Mm, Now This Really Is a "Holy Gun"

When Dick opened his eyes, another unfamiliar ceiling greeted him.

The same golden material was studded with gemstones, but compared to the small house he had lived in before, this room was clearly more "holy" in style. Those Eredar craftsmen, brimming with artistic impulses and apparently bored out of their minds, had even added inscriptions praising faith around the edges of the ceiling.

What kind of Good Person would turn their own ceiling into an artwork so pure that one look at it left you devoid of impure thoughts?

This was obviously no proper place.

Then Dick's still-blurred hearing caught the sound of chanting from nearby, mixed with the lingering echoes of an ethereal, drawn-out melody. It made him feel warm all over, like sunlight shining on his body.

All right, case closed.

He was in a Naaru Temple.

After all, no other creature in the entire physical universe could imitate the unique "song" emitted by the Holy Light Tangular Puzzle.

Thinking back to the last thing he had seen before passing out—old Velen purifying the Fel Well—it meant that the first "limited-time event: The Enlightener and the Awakeners' Cult" dungeon he had experienced since coming here had most likely been successfully cleared. He had even found time along the way to take down the World Boss, uncorrupted Archimonde.

But considering that an Archimonde empowered by fel energy and having completed Demon Ascension was an entirely different concept, Dick pondered long and hard before deciding to downgrade Archimonde's World Boss rating to "regional Boss."

That was the highest rating he could give him based on overall strength.

After all, before Demon Ascension, Principal Archimonde was at most among the upper ranks of legendary figures.

"I've beaten two Bosses in a row and cleared the Great Lecture Hall and Demon's First Arrival dungeons. My personal level should have gone up at least a bit, right?"

Dick rubbed his eyes and summoned his "non-Golden Finger" translucent light screen.

His body had recovered fairly well by now—at the very least, it was far better than the useless state he had been in just after arriving here. After all, he was in a Naaru Temple, and the healing and purification of pure Holy Light creatures were unrivaled in the physical universe.

The only ones who could compete with the Naaru in the field of healing were the assorted freaks of the life domain.

Basically, as long as he had not been smashed to pieces on the spot or reduced to ashes, the miraculous Naaru had a way to save him.

Whoosh

Under the expectant gaze of Dick, lying in his sickbed, the flickering light screen unfolded before his eyes.

Golden Eredar runes appeared as well, forming his character status panel. It was actually quite stylishly designed. Who knew which genius had made this thing and implanted it into his mind?

He focused his gaze on it:

Name: Diakum Zastinus

Nickname: "Holy Gun" Dick

Title: Beginner Polluter Nemesis (slightly improves efficiency when purifying fel contamination)

Race: Eredar

Life Tier: Mortal

Status: Weak [Basking in Holy Light, recovering rapidly]

Class: High Exarch / None

Power Affiliation: Holy Light Force

Force Connection Status: Ordinary (average level among racial individuals)

Power Path: Eredar racial class "Exarch" (warrior/paladin hybrid class)

Power Inclination: Retribution / Sanction / Judgment

Force Doctrine: Hand of Fate (while in a "choice of fate" state, may receive a temporary, additional high-intensity blessing of Holy Light Force beyond one's own Holy Light enhancement.)

Racial Talents: Omitted

New Personal Talents:

Ashen Echo · All paladin class skills recorded in memory have been imprinted. The corresponding skills can be activated by channeling Holy Light during practice or actual combat.

Art of War · Through understanding and studying the doctrines of Holy Light, an additional class slot may be unlocked, allowing mastery of other class paths within the Holy Light Force system.

Recommended second class: [Priest].

Zealous Devotion · Because the individual was under external enhancement when regaining the blessing of Holy Light, they can contain more Radiant Energy / holy power than the average at the same life tier.

Current individual Radiant Energy Pool: 150% of the average level.

Light Unsheathed · Grants the [Forge Light into a Sword] technique, allowing blazing Holy Light to be turned into temporary physical weapons or used for temporary "Radiant Enchantment" on physical weapons.

Lightforged Armaments · Because the individual possesses Radiant Energy Pool reserves above the average level, they may consume more Radiant Energy / holy power in battle to temporarily enhance the effects of their class skills.

Overall Evaluation:

A roadside stray dog's lifelong nemesis.

