Chapter 114: House of the Spirit King

"That was a bust."

Stepping out of the shack, Ethan let out a quiet sigh as the three of them continued down the narrow street. Behind them, the small wooden house stood exactly as it had before, giving no indication that anything unusual had taken place inside only moments earlier.

Their lead had disappeared.

Not only had they failed to catch whoever had come to retrieve the money, but the evidence itself had vanished before their eyes, leaving them with nothing to pursue.

If they had merely lost a shipment of coins, it would have been frustrating enough.

The real problem was Tywin.

They all understood the consequences of what had just happened. Whoever had transported those sacks of money away possessed a method of moving objects over great distances without physically entering the room. If word reached Tywin that members of the Punishment Hall were searching for him, there was little reason for him to remain in the city.

Someone capable of surviving this long while being hunted wouldn’t hesitate.

He would simply leave.

Finding him again after that would become infinitely more difficult.

"Not necessarily."

Vira’s voice remained calm as she walked ahead of the other two, her eyes fixed on the road before them.

"That transportation ability we just witnessed wasn’t ordinary magic."

Ethan looked towards her.

"What do you mean?"

She slowed her pace slightly before answering.

"That kind of spatial transportation can only be used inside a god’s domain."

Neither man interrupted.

"For example," she continued, "the formations inside the royal capital work in exactly the same way. People and objects can be moved through the city’s defensive formations because permission has been granted for those formations to function."

She paused for a brief moment.

"The transportation we just witnessed operated on the same principle."

Ethan frowned as he thought back to what had happened inside the shack.

There had been no chant.

No visible caster.No formation drawn across the floor. The sacks of coin had simply...

Disappeared.

One after another. Almost as though they had never existed.

"The fact that everything was moved so easily," Vira continued, "means the ability wasn’t acting against the domain."

"It was acting with its permission."

Silence settled over the group.

Kang understood what she was implying.

Even if neither of them said Bark’s name aloud, there was only one deity whose authority extended over the kingdom.

"I understand what you’re getting at," Kang finally replied, "but we still have to get him."

His tone remained as steady as ever.

Whether someone had helped Tywin or not wasn’t the issue he was concerned with. Their mission hadn’t changed. He didn’t know whether the king was aware of what had happened.

He didn’t know whether Bark himself had allowed such a thing.

And frankly...He didn’t care. Those questions belonged to politicians and priests. His responsibility was much simpler.

Help Ethan fulfil the requirements for his evolution.

Everything else came afterwards.

"For now," Kang continued, "our priority is helping Ethan complete his evolution by killing that Celestial Dragon."

Only after that could they afford to concern themselves with everything else.

"I know." Vira nodded without arguing.

"I wasn’t disagreeing." She glanced sideways at Kang.

"I only meant that you may be missing the more important point." Kang raised an eyebrow.

"The situation may be more complicated than it appears." She didn’t elaborate immediately. Instead, she allowed the words to settle between them as they continued walking through the streets.

After several moments, she spoke again.

"If our assumptions are correct, then this isn’t something we can solve simply by chasing after Tywin."

Ethan remained quiet. He understood very little about gods compared to the other two, so he simply listened.

"If we fail," Vira continued, "Bark may choose to ignore it."

She spoke carefully, weighing each word.

"But if Karth personally decides to act against the king..."

She shook her head.

"Even Bark may not be able to protect him."

That was the point she wanted Kang to understand. Whether the king knew anything or not no longer mattered. Whether Bark had approved anything or not also wasn’t the immediate concern.

The fact remained that a stronger existence had already become involved. That alone made the situation far more dangerous than it had first appeared.

Kang remained silent, He couldn’t deny her reasoning.

"So," Ethan finally asked, "what do we do?"

"We continue." Vira answered without hesitation.

"But we’ll need help." She lifted her eyes towards the distant skyline.

"As long as we’re dealing with a god’s scheme..." She paused briefly before finishing.

"We’ll lose every time."

Neither Ethan nor Kang argued, There were some opponents that strength alone couldn’t overcome.

Gods stood at the very top of that list.

