Dark King

Holy Mountain.

The Holy Mountain was the most famous mountain in the commercial district. It was even the most famous mountain in the entire outer wall as the headquarters of the Holy Church was located in here. The mountain was 580 meters tall with full of steep cliffs. It was covered in white flowers. The thick black snow couldn't freeze the white flowers but would make it bloom more brilliant and beautiful. That's why the name of these white flowers was Sun Flower.

Because of sunflower's proud, unyielding and tenacious qualities it had got the appreciation of the first Pope. Since then the sunflowers were called as holy flowers too. They were engraved all over the mountain as a holy emblem. It symbolized the pursuit of Light God's will.

Sunflowers couldn't be spoiled or taken out. The people responsible for the flowers would be punished if anything happened to them.

St. Mark's Square on mountaintop. An old man was quietly sitting in here. He was wearing a gorgeous gown and holding onto a scepter which had a fist big white gem on top of it.

"Boyce!"

"Boyce!"

The silence of the square was broken by the anxious cries of a woman.

The old man slowly turned to see a boy who was around 8 or 9 years old running towards him as he carried a wooden sword. A graceful woman dressed as a nun was chaing the kid.

"Granpda Pope, I wanna fight you!" The little boy rushed to stop in front of the old man and said in an angry tone.

"Boyce!" The nun reached and pulled the kid in hurry. She bowed in front of the old man: "Pope, its that my discipline wasn't strict that Boyce distrubed you." She pulled the boy's hand as hard as she could but because of disparity in strength she couldn't take him away.

Pope smiled as he raised his hand to stop her. He looked at the little boy: "Do you want to duel?"

"Yes!" Boyce replied.

"Pople, don't take his words to heart. He is just playing around." Nun looked at Boyce: "You are being rude! Apologize to the Pope right now! You don't understand what you are doing!"

Pope asked in a tone with full of interest: "Why?"

"Because I'm angry!"

The little boy thought that his answer was reasonable.

"Boyce!" Nun was frightened: "Stop uttering nonsense! Apologize... "

Nun wryly smiled as she let go of the little boy. She winked at the kid but the latter ignored her.

"I'm going to fight you!" Boyce continued: "Grandpa Pope you said that if I can beat the instructor then I can go down the mountain to play! Nobody is listening to me! Why? I want to beat you so that everyone will listen to me!"

Nun's face turned pale and her body trembled as she heard the kid's words. She almost fainted because of fear.

Pope smiled: "Remember my original words. I said that you are allowed to go down the mountain if you can beat the instructor on a head on fight. You cheated by using a medicine for diarrhea. Is that right? It's not the right way!" Pope smile as he spoke.

Boyce's neck shrank a bit and a trace of embarrassment flashed in his eyes. However he brought back his head: "I didn't use medicine for diarrhea.. I relied on strength to beat him! Hmpf!"

"You are going to be the most outstanding knight of light. You shouldn't lie." Pope said in a serious tone.

Boyce was not willing to bow his head so he stubbornly said: "I didn't lie and I also disdain lies. I gave him a medicine for abdominal pain not for diarrhea!" The kid whispered: "How could a mere medicine for diarrhea make his stomach..."

Pope shook his head as he smiled: "Anywa, you should beat him face to face."

Boyce pouted: "Grandpa Pope, why others can go down but I can't? It's unfair!"

Pope gently touched his head: "Silly kid, you aren't same like others. You will become the most powerful person in the Holy Church in the future... Actually you will be the strongest person in the outer wall!"

Boyce replied: "I'll die because of boredom by that time!"

Pope laughed.

Nun took the opportunity as she saw that Pope was angered: "Your highness, Boyce is not sensible. Please forgive his rude..."

Pope held Boyce's shoulder: "Would you quickly grow up if you are angry?"

The kid saw the serious look on Pope's face. He thought for a moment and nodded: "I'll grow up as soon as possible! I'll whip that instructor day and night... Hmpf! He will ask for mercy from me every day!"

Pope couldn't help but smile. It seems that the kid had decided on it.

"Grandpa Pope, why are you always sitting here?" Boyce asked in a curious tone.

Pope smiled as he turned to face the vast St. Mark's square. There were numerous buildings at the end of the square. He whispered: "Because it has the best scenery..."

...

...

Hawkeye was pacing back and forth on the balcony of the manor. He saw a figure came closely. It was Dean.

Hawkeye's eyes lit up as he rushed to greet Dean: "Elder, you finally came back. One of our sub-regions is being swallowed by the eighth region..."

Dean raised his hand before Hawkeye could finish.

Hawkeye turned silent.

Dean went into the manor without a word. He walked along the underground passage to the headquarters. A woman almost hit him on the way. She apologized in hurry as she recognized Dean.

Hawkeye shouted: "Bastard, do you want to die?"

Dean had gone far by that time.

"Elder, you are back." Neuss stood upright when he saw Dean come back.

Hawkeye joined the room too. He wanted to continue to report but Dean said in a cold tone: "From now on the 9th region will be controlling by you and fourteen council members. You will decide by voting."

Hawkeye was stunned.

"Prepary an alchemy room for me." Dean sat down on chair. He put the ashes aside and lifted a pencil to write bunch of materials: "No one would come in without my permission. Do you understand me?"

Hawkeye was at a loss: "Elder, are you...?"

"Did you understand?"

"Yes, Elder." Hawkeye scratched his head:" Elder but you were the one to control the 9th region. Didn't you say that we will be one of the top five regions within six months? Then... "

"If there is someone who wants to say something then let them come personally." Dean said in an indifferent tone: "The previous commitment won't change. You don't have to worry about as the 9th region will become one of the top five areas within 6 months."

Hawkeye looked at him: "Elder, what about the 8th region ..."

"I said you will deal with everything with the council members. There will be a total of 15 people so there won't be any deadlocks." Dean handed out the paper to Hawkeye: "Prepare these materials and send them to my alchemy room."

Hawkeye quickly glanced. Most of them were metal materials. He couldn't help but wonder what Dean had in mind. But this was a quite clear message to him. Elder was an alchemist!

Neuss who was by Dean knew that something was wrong with Dean. However he remembered the shark spear and two legendary items that Dean had produced... His heart turned cold as he knew that Dean was upto something else!