RinoZ
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Chapter 1699 - That Which is Holy
🕑 Added 2025-10-17 01:00:04 +0000 UTC“So it showed up after all,” Alir mused, looking up from the page in front of him.
Once again, the view from his villa on Green Mountain was spectacular. Known for the dense foliage that filled the populated areas, he saw a carpet of gently waving green laid out before him, sloping down towards the sparkling lake. Filled with light and life, the air was fresh and invigorating, filling his lungs and leaving him feeling refreshed and energised.
Truly, he had suffered for years in the third, extracting elixir from demons and making deals on behalf of the Path. Returning to the fourth was nothing but what he deserved after so much suffering and sacrifice.
“To whom are you referring, Grand Priest?” the Deaconess Martha asked from across the table.
These breakfast meetings had become routine lately, discussing the latest report from the Union on the progress of the delvers. Not that there was much progress to discuss. Somehow, despite the enormous reward offered, not a single ant had been captured since he started this venture. Alir wasn’t too concerned. The ants had reacted predictably, as simple-minded creatures were wont to do, and retreated, walling themselves in and making it impossible for the delvers from Green Mountain to access their nest.
That simply meant he needed to explore another avenue. Word of the bounty was spreading across the fourth, and there were many delvers willing to chance their hand at capturing a live ant.
Either the insect monsters retreated entirely into their nests, or he would have his live specimens. Either option was a win as far as he was concerned. Weakening the ant monsters and making them more vulnerable would give him what he wanted, it would just take more time.
Yet, with those live samples, he would be able to craft more elixir, and with it, sow yet more seeds of a mighty crusade. There was interest out there, he knew that for a fact. All they needed was a push. He’d been able to gather such a large volume from the first ant, but no one was willing to commit their resources without further proof.
He needed more.
“The tier seven ant raised by that nest of monsters,” he said. “You may have heard about the ruckus it caused at the Silver City?”
“I have, yes.”
“We thought it had gone down into the fifth stratum and died. There’s been no news of it for months. Now it suddenly turns up in the tunnels and scares off all the delvers? I wonder where it’s been all this time?”
Something must have happened. Perhaps the ants had suffered a defeat at the hands of the Krath and been driven back, returning the ant to this stratum. Even that didn’t quite sit right. The ants should have been defeated months ago, so where had this monster been?
“Actually, I’m not so sure the delvers are planning on retreating,” the Deaconess said, passing another sheet from the daily report to him.
It was a brief summary written by a Dungeon Seer close to the front, assessing the potential value of the powerful ant.
Alir frowned as he read through the details, wondering how they managed to learn so many of the materials contained inside the creature. When he got to Soul Crystal, he nearly spat his coffee out onto the table.
“W-what?” he spluttered.
Soul Crystal was immensely valuable to the Church. It resonated with the hearts and minds of the devout! Hardly any of it had ever been found in the Dungeon! When the Church found out about this, they would dispatch a Judgement Battalion without delay!
Grinning from ear to ear, Alir kept reading, only to blanch again when he reached the number at the bottom of the page. Although the Seer repeatedly stressed it was an estimate, such a sum was enough to buy kingdoms.
Even a thousand delvers could live a lavish existence if they split such a sum!
Alir felt a rising excitement. There was no chance the ant would be captured, such a powerful monster was almost impossible to kill, let alone capture. Yet, if they managed to finish it off, the ants would be severely weakened, and perhaps even launch an assault to get revenge. If that happened, his crusade would happen sooner rather than later.
“I have several urgent messages to send,” he said, reaching for a clean sheet of paper. “The Church must be informed of this monster, and we must inform the Union of our price for the Soul Crystal.”
If a buyer was already lined up for a monster’s components, then the money the delvers could earn was no longer theoretical, it was guaranteed.
“According to this report, the ant has captured delvers and is… offering to sell them back to Green Mountain,” Deaconess Martha said hesitantly, offering another page to Alir, who had already begun drafting his letter.
“Sell them back?” he muttered. “Who do they expect to pay for them?”
“Us, apparently.”
He snorted. More monstrous nonsense. Just because he offered a bounty and funded the teams didn’t mean he was liable for their safety. Delvers died in the Dungeon all the time. That was what they did.
“I don’t know what that ant is trying to do, but it’s only drawing a noose tightly around its own neck. If things go well, we could achieve all of our objectives in one fell swoop.”
Truly, the light of the Path was shining on Alir today. His feet were surely treading in the right direction.
Comments
Roombot
I bet the captured delvers are living in luxury rn
alt31415
Childish? These fuckwads are literally trying to kidnap and painfully, slowly, murder his family.
alt31415
Well I'm still alive, against all odds, but I guess I can keep reading. Someone fucking kill this man already. Nothing poetic like 'grind him into potion so he sees how he likes it' or anything, just chuck him off a cliff. God, I hate this type so much. Well done writing him.
andwhyisit
No. The Colony treats their prisoners like they would their guests. Plus the Colony has no need of slaves, since ants have better work ethic, and work for free.
