Chapter 38

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Volume 5 of Tembal

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Chapter 1.

Malaketh, the sixth of the Eight Beasts of Yatan, is the high priest who oversees all the rituals of the Yatan Church. In reality, most of the rituals he has conducted have been used to curse and afflict those who oppose the Yatan Church, whether they be individuals, groups, or regions. Notable examples include the incident where he turned the Duke of Bonjuest into an idiot by sacrificing 87 maidens, and the incident where he caused a plague to spread in the Raven Barony by sacrificing 607 maidens.

"Start the hunt? Heh heh! Hahaha! Do you really think you can hunt me? There is no one in this world who does not fear the influence of our church, which operates across the continent under the divine light of the God of Yatan. And I am the one who has grown our church to this extent! You are not a worthy opponent for me!!"

Malaketh's claims were not without merit. The Yatan Church is one of the largest and most feared forces in Satisfy. The church's growth to its current size is largely due to the covert activities of the high priest, Malaketh. His influence has been so significant that he is considered a major figure, and for such a figure to be hunted by a mere handful of people—mere dozens, in Malaketh's view—in a remote mountain village was completely out of the question.

"I will teach you your place. Especially you, woman. You will be offered as a sacrifice to the God of Yatan."

Even to Malaketh, Jishuka and her guild members appeared to be quite strong. Honestly, he was somewhat intimidated when they all appeared at once.

But wasn't he one of the Eight Beasts of Yatan, a great being who had long transcended the realm of humans?

Malaketh firmly believed that no matter how many of these people banded together, they could not harm him.

However, Jishuka thought differently.

"Malaketh, you don't know much, but our Chedaka Guild is the strongest. We have the potential to reach the top at any time. You can't threaten us with just your presence."

She smiled, revealing her white teeth, and laughed cheerfully. This thoroughly irritated Malaketh.

"Die with honor, and accept your death humbly. To us, you are nothing more than prey."

Malaketh's face finally twisted in anger at her continued provocations.

"Do you really think you can harm me?!"

"Not just anyone."

"Ridiculous!!"

Malaketh shouted and extended his hand. A jet of pitch-black magic shot out in a straight line, aimed directly at Jishuka's heart.

However, Jishuka did not take any defensive action. Toban, standing to her left, stepped forward.

"Shield of Patience!!"

Toban, the top-ranked paladin and strategist of the Chedaka Guild, used a defensive skill to block the jet of pitch-black light with his massive shield, which was larger than his own body.

BOOM!!

A deafening crash echoed, and dust flew in all directions. The shock was so great that Toban, who had coughed up blood, groaned.

"Ugh... The shield's durability was reduced by 20 points in one hit. That wasn't even his unique skill, just a common dark magic spell used by high-ranking Yatan priests. How powerful is his magic?"

Frowning, Jishuka kicked Toban in the buttocks.

"Stop whining. It's embarrassing."

Malaketh, now more confident, shouted.

"Die in a panic before my overwhelming power! That's the fitting end for you insignificant beings!"

An alert window appeared before all the Chedaka Guild members.

[The sixth of the Eight Beasts of Yatan, Malaketh, is releasing his hidden magic power to its full extent.]

[You are overwhelmed by the dark magic power you have never experienced before, and are affected by fear, weakness, and immobilization.]

[Malaketh is firing magic in all directions.]

BOOM BOOM BOOM!!

Dozens of jets of pitch-black magic shot out from Malaketh's hands.

"Hey, hey, isn't that a bit much?"

"Seriously, he's gone mad. This is insane."

Jishuka and the Chedaka Guild members wanted to protect themselves from the bombardment immediately. However, they were immobilized by Malaketh's magic and could not move, leaving them unable to resist and only able to lament their fate.

[You have taken 8,900 damage.]

[You have taken 16,503 damage.]

[You have taken 11,027 damage.]

"It hurts so much!!"

"It's incredibly strong!"

Except for a few classes with high magic defense or dark resistance, the other guild members lost more than 30% of their health from a single spell cast by Malaketh.

Especially for Jishuka, an archer who avoids attacks and fights by dodging, the situation was critical.

[You have lost 53% of your health in one hit.]

[You cannot regain your senses.]

Losing more than 40% of your health in one hit causes a 3-second stun.

In other words, Jishuka was now completely defenseless.

"Protect the Master!!"

Led by Toban, all the Chedaka Guild members surrounded the staggering Jishuka like a wall.

Malaketh observed the scene with a condescending smile.

"Do you understand now? The hunted are not me, but you."

Jishuka was unfazed. She gave an order to her guild members.

