IBHJ Chapter 985

As they walked, she found herself relaxing. How fortunate, she thought, to have met such a kind priest right after getting lost.

"By the way, won't this interfere with your work?" Kiara asked thoughtfully. Although it was good to have the priest guide her, disturbing someone's work would make her feel guilty.

The priest smiled and said, "Today there's only one soul that needs comforting, so it won't interfere with my work."

Relief washed over her face. "Oh, that's wonderful. I'm Kiara, by the way. I'm actually a Buddhist nun myself."

"Is that so? What a delightful coincidence," the priest smiled. "I'm Sancraid Phahn. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sister Kiara."

As they walked, Kiara found herself relaxing despite the unfamiliar surroundings. After all, she reasoned, members of the clergy were inherently trustworthy. Father Sancraid's gentle demeanor and smile reminded her of Mr. Shirou, which only added to her sense of comfort.

However, as they continued, she couldn't help but notice the streets growing narrower and the crowds thinning out, finally leading to a dark alley with no apparent way forward.

She frowned, glancing around in confusion. "Father Sancraid, where's the road? I don't see anything ahead."

Sancraid's lips curled into a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Oh, there's no road because we're not heading back at all, my dear."

"Huh?" she was puzzled, "Then why did you bring me here?"

Sancraid turned to face her, still wearing that gentle, kind smile. "You still haven't figured it out, have you, you heretical Eastern monkey? This is why I love slow-witted women."

Before Kiara could respond, a blood-red glow erupted beneath her feet. Dense energy grew into ghostly white bones, snaking up from the ground and coiling around her body.

Kiara's eyes widened in panic. "What's happening? What is this?"

"Heretics without God in their hearts must be purged. Even if they're nothing but monkeys." Sancraid's smile became even gentler, but to Kiara, it looked like the smile of a demon.

"You're... you're bad guy!" Kiara gasped, struggling against her bonds.

Sancraid chuckled. "On the contrary, I'm the very definition of good. I am, after all, a servant of God."

The air grew thick with the stench of blood as the magical circle pulsed beneath Kiara's feet. The bone-like tendrils tightened around her. Yet, to Sancraid's bewilderment, the magic circle seemed unable to corrode her flesh.

What he didn't know was that Kiara possessed the Beast Authority of Demonic Bodhisattva. Even dormant, it shielded her from harm - a protection that would last as long as Demonic Bodhisattva didn't reclaim it.

Furthermore, before leaving the South American Connection Point, her body was still under the influence of the Moon Cell's game rules. The level 8 body and soul enhancement could grant ordinary humans combat power surpassing that of normal Heroic Spirits, so how could she be affected by such a magic circle?

Yet, despite these big advantages, Kiara's inexperience left her paralyzed with indecision.

A sultry, melodious voice suddenly cut through the darkness of the alley, sending a shiver down her spine. "My, my. This simply won't do."

Sancraid's head snapped up. "Who goes there? Show yourself!"

"This little rabbit belongs to me," the voice continued, rich with amusement. "No one else is allowed to lay a finger on her."

Both Sancraid and Kiara turned towards the alley's entrance. There stood Demonic Bodhisattva, a coy smile playing on her lips.

Sancraid's gaze darted between Kiara and the newcomer, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What sorcery is this? Why are there two of you?"

Kiara's eyes widened in recognition and fear. "It's... it's you!"

Demonic Bodhisattva's smile widened, a spark of mischief in her eyes. With a casual snap of her fingers, a hand materialized from her abdomen, reaching out towards Kiara.

As it passed Sancraid, there was a sickening sound of tearing flesh. The priest's eyes widened in shock as he realized most of his shoulder had been cleanly sliced off.

"Oh my," Demonic Bodhisattva cooed, her voice dripping with false concern. "How terribly impolite of me. My sincerest apologies, Father Sancraid. Even a lady as refined as myself can have her moments of... clumsiness."

Sancraid grimaced, clutching his mangled shoulder. Through gritted teeth, he managed to speak. "You're... a Servant, aren't you? Then that woman must be your Master."

However, his assumption couldn't have been further from the truth.

