Chapter 864

In this particular crack, the monsters that emerged were not individually as powerful as those that had appeared before. Their primary strength lay in their vast numbers and swift movement. They employed a surrounding tactic in their attacks, and their tendency to scatter like dust and flee in all directions when outmatched was the only real issue.

No matter how powerful the Awakeners were, they were vastly outnumbered by the monsters. There was a limit to how many they could confront at once, making it impossible to stem the tide of monsters pouring out of the crack in a single stroke. As the number of monsters began to dwindle, the tide of battle shifted, resembling a chase after a swarm of ants fleeing from humans.

"There they go! Chase them!"

"Quick, send word outside! The monsters are escaping beyond the temple grounds!"

Signal flares continued to embroider the sky, while the sounds of clashing weapons and various powers illuminated the darkness.

Amidst all this, near the forest behind the temple, on a blood-soaked ground, another intense battle was underway, as fierce as those fighting in the midst.

"Feed him the white, brown, and black in that order! Don't tie the wounds too loosely, secure them properly! No splints? Just break some wood from over there!"

Enon, after setting up a temporary shelter near Yuder to shield them from hail and cold, struggled to treat Yuder with the help of a few members who had voluntarily stayed and Lusan. He had brought all the medicine he could carry, along with blankets and tools for lying down, yet it was still woefully inadequate.

He had set up the tent here without moving Yuder because he judged that even a small movement could be unbearable in Yuder's current state. However, the makeshift tent was just that, a temporary solution, trembling as if about to collapse whenever the hail grew slightly more intense. Eventually, two team members had to hold up the poles to keep it standing.

"..."

Regardless of the tent's shuddering, Yuder, lying with closed eyes and sweating profusely, emitted such intense heat from his body that it seemed like mirages were rising from him. The clean hailstones brought in as a substitute for ice melted into water in an instant.

"Grab his arm! Align the bones!"

"Yes, yes!"

Cuts and bruises or contusions were easy to handle for Lusan using his divine power. However, setting a broken limb was a different story. It wasn't a clean break but misaligned, so before using divine power to mend it, the bones had to be properly aligned, which was no easy task. They needed to lower the fever and stabilize his energy, and also needed to administer medicine, all while monitoring the dark veins that had risen all over his body. They were overwhelmed, feeling as if even ten bodies would not be enough.

Meanwhile, more injured members from inside the temple began to report in, increasing their workload.

"Pharmacist! Priest! Three more injured have been added; should we gather them all in that building for now?"

"Again? If it's not life-threatening, just gather them there!"

"Pharmacist! Is it difficult for the injured to come here because of the hail?"

"Use your eyes. We're already full here with this guy and your Commander! Don't ask any more!"

"Yes!"

"Damn it! Is it possible that all those who know how to use divine power in this huge temple have fled? Huh?! These damned fools! Always useless! Taking tithes for food and building structures?!

"..."

Enon's harsh swearing would normally have elicited a retort from Lusan, but this time, he chose to ignore it. The words were, after all, indisputably true.

Enon frowned and spoke up when the number of gathered injured surpassed twenty.

"Kid! Now that the bones are set, pour in the divine power, and once you're done, head to that building and take charge there!"

"Are you sure you'll be okay? Managing these two by yourself, Sir Enon..."

The injuries of those gathered in the building were serious, but still within the realms of being treatable with divine power alone. However, the two patients in the tent posed a greater challenge; their conditions were so complex that it was hard to know where to start.

Truth be told, had Lusan been alone, he would have been at a loss on how to manage Yuder and Kishiar, who sat dazed, still awaiting proper treatment.

"You've done all you can with divine power. I'll call if I need you, now go!"

"Okay, I will! But you must call if you need me...!"

"Do you think I wouldn't? Just manage your strength properly! Don't use too much on one person! And if I call and find you've exhausted yourself, you'll be the first to hear about it! And take the white medicine from over there when you leave!"

"Yes!"

Divine power is a force manifested based on the priest's vitality and life force. Using too much at once could lead to fainting, and in severe cases, rapid aging or even death.

Of course, Lusan had never pushed himself to such extremes, and the tales of priests dying from overuse of divine power were now more like folklore. Nonetheless, Enon warned him sharply, as if genuinely concerned that it could happen.

Enon, not a priest himself, yet suspiciously knowledgeable about divine power and deeply versed in the nearly forgotten art of herbology, often left Lusan wondering about his true identity. Despite this curiosity, Lusan always kept these questions to himself.

What mattered most was that Enon's concern for him was genuine and sincere.

'And it's not just divine power that Enon knows so well... He's strangely knowledgeable about magic too. Maybe he used to be an apprentice to a mage who studied herbology... It's possible. After all, studying herbs inevitably involves delving into temple research.'

Indeed, Thais Yulman, who had previously conducted research on medicinal herbs, and his apprentice Alik, both mages, found common ground with Lusan in their discussions.

Lusan grabbed the white medicine jar Enon had instructed him to take and dashed out of the tent. This particular medicine, a special concoction made by Enon from ground herbs, was highly effective for stopping bleeding and restoring vitality.

Taking advantage of the moment when most of the other members had left to protect Lusan, Enon gently lifted the hem of Yuder's ceremonial robe.

The dark veins, which had spread from the heart area down to the legs, were rampant.

'But... unusually, there's a different pattern around the lower abdomen.'

The dark veins in the area just below the navel, unlike other parts, were not branching out but instead were clumped together in a disordered mass. About the size of an adult man's fist,

this clump looked almost like a seed, and in another sense, like a final destination for everything.

What was crucial was the immense swirling of power that could be felt emanating from that spot.

To Enon, it seemed undeniable that the tremendous heat emanating from Yuder was caused by that peculiar anomaly.

"....The medicine you gave earlier has dissolved and been swallowed. What should I do next?"

It was then that a low, soft voice reached his ears. As Enon covered Yuder's body with the clothing, he turned his head. Kishiar, who had been quietly observing Enon, was sitting in a folding chair that the members had brought along with the tent from inside the temple. His face, partly wrapped in bandages, presented an unusual appearance.

Of course, it was Enon who had applied those bandages.

As soon as the tent was erected, Enon, along with Lusan, had attended to Kishiar's face. The lacerations and eyes, once cleaned of blood, revealed a horrifying extent of injury. Fortunately, there were no signs of poison or other complications, so Lusan's divine power worked exceptionally well. Enon decided that although Kishiar would need to avoid direct sunlight for a while, at least there would be no lasting scars on his skin.

If Yuder Aile had been there, he would have been most relieved to hear this news, probably never tiring of gazing upon Kishiar's face all day.

'Damn it! Why should I even care about such things? Whether he likes it or not, it has nothing to do with me!'

Observing Yuder Aile, one couldn't help but notice how his gaze often and quite lingeringly fell upon Kishiar La Orr's face. Of course, as his assistant who spent most of his day by Kishiar's side, this might seem natural. However, having come to know their relationship, Enon didn't see it that way at all.

The Yuder Aile he knew wasn't someone to stare unnecessarily at someone else for long, even if his profession demanded it. Though often appearing expressionless, the depth of unsettling and itchy feelings packed in his gaze towards Kishiar was probably something he himself was unaware of.

And Enon, too, wished he could remain oblivious to it! For a lifetime!

After treating Kishiar's face and administering the medicine, Enon glanced briefly in the direction of the earlier treatment and spoke.

"How do you feel now? Any changes in your body?"