Additional Suggestion:

[I heard you killed Archimonde? Very nice! So who's the next important NPC you're going to kill? I think old Velen would be a fine choice. You know, everyone hates his indecisiveness and how he always ruins things at crucial moments.

Find a chance to kill him!

Then take his place and become Kil'jaeden's new male favorite, letting the charm of hook literature truly take root and flourish in the fertile soil of Argus.

That still won't stop the coming Dark Titan, but at least before being crushed to death, you can give Lord Sargeras a big surprise and pull off something ruthless.

Listen to me. You can't go wrong!]

"What kind of person is this?"

Dick frowned after reading that "additional suggestion." The person who had left him that message might just be a pervert.

Could any random male Eredar replace the tear-jerking, hot-blooded friendship between the noble Grand Executor Velen and the steadfast Commander Kil'jaeden? Not even if he had a "Holy Gun" could he pull that off!

Still, aside from that damned additional suggestion, the comprehensive enhancement of his new attributes gave Dick at least a little sense of security.

The return and all-around enhancement of his Exarch class skills finally gave him the strength to fight when facing danger, while the extra second class slot granted by Art of War had plenty of potential to be exploited.

The combination of paladin and priest classes could definitely produce all kinds of new tricks.

More importantly, combining a paladin's frontal assault capabilities with a priest's powerful healing was enough to raise his combat strength from one plus one to greater than two.

Otherwise, at his current level—where even with his "idealism cheat," he had struggled against an unascended Sarkir—he would be finished the moment he encountered those increasingly monstrous opponents from the True History of the Dark Portal.

However, Dick soon noticed the "bad news" hidden within that very improper additional suggestion.

"What does 'the Dark Titan is about to arrive' mean?"

The High Exarch on the sickbed furrowed his brow.

If the mysterious fellow who had left him this visualized personal status panel truly possessed such vast powers, then that seemingly joking remark had to be full of warnings and deeper meaning. As everyone knew, it was practically a classic character trait for those all-powerful beings to refuse to speak plainly and instead talk in riddles.

After receiving that improper "prophecy," Dick no longer had the mood to lie there and recover slowly.

Supporting his weakened body, he climbed out of bed and left the room in his loose hospital gown. But when he opened the door, he found the temple hall before him, shaped by marble columns, filled with priests who served the Naaru.

They were holding an unprecedentedly large baptism ceremony. Many civilians and officials stood in the hall, singing hymns and patiently waiting for their own baptisms to begin.

"Isn't this a little excessive?"

Dick raised an eyebrow and said in surprise, "Although the Holy Light Doctrine has been promoted throughout Eredar society for a thousand years and become mainstream, I've never seen a temple with a scene like people lining up to buy groceries."

"Of course this isn't normal, but the reason may be related to the 'miracle' you took part in before."

A gentle, familiar voice rang out behind Dick.

Turning around, he saw the High Priestess Ishana, who had treated him before, standing there with a smile and leaning on a crystal holy staff.

Dick gave the woman an Exarch's salute, then said sincerely, "I still haven't thanked you for saving me before, Priestess Ishana. It was only because you used precious medicine to help me recover that I had the strength to survive the ordeal afterward. You saved me—not once, but twice!"

"I've never seen another Exarch as skilled in the art of speech as you. It was clearly just an ordinary treatment performed as part of my duties, yet in your mouth it becomes some favor so great that even I feel uneasy accepting it."

Priestess Ishana was quite talkative, and she even knew how to joke.

That was normal.

She had served the Naaru Lura for many years and, as one of those in charge of this temple, had frequent dealings with believers and officials. She was also a High Priestess who needed to participate in sermons.

Someone in such a position could not afford to be poor with words.

Faced with Dick's enthusiastic gratitude, Ishana let out a clear laugh, then gestured for him to follow her. She seemed to intend to show him around the Temple of Lura and explain the doubts he had just voiced along the way.

"You have been sleeping and recuperating in the temple for three days, but during those three days, the people of the entire Mac'Aree region have experienced a storm of faith. Every resident of Oronaar City saw the green fel energy that shot into the sky three nights ago. When the people were at their most terrified and uneasy, glorious Holy Light descended like salvation.

"That was a divine miracle!

"To both the clergy and kind people who turned their hearts toward the Holy Light, it was an unquestionable divine miracle."

