I Became the Priest of Blasphemy of the Outer Gods

Chapter 119. Wildlands (1)

Ansandy’s sword shimmered with a cerulean flame, rippling like a mirage.

She had become much faster, and her firepower had significantly increased compared to before.

In an instant, she thrust her sword dozens of times, so swift it was difficult to follow.

“… It shows no signs of falling.”

“What kind of monster were you fighting?”

I had been impersonating Pleroma to engage with my companions.

The fact that they retreated from Wave Reach without effectively challenging Pleroma remained a bitter memory for them.

“And this is supposedly its weakened state?”

As Ender exclaimed in disbelief, I realized I was not replicating Pleroma’s form from that time.

Back then, it had been bolstered by a grand ritual and a divine relic, so mere transformation couldn’t replicate that.

Although I possessed those relics, their side effects were too severe to make using them worthwhile.

“Here I come again.”

When Ansandy adjusted her grip on the sword, I hurled neighboring trees with strands of webbing.

However, Ender’s ferocious sword strikes dismantled most of them, and Eldritch intercepted the rest with magic.

Meanwhile, Ansandy leaped gracefully through the air, landing on my back with Delion’s song enhancing her step.

‘Their coordination is quite impressive.’

Relentlessly, Ansandy plunged her sword into my back, injecting and detonating fiery explosions.

The enhancements to her sword greatly increased its firepower and penetration, and each consecutive strike left a trail of embers that exploded upon impact.

BOOM! BOOM!

Even if it was practice, my body was taking quite a beating from all the explosions.

‘As the damage accumulates, so does my hunger…’

Watching the others, an overwhelming hunger began to stir within me.

‘… This is dangerous.’

Sensing my consciousness beginning to erode, I stopped the sparring session.

“Let’s stop here! I think that’s enough for now.”

Forcing a smile, I returned to my original form.

‘I mustn’t maintain this form for too long.’

If I started to resemble Pleroma inadvertently, it seemed my identity was merging with the transformation target as it progressed.

“You all have made significant progress. I’m impressed.”

Delion hadn’t advanced beyond being a support exclusive to Ansandy, but overall, they had become quite a formidable force.

However, my companions sighed in response.

“Have you taken no damage at all? With all the attacks we unleashed?”

“The parts that took damage were supplemented by Gluttony. I’ve reassembled them with intact areas, so the damage appears nonexistent.”

Although Gluttony had sustained damage, it wasn’t a major issue.

The only downside was that it consumed stored nutrients rapidly; without replenishment, large-scale transformations would be impossible.

Luckily, I had consumed plenty this time, so I was fine for the moment, but no longer could I rely on this for frequent use.

“So… you regenerated your body?”

Ender sighed and scratched his head. Even I thought that I had strayed far from what one would consider human.

“But I strive to maintain my mind as human.”

Gradually improving.

“In any case, I think this is sufficient.”

“Hmm… what do you think, lady?”

“Enough. Any further adjustments can be made on the battlefield.”

Everyone seemed to agree.

“Good. Let’s check if Lyla has completed the other items, and then we’ll set out immediately.”

“But is that mage lady alright? She hasn’t slept a wink, completely engrossed in production…”

“She mentioned that working tirelessly eases her anxiety.”

It wasn’t something I imposed upon her; Lyla volunteered. Unsure if I should dissuade her, but her determination was unwavering.

“I’ll verify her condition on the way.”

I headed down to Lyla’s workshop. Items were scattered messily, but everything was perfectly crafted.

“A magical compass, auto-replenishing canteen, toxicity analysis vial… Hmm, she’s made everything.”

What I requested were mostly tools required for the expedition. Lyla, who had completed all the items, was slumped over her desk in slumber.

“You did well.”

I instructed Mary to move Lyla to a bed.

‘Now… it’s about time.’

After gathering all the items, we finally set off toward the Wildlands.

* * *

“Hello! I am Aaron de Mole, volunteering for this special task force mission!”

The new paladin saluted Arian energetically.

“Thank you for your courageous volunteer efforts! Accompanying us on this mission are the renowned mercenaries Ender, Ansandy, and Delion! I hope this will greatly benefit your growth!”

Arian maintained respectful language even towards subordinates, speaking with a smile.

Behind her, the three mentioned wore expressions of fatigue as they rode.

“Where are you from?”

Arian inquired, trotting slowly alongside him.

“I’m from Riverim, a small village to the east.”

“Riverim… that’s the place by the mountains?”

“Yes, a location plagued by monsters. Watching Luminaries deployed there inspired my reverence.”

“Hmm… I see. What are your specialties?”

The questions continued, predominantly centered around his time with Luminaries.

“This should be enough! Although your answers were mostly good, there were a few errors regarding Luminaries’ lifestyle and training!”

“Really?”

I paused my act momentarily.

Aaron de Mole… The fictitious identity I concocted to infiltrate Luminaries.

Based on Arian’s male version in my imagination, his appearance was that of a strikingly handsome knight out of a fairy tale.

