༺ The Sun Is A Radiant Star! (3) ༻
After being allowed a room at the 「Junk Mansion」, Cariote took a walk every night.
A fireplace burning with charcoal fire.
Clean, white sheets cool to the touch.
A comfy bed.
A table with food always available, things like these made her rather uncomfortable.
‘It needs to be balanced with a certain cold and hunger.’
Cariote was somewhat of an ascetic.
To keep the blade of herself sharp, she needed to lack, and so as a result, Cariote decided to take nightly walks.
For a walk, it was just moving freely within a 1 km radius around the mansion.
She could simultaneously check the security in the area so it was good.
━─.
And as she was roaming around under the moonlight, Cariote heard a small sound.
It was a sound that shouldn’t be heard in a safe area like 5th Street.
“It’s the cry of someone being stabbed in the chest. Heard it a fair bit during the war.”
A life once wholly devoted to killing demons.
With greatly enhanced hearing, Cariote was able to perfectly identify any sound within a kilometer.
When she headed towards the source of the sound, the sight she encountered was completely unexpected.
“How strange. Grand Abbot, why did you kill your own disciple?”
The being defeated on the ground.
And the one who defeated that being.
Both were acquainted with Cariote.
One was Judas’ friend, a famous monk.
The other was a Great Monk who taught her the remedy for her sister.
‘Missed the heart but he’s bleeding profusely.’
A situation in which the master attacked her disciple.
Before thinking of a reason to make sense of this, Cariote’s body moved automatically as it usually did once the situation was assessed.
Shhhk— Thunk— Thunk— Thunk— Papapat—!
When Cariote threw the knife at her waist, the Grandmaster stepped back lightly, her flowing clothes an elegant shadow of her movement.
“Why do you attack this Unenlightened One without hearing an explanation?”
“This bald one is trusted by Judas. That is a sufficient explanation.”
Step—
Cariote approached Enkidus who had a large hole in his chest.
‘A critical injury.’
Though he couldn’t speak with his lung punctured, the resolute look in his eyes told her everything.
The Grand Abbot of the Ascending Sun Sect must be defeated here.
“It’s good that I patrol every night.”
Shing—
Cariote pulled the kodachi from her side. As the blade shone blindingly silver in the moonlight, the Grand Abbot expressed her awe.
“A blessed blade of argentum. Is that the renowned 「Snake Killer」? The one that ended the life of the Leviathan back in the days of old. To actually lay eyes on such a glorious artifact.”
“Why don’t you ask about it yourself in hell.”
Whoosh—
Cariote sprinted quickly and charged at the Grand Abbot.
The distance instantly closed between them.
The blade lifted and swung down in a half-moon arc.
Fwoosh—
Glittering white in the moonlight, the sword sliced into the Grand Abbot’s shoulder.
“Indeed…!”
The Master distanced herself, unperturbed.
Instead of blood spilling from a cut, only the sleeve of her clothes fluttered to the ground.
She had somehow evaded the attack before it touched her skin.
“Descendant of the hunters. Many steps remain between you and this Unenlightened One. It is a height that cannot be reached no matter how much time passes. Furthermore, you seem to have some kind of constraint.”
With one swing of the sword, the Grandmaster was able to see the path Cariote had taken.
Though the opponent was the most proficient hunter the Master had ever seen in her life, there was too large a gap in experience to defeat the level 49 Master.
Also, the hunter seemed to be restricted by a certain ‘condition’.
What might that be—
Of course, through her golden eyes, the Master was able to read the answer.
“You become physically stronger when facing demons. On the other hand, you are physically weakened when opposing a non-demon.”
“Yes. It’s true.”
“I see. Then this beggar will not be defeated by you, child. This one has only one climb left on the stairs to transcendence, the same as your dear King of Thieves. But I do pray that you will endure so that the weight of karma rests on this one’s shoulders.”
Cariote was someone with keen senses and deductive abilities.
From this exchange, she understood why the Grandmaster killed her disciple.
‘She’s amassing retribution. Gathering karma.’
A person able to achieve stages through their karma.
Judas had called it ‘experience points’.
And if that accumulates to a certain point, one will ‘level up’, according to him.
However, for someone like Judas or Cariote who had reached a fixed stage, it was difficult to accumulate these points.
They say some cannot accumulate anymore once they rise to a certain stage.
It seemed that was the exact case for the ‘Grand Abbot’.
“200 years you lived, and yet you’re stuck on the last step? No wonder you’ve gone mad, unable to advance even after killing your disciple. How disgraceful.”
“…….”
The Grand Abbot’s golden eyes shook violently.
Calling her disgraceful.
Not a single person in the history of 200 years has ever said such a thing.
“You insolent child….”
“A question. Grand Abbot, what is a demon?”
“Oho, you would seek answers from this Unenlightened One now? If it is an attempt to buy yourself time, you are mistaken. Is not a demon a wicked entity of Pandemonium, adorned with horns and tails?”
“No, you’re wrong. demons don’t actually exist.”
With that said, Cariote took a deep breath.
Power began to fill Cariote’s body.
