This adventurer is overly righteous.

Fire raged through the mountain, engulfing the corpses of cultists and orcs. The stench attracted many flies and insects. Without the fire's purification, a terrible plague might emerge from the mountain in just a few days, causing many to die in the winter.

Under the cover of night, the mountain peaks emitted faint firelight, and thick smoke billowed from all directions. Snowmelt slowly flowed down the edges of the mountain. The group moved away from the foot of the mountain, and the firelight illuminated their armor with a red glow.

Everything of value was hauled out before the fire was lit; not too much, and the horses they had ridden could easily carry it all.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the group was filled with joy. After all, they had prepared for a fierce battle before they came. However, in the end, they only casually cleared out the remaining cultists and orcs in the mountain. Those guys were no longer a threat and posed no danger whatsoever.

Logically, at this moment, songs and cheers should have filled the ranks. That pure white figure arrived at the cultists' lair a step ahead of him and dealt a heavy blow to these terrifying enemies. This was undoubtedly a heroic act, and they should have celebrated for him...

But now, Kroya is walking with his adoptive father, Acantis, and the two are in a silence that makes everyone afraid to speak.

Although he left a letter for his adoptive father before running away from home, and later sent another one through Lekin, explaining his reasons for running away and his current situation, Kroya still felt a strange and indescribable feeling when he met his adoptive father again.

The same applies to Arctius.

Prior to this, Akitis believed that Kroya's ultimate destination was the church. Although he knew from the letter sent by Lejin that Kroya was doing well in the Adventurers' Guild, he didn't take it too seriously. This would be a valuable experience for Kroya, tempering his will and heart, but that was all.

However, when Akitis saw with his own eyes Kroya sitting on the stone seat, exuding a terrifying murderous aura, his thoughts began to waver.

It hasn't even been half a year since Kroya left home, and Akitis is certain that when Kroya left, his strength was probably only equivalent to that of a veteran adventurer.

However, in such a short time, he has progressed to this level—infiltrating a cult's stronghold alone and slaying an incredibly powerful Blessed One of the Evil Gods. This has already surpassed the upper limit of a Hero-level adventurer; in other words, Kroya's current strength may already be comparable to those rare Epic-level adventurers.

Even if Kroya followed the training plan that Akitis had devised for him completely, he could never have achieved such a terrifying rate of growth. In other words, Kroya might be more suited to be an adventurer than a priest.

"Will you come back someday?" Acantis asked. "Or are you planning to give up being a priest...?"

With such strength and talent, even if Kroya chose to completely give up being a priest, Akitis wouldn't be surprised, nor would he object.

"I will come back. I never thought of giving up being a priest." Kroya thought for a moment. For him, being an adventurer was just a hobby. After the adventure ended, he felt that it would be better to be a priest.

However, some confusion also lingered in Kroya's heart.

"Father, something is changing in this world. Evil forces are growing stronger, and their tentacles are reaching right before our eyes. These cultists may just be the beginning; perhaps even more terrible things will happen in the future..."

Kroya lowered his head and looked at the swords at his waist: the Guardian Sword, the Wrathful Sound Sword, and the Dragon Heart Sword. Each of the three swords gleamed with a cold light—the Judgment Sword was still in his storage space.

"It might sound arrogant, but I believe the world needs me, it needs my power," Kroya said slowly, a certain determination growing within him.

Kroya imagined what would have happened in Whitestone Town, the Misty Forest, and the Stone Giant Mountains they were far away if he hadn't run away from home.

Everything was like a complex web, but every single thread of it was severed by Kroya's sword.

But what if he returned to the monastery? There he could recite hymns for the gods, study scriptures, go to university to study theology at eighteen, become a full priest, and then continue to develop within the central church. Even if he did not ultimately attain sainthood, Croa's position in the church would not be low. It was a smooth path, without crisis or worry, and those evil forces would not entangle him.

But some people need their own strength, don't they...?

