Hyperdimensional Player

Chapter 404 The Network of the Love Church!

The casualties suffered by the Church of Wealth were so small as to be almost negligible.

This glorious victory solidified Duncan's authority, and even the Golden Knights who followed him couldn't help but show him great respect, following him closely.

But Duncan's expression was very serious.

He didn't even pay much attention to the corpse of Bloodscar Priestess Veraris, but simply had his followers quickly clean up the battlefield, and then casually turned his head to look in the direction of the distant mountains.

From a perspective unseen by anyone else, a fleeting crimson light appeared on Duncan's projection screen, visible from God's point of view.

— "Agrorosa - Ancient Shadow Dragon Lich (Leader of the Dragon Cult) (Seven-Star Silver Gray)" (Challenge Level 23)

Dragon Lich.

Moreover, it was a dragon lich transformed from an ancient dragon.

It did not appear here in its true form, but rather used projection-type magic to condense a shadow-shaped avatar.

This terrifying dragon lich is one of the masterminds behind Zambia, controlling the purple-robed members of the Cult of Dragons and wielding the Soul-Eating Orb. Throughout the entire Dragon Bay region, except for Selgant, many places have been thoroughly infiltrated by the Cult of Dragons.

"The people outside are all ruthless!"

"If it weren't for the gods protecting her, the Mother of Great Bliss would have died eight hundred times over."

Duncan remained calm and pretended not to have seen anything. The ancient shadow dragon lich also did not intend to confront the church's forces head-on. Only after Duncan and his group had left did it send its minions of the Dragon Worship Cult to secretly transport the bodies of the slain Pain Cult members back to the church.

Even a powerful dragon lich must bow before the Church of the True God, for if the young are defeated, the old will follow. If the Church is on the verge of collapse, the incarnation of the True God may descend at any moment.

"Owner."

"Should we try to steal the corpse of that chosen one of the gods?" a human mage who looked like a lich asked respectfully.

The shadow avatar of Agrorossa remained silent, then slowly shook his head and said, "Don't cause any unnecessary trouble."

"Collecting the corpses of some powerful humans for research purposes is sufficient."

The ancient shadow dragon lich pondered for a moment and said, "Restrain your followers from acting rashly."

"At least until the battle between the Church of Wealth, the Church of Pleasure, and the Church of Suffering in Sergant is decided, let the believers not easily infiltrate Sergant."

"If they lose."

"After the Church of Pain took over Sergant, we immediately sent people to infiltrate and win over those business tycoons."

"besides."

"Find a way to gather information about that human and get it to me."

"This person's soul is very special!"

The ancient shadow dragon lich Aglorosa possessed the Soul-Eating Orb, which allowed it to directly see a portion of other people's souls. Duncan's soul reflection was extremely powerful, far surpassing that of ordinary humans.

The 'Dragon Madness Rebellion' broke out just a few years ago.

The mastermind behind this is the Dragon Worship Cult.

In 1356 (the Year of the Giant Worm), a localized dragon frenzy erupted in the Valley due to the Dragon Worship Cult, affecting the Moon Sea, the Valley, Cormir, and surrounding areas.

It is now also on the Church of the Gods' blacklist.

It is not advisable to create unnecessary complications.

at the same time.

Duncan and his party had returned to Serganth, but just as they were about to enter the city, the sound of galloping hooves suddenly came from afar, and many of the Golden Knights immediately gripped their weapons warily.

"grown ups!"

"They're heavy cavalry!"

Beside Duncan, a Golden Knight named Tap reminded him, "The number will not be less than twenty!"

The level of civilization on the continent of Faerûn is close to that of medieval Europe.

Elves do not have large-scale heavy cavalry, while the forces around humans that are capable of raising more than twenty heavy cavalry are local bigwigs, which often means at least twenty knight manors and the corresponding knightly nobles.

Duncan reined in his horse and turned it to look at the road not far away.

As the thunderous sound of galloping hooves drew closer, a brightly dressed woman galloped at the front. She seemed to see Duncan in his magnificent golden armor and couldn't help but exclaim excitedly, "Your Highness Assange!"

"It's Lord Duncan Starfall!"

Mrs. Thursta White.

