Chapter 193

Chapter 193. The First Meeting (1)

The Barbaroi Cult was broadly divided into four ranks.

The first was the lowest rank: ordinary believers.

As the name implied, they were the regular followers.

They made up the overwhelming majority of the Barbaroi Cult but played no significant role.

Only a select few among them were chosen to become priests.

The second rank: priests.

The second-lowest rank within the Barbaroi Cult, serving as its primary workforce and military force.

Priests greatly outnumbered every rank except ordinary believers, and their strength varied tremendously, ranging from 1-star to 6-star.

Generally, the stronger the priest, the more severely their body had undergone transformation.

The third rank: bishops.

These were effectively the second-highest rank within the Barbaroi Cult and could be considered its pillars.

Only priests with exceptionally deep faith or those who had accomplished great feats could become bishops, and their responsibilities varied greatly.

Some governed entire regions, others led groups to carry out the will of their god, while others fulfilled specialized duties.

Their greatest distinguishing feature was that they had received so much of the barbarian gods' blessing that they could imitate the appearance of their gods.

Perhaps because of that, every one of them possessed at least 7-star strength.

“And a 7-star practitioner is roughly on the level of the Argonaut Expedition Team.”

After explaining the Barbaroi Cult's hierarchy, Sphinx kindly added a note.

It was out of consideration for Anagin, who still knew far more things he didn't know than things he did.

It genuinely helped him understand.

“So you're saying that an average practitioner wouldn't even stand a chance against a bishop?”

“Well... that's about right... Why, Brother?”

Seeing Anagin grinning from ear to ear, Sphinx asked with obvious suspicion.

“Oh, it's nothing. Going by what you said, it just means I'm not an average practitioner.”

Anagin shamelessly boasted.

After all, he'd driven the ugly one, a bishop, into retreat not once, but twice.

Annoying as he was...

He wasn't exactly wrong.

There were countless practitioners in the world.

But how many of them could force a bishop to flee?

No—

Before even that...

How many practitioners could make a god offer them a blessing?

That alone proved Anagin was exceptional.

Even more so considering he hadn't even been a practitioner for half a year.

Still, his smugness made Sphinx want to contradict him for no reason.

“Brother, don't get so full of yourself. Luck played a big part too, didn't it? In the end, the bishop still escaped twice.”

“That's true.”

The grin immediately disappeared from Anagin's face as though it had never been there.

He accepted the criticism without complaint.

For a moment, Sphinx wondered if he was mocking her instead.

But it didn't seem that way.

“I really was ridiculously lucky. If you hadn't helped me, I wouldn't have even gotten started.”

“What's gotten into you? You agreeing with me so quickly is making me uncomfortable.”

“I'm a man who gives credit where it's due. Anyway, I get it now. Ordinary believers, priests, bishops... Then what's an archbishop?”

As the conversation returned to its original track after briefly wandering off, Sphinx stopped grumbling and resumed her explanation with a serious expression.

“Archbishops are the leaders within the Barbaroi Cult.”

“Leaders? Isn't there usually only one leader?”

“The Barbaroi Cult worships several barbarian gods, doesn't it? Like the boar god or the fish god. Since they serve multiple gods, they have multiple leaders as well.”

“I roughly understand what you mean.”

Since Anagin let it slide without nitpicking, Sphinx nodded and continued.

“An archbishop is essentially the very first follower of each barbarian god. You could even say they're the barbarian god's representative. Naturally, their strength goes without saying. From what I've heard, they're around 8-star to 9-star.”

Only one or two stars above a bishop.

Yet Anagin didn't underestimate them.

By now, he understood that the higher a practitioner's star rank became, the harder each step was to reach.

Numerically, it was only a difference of one or two stars.

In reality...

The gap was immeasurable.

“Alright, I more or less understand what an archbishop is now. But then... what's the Cult Leader?”

The moment Anagin asked that question, the atmosphere suddenly grew heavy.

Not only Sphinx.

Even the subordinate woman and Horse-head.

The weight carried by the title Cult Leader was that great.

Even to a god and an elemental.

“A being that exists only in rumors. A rank above even the archbishops. A mythical figure said to be the supreme leader of the entire Barbaroi Cult.”

Ah.

He'd heard something similar before.

