Chapter 197: So That Tragedy Will Not Repeat

High Inquisitor.

Kayan’s body jolted, and his breathing quickened. He opened his mouth but was too overwhelmed to speak. Even as a member of the clergy, he understood what it meant to lead an independent special unit within the army. Now Nolan had appointed him as the head of this newly formed organization. The title represented not only authority and status, but also Nolan’s unconditional trust and a weighty responsibility.

“The Inquisition of the Cross will not only face conventional enemies. Its blade will be turned toward the evils hidden in the shadows, those who defile life and twist order, the heretics, cultists, and undead.”

Nolan looked at him with expectation. There was no one more suited to the role than Kayan, known as the Fervent Zeal.

“Within six months, expand the Inquisition of the Cross to more than two hundred members. Kayan, you will accompany me on the next operation. Your sacred hymns are the most effective counter against such abominations. Bring all fifty with you.”

“Yes, my lord!” Kayan dropped to one knee, his right hand pressed to his chest in the most solemn gesture of the clergy. “I will lead the Inquisition and purge all filth from this world in your name!”

Nolan then called out several more names. “Vivi.”

“I’m here!” The tiger-girl had been waiting eagerly, her tail swaying excitedly behind her.

“Ailin.”

The valkyrie inclined her head gracefully. Nolan’s will was her will.

“Rehanna.”

“Here!” Rehanna responded crisply, rising to her feet.

“You three will come with me as well. We depart at dawn in three days. Make your preparations immediately.”

Nolan had chosen this team with great care.

The Wood Elves were extremely xenophobic, and the forest environment was complex. Bringing a large force might provoke them and create unnecessary complications. A small, elite team was the best option.

Kayan and his Inquisition of the Cross were the perfect weapon against evils such as the Nihility Cult. Vivi’s tracking and reconnaissance abilities were unmatched in dense forest terrain. Ailindel, as a war spirit, was naturally resistant to corruption and completely immune to decay and plague. Rehanna was one of the strongest fighters in the group, the spearhead for breaking through enemy lines. It was a highly specialized task force.

“What about me, Brother Nolan?” Little Donnie grew anxious and quickly stood to volunteer.

Nolan shook his head. “While we are away, Coldsteel City needs someone to hold the line. You and Hank are the only remaining Gold-tier fighters. Together with the Coldsteel Pride golem, you are the safeguard against any sudden crisis. More importantly, you have only just broken through to Gold rank. Your strength is not yet stable. What you need now is to calm yourself and fully master your power, not rush into danger.”

“And Renee,” Nolan continued, turning to the quiet girl in the corner, “your situation is the same. For spellcasters, physical enhancement from potions has limited effect. You need time to meditate and understand the elements. You have exceptional talent, and with the aid of the Fountain of Potential, I believe you will break through soon.”

Advancing as a spellcaster was far more difficult than as a warrior, but her affinity with the elements was extraordinary, so Nolan was not worried.

“Strength is the foundation. Do not lose sight of that.”

Originally, Nolan had intended to bring the same group as before. After all, they were already familiar with Romina, which would make communication easier. But for the sake of Little Donnie and Renee’s growth, and to better address the situation, he chose this arrangement.

Little Donnie looked disappointed but understood that Nolan’s decision was for his own good. He scratched his head and sat back down. Renee nodded obediently, aware that she was not yet strong enough and would only become a burden.

Vivi, on the other hand, was beaming with delight.

The mission itself did not matter to her, nor did the danger. What mattered was that she could go on another adventure with Nolan.

She stole a glance at Rehanna and Ailindel, her ears twitching warily as she muttered to herself.

Hmph. This time, I’ll be keeping a close eye on things.

“That concludes the meeting. Get back to your duties. And remember to return to the lord’s manor tonight,” Nolan said with a faint smile. “I’ll be cooking personally as a reward for everyone’s hard work.”

“Yes, my lord!”

Nolan’s cooking was well known, and the group cheered before saluting and dispersing to their tasks.

Left alone in the meeting room, Nolan walked to the large map of the Elfin Kingdom and fixed his gaze on the forest labeled “Borderlands.”

Memories he could neither suppress nor share rose unbidden in his mind, heavy beyond words.

The large-scale storyline, Wild Hunt of the Deep Forest.

The source of corruption, Mark of Silent Extinction.

The avatar of an evil god, Crimson Corruption.

These terms from his previous life echoed like a nightmare. The memory of that history was etched too deeply for him to forget. It had been the turning point where everything began to spiral out of control.

The Foundation of Life had been corrupted by the Mark of Silent Extinction.