The power he receives from the blessings of the gods, the power he gains from doing good deeds, would be a terrible waste if he used it only to study scriptures in the church library and sing hymns before the idols.

"As long as my power can still be used, I think I probably won't go back. I'm sorry, Father, I said in the letter I left you that I would return in two years, but now, that time will be much longer, perhaps until the day my sword rusts..."

As Arctius looked at his adopted son, he seemed to glimpse a pure white light shining within him.

"This will be a cruel road, and I can't see the end of it, Kroya. You will spend your whole life struggling for what you have to do now. As your adoptive father, I sincerely hope that you can live a more relaxed life," Akitis added.

Then, another voice broke into their conversation.

"Perhaps this is fate, isn't it?" The wise man Sawyer appeared behind Croya at some point. He interrupted the conversation at just the right time, without interrupting anyone. "Croya, we haven't had a chance to thank you yet. The time to part is coming soon, so I have to interrupt you. And to be honest, you've made the atmosphere a bit oppressive. Nobody even dares to sing the victory song."

"We are so sorry," Kroya and Akitis said in unison.

Now should be the time to celebrate the complete annihilation of the cultists. As the procession moved forward, members of the group broke away to return to their nearby homes. Before that, however, they sang several songs together in high spirits and offered their blessings to Kroya.

Count Reginald, along with Tiki and Guise, also came to Kroya's side. Kroya had been walking with Acantis earlier, which made it difficult to approach them.

[First Release Update!] Meanwhile, Sawyer was also talking with Acantis. The two even had a brief argument, but the argument eventually subsided. After Count Reginald led his guards away and three-quarters of the group disappeared, Kroya saw Sawyer and Acantis walking towards him together.

"Let's rest for a while and set off again at dawn," the wise man Sawyer called out. So the group cleared the snow and dead leaves from the ground, lit a fire, and sat down on the ground.

"Alright, now we can finally have a proper chat, but these secrets cannot be revealed to just anyone." The wise man Sawyer cast a sound-blocking spell, so no one could hear the conversation between the three within the spell's range.

"Do you remember our conversation before we parted, Chroya? I told you that I investigated the secrets hidden behind these evil things, and the results weren't entirely clear, but we can be sure that a crucial moment is about to arrive."

The wise man Sawyer's voice became distant and deep, and his shadow, swaying with the firelight, grew even taller, as if possessing a terrifying magic.

"War will be fought in our generation. The kind of war I'm talking about isn't between two or three kingdoms, it's a war that belongs solely to humanity. Our enemy is in the shadowy south. I, the wise men I've befriended, and the warriors who have infiltrated the south are all very confident about this."

"The power of evil has grown to a terrible degree. There is more than one awakened Dark Lord. Sooner or later, the Samur River, which separates the north and south and prevents the power of evil from invading the human kingdom, will be filled with their warships. At that time, the smoke of war will cover the sky, and every inch of land we see will be stained with our blood. The power of evil will appear openly and honestly."

"The strange things that are happening now are just minor incidents, like the curtain being drawn back in a theater. Only when the curtain is drawn back will they truly take the stage."

"However, do not despair because of this. There is certainly a lot of bad news, but there is always an opportunity. Such a great war comes once in every era. The evil forces have not been able to destroy us because along with those ancient evil things, the forces of justice have also awakened."

Sawyer looked at Croya, his eyes filled with a gleam like fire.

"Ancient ruins have been unearthed, and explorers have obtained ancient weapons and magical potions that can no longer be reproduced. These treasures from ancient times will increase our power to help us cope with future wars. As much as the power of evil increases, so too does our power."

"In the past ten years or so, only one underground city could be excavated. Now, just this year, three underground cities have been found, including Nibelungen. We have finally found clues related to it. Those divine weapons from ancient times, which still retain their splendor, will completely arm our warriors..." Upon hearing this, Kroya couldn't help but look at the guardian sword at his waist. Count Reginald had told him that this sword was found in the ruins.