She rode a pale silver white horse, seemingly a horse raised by elves, wearing a magnificent noble gown. Her long, pale golden hair danced in the wind, and her large, full breasts trembled and heaved with each gallop, drawing the attention of the surrounding knights. However, some kept their eyes fixed on the exceptionally handsome Duncan in the distance, their eyes suddenly lighting up as if they had discovered a peerless warrior.

Some people love beautiful women, while others love fierce generals.

Some people want both.

Lady Cesta-White's face flushed slightly with excitement, a sight that made the surrounding knights look somewhat disappointed. It was no doubt that the man in the distance had a special relationship with Lady Cesta-White.

But it's actually quite ordinary.

Duncan's gaze swept past Mrs. Thursta White and landed directly on the handsome, extremely burly man wearing purple dragon armor and carrying a greatsword.

—Assan IV (Crown Prince Cormier) (Legendary Warrior) (Lossandar Follower) (Five-Star Gold)!
—The Purple Dragon Knights (3-star gold)!

Reinforcements from the Kingdom of Komir.

This country has a strange law that strictly forbids harming cats, and there is a unique winged cat in a lakeside town.

On the ability to summon people.

Duncan respected no one but the people of the Church of Love, especially the goddess of love, Shuni herself.

As they approached the gates of Sergant, Lady Cesta-White slowed down, calming herself slightly, though a hint of flush from the intense activity still lingered on her alluring face. She gave a ladylike bow to the dashing Duncan on his warhorse and said, "Lord Duncan."

"Fortunately, I did not disgrace my life."

"The church sent people to contact the Kingdom of Cormier and invited Prince Asan to help."

Duncan nodded slowly, sizing up the approaching Purple Dragon Knights, a specialty of the Kingdom of Cormier, whose strength was no less than that of the Golden Knights behind him.

Several years ago, Prince Assange, with the help of many reinforcements, defeated the red-robed mages of Ser and the Tukan people of the East. Sergant also contributed to the victory. As for why the Church of Love was able to invite them to help, Duncan was not surprised at all, because the network of connections of the goddess of love, Shuni, was indeed quite extensive.

You can even say that.

If you are fortunate enough to be favored by the goddess of love, Shuni, and briefly become her lover for a period of time, then your 'like-minded' friends can form a powerful alliance.

Of course, this is an exaggeration. Very few mortals are worth the personal courtship of the goddess of love; most are courted by female pastors in churches.

"Duncan-Starfall."

Prince Asan is a courteous monarch. There are many rumors about him in the Fallen Star Sea, and they are mostly positive. He is a standard lawful and good person, and is judged according to the standards of a wise king.

His kingdom was not large, roughly the size of England and Ireland combined, about the size of a fantasy version of King Arthur.

Looking at the person in front of him, Duncan even thought of his adopted daughter, Artoria. If she were a man, she would most likely be loved by the people and have many knights loyal to her, just like Prince Asan in front of him.

“Your Highness Prince Assange,” Duncan nodded calmly in return.

The Pleasure Cult is not very good.

However, the Church of Love was quite well-off, and it quickly gained a powerful ally.

If Duncan hadn't turned the tide and stabilized the situation, it's highly likely that the powerful Sunee would have stepped in to clean up the mess. In other words, in the original timeline, this legendary monarch may have played a significant role in this turmoil.

Duncan's gaze swept over the others. These members of the Purple Dragon Knights were mostly humans, but there were also two half-elves, plus an elven ranger wearing exquisite leather armor, and a war mage from the Kingdom of Cormier also accompanied them.

Due to the Arcane Chaos (the sudden death of the Goddess of Magic), the war mages of the Kingdom of Cormier suffered heavy losses.

"This guy is the prototype for Aragorn from Lord of the Rings!"

Duncan joined them and entered Sergant.

The people along the way seemed to have heard the news, and some cheered and even took the initiative to welcome these powerful reinforcements. As an independent city-state under the influence of the Dragon Cult, Sergant also had some diplomatic cooperation with the Kingdom of Cormier.

However, the two groups parted ways after entering the city.

Duncan led the Golden Knights back to their base in the Temple District, while Prince Assange led the Purple Dragon Knights to meet with the local tycoons.

"The crown prince of the Kingdom of Komier has been seeking allies in the Zambia region."

"He values ​​Sergant's position very much."