Yet, despite his looks, there seemed to be discrepancies in the backstory, as Arian continued to point out issues.

‘Dowol also criticized my settings like this.’

A character sheet wasn’t just a list of attributes.

It involved noting the character’s past, relationships with others, and generally detailing who that character was.

I valued dramatic and stylish settings befitting a protagonist, while Dowol insisted on lore-friendly, logically coherent backgrounds.

—No offense mate, but your character is a goddamn mess! The setting makes no sense!

Dowol, ever failing to grasp the charm of my settings and continuously mocking them.

“… Are you not listening again?”

“No, I’m listening.”

As I spoke with Arian about more intricate settings, exasperated sighs came from the back.

“Never have I met two more exhausting people than you. How can you be more tiresome than Delion?”

“Lady? Why involve me suddenly…?”

Delion’s protest was swiftly ignored.

Despite their complaints, we had no choice but to go through Luminaries’ outpost first in our initial exploration itinerary.

“We can’t have just any mercenary enter, and the usable identities are either Professor Magus or Ahab, but…”

The Luminaries were suspicious of the sudden survival news associated with Professor Magus.

While I could use the Ahab identity, it wasn’t feasible for excelling on this Wildlands expedition.

Of course, the others grumbled, questioning why such meticulousness was necessary.

“Wait! Something’s odd!”

Where Arian pointed, black smoke was rising.

“Isn’t that the outpost’s direction?”

“Let’s hurry!”

The Luminaries outpost, which we had planned to visit, lay in utter ruin when we arrived.

“What in the world…?”

Even the seasoned Ender couldn’t suppress his shock. It was because people were transforming into trees.

Faces contorted like they were forcibly stretched, skin split by branches glittering with sap.

Intestines spilled out, long roots growing from them, hungrily sapping nutrients from the ground.

“Aaagh…”

Desperate groans and tears spilled forth. Even at that moment, their skin hardened into bark, their eyes sprouting moss and fungal growths.

“A-Arian… Lady Elata…”

Recognizing the owner of that face, Arian exhaled a deep sigh.

“You are… Sir Philenus.”

With a heavy heart, Arian approached one of the trees.

It seemed Philenus hadn’t quite transformed fully into a monster as he groaned plaintively, still shedding tears.

“Please… just kill me… There’s no hope… anymore…”

“… Understood. Rest in peace, Sir Philenus.”

As Arian’s blade whipped up a gust, philenus, turning into a great tree, fell.

“You were a noble knight and companion. You will not be forgotten.”

Closing his eyes, Arian uttered a prayer for Philenus.

“Mr. Ansandy. I’d like to perform a cremation ritual just in case. Can you assist?”

“Of course.”

The fire Ansandy started roared, reducing the tree that was once Philenus to ashes without resistance.

But Philenus was not the only one to have become a tree. The outpost was filled with numerous misshapen trees, their roots embedded in the soil, reaching skyward like serpentine limbs.

“Let’s ensure the others can rest in peace too.”

“While we’re at it, we should scout around.”

Ender teamed up with Arian, Ansandy with Delion, and I paired with Eldritch as we commenced our search.

“It’s gruesome. Considering the strength of the Luminaries, this is strange.”

Luminaries were either grotesquely dead or transformed into warped trees.

“… Suicide, maybe.”

We determined the source of the smoke was from knights having set themselves alight, killing themselves to stop their monstrous transformation.

“No survivors…?”

Those twisted into trees couldn’t really be considered survivors, either.

I tried rolling dice to uncover information, but there wasn’t enough to figure anything out.

“Lord Ethnos. This phenomenon isn’t tied to the ‘Goddess’ as you know.”

Stepping out from within Gluttony, Eldritch observed the surroundings.

“I’d wager the same.”

This was the work of another Outer God.

‘The Black Willow Cult. That wooden fragment found by Cernun.’

Considering the importance of symbolism, something other than the Black Goat should not have emerged.

“Eldritch, any guesses which Outer God might be involved?”

“There are possibilities, but I’m not certain if making others into trees falls within their abilities…”

At that moment, a peculiar sound alerted us to a presence within a tent.

Eldritch immediately conjured a magic circle, readying for combat, while I transformed Gluttony into tendrils.

Flap-!

Throwing open the tent, we found a bizarre primate-like creature.

Its limbs long and spindly, unnaturally extended as though forcibly stretched.

Its skin, grimy like split plaster, devoid of eyes, possibly a sign of regression.

“What is that? Is it feasting on the bodies?”

“There’s a faint presence of an Outer God in that creature, but… it’s weak, too weak to be of a related species.”

Eldritch spoke cautiously.

“That’s likely just a human.”

The creature, ravenously devouring Luminaries’ innards, turned its head towards us.

It let out a jarring, beastlike howl that was unsettling to the ear.

“Over here! There’s food here!”

And responding to its call, throats numbering in the hundreds howled back from all around the Wildlands.