In terms of forging techniques alone, the craftsmen of this era were not unable to replicate them. However, even Leijin could no longer find the materials used to forge this sword, as many precious forging materials had completely disappeared into history.

"Not only that, but also yourself, Chloe."

Sawyer extended his wrinkled finger and pointed at Croya, who looked up in surprise.

"In such turbulent times, all sorts of geniuses always emerge from among us. These people possess all sorts of extraordinary abilities and play an important role in the fight against the forces of evil. Perhaps, you, Kroya, are one of them."

"You may have been born with a certain mission."

As night fell, the world fell silent, and the three could only hear the crackling of sparks.

“Listen, Kroya, this is just a guess. I don’t want you to put too much pressure on yourself because of this. As I said before, it’s a bitter road with no end in sight. You can choose to give up and become a priest. The safety of the world is not so fragile that it should weigh on your shoulders,” Akitis said, shaking his head.

"Besides, even if you are determined to stay in the Church and exert your own power in the future, you may not become a saint, but I am certain that you can become a bishop. That's enough, Chloe. In that case, you have done more than enough. In my heart, this is a better path."

"That's right, I just had a big argument with your father because I was so foolish and ridiculous to try to impose such a heavy responsibility on you. Besides, you've already done more than enough, haven't you?"

Sawyer said slowly.

"You were a great help in the Misty Forest, and now you're even more perceptive and swift than any of us, taking care of those cultists ahead of time. It would be shameless to push all sorts of heavy responsibilities onto you just because you have special abilities." This is practically a form of kidnapping. Because Kroya is a kind and powerful person, he's being forced to accept this so-called mission. But Kroya has already done enough and done well enough; no one has the right to force him or criticize him.

"so......"

"It's all up to you."

Croa looked at the wise man Sawyer, and then at his adoptive father. He seemed to see two paths unfolding before him. One path was filled with the brilliant light projected by the stained glass windows of the church, and he could hear the magnificent singing of the choir. A warm breeze was blowing, and everything was pure white, exquisite and beautiful.

The other road, however, was shrouded in shadow, with thorns covering both sides and dried bloodstains on the dark gray stone steps. Countless scarlet and terrifying eyes flickered above the road, and the wind blowing in the ears was cold and frightening, carrying a roar that sounded like a low growl. Everything was dirty and dangerous.

If Kroya chooses to give up his status as a heroic adventurer and return to the monastery with his adoptive father, then he has chosen the first path.

He grew up peacefully in the monastery, eventually entering the central church and becoming a bishop, oblivious to all the storms of the outside world.

However, if Croa chooses to continue as an adventurer and follows the advice and arrangements of the wise Sawyer, he will embark on the second path.

He will fight against the forces of evil without ceasing until he himself dies.

As Sawyer said, everything was decided by Croya, and whatever choice he made was the right one.

"That's wonderful..."

At this moment, Kroya smiled, his expression utterly candid. "I'm sorry, Father, my thoughts haven't changed. Perhaps I'm not the person with a mission that Sawyer spoke of, but there are indeed many people and many places in the world who need my strength."

Kroya found a goal that she could keep pursuing, and the slight confusion that had been growing in her heart completely disappeared.

He made a choice; he chose the path shrouded in shadow, intending to become light and illuminate that incomprehensible darkness.

Your choice pleased the gods.

[The effect of divine favor has been slightly increased.]

You have chosen the path of fighting against evil; such determination and courage deserve praise.

[Magic power slightly increased]

"Then you must continue to increase your strength and prepare for the upcoming battle. Staying in this small place is no longer of any use to you, Kroya. You must go to those ancient ruins that contain great power, where you can grow faster."

The wise man, Sawyer, spoke in a clear and solemn voice.

"Your mind and body will be tempered during the adventure, the equipment obtained from the ruins will arm your body, and the ancient power will help you."

"My friends will contact you when necessary. Evil forces have not only invaded our kingdom, but also have their minions elsewhere. My friends will tell you everything you want to know and help you wipe them out."

