Chapter 289 ·The Mysterious Black Sun Preacher

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Mysterious Black Sun Preacher

Accompanied by Avril's personal guard while moving through the Trading Post, all the human adventurers around them cast admiring glances.

"Is that Miss Avril?"

"Her beauty truly lives up to her reputation."

"But look at those people walking beside Miss Avril—aren't they rumored to be tribespeople of the 'Dragon Holy Maiden'?"

"That's hard to say. But I remember there was a rumor that the Dragon Holy Maiden is actually the second princess of the Otto Kingdom..."

"Hah, and you believe that sort of thing?"

The adventurers and mercenaries stood on either side of the main road, discussing amongst themselves. In the entire Otto Kingdom, this was perhaps the only place where humans would make way for non-humans.

Amid the envious stares, Serea and the others entered the headquarters of the Xiyun Merchant Guild, but no one noticed that among those adventurers were a few unusual figures.

"So that's the one..."

Staring after Serea's back for a long while, that person's lips curled into a faint smile. Then he melted into the crowd.

Having arrived at the Trading Post headquarters, Serea and Avril discussed their future cooperation plans. With the vast number of orders, leon and the others would be busy for quite a while.

After finishing all the affairs, avril led Serea to the 'mansion' at the back of the headquarters.

"It's quite late today, queen Serea. Please stay here for the night. Tomorrow, we can visit the camp together."

"All right."

After agreeing, avril took her guards to find their residences. Noticing the onset of nightfall and the splendid lights within the Trading Post, Serea's playful curiosity was hard to suppress.

At her suggestion, Celia, Lola, Vina, Dogsius, and Lilith all decided to head outside with her, while Ina declined and went off to play with Auna.

...

Walking down the dazzling business street, the girls' 'love of beauty' was fully unleashed. All sorts of beautiful jewelry and exquisite clothing were bought in a shopping spree. Seeing how much fun they were having, Serea simply granted them a small holiday.

At the same time, Serea discovered a rather interesting place.

Opera house!

If there's an opera house here, perhaps my Faith Crystal...

Silently keeping this in mind, the tired Serea came to a familiar tavern. Inside, the tavern was packed with adventurers and mercenaries—their tables overflowing as they laughed, drank, and ate heartily, sharing the spoils of their day's adventures. Serea took a seat along with Celia and Lilith at a random spot.

"This was the tavern where we first met, wasn't it?"

Lilith ordered an ice wine and sighed in nostalgia.

"Yeah, what a coincidence that was,"

Serea replied. The moment the three of them sat down, they drew the attention of several men in the tavern.

The three men seated next to them exchanged glances and then, together, walked over to Serea's side. Though all three women wore masks, this air of mystery only heightened their allure.

"Ladies, may I..."

No sooner had they approached than several fox tribe guards strode into the tavern, saying immediately,

"Please step back."

"Huh? You dare talk to me like—"

Before he could finish, his companion hurriedly pulled him away.

"Let's go!"

After seeing his companion frantically signaling him by sight, the man—even though he had just arrived at this Trading Post—realized these girls' identities were far from ordinary. So he didn't resist, allowing himself to be pulled back.

"Sorry to have disturbed you, ladies. If you need anything, just call for us."

With the three men gone, the fox tribe guards also withdrew.

Serea's group lifted their ice wine, planning to rest a while before browsing more stores. But just then, Serea suddenly sensed she was being watched.

Similarly, lilith and Celia became alert at once.

In a distant alley, a man concealed by darkness was chanting magic, casting a spell called 'Darkness Peeping'. In his hand was a black scroll, emanating a strange mental force.

"This woman is one of those in control of the Trading Post, isn't she? If I can use my god's power to control her, this place will soon return to my lord's embrace."

He muttered as he activated another ability. But all of this unfolded beneath the watchful gaze of a Raven.

Meanwhile, Little Black had already entered stealth, standing right beside the man. He could see every magic rune the man was drawing with perfect clarity.

"Queen, please give the order."

"Follow him. Remember, leave him alive."

"Yes."

Receiving the order, Little Black seemed a bit disappointed, folding his arms gloomily at the man's side, while the man grinned sinisterly—completely unaware of Little Black's presence.

As the man released his second skill, Dogsius had pre-read the skill.

"Master, it's a type of mental magic I've never seen before."

"Is it powerful?"

Serea asked.

"As long as I'm here, it can't harm you,"

Dogsius replied confidently. Then Serea heard a low whisper in her ears.

It was an incomprehensible sound, impossible to express in any language. Under its influence, Serea saw countless ghostly shadows appear before her eyes.

But then...

"Nom!"

Through a mental connection with Serea, Dogsius devoured the mental force that had invaded Serea's body. After savoring it, Na replied,

"Hm... It's quite a peculiar kind of mental force. If it were a normal person, they'd likely be influenced by it. With repeated intrusion, the target's subconscious perceptions could gradually be altered."

"So it can control a person?"

"No, not truly control—at most, it can guide thoughts. And this enchantment requires long-term, repeated spells. If the caster's influence is broken afterward, the altered perceptions will recover."

Dogsius explained, while at the same time, Serea received information about the spy.

Tuck! Level 21! bronze elite! Black Sun Preacher!

Black Sun Preacher? What the hell is that? I don't recall ever provoking them—so why are they targeting me?

While Serea was mulling over this information, tuck gasped.

"My god's faith has vanished!"

Sensing that the mental force na had cast had disappeared, tuck's face showed shock and disbelief. Coming to his senses, he immediately tried to escape: anyone immune to 'divine power' was bound to be a dangerous figure—it was best to retreat for now.

Watching Tuck run off to the other end of the alley, Little Black followed at a leisurely pace and soon saw Tuck enter an inn.

Little Black did not rush in. Entering recklessly would likely expose him. Instead, he directed the Raven to look around; the keen-eyed bird soon pinpointed their target's location. A few light movements later, Little Black landed silently outside the right room's window.

The moment he landed, he heard two people conversing inside.

(To be continued...)