Back when he had worked with the Magno mages, they'd explained the Barbaroi Cult's hierarchy.

"The Barbaroi Cult has several ranks. Archbishop, bishop, priest... There are rumors of one rank above the archbishops, but it's only a rumor, so you don't need to pay much attention to it."

Even the Magno mages had referred to the Cult Leader as nothing more than a rumor.

Which meant that even they weren't certain such a person actually existed.

And yet...

By some cruel twist of fate...

That very individual was now at the Ruin.

After pondering for a moment, Anagin quickly came back to his senses and looked at Sphinx.

“Do you know anything else?”

“...Because it's little more than an urban legend, neither the general public nor even practitioners know much about it. Other than the fact that the Cult Leader is the supreme leader of the Barbaroi Cult and even stronger than the archbishops.”

“And someone like that just happens to be here?”

After hearing Sphinx's explanation, Anagin turned to the subordinate woman for confirmation.

Since they were half fish, there was always the possibility she'd misunderstood something.

The subordinate woman, however, answered firmly.

“My younger sisters said they heard the word Cult Leader. That fisherman mage called a certain man by that title.”

Before having their power stolen, the fisherman mage—who had arrived together with the ugly one—had addressed a man as the Cult Leader.

Then again...

Whether he truly was the Cult Leader or not hardly mattered.

Anyone capable of forcibly stealing divine power and giving it to someone else wasn't going to be an ordinary opponent.

Anagin understood why the subordinate woman had told him not to go.

Apparently thinking the same thing, Sphinx also offered her advice.

“Brother, I am of the same mind as the goddess. Whether he's really the Cult Leader or not, I don't think there's any reason to deliberately walk into that kind of danger. Even so......”

Sphinx trailed off.

“...Even so, you're still going to the Ruin, aren't you?”

“Of course.”

Anagin answered without a single second of hesitation.

* * *

From a common-sense perspective, both the subordinate woman and Sphinx were absolutely right.

There was no reason to willingly throw oneself into danger.

Especially when that danger was the Cult Leader—a being that was practically nothing more than an urban legend...

But Anagin looked at it from the opposite angle.

His way of thinking was simple.

If they're that hard to meet, shouldn't I take this chance while I have it?

Who knew when he'd ever get another opportunity?

Sphinx knew Anagin's way of thinking well enough that, despite opposing him, she had expected this answer all along.

She understood.

The subordinate woman, however, hadn't spent nearly as much time with Anagin as Sphinx had.

She neither expected his decision nor understood it.

So she got angry.

“Are you truly a madman?”

“Why does everyone I meet ask me that? I'm a very rational person. Probably.”

“Stop joking and answer me seriously.”

Apparently she was genuinely angry, because her voice dropped into a cold, stern tone.

Now that she'd regained much of her power, there was even a certain majesty in her voice.

Anagin, of course, couldn't have cared less.

“What's with you all of a sudden?”

“Just answer the question. Why are you deliberately walking into danger? You almost died even with my help.”

Anagin was about to brush it off with another half-hearted excuse.

But when their eyes met, he couldn't.

Either there was something wrong with his own eyes...

Or the subordinate woman genuinely looked worried about him.

It was a hassle, but he decided to answer sincerely.

After all, he still felt he hadn't fully repaid her for offering him her blessing.

“You know I'm trying to become a god, right?”

“...I know.”

“Do you know why I want to become a god?”

“...No. Why?”

The subordinate woman asked cautiously.

It felt a little strange for a god to be asking a human such a question.

But she was genuinely curious.

Surely there had to be a reason a human would set their sights on godhood.

After a brief pause, Anagin answered.

“So I can do whatever I want, whenever I want.”

“............What?”

“Look at your face. You're making the exact expression that says, 'What the hell is this dumbass talking about?'”

“Because it truly sounds like dumbass nonsense.”

“A god swears too?”

Anagin said jokingly.

The subordinate woman, however, remained completely serious.

“You have a massive misunderstanding about what gods are.”

“I've heard something similar before. I don't care. I'll just keep pursuing my own goal.”

“But it's a goal you can never reach.”

“Then I'll make it reachable. And if I fail... well, then that's simply all I was worth.”

“......”

The recklessness of that statement left even the subordinate woman—a god herself—speechless.

Silence lingered for a moment.