Ishana walked ahead while Dick followed behind, but he could not help glancing at the priestess's little tail as it swayed back and forth.

It could not be helped.

The tiny, adorable, mischievous tails of Eredar women were their unique specialty. They drew so much attention that countless great lords called Eredar women "little hoofs" because of them.

And judging from the frequency with which that ruby-studded little tail swayed, Priestess Ishana was clearly in a very good mood.

Looking at the devout civilians and officials being baptized, she wore the joy a clergyperson should feel at the flourishing of faith. She traced a triangular religious gesture over her chest, then continued explaining to Dick.

"It was precisely because that miracle truly displayed the principle that 'the Holy Light protects the Eredar' that many formerly neutral civilians felt the Holy Light's touch and enlightenment. Not only the Temple of Lura—over these past few days, the Temple of K'ure, closer to the Seat of the Triumvirate, has also received more than ten times its usual number of visitors and baptism candidates.

"I heard that the brothers and sisters at the Holy Light Church in Oronaar City have been exhausted.

"You took part in that battle against evil three days ago, Brother Diakum. Through certain private channels, I also learned that you played a very important role in it—one that even decided the overall outcome.

"Therefore, I am honored to guide a true 'warrior of Holy Light' such as yourself through our temple today.

"This is also an honor for the Temple of Lura."

"You are too kind. I personally only did a tiny, insignificant amount of work. It is not worth praise or boasting about."

Dick waved his hands with the humility expected of a Holy Light Believer. "The one who defeated Archimonde was the sinner Sarkir. The ones who crushed the cultists and demons were General Elodus and his loyal, courageous warriors. The one who purified the Fel Well was Grand Executor Velen. You see, even without my involvement, that tragedy would have passed safely.

"If the role I played in something that has already happened was negligible, then I was not important enough to deserve praise. I merely did what my profession and identity required of me.

"But since we are speaking of this, I suppose these officials came eagerly to be baptized not only because they were called by the Holy Light, but also because Grand Executor Velen converted to the Holy Light at that critical moment?"

"Yes. Although we do not particularly like baptisms motivated by such purposes... we do understand the value of blending in with the world."

Priestess Ishana sighed. "Under Lady Lura's teachings, I am personally a rationalist in matters of faith. I have no interest in the conflict between the Holy Light Doctrine and arcane tradition, nor do I wish to involve myself in it. I certainly would not narrow-mindedly regard the Holy Light Doctrine as the Eredar civilization's only path to salvation. But the conversion of these officials can expand our influence.

"It will allow the path of Holy Light to spread more effectively across the land of Argus and better protect our people.

"That is not a bad thing.

"It just makes one uncomfortable.

"I claimed illness to avoid presiding over today's baptisms. Rather than preach to these officials who are full of grand principles, I would rather stay with my true brothers and sisters and share our insights and experiences of faith."

"What a coincidence. So would I."

Dick laughed heartily, then shamelessly said, "It was precisely because I could not flatter and fawn over people that I could not be given important duties within the faction of the Ambitious Person Archimonde. But that is not a bad thing. If I could not preserve that precious quality, I would never have been given a chance at redemption after making my mistakes.

"However, Priestess Ishana..."

"You should call me 'sister in faith,' Brother Diakum."

Ishana gently corrected him. Pointing toward a reception room situated high within the temple, she said, "Although you have escaped danger after Grand Executor Velen personally treated you, your body is still weak. Let us speak there. I can probably guess what you wish to ask.

"Please rest assured.

"Your companions all survived, and they have already received rewards befitting their merits."

The two entered the incense-scented reception room one after the other.

Lady Ishana poured Dick a drink favored by the Eredar. This semi-solid yogurt beverage, made from Talbuk milk and Mac'Aree's unique raspberries, tasted quite good and was rich in nutrients needed by patients.

Only after Dick downed his third large cup like a thirsty cow did Ishana speak with a smile.

"Brother Malderan, who earned glorious merit just like you, awoke yesterday and was summoned to the Seat of the Triumvirate. I heard that Commander Kil'jaeden granted him the rank of 'Exarch Commodore' and assigned him to the Antoran Wastes as a military commander.

