sword made out of blue mana appeared on Wind's right hand.
[Blessing].
A red light enveloped his body and then disappeared.
Vooom!
And then he charged.
Janis and Pablo's jaws dropped from Wind's speed.
Wind's Physical and Magic Force was actually Adamantite-Rainbow Steel or around 165 points. And with that added buff of [Blessing], it was now Rainbow Steel-Spirit Steel or around 195 points.
But what happened next caused Janis and Pablo's jaws to drop even further.
Chud!
Avalon caught the blade of Wind's Mana Sword with his bare left hand.
"Not bad," he said with a casual tone. "But it lacks killing intent."
Wind quickly deactivated his Mana Sword as he took 2 steps backward to evade Avalon's right hand which looked like it was trying to grab his neck.
[Mana Sword].
He activated his Mana Sword once again. But this time, it was a great sword made out of mana and he pulled it back in a horizontal position.
[Power Slash].
Pah!
Avalon parried the Mana Sword infused with Power Slash with his left hand as he dashed forward.
[Power Leg].
Ba-craa-aack.
Bam!
Webs of cracks appeared under Wind's left foot on the wooden floor, revealing a thick layer of cement underneath the 3-inch wooden floor as he launched a flying knee kick and connected it to Avalon's chin.
Chud!
Ba-craack!
The knee-attack managed to stop Avalon, but only just for a split second, before his right hand grabbed onto Wind's collar and his left hand touched Wind's lower back, and then slammed him to the floor.
"Brother Inquisitor…!" Janis shouted.
"Priest Inquisitor Wind…!" Pablo shouted.
Ronan clenched his jaw and suppressed the urge to ball his hands into fists as he watched Wind.
And as for Vivian, it was the same reaction -- no reaction at all.
"Cough… ugh… ugh…!"
As Avalon stepped away from Wind, Wind coughed and then made some choking sounds because the fluids he tried to spit out got blocked by his mask and backfired into his mouth and nose.
Avalon nudged Wind to the side with his feet, helping Wind to finally breathe a bit.
Wind hurriedly lifted his mask slightly with his left hand to spit and blow out the blood and other bodily fluids trapped on his mouth and nose.
"Seems your mask is going to prove to be a hindrance for you," Avalon said.
With his Mana Sword still on his right hand, Wind suddenly did a kip up, and then thrust his sword at Avalon's face.
But as Avalon tried to grab onto the blue-colored blade aiming for his face, Wind deactivated it halfway, rushed forward, grabbed onto Avalon's hip as he spun to his back, and then locked his arms around his waist.
Thud.
When Wind tried to lift Avalon and then slam him to the floor, Avalon blocked it by shifting his weight and Physical Force forward, and coiling his right foot around Wind's right leg.
Bam!
Surprised by the move, Avalon quickly took advantage of the situation by leaning forward even further, grabbed Wind's right leg, and then pulled it forward, causing Wind to fall to the floor on his back.
Craaack!
"Aaaah…!"
Avalon twisted Wind's right ankle as he shifted his body to face Wind before letting go of Wind's foot and stepping away.
[Greater Heal].
A golden light enveloped Wind's body and his broken ankle was healed, and then he quickly got up to face Avalon.
Although Wind was wearing a mask, Avalon could tell from the slits of his mask that his eyes were trying to figure out how he was going to attack next, causing a small smile to appear on his lips.
"Not bad. I'm starting to think you might have the heart of a true fighter despite being from the Inquisitory Division," Avalon said and then made a small sign with his two fingers. "But only a bit."
Vooom!
Wind rushed forward.
Chud!
Instead of doing another elaborate or new attack, Wind simply tackled him. But before Wind was able to tackle him to the ground, he managed to block it, resulting in both men standing and holding each other as they tried to push each other to the floor.
"It's been a long time since someone tried to challenge me like this that you almost got me. But do you know what they used to call me when I was active in the Holy Crusade?"
Avalon performed a technique that resulted in Wind's head being locked under his left arm.
"Aaah…!"
"They used to call me Brother Grappler."
Avalon performed another technique that resulted in both of them on the ground, but Avalon was on top of Wind and had Wind's left arm twisted in an unnatural angle under his right arm.
"Aaaah…!"
"I received personal lessons from a Monk from the Eastern Continent who practices an ancient and forgotten grappling art fighting style."
Once again, Avalon performed another technique. This time, Wind was still on the floor but was lying on his stomach. Meanwhile, Avalon was still on top of Wind but was bending Wind's left leg using his left leg as leverage while his hands pulled Wind's feet.
"Aaaaah…!"
"I've used it so many times against my opponents that I eventually learned a Lore Magic called [Steel Body]."
Avalon performed another technique. He was now standing while Wind was on top of his shoulders performing a split upside down and he was holding Wind's ankles with each hand.
"It's not like the Lore Magic that my Mystic Master has, [Asalee Steel Bodee] or True Steel Body, from the Mystical House he's part of, but it's still very formidable."
Wooom!
Avalon jumped about 5 meters in the air.
THUD-crack!
And then snapped Wind's spine when he landed back on the ground.
Thud…
Avalon released Wind and then knelt down as he gently placed him to the floor.
[Greater Heal].
He cast a spell, healing Wind's spine and his other injuries, and then stood up.
"You have the heart of a true fighter. You have earned my respect. I will cooperate with you to the best of my abilities," he said and smiled.
