The Goddess Above

Olen was one of the high priests of the Goddess Church, overseeing the entire Covenant District in the city of Abandess.

That stubbornly resistant Adventurers' Guild… was also under his jurisdiction for negotiations.

The prolonged failure to resolve the guild situation had become a source of embarrassment, leaving him frequently subjected to his peers' mockery.

But Olen paid it no mind.

He was, in fact, deliberately dragging his feet.

That young girl had it tough—bearing the weight of an entire guild at such a tender age surely demanded immense effort… That place must have held great significance for her.

Still, appearances had to be maintained. He occasionally paid visits, engaging in cordial discussions… For some reason, watching the girl fluster and argue with him brought him an odd sense of amusement—one of the few joys in his otherwise mundane life.

If he truly wanted to dismantle the guild, it would have been effortless to employ underhanded tactics—hiring mercenaries anonymously to cause trouble outside the city, ensuring the Goddess Church remained blameless.

In truth, with each visit, Olen gradually escalated his demands. He was genuinely curious how long that girl, Maya, could hold out against the pressure…

A tranquil afternoon was shattered by a deafening explosion, the force of which even overturned the coffee on Olen’s desk.

Without bothering to clean up, Olen immediately rose, rallying his subordinates and rushing toward the source of the commotion.

Olen: "What happened?"

Subordinate: "High Priest Olen, the sound came from the square."

Olen: "I’ll take a team ahead. Gather reinforcements and equip yourselves before following. Be prepared for danger—standby for rescue operations."

By the time Olen reached the square, he frowned deeply at the scene before him. What in the world could have caused such destruction?

Strangely, someone had already arrived before him—a couple who didn’t seem like locals of Abandess, likely travelers from elsewhere.

"Hey! Who are you?"

"This area is dangerous. Evacuate the square immediately!" Olen barked at the pair.

He sensed no aura from them, assuming they were mere civilians.

He’d seen plenty of unlucky fools who’d gotten themselves killed by sticking their noses where they didn’t belong.

Fortunately, the two complied and left without protest.

The square’s ground was now pockmarked with craters. The shattered statue of the goddess lay on its back, its face cracked in a grotesque grin, its gaze eerily fixed as if staring beyond this world.

The area wasn’t residential… and only public infrastructure had been damaged—a small mercy amid the chaos.

But why had the square become like this?

Olen knew a few things—like how Abandess’ streets were arranged in the shape of the Goddess Church’s holy emblem, with this square at its very center…

For such an anomaly to occur here, it undoubtedly tied back to the Church’s inner workings.

Whatever the Grand Cathedral’s people were scheming in the shadows, Olen wasn’t privy to it.

But if this was their doing, he wouldn’t stand idly by this time. He’d rally the Monastery and lodge a fierce protest…

The Goddess Church’s internal structure now comprised three factions: the High Priests’ Hall, the Monastery, and the Grand Cathedral—a triad of checks and balances.

Originally, the Church had been founded by the Monastery’s clergy. But as it grew, new factions emerged.

The Holy City of Abandess had been reshaped by the Grand Cathedral’s architects… and Olen was certain this incident was their handiwork.

Suddenly, the ground trembled again.

Olen’s eyes widened. Was this not over yet?

"Alert! Defensive positions! Clear the square!" he immediately shouted to his subordinates.

BOOM—

A cloud of dust erupted from the square’s center as the earth split apart. Then, a colossal creature burst forth from below.

The monstrosity had the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and a serpent’s tail that hissed with a forked tongue. Upon emerging, it reared back and unleashed an ear-splitting roar.

"A chimera?! Why would such a powerful monster emerge from underground? These things only dwell in the depths of labyrinths!" Olen exclaimed in shock.

The chimera swiftly locked onto its target, spewing a torrent of scorching flames at Olen.

He raised his hand, and a barrier of holy light materialized before him.

The searing heat was momentarily held at bay, but Olen paled—he couldn’t hold out for long.

"High Priest!"

The other priests swiftly chanted incantations, their holy magic coalescing into blades that slashed at the beast.

But the chimera’s serpentine scales repelled their attacks, only enraging it further.

Its tail lashed out like a whip, crashing against Olen’s barrier and sending him staggering.

This chimera’s power far surpassed high-tier threats—it was beyond ordinary means to handle.

The beast charged, its massive frame barreling toward Olen like a collapsing tower.

Despair gripped him. Surviving this strike seemed impossible… but behind him were his subordinates, the Covenant District’s residents—

Olen murmured, "Goddess above…"

Yet the expected impact never came.

The chimera let out a pained howl as it was sent flying backward, smashing into the fallen goddess statue.

Olen stared blankly at the figure now standing before him.

"A chimera, huh…" Xia Lun cracked his neck with a series of pops.

By Aina’s definition, he might as well be a humanoid chimera—this thing was practically his kin.

Though, strictly speaking, only his heart and eyes had been replaced. The rest of his parts were still original, just… enhanced with some extra materials by Aina. Xia Lun liked to think he was still human. Mostly.

"ROAR—!"

The chimera bellowed again, but its voice was weaker now.

A deep dent marred its lion’s head, blood gushing from the wound.

Xia Lun raised a brow. Impressive vitality—still alive after a casual punch.

The chimera, however, stared at him with sheer terror.

It sensed the overwhelming, chaotic aura radiating from this "kin"—an existence that defied all reason.

The beast turned and fled, scrambling back toward the fissure in the ground.

Xia Lun didn’t pursue. Aina simply pointed a finger, and the chimera collapsed, lifeless.

Olen stood frozen, struggling to comprehend what had just transpired.

"Goddess above…" he whispered again.