"This kind of 'three-rank promotion' obviously does not conform to normal advancement procedures, but considering Brother Malderan's merits, many brothers and sisters believe the reward is somewhat too low. However, given the blood relationship between Brother Malderan and General Elodus that was just revealed, I believe this may have been intended to avoid criticism.

"As for those five young brothers and sisters, they were personally received by the two Grand Executors.

"They were granted the title of 'Exarch Champion.' Not only did they receive official appointments as Exarchs, they also received the honor of being bestowed with the Radiant Seal by Lord Naaru K'ure.

"Their futures are visibly bright.

"From these two arrangements, I imagine you will soon be summoned to the Seat of the Triumvirate as well. But I have heard some unsettling rumors.

"You may be..."

"I'll be put on ice."

Dick was not surprised by that result.

As he picked up an interpretation of scripture from the table and casually flipped through it, he said, "After all, I am a man with stains on my record. The dark deeds I took part in cannot be forgiven merely in the name of redemption. The Eredar civilization has no concept of balancing merits against faults. I will probably be given an honorary title, then sent somewhere far from the Mac'Aree capital district, only to be reinstated when the time is right.

"But believe me, Sister Ishana.

"After experiencing life and death, I no longer care about such empty honors.

"There is only one thing I care about now... Sarkir the Enlightener, the chief culprit who orchestrated this chaos, has not been executed, correct?"

"Sarkir has already been imprisoned."

Ishana spoke with a grave and regretful expression. "The Grand Executor ordered that all of Sarkir's spellcasting abilities be abolished and the fel energy in his body purified. The Assassin Court still needs to obtain important intelligence from him. In fact, Sarkir is currently imprisoned in the underground detention area of the Temple of Lura.

"We know too little about fel energy, so the purification process has not progressed smoothly.

"Sigh. When I was young, my parents once took me to listen to the Enlightener explain the Arcane Path. Both of my parents are spellcasters, and they greatly admired Sarkir. I do not know whether they can accept this cruel truth now."

"He's here?"

Dick raised his head, arching a brow. "May I see him? Not to vent my anger or insult him, Sister Ishana. I am truly curious how a spiritual leader like the Enlightener could fall into his current state in merely a dozen years.

"Perhaps it is enlightenment from the Holy Light.

"But I always feel that this matter cannot end so simply. Perhaps everything we are experiencing now is merely the calm before the true storm arrives.

"I need to meet him.

"Perhaps that will answer the doubts in my heart."

"Normally, I could not agree to such a request. Sarkir's imprisonment level is far too high, and the guards of the Assassin Court watch him day and night."

Priestess Ishana hesitated, but then said, "However, Captain Neri visited your sickroom yesterday. She said that she has a good relationship with you, so if you use your personal connections, perhaps you can obtain an opportunity to visit Sarkir. Shall I introduce you?"

"That would be wonderful. I'll have to trouble you, Sister Ishana."

Dick made his request earnestly. Ishana nodded and rose to summon a priestess to find Captain Neri. Then she returned to the reception hall, only to see Dick holding the scripture interpretation in his hands as he asked her, "So, at this stage, does the understanding of the Holy Light Doctrine among the brothers and sisters of the Temple of Lura still remain at the basic level of 'guiding people toward goodness' and 'sheltering the soul'?"

"Huh?"

Ishana was left bewildered by the question.

She looked at Dick with a strange expression and said:

"Although defenders are also practitioners of the Holy Light, you generally do not take much interest in doctrine or scripture. This is not meant as contempt; it is simply that defenders need the Holy Light's blessings to fight, so your understanding of doctrine tends to be rather... pragmatic.

And now you mean to debate scripture with me? With a legendary priestess who has served the Naaru for nearly a thousand years?"

"It's not as serious as debating scripture. After receiving the Holy Light's blessing and rediscovering my own moral path, I've simply become more curious about how the Holy Light is interpreted on a conceptual level."

Dick finally revealed his purpose. He said:

"I want to try to understand the concept of the Holy Light from a deeper perspective. Perhaps while becoming a defender, I can also follow your path, Sister Ishana. Perhaps while protecting the people, I can also become a priest who safeguards their hearts.

I don't know if I can do it.

But if this is the Holy Light's guidance, then I think I should give it a try."

"Holy Light above, a defender who wishes to become a priest of his own accord! The Holy Light must have blessed you with wisdom."

