Chapter 7, The Aftermath of the Resurrection

At that moment, suddenly, a voice came from outside the door, and a man gently said: "No, the 'nucleus' has already begun to split, I believe this time will not exceed ten years"

The voice of Scholar paused for a moment, he struggled to stand up from the chair and refused Louis's help, the man's back remained very straight, he said, "Louis? Megelt"

Under the command of Mr. Good, a thick layer of white mist swiftly rose from the badge, reminiscent of the fog-laden cities polluted by the Industrial Revolution hundreds of years ago. The dense fog emitted a sound akin to the greedy breath of some beast, as if it concealed countless greedy eyes, all extending their tongues to gaze hungrily at their prey. Although it was merely an image, the latent danger it harbored caused every hunter present to involuntarily tense up.

"Follow me." Mr. Good turned to glance at Kelsen, bent down to examine the wound on his chest, and nodded to Amy, "You handled it very well, you saved his life."

Louis glanced at Mr. Good, and the Archbishop silently nodded to him. He then slowly bent his knee and knelt on one knee

Louis stared blankly at him, unsure of what to say

The barrier has loosened. This was the first sentence spoken by the Sword-wielding Priest after sitting down, successfully stunning everyone present.

The 634th Archbishop of the Cathedral, Mr. Charles Good, is now seventy-six years old and still loves taking photos with others—this is why he deliberately chooses times when there are many tourists whenever he returns, eagerly weaving through the crowd amidst the sounds of exclamations and the loud chatter of tour guides.

Mr. Good gently stroked Kelsen's forehead, sighed, and then asked, "Has the badge been collected?"

The room was extremely quiet, and even the sound of a needle dropping to the floor seemed audible. After an unknown amount of time, Michelle finally spoke up and asked, "So what should we ... ... do?"

"Kneel." The sword-wielding priest commanded in a low yet powerful voice

"How could the barrier be weakened?" asked a woman with black hair and a somewhat androgynous demeanor, named Michelle Lucretia. She was originally a hunter and had just given birth to her child last year, so she returned to the temple to become a combat instructor

Amy was momentarily taken aback, as Mr. Good quickly left with a group of hunters and instructors. Only then did he adjust the flow rate of the potion and blood that had been injected into Kelsen's bloodstream: "This is not my merit"

The archbishop embraced his old companion, who seemed to be nearing the end of his days, and was not surprised by his appearance

Bishop Good bent down with a serious expression to look at Kelsen, who was receiving a blood transfusion on the hospital bed: "How is he?"

No one could take that sword for him, just as the archbishop's staff symbolizes the authority of the priest.

Louis looked at him in confusion: "Sir?"

The horror of Aimei remains unsettled: "So many..."

Then several gray shadows flashed through the white mist, and suddenly a man's scream echoed in the fog. Aimee's hand trembled: "It is Kelsen..."

Mr. Good sighed: "It is not your fault, my old friend, you have done your best"

Mr. Good nodded slightly, then his aged fingers formed a complex hand sign, and he gently tapped it on Kelsen's forehead while murmuring incantations. The poor man's somewhat pallid complexion seemed to relax considerably in an instant—this was the blessing of the archbishop. It is said that Mr. Good was once an excellent healer in his youth

His voice was very low, as if he were whispering directly into someone else's ear, yet everyone present could clearly hear what he said. The crowd turned their heads in unison, and they saw a young man wrapped in a snow-white robe standing there. He had slightly curly, shoulder-length golden hair, which appeared almost dazzling in the backlight, and a fresh, vibrant rose pinned at the collar, as if it could drip with the morning dew.

The color of blood covered the white mist, and all images vanished

The main hall of the temple, which was once used for sacrificial ceremonies, has seemingly transformed into a gathering place for tourists. Upon entering and turning right, one passes through a long corridor, leading to several small side halls that are not open to the public, most of which bear signs reading "Staff Lounge" and "No Entry for Visitors"

Since the formation of the barrier, for one thousand two hundred years, no demon-level Difu has ever crossed the barrier net. This is a misfortune that has never been encountered by the old-timers, from the time of his predecessor, to his predecessor's predecessor, and so on, generation after generation.

He knelt on the ground, taking the heavy sword with both hands, the veins on the back of his hands all stood out.

Every hunter possesses this type of badge, which can communicate the owner's emergency situation to their companions when they encounter danger. It serves the functions of alerting and locating, and it can also record the last image of the owner encountering a Difu, much like the black box on an airplane, carried by these hunters who are prone to accidents.

Mr. Good wiped the bloodstains off the badge, and perhaps sensing something, the badge emitted a soft glow in the palm of his hand: "Let us see what you have experienced before—manifest.

Scholler sighed and sat down again, revealing a weariness akin to the setting sun: "I estimate that the time until the barrier completely collapses will not exceed thirty years"

No, there is only one." Gal observed more clearly, "The Abyssal Jackal moves very quickly, is adept at hiding itself, and strikes with lethal precision. Archbishop, what was Kelsen's previous mission, and why was he attacked by the Abyssal Jackal?

"Mr. Good," Gal sighed as he looked at Kelsen's medal, "I am truly sorry, my child, but it seems your vacation is likely ruined"

Gal shrugged—after all, ever since he graduated from the temple, holidays had always been damp for him

I, Arlin? Brad? Farah? Scholler, the five hundred and ninety-sixth Sword Priest of the Temple, serving for twelve years, am about to reach the end of my life in this position... The Archbishop's office fell silent, everyone held their breath. Scholler paused, raised the heavy sword of the priest, and presented it to Louis, "So—Louis? Mr. Megelt, do you wish to take on the legacy of the heavy sword and shoulder the responsibility of protecting the Temple?" Everyone held their breath, Scholler paused, raised the heavy sword of the priest, and presented it to Louis, "So—Louis? Mr. Megelt, do you wish to take on the legacy of the heavy sword and shoulder the responsibility of protecting the Temple?"

