I Ascend to the Divine Throne through Arcane Means

"And they must be under the age of fifteen, understand?"

"Sir, sir!"

Tajik was taken aback by the words, and despite the danger, he hurried forward and knelt before the Knight, saying:

"Our village really doesn't have that many children, please grant us some leniency this time."

"Please, I beg of you..."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding villagers began to murmur faintly.

Though some hoped their children would transcend social classes through the Hunting Ceremony, they understood, from the village elder's prior nagging, that it was merely sending them to their deaths.

It wasn't easy to raise a child; how could they be willing to do such a thing?

Listening to the voices around, the Black Armored Knight grew increasingly impatient, with a hint of ferocity in his eyes.

Swish!

The Black Armored Knight waved his right hand, and a sound cut through the air instantly.

The Long Spear in his hand smashed fiercely onto Tajik, and the small-statured village elder instantly turned into a scarlet mist under the impact of immense strength.

"Old fool, who told you to defy my orders? Wouldn't it be better to just obey obediently?"

Seeing the old village elder dead without so much as a body, and even the blood splattered onto the surrounding villagers, the villagers were immediately thrown into panic.

Many even collapsed to the ground, legs giving way.

"You all, obediently hand the children over to me."

"Otherwise, there's no need for Brown Village's existence at all."

The Black Armored Knight looked around at the villagers and said with a cold laugh.

The other knights were no different, completely indifferent to the Black Armored Knight's arbitrary killing of a village elder.

This kind of fool wouldn't enter My Lord's paradise upon death; they would merely become blood sacrifices to please the Divine.

If they had been like the previous village, prepared to offer large amounts of wealth, there might have been some leeway.

This old man was just too senseless.

But looking at how poor this village seemed, they probably couldn't offer anything valuable.

Just right, the quota missing from other villages can be made up by this village, right?

As for killing a village elder, for these noble temple warriors, it was nothing.

Just as the villagers, struck by Fear and panic, were at a loss, they saw a dozen small figures rushing in from outside the village.

Upon seeing the flames in the village center, they ran straight over.

Especially upon seeing those knights dressed in fine Equipment, riding tall horses, the children's eyes were filled with longing.

But soon, the children realized something was amiss.

The adults in the village stood opposite these knights, their faces betraying undisguisable Fear and anxiety.

Some even waved at them, seemingly signaling for them to hide.

Belial was the first one to react; he noticed his father Aio's pale expression.

What's going on?

His father didn't even flinch in the face of a mighty bear, why was he like this now?

Belial slowly backed away, Fear spreading in his heart too.

But soon, they saw the knights charging at them.

A dozen knights circled around them, led by the Black Armored Knight who burst into laughter.

"Quite the luck, take all these children away!"

The Black Armored Knight waved a hand, and someone behind him produced a black Magic Wand.

A dozen black tentacles spread out, binding all the children.

Including Belial, who tried to sneak away, all the children screamed in terror and struggled desperately, to no avail.

The Black Armored Knight glanced at the other villagers of Brown Village, relish in their eyes filled with anger yet Fear.

Then, he led everyone directly out of Brown Village.

The bound children, secured on horseback, found their mouths stuffed and were terrified yet had no chance to resist.

Belial looked at his father, seeing his father's pale face and clenched fists, yet no move to step forward.

Belial felt somewhat despairing; these Black Armored Knights seemed like demons now, nothing like what they had once aspired to be.

Tied to the horses, the children were taken away by the Black Armored Knights as the villagers watched in despair.

...

Beneath the gloomy sky, a dozen crude wagons sat quietly alongside the road.

The wooden cages on them looked like giant beasts with bloodthirsty maws, ready to devour the innocent children. A group of children was rudely herded, stuffed into the narrow, cramped wooden cages like lambs to the slaughter.

Within the cages, the children huddled together, bodies pressed tight against one another, unable even to turn around.

Every face was marked by Fear and despair, none daring to make a sound.

For not long ago, one child, unable to withstand his inner Fear, broke down crying.

"Boo hoo~"

"I want to go home, I want to see my mom and dad!"

"You are bad people!"

...

The Black Armored Knights guarding around the wagons cursed impatiently at the sound of crying, but it only made the children cry louder.

One knight stepped forward, grabbing the crying child roughly, pulling him from the cage like a chick.

The child screamed in terror, hands flailing wildly in the air, to no avail.

The knights pinned him down, punching him without mercy, showing no restraint just because he was a child.

The child's cries grew weaker, replaced by painful groans and pleas, yet the knights had no intention of stopping.

The child lay on the ground, body covered in blood, clothes ragged and uncontrollably twitching.

His eyes were vacant and hollow, blood foam at the corners of his mouth, more intake than outflow of breath, hanging by a thread.

The children in the wooden cage were terrified by the scene, faces ashen and bodies trembling. They clamped their mouths shut, afraid the next victim of Misfortune would be them.

Seeing all the children quiet down, the Black Armored Knight nodded with satisfaction, seemingly pleased with the deterrent effect.

If the ceremony didn't require these sacrifices, he would've killed the child on the spot.

Shoving the child back into the cage, he yawned and went to sit aside.

"What a troublesome errand!"

"Who knows how the others are doing, when can we return to Zeke City?"

Gradually, night deepened.

The Black Armored Knight guarding the cart began to nod off slightly.

Inside the cage, Belial clung tightly to the wooden bars, listening to the soft sobbing nearby, his heart full of Fear.

Are we going to participate in the Great Hunting Ceremony?

This way...is it going to our deaths?

From the previous conversation among the Black Armored Knights, Belial had gathered some information.