Ishana gave an exaggerated praise, then eagerly sat down across from Dick.

As a cleric devoted to enlightening the masses, she had a natural passion for this sort of "saving souls" work. Not to mention that she was now about to guide a defender onto the path of priesthood—something exceedingly rare over the past thousand years.

To be honest, most people capable of becoming defenders were not the quick-witted sort who could delve deeply into doctrine. They might be steadfast, devout, and fanatical enough, but asking them to debate scripture would be worse than handing them warhammers and telling them to challenge demons.

As the saying went, if defenders could understand scripture from the start and debate doctrine with ease, why would they not become priests, who held higher social status? Did they think they did not want to?

But very soon, Lady Ishana sensed that something was wrong.

She had thought this would be a "priestly initiation" that needed to begin with basic doctrine and scripture. But as they spoke, she discovered that this Brother Diakum before her was, by all accounts, ninety percent insane.

She had first spoken with him about the origin of the Holy Light.

Doctrine generally held that the Holy Light was the embodiment of hope and healing, but Dick told her that the Holy Light had been the first ray of Primal Light born from boundless darkness during the Great Ordering of Light and Shadow in the physical universe. It had never been some illusory symbolic concept. On the contrary, the Holy Light was a truly existing cosmic power entity!

It was precisely because it had torn through the primordial darkness and brought light to all things that it possessed symbolism on the level of a "cosmic foundation," just like the other primal forces.

But she was clearly unable to answer a topic so grand, so Priestess Ishana rather stiffly changed the subject.

She spoke with Dick about the universal value embodied by the Holy Light's "threefold transformation," and Dick then told her that the so-called "threefold transformation" was merely the Holy Light's most basic manifestation in the physical universe.

Its protection, healing, and retribution could all be viewed and analyzed from more flexible angles!

For example, the fusion of retribution and healing could give rise to a new path of "discipline and self-discipline." It was an advanced application of combat techniques suited to the ideals of defenders and priests. He swore that an accomplished Discipline Priest who had practiced asceticism for many years could easily knock down ten defender recruits in actual combat.

By then, cold sweat had already soaked Lady Ishana's collar.

Seeing that she could offer no deeper explanation in this regard, Dick was somewhat disappointed. He then took the initiative to discuss the concept of "light and shadow arising together."

He believed that the primal Holy Light and the boundless darkness that had birthed It shared some higher symbolic connection, and that the mutual emergence of light and shadow ran through the entire development of the Holy Light Doctrine.

He also believed that, beyond properly mastering the Holy Light's healing and protection, priests should attempt to explore the other side of the light: shadow.

After all, without shadow, even the brightest Holy Light would lose its meaning.

This theory of the contradiction between light and darkness, and of their twin-born nature, nearly made Ishana jump to her feet and accuse her "Brother Diakum" of being a shameless heretic hiding among the loyal defenders! No wonder he had volunteered to infiltrate the cultists. You brat really did have common ground with those cultists, didn't you?

However, when Dick sharply asked whether, during the deep Holy Light meditations performed by a legendary priestess like herself, she had ever heard whispers and temptations from the Shadow Beneath the Light, Ishana decisively and awkwardly shut her mouth.

How did Diakum, a mere defender, know this kind of "secret" that only high-ranking priests would encounter?

Could it truly be as he said—had he received the Holy Light's guidance?

They continued debating until, an hour later, Captain Neri arrived to take Dick to see Sarkir, with bandages still wrapped around the little tail. She was stunned by what she saw in the reception room: Dick was pouring himself a sheep's milk drink.

Across from him, the high-ranking priestess, Lady Ishana, sat with her eyes closed and her face deathly pale, in a state that was difficult to describe.

"What happened to her?"

Neri asked in confusion:

"She looks terrible. Should I call a doctor?"

"Her convictions were shattered, that's all. It's nothing serious.

Sister Ishana merely gained some new understanding of doctrine while debating scripture with me. We should leave her alone."

Dick rose to his feet and made a gesture for quiet, then had Neri take him to see Sarkir.

As he left the reception hall, he did not forget to chivalrously close the door for Ishana, who was in the midst of an "epiphany." Then he glanced at the newly acquired second class on his character panel: "Priest Apprentice."

A satisfied smile appeared on his face.

Well, when it came to changing classes, it was best to learn from a professional.