[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-apostle-of-the-goddess-of-war":3,"chapter-apostle-of-the-goddess-of-war-apostle-of-the-goddess-of-war-chapter-158":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Apostle of the Goddess of War",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},394392,657,"Chapter 158","apostle-of-the-goddess-of-war-chapter-158",158,"\u003Cp>Ch.158 Apostle of the Goddess of War\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>South of Elim, beyond the marshlands, lay the Church of Fire’s territory along the coastline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Statues of the Goddess of Fire stood everywhere, accompanied by churches and fortresses built to protect them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The southern region was so independent and insular\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>it could practically be called the Kingdom of Fire—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>geographically severed from both the Imperial Court and the Holy Kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, it maintained its own distinct culture, population, and military.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was hardly surprising, then, that watchtowers densely lined the border of this single Church’s domain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Church of War’s Sion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann, guard of Watchtower No. 4 in the northwest, furrowed his dark brows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah! What have you been doing lately?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You hear the name and act like it’s brand new?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann—don’t you know Sion? Ugh—p-tooey!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bento spat a glob of phlegm outside the watchtower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann grimaced as the yellow clump stuck to the observation slit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lately I’ve just been busy with Mary from the Black Roof.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mary? Isn’t she that famous prostitute?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You little shit—watch your mouth! She’ll be your sister-in-law soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann flushed red and rubbed under his nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bento studied his comrade’s expression for a moment—then bared his teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You crazy bastard—you’re serious!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bento was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann avoided answering—his silence spoke volumes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you give your heart to a woman who sleeps with men for coin, you’re an idiot, you know that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shut it, you bastard! Mary’s different—not like those cheap whores.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh god, oh god… you fool.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bento thumped his chest—the sharp negotiation tactic used by women of the Black Roof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d seen suckers like Altmann a hundred times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Listen to my advice—keep it just for fun, okay? Or you’ll end up humiliated for real.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shut up. I’ll handle it myself. Like you—a virgin who’s never even married!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At least I’m not divorced for cheating!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still better than you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You son of a— Wait.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two bickering guards suddenly fell silent, noticing the absence of insect chirps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were seasoned soldiers—instinct sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew to focus when sudden silence fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whooo…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it lasted only a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just the wind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Probably a wolf passed by. Scared for nothing, coward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing could possibly appear in this peaceful land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At most, a few goblins might cross the marshlands, fire a couple arrows, and flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even they had been eradicated long ago in joint operations with the Church of War.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bento turned back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh, you idiot. Get your head straight! If you listen to your elder brother, you’ll find a decent woman even in your sleep!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Piss off. Anyway—tell me again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann changed the subject to avoid the unpleasant talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been curious about this since earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who exactly is ‘Sion of the Church of War’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh—about that—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pik!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something struck Bento’s temple—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>incredibly fast and precise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes rolled back instantly, showing only whites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bento collapsed. It wasn’t an arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A stone? Who’s there!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann drew his sword, peering through the fortress gap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw Bento’s phlegm stuck in the observation slit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another stone flew past the phlegm and hit Altmann.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gaaah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann clutched his eye, writhing on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyeball burned—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>it felt like it had burst. Blood smeared his palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t dare check if the eye was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he summoned courage for something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s an ambush! I must warn them…!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regaining composure, Altmann reached for the horn hanging on the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Keeeng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t move.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold metal touched his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann, who’d been about to push himself up from the ground, immediately spread both hands in surrender.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We didn’t kill your comrade—just subdued him. Let’s have a little chat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a young man’s voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann had no time to see his face—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>nor did he feel permitted to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More footsteps approached—two women this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them whimpered as she examined the unconscious Bento.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“H-h-hey… I-I’m sorry! I tried to control my strength…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You lunatic! You drill a hole in his temple and say ‘sorry’? Is ‘sorry’ all it takes!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eeek! H-his eye! His eye!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s fine. It didn’t pierce through. He’ll just have slightly worse vision—that’s all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“T-then that’s… good…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann, far from ‘fine,’ had no idea what was happening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All he could do was endure the agony in his eye and obey the man’s voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the flustered women, the young man asked calmly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell us the fastest route to the Church of Fire. You’ll keep your life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“T-the Church of Fire? You mean the main cathedral?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann swallowed hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He imagined the Fire pendant around his neck burning hot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t betray the goddess I serve. Just behead me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then a youthful female voice spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you doing? He’s asking to die!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Lady Kaia. You shouldn’t kill people so casually. You really should fix that habit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A human dares to lecture me? Truly the end of days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-y-yeah! The end of days—who else’s fault!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You shut up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hieek!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann was confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Kaia?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d heard that name somewhere before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt oddly familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Surely not…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pushing aside distractions, Altmann focused—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he had to spread word of this ambush somehow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t die here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll definitely survive and propose to Mary of the Black Roof.