Became the Weapon Monopolist of the Gods

The attribute of darkness is ‘maga.’

The mere mention of the attribute of darkness is enough to increase the danger level of a Gate, making maga a bane for hunters.

The Despair Gate is no exception and even more so.

Within the Despair Gate, surrounded entirely by maga, hunters were unable to utilize their full power.

“If it weren’t for the maga…!”

Rubenka, the S-rank hunter of the Church, frowned.

Amid the dark mist, shadowy spirits were flying around.

Dark Specters.

Physical attacks were ineffective against these spirits born from the grudges of the dead.

Moreover, wrapped in maga, magical power also struggled to strike them effectively.

The only solution was the light attribute magic, which was in direct opposition to maga, capable of overcoming the Dark Specters.

But if it were that easy, this place wouldn’t be called the Despair Gate.

“–Damnatorum ecc… te ad mortem…”

The ominous hum of the Specter muttering unintelligible words sent shivers down the hunters’ spines.

Even her artifact, the Execution Sword Claymore, could not fully function inside the Despair Gate.

Kaga-strong!

Cutting down even one Dark Ghoul caused Rubenka to expend a significant amount of her strength.

“–Vos ecclesiae ministr… Morieris…”

Monsters that should have been easy to capture saw a geometric rise in their hunting difficulty due to the Despair Gate’s maga.

Despite having only eliminated twenty undead creatures, Rubenka already felt breathless.

The situation was worse for the other Church hunters.

“Stay back!”

“Uuuhh…!”

These supposedly elite hunters of the Church resorted to ineffective physical attacks and held up crosses.

“–■■■ ■■ ■■■!”

Suddenly, a mysterious cry accompanied by the loud neighing of a horse echoed through the fog.

A headless knight holding a head in his hand appeared—Dullahan.

“Dullahan!”

“Damn!”

The faces of the Church hunters darkened.

An ordinary B-rank monster, the Dullahan became a near A-rank beast within the Despair Gate.

“Step aside!”

Rubenka stepped forward, swinging her Claymore at the charging Dullahan.

Kang-aang!

The Dullahan’s maga-enshrouded lance clashed with Rubenka’s Claymore, sending sparks flying.

“–■■ ■■■!”

The red and white aura clashed several times in a tense standoff.

Rubenka clenched her lips.

‘With this, an assault is impossible.’

Despite her efforts, getting through the Dullahan’s maga was proving difficult.

“Lord!”

“Grant us your light!”

While the bishops worked tirelessly to cast holy magic, the Despair Gate’s maga easily nullified their power almost instantly.

“When will the reinforcements arrive!?”

“There’s no sign of them!”

Damn.

The reinforcements promised by the Vatican had not yet appeared, even if maintaining the current front line was challenging.

Just as Rubenka was mentally cursing, she heard a shout.

“The reinforcements have arrived!”

Turning around with a powerful push against the Dullahan, Rubenka looked behind her.

Her eyes found the reinforcements.

Except, all she could see was a man wearing a black mask and a blond-haired girl.

Surely, these two couldn’t be considered reinforcements?

Rubenka furrowed her brow.

“Where are the reinforcements?”

“These two!”

“!!”

Rubenka’s expression hardened.

Sure enough, despite her suspicions, it turned out that these two were all that constituted the reinforcements.

“A Cardinal Francis sent them. They’re reportedly a saint candidate, so we are told that we should trust and entrust this task to them!”

Even with this explanation from the bishop, Rubenka’s expression did not soften.

After all, how many so-called “saint candidates” had been promoted by the Vatican so far?

From what Rubenka knew, it exceeded ten individuals.

And yet, not a single one had proven to be a genuine saint.

It was merely a public relations ploy, promoting those with a bit stronger light magic.

Rubenka thought the same would happen this time.

It was essentially just another way of saying, ‘do your best with whatever you can.’

“Haa.”

Exhausted, Rubenka lowered her sword.

She didn’t have much expectation from the two individuals introduced as reinforcements.

Hence, she paid no attention to the girl stepping forward.

However,

Hwaaaak!

Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted out of nowhere.

“?”

Had the bishops just awakened to some newfound strength?

Surprisingly turning around due to this, Rubenka’s eyes widened gradually.

“What is this…?”

The source of the light was not the bishops but the girl introduced as a reinforcement.

And the light was emanating from the girl.

It was of a different dimension entirely compared to the light of the bishops.

Swooosh…

Maga that came in contact with the girl’s light vaporized like icicles melting under spring sunlight.

The darkness dissipated in an instant. The fog retreated.

The amazed Rubenka who had been staring dumbfounded at this miraculous feat finally snapped back to the present.

Huuaang!

Her Claymore powerfully swung toward the Dullahan.

The lance that parried the blow was then cut cleanly in two, splitting the Dullahan.

Without the maga, a mere B-class undead like this was no match for her.

Rubenka, who witnessed the complete dissipation of the maga, stared at the girl in astonishment.

“…Saintly power? Is the saint candidate actually real?!”