No sooner had Duncan arrived than an envoy from Sarala-Tibland rushed over, bringing all the intelligence about the other side, including Prince Assan's diplomatic efforts during this period.

"He's quite a character!"

Duncan took the intelligence, glanced at it, and nodded slightly. This prince had taken up the banner of the kingdom amidst the turmoil, fighting against the remnants of Netheril's forces, repelling the invading powerful orcs, and simultaneously seeking powerful allies, primarily the elves of Comanthor Forest. His response to the Lady of Love's plea for help was most likely for the sake of influence and to win over the independent city-state of Selgant.

"The Shangjin faction means to send him away as soon as possible!"

Before Duncan, the messenger priest of the Church of Wealth whispered, "The Dragon Guards have arrived near the port."

“It is not a good thing for us for Prince Asan to stay here.”

The Pleasure Cult was ineffective, but the Love Cult found them a powerful ally.

The five shrewish women were quite wary of this man's abilities and reputation.

"No hurries!"

Duncan coldly reprimanded, "The battle has only just begun."

Whether they are good people or bad people, once they come, we have to use them, as long as they are useful.

Duncan dismissed the messenger from the Church of Wealth and headed straight for the villa of the Great Blissful Mother. Sure enough, a grand banquet was already being prepared there, and the protagonist of the banquet was none other than Prince Assange, who had just arrived.

Under a magnificent cluster of crystal chandeliers.

The Mother of Great Bliss was dressed in a magnificent pale gold gown, her long, beautiful legs so white they seemed to reflect light. She was holding a wine glass and talking quietly with a guest when she heard heavy footsteps outside. She immediately looked up instinctively, and when she saw Duncan, a hint of panic flashed across her face.

Duncan, however, didn't seem to care. He stared at Prince Assange, who was also out of place among the others at the banquet. He didn't even take off his sword and sat down in front of the Mother of Great Bliss with an air of superiority.

"The Archbishop of the Red Curtain is dead."

Duncan's voice was deep, his sharp gaze sweeping over the somewhat guilty Great Bliss Mother, then glancing at Prince Assange beside him, who was also clad in armor, and said, "The enemy executed him."

"The body was found next to a sewer in the port area."

"They infiltrated the city of Sergant."

After saying that, he even skipped over the Great Blissful Mother in front of him and handed a piece of intelligence sent by Sarala to Prince Asan in front of him, saying: "The intelligence from the Church of Wealth shows that at least three Chosen Ones have come to the Zambia region."

"The followers of the Goddess of Plague are also active in the vicinity."

The rain is coming and the wind is all over the building.

Lady Cesta-White's expression changed slightly, as if she had thought of something, and she said softly, "My lord's Rose Knights have arrived in the Golden Land."

Those are the three knightly orders.

The main force of the Church of Wealth is in the Golden Temple of Amn, where the Archbishop of Holy Coins is also located. In the hands of Sergant and his group, they have two 2s and an Ace. They should have no problem going head-to-head with the churches of two evil gods.

Prince Asan was clearly not interested in the banquet arranged by the Great Bliss Mother. Upon hearing Duncan's words, he immediately sat up straight and said, "Lord Duncan."

What's the current situation?

"The Kingdom of Cormier has also been in turmoil recently. Although I have agreed to the Church of Love's request for help, I cannot stay here for too long."

"These purple dragon knights also need to return to their base as soon as possible."

Netheril is a formidable foe, and the orc warlords are no pushovers either; his kingdom has been constantly invaded.

Duncan pondered for a moment, then gestured to the Silver Dagger Wanderer beside him to unfold the map. He pointed to several locations and said, "Intelligence indicates that the enemy may be lurking in these areas."

“They even have tycoons providing them with assistance.”

At this inopportune moment, the Mother of Great Bliss approached. With just one glance, she was so angry that her eyebrows furrowed, her full breasts heaving, and she said fiercely, "Feiqi-Silver Tongue!"

"That old bastard actually betrayed us!"

Why should children interrupt when adults are talking?

Go sit to the side.

Duncan glanced at the Mother of Great Bliss, who immediately looked somewhat embarrassed and wisely shut her mouth.

The Cult of Pleasure suffered heavy losses, and her prestige plummeted as a result. Now, she even feels somewhat guilty and short of breath when she sees Duncan. If it weren't for the fact that she is also the lover of the goddess of pleasure, Lillia, she would have long since stepped down as the Great Godmother.