"Aaaaaah!" Kiara, whom Sancraid had assumed was her Master, suddenly screamed in terror at the sight of the supposed Servant. She frantically tore through the magic circle that had been binding her. Without a backward glance, she bolted down the alley, her feet pounding against the pavement as she fled in blind panic.

"Mr. Shirou! Mr. Shirou!" Kiara's desperate cries filled the alley as she ran. "Help me!"

"Sigh..." Demonic Bodhisattva tapped her forehead, looking slightly troubled. "Didn't you say you would defeat me? But in the end, you don't even have the courage to face me... Disappointing me is your real danger."

Sancraid glared at Demonic Bodhisattva with a grim face and roared in a low voice, "Berserker—!"

"Roar—!!"

The ground beneath them suddenly split open with a thunderous crack. From the fissure emerged a massive figure, built like a mountain and radiating raw, primal power. The beast-like man let out a deafening roar that shook the very air around them.

Demonic Bodhisattva's lips curled into a faint smile. "My, my. You're certainly impressive in your own brutish way. But I'm afraid that after encountering men like Mr. Shirou - lean, disciplined, and ascetic - I find I've lost my taste for the crude and irrational." She paused, her gaze settling on the towering figure. "Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Heracles?"

Sancraid's eyes burned with anger. "Tear her apart, Berserker!" he yelled.

Heracles roared, his massive hands reaching for Demonic Bodhisattva like sky-supporting pillars, muscles bulging and veins throbbing beneath his skin.

But in that moment, a calm smile spread across her face. Quick as lightning, her own hand shot out. Flesh tore and bones splintered as she ripped through Heracles' hands, sending a spray of blood and mangled fingers flying. Her delicate fingers clamped around his skull, nails digging into his scalp. In one fluid motion, she smashed him into the ground with terrifying force.

"Boom—!"

The crash was earth-shaking, the sound of breaking bones lost in the thunderous impact. The ground split open beneath them, cracking like brittle glass. Huge rocks exploded into the air, showering the area with deadly shrapnel.

Heracles' body left a crater, his limbs splayed at unnatural angles, blood pooling beneath his broken form. It was as if an old legend had come to life before his eyes, the raw power of myth made flesh in all its brutal glory.

Sancraid stared at Demonic Bodhisattva in horror. "How is this possible..."

Demonic Bodhisattva's face stayed calm, that sweet, gentle smile never changing. She looked towards the alley's entrance, her voice light and almost playful. "Oh dear... our little runner has gone pretty far. We can't let that happen, can we?"

Without care, she tossed Heracles aside like garbage. Then, she set off after Kiara.

"Mr. Shirou, Mr. Shirou—" Kiara's voice bounced off the alley walls. She sounded scared, like a kid calling for their dad when they're in trouble.

Kiara knew how scary Demonic Bodhisattva was, and she knew she couldn't beat her alone. If she faced her by herself, she'd be swallowed up for sure.

Right now, finding Mr. Shirou was her only chance. He was the only one who could help her against Demonic Bodhisattva.

"Mr. Shirou, Mr. Shirou—" She kept yelling as she ran out of the alley. But she didn't expect to see a young man walking by.

Dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, with thin black-framed glasses, he appeared neat and focused on the economics book in his hand. He was wholly unprepared for Kiara to suddenly appear out of the alley at full sprint. His eyes widened in surprise.

Then—

BAM! Kiara and the young man crashed into each other, and he fell backward.

"Ow, ow, ow—" The young man clutched the back of his head, tears welling up from the pain. He looked up at Kiara, who was sitting on top of him, and asked with a hint of anger, "Hey, watch where you're going!"

"Mr. Shirou, Mr. Shirou—"

The young man looked confused. "Mr. Shirou? Do I know you?" he asked.

Kiara stared at him for a moment, then her eyes widened in disbelief. She placed her hands on his shoulders and asked, her voice barely a whisper, "Mr. Shirou?"

"Yes, I'm Fujimaru Shirou," the young man said, still looking confused. "Are we in the same class? But I don't remember seeing you there. Is it because I don't join in group stuff much?"