It is an instinctive perception of danger accumulated through countless tasks.

The man's light gray eyes swept across the faces of everyone, unconsciously pausing for a moment on Gal's face, before finally settling on Mr. Good.

"Louis," he suddenly broke into a smile, which softened his serious face. "My child, you are more talented than I am, you work harder than I do, and most importantly... you are younger than I am. You believe you can wield this sword well."

Yes, unfortunately, I can no longer accompany you to the end. The heavy sword in Scholler's hand fell to the ground, making a hoarse sound. Ten years ago, during an earthquake, we discovered signs of the barrier loosening. Since then, we have kept this information hidden, hoping to find a way to repair it, but to no avail. The emergence of the demon-level Difu is a clear signal that the barrier, which has protected us for over a thousand years, is disappearing, and this is happening at a much faster rate than the expansion of the ozone layer hole.

Mr. Good's office is already occupied by a middle-aged man, whose face is marked by deep nasolabial folds. It is uncertain whether it is due to his constant frowning, but there is also a crease at the tip of his brow. He is very thin, with his skin almost clinging to his cheekbones, and his fingers resemble withered branches

He shrugged to himself, recalling the mysterious man who was staying at the Galle family home

"There should be no danger now," Amy said, "He is just still very weak. After this bag of blood is finished, I will need to check again, but given his physical condition, he should regain consciousness within three days."

Mr. Good leaned back in his chair, his hands crossed on the table. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Is there no way to repair it?"

As a sentence fell, whispers arose all around; Mr. Good closed his eyes for a moment, suddenly appearing much older.

A flicker of emotion passed through the somewhat dazed eyes of Scholler, as he felt as if there were a hole in his body, with his vitality flowing out like water from a bathtub, continuously draining through that dark drain into another world

In that moment, everyone understood something. The devilish instructor widened his eyes, looking at Scholler in disbelief: "Sir, this is not..."

Louis silently approached, extending his hand to support Mr. Scholler’s ethereal body. He noticed that this stern priest was dressed in a complete set of ceremonial robes for the offering, and he carried with him a heavy sword that symbolized his priestly status. That item was an antique; not to mention its weight, the rust inside it alone was nearly enough to crush this unfortunate man down.

Mr. Good signaled to Scholler with his eyes. The haggard man took out a new badge from his pocket: "First, we need to recall all hunters. Starting today, everyone will wear the new badge, which has been improved and possesses certain defensive capabilities. Second, all future operations will be coordinated by the Temple, with each task assigned to a full team of hunters. Ladies and gentlemen, the era of solo operations has come to an end. I hope everyone can familiarize themselves with their partners in the shortest time possible. Except for the 'Golden Badge Hunters', all others are prohibited from acting alone."

Mr. Scholler is the current Swordbearer Priest, but unfortunately, no one has seen him for a long time. It is said that he is suffering from a serious illness and has been hospitalized for an extended period. He indeed appears to be nothing but skin and bones.

In an instant, the once boisterous office of the archbishop fell silent, as if even the sound of a needle dropping to the ground could be heard. After an unknown amount of time, someone finally exclaimed in a hushed voice: "Oh my... Oh my! Archbishop Aldo! The statue... the statue has come to life!"

On this day, he rarely walked hurriedly, taking the employee-only passage without being so ostentatious

Mr. Good's already sparse hair has been falling out even faster, leaving him completely bald

"Louis," Mr. Good said, "give him a hand."

Ruer Dan, "Mr. Good sighed with a grim expression, 'The Abyssal Jackal—legendary demon-level heart-eater, filled with jealousy towards humanity, its negative emotions render it extremely powerful.'

I... his voice was hoarse, his throat rolled slightly, and he gently said, "Yes, I am willing."

It takes only ten minutes to cross the main hall, while Mr. Good usually takes two hours. During this time, he resembles a Disney mascot, sporting a cheerful smile and proudly displaying his beer belly, as he is stopped by various tourists for photos and autographs, always obliging and never refusing.

A hunter well-versed in the "Great Canon" is truly a rare find

Scholler shook his head: "I have studied for a lifetime, yet I have not been able to understand which type of energy Archbishop Aldo uses to sustain the barrier. I am very sorry."

"Kneel down." Shigore's voice rose throughout the day, his cheeks taut, revealing the atrophied muscles beneath his sunken skin

Thirdly, from now on, all teaching directions and content within the temple will be adjusted, and the assessment system will be redefined; those who do not pass will not be allowed to enter the internship period. Fourthly, a dedicated equipment team and an enrollment team will be established; we need more equipment support and more fresh talent.

The archbishop has arrived! someone shouted, and everyone automatically made way for him.

Someone exclaimed: "Mr. Scholler!"

"The barrier is not omnipotent," said Scholar, appearing very fatigued. "Like humans, it ages, has loose teeth, is riddled with ailments, and approaches death."

Louis raised his head, and his gaze met that of Scholler. The man's eyes were extremely deep, resembling two deep wells.

Here, Gal took a handkerchief out of his pocket and opened it to reveal a blood-stained badge inside

Scholler patted him on the shoulder and said to the Archbishop, "Let the formal handover be scheduled for next week"

I did not expect it to happen during my term Mr. Good said with a wry smile

Scholler nodded to Louis, slowly moved into Mr. Good's office, and sat down gently with Louis's assistance