Chapter Thirty-Three: Link’s Decision

In his confrontation with Altair, Link’s victory could be called a stroke of luck. Altair never imagined that Link’s resilience would be so formidable, nor did he suspect that a great bird in the sky was watching his every move and relaying all that it saw to Link. From the very moment Altair hesitated to launch a ferocious assault, wary of unforeseen consequences, his defeat was sealed. Step by step, he walked into the carefully laid trap that Link had prepared for him.

Before long, Saga and the others arrived, and when they saw that Dubai and Martin were completely wiped out, they were startled. However, convinced they were under the protection of the Father God, they did not dwell on it. Soon, they regained their composure, dealt with the aftermath, and reported the enemy’s surrender to Link.

Upon receiving the news, Link let out a long sigh of relief. An overwhelming fatigue washed over him, making him yearn for nothing more than to return and sleep. But there was still work to be done. Forcing himself to rally, he instructed Saga and the others to tidy up the bodies and bring the unconscious Altair back to be held under guard.

Once all the orders had been given, the system—which had a habit of popping up unexpectedly—spoke again.

After listening, Link’s eyes lit up. He thought for a moment and gave his answer: “Upgrade the Nine Suns Divine Art!”

He chose the Nine Suns Divine Art not only to make himself physically stronger, but also because with increased internal power, his Sunbeam Finger technique would become even more potent. Most importantly, the incident with Altair had made him highly wary of assassins. He did not want to hone powerful magical abilities only to fall at an assassin’s hand, so bolstering his close-combat skills took precedence.

When he heard the system’s response, Link couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. “So it’s just the addition of the three intermediate stages? Well, it’s better than nothing.”

At that moment, Jack came running over, his face flushed with excitement. “Archbishop, we’ve won! The enemy has been completely defeated, and we’ve captured thirteen prisoners. How do you wish to deal with them?”

Link pondered for a moment. “Lock them up for now. They may prove useful.”

“Yes, I’ll see to it right away.”

“Wait,” Link called out to Jack as he was about to leave. “How many casualties did we suffer this time?”

Jack’s expression darkened slightly. “Three men were killed. The others have already been treated at the Grand Cathedral of Holy Light.”

“Three dead?” Link’s own face fell. Though this loss was negligible compared to the enemy’s, Link, who had not fully grown accustomed to his role as a leader, still found the sacrifice of his subordinates hard to bear.

After a long while, Link asked, “Did they have families?”

Jack quickly replied, “Two of them had families. The other was an orphan with no relatives.”

Link nodded. “Bring their families to the monastery. The Church will look after them. And make sure the bodies are properly tended to. I’ll personally preside over their burial.”

“Yes, I’ll make arrangements. Archbishop, you needn’t grieve. They died for the glory of the Father God. After death, their souls can ascend to Heaven and serve at His side. It is a most blessed fate.”

“Heaven, is it?” Link fell silent for a long time, ending the subject with a heavy sigh.

Afterward, Link found himself with no heart to celebrate the victory. Once he had made arrangements for the aftermath, he returned to his room and lay down to sleep.

In that moment, Link felt utterly exhausted—his body was tired, but his heart was even more so. Especially when Jack mentioned that the dead would ascend to Heaven, Link was overwhelmed by guilt. He knew full well that Heaven did not exist.

Though he’d never felt much pressure when making such claims in the past, now that lives had been lost, repeating the lie felt entirely different. For Link, deceiving those who trusted and believed in him was not something he could easily endure.

“Why do the powerful figures in stories lie so easily, without the slightest burden, while I am tormented by this? I’ve lied before, and I’m lying now—so why does it feel so different when someone sacrifices themselves believing in my words?” Link pondered this, growing ever more weary, until at last he drifted into a deep sleep.

However, Link did not remain mired in this inner conflict for long. By the time he awoke the next day, he had found peace with himself. He recalled those knock-off browser games, where there were many buildings—like the Hall of Heroes or the Hall of Reincarnation—dedicated to sheltering the souls of the dead, granting them redemption and happiness. If he could obtain such buildings, he could offer his followers an ideal resting place for the afterlife. Even if it did not match the legendary Heaven, it would not be far off.

If Heaven was a beautiful lie, then he would create a “reality” not much lesser than Heaven itself.

“Yes, that’s it. When I finally acquire these buildings, I’ll leave a soul mark for all the faithful. Even if they perish, they will know peace and joy.” Gazing at the bodies of the three fallen followers, Link quietly set himself this new goal.

Meanwhile, the entire town of Kinko was thrown into shock as news of last night’s battle spread. Though the details were vague, it was enough to send tremors through the small town, like an earthquake of the highest magnitude.