"Protect Grid... or Kan's disciple!!"

The special-grade Yapha arrow maker, who had been sought after for months, was believed to be Kan's disciple, who knew the information about the maker. Or, he might even be the maker himself.

"Everyone, remember. It's not just about defeating Malaketh, but prioritizing Grid's protection. We cannot afford to lose him."

Absolute obedience to the Master!

The guild members, who received the order, looked around. They found Grid standing behind a tree, staring blankly.

"Huh? That guy?"

Wasn't Grid a blacksmith?

An ordinary blacksmith would have died or at least been severely injured from Malaketh's attack just now.

But he was unharmed?

"What's going on?"

Jishuka was more surprised than anyone when she confirmed that Grid was unscathed.

'Now that I look closely, he's even armed with a sword and armor?'

Was she misled by false information again?

But Grid had said the special-grade Yapha arrow was his creation.

It was confusing.

But that was only for a moment.

Jishuka, who had recovered from the stun, took a deep breath and drank a health potion. She then drew Malaketh's attention, who was glaring at Grid as if to devour him.

"Malaketh, aren't you too weak? You couldn't even kill one of us with that supposedly decisive attack. You just advertised how incompetent you are."

Why isn't this guy, Grid, being overwhelmed by me?

'What trick is this guy, who seems the weakest, using?'

Malaketh, whose pride was hurt by being the only one unharmed from the magic bombardment, glared at Grid again.

Malaketh was becoming extremely irritable.

"Woman, you are being stubborn. Tremble in fear. That is the fitting appearance for you."

"Malaketh, I know that the rituals you conduct have functions that defy common sense. People or regions not blessed by religions of gods on par with Yatan are not safe from your rituals, right? If you have an endless supply of sacrifices, you could even aim for world domination through your rituals. Yes, your abilities as a high priest are tremendous. I acknowledge that. But you..."

The corners of Jishuka's seductive lips curled upward.

It was a clear sneer.

Malaketh's face turned beet red as Jishuka looked down on him with her characteristic arrogant gaze.

"Your combat skills are nothing special, right? Don't you think we know that among the Eight Beasts, your combat abilities are the weakest?"

Information is power.

Therefore, the information-gathering capabilities of the Chedaka Guild, which aims to be the best, are inevitably top-notch.

The Chedaka Guild had thoroughly studied the Yatan Church, one of the largest forces in Satisfy and currently the hottest topic.

Malaketh, the sixth of the Eight Beasts.

He appears randomly every three months to enjoy the 'sacrifice hunt' game.

Level 310.

Class: Dark Sorcerer.

Special skills: Various debuff spells based on black magic, instant-use defensive magic, and an overwhelming self-healing ability fueled by a miraculous amount of magic power.

Since he can use instant dark magic attacks like other high-ranking Yatan priests, caution is advised, but the types of attack skills he can use are very limited.

'Compared to the other Beasts, his level is quite low.'

Malaketh is a high priest and rarely engages in direct combat, which is why his level is lower than the other Beasts.

At level 310, the Chedaka Guild members, whose average level easily exceeds 200, are confident they can handle him.

"Your last 'sacrifice hunt' was just a month ago... Normally, you should be staying at the main temple, but I don't know why you've come to the Eternia Kingdom at this timing. In any case, thank you. We will use you as a sacrifice to enhance our reputation."

Jishuka subtly raised one hand and ordered the guild members, who were heated up after taking a hit from Malaketh.

"How long are you going to let the prey run wild? Start the hunt now."

At that moment, a muscular middle-aged man, who had been waiting for Jishuka and Malaketh's pointless chatter to end, leaped powerfully.

The launch of the Destruction Tank, Bantner.

"Hey, brat! Give me Regas! And you, die! Die and drop your experience!! Hahaha!!"

Bantner, who wields two axes like limbs, easily swung the large axes, which would be difficult for an ordinary person to even lift, with one in each hand.

BOOM! BOOM! KABOOM!!

The pitch-black magic shield rippled as if in pain each time it was struck by Bantner's attacks.

The cloak Malaketh was wearing flapped wildly as if caught in a typhoon due to the wind pressure.

But that was all.

Bantner's axes did not even graze Malaketh's collar, let alone penetrate his shield.

"Huh?"

Bantner, taken aback, stepped back. He took a deep breath and thought calmly.

'That guy's pitch-black shield... I can't break it with my attack power. Alright, then it's a speed game!'

Malaketh protects himself by instantly deploying a shield in front of the targeted area. If he can be attacked at a speed that he cannot react to, he might not be able to deploy the shield and allow the attack.

"Urrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr