Why is the cleric called a late bloomer?
It’s because it’s borrowing a very unique system related to “faith,” which is akin to the “mana” consumed when casting sacred spells.
The only way to replenish faith is through natural recovery. Both health and mana can be replenished with potions, but there are no potions to recover faith in Brightest Darkness 4.
The recovery speed is proportional to the faith and divine power stats. The higher the faith and divine power, the faster the natural recovery.
Once both stats are maxed out at 99, it becomes virtually impossible to deplete faith through normal means due to the incredible recovery speed.
During battle, there was never a concern about running out of resources. Health could be restored with sacred spells, and the faith spent on healing would immediately replenish itself.
Because of this unique system, a high-level faith character can essentially cast spells infinitely, has a vast array of sacred spells, and can deal insane damage—creating a complete character.
Low-level faith characters are exactly the opposite. After casting sacred spells a couple of times, they experience a wisdom time, have very few spells they can use, and their damage output is underwhelming.
This is why the cleric is known as a late bloomer.
—You annoying pest!
It was also why I had to wait quite a while before I could reuse the solar eclipse.
The tail swept across the ground. I rolled to dodge it and approached the enemy’s front, swing my blood-stained sword at his calf. Thwack, thwack like hitting a log.
The blessing enchantment from the solar eclipse had long vanished. Now it was time to wait while trading blows and collecting faith.
Since I had increased divine power to 10 for buff duration, natural recovery was possible. However, it was far too slow to be timely for enchanting.
I glanced up. I caught sight of his right second hand moving. An attack starting with a flail. Strategies to counter this rolled through my mind.
I rolled to avoid the vertically descending flail and turned my attention to his left hand instead of the weight that had been lodged in the floor. The blunt arm was fully extended to the side. It was a horizontal swing.
As soon as the flail was lifted, the blunt weapon flew in. I swung my blood-stained sword and deflected it. Thfooosh! My body was pushed back quite a distance. Naturally, his next attack cut through the air.
It felt like combat fatigue had filled to the brim, making my limbs heavy. I lightly loosened my numbed hand to dispel the combat fatigue. My flailing limbs regained their condition.
‘Dodge first, without fail. You can’t roll after a deflection.’
With my current specs, if I deflected even once, my combat fatigue gauge would fill up completely, making it impossible to roll after deflecting an attack.
If I got confused about the order, it would be the end.
—It’s so annoying. Just die already.
“You weren’t this chatty originally, were you? What’s got you chattering so much?”
He exhaled irritably. I matched his retort.
Most bosses only have dialogue during cutscenes, once when changing phases, and maybe a dying gasp at the end.
The creature abandoned by God was no exception, yet this pest in front of me was excessively talkative. Since earlier, he kept venting his irritation about me dodging and not dying.
Whether he was trying to distract me with nonsense or if his personality had changed was unclear.
—Originally? Do you even know what I originally was?
Crash! An axe was lodged right next to me. I barely moved my foot to avoid it and swung my sword in response.
“Of course I do. You’re a monster cast away by God for being ugly, right? They call that an orphan in human society—ever heard of it?”
In reality, one of the nicknames users referred to the creature abandoned by God was “orphan” or “orphan brat.” There were countless posts in the community whining about how to defeat this orphan brat.
The original name was awkward to shorten, yet calling it by its full name was too lengthy, and the nicknames were so catchy that they were used far more often than the actual name.
—You bastard!
As I widened the distance, he hurled the flail in his right hand toward me. I rolled to dodge. The flail plunged into the abyss, causing a magnificent shockwave.
The flail, lodged in the abyss, melted into the ground. Instead, a shadow floating in mid-air gathered into his right hand, crafting a weapon again.
“That’s not really wrong, is it?”
Had the blood-stained sword been enchanted with a blessing, that would have been a thrilling free damage time, but, unfortunately, it wasn’t, so I waited calmly for his next attack.
Having the luxury to taunt that guy while exchanging conversation like this was because trying to force an attack would yield far less return for the risk.
I couldn’t risk my life just to chop off 20 or 30 health. It was way better to keep a distance and induce easier patterns to dodge.
After using the solar eclipse, I’d have to throw caution to the winds and beat the hell out of him.
He lifted one foot from his spot. Seeing that, I prepared to roll to the right. With a thud, his foot smashed down, and from my left, a massive tentacle shot up.
The tentacle burst forth with a squelch, obliterating my previous position. Of course, I had already rolled to safety by then.
In vanilla, this was a pattern you could avoid by just timing it, but in Darkest Light Mod, you’d be flattened in an instant if you did that.
—Crack! Crunch!
And then it would launch two more times.
‘It feels like some time has passed, but why is there no reaction?’
I fiddled with the catalyst tied to my waist. There was still no response. The speed at which faith was filling up was much slower than expected.
‘At this rate, it might really take me over three hours to catch him—uh?’
