The square was in a mess.

The darkness had suddenly shrouded everything. After the dust settled, a screech could be heard from the citizens.

Aragon and the Shrine Paladins looked at that scene in a daze!

Dina's head fell to the ground, her eyes wide open.

And her attendant Ronan was also decapitated!

Such a scene never happened in White Elephant City, never happened in Arborea.

That was a Senior Priestess!

Such a high existence was killed before everyone's eyes?

And the killer didn't leave any traces behind!

The Paladins and the bailiff looked at the bodies with disbelief filling their eyes.

The Paladins rushed over recklessly, their horses even stomping on many innocent people!

And taking advantage of this situation, the Prince's twelve Knights broke through the encirclement and escaped White Elephant City.

The entire square fell into chaos.

Marvin, under the cover of Eternal Night, quietly retreated.

With Eriksson's Brooch, even if those Paladins used [Truesight], it wouldn't do anything!

His Stealth was too high!

Saving everyone and leaving was impossible for him. Probably only a Legend like Ivan could pull off something like that.

But killing a Priest wasn't too much of an issue!

Dina might be troublesome, but she was only a Priest around level 16. Furthermore, she was completely unguarded!

High Stealth + Eternal Night was just a perfect combination.

'Would the Shrine be able to sit still after one of their Priestesses died like that?'

'In the next few days, the Shrine's sight might be focused on White Elephant City,' Marvin sneered in his heart.

He already reached his goal and quickly disappeared in the crowd.

...

God Realms. The Shadow Prince squinted.

He had been paying attention to Arborea ever since Marvin entered.

So naturally, he noticed the purple-gowned Senior Priestess' death.

These Senior Priests had a two-way connection with the Shadow Prince.

The Priests' devout conviction would give him a steady supply of Faith.

A Senior Priest would usually give ten times more Faith.

The relation between gods and followers could be represented by a thread. Some were thicker, and some were thinner.

If it looked like there wasn't one, then that follower was merely an opportunist.

As a god, the Shadow Prince was fond of those crazy followers who gave him a large amount of Faith. But the way crazy followers handled matters was simply too cruel, and wasn't suited for supervising other followers. The kinds of pious followers with good brains like the Senior Priests were the most beneficial existences.

Thus, he would bestow Divine Spells and Divine Power to those followers, and occasionally he would answer them.

When Marvin killed Dina, the Shadow Prince felt a thick thread snap.

He followed that thread and hovered above Arborea.

In an instant, his sight focused on that city!

'White Elephant City…'

'Hehe…'

The Shadow Prince closed his eyes and began to connect to his most powerful apostle in Arborea!

...

Night, in White Elephant City's prison.

Aragon was silently sitting cross-legged, wearing prisoner clothes.

A candle's flame flickered in the distance. That was from the Shrine's Paladin guarding him.

What happened during the day shocked everyone in White Elephant City. An Intermediate Priest temporarily took charge of the situation and connected to the Shadow God Palace.

It was said that at least two Senior Priests would rush over to White Elephant City.

The High Priestess attached a lot of importance to this matter. Apparently, if they didn't find the murderer of Senior Priestess Dina, half of White Elephant City would be sacrificed.

The previous jailer told him this information. Unfortunately, the jailer couldn't stay for long as he was switched by the Intermediate Priest for a Paladin.

'They actually don't need to do so,' Aragon sneered.

If he wanted to escape, how could these people keep him there?

Even the Shrine's [Prison Shackles] on his wrists could easily be broken with his level 18 Storm Swordsman's strength.

Especially with no Senior Priest watching him.

But he wasn't willing to do so.

He remembered asking a question to his father in the past:

– What is the Shrine? –

At that time, Nottingheim the 13th was in the prime of his life. He was ambitious and prepared a series of moves to weaken the Shrine's power.

He answered, "The Shrine is a tumor."

"Soon, it will be eradicated."

The young Prince nodded, confused. After a few months, he heard about the three northern Overlords' rebellion.

At that time he thought it was quite inconceivable as the three northern Overlords were his father's brothers; how could they rebel?

Then, the kingdom's army retreated little by little.

Ultimately, the Shrine was forced to make a move and deal with the rebels.

But after the victorious news of two of the three Overlords dying in the final battle, he saw his own father stagger and fall to the ground.

He seemed to have aged ten years.

Aragon suddenly understood.

The Shrine was a tumor.

They tried to eradicate it, but the Nottingheim royal family ended up paying the price.

But there would always be people sacrificing their lives, trying to remove it.

...

Today, thirty years later.

Nottingheim the 13th, who had once said he would personally remove this tumor, was already old.

He lost the courage to fight with the Shrine. He even began to genuinely compel Aragon to suppress these "rebels".

Now, in order to gain favor from the shrine, he was even ready to let go of his own son.

Aragon's heart seemed to have died.

He could feel that this was a dying world. Everyone was apathetic.

They were raised like livestock, unwilling to raise their heads, unwilling to strive forward.

Because the Shrine said they couldn't.

God said they couldn't.

"Fuck God!"

In the dusky prison, the refined Prince swore for the first time.

Unfortunately, besides a rat crawling around, no one heard him.

Tomorrow he would be delivered to the king. The outcome of the trial was already decided. Life imprisonment was the lightest possible sentence.

"Is giving up my only option?"

He was unwilling.

At that time, an indifferent voice echoed from the darkness. "Your Highness Aragon, do you really intend to give up?

Aragon was startled!

He could see the Paladin in the distance, but he couldn't see the owner of this voice close to him.

"It's you!" he said in a low voice, shock flashing through his eyes.

It was the person who killed Dina earlier in the day!

It definitely was him, as only a powerhouse like him could easily go in and out of the prison!

"I have a plan that can help you eradicate the Shrine. We have a common enemy."

"But I also need your help."

Marvin's voice slowly echoed beside his ears, "Tell me, in the king's entourage, who is the person closest to you, and the most trustworthy?"