Chapter 48: Aftermath

The brilliance surged forth in a blinding, overwhelming blaze! Infused with the unshakable will of the black-robed nun, the holy radiance descended like thunder and flame, ruthlessly purging all filth and pus into harmless blue mist. And standing at the heart of the light, Miss Maria seemed like a divine figure wielding the authority of light itself—so radiant that none dared meet her gaze! She gave her enemy no chance at all. Maria, drawing on her seasoned instincts as a player, made full use of every tool at her disposal, anticipating every possible variable in the chaos of battle. In the end, deep within this nameless sewer segment, she claimed victory with the blood of heretics, eradicating the most deeply hidden Root Serpent from within Torrent City. Moll's death was a disgraceful one. He was certainly far stronger than Maria, who had only just advanced to a higher rank. But from the very beginning, Maria had never fought alone. Backed by the Radiant Church and allied with the noble military, Moll, a terrorist through and through, simply had no leverage against such forces. And when he finally came face-to-face with the black-robed nun, she was already accompanied by a veteran Iron-tier cleric. With her class-specific insight, the clever nun quickly deduced Moll's abilities—and buried him under a barrage of spell scrolls bought with hard coin. He didn't even get a chance to protest. In the end, he blew himself up! And still, he didn't even manage to touch the hem of the nun's robe. A bitter irony, if there ever was one. "Rest in peace, faithless soul." Having taken countless lives in her past life within Fractured, Maria felt no emotional burden when killing. Even so, she sighed lightly. Once ideology enters the equation, conflict becomes a battle to the death—truth tested through bloodshed. "Sister, the mission is complete." Elsewhere, having just finished off his own Root Serpent, Phoenix arrived in time to witness the black-robed nun bathed in fractured light. His voice instinctively lowered, as if afraid to disturb her sanctity. The Flame Warrior couldn't help but admire her in silence—what a pity, he thought. Maria was devout, yes, but not of the Solar Pantheon. Yet in truth, the "holy" nun who appeared so pious in Phoenix's eyes... was, without question, a godless unbeliever. "Let's return and report in." Maria glanced at the heap of ashes on the ground that hadn't been fully purified. With a soft wave of her sleeve, a breeze stirred. A gust swept through the tunnel, erasing the final trace of someone who once existed in this world. It was almost poetic—how quietly a life could vanish. Su, freshly "redeemed," obediently followed behind the black-robed nun. Quietly, he exchanged glances with the other two companions beside him. Their unspoken exchange could be summarized like this: 'Wait, you guys are just church lackeys too?' 'Yeah? Well, guess who just joined your ranks.' Congratulations to Miss Maria—she now had yet another "tool" in her entourage. And this one was a defector to boot, his loyalty practically guaranteed. Having once turned traitor, Su now had no path forward except to listen obediently to Maria's every command—unless he wanted to lose this character entirely. Even repentance came with risks, it seemed. Just as Maria and Phoenix were preparing to leave, sounds echoed from deeper within the tunnel—putting them instantly back on alert. It wasn't a small group. The approaching footsteps were steady and purposeful, with a cadence far too uniform to be a coincidence. From that alone, both Maria and Phoenix guessed immediately who they were dealing with. "Halt... Who's up ahead?" A strict voice called out. Over a dozen figures came to an immediate stop, still outside of visual range. They eyed the vague silhouettes ahead with caution. Down here in the underbelly, visibility was poor, and it was difficult to tell friend from foe. Lighting a lamp would just turn them into targets. "We are warriors of the Church." Phoenix relaxed his stance slightly. "...We're soldiers under Lady Cerys. Do you require assistance?" The speaking soldier paused to confer briefly with someone behind him, then continued loudly: "The heretics have been purged!" The declaration rang out with absolute finality, echoing through the sewer tunnel. Cerys's face instantly stiffened. So the final Root Serpent had been wiped out... by church NPCs? The merit she'd gone through so much effort to share with her fellow players was now utterly stolen. One could only imagine how conflicted she felt in that moment. Truth be told, had this been one of those old-school MMOs with low realism, Celis might've taken the gamble and ordered her men to mow down these goddamn NPCs with steam-powered crossbows. But this was Fractured. And if you attacked clerics of the Radiant Church here... well, nothing short of catastrophe awaited. "Damn it..." She punched the wall hard, biting her lip in frustration. Her adjutant, a quiet girl with literary airs, tugged gently at her sleeve. The message was clear: what's done is done—better to extend grace to their "allies" and preserve goodwill. And soon, they'd be thankful for making that very choice. BOOM!! Suddenly, the cracked ceiling of the sewer exploded. Shards of stone rained down as a figure emerged from above, illuminated by fractured light. At her feet lay shattered, colossal armor—completely mangled beyond recognition. The grotesque helmet was smashed inward, speaking volumes about the horrifying force it had endured. In her left hand, she casually held a severed head—its dead eyes still staring forward. And in her right hand, an axe gleamed with brutal elegance, leaving no doubt about how that head had been separated from its body. "Huh?" Apparently surprised by how many people she'd interrupted with her dramatic entrance, Sister Dolores, the Steel Nun, looked momentarily confused. She tossed the head aside without a second thought. "Looks like it's over. Nice work, brothers and sisters!" she called out cheerfully to the church's warriors below. Most clerics were solemn and reserved, but Dolores had spent so many years fighting on the front lines that her personality had grown far more carefree. "We didn't fail the mission." Phoenix struck his chest in a salute, bowing slightly toward the fearsome nun. Maria, on the other hand, studied the Steel Nun with open curiosity. This was a future terrifying boss fight incarnate—her strength already visibly monstrous. By comparison... Maria von Cainhurst of the Astral Clocktower still felt like a fledgling. It's true what they say: comparisons are odious. And they hurt. Noticing Maria's curious gaze, Dolores turned toward her with a bright, sisterly smile—one noble nun to another. ✦✧✦ ???? Support me on Patreon to access 25+ future chapters and exclusive content: /M0CLAW