MUXIBA azarado
Why is the next Ancient so childish?! I mean I don't blame the rockskin mentor to be so frustrated. 🤣
Kevin Wilson
I hope he lights them up like no one has ever seen
Pockman
I know Rinoz is buttering up the Priest so revenge tastes even juicier, but damn, this guy is ready for the grill
Sean
Pretty sure Anthony is going to imprison every mercenary willing to go against the colony and then extract a trade by force via liquidating the Church of the Path (sacking Silver City). That effectively ends the Church of the Path as a threat while simultaneously fueling the Colony’s growth by reducing the burden of resource allocation to the fifth.
Codered999
He's not reading the report properly, he's focused on specific details cause he has no intention of fighting personally.
יותם רוזנטל
Antony playing 5d chess is definitely a first
CentaureHeart
Kinda seems like he's missing the tier 8 information there. Oops. Also there is the casus belli
andwhyisit
"Tight for cash? I'll trade you 4 delvers per priest."
andwhyisit
The catalyst for the sack of the Silver City will probably be a much later event. Anthony is making it so that Green Mountain stops going after ants. This doesn't stop the Path from finding a different way to capture ants that doesn't involve Green Mountain, and I'm sure one of those attempts will be the trigger for the sack of the Silver City. My 2c.
CherMi
We're in for a long campaign, apparently. Somewhere along the way Alir will definitely decide to join the church's forces and supervise personally.
Silent Consent
He needs to teach them a lesson they will never forget. Liquidate them using the churches own ritual and sell the elixir to silver mountain.
Colin Fortin-Ballay
It would be so funny if Anthony put a bounty on the priest
John Pratt
I wonder what happen if a human were put through the elixir process?
Ibuks5
Ahhh I see the play here. I hope it's what I'm guessing
Zerdiron
So the plan is : capture all delvers; make them pay by all the silver of the city ?
Scott Faulkner
Oh all you poor stupid delvers pulled in by the treacherous bastards of the Path and left to rot. Not to worry though, I DARK ANTHONY, will not be destroying you today no. I will let you go after I know you can take care of yourselves. After all you all look so tired... when was the last time you got a proper rest.
Collector of Stories
lol seeing how the Colony has treated prisoners in the past I wouldn’t be surprised if those being ransomed wouldn’t want to go back
Collector of Stories
Thanks for the chapter! This ransom arc brought up the idea of insurance and could Merchant and the Colony create a kind of delvers insurance?
Jac Onue
For a moment I thought Anthony was selling delves for church of the Path people, not to them. lol, though I still expect it to happen that way, perhaps after the church army gets crushed. Green mountain probably wants their delves more than they want the church people in their city.
Codered999
"The tier seven ant raised by that nest of monsters," when that monster uplifted that nest and is also tier eight now, which the report he failed to properly read should have mentioned.
Codered999
Why would he retreat? There's nothing they could bring to bear that would actually bother him.
clovis
I love this chapter. I was wondering how this conflict was going to escalate into the sacking of silver city, but with the church of the path going, well probably not all in, but committing major resources, it's going to elicit a major response from the colony. I can already tell this is going to be an amazing arc.
Wensber
Thanks for the chapter!
giann flroesca
it's the arrogance of those who think themselves untouchable. He thinks there's NO WAY he would fail and so he doesn't think, or react in any intelligent way.
blucube 14
Thanks for the chapter! Oh boy Anthony is gonna have some fun!
Taijusoup64
"The tier seven ant raised by that nest of monsters," when in fact it is a nest of monsters raised by the ant HAHA
Anthony Romanov
So if Church brings entire battalion of their army and Anthony retreats into 5th? They will surely follow!🫣
Shimelton
The enemy always gets a say. Underestimating your opponent even as you read the letter that sapient creature communicated…
bob
Please make the delvers slaves and sell them back overpriced
David Harshman
It makes the title reference hit harder..."Give not that which is holy to dogs."
Mohammed khaled
your enemy is selling you your soldiers back and you don't get your soldiers back thats not gonna back fire on you not at all. It's not like that could be used to destroy all the loyalty and credibility you have when people know about that.
Gabus Deux
Its times like these where i somewhat regret being subscribed on pateron, because this drip feed is K I L L I N G M E!!!! I wish so much that i could read the next hundred chapters xd
David Harshman
Wow...if the Path refuses to pay for hostages, that is not going to endearment them to the Union...
Shaitan
Oof, can’t wait to see this implode in his face
No_Creative_Name
So good an author of the deluded haha
Aeseof
Those feet are gonna have trouble staying on the ground if he keeps walking in that direction.
Buck
Oh, boy. This is really gonna elevate in severity now. Bring it on! TFTC!
Luan Rodrigues
this chapter is so short, feels like half a chapter
Brandon14754
Lol he doesn't see the noose tightening on his own neck when he refuses to help those he sent on the mission
Sly Trickster
I doubt he will see the light as Beyn did. This one must lose a head instead of an arm
jeffrey niski
Oh the church is just going to offer itself up as biomass. How nice.
Yeslek Nnamhctits
Clackclackclackclackclackclackclackclackclackclackclack Dangling that business district sooooooo close to the fire Anthony, youre my hero.
Alessandro Mattioli
Ooooooooooohhhhh. Now I see the plan. It shall be a battle of hospitality.