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He imagined a happy home with Mary, three children: first a son, then a daughter, the third whatever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Their names…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hope for that future flooded him with unexpected strength and courage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can be a hero.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he triumphed here, repelling these intruders, he’d be promoted—maybe even command his own unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Higher pay meant a house, stability…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…which meant Mary would much more likely accept his proposal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His resolve hardened. Fire coursed through his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘May the fire of my mother watch over me, Goddess Agnia!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann gritted his teeth and shouted:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hyaaaah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He twisted like a marten, rolling swiftly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>then snatched his sword and slashed the late-charging man’s ankle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Agh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood gushed from the man’s heel. He collapsed, immobilized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only two remained: the girl named Kaia,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and the sobbing lunatic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This—is self-defense!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lunatic drew her sword and charged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann dodged her first strike with agility, sidestepped, and thrust his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pook!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hot blood poured from the madwoman’s side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaah! Aaah…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She collapsed, groaning—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>frantically trying to stuff her spilling entrails back in, still weeping even as she died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You crazy woman, seriously.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann kicked the hysterical woman away, then glared at the girl called ‘Kaia.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A brat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now did he clearly see her—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a child, barely ten years old, unrealistically pretty, staring at him with cold, wide eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noting her peculiar spiral-patterned pupils, Altmann said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t kill children—especially girls.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaia scoffed as if he were absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How needlessly kind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh—men like you marry well and gain popularity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the girl charged, he could just shove her away with his foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ve subdued the intruders. I’m a hero now.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altmann grinned drunkenly, put the horn to his lips, inhaled deeply till his chest felt ready to burst, and blew with all his might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pweeeeo, pweeeeo…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pooo— Pooo—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is this guy doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arwen tapped the guard, who lay on the ground miming horn-blowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaia, seated casually on the guard’s back like a chair, answered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s just seeing illusions. I merely disrupted his mind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whoa…! Truly the Goddess of Chaos!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Goddess of Chaos—or Evil God of Chaos—or Goddess of Order? Pick one, Arwen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eeek!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is he really okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sion checked the condition of the other unconscious guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When did you ever care about becoming a purified deity? You’re the one who made me use Chaos power!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s that. We still have a job to do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Annoying brat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaia shot a glare at the willful Sion, then sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’ll wake from a sweet dream in a few days. I restrained my power—so at most, two weeks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sion lifted Altmann’s eyelid to check his pupil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was dilated, covering the eyeball—but he’d likely survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pooo, pooo— Mary! Mary! Will you marry me!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard kept blowing his horn, drooling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sion’s heart softened—he looked so pitiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of dream is he having?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaia shrugged and walked past Sion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leave him. He must be having a good dream.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sion and Arwen rose to follow Kaia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence fell wherever Kaia walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Goddess who’d transformed from chaos to order brought calm to the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you feel? The shard?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaia stared at distant lights beyond the watchtower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sion nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s moving toward the Church of Fire’s main base—they’ve probably already secured it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh. This just got complicated. If Agnia uses Eru’s power, it’ll surely be a catastrophe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sion and Arwen exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What will happen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She could burn the entire world with stronger fire—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>chaos, order… even the very concepts governed by the goddesses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even concepts?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaia turned and began descending the watchtower stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sion and Arwen naturally followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Agnia falls, she’ll become the Evil God of Ash. She’ll burn everything—leaving only ashes behind. A terrifying power.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All the other Goddesses have gone mad too. The absolute power of Eru—just possessing that shard could grant the strength to become Sovereign.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sion asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady Kaia… do you no longer have desires?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaia glared at him—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a venomous look that said, ‘You know exactly why you’re asking that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have surprisingly foul tastes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I was punished because I gave in to desire.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaia stopped, annoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She disliked this Sion fellow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted to curse him right then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but Achille stood nearby, arms crossed, ready to scold her the moment she criticized her Apostle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I am watching.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This crazy Apostle-worshipper.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You couldn’t possibly understand devotion.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pouting, Kaia jerked her chin at Sion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lead the way. We must strike before Agnia fully absorbs the shard’s power.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady Anarantis!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Speak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anarantis, the new Apostle of Fire succeeding Mattis, closed her book and answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having inherited the title from her father, the burden on her shoulders was immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rest was a luxury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spent her mornings training and her nights immersed entirely in the Holy Scripture of Fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But recent developments had frayed her nerves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Five watchtowers have already lost contact!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. No casualties—only guards showing signs of mental instability.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Direction?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The main cathedral.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anarantis sighed softly and rose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Schedule: Every mon, wed, fri and sun\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Review at\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>NovelUpdate\u003C\u002Fp>",1723,"2026-05-30T06:48:22.319Z","2026-06-01T04:30:34.110Z",1,"novelbin.me","ca2390a2771757bc2667bbd1128c098bd312b4785e8755dfad8038b63c8e4ca8","apostle-of-the-goddess-of-war-chapter-159","apostle-of-the-goddess-of-war-chapter-157",174,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fapostle-of-the-goddess-of-war-cover.jpg"]