Legendary Beast Master: Starting with Contracting SSS Rank Dragon
Chapter 65: The Church of Dawnfire Goddess

Chapter 65: The Church of Dawnfire Goddess

In the Capital City of Solvane Highlands, Highcrest, stood the headquarters and main base of the Holy Church of the Dawnfire Goddess.

Within one of its majestic cathedrals, which served as a beacon of hope and worship for humans, people came and went throughout the day to offer prayers to the Goddess.

By the time it was afternoon, the church had finally emptied of its believers.

The main hall was vast, silent, and illuminated only by golden light filtering through the stained glass that formed the walls. Flames flickered on floating candelabras, casting soft shadows on the white marble floor below.

A giant statue of the Dawnfire Goddess stood at the end of the sanctuary—her arms spread open, her eyes closed in serene divinity, and her robe carved to flow like fire in the wind.

A man kneeled at the foot of the altar, his crimson and gold robe draping behind him like a trail of consecrated flame. His silver hair was neatly tied, his fingers interlocked in prayer, and his murmurs barely echoed under the vaulted dome.

This was Cardinal Rhaenor Vaelis, one of the Seven Pillars of the Holy Church of the Dawnfire Goddess.

His voice was calm, filled with the unwavering faith that came only after decades of service.

"Blessed be Her Radiance. May Her light burn away the shadows of corruption. May Her gaze fall upon this forsaken world and turn it anew."

As his final words settled into silence, a faint tremor in the air caught his attention.

He did not open his eyes.

"You may speak."

The soft click of boots echoed across the marble before a figure knelt behind him, head lowered. The man wore a white cloak etched with golden sunbursts—an Inquisitor of the Radiant Order.

"Cardinal, forgive the interruption... but we’ve detected a Labyrinth."

Rhaenor’s eyes finally opened. Amber and deep like the sun, his gaze fell upon the altar as his fingers unlinked.

"Where?"

"Deep in the Valoran Wilds, my lord. It’s very old, probably from the early Fourth Epoch."

Rhaenor stood slowly, the air around him rippling with soft, divine pressure. The flames in the hall bowed to him.

"The Wilds... of course it would be there," he muttered, walking toward the base of the statue. "It’s Beast territory."

"Yes, my lord. The local Beast Tribes have remained unresponsive, which is normal, but the Lightwatchers detected a dimensional fluctuation. It didn’t match the usual monster breakouts."

"A Labyrinth surfacing on Beast soil..." Rhaenor paused and looked toward the stained glass, where the image of the Dawnfire Goddess burned a crimson sun over the world. "This is no coincidence."

He turned around, his robe fluttering behind him, eyes sharp. "Has anyone entered?"

"We’re unsure. But the fluctuation was not natural—it was triggered. Most likely by someone stepping inside."

Rhaenor exhaled deeply. "Then we are already late."

He raised one hand toward the empty air beside him, and a white crystal plate materialized, glowing with divine runes. He tapped once, and the sigil of the Lightwatchers emerged.

"Deploy the Lightwatchers."

The Inquisitor raised his head in surprise. "All of them, my lord?"

"Yes. Every unit stationed along the eastern stretch. I want eyes on that Labyrinth as soon as possible. No one goes in or out without our knowledge."

"As you command."

"Also," Rhaenor added as he stepped off the altar, his voice quiet but cold, "Find out which Beast Tribe controls that region. If they are colluding with foreign powers or harboring a heretic inside the Labyrinth, they will be purged."

The meaning of his words was clear to the Inquisitor. Since no beast could enter the Labyrinths, it meant a foreign race had colluded with them and secured the Labyrinth.

They were the ones meant to be purged.

The Inquisitor bowed lower. "Understood."

"Have the scholars review our archives on Labyrinth structures. Focus on the Fourth Epoch and find out who left it behind. I have a feeling it’s related to the Beast God."

His gaze darkened. "And if it holds any remnant of Him... we cannot allow it to awaken."

He knew clearly that many of the Gods’ deaths weren’t as simple as dying—they often left behind Anchors through which they could revive themselves.

But he was confident that the Beast God had truly perished, as it was done by the Dawnfire Goddess—a deity who held the authority of sun, life, and rebirth.

However, the Beast God had many troublesome subordinates who could wreak havoc if they were somehow revived.

’No one can disturb Her peace.’

The Inquisitor bowed to the Goddess’ statue and then the Cardinal, as he said while placing his hand over his heart, "Praise the Lady!"

"Praise the Lady!"

Then, he vanished silently into the light, leaving the Cardinal alone once again in the vast, holy silence.

The Cardinal stood rooted in his spot, contemplating the matters related to the Labyrinth.

’The Elves won’t use such means to acquire a Labyrinth, and the Dwarves are no different. Then, the only possibility is Otherworlders.’

Elves had a much smaller population compared to other races, so they never ran out of resources—which also meant they didn’t take unnecessary risks or invite hatred from other races.

As for the Dwarves, most of them had classes related to creation, crafting, and similar aspects, so their main EXP came from their inventions rather than hunting monsters.

So, neither of those races needed the Labyrinth.

There were only Four Major Races in Eldryn: Elves, Dwarves, Beasts, and Humans.

’Which secret organization is this? If they even lack the means to hide the dimensional fluctuations, then they are definitely new. Eternal Life? No... they aren’t this daring.’

The Cardinal eliminated one possibility after another, trying to guess who had managed to gain access to the Labyrinth.

He was certain it was a deliberate, well-planned operation by a major organization for one simple reason—the Labyrinth was located in the deeper parts of the Wilds, and no one could reach there unless they led a huge army. But even then, such movements would never go unnoticed by the churches.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the changes in the fate of the world. As a Demi-God, he could sense shifts in the world’s destiny to a certain extent.

However, he failed to gather any information, even from the Astral World. But he wasn’t discouraged, as he opened his eyes and muttered, "Concealment..."

Rhaenor returned his gaze to the Goddess’ statue, his voice once again soft, as he closed his eyes.

"Your Radiance, guide your faithful servants. Let us not falter. Let us burn away this festering dusk."

Outside, the light of day dimmed as thick clouds swirled over the eastern skies. Inside the cathedral, the temperature spiked briefly—then returned to normal.

Rhaenor’s eyes fluttered open as he muttered, "It really is the work of Concealment... Nightingale."

His gaze turned sharp as he once again bowed toward the Goddess.

Change was coming. And the Church would not let it come unopposed.

...

Similar scenes were unfolding across Eldryn, be it within the major Orthodox Churches or the hidden organizations lurking in shadows. Everyone had sensed the Labyrinth—and the change it brought to the fate of Eldryn.

Chaos and madness were coming to swallow the world.

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