It was a painful experience when the person you were trying to show off to refused to cooperate.
Roughly comparable to an author swearing they'd resume updates, disappearing for days, and finally crawling back to post with a thick skin.
Morin was in exactly that situation.
After displaying his power, he had practically shoved the cross into Lucy's hand and forced a formal induction on her. The process was crude to the extreme. There was no descending holy light, no thunderous divine voice. Morin had even forgotten most of the Templar oaths and had to dig through his memory before hastily piecing something together.
It didn't matter.
It was only a formality.
Besides, Morin himself was the Grand Master and founder of the Knights Templar in this world. If not him, then who else had the authority to decide how the ceremony should be conducted?
That was the confidence that came with administrative privileges.
"So," Morin said with a grin, "you're now a proud Knight Templar."
"How many Knights Templar are there in total?" Lucy asked. She didn't seem bothered by being forcibly dragged into the organization. For someone who had already lost most of her emotions, even resentment would have been a luxury.
Unfortunately, that wasn't happening.
"Let me count," Morin said, ticking off his fingers. "Wesley, Cross, Wick, Winston, Fox... and one background character whose name I forgot a long time ago. Add you and me, and that's about eight people."
"Truly scarce," Lucy said.
Given her current state, it wasn't sarcasm. It was a literal assessment.
"Small in number, but every one of them is top-tier," Morin waved his hand. "Besides, we can expand later. There's no rush at all."
"To be precise, you're the only one who actually needs to do anything," Lucy said calmly. "And you don't intend to lift a finger. So... what's next?"
"Going to see the man himself," Morin replied. "I don't plan to act against ordinary humans in this world. But for extraterrestrials interfering with the process..."
He paused.
"I have to step in."
Morin extended his hand.
Lucy placed hers in his without hesitation.
A complex magical circle unfolded around them, layers overlapping until the two were completely enclosed. A pillar of light connecting heaven and earth flared into existence-
Then vanished in an instant.
...
Sloan was still staring at the sky.
His mind was filled with a single phrase.
Motherf***er.
He had been stuck on that thought for nearly seven days.
It had to be said-it was a terrifyingly effective passive ability.
As he maintained this posture, a light suddenly ignited in the sky.
The man in runic armor sensed it as well and looked up.
Under their combined gaze, a purple pillar of light descended at terrifying speed. It carried immense energy, appearing and vanishing in a blink, landing less than thirty feet away.
When the light dissipated, two figures stood where it had struck.
Sloan's eyes widened.
For Morin, a long time had passed.
For Sloan, almost none at all.
His heart was filled with pure shock.
What was that pillar of light?
What was happening to this world?
The man in runic armor felt dread flood his mind.
He remembered Morin.
At first, he had merely been curious, intending to capture Morin for study. Then Morin had vanished briefly-and reappeared carrying an overwhelming pressure, wielding power so terrifying it defied comprehension.
It felt like facing a legendary god.
The irony was suffocating.
He himself was an Isu. To humans, the technology of his civilization made them gods in all but name.
Yet standing before Morin...
He felt like the mortal.
Total helplessness.
And now Morin had returned.
With a woman who radiated the same terrifying pressure.
Another existence he couldn't resist.
So that disappearance earlier...
Was it just to find her?
What did I do to deserve being hunted by two gods?
The thought was grimly amusing.
"You... you... don't come any closer!" Panic overtook him. Perhaps because Morin appeared just as he was about to strike Sloan, he instantly retreated behind Sloan, grabbing him and pressing a spear to his throat. "Or I'll kill him!"
As the words left his mouth, he noticed the woman's expression.
Shock.
Disbelief.
The Isu man exhaled in relief.
He had taken the right hostage.
"Professor?" Lucy stared at Sloan, unable to stop herself. "Are you like me? How did you get here?"
The Isu man's relief shattered instantly.
Professor?
An existence like her... calling him that?
Damn it.
These humans.
So weak on the surface, yet hiding this kind of power.
And deliberately playing with him.
The Isu man immediately lost all courage to continue the threat. He released Sloan, activated some form of technology, and vanished on the spot.
Morin looked up at the sky.
Unhurried.
This guy had made him chase him for a long time.
Well-more accurately, Morin had forgotten about him.
But that didn't matter.
If Morin said it counted as a chase, then it did.
Let him run a little longer in terror.
"Is that... the Professor?" Lucy asked, still stunned.
"No," Morin shook his head. "That's Sloan."
"In the world you came from, he's the Professor. In this world, he's the leader of the Assassin Brotherhood."
He paused.
"Or rather, the former leader. Someone who abandoned his faith for profit."
"As for why they look identical..." Morin continued evenly. "In my original world, they're both played by the same person-Morgan Freeman. I call them mirror isotopes. Same appearance, same build."
"But obviously, in your world, the Professor doesn't have this level of physical conditioning."
"I-I am willing to submit!" Sloan suddenly shouted.
He didn't understand what Morin was talking about.
But he understood the situation perfectly.
He dropped to his knees without hesitation.
"I'm willing to join the Knights Templar! I'll serve you like an ox or a horse!"