A monstrous roar shook the air. His reaction, which looked like someone whose secrets had been exposed, was plain for everyone to see.
“What? A newly born Hero?!”
The crowd erupted in noisy chatter once again.
They were shaken to their core by the news Vylian had just dropped.
That was a Hero!
The legendary hope to save the world, the only miracle capable of defeating the Demon King.
Finally, all eyes turned to the Nun.
Even some of the Knights behind Viscount Fink couldn’t help but stare at Vylian, hoping for an explanation.
“That is correct. A Hero was born just yesterday. I came here specifically for this reason.”
“I will assist the Hero in their growth, step by step, until the evil Demon King is completely slain.”
At this moment, Vylian seemed to be surrounded by a halo of justice.
Her voice rose and fell with such emotion that those around her were deeply moved.
It made sense. The village was remote and had no Church or resident clergy.
Usually, villagers had to go to the city just to worship.
Yet a Nun had suddenly appeared today. It was impossible for there to be no reason.
A Hero must have truly been born in the village!
The Holy Order must have sent a Nun to guide the Hero onto the right path!
“THANK THE GODS! PRAISE THE GODS! THANK THE HOLY LIGHT! PRAISE THE HOLY LIGHT!”
The villagers knelt before Vylian with devotion, as if the Nun before them was an incarnation of God herself.
Viscount Fink could clearly feel that, aside from his few personal guards, the rest of the Knights were thrown into chaos by this news.
If this continued, he wouldn’t be able to control the Knights behind him.
He might even be labeled as someone who opposed the Holy Order and oppressed the Hero.
‘That damn woman is really in the way!’
“SUCH PREPOSTEROUS LIES! You claim I came to kill the Hero, but where is your proof?!”
“The fact that you appeared here with so many soldiers… isn’t that the best proof, Viscount Fink?”
The Nun’s expression remained utterly indifferent.
Viscount Fink’s face grew increasingly pale.
The more indifferent her attitude was, the more his heart chilled. His anxious heart pounded wildly.
“NONSENSE! Does your Holy Order always enjoy framing people like this?”
“I am merely stating the facts.”
Vylian’s voice slowly reached everyone’s ears.
Her small frame, bathed in the faint light, seemed exceptionally grand.
The Knights in the back glanced at each other.
After a moment, they finally lowered their spears.
As Knights, they were loyal to the nobility, but they also believed in the Holy Order.
Now that they knew a Hero had been born, they were naturally unwilling to stand against the Church.
“BULLSHIT!”
Viscount Fink trembled with rage. “CHARGE! FLATTEN THIS PLACE!”
He issued the command to the Knights behind him, but at this moment, no one was willing to obey.
“You useless pieces of trash! Do you really believe her one-sided story? Dammit! If you won’t go, I will!”
He roared and tried to urge his horse forward.
However, the steed beneath him seemed to be under a freezing spell.
It stood firmly in place, refusing to move no matter how he shouted or urged it.
In a fit of rage, he immediately dismounted.
He drew the longsword from his waist and prepared to channel his Battle Aura to slash at Vylian.
But for some reason, before he could even take a few steps, he fell directly to his knees in front of her.
An invisible and immense pressure suddenly swept over him, as if it wanted to completely crush his spine.
A voice born from the depths of his heart warned him frantically to be respectful to the being before him!
He wanted to stand up, but even with all his strength, he couldn’t do it.
He felt as if he were nailed to the spot.
“What’s going on? Why did the Viscount suddenly kneel?”
“Maybe he realized his mistakes and plans to surrender to the Holy Light to repent for his sins?”
Vylian’s smile remained gentle, as pure as a Saintess from the legends of the Holy Order.
However, Viscount Fink could see a hint of playfulness within it.
Like a cat playing with a mouse.
‘Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!’
“You forced my hand!”
Viscount Fink’s eyes were bloodshot, and the madness in his heart was completely triggered.
He didn’t want to use this power easily, but now, he had no choice if he wanted to kill this meddlesome Nun and wash away his shame!
If he used that power, even a Nun from the Holy Order would definitely be crushed by him!
The aura of [Corrosion] quietly spread, staining his heart as greedy and evil thoughts sprouted wildly.
But when he tried to call upon the power of Corrosion within his body, it felt like a pool of stagnant water.
No matter how he called out, there was no response.
“How can this be?!”
Seeing his state, Vylian decided to relinquish some of her absolute control over the lower-level Corrosion power.
In the next second, Viscount Fink clearly felt the dormant power of Corrosion awaken once more.
It flowed slowly through his meridians, bringing an unprecedented sense of comfort.
It was like a person breaking free from all restraints, able to endlessly enjoy the pleasure brought by Dopamine.
He only wanted to exert all his effort to trigger this power.
The power of Corrosion was inherently gentle, but beneath that gentleness lay the most lethal erosion and distortion.
A thick burst of black mist suddenly exploded from Viscount Fink’s body.
A strong stench and evil aura filled the area, making everyone present frown and choke.
His appearance rapidly mutated within the black mist.
His originally fair skin became rough and greenish-black, and his body grew more burly and hideous.
He gradually transformed into a demon-like monster.
“IT’S CORROSION! The Viscount has been tainted by Corrosion! What the Nun said was true!”
Some of the more capable Knights recognized this power; they had seen Corroded creatures before.
The power of [Corrosion] had always been affecting this world.
It turned profit-driven creatures into terrible monsters and turned vibrant lives into decaying corpses.
It was just that such occurrences were rare and not very common before.
However, ever since the Demon King’s revival, [Corrosion] had also become more active.
Now, such monsters were becoming more and more common.
Places where Corrosion spread were uninhabitable for ordinary life.
[Corrosion] was erosion, distortion, and the infinite magnification of desire.
It was a maggot parasitic in the hearts of living beings.
Everyone looked at the mutated monster in horror.
The smell of decay, like rotting wood, lingered around their noses.
They couldn’t help but swallow hard, their hearts filled with fear.
Some of the more timid villagers screamed and scrambled to run toward the outskirts of the village.
What an evil, ugly, and wretched creature!
Just smelling this aura felt like a heart-wrenching pain.
Surely, the legendary Demon King must be an even more disgusting and terrifying existence than this monster.
“HAHAHAHA… I FEEL IT! THIS POWER!”
Viscount Fink’s laughter was hideous and frantic.
He looked down at his hands.
He watched as those greenish-black, rough demon hands gradually returned to a human appearance.
His frame also slowly lost its monstrosity, returning to his original form.
“I feel more than ten times stronger than before! He really didn’t lie to me.”
“As long as I have this power, I will surely lead my family to rise and become the master of this land!”
“Corrosion! It truly is powerful!”