Then Anagin spoke again.

“Whatever you think, that's the kind of god I'm aiming to become. A god who can do whatever they want, whenever they want. Of course, I still don't know how someone becomes that kind of god.”

“Obviously.”

“But I know one thing. If I back down because I'm afraid, I'll never reach it. That's why I'm going to the Ruin. Whether the Cult Leader is there or not.”

“......”

“Understand?”

Anagin asked, looking at the silent subordinate woman.

He'd expected an answer by now.

Instead...

She remained quiet.

Wondering what was going on, Anagin waited.

After a while, the subordinate woman finally spoke.

“Well, aren't you just amazing...!”

“Hm?”

“What do you mean, 'Hm?'! I said you're just so amazing!”

“Wait—”

“Of course you're this fearless! You're aiming to become such an incredible god! I completely misjudged you and said things I shouldn't have. I'm so terribly sorry! My deepest apologies!”

“Seriously, hold on. You're actually starting to scare me. So calm down—”

“Calm down? Calm down, my ass!!”

The subordinate woman suddenly shouted.

Startled, Anagin immediately shoved Sphinx in front of him as a shield.

Sphinx whipped her head around and glared at him.

'You absolute lunatic!?'

“I can't even imagine what kind of life someone would have to live to develop ambitions that grand! Ah, how embarrassing. Standing in front of someone as great as you... How ridiculous must I have looked? I couldn't even save my own younger sisters—”

“—Wait.”

Anagin cut her off.

“I don't look down on you.”

“Hah! Are you trying to comfort me now? How generous of—”

“Comfort my ass. I don't even like you enough to comfort you. If anything, I'm closer to disliking you.”

The subordinate woman, who had been venting nonstop, suddenly fell silent.

There was such unmistakable sincerity in the word dislike that she couldn't continue.

“Why are you looking at me like that? You were a kidnapper. It's natural to dislike you.”

“...And yet... you don't look down on me?”

“Yeah. If anything, I respect you. Disliking someone and respecting them can exist at the same time.”

The best example was his master.

An incredible person.

A complete bastard.

The subordinate woman knew better than to trust Anagin's compliments.

But his insults...

Those she believed.

Hesitantly, she asked,

“What... exactly do you respect about me?”

“No matter what, you saved your younger sisters.”

“...I barely managed to save them with your help.”

“That part doesn't matter. I don't care who helped you, whether you barely managed it or did it effortlessly. None of that matters. The only thing that matters is the result. You saved your younger sisters.”

He paused.

“Unlike me.”

“............What?”

“I said you saved your siblings. I couldn't save mine.”

“............”

The revelation was so shocking that the subordinate woman couldn't respond at all.

It wasn't that she'd gone blank.

She simply had no idea how to react to something so unexpected.

Meanwhile, the person who had said it remained completely calm.

“Don't worry about it. I'm hardly the only person in the world who's lost family. I failed. You didn't. Be proud of yourself.”

With that, Anagin stood up.

It was about time he headed toward the Ruin.

Watching him prepare to leave, the subordinate woman called out.

“You're really going?”

“I told you, I am. I'm not compromising on this.”

“Then promise me. Promise you'll come back alive.”

“I do plan on coming back alive, but... why do I need to promise?”

Anagin asked, genuinely confused.

The subordinate woman explained.

“Because I don't want someone I went to the trouble of giving my power to dying such a meaningless death.”

“Ah...... I promise.”

“And tell me the rest of your story.”

Anagin frowned.

He understood that request even less.

“Why would I?”

“Because I think I'm the one getting the short end of the deal. I didn't grant you my power... I offered it to you...... So take responsibility.”

“Your tone sounds kind of weird. Besides, I already paid the price. Your younger sisters.”

“That's not enough.”

“Your younger sisters would be pretty disappointed to hear that. Anything else?”

Anagin demanded additional compensation.

Truthfully, he could have simply agreed.

He wanted to ask her more about blessings anyway.

But for some reason, he didn't feel like accepting so easily.

He decided to be difficult instead.

Who knew?

Maybe he'd squeeze something good out of her.

After thinking it over, the subordinate woman offered another reward.

“I'll give you Hippocampus.”

“Princess?”

“Ah, I don't need him.”

“You son of a bitch?”