"The only way to oppose a god..."

Vira quietly continued,

"...is with another god."

The three walked in silence after that.

The busy marketplace gradually gave way to quieter streets, the noise of merchants and customers fading behind them. Stone buildings replaced wooden shops, while broad walkways lined with old trees stretched towards one of the oldest districts in the city.

Eventually, a massive structure came into view.

Its towering walls were constructed from pale stone that had weathered countless years without losing its dignity. Tall pillars framed the entrance, while intricate carvings covered nearly every visible surface.

Above the great doors rested an enormous insignia.

A lone man sat upon a throne suspended high above the clouds, gazing down upon the world below.

"The House of the Spirit King."

Ethan quietly read the name engraved beneath it.

Unlike most churches throughout the kingdom, this place carried an unusual reputation.

The House of the Spirit King presented itself as a religion.

Yet it demanded no faith from those who entered.

People offered prayers here from time to time, but devotion was never forced upon anyone.

Instead, the House devoted itself almost entirely to rituals.

Prophecies. Visions. Ceremonies that very few people truly understood. That mystery alone had earned it immense respect throughout human territory.

...

The three remained seated inside the cathedral for several minutes.

The interior was remarkably peaceful.

Sunlight filtered through tall stained-glass windows, painting the polished stone floor in shifting colours. The faint scent of incense lingered in the air, while rows of empty benches stretched towards the distant altar.

Unlike most places of worship, there were no crowds gathered in prayer.

The silence itself seemed sacred.

Eventually, soft footsteps echoed through the hall.

A man dressed in spotless white robes approached them at an unhurried pace.

His face appeared ordinary enough.

His eyes, however, seemed strangely unfocused, as though he were looking beyond them instead of directly at them.

"His Lordship is expecting you."

His voice was gentle.

Almost distant.

Without waiting for a response, he turned and began walking deeper into the cathedral.

The three quickly rose and followed.

They passed through several narrow corridors before reaching a small wooden door tucked away behind the main sanctuary.

The attendant pushed it open.

Compared to the grandeur outside, the room beyond was surprisingly cramped.

Shelves overflowing with scrolls lined every wall. Ancient books were stacked in untidy piles across the floor, while strange crystals and ritual tools occupied nearly every available surface.

At the centre of the room sat an elderly man before a crystal orb.

He didn’t look up.

"You’re here for a reading?"

Still studying the orb, he pointed casually towards the single chair opposite him.

"Take a seat."

Kang gently nudged Ethan forward.

"Go."

Taking a slow breath, Ethan stepped towards the chair before sitting down opposite the old man. He had heard stories about the House of the Spirit King before.

It was said that among all the gods worshipped by humanity, the Spirit King possessed unmatched mastery over visions.

Many referred to him as the Harbinger of the Future.

Others called him the Harbinger of the Past.

Whether those titles were deserved, Ethan had never known.

Perhaps he was about to find out.

The elderly man finally looked up.

"Call me Ulric."

A faint smile crossed his face.

"I’ll be your guide today."

Before Ethan could reply, Ulric reached across the table and took hold of his hand.

The moment their skin touched, the room vanished.

There was no sensation of falling.

No flash of light.

One instant Ethan sat inside the cathedral.

The next, he found himself standing upon the deck of a small boat surrounded by an endless sea.

Violent waves crashed against the vessel, causing it to rock beneath his feet. The wind howled across the open water, carrying the sharp scent of salt as dark clouds rolled overhead.

"A vision..."Ethan whispered, Everything felt real, The cold sea spray striking his face. The roar of the wind. The constant movement beneath his feet.

Then, without warning—

ROAR!!

A deafening cry tore across the heavens.

Ethan instinctively spun around, expecting some enormous beast to emerge from the storm.

Instead, he saw a lone man standing aboard another boat some distance away.

The sea raged around him, yet he remained perfectly still.

His gaze was fixed on the horizon, unwavering despite the violent waters.

Across his chest, glowing numbers steadily climbed upward with each passing second.

Ethan didn’t understand what they meant.

But he recognised the man immediately.

This was Tywin.