What was the Father God Church? The faith of all the townsfolk—its congregation monopolized the entire town. When word spread that their church had suffered a vile and cowardly attack in the dead of night, the whole town seethed with fury.

The Father God Church didn’t even have to act—the enraged citizens quickly became a mob, storming the temples of the Mad God and the Church of War, nearly razing both to the ground. With all the experts from both sects wiped out the night before, the survivors had long since fled, and the authorities turned a blind eye, so no one was left to stop the furious populace.

By noon, the Mad God’s temple and the Church of War were erased from Kinko’s history.

From that day forward, only the Father God Church and the nearly forgotten, ever-neutral Celestial Spirit Church remained in Kinko.

As for the Celestial Spirit Church, Link bore them no ill will. Their doctrine was one of retreat from the world and quiet cultivation. Its followers lived as ascetics, showing little interest in proselytizing or gathering new believers. When they witnessed the miracles at the Grand Cathedral of Holy Light, they were surprised, but otherwise unmoved, continuing with their daily routines as if the rise of the Father God Church had nothing to do with them.

Because of this attitude, Martin and Dubai had repeatedly tried to recruit the Celestial Spirit Church to oppose the Father God Church, but were rebuffed every time. Eventually, the Celestial Spirit Church ignored them altogether, much to their frustration.

After learning about the Celestial Spirit Church’s stance from Darian, Link grew intrigued and puzzled by the sect. If they wished to remain aloof from the world, why even establish a branch in Kinko?

With this in mind, Link decided it was necessary to arrange a meeting with the Celestial Spirit Church. Outwardly, there was no conflict of interest between them and the Father God Church, but human hearts are unpredictable. Who could say what their true intentions were? To prevent a threat from emerging behind his back, it would be best if the Celestial Spirit Church left Kinko altogether.

Yes, Link planned to resolve this matter gently, so that all parties could part on good terms.

Still, compared to the Celestial Spirit Church, cleaning up after the battle was the more pressing matter. That afternoon, under Link’s supervision and with the farewell of friends and family, the three fallen faithful were buried in the monastery’s cemetery.

Though saddened by the loss, the fallen’s loved ones and fellow believers did not grieve too heavily. Their faith in the Father God assured them that those who died for Him would have their souls guided to Heaven, where they would enjoy everlasting peace and happiness.

Seeing this only strengthened Link’s resolve to establish a sanctuary for souls.

Meanwhile, word of the events in Kinko spread beyond its borders. Upon learning that their people had been annihilated, both the Church of War and the Mad God’s temple were thrown into turmoil. The Church of War’s leadership, in particular, was stunned. They had dispatched their most powerful assassin, Altair, yet Link still lived, while Altair had vanished without a trace.

Faced with this, the Church of War panicked. They didn’t even have the heart to mourn the loss of their own priest. Altair was a crucial figure, the church’s foremost expert. Now that even he had disappeared, just how strong had the Father God Church become?

After a brief meeting, the Church of War’s leaders swiftly recalled their strongest members from every town, fearing that the Father God Church would send assassins after them next.

In contrast, the Mad God’s temple reacted with even greater drama. Unlike the Church of War, which had chapels in a handful of towns, the Mad God’s temple wielded influence across a third of the Red Moon province, its power rivaling that of the five great churches led by their own Pope.

Incensed by the annihilation of Martin and the others, the Mad God’s temple was not only shocked but enraged. Voices clamored within for a fresh campaign to wipe out the Father God Church, and even the temple’s upper echelons were convinced that a mere upstart sect could not withstand their wrath.

Yet, just as they were about to mobilize for a new assault, three of the five great religious orders of Red Moon province suddenly joined forces to pressure the Mad God’s temple, forcing them to abandon their campaign.

The three churches’ demand was simple: the Father God Church must be protected.

This development baffled not only the Mad God’s temple but also all who caught wind of the affair—none could fathom why the three great churches would shield the Father God Church. Yet their leaders remained silent, refusing to reveal their reasoning.

It was only much later that the truth emerged: the three great churches were themselves acting under higher authority—from none other than Count Lothar, the de facto ruler of the Red Moon province.

To spare Link and the Father God Church unnecessary trouble, Count Lothar had instructed the churches’ leaders not to disclose his involvement, explaining only that Link had cured his illness and he wished to repay him.

The church leaders were well aware of Count Lothar’s long-standing ailment, and seeing that he had recovered, they believed his explanation. Gaining the favor of a man as powerful as Count Lothar—one who cared nothing for the gods—was a prize in itself. As for the Father God Church, it was still too small to threaten them, so they did not mind lending a helping hand to this newly risen sect.