As Wind slowly sat up, still a bit dazed from the grappling techniques he had just experienced, Janis and Pablo rushed over to him with tears of joy flying from their eyes.
"Brother Inquisitor…!"
"Priest Inquisitor Wind…!"
Each of them went to his side, placed his arms around their shoulders, and then pulled him up.
"You did it…!"
"I can't believe you survived that…!"
Avalon flashed a huge grin and gave them a thumbs-up.
"He most certainly did!"
Seeing the scene, a small smile broke out on Ronan's lips as he lowered his head a bit and then wiped the tiny bit of tears that managed to come out of his eyes with his hand before jogging over to join them.
Pat.
He pressed his fist against Wind's chest.
"I always knew there was something special in you, brother…!" he said with a bright and proud smile.
Wind lowered his head as if he was completely exhausted and then raised his head to meet Ronan's gaze once again.
"Thanks, brother…!" he said with a warm and appreciative tone.
Avalon folded his arms in front of his chest and nodded in satisfaction.
"A magnificent display of friendship! I pray to the God of Light and to the rest of the Elemental Gods that this bond you all share together would shine brightly for all eternity, young lads!"
As for Vivian, she was left standing in the corner.
What the fuck is happening…?
And why do I feel like I'm at the wrong setting…?
***
Wind, Vivian, Pablo, Ronan and Janis were still at the Main Training Room with Avalon, and they were all seated on the floor.
Everyone, including Vivian, was seated in an Indian sitting position. However, unlike the men, she had to remove he cloak and cover her legs, so that she wouldn't be exposing herself. She also had her purse on her side.
"I've known Brother Jeremiah since he was 18.
"One day, his grandfather, Brother Jarmuth, approached me and told me that he needed a Guidance Counselor for his grandson and he wanted it to be me.
"But since he was a close friend of mine, I've known him for years in the Infantry Division, I agreed to be his Guidance Counselor. However, I made sure to tell him that I'm not qualified to be a Guidance Counselor and don't know anything about it. All I know is fighting, which is why I was a Gray Cloak for the Temple of Priests Palace.
"Despite that, he still insisted I become his grandson's Guidance Counselor."
"What did you teach him, or what did you do as his Guidance Counselor?" Wind asked.
"I taught him how to fight, how to maximize his training, how important it is for a fighter to have full control of his emotions -- all about being a true fighter."
"According to the information we gathered, during his first Holy Crusade, Brother Jeremiah was greatly affected by his close friend's death, Brother Alian, that he became quite unstable and he almost cost the lives of his companions during a Field Mission. But after you became his Guidance Counselor, he started to slowly recover. Can you tell us the difference between the first time you met him and the last time you met him?"
"He was like all young and fresh fighters who finally realized what it really meant to be in a real battle or war -- the senseless killing, the senseless deaths, the senseless destruction, everything that makes war dark and unpleasant, which would make you question the value of life and everything else in the world.
"Of course, there are some people who are completely immune to it. I've met a few people like that in my life. And it's not because they started killing or see people getting killed around them while they were still young, they're simply built like that. Those people, they're neither good nor evil, but they're quite useful in times of war because they have no issues doing the dirty work or Field Missions that require a person to cross the line a bit.
"Brother Jeremiah wasn't like that. But as I watched him grow throughout the years, I noticed something else. Because of his experience in the Holy Crusade, especially the death of his close friend, although he started to truly dedicate himself to training to become a fighter who could protect humanity against demons, demon-kins, the Cult of Infinity, and heretics, he started developing a strict persona, or started seeing things in black and white.
"People like him, who see the world in black and white, based on my experience, tend to break easily once the betrayal comes from the people they love and trust.
"So I kept reminding him that a fighter must always have full control over his emotions. And I really thought he was learning it. But of course, it turned out I was wrong."
"Were you aware of what he was going through?" Wind asked.
"His relationship problems with Sister Bithiah?"
"Yes."
"It wasn't that I specifically knew or had seen his relationship problems with her. However, I'm an old man, I've had my share of dealing with such things. So one time, I told him that he should find a woman who appreciates him or would be a better fit for him.
"I'm not saying Sister Bithiah is a bad or a good person. However, there is a reason why some relationships work and others don't.
"From the little things I've heard from Brother Jeremiah and from his family, Sister Bithiah seemed to be the type who likes to be the center of attraction or be in expensive and exclusive parties and locations.
"Brother Jeremiah, on the other hand, was the simple and low-profile type who just wants to train and spend time with his loved ones.
"The two of them are complete opposites, no matter how you look at it.
"I remember him saying yes after I told him that he should find a woman who appreciates him or would be a better fit for him. But I knew that he wasn't really listening because he was completely smitten by her and there was no one or force in this world that could change his mind, so I never brought up the subject ever again."
"What about Brother Emmanuel?"
Avalon raised an eyebrow.
"You mean the Nummi family?" he said with a disgusted tone.
Wind blinked a few times before nodding.
"Yes…"
Avalon let out a snort.
"Didn't I already tell you people earlier? I only deal with people I respect or who could defeat me. I would rather talk to a stone than spend a second being in the same room with such a family. All they do is play politics, gossip and throw parties. I've had enough experience dealing with those types of families and useless things back when I was still active. Even if it's the birthday party of a Cardinal or a Light Saint, I still won't attend and would rather talk to a stone."
Everyone was left speechless, especially Wind, Ronan and Janis.
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Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
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