“We are surrounded. Everyone, raise your weapons.”

Hailey’s words shocked everyone. The next moment, a terrifying sound rang out on the walls and the door.

Kwahng!

“!”

A gruesome scream reverberated in the air outside.

[Keek!]

[Kee-ee-eek!]

It was the scorpions moving supplies to Lee Gun’s holy ground.

The sound of the slaughter surprised Hailey’s loyal subjects.

[Princess!]

However, they didn’t have time to be flustered.

Boom!!!

A fierce magical energy was trying to destroy the door and walls. Therefore, Hailey quickly used her ability.

[Dance of the Black Moonlit Light – Decrease Discernment]

When she used it, black magical energy covered Lee Gun’s house. This was black magic. The ability erased the presence of her allies, and the enemies registered them as objects.

Since this wasn’t her holy ground, Hailey didn’t want to cause too much of a disturbance. However, their opponents might not allow that.

“We don’t have time. The Black zone monsters will rush to this place.”

Hailey’s words shocked the Secretary.

‘Black zone monsters.’

The Black zone was at the heart of the unknown civilization. It was the farthest place from human territory.

Naturally, many people monitored the region. The disciples were at least that competent.

The movement of the unknown civilization would have raised an alarm, and their progress would have been reported in real-time.

That was why the Secretary was baffled.

“The observation tower of each country should have...”

“It must be the Libra.”

“!”

Hailey swept her long hair back. A black light flashed, and her silk dress changed into her battle robe.

“The Libra must have identified a route with lax surveillance. She must have sold that information.”

If that was so, the unknown civilization could easily infiltrate human cities. They wouldn’t have to fight the annoying human disciples. They could directly attack the human nests. This was a more convenient method. What would happen afterward was also clear.

“In return, the Libra must have put up a stipulation that her holy ground won’t be touched.”

This shocked everyone.

Chun Jiwoo asked a question as if she was having a hard time accepting this. “Would the other Zodiacs allow that? There is no way they would stand still!”

How could the Zodiacs agree to a plan where their disciples would be killed?

Hailey’s loyal subjects grated their teeth.

[Some Zodiacs agree with the Libra’s position.]

Of course, there were others besides the Zodiacs who wanted to protect their disciples.

This move would cause a lot of human casualties, but an opportunity like this was the best time to steal disciples. In front of extreme fear, humans would lose the ability for rational thoughts and good judgment.

[Some always benefit during a war.]

Everyone’s mouth fell open as if they couldn’t believe all that.

Hailey furrowed her brows.

‘In the first place, the Zodiacs had a united front in the fact that Lee Gun had to be killed.’

It wasn’t all the Zodiacs, but seeing them join forces with each other wasn’t out of the ordinary.

Of course, she wasn’t sure why they had wanted to kill Lee Gun. Her Zodiac had framed it in this way.

[The thirteenth will always be called the god of calamity no matter which side he appears from.]

These words meant this being was a threat to both the unknown civilization and the Zodiacs.

At the time, Hailey had tried to prevent Lee Gun’s death, but she had failed.

Hailey raised her voice. “Hurry up and rent the teleport skill!”

In response, Chun Jiwoo immediately took out the prototype badge Lee Gun had made.

[Poison Compound Death Item]

It was a blade that looked like an ornamental knife. Having created it as an experiment, Lee Gun had given the item to Chun Jiwoo.

It was merely a prototype, yet the patterns Lee Gun had engraved on it were sophisticated.

The snake eye engraved on the badge flashed.

[Will you like to use the stored rental skill?]

[You can use , , and .]

[Since it’s a prototype, its durability is low.]

[8/8]

Chun Jiwoo flinched in surprise. Due to its durability, she could use it only a few times. Since the item was a prototype, Lee Gun had told her to just throw it out after using it. However, how could Chun Jiwoo do that to an item made by Lee Gun-nim?

Chun Jiwoo put away the badge that looked like a blade. Instead, she took out her husband’s badge.

After activating the skill, she immediately yelled, “Hurry, Hailey-nim!”

However...

Crash!

Puhng! Puhng! Puhng!

The badge in her hand was destroyed. The rental skill, which had been activated, had its connection severed. That wasn’t all.

Hailey’s weapon and the badges on the Secretary and Hailey’s loyal subjects were also destroyed.

“Our weapons...!”

The only things untouched were Lee Gun’s badge and the fountain pen, which she kept hidden.

At that moment...

Boom!!

The door to Lee Gun’s house was breached, and monsters emitting black light entered the house.

Their first target was Hailey, the strongest. However, her loyal subjects stepped in front of her.

[Princess!]

[How dare you come here! You dare step into the holy ground of the sacred serpent with those dirty feet!]

“!”

The loyal subjects of the Scorpio Saint tried to use their skills, but the eyes of the phantom swordsmen flashed.

“!!”

The phantom swordsmen instantly disappeared, then reappeared in front of the Scorpio Saint’s loyal subjects.

Boom!!

Decapitated, the loyal subjects fell.

“...!!”

They died before they could use their skills.

The Secretary almost collapsed to the ground. ‘The Constructs were killed with one blow...!!’

He was having a hard time believing it. Hailey’s loyal subjects were Constructs of the Scorpio Saint. They were in the divine rank, and they possessed power on par with the Zodiac Saints.

Despite all that, they had been killed without being able to use their skills even once!

Hailey’s loyal subjects weren’t weak.

‘She said they are the Black zone rank...!!’

These monsters were on a completely different level than Red rank.

‘If they come in droves, humanity will fall.’

Hailey seemed to have somewhat known this would happen. She angrily summoned her royal holy item, a sword.

