Prince Roland’s arrangements for Buck were meticulous and exceptionally thoughtful. When considering the noble young man’s lodging, she made a grand gesture—gifting him an entire townhouse.


    The residence was in a prime location, situated along Michelin Avenue, which ran through the ecclesiastical district. From there, the journey to the Church’s headquarters was but a short distance.


    Michelin Avenue No. 9—a three-story townhouse standing quietly by the street. For Buck, who had never harbored excessive material desires, such a dwelling was more than satisfactory.


    The carriage came to a gentle halt in front of Buck’s new home. While the twin maids and Doug busied themselves unloading the luggage, Buck merely straightened his attire before boarding the carriage once more, heading toward the Church headquarters to report in.


    The carriage sped through the city streets and soon arrived at the grand plaza of the Church of Light. The vast expanse of the square stretched endlessly into the distance. With steady steps, Buck traversed the plaza, making his way toward the side entrance of the Radiant Cathedral. Along the way, clergy members acted as silent guides, leading him through the towering structures steeped in religious solemnity.


    From the moment he stepped through the cathedral’s great doors, the countless emblems of the Solar Goddess embedded in the walls emanated a soft, warm glow. The gentle radiance enveloped him, akin to the embrace of spring sunlight, instantly easing the fatigue from his travels.


    At the same time, Buck felt a surge of inner relief. The malicious spirits that ceaselessly plagued him were now truly suppressed by the overwhelming power of the Church. Letting out a long breath, he felt deeply moved, murmuring to himself, “A cathedral should indeed be this grand and magnificent to match its divine authority.”


    A cleric leading the way overheard his whispered words of piety and cast him a curious glance, a flicker of doubt crossing their eyes. However, they chose not to comment and simply continued forward.


    Before long, Buck was guided into the depths of the Church. Descending a spiraling staircase, he found himself in an underground chamber—an enclosed space, yet not at all stifling. There, he met two hunters of the Church.


    More precisely, they belonged to a hunting order jointly governed by the Church and the Hunters’ Guild. They were members of the Church’s Demon Hunting Corps.


    Prior to this meeting, the Fourth Prince had already formally recommended Buck Frank to the Corps. To put it bluntly, he had used his influence to push Buck into the organization.


    Because of this, the two demon hunters regarded Buck with cold indifference when they first laid eyes on him. Their disdain only deepened when they noticed his peculiar appearance, carrying an air of arrogance and aloofness.


    To prevent his unruly eyes from wandering where they shouldn’t, Buck had tightly bound a black cloth around his eyes, making him appear as though he were blind. Thanks to the presence of the Watcher Spirit, however, he could still vaguely perceive his surroundings and navigate his way.


    The greatest advantage of this disguise was that others would be less likely to notice his occasional inappropriate glances. When Buck realized that one of the hunters before him was a woman, he felt an immense sense of relief for his foresight.


    He was well aware that if his uncontrolled gaze were to be discovered, the consequences would be dire. This female hunter, who already looked difficult to deal with, might very well gouge his eyes out on the spot.


    “The Vice Commander of the Demon Hunting Corps, a member of the Royal Capital’s Council of Light, and a Sixth-Tier Hunter—Olivia.”


    It was then that the elderly hunter in a black cloak finally spoke, introducing the woman’s identity. Buck’s breath hitched slightly at the mention of her titles.


    Even setting aside her illustrious ranks and affiliations, the mere mention of a Sixth-Tier Hunter was enough to send a chill down his spine. To Buck’s knowledge, such a title was shrouded in mystery and signified immense power. He had no idea what it truly entailed, but the fact that even the Watcher Spirit failed to see through her was enough proof of her terrifying might.


    Through his spectral sight, Olivia’s figure—clad in her form-fitting black hunter’s coat—appeared shrouded in a mist-like blur, as if an invisible barrier shielded her from his gaze. The sheer presence of her aura was akin to a bottomless abyss, far more terrifying than that of Montette, the deranged immortal.


    In Buck’s eyes, the only thing he could truly see—the only thing he was allowed to see—was Olivia’s face.


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    What greeted him was an astonishingly youthful countenance. Her shoulder-length black hair was neatly trimmed, and she looked no older than twenty. Her delicate features resembled the first bloom of spring, while her fair skin possessed the luster of fine jade. However, the most striking aspect of her appearance was undoubtedly her golden eyes—brilliant orbs of light reminiscent of twin suns, radiating a divine warmth that could captivate anyone who beheld them.


    “And I am Fernandez, Third Representative of the Southern Ecclesiastical District of the Royal Capital.”


    Before Buck could fully absorb Olivia’s presence, the elderly, beardless man beside her continued speaking.


    “Honorable Buck Frank, we have already heard of your valorous deeds from His Highness, the Fourth Prince. Furthermore, His Highness has attested that you are a devout believer in the Goddess, which is why he has recommended you to the Demon Hunting Corps.


