That was why New Order almost never forced their subordinate Cursed Spirits to follow orders.
They would retaliate if one of their "children" died. That was non-negotiable.
But they would not protect them unless the child explicitly asked.
This was one of the unique rules of the Cursed Spirits world that existed due to their innate nature, and how they believed Narratives to be sacred.
That was why Math had not tried to save the Exorcist Cursed Spirit earlier in the Blackout Priest’s domain.
Exorcist was going to die due of his own choice.
Still, [Exorcist] was a valuable member of New Order.
His ability to detect weaknesses in enemy Cursed Spirits, combined with his fierce loyalty, made him popular among the upper echelons.
Many of them saw him as part of the new generation, one that could redefine the balance between organizations.
They had been looking forward to his growth.
If he had truly died inside that domain, Math would have had to listen to a very long lecture.
By exorcising the Blackout Priest, Caelum had indirectly saved [Exorcist].
In doing so, he had helped Math.
That was the real reason Math was now blocking three Rank 5 Exorcists and even a God from reaching the Medical Hall.
It was repayment.
Still—
Math’s gaze drifted downward, toward the distant building.
’I’ve stopped three Rank 5 Exorcists and a God.’
’That is enough to repay what I owe you.’
He had no intention of doing more.
’If you want to survive, you’ll have to deal with Musashi yourself,’ he mused internally.
How Caelum planned to deal with a Rank 5 Exorcist was unclear even to Math.
He had no concrete idea.
But the brat had blocked a hammer from a Cursed Spirit God before.
Someone who could do that, should have still cards left on the table.
Math hoped Caelum would survive.
Caelum was an enemy of the Exorcist Union, which aligned nicely with New Order’s interests.
He also intended to kill the Monkey King, which made him even more appealing.
All of this made Math rather fond of him.
While drowning in his thoughts, Math had forgotten the original reason he had come for.
Recruitment.
He had come to meet Caelum to invite him to New Order.
Even after bringing [Exorcist] back alive, he was still going to hear a long lecture for forgetting something this important.
...
MC POV
’What is happening?’
I stood there, my thoughts spinning faster with each second.
’Why haven’t the Gods or the Exorcists arrived yet?’
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
’Are Cursed Spirits from New Order involved?’
The Exorcist had said the second Cursed Spirit was strong. Strong enough that it could save us in the domain of Blackout Priest, which was Rank 4.
’Is that Cursed Spirit holding them back?’
If so, the question that mattered even more was why.
’Why help us instead of escaping?’
Unless I knew who that Cursed Spirit was, I couldn’t understand its motives.
And without that, I had no way of predicting how long this help would last.
But one thing was clear.
This was an opportunity.
’I can’t let Valen and Musashi fight.’
’No matter who wins, we die.’
When elephants fight, it’s the ants that get crushed.
I quickly ran through every possible scenario in my head. Escape routes. Delays. Distractions. Bargaining.
Even if the Cursed Spirit from New Order was holding back the Gods and Exorcists, that situation would not last forever.
Depending on how many were stationed in this branch, they might eventually overwhelm it or force it to retreat.
When that happened, they would come for us.
That meant we had to move.
Now.
I took a deep breath and began to stand.
My knees shook violently, and my entire body trembled under the pressure filling the room. My muscles screamed at me to stay down.
I ignored them.
I forcefully churned mana through my body and began to use the Harmonic Flow Breathing, which calmed the mind.
It eased the irrational fear attacking me.
Coupled with the effect of Mind Protection amulet, and my high Spirit stat....
The trembling stopped.
Musashi and Valen both turned toward me.
Their gazes sharpened the moment they saw me standing.
"You have been talking and talking and talking. If you have the guts, start fighting," I spoke to Musashi.
I heard Yuna let out a sharp, panicked yelp behind me.
She was shocked to the core when she saw me provoking a Rank 5 Exorcist.
The pressure intensified instantly. My skin prickled as if invisible blades were scraping against it.
Valen’s blood shield flared.
Without it, I would have been sliced apart in an instant.
I straightened my posture and continued, arrogantly and daringly,
"You know it too, don’t you? You can’t afford to fight us."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
There was a hidden flicker of surprise in his eyes.
I noticed it.
Even under his pressure, I was still standing.
But unknown to him, I had lived once already.
I had stood among powerhouses in Wageah. I had fought beings far beyond what this world could imagine.
Even if I died here, I would not let myself be intimidated so easily.
"The Gods and Exorcists stationed in this branch. Why do you think they haven’t come yet?" I asked with a sneer.
Musashi frowned.
Before he could reply, my good luck chose that exact moment to activate.
The world went dark.
The Medical Hall itself was still lit by emergency lights, but beyond the shattered roof—blown away earlier by Musashi’s attack—there was nothing.
Just a vast, unnatural blackness pressing down from above.
Then it happened.
Gigantic golden swords began to form in the sky.
One by one, they appeared out of the darkness, massive and silent, hanging upside down like executioner’s blades.
They pointed downward, their edges gleaming faintly, as if waiting for a signal to fall.
’That’s...’
A collective shock ran through everyone in the hall.
’I see. So the second Cursed Spirit was Math.’
Once that piece fell into place, everything clicked for me.
I finally understood why Math was helping me.