Kwah-jee-jeek!!

The Scorpio Saint raised her sword against the phantom swordsmen.

Gritting her teeth, Hailey clashed her sword against the sword swung by the phantom swordsmen.

Kwa-gwa-gwahng!!!

The resulting light was dazzling bright.

“Ah!”

Chun Jiwoo, who had been behind Hailey’s Decrease Discernment barrier, reacted in surprise. The intruders that had entered the house after the initial breach were heading straight toward Lee Gun’s forge.

‘They are going for the weapons Lee Gun-nim made!’

Those intruders were approaching those weapons. One of the weapons, tied in the air by chains, was a spear. It was Chun Yooha’s weapon.

Lee Gun had put a lot of effort into this item since it would become his niece’s weapon. The intruders seemed to recognize its abilities.

Boom!!

The intruders approached the spear; their goal seemed to have been the weapons in the first place.

The red spear rattled in its chain as it whined. Even the useless items Lee Gun created would slowly gain self-awareness. The fact that this weapon possessed a sense of self was a given.

Nevertheless, this red spear was about to fall into the hands of the enemies. The next moment, however...

“Ah!!”

Chun Jiwoo rushed out from the barrier.

The Secretary reared back in fright. “Hey! You’ll die if you leave this place! Come back!”

Ignoring him, Chun Jiwoo immediately pulled on a lever on the wall.

Kwahng!

This released the chains holding the spear in place.

Kwah-jeek!

Letters suddenly appeared in the air.

[The Serpent Bearer’s weapon chooses its owner. It will find its owner no matter where the owner is.]

The spear suddenly disappeared to some unknown location.

Chun Jiwoo had activated her abilities as a Secretary.

The other Secretary, who had been in the barrier with her, screamed. “Ahhk! N-Neck! My neck—”

The price Chun Jiwoo had to pay for using the ability of a Secretary had been transferred to him.

This also made the phantom swordsmen look at her.

“!!”

One of them suddenly disappeared and appeared in front of Chun Jiwoo. The phantom swordsman raised its sword and tried to decapitate Chun Jiwoo!

Kwahng!!!

“!?”

However, something fell on top of its head, the feet of someone with their arms crossed.

The ground cracked as the feet crushed the phantom swordsman. Then a menacing voice rang out.

“How dare you assholes try to steal from someone else’s house!”

The owner of the Serpent Bearer’s temple had appeared.

* * *

At that moment, the enraged Stevens suffered from Chun Yooha’s attacks.

[Hey, Yooha. Stop it!]

He couldn’t attack Chun Yooha because of the contract he had made with Hugo. Moreover, they had lived under the same roof. There should be some camaraderie between them.

How could she attack him despite knowing the content of the contract? However, it wasn’t just Chun Yooha. There was another problem.

[Oliver!]

The black tiger was emanating the energy of the unknown civilization.

‘What the hell is this sensation?’

This power was similar yet completely different to the power of the Zodiacs. It wasn’t the energy of the twelve Zodiacs. If framed that way, Lee Gun also possessed a power outside the twelve Zodiacs.

‘While Lee Gun feels like an anomaly, he doesn’t feel evil.’

Stevens didn’t feel a feeling of dislike against Lee Gun, but Oliver was a different story. His energy felt cold enough to freeze the blood. The energy was so terrible.

‘Is it an evil god?’

Of course, that wasn’t important right now.

[Chun Yooha!]

Oliver’s fierce energy headed toward Chun Yooha. It seemed the enormous black tiger would trample the small human.

Stevens furrowed his brows.

[Really!]

Just a glance made it clear that Oliver held hatred toward Chun Yooha and wanted to kill her. This was to be expected since Oliver had failed to become one of the Ten Stars because of her. He had been the general in charge of managing the Leo Temple, yet the Leo had chosen Yooha and that too despite her being an S-rank.

His pride wouldn’t allow him to let go of his grudge

“Koohk!”

The fierce black lightning aimed for Chun Yooha’s life.

However, Chun Yooha infused her spear with magical energy and deflected the attack.

Kwahng!

She was about to use her skill once again when...

“Oohk!”

The black front paw tried to pin her.

Ggahk!

Chun Yooha barely blocked the paw trying to crush her. However, her opponent was too large and powerful.

Clank!!

“?!”

Chun Yooha’s spear shattered. At the same time, she coughed up blood as Oliver pinned her by the stomach.

“Kuh-huhk!”

Oliver laughed, watching Chun Yooha suffer in the pain.

[What did I say? You’re no match for me.]

“Koohk! What the hell? You always lost to me!”

Her words made Oliver even angrier.

[Let’s see if you can spout more nonsense!]

Boom!

Chun Yooha gritted her teeth as blood flowed. ‘If I only had my weapon, I would...’

[Shit!]

Stevens couldn’t standby and just look. He was about to help Chun Yooha, but...

Shweeeek!!!

“!”

Something came flying toward her.

‘That’s...!’

Unexpectedly, it was a spear.

Stevens could see at a glance that this was a weapon Lee Gun had made.

‘Why is that here?’

He didn’t have the chance to be surprised.

Chun Yooha’s hand grabbed the spear flying toward her.

Kwah-jeek!

A lightning bolt of an unbelievable size erupted forth. It was on a different level than the lightning she had been using up until now.

This made Oliver hesitate.

“Get your foot away from me.”

The spear infused with lightning flew high in the sky and radiated an incredible amount of light.

[You have leveled up!]

[You have completed Missionary: 100%]

[You have become a disciple of the Serpent Bearer.]

[A new page has been added to the Serpent Bearer’s bible.]

[You have acquired the qualification to become a Zodiac Saint.]