I Became the Priest of Blasphemy of the Outer Gods

Chapter 37 Ambush

“There doesn’t seem to be any strange magic on the waistband. Just as that Arian woman said.”

I nodded at Eldritch’s assessment.

However, my mind wasn’t on the waistband; it was entirely fixated on the Necronomicon.

“Interesting. How could the miracle of the Outer God be turned into something resembling magic…?”

“I can’t even dare to handle it; you’re quite extraordinary.”

Eldritch stated that meddling with the miracle of the Outer God in such a frivolous manner was both sacrilegious and dangerous, so he did not wish to deal with it. Unfortunately, my plan to have Eldritch learn it had fallen through because of his extreme aversion.

“If it’s like this… I think I could even use it.”

Although I couldn’t use magic from a God, the Necronomicon described miracles of the Outer God that were modified and recreated. The mana consumption was slightly reduced, yet the effects were inferior to the original and there were still restrictive conditions to consider. However, by omitting the initiation ritual, the extent to which it damaged the mind or body was greatly reduced.

‘Should I view 〈False Qualification〉 as the common initiation ritual for all the spells in the Necronomicon?’

It seemed that Ferdinand had experimented with the Necronomicon’s magic for far too long without mastering 〈False Qualification〉, which led to his current state.

‘I need to come up with an appropriate name for it since continuing to call it magic doesn’t seem right… Outer Magic?’

The more I delved into the contents of the Necronomicon, the more fascinating it became.

“Eldritch, it looks like we need to test the things written here.”

“Understood. Are we going to the hideout? It’s a rather tiring place to visit every time…”

I understood Eldritch’s grumbling. The hideout, which was essentially a trap intended to lure enemies, had various booby traps set up. Each time we visited, we had to navigate through recorded trap positions, which left us utterly exhausted by the time we entered and exited.

“Still, there’s no choice. We’ll have to stay holed up there for training for a while.”

“Then I’ll have to visit the blacksmith alone.”

I nodded, and Eldritch transformed into a human before heading out. Both Eldritch and I wouldn’t be returning to this place for a while. Hoping to return here safely after the final showdown with Albeka, I gathered my belongings and quietly left the room.

* * *

A few days later, upon seeing my condition, Eldritch couldn’t hold back his nagging.

“To be honest, Lord Ethnos, at this rate, you’ll self-destruct before Albeka even arrives.”

“I know I’m pushing myself too hard.”

I answered while reading the next passage in the Necronomicon and organizing it in my mind.

“Didn’t you perform those… meditations continuously? All sorts of miracles. Keep this up, and your mind really won’t endure it!”

“Eldritch, I appreciate your concern, but-”

“To be fully prepared, you also need rest, don’t you? Aren’t you rushing too much?”

“I don’t have time.”

I was definitely pushing myself, but there truly was no time to rest. Albeka was not an opponent to be underestimated, and I would have to face other officers from Stigmata he would bring along. With such battles ahead, it was obvious there was no time to be complacent.

“How about escaping instead? There’s no need to overexert yourself for a fight.”

“Escaping is a good option, sure. It would give me more time to grow stronger and lessen the burden.”

“Then…”

“And it would also give the enemy more time to prepare and more opportunities to track me down.”

“Hmm…”

“That’s not all. Engaging the enemy with precise, accurate information and laying traps is crucial. If I miss this chance, who knows when the next one will come.”

I couldn’t miss the opportunity for a favorable battlefield. Trying to escape would only result in continued pursuit, putting me at a disadvantage compared to fighting in a previously prepared battlefield.

“Of course, I have no intention of pushing myself to the point of self-destruction.”

I could still manage. Closing the Necronomicon, I opened another scripture. As Eldritch sighed audibly, I entered meditation again. By experiencing the source of the painful and gruesome miracles, my understanding deepened once more. Then, after a while of immersion…

“Cough!”

Blood splattered from my eyes and mouth.

*Beeeeep.*

A ringing sound echoed in my ears, and my vision blurred for a moment.

“Here’s some water.”

I gulped down the water that Eldritch handed to me, accompanied by a clicking tongue, wiping the blood from my eyes. I also took a recovery potion and a sedative.

“Really, how about stopping now? Honestly, I’ve seen many humans, but you’re the first so tenacious.”

“I’m doing it because I can endure it. But that’s enough for now. I’ve finished meditating on all usable miracles and forbidden arts.”

“Forbidden arts… So, you really plan to use the techniques written in the Necronomicon.”

“I must use everything at my disposal. But you’re right… I need to rest now.”

After meditating on every miracle I could wield, I finally thought of resting. The harvest was, of course, enormous. The price of exhausting my mind and body was gaining much more strength and acquiring many new miracles.

“I’ll sleep for about three hours. If something happens…”

Just as I caught my breath and tried to sleep in the rag pile that served as a bed in our hideout.

*Piiiing…*

The web, pre-set with a miracle, responded. The reaction was weak. It might have been a small animal, but with the presence of an Outer God priest like me, that possibility was slim.

