"Tsk, tsk. I never imagined Valanfort held a church of this magnitude!" The young man stared at the dozens of priests from the Church of the Night lining the streets and the respectful civilians passing them, unable to hide his astonishment.
In this day and age, since when could a cult distribute flyers so openly in broad daylight?
"It's not just the commoners. Even pirates have joined the Church of the Night. Ever heard of Mondos Bank? That great pirate with a bounty of 710 million berries? He is the Church's Executioner. He specializes in hunting down apostates and heretics who betray the Church. He doesn't even spare the Marines!" The middle-aged man shuddered as he spoke the name.
"The Night Executioner... Mondos Bank!"
The youth's face turned pale. He hadn't realized that notorious butcher was a follower of this faith.
There was a legend that a certain city lord had spoken ill of the Church; in response, Mondos Bank stormed the gates under the cover of darkness. He slaughtered every soul in the lord's manor, over two hundred people, and even hunted down the soldiers patrolling the city. By sunrise, over seven hundred people, including the lord, nobles, guards, servants, and soldiers, were dead.
Since that night, no one in that city, be they soldiers, gangsters, or drunks, dared to set foot on the streets after dark.
…
In the center of the castle district, less than two hundred meters from the Royal Manor, a massive cathedral loomed.
Constructed entirely of obsidian and inlaid with white crosses of polished jade, the structure appeared solemn, yet profoundly eerie.
Tap, tap, tap, tap...
Crisp footsteps echoed through a dim underground corridor. A black-haired man dressed in the Church's signature black-and-white vestments, draped in a coat of black feathers, walked with a black katana at his hip. A wicked smile played on his youthful features.
Reaching the end of the passage, he pushed open a four-meter-high door and strode inside.
"Bank, you're late!" a boisterous voice rang out immediately.
The room was spacious, centered around a circular obsidian table where over a dozen high-ranking clergy members in black-and-white robes were seated.
The speaker was another young man, marked by three five-centimeter scars on his right cheek and a single jagged line running from his left eye to his jaw. His feet were propped up on the obsidian table, his posture radiating arrogance.
Razalo, Ace Dark Arbiter and Deputy Commander of the Church of the Night's Dark Tribunal!
Bank ignored Sawa's comment entirely, walking in with his predatory smile and taking the last empty seat.
"You bastard!" Razalo's temper flared at the slight, his posture tensing as if to strike.
"Enough! We are here for matters of grave importance, not to watch you two bicker!"
A middle-aged man wearing an obsidian crown adorned with a white cross spoke with a cold, commanding tone.
Bacano Bane. One of the Church of the Night's three Obsidian Archbishops.
"Tch." Razalo settled back, but he threw a provocative glare toward both Bank and Bane.
Bane scanned the room and said solemnly, "Everyone is here. The meeting begins."
"Heh... an Obsidian Archbishop, the Deputy Commander of the Dark Tribunal, plus every Bishop and Senior Deacon in the Bivins Kingdom. This looks like a massive undertaking," Bank noted with a smirk.
"The Bivins Kingdom is one of our three most active regions. Now that it has fallen into chaos under the incompetent rule of King Bivins XVII, we have our greatest opportunity!" Bane explained, his voice growing heated with excitement.
"Be specific. Do you want to install a puppet king?" Razalo asked impatiently.
"No!" Bane's voice was thick with ambition. "We will swallow the Bivins Kingdom whole and establish a Theocratic State!"
The room went silent as everyone sucked in a cold breath. They hadn't expected the Archbishop to harbor such staggering aspirations.
"Archbishop Bane has quite the nerve!"
"Such a massive operation... is it even possible?"
"Is he suffering from delusions?"
"Our influence hasn't even reached all six Great Forts and forty-eight Provincial Forts yet!"
"Our knights in this kingdom number barely a thousand. How can we take a whole nation?"
The vault erupted into a cacophony of hushed arguments and frantic whispers.
"Hey, Bane," Razalo interrupted mockingly. "The Bivins Royals have hired mercenaries from the Chris Pirates. And word is, the Revolutionary Army is meddling with the rebels."
Razalo leaned forward with a sneer. "In the face of those two powerhouses, why do you think we can snatch the kingdom from under their noses? You're dreaming!"
"Latest news: the Revolutionary Army's number two, Chief of Staff Sabo, has already arrived!" someone added, stoking the fire.
"The number two? With a heavyweight like that here, the Archbishop's plan is impossible!"
The room descended back into chaos. Bank, however, remained silent, lost in thought.
Bane looked around the noisy chamber. He wasn't bothered by Razalo's mockery.
"True, the Revolutionary Army sent a big name. But the Chris Pirates are no pushovers either. Do you think the Lord of the Neutral Zone is someone easily trifled with? When two tigers fight, one is bound to be wounded."
Bane leaned over the table. "If the Chris Pirates defeat the revolutionaries, they will take their remaining payment and leave the kingdom. After a national rebellion and a series of bloody battles, the kingdom's strength will be depleted and the people's resentment will be at its peak. We can then incite our followers to seize power in one fell swoop!"
"Conversely, if the revolutionaries defeat the Chris Pirates and take control, they won't tolerate our presence. We can strike while they are still struggling to establish a foothold. Either way, the opportunity to build the Theocracy of the Night is within our grasp!"
Bane spoke with silver-tongued eloquence, laying out his conjectures and strategies. His core tenet was simple: avoid the initial clash, and strike the lethal blow when the victor is weakest.
The Bishops and Deacons began to look intrigued, their eyes lighting up. Even Razalo seemed tempted.
"The plan is sound in theory, but it relies entirely on your assumptions," Bank said, leaning back and crossing his arms. "How do you solve the massive gap in military manpower?"
"That is where all of you come in. I expect you to incite every believer within your respective dioceses!" Bane said calmly. "Furthermore, I will inform the High Church of the specifics. I believe the Pope will secretly dispatch the Paladins of the Night to support us!"
Bank's eyebrows shot up. "And weapons? Or do you plan to storm those fortified castles with kitchen knives and hoes?"
"Certainly not. Because behind us, there is a very powerful figure supporting our cause!" Bane revealed a mysterious, wicked grin.
————
For those who don't remember, Mondos Bank is one of Supernovas in the same generation as Aeridar, and also one of the pirate captains who led the attack on Clifford Kingdom when Aeridar was away dealing with Calamodus. His epithet was also Night Executioner, and it seems author was able to create the reason for it.
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over here ——— pa-tre-on.c-om/AlexandrusTL [remove the hyphen for normal access]