As the Grand Abbot looked upon this with questioning eyes—
“…Vanished?”
Before she knew it, Cariote’s form disappeared from her sight.
Stab—
Immediately, excruciating pain radiated from the Master’s stomach.
“Agggghhhh…!”
At the pain, the Grandmaster came to her senses.
When she turned her eyes, the hunter was crouched low before her, turning the blade upwards and pushing the sword into her belly.
“You, how did you…!”
“But, at certain times, demons can exist anywhere. I am a hunter, and you are my prey. There is no more need for questions and answers.”
“You wench…!”
The Grand Abbot raged while in agony.
At the same time, she was immensely delighted.
She did not understand why, but the hunter’s physical abilities suddenly amplified to the point that she could injure her.
If she defeated the hunter, then there was a good chance that a feather’s weight of karma would come upon her shoulders.
‘Though I would have preferred to face Judas.…’
In truth, the Grand Abbot had been aiming for the King of Thieves.
But she forsook that.
Seeing him in person, he had been far more powerful than expected.
Even at the same level of 49, there was a difference between them.
That made the Master anxious.
‘200 years. How could it be that I, who had spent 200 winters, am inferior to a brat of two and a half decades? Impossible. I am the incarnation of Narmir…!’
Slaaash—!
At that moment, the Grandmaster’s shoulder was cut deeply.
Drip— Drip—
She was bleeding.
When Cariote put some distance between them, the Grandmaster chuckled.
“How painful.”
“For someone who’s hurting, you don’t act like it.”
“To this Unenlightened One, asceticism is a friend. I do not know how you were able to enhance your abilities. But will you be fine with that? Defeating this one may change the future.”
“…….”
The future may change—
At those words, Cariote frowned slightly.
A split second.
A split second in which her brows furrowed.
And when she refocused, Cariote realized sharp nails rushing her way.
“I can’t avoid it!”
A momentary slip-up occurring during a fight between monstrous beings.
An unavoidable attack taking advantage of that moment.
Cariote needed to block it, at least.
Protect the heart and head.
She raised her arms with that thought and felt five crimson lines slashing across her arms and stomach.
“Guuhh.”
Drip— Drip—
Blood spilled from her belly and forearms.
“A sign of confidence, exposing your stomach. But it will scar. Now, this one will ask the question. How did you suddenly enhance your abilities?”
“…….”
Cariote didn’t answer.
Because she could hear the soft landing of feet on a roof nearby.
“Too late.”
“My print-tracking is still mediocre, I’m afraid.”
* * *
There was a commotion somewhere, I realized.
But where that was took a while to find.
Fortunately, the footprint tracking skill helped.
Which led me here.
“…….”
Instead of hearing an explanation, I looked around.
Cariote was bleeding, and someone else was on the ground, unmoving.
“Enkidus… Is he dead?”
Enkidus’ chest had a wound as if pierced by something thick.
Those who fell to my skill 「Heart Steal」 would have the same kind of wound.
“Even if that guy has no hair, he’s not someone who would lose to just any old thing.”
I gazed up at the sky.
Two moons were hanging high.
Enkidus was stronger than anyone under the sun, but only plain strong in the dark.
That was Enkidus’ constraint.
From what I know, it applied to all members of the Ascending Sun Sect.
Was it a compatibility issue because it was a night with risen moons?
“Why did you do this?”
I asked the Grand Abbot.
She wiped away someone’s blood that had splattered near her mouth with her thumb and replied.
“This one gave an opportunity. But the foolish disciple did not take it.”
The wiped blood was like lipstick.
When the bright red lips shined strangely, I was able to snap out of it.
“Allure?”
“Oho, seeing through this one’s [Allure]? Rather pure of you; I had thought you an incredible lecher with all the children and women in your vicinity. You are the first to resist this one’s charms.”
“Even so, I’m not fond of grannies over 200 years old. They’re rotten on the inside, no matter how good they look on the outside. Without at least that much discernment, I can’t be a thief.”
Shing—
I withdrew the butterfly knife from my waist.
As I did so, the Grand Abbot spoke.
“Are you certain? Should this Unenlightened One fall here, the future that you are seeking will be lost. Your life will be forfeit, and you will not be able to save the children.
Really?
Damn it.
I think she’s right.
I don’t know which choice will lead to the right future!
Besides, I couldn’t defeat the Grandmaster in the first place.
She was something like a fleshy peach.
If I defeat her, all that juice will burst and completely soak me.
Then I’ll immediately achieve level 50 and will be fucked in a lot of ways.
Not ready for that, yet.
An impasse, as it was.
I was struggling with all the questions in my head when—
Tap— Tap—
Brigitte and Salome landed beside me.
“Judas, what’s happening?”
“Brigitte, you’re heavy.”
How to explain this?
I was pondering this when someone stood up.
It was Enkidus.
“My head has cleared after some rest. Matters of the sect are dealt with by its followers. That is the rule. It is fine. This monk will handle it.”
Even as he spoke, Enkidus’ eyes were blank.
Seeing his once bright, golden eyes lose their light and haze over, it was concerning but I sheathed my knife.
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