CHAPTER 160: RAIDING TEAM

Aires rose early the next day.

The routine was familiar—filing out to mine ether glass—but today was different. Once again, he scanned the cell for Charis, but she was absent, just as she had been the previous day.

Her evasiveness gnawed at him, but he pushed the thought aside.

Luckily enough, after his clash with the five miners, no one dared approach him, though their wary glances followed his every move. They were still amazed at the inhumane movement he used to mine the glass.

By day’s end, he’d amassed ten sacks of ether glass, each worth a meager gold coin toward his debt.

’At this rate, I’ll be mining for over a year to clear 4,990 gold,’ Aires thought, frustration simmering as he joined the line to record his work.

This time, Charis didn’t come to see him. When he arrived at the counter, the gruff man monotoned, "Ten sacks, ten gold," and slid a silver coin across.

"Excuse me," Aires said, steeling himself.

"Yes"

"I want to request a move to the raiding team."

The man eyed him briefly, then handed over a sealed letter at his side. "Give this to the soldiers tomorrow before work begins."

’Isn’t that too sudden?’ A part of him had expected a question of some sort; however, he was just handed freely. "Thank you," Aires said, a spark of excitement breaking through his exhaustion. He pocketed the coin and letter, immediately heading to the market.

He reached the meat stall he had visited the previous day and greeted.

The burly woman looked up, surprised. "You came back?"

"Yes," Aires nodded, offering his silver coin. "Can I have meat?"

She began preparing his order, her movements deft.

"From yesterday, you mentioned a competition to become a holy knight. When is it?" Aires began.

"Three months," she replied.

’Not bad. There’s enough time to learn more about this place,’ Aires thought.

"I requested a move to the raiding team today, and I start tomorrow. Is there anything I should watch out for?"

"Watch out for the Phoenix Ruins," she answered.

Aires’ brow furrowed. ’Phoenix Ruins?’

She answered his questions as if she expected them, and she was almost too specific. ’What is there? Is there really a phoenix residing there?’ Ruins were among the unexplainable things in the world; it was unknown what one could find in a phoenix’s ruin.

Still, he nodded, urging her to continue.

She glanced up briefly. "The holy knight trial will be brutal because every slave vies for it."

"Why?"

"Becoming a holy knight revokes your slave rank."

Aires’ breath caught. ’This...’

The slave seal didn’t just prevent attacks on church members—it suppressed his core, locking him at the 6th Star, relying solely on physical strength and speed. It was for this reason that no one really acknowledged him at first glance.

Winning the tournament meant freedom, not just from debt but from the seal’s constraints. No slave would miss that chance. No, that would be the most brutal moments for any slaves, and unfortunately, the miners were going to be at a large disadvantage. The raiders, however, were the only competition.

"Alright, but the Holy Sword, the parishes, the temples, the grand cathedral—what does the Church of Light actually do?" he asked.

"Their ultimate goal is to spread the influence of the god of light, Auriel," she said.

"Oh!" Aires felt like he had heard that somewhere. But wasn’t that ultimately the end goal of any god?

"The priests spread his teachings around the territories, the inquisitors hunt heretics and traitors, the enforcers maintain order and lead crusades, and the Holy Sword is the church’s hidden blade against demons."

Her voice carried a bitter edge when she mentioned demons.

Aires nodded, piecing together the church’s structure. He was getting to understand the ways of these so-called angels, and even though he wasn’t inclined toward their ways, he was already in it and couldn’t just leave.

"Your meat is ready," she said, handing him a wrapped portion.

Aires ate at the stall’s lone table, mulling over her words.

The raiding team, like the miners, operated with sealed cores, leveling the playing field in the tournament. No one knows their opponent’s true strength until they face them.

But that wasn’t the main issue. ’After going through everything, will I find my calling in the holy sword?’ He could imagine going there, and there was nothing to strive for.

As he stood to leave, the woman called out, "Watch out for the Garden and the Ten Commandments. They’ve resumed their activities."

Aires frowned, nodding as he left.

...

The next morning, Aires rose early, said a brief goodbye to Charis—who offered a strained smile—and handed the letter to the guards.

They exchanged surprised glances but complied, escorting him down the mountain to the outskirts of the parish territory.

There he found more guards, inquisitors in their red-cross armor, and slaves. The raiding team’s base was a stark contrast to the mines. Where miners were gaunt and underfed, the raiders were muscular and their bodies honed for battle. Even the smaller ones, including a few women, radiated strength and discipline.

The guards passed Aires and his letter to another pair, who led him into a central building.

Unlike the rigid structure of the mining team, raiders had autonomy to choose their missions. After registering at the lobby, Aires checked his debt: 4,980 gold.

He approached a wall plastered with mission notices, raiders clustering around to form teams.

His eyes scanned the listings:

[Direfang Wolf: A wolf with saber-tooth tiger fangs and bear-like size.

Location: Friz Farmland. Reward: 20 gold]

A single mission offered double his daily mining earnings, and he’d been among the best miners. His gaze moved to another:

[Ironback Gorilla: A gorilla with an armadillo-like armored back and bone-crushing strength.

Location: Gyun Mountain. Reward: 35 gold]

The rewards were staggering compared to mining. His eyes drifted to the top of the board, where older, unclaimed missions lingered. One stood out, matching the woman’s warning:

[Orangefire Phoenix: A phoenix with orange plumage, as large as a castle.

Location: Phoenix Ruins. Reward: 1,000,000 gold]