It is highly likely that the High Priest of Joy will take over.

Without strength, there is no respect. In peacetime, she could still indulge in her frivolous and extravagant lifestyle, but today, Duncan has dealt a heavy blow to the Bloodstained Order and killed a chosen one of God. His prestige has surpassed that of the Great Bliss Mother, who has led the church for more than ten years.

However, given the current situation, the Mother of Great Bliss sitting in this position is in the interest of all parties, including Duncan himself.

The ambitious High Priest of Joy is unlikely to rise to power again.

“He has close ties with the Red Mage in the concession,” Mrs. Cesta-White said softly.

The Red Robe Monks had concessions in many places, which were gradually abolished, but now is the time when they are most active.

Duncan nodded slowly and said in a deep voice, "There's a mole!"

Prince Asan appeared cautious and calm. After a moment of thought, he said, "We can deal with this Fitch-Silverton, but we can't engage in a direct battle with the Red-Robed Mages."

The red-robed mage was too large.

Even the Necromancer school possesses power far exceeding that of ordinary nations, and the undead armies they summon are extremely difficult to deal with.

Duncan glanced at the other man, his eyes showing a hint of appreciation, and said in a deep voice, "Then we must act quickly!"

"Decisive decision before anyone else can react!"

They gave the red-robed mages no excuse to wage war.

Direct suppression.

Nail Fitch-Silverton to the pillar of shame for colluding with the Church of the Evil God, then immediately announce the results to intimidate other business tycoons and force the red-robed mages to concede.

"This guy has hired quite a few spellcasters!"

The Mother of Great Bliss sat to the side and whispered, "He himself is also very proficient in necromancy!"

With so many priests present, how could they not dispel even a single spirit of the dead?
Duncan stood up, looked the Great Mother of Bliss up and down, and slowly said, "Then the Great Godmother will also be joining us tonight!"

Upon hearing Duncan's words, the Mother of Great Bliss was inexplicably excited.

The group quickly split up and took action.

As he left, Prince Assan's expression was slightly subtle. He glanced at Mrs. Cesta-White beside him and said softly, "The Great Mother of Bliss seems a little afraid of that Lord Duncan?"

Mrs. Cesta-White hesitated for a moment upon hearing this, and instead of answering the question, she changed the subject, saying, "Lord Duncan has a close relationship with the Church of Wealth."

"Your Highness Asan."

"Haven't you been worried about how to get the goods from the Kingdom of Komir out of the Storm Mountains since the orcs blocked them?"

"After this battle is over."

"I'm sure Mr. Duncan would be happy to help you with this little bit of trouble!"

The female pastors at the Love Church are not all just pretty faces.

They are top-notch brokers.

Upon hearing Lady Cesta-White's words, Prince Asan's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had thought of something, and he immediately ordered, "Summon the Purple Dragon Knights!"

Let us punish evil!

Only self-interest is the ultimate driving force.

At this moment, Duncan's status in his eyes even surpassed that of the Great Mother of Bliss, because the Pleasure Cult could not provide any assistance to the Kingdom of Cormier, which was in dire straits, and would even corrupt the kingdom's atmosphere, making the brave and warlike nobles indulge in pleasure.

Duncan, and the Church of Wealth behind him, are the powerful allies that the war-torn Kingdom of Cormier has long desired.

Mrs. Cesta-White smiled slightly as she looked at Prince Assan's excited expression.

These priestesses were not just people who called for help.

Without shared interests, people will avoid you like the plague after one or two encounters. Mrs. Cesta-White knew how to cultivate these relationships.

The Love Church is a vast network of relationships, and they survive by weaving this network.

"Women are like vines, always needing to cling to a big tree."

Just like the proverbs within the Church of Love, except that some priestesses, transformed into vines, branched out so much that they attached themselves to far more than one large tree.

Mrs. Cesta-White was a prime example. She did not rely on others, but instead wove her own intricate web of relationships, encompassing everything from the towering trees of the Comanso Forest to the saplings of newly emerging local powers.

Now she has another important target to win over, Duncan Starfall, and she wants to at least make this man owe her a favor.

………………

(End of this chapter)