Just as I was about to revise my expected clear time in my head, a sudden uneasiness coursed through me. I glanced at the sacred catalyst again. It was emanating a faint golden glow.
It meant that the divine power had filled up to the brim again.
‘…What’s going on?’
“Look over there, Inquisitor.”
Stella, wandering near the building, suddenly pointed somewhere with her hand. The purplish eyes, which had been blankly staring into space while hugged against her knees, slowly turned around.
The thin fingers were pointing at the building leading underground to the Holy Kingdom, where the barrier was located.
“…Is the divine power getting stronger?”
Selene instinctively grasped what Stella was trying to convey. The barrier surrounding the building was gradually strengthening.
This was the same barrier established since the Holy Kingdom first acknowledged the existence of that monster. A sudden change indicated something was happening inside.
However, in all the years, there had never been an instance of the barrier strengthening. The archives of the Holy Kingdom contained records of the barrier weakening, but none of it being strengthened.
Faced with a situation never experienced before, both Stella and Selene exchanged bewildered looks, switching between each other’s faces and the building.
“How long has it been since the esteemed guest entered?”
“30 minutes and 17 seconds.”
“…You were counting down to seconds? That’s intense. Anyway, something must be happening with the esteemed guest against that monster. This wouldn’t occur otherwise.”
“I completely agree, Inquisitor.”
Stella had firsthand experience of how powerful the monster in there was.
The moment she laid eyes on the abyss contained within, she felt her limbs stiffening. It wasn’t out of fear or terror, but due to a power that surpassed human capability.
If the popes hadn’t surrounded themselves with divine power, they would surely have been dragged down into the depths of the abyss without even being able to resist properly.
As an Inquisitor, she faced countless heretics and demons, but she had never felt so powerless before.
Even in the face of such a being, she was fighting intensely. Thinking back, it was only natural that Stella had lost in that spar.
“I see you are here, Inquisitor.”
“…Your Holiness.”
As a powerful divine presence washed over her from behind, a kind and benevolent voice rang out. Within the Holy Kingdom, only two could exert divine power more strongly than Stella.
Stella turned her head. Selene had already knelt down with one knee on the floor, bowing deeply in respect.
“Raise your head, Inquisitor. That is sufficient greeting.”
“How could I dare! Your Holiness, please do not mind me.”
After almost ten seconds of bowing her head, Selene finally rose. Compared to Stella, who had only slightly lowered her head, it was a stark contrast.
The Pope of the Sun approached the barrier. A billowy see-through fabric draped her arm as she stretched it forward. Tap, her delicate fingers touched the surface of the barrier. Floretta gently brushed over the surface.
“Did you also sense something, Your Holiness?”
“Yes, indeed. The maintenance of this barrier falls entirely upon us; there’s no way we wouldn’t notice. Not only me but the Pope of the Moon must have sensed it too. She might be even more sensitive than I am.”
“If that is so, then what about the Pope of the Moon…?”
To Selene’s question, Floretta chuckled softly and shifted her gaze slightly to the side. Suddenly, something that had been there jumped back in surprise and disappeared. The distorted space returned to normal.
An obscurity that could deceive even the senses of the Inquisitor and Inquisitor’s dexterity, along with a skill so refined it could freely manipulate space. It was evident whose gaze that was.
She must have been observing here right after the barrier was reinforced. She couldn’t come down directly due to the baggage of her interactions with others.
But Floretta knew that even the outbursts and insults were forced. She’d acted that way to evoke hatred, fearing the sadness that her sacrifice would cause.
So that the remaining people would feel a little less sorrow. She had tried to be wicked, but of course, Floretta wouldn’t overlook her true intention.
That’s why Floretta decided to turn a blind eye once again.
“I honestly don’t know.”
As soon as she made that remark, the space that had just returned to normal felt a slight warp once again. A brighter smile appeared on Floretta’s face.
“Well, it can’t be helped. The Pope of the Moon won’t easily open her heart.”
It seems like it’s already halfway open.
Floretta chuckled internally as she listened to Stella’s response. The Pope of the Moon, her sister, was surely watching over this place, fidgeting nervously.
For the popes, revelation was an absolute power and truth.
Just as Floretta realized salvation was near upon hearing the revelation’s interpretation and burst into tears, the Pope of the Moon must also be secretly wishing for the new knight to be her last hope.
If she didn’t believe in the revelation, there’s no way she would be watching over this place. Thinking of her sister, who would be peering out of the cathedral while anxiously watching, made Floretta’s lips curl upward.
“I will wait here as well, Inquisitor.”
“Oh… really? Are you sure?”
“Is there any reason I shouldn’t?”
With a gentle smile directed toward Stella, Floretta clasped her hands in prayer at the doorway. Hoping that her prayer would assist the savior, even just a little.
The silvery figure that had been quietly observing that scene also quietly clasped its hands together.