"I won't let those guys get away with this," Kroya nodded firmly, harboring a natural hostility towards these evil lackeys. "Not only that, Kroya, now that you've made your choice, all I can do as your father is offer you my support," Akitis added after a moment.

"Since you have chosen that dangerous path, you need to take a step further on the path of becoming a priest. Right now, you are just an apprentice priest and you only know a few divine spells. Becoming a full priest will be of great benefit to you."

"However, only believers who are eighteen years of age or older are qualified to become formal pastors," Kroya asked, puzzled. If it weren't for this restriction, Kroya would have already met the requirements to become a formal pastor and been officially promoted.

This restriction is not a church regulation; it simply means that the ceremony for ordination as a full pastor does not apply to believers under the age of eighteen.

"This is not absolute. In the scriptures, there happens to be a method that allows believers under the age of eighteen to become priests," Akitis said to Chroya with an extremely serious tone.

"That is through the power of saints. Saints have the ability to enlighten devout believers. Even though you, Kroya, are not yet eighteen years old, you can still obtain the power of a formal priest in this way."

"But no saint has yet been born in this era..." Sawyer reminded him. "Not only in the Netherlands, but in other kingdoms, no saint has been heard of."

Saints are powerful beings at the very top of the church, whose strength is almost indescribable. An entire era might not produce one like them.

Arctius claimed that he could enlighten Kroya with the help of a saint and elevate him to the rank of priest. Sawyer did not doubt this, but did saints really exist in this world?

Even if it truly exists, it would probably be very old and almost impossible to see.

"So, Kroya, since you are going to explore the various ruins of the world, you will inevitably have to travel to many countries and many places." Acantis did not deny Sawyer's words and continued, "Then, you can search for something."

In an instant, Arctius's voice became filled with awe, and he said, word by word, "The remains of a saint."

For a moment, it was as if the world had stopped. Both Kroya and Sawyer were stunned and their breaths stopped.

After a moment, once the two had come to their senses, Akitis continued, his expression solemn and dignified.

"The remains of the saints who died in the past are kept in the Central Church. I have had the privilege of seeing their coffins. Their remains showed no signs of decay and had a strange fragrance. This fragrance was sacred and pure. I believe that there must be an extremely terrifying power in the remains of the saints."

"In the past, there were saints who agreed to let their students study their corpses after their deaths. Those studies have been completely sealed away, and only a very few people know of their existence. I have read some of them, and just as I guessed, the power in the saint's remains is exactly the same as the power the saint had in life."

"The Central Church would not allow anyone to touch the remains of saints casually, but we still have a chance. In the past, some saints disappeared outside the Church. The Church tried to find them, but ultimately failed. However, we know very well the last place where those saints were last seen before they disappeared."

Akutis looked into Kroya's eyes and continued.

"On your journey, Croa, you can try to find it; I will tell you the location I know."

If an ordinary person were to search for the remains of a saint, Acantis would simply consider it wishful thinking, but Kroya is different.

The pure white Son of Man, a born saint.

This is the title that Acantis bestowed upon Croa. If Croa were the one who went to search for it, perhaps he could have truly accomplished it.

"I understand." Kroya took a deep breath, feeling that tonight, so many things suddenly weighed on his shoulders. The aimless and bewildered state he had felt after eliminating the cultists had completely disappeared.

He was about to embark on a journey; perhaps Kroya had always harbored a deep-seated desire for exploration, and now he felt a surge of passion within him.

"As expected, Kroya chose this path..."

Akitis looked at Kroya and couldn't help but murmur.

From the very beginning, he knew that Kroya would make such a choice. He was the pure white son of man, a born saint, and he would surely choose this path full of hardships to shoulder responsibilities that were not rightfully his.

"Yes, because he is Kroya," the wise Sawyer couldn't help but sigh. "A greedy man, greedily craving to protect more and more people, without knowing at all that one person's strength is limited."

"We also need to do our job well."

"You're right."