Chapter 251 – Confrontation and Battle
Exorcists' Guild – Edge Sector, Underground Level Five
Materials Processing Room
Because evil materials could pose unpredictable dangers, this facility was built far from the main Guild hall. Aside from specialized staff, outsiders rarely came here.
When Meryl arrived, only one on-duty employee was present.
"Follow me," the man said, taking the lead.
Meryl kept a blank expression as she followed him into a spacious chamber.
The air was thick with the scent of herbs. Strange symbols were carved across the walls.
"Why did you come alone?"
A figure stepped out of the shadows.
It was Beron.
His expression was dark, his gaze fixed coldly on Meryl.
"The guest won't be coming," she said calmly.
"You said… what?!"
His roar echoed through the room.
Beron loosened his tie and slowly approached her.
"Should I take that to mean you intend to terminate our contract?" he asked quietly.
"Contract?" Meryl clenched her fists and met his eyes. "Those things you gave me—they were never going to cure Winnie, were they?"
Beron narrowed his eyes. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"It's been years," Meryl's eyes reddened. "Ever since Winnie first showed abnormalities, the threat inside her hasn't lessened."
"But it hasn't worsened either, has it?"
Beron circled her slowly.
"You know how complicated demonic possession is. Completely purging an evil spirit takes time."
"If not for the Devotion Charms we provided, Winnie would already be dead!"
Meryl let out a bitter laugh.
"Is it really an evil spirit?"
Beron stopped and turned toward her.
"An evil spirit cannot coexist with the host soul—unless they were intimately connected from the beginning. For example… twins."
She held his gaze.
"When I was examined at the hospital, I was carrying two children."
Beron frowned. "Who told you this?"
She ignored the question.
"Now that I think about it, Yude appeared in my life out of nowhere. He fit me so perfectly… as if tailor-made."
"After my father died in that 'accident,' you approached me. Everything was just too convenient."
"You're overthinking," Beron said coldly, retreating slightly into the shadows. One of his hands subtly gestured behind his back.
"If we wanted you dead, you wouldn't have lived this long."
"To you, I'm nothing but a tool," Meryl's chest rose and fell rapidly.
"If I didn't hold this manager position—if I couldn't help you manipulate Miss Catherine—I'd already be dead."
---
Outside the Room
Pressed against the wall, Gideon listened carefully.
Beside him, Catherine scanned the surroundings warily.
---
Inside
"Since you understand that, yet still choose to oppose us…" Beron's tone turned icy. "It seems you don't intend to save your daughter."
"There's something you may not realize," he continued. "Without the Devotion Charm suppressing it, the 'evil spirit' inside your daughter will lose control within a day."
"You disgust me!" Meryl spat. "Winnie was nothing but a tool for you to control me. I won't fall for it again."
"Then you can die."
Beron's voice was flat.
The next instant, two silver canisters flew out of the darkness and shattered at Meryl's feet.
They were specialized Guild containers for storing evil materials, engraved with protective runes. Under normal circumstances, even a fully armed knight would struggle to break one.
From the shattered fragments, several dark shapes surged forth and lunged at her.
Meryl tore the necklace from her chest and began chanting.
Moments later, the pendant emitted a pale golden glow, forming a barrier that held the evil spirits at bay.
"A medium," Beron sneered from the shadows. "You truly inherited your father's talent."
"But you're nowhere near his level."
"You've taken control of the materials room," Meryl said through clenched teeth. Sweat beaded on her forehead—the necklace's power clearly taxing her strength. "Aren't you afraid the Guild will find out?"
"You've done plenty of dirty work for us over the years," Beron replied coldly. "And now you ask such a foolish question?"
Before his words finished echoing, another figure emerged from the darkness.
A tall, broad-shouldered man in black robes.
A longsword gleamed in his hand.
In a flash, he appeared before Meryl.
The next instant, a layer of radiant energy enveloped the longsword's blade as it slashed down with brutal force.
Bang!
The two forces collided midair and exploded outward. Meryl was sent flying.
Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. The necklace in her hand shattered into two pieces.
As she tried to rise, her body suddenly jerked backward.
The black-robed man had appeared beside her without warning, gripping her hair tightly.
She struggled desperately, but his strength was overwhelming.
At the same time, the two masses of dark spirit-energy surged toward her once more.
Meryl could only watch helplessly as they lunged.
"Ah—!"
Her eyes rolled back. Black veins spread across her cheeks as she felt the evil spirits invading her body inch by inch.
"Wait!"
Beron suddenly rushed forward. "She can't die like this!"
He pulled a silver charm from his pocket and pressed it to Meryl's forehead.
The evil aura around her was immediately suppressed.
"Give her to me."
Beron took Meryl from the black-robed man.
In the next second, he grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head into the floor.
Bang! Bang!
Once. Twice.
Blood quickly covered her face.
"Bitch!"
Still unsatisfied, Beron released her hair and stomped viciously on her head.
"You're nothing but a slave. Archbishop Saddu only showed mercy by letting you enter the Exorcists' Guild. You worthless—"
"Cough… cough…"
Meryl turned her head weakly and forced her gaze toward the man torturing her.
Then she moved her lips.
"What did you say?" Beron narrowed his eyes and leaned closer.
"The manager position… was left to me… by my father…"
Using the last of her strength, Meryl spat a mouthful of blood onto his face.
Beron's expression darkened instantly.
He extended a hand. The black-robed man immediately produced a silver canister.
"You'll regret the decision you made today."
Beron grabbed Meryl's chin, preparing to unseal the container.
Click.
A shutter sound suddenly rang out.
Beron stiffened and looked up sharply.
Two figures stood at the entrance.