    Now, I ask you one final time—Buck Frank, do you willingly pledge yourself to the Corps, to become a blade that strikes at the darkness on behalf of the Church, the Empire, and all of humanity?”


    The Fernandez hoarse yet exceedingly calm voice echoed through the underground chamber like a resounding bell, instantly jolting Buck out of his momentary daze. He hurriedly tore his attention away from Olivia’s golden eyes.


    Clearing his throat, Buck made an effort to steady himself and performed a standard noble’s bow to the two esteemed hunters. With unwavering determination in his voice, he solemnly declared, “I am willing.” His tone carried an undeniable resolve, as if he were proclaiming his choice to the entire world.


    Perhaps due to the connections involved, Fernandes skipped all the formalities and unnecessary rituals. He merely had Buck recite an oath, handed him a booklet that all members of the Order were required to study, and thus concluded all the necessary procedures.


    Both parties were well aware that Buck Frank’s entry into the Order was merely the first step in Prince Roland’s expansion of influence into the Church. Behind this arrangement lay the intricate struggles and compromises of various factions within the upper echelons. Undoubtedly, no matter what happened in the future, Buck would remain a blade in Roland’s hands.


    As for Fernandes, he was, at his core, a pure-hearted veteran hunter, wholly devoted to nurturing fresh blood for the Order. He held no particular aversion to someone like Buck, who had entered through special connections. In his eyes, as long as Buck was not an incarnation of an evil deity and had the courage to wield his sword against the darkness, that was enough.


    With the formalities out of the way, it was time for the true ceremony—the Ascension Ritual.


    Ordinary people could not simply join the Order of Demon Hunters. To this end, the Church provided a single opportunity for an extraordinary ascension. However, whether one could successfully attain transcendence during the ritual depended entirely on fate. Generally speaking, the chances of success were exceedingly low, and this was precisely the key to becoming a Church hunter.


    Fernandes knew that Buck was unique. He was no longer an ordinary mortal but had already acquired supernatural powers through other means. Yet, this did not mean he was ineligible to partake in the Ascension Ritual.


    In truth, the Church preferred for its hunters to ascend using its own sanctioned methods, rather than relying on unknown and potentially heretical sources of power. But reality was far from ideal. Many Church hunters, faced with the brutalities of battle and the despair of confronting evil, often strayed from the original path of light, willing to sacrifice everything in their fight against darkness. As a result, the more pragmatic members of the Order had no choice but to turn a blind eye to such occurrences.


    Buck Frank’s power was mysterious, but it was not inherently evil. At the very least, Olivia, who had remained silent and composed throughout, showed no signs of concern. Hence, Fernandes chose to ignore the lingering traces of suppressed spectral energy emanating from Buck.


    Leading Buck to the stone table in the center of the chamber, Fernandes unfurled eight scrolls, each detailing a different path of transcendence, and laid them out before him, gesturing for him to choose freely.


    “These are the extraordinary paths the Church can offer you. Choose one, and we will immediately conduct the first phase of the ritual,” Fernandes stated, his deep and resonant voice carrying the weight of a gateway opening to an entirely new world.


    Buck’s eyes darted across the names of the rituals, feeling momentarily overwhelmed. The Radiant Blessing Ritual, the Goddess’ Benediction Ritual, the Solar Ascension Ritual, the Fate Ritual, the Night Ritual, the Light of Nature Ritual, the Guardian of Order Ritual, and the Ironheart Ritual. Even from their names and brief descriptions, he could roughly discern the nature of each extraordinary path.


    This feels just like choosing a starting class in a game, Buck thought to himself. Yet, for all his amusement, he found himself hesitating. He turned to Fernandes and posed a question before making his choice.


    “If I’ve already undergone a ritual before, can I still ascend using the Church’s method?” His eyes flickered with concern, as though afraid his past experiences would become an obstacle.


    “Of course you can,” Fernandes responded with a sidelong glance, his lips curling slightly in mild disdain. “Unless, of course, you believe that the power of the divine is weaker than those chaotic, wretched specters, or that you wish to keep fostering the spirits lurking within you. In that case, you are free to abandon your entry into the Order.”


    His sharp gaze seemed to pierce through Buck’s thoughts. After a brief pause, he added, “Only ascension rituals from the dark gods will conflict with the power of the divine. Any other forces you’ve acquired will be purified—so long as the gods accept you.”


    “What happens if there is a conflict or an anomaly?” Buck asked cautiously, his voice tinged with apprehension. At that moment, he felt as though he stood at a crossroads of fate, where every choice could determine his survival.


    “You will become a monster.”


    The chilling voice that answered him this time belonged to Olivia, who had been silent until now. Her tone was as cold as the winter wind, sending a shiver down Buck’s spine.


    There was no doubt—turning into a monster meant death.