Chapter 1915: Chapter 1915

Through countless transformations, each making it stronger, the whale's form finally settled into that of a cat. It rose to tower above the many monsters of its age, living far beyond the years of any mortal creature.

In the end, it was a nameless god who intervened, suppressing this immense threat.

The deity left a warning with the Church of All Things and Nature, a testament to just how terrifying the creature was.

But now, it seemed the monster's current power was no match for the Difference Engine. As Jenkins and his three companions rendezvoused with the other members of the joint investigation team, chains, erupting from the earth alongside gouts of steam, had already completely dragged the Cloud Whale Beast down from behind the clouds.

The Difference Engine's main body did not appear. Just as before, it relied solely on its chains to exert its power. The struggling Cloud Whale Beast's roars summoned ever stronger winds and rain.

If this battle were taking place by the sea or at the docks, Jenkins had no doubt the creature could summon a massive tsunami with its roars alone.

"Who should we help? Or should we just wait here until the fight is over?"

Jenkins posed the question to Mr. Gilbert after they landed, but he was just as uncertain. Fortunately, they didn't have to decide just yet. The assembled investigation team had found someone: Mr. Bernoulli of the Sage Church.

He was unconscious but not dead. There were no visible injuries, but his entire body was emaciated, as if from severe malnutrition and dehydration. An ordinary person in his near-mummified state would have been long dead; only a Benefactor could cling to that final thread of life.

Upon waking, Mr. Bernoulli seemed to have forgotten everything. He stared blankly at their questions, and even the sight of the chains battling the giant cat-like creature in the sky failed to jog his memory of what he had done.

But Jenkins could tell that every word was a lie—nothing more than a pathetic attempt to evade responsibility.

Jenkins was still standing by the bed in the temporary command center they had established in town. He reached out, seized Mr. Bernoulli by the collar, and hauled him from the bed.

Mr. Bernoulli was a demigod of the Sage Church, while Jenkins was its Saint. This could, at a stretch, be considered an internal matter, so no one intervened. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn nοvelfire.net

Jenkins roughly dragged him to the window. The mustached, middle-aged man tried to struggle, only to find with astonishment that his opponent's strength far surpassed his own.

"Right now, there are two monsters with malicious intent toward humanity fighting outside..."

From the window, they could see the chains and the still-struggling Cloud Whale Beast. This was no battle for ordinary Benefactors. Most of the dispatched investigation team were busy evacuating the townsfolk, while the demigods stood guard on the periphery of the battlefield, waiting for the Church's next command before making a move.

The "interrogation" of Mr. Bernoulli was being handled by representatives from the various churches. Jenkins was an unofficial participant; no one had tasked him with this. He had chosen to stay.

"I'm not going to give you some speech about how the information you have concerns the safety of countless people. Just listen..."

Jenkins's right hand tightened on the man's throat, while his left forefinger jabbed toward the space between his brows.

"Either tell me everything you know, or I will kill you right now. You are a follower of the Sage, and after you die, I won't let your soul escape. Think about what you've done. I swear in my name as the Saint, if I kill you, you will experience a torment of ten thousand years that no one could possibly imagine."

There was no energy radiating from his fingertip, yet merely being pointed at by Jenkins sent an uncontrollable tremor through Bernoulli's body. The fear that bloomed from the depths of his soul was even more intense than what he had felt when he first laid eyes on the coiled monster in the seal beneath the desert.

Chocolate, perched on Jenkins's shoulder, licked a paw. The cat could sense its master's anger.

"You have one chance. I can tell when you're lying. Now, tell us, what is going on with the Cloud Whale Beast?"

"It... it's the creature from the obsidian seal beneath the ancient temple."

The desert town where Mr. Bernoulli resided was in Cheslan territory, so he wasn't fluent in the Fidektri tongue. He managed, but with a strange accent.

"How did it get out? The Church checked many times; there were no breaches in the obsidian seal."

"There were strange disappearances in town. My investigation revealed it was some unknown Cursed Item. I tracked its movements and discovered it was devouring souls and attempting to break the seal. I failed to stop it in time, but as soon as the seal was opened, the Cloud Whale Beast devoured the thing. Then the Cloud Whale Beast spotted me. I didn't want to die, so..."

Hearing Bernoulli actually admit that he was connected to the Cloud Whale Beast's appearance in Nolan, Mr. Gilbert flew into a rage. A fiery red aura erupted around his arms—an unrestrained surge of spirit. Fortunately, he was rational enough to know that punishing the man was not the most important task at hand.

"Why did you bring it to Nolan? I don't believe for a second that it just decided to follow you."

"It intended to come to Nolan all along. The unknown Cursed Item that released it had made a deal with an entity called 'Great Wisdom.' The terms were to release the Cloud Whale Beast. Even though the beast killed the Cursed Item, it still wanted to meet this 'Great Wisdom'."

"Why? Out of curiosity?"

"No, to collaborate. Great Wisdom wanted to partner with the Cloud Whale Beast, the master of clouds and mist."

Jenkins gestured to the window, where the Cloud Whale Beast's defeat was becoming increasingly obvious.

"Great Wisdom broke its promise. Before I met you today, the Cloud Whale Beast, which had been attached to me, left for a short time. It said something terrifying had appeared near town. After you left, it returned and ordered me to leave town at once, go to Great Wisdom, and then get out of Nolan for good.

I called out to 'Great Wisdom' just outside of town. It was... it was... a terrifying thing."

He squeezed his eyes shut, gasping for air. Jenkins loosened his grip slightly, giving him a chance to breathe.

"Great Wisdom went back on its word. It never wanted to cooperate; it wanted to 'devour' the Cloud Whale Beast. I was of no value to it, so I got the chance to escape..."

Miss Bennett, the Saint from the Church of All Things and Nature, interrupted from the side.

"The entity the Believers of Lies call the 'Difference Engine'... is actually stronger than an ancient beast? What kind of enemy are we truly facing?"