*

[This battlefield holds an affinity with Joan of Arc, the saved maiden.]

[Joan of Arc’s abilities are enhanced by 80%.]

Joan’s abilities surged sharply upon entering the Despair Gate.

An indication that the Despair Gate was closely tied to Joan.

“I still don’t understand.”

Joan had a curious expression, seemingly unaware of the reason.

Frankly, the reasoning mattered little to me since the restored power of Joan’s light during her prime now illuminated the entire Despair Gate.

The expansive light washed away the maga from the undead.

And without maga, the undead were merely common monsters.

“What are you doing? You should handle them.”

“Yeah, y-yes!”

One hunter, who had been distracted, immediately regained focus and cut down a ghoul.

There was no need for me to step in.

“Is there anything we can assist with?”

The bishops approached me to inquire, now rendered practically jobless due to Joan’s actions.

Despite their visible desire to participate alongside a saint, it was clear their contributions would be meaningless.

“Please help move the injured outside the Gate.”

“…Understood.”

We advanced into the darkness of the Gate, leaving the disappointed bishops behind.

Joan felt something unusual shortly after tidying up the third zone.

“Someone is calling me.”

Joan was looking at a door labeled ‘Chapel.’

Perhaps the boss room.

The church hunters stepped forward and opened the door.

Behind the opened door lay a majestic Russian Orthodox chapel.

Below the crucifix on the wall, someone stood with their back turned.

‘A person?’

No.

The blurry body revealed more of the chapel through it.

It was an undead.

Nothing compared to the Specters, an advanced undead cloaked in an overwhelming amount of maga.

“It’s a Banshee, please step back.”

Rubenka stepped forward, blocking me.

Then the Banshee turned around.

Looking at the face of the Banshee, I understood why this place was tied to Joan.

‘This is why.’

The Banshee wore a familiar face.

A knight who had steadfastly protected Joan of Arc.

In the past, when Joan was captured by the English Church, this knight was the first to express his anger against the injustice.

“Bishop Cambrai, that bastard handed Joan over to the English Church!”

The identity of the Despair turned out to be none other than ‘Gilles de Rais.’

As the Banshee’s darkness stretched out, Rubenka raised her Claymore.

In an instant, the young girl swept past her side.

“Watch out!”

Rubenka yelled in alarm, but the girl did not halt her steps.

Swishing sounds approached her.

The darkness reaching out like hands targeted the girl.

Rubenka rushed forward urgently.

However, she had to stop in her tracks.

Rubenka’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What is this…!”

Incredibly, the Despair did not attack the girl.

“–Jeanne…”

The darkness dissolved like ashes upon contact with the girl’s light.

There was no way to interpret the scene except for one assumption.

‘The Banshee is committing suicide?’

Absurd, but there was no other explanation since the Banshee was willingly drowning itself in the girl’s light.

As if it had been waiting for this moment all along.

“Jean Gilles.”

Tears flowing down her cheeks, the girl embraced the Banshee.

A sudden burst of light surrounded them.

The Banshee, embraced by the girl, gave a small smile.

Then, turned into ashes and vanished.

Within the light that filled our sight, Rubenka witnessed clearly.

The holy miracle floating above the girl’s back.

“Saint…?”

[The Despair Gate has been conquered.]

[Clear Rank: SSS]

*

St. Peter’s Basilica.

The heart of Vatican where the Pope resides and all major and minor church affairs are overseen.

Cardinal Francis was summoned as a ‘sinner’ to the State Council just one day before the Despair Gate would rampage.

“Cardinal Francis, why did you arbitrarily transfer the holy relics and essence?”

“Because I judged her to be a saint.”

“So, you recognized someone who has not passed the miracle examination as a saint?”

“Yes.”

“Hoho.”

“How could you, Your Eminence…”

The bishops present at the State Council let out weary laughs.

Not only did the bishop arbitrarily proclaim an unverified individual as a saint but transferred the essence as well—a gross overstepping of his authority.

Quietly listening to the meeting, the Pope finally spoke.

“Cardinal Francis.”

“Yes, Holy Father.”

“Even if she were a saint, giving away the essence was hasty and unjustified.”

“I did it for the sake of the Church.”

“The transfer of the essence, is that what you’re suggesting?”

“I deemed her qualified to receive it.”

“One day before the Despair Gate’s rampage?”

“Yes.”

“…”

Silence fell over the meeting hall.

Cardinal Francis’s words were completely incomprehensible.

At the moment the attending bishops were about to press Cardinal Francis further:

“Lord, Your Holiness!”

One of the bishops hurriedly rushed into the basilica.

“What is the matter?”

The bishop quietly conveyed something to the Pope, whose expression changed after hearing.

“We shall conclude this State Council here.”

“What? Holy Father, we still haven’t resolved the matter of the essence removal…”

“The Despair Gate has been conquered.”

“What?!”

Announced by the Pope, the bishops were surprised and began whispering among themselves.

A smile appeared at the corner of Cardinal Francis’s lips.

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