[Vol. 7] Chapter 103: The Leader of the Church of Truth
A dozen figures, shrouded in eerie gray mist, were sent flying through the air like missiles, smashing through the roof and walls all at once. The massive noise and destruction instantly drew attention within the Shadow Realm, the hidden headquarters of the Church of Truth.
More powerful figures rushed to investigate, but no matter how fast they were, they couldn’t just teleport into the room instantly.
Meanwhile, after effortlessly dealing with more than a dozen enemies like she was sweeping out the trash, the little dragon girl clapped her hands clean and returned to Lenka, who was still cheering excitedly, showing absolutely no fear or concern for the situation.
"Alright, let’s go."
"Huh? Go where?"
"Don’t ask so many questions. Just follow me."
"Uhh… What about them?"
Noticing Lenka’s concerned glance toward the other still-sleeping children, Xiao Guang clicked her tongue impatiently but still gave a serious answer.
"They’ll be fine. Staying here is the real danger. Don’t be stupid!"
"Eh… A-Alright! Wait for me, Sister Light!"
The two little girls dashed out of the now utterly wrecked room, making their way up to the first floor of the manor.
In the hallways, cultists in matching uniforms were running around frantically. Some were herding awakened children toward an unknown location, others were carrying supplies or relaying messages. The entire place was in a state of tense preparation, as if getting ready for something big.
"Idiots! Didn’t you hear that commotion just now?! Obviously, some kids escaped! Don’t let them get away!"
"Huh? What’s up with these two brats? Who the hell let them wander around?!"
The moment the cultists spotted the two small figures running freely outside, their reactions were shockingly synchronized. First, they all froze for a second, then scrambled into action, rushing to surround the "specimens" before they could escape.
"Ahhh!!"
"Uwoooohhh!!!"
But the little dragon girl didn’t dodge or retreat. No matter what kind of person came, she simply swung her fist straight at them, sending them flying backward like ragdolls. Some crashed into walls, others punched straight through the roof and were launched outside like human fireworks. She tore through the enemies like an unstoppable bulldozer, leaving chaos in her wake, with cultists screaming and scattering in panic.
Plowing through everything in her path, Xiao Guang quickly led Lenka out of the manor and into a wide-open clearing within the forest.
The shadowy forest suddenly opened up before them, revealing a clearing of thousands of square meters, where a gigantic magic ritual circle had been meticulously drawn. At the very center of this intricate formation stood a large stone altar, measuring several meters in length, width, and height.
On the altar stood a figure wearing a large and gorgeous robe, instantly marking them as someone far above the ordinary believers. Holding a staff, they murmured prayers toward the sky, their voice blending with the eerie pulsing glow of the engraved patterns on the altar. The entire ritual site flickered with a soft, rhythmic light, responding to the ongoing high-level magic ritual.
This entire setup had been constructed long before Xiao Guang and the others were brought here, and over the past few days, the little dragon girl had secretly explored every corner of the Shadow Realm, spending a considerable amount of time trying to figure out the purpose of this massive magic array.
By the time the two seemingly harmless little girls arrived at the scene, most of the kidnapped children had already been gathered within the ritual circle, corralled like livestock by the cultists. More were still being forced down the forest paths, herded toward the ever-growing crowd.
It was an absolutely horrifying sight. At least a thousand children, ranging from 5 to 15 years old, were crammed together, forming a dense, chaotic mass. Some were crying and screaming, others were huddled in fear, and some, seemingly too terrified to react, simply stared blankly at their surroundings, their wide, unfocused eyes reflecting total confusion and helplessness.
This kind of panic and fear was completely normal. Most of these kidnapped children had barely developed a sense of self-preservation, let alone the ability to fight back or understand what was happening. Their fear was an instinctive survival response, which only made Lenka Dorgon, standing beside Xiao Guang without a hint of fear, seem even more like an absolute anomaly.
Thinking about this, the little dragon girl glanced at the panting, out-of-breath brown-haired girl trailing behind her.
Even though this girl had a decent amount of magic power compared to lower lifeforms, her physical strength was just as weak as her frail appearance suggested. In a situation like this, she was basically a burden.
But… whatever.
Since Xiao Guang had promised to get her out safely, she would keep her word. She just hoped this clueless idiot, who never seemed to realize when she was in danger, would at least have the sense to stay out of trouble.
Because the ritual hadn’t officially begun yet and was still in the final preparation and gathering phase, the little dragon girl’s chaotic entrance immediately drew a lot of attention from the Church of Truth followers.
“WHOOOOSH—!!!”
The moment she set foot in the area, dozens of cultists responsible for guarding the perimeter rushed in, completely surrounding the two girls.
Unlike the low-level grunts Xiao Guang had effortlessly smashed aside earlier, these enemies were far more skilled and battle-ready. They didn’t speak, their weapons were deadlier, and the "vapor mist" rising from their bodies was thicker, with some even glowing like flickering flames.
These were the real combat forces of the cult.
Yes, after spending time observing and investigating, the little dragon girl had figured out the biggest characteristic of the Church of Truth believers, as well as the key to determining their strength and status.
The denser the “mist” around them, the stronger and more important they were.
They called this phenomenon “God’s Blessing.” It boosted their overall power within the Shadow Realm, and the more "blessing" a cultist had, the higher their rank and the stronger their abilities.
But…
As Xiao Guang scanned the crowd, her gaze drifted past the enemies and landed on the figure standing atop the altar.
That person was supposed to be the most important figure in the Church of Truth. The one they called the High Priest, the very core of this entire operation.
Yet, strangely enough…
There wasn’t a single trace of mist rising from them.
And for the first time since she arrived here, Xiao Guang felt a real, almost imperceptible sense of danger.
For some time now, Xiao Guang had been trying to investigate the identity, power, and background of this so-called [Savior], but she had found nothing.
There was no trace of information about them. Most cultists knew nothing about the High Priest’s past or true nature. Only that he was a messenger sent by their “God”, and that they were to obey him without question.
Everything in this Shadow Realm, the realm itself, the "blessings" from their god, the rituals, was all carried out through him. He was the only one in the entire Church of Truth who could truly communicate with their so-called deity.
An unknown enemy was the most dangerous kind.
But Xiao Guang hadn't chosen this moment to make her move without reason.
“ROOOAAAARRR!!!”
Suddenly, the little dragon girl threw her head back and let out a thunderous roar. Despite her youthful voice, the sheer force behind it shook the air, creating a shockwave that sent dozens of elite cultists flying backward.
At the same time, a pair of small dragon wings unfolded from her back, lifting her into the air!
Her current body was still weak. She didn’t have her true form’s powerful equipment or abilities, and she couldn’t even be considered a fully developed being.
But, some things were etched into a dragon’s very instincts. And those things… could never be lost.
“Wooooo…!”
A brilliant golden light started gathering in her mouth, its glow so intense that even before it was fully formed, it lit up the eternal night of the Shadow Realm like a rising sun.
The sheer power surged uncontrollably, and even Xiao Guang herself let out a low, strained hum, struggling to contain it.
Sensing the overwhelming threat, the figure on the altar, the one wearing the most elaborate mask and robe of all the cultists, finally turned to look.
They stopped their ritual, but they did not step down from the altar.
Instead, they simply gazed silently at the golden radiance in the sky, watching it...
Explode with a deafening roar!!!
"BOOOOM!!!!"