"It's you."
One wore camouflage combat gear. Beron recognized him immediately—the man who had sold Catherine high-quality holy relics.
Then his gaze shifted.
"And that bitch Catherine is here too."
"Sorry," Gideon said calmly, lowering his phone. "Forgot to mute it. But I've already captured all the evidence I need."
"Hmph. I thought today would be a wasted trip. Didn't expect you to deliver yourself to me."
Beron released Meryl.
"Miss Catherine, are you still going to stand on this brat's side?"
"Scum," Catherine replied coldly.
"I was never on your side. You were the one who kept clinging to me."
Beron smirked and brushed back his hair.
"You weren't so proud when you begged me to sell you holy relics. What's this? Found yourself a new man and tossed aside the old one?"
Catherine clenched her fists.
"There was nothing between us. No matter how you slander me, that won't change. Buying holy relics was a simple transaction. I paid the proper Resentment Points."
Seeing she refused to be provoked, Beron turned back to Gideon.
"If you think you can threaten me with evidence… heh."
"You misunderstand," Gideon said, pocketing his phone.
"These photos aren't for blackmail. And they're not for reporting to the Guild either."
He pulled an iron nail from his bag.
"They're to shut the Guild up after I'm done with you."
Beron frowned.
"I hope you're still this confident when I'm stepping on your skull."
"You do realize this place was prepared specifically for you. Do you really think you're walking out alive?"
Outwardly, Beron stalled for time. Inwardly, he was calculating how to deal with Catherine.
Archbishop Sadu specifically ordered she must not be harmed… but it's not time to take her yet. If that family finds out—
He narrowed his eyes.
No matter what, I'll deal with this obstacle first.
"I'll give you one chance," Beron said. "Promise you'll never sell high-grade holy relics in the Guild again, and I'll let you leave."
Gideon rubbed his chin.
"You prepared all this for me… and now you're offering mercy?"
He looked at Beron as if staring at an idiot.
Beron's face darkened. He gestured subtly.
The black-robed man vanished instantly.
"Something like Sacred Step?" Gideon's pupils shimmered with twin golden rings as he turned.
The black-robed man appeared behind him, sword descending.
Clang!
A deafening metallic crash echoed. Gideon was blasted backward.
Beron smirked and stepped aside as Gideon landed where he had stood moments earlier.
But the smile froze on his face.
Gideon stood there unharmed, gripping the iron nail in reverse.
"Stay conscious. You're not allowed to die yet."
He uncorked a small vial of holy water and poured it into Meryl's mouth, then pressed a cross into her hand.
She groaned in pain as the evil aura around her rapidly dissipated.
Clang!
Another clash rang out.
The iron nail intercepted the descending blade inches above Meryl's throat.
The black-robed man had attempted to exploit Gideon's distraction—but he hadn't expected such overwhelming strength.
"Smart tactic. Finally, someone competent," Gideon remarked.
The black-robed man's instincts screamed danger.
He attempted to retreat—only to find he couldn't activate his rapid-movement technique. It felt as though an invisible force pinned him in place.
"Sacred Art!"
He raised his sword with both hands. Behind him, a small spectral phantom manifested, glowing white.
The phantom suddenly exploded, whipping up a violent gust of wind.
The restraints shattered. He leapt back.
"He's from the Church. At least third-level Sacred Arts."
Beron's eyes flickered with surprise.
Only prodigies of the seminary—or archbishops—could master that level.
And this man was young.
Troublesome, Beron thought.
Good thing I prepared thoroughly.
He had already adjusted his expectations after learning Gideon was the one who topped the real-time ranking days ago.
"Buy me time," he muttered before retreating into the darkness.
Gideon didn't pursue. He had already assessed the room—there was only one exit.
Beron wasn't escaping.
Beside him, Catherine stared.
"You… you're from the Church."
Gideon didn't deny it.
He had anticipated his identity being exposed.
Catherine swallowed.
She had seen many high-ranking clergy in Vatican City.
What Gideon used was unmistakable—Third-Level Sacred Art: Divine Eye Seal.
It manipulated surrounding spiritual particles to bind opponents, whether human or spirit.
"Many clergy only master that after forty… and he's this young…"
Her shock deepened.
"No… it's not fully complete. Otherwise that man wouldn't have escaped."
Even so, his strength rivaled a diocesan archbishop.
Gideon clicked his tongue.
"Looks like Sacred Arts don't advance much against ordinary humans."
The black-robed man lunged again, phantom reforming behind him.
"No more openings."
"Is that so?" Gideon said lightly. "The ancestral spirit you condensed through knightly willpower is… rather small."
It was true.
Compared to the spirit Knight Henry had manifested when facing Freddy, this was pitiful.
"Enough to kill you."
He vanished again.
Appearing behind Gideon, he struck.
This time, surely—
But the blade hit something impossibly hard.
"What—?!"
Runic symbols flared across the back of Gideon's neck, completely blocking the strike.
"Another Sacred Art…"
The black-robed man realized in horror.
Two different Sacred Arts.
That required multiple divine imprints—far beyond his level.
He wasn't fighting an ordinary priest.
"Wait—"
His throat was seized mid-sentence.
"You think you can call timeout after swinging at someone?"
Gideon's fist slammed into his face.
The black-robed man flew across the room and hit the ground—unmoving.
"Against non-spiritual enemies, fists are simpler," Gideon muttered.
Then his expression changed.
Catherine stiffened too.
Rows of wooden cabinets had appeared around them.
Hundreds of silver canisters lined the shelves.
Cracks spread across every one.
Evil energy poured into the air.
And suddenly—
The room filled with the howling of countless spirits.