In his previous life, the Nihility Cult had secretly incited civil war within the kingdom, leading Archduke Demont to carry out destructive exploitation of the Borderlands forest to fund the war effort, which in turn triggered a fierce conflict with the Wood Elves.

The Wood Elves’ stronghold, Forest Home, had been struck while vulnerable. Taking advantage of Romina’s absence while leading her forces, the Nihility Cult dealt a devastating blow to the entire race.

He could not forget the ritual presided over by Rosm, the Patriarch of Decay, which turned the beautiful Forest Home into a hell of wailing and despair.

With the corrupted Foundation of Life and the blood and lives of nearly ten thousand Wood Elves, they had ultimately summoned the demigod avatar of endless plague and decay, the Crimson Corruption.

Where it descended, all things withered. Living beings twisted into grotesque masses of flesh, and the land itself became a festering wound that bled corruption.

This catastrophe occurred in the mid-stage of the game. More than ten thousand players, each around early Silver rank, had thrown themselves into the disaster, fighting desperately alongside the Wood Elves and the Elfin Kingdom.

In the final battle, the players paid with total annihilation to barely defeat that terrifying entity. The Wood Elf rangers were nearly wiped out, and their population fell to the brink of extinction.

Nolan had been one of them. He remembered dying at least fifty times within half a month, waking each day only to fight corrupted monsters, and finally retreating in a weakened state.

The entire Demont Province was devastated by both civil war and catastrophe. Nine out of ten homes stood empty, and refugees flooded neighboring provinces, causing widespread chaos.

The vast forest near the Elfin territories was severely tainted and did not recover for twenty years.

With the southern forces crippled, the northern nobles pressed their advantage during the Red City Conference. Princess Flina, in order to preserve the greater good, was forced to accept harsh terms, including the disbandment of the royalist faction, further weakening the south’s military strength.

Then came the Second Mandala War against the undead, compounding the disaster. The southern regions of the kingdom, nearly defenseless, suffered defeat after defeat. The southern army was completely annihilated, its very designation erased.

Many heroes emerged during the war, but when Princess Flina called for resistance, Prince Kruh fled with a large group of northern nobles to the Rus Empire, leaving only a few who still held a sense of duty to send aid.

Princess Flina held out for more than a year with the last of her forces before the kingdom collapsed with the fall of the capital.

One misstep led to another. History had already proven this.

Although that battle had established Romina’s fame as the Silent Watcher, it had, in truth, been an unmitigated disaster.

The sight of villagers slaughtered, the cries of children, these memories denied him rest. As a devoted player, it was the first time he had felt that something being too real could itself be cruel.

The past was unbearable to recall. Now that he stood firmly in Coldsteel City, Nolan would never allow history to repeat itself.

He clenched his fists.

The appearance of the so-called Guide, Kost, on the battlefield of the Somme River had not been a coincidence. In his previous life, rumors of Archduke Demont’s ties to the cult had never been confirmed. This time, Nolan had paid close attention, and now it was clear.

The same black hand reaching into that forest belonged to the Nihility Cult, just as before.

“Damn them…”

The words slipped through his teeth, his eyes filled with unmasked killing intent. He hated the undead, for they had destroyed his homeland. But he hated the Nihility Cult just as much. Those madmen did not act for profit or territory. They created chaos and death simply to please themselves and their dark god. They were parasites of order, a disease within civilization.

A knock on the door broke his thoughts.

Anna entered, carrying a steaming cup of red tea.

“Still thinking about the next operation?” she asked softly, handing him the cup. “There are still a few days. You should rest.”

“Mm.” Nolan accepted it, warmth spreading through his hands. “The enemy is cunning and urgent. I want to be fully prepared.”

“Then you need rest even more.”

Anna stepped behind him, her slender fingers pressing gently against his temples as she massaged them with just the right amount of pressure.

“Don’t worry,” she said softly. “Coldsteel City has me. You just need to come back safely.”

Nolan closed his eyes, savoring the rare moment of peace. The last trace of irritation in his heart faded.

This time, things were different. He had powerful companions, and his own strength far surpassed what it had once been. More importantly, he was no longer reacting passively. He was taking the initiative.

Back then, he had been a challenger. Now, he was the lord of a rising power, a true boss by the game’s standards. And a formidable one at that.

He opened his eyes, determination filling them. “Anna.”

“Yes?”

“Next time, don’t pour my wine. That stuff is expensive.”

“…Oh.”

While Coldsteel City bustled with preparations for the expedition and the evening banquet, news of the Battle of the Somme River, where the Demont coalition had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Coldsteel City, spread throughout the Elfin Kingdom as if it had grown wings.