“Faster than expected. It’s an attack.”

“What? Already?”

“I told you, we don’t have time, so we have to hurry.”

I hastily threw clothes and a cloak over my armor. The enemy seemed to be someone capable of sneaking and moving quietly, perfect for reconnaissance. Our hideout was equipped with various defense mechanisms, not just magic but also some crude booby traps. While none of those triggered, the cleverly hidden web beneath the dirt couldn’t be avoided.

“Eldritch. When I signal, cast the 〈Blue Lance〉 at the designated location.”

“Understood.”

I sharpened my senses. Our hideout had two secret exits and one standard entrance. Each was filled with traps and defense systems, with webs laid underneath the dirt to detect vibrations.

*Piiiing…*

The vibrations detected were slight, suggesting the intruder was exceptional. Yet, stepping on my web meant they couldn’t completely hide from me.

“Straight ahead, now!”

“〈Blue Lance〉!”

As Eldritch cast the spell, a blue spear flew toward the entrance. It hit its mark. Despite the enemy’s clever disguise and erased presence, the unexpected attack inflicted a fatal wound, and he fell.

‘If he was just a patrol around here, he wouldn’t have paid so much attention to his disguise.’

That one was a scout. With him dead, the enemy likely noticed. I had no time to wait for the next assault. Multiple reactions appeared from one of the hidden exits as soon as the scout was killed. They immediately moved in after realizing.

“Activate the Corrosion Dagger Trap now.”

“Damn it… I hope we can recover it later.”

Eldritch, tearfully, activated the trap. A floating tray to carry light objects. The dagger infused with the energy of the 【Warping Destroyer】, ‘Pale Decay’. A simple trap moving the dagger with the handle tied and fixed to the tray. The dagger targeted the wooden pillar at the secret exit. Although it was only one of several pillars supporting the path to the underground hideout, the corrosion spread from this single pillar to the ceiling and other pillars.

“My dagger…”

Eldritch was deeply regretful, but it was highly effective.

*Rumble!*

Suddenly, the ceiling collapsed, crushing the advancing Stigmata members to death.

Upon confirming this, I immediately ran towards the second secret exit.

“Eldritch!”

“Understood!”

Eldritch shrunk back into a smaller form and slipped into the bag I carried. Although I did not sense any immediate threat near the second secret exit, I remained cautious as I ventured outside, wary of potential enemies nearby.

“He’s not here!”

“Damn it! He must’ve escaped through another exit!”

As soon as I emerged through the exit, I heard the shouts of Stigmata members from behind. They were furious, having fallen into the trap I had meticulously prepared over a long period. If they thought this was the end, they were mistaken.

*Snap.*

I severed the spider web that had been crafted using a miracle. The web interconnected various spots, holding lanterns and oil barrels fixed to the walls and ceiling inside the hideout. The sound of wooden barrels filled with oil shattering was accompanied by the Stigmata members’ screams.

“Fire! Move! We need to get out!”

“Crazy bastard! This whole place was just a trap!”

While it was common to set traps at the entrances of bases, it was rare for the entire base to be a trap itself. This uncomfortable hideout had been chosen from the start for such a purpose.

‘It’s a shame they didn’t trigger any of the booby traps. I could have reduced their numbers even more.’

The fewer enemies, the better. Nevertheless, I didn’t harbor any strong regrets.

‘They were almost like throwaway pawns anyway.’

Despite having a capable scout among them, the real skilled combatants must have been elsewhere. There was no point in wasting mana on these low-level enemies. Even though my mana had increased, the miracles of the Outer God consumed an enormous amount of it.

『It seems they haven’t discovered this side yet.』

“They’ll soon swarm in.”

But from now on, I needed to use a miracle. The enemy would quickly figure out my location, so I had to be prepared.

“May those who soil the divine thread with their filthy feet and disrupt the sacred space be devoured by their own folly. 〈Condemnation Web〉.”

A white spider web spread around me, covering the ground so densely that it looked almost like snow. Anyone who touched the web would get entangled, dissolving within the mass of threads. Although the web’s visibility was problematic, it was relatively inconspicuous under the cover of night.

This miracle had a fairly wide range but consumed minimal mana. However, it wasn’t that difficult to counter. For example…

*Whoosh.*

A flame. In an instant, the web I had set ablaze disappeared.

“You destroyed it immediately. Impressive, Albeka.”

I could pinpoint the culprit right away. A short distance away, atop a building, a Stigmata member held a burning arrow. Judging by his darker, sturdier-looking armor and the array of weapons he carried, he was clearly well-prepared.

“Everyone…”

And nearby, several Stigmata members appeared on the rooftops of various buildings. Judging by their proper armament, they weren’t mere cannon fodder but elite forces gathered to take me down. These foes were armed with bows, arrows, and spears.

‘They came thoroughly prepared. They must’ve identified the other exits and positioned themselves strategically in this area.’

“… Fire!”

At Albeka’s command, countless arrows and spears flew towards me.