Free Web NovelChapter 97: Chapter 73: The Demon’s Gospel and Steadfast Faith (Part 2)
No Mage had ever dared bring a Demon to a Monastery to gaze upon the statue of the Divine Emperor.
At least.
Before the Great Rebellion, no Mage had dared to do so.
He watched as Cultivators filed out of the Monastery and offered them a slight, elegant bow.
"Good afternoon, Cultivators. Perhaps I should give a proper introduction. I am the most loyal servant of the Thousand-Change Monarch, and the future master of this world—and of you.
You may call me Scholar Lakon.
In my master’s name, I am here merely to inform you that you have one day to tear down the statue of the Divine Emperor and seriously consider the future of your faith.
If you cannot give me a satisfactory answer by this time tomorrow..."
After the lengthy introduction, the uninvited Mage finally revealed his evil side.
He raised his Scepter. A cold, sinister power mercilessly drained a man’s soul, condensing it into a pale orb of light in his hand, which he then fed to the Red-Eyed Crow.
In the next moment, darkness and terror enveloped the sky above Caster Monastery. From the face of the holy statue of the Divine Emperor, profane Demon’s Blood began to flow.
The pampered High Tier Cultivators had never witnessed such power. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Of the three High Tier Cultivators, one was so terrified he instantly fell to his knees and soiled himself, utterly devoid of faith and honor.
The other Priests and apprentices were rooted to the spot, stunned by the Mage’s blasphemous act. The fear in their eyes had already eroded their faith in the Divine Emperor and their Loyalty to the Empire.
In this vast Human Empire, Mortals who lived in suffering might have reason to betray and fall to corruption.
But for the pampered Monastery Priests, who enjoyed extraordinary status, reverence, and adoration, betrayal was the most unforgivable blasphemy!
Raphael watched his former classmates and mentor, saw their weakness and compromise in the face of the Demon.
Despair and furious grief surged through him, filling his chest in an instant!
This Newbie Priest, ordained for only a year, was filled with righteous anger. He strode past his mentor and the three High Tier Cultivators. Ignoring the others who tried to stop him, he walked out of the Monastery alone, intending to debate the Mage and defend the glory of the Divine Emperor and the Empire with the scriptures and knowledge he had studied for years!
But as his feet crossed the threshold of the Monastery, stepping out from the Holy Land blessed by the Divine Emperor, the horrifying power of the Mage and the Demon seeped into his body like an icy wind, assailing his faith and sanity.
Raphael’s vision went black. With a BUZZ in his head, he crumpled to his knees, prostrating himself at the Mage’s feet.
In his chaotic consciousness, he heard the blasphemous words of the human traitor, the faint, mocking laughter of the Demon, and the cries and pleas of the city’s inhabitants.
Raphael’s body and soul felt as if they had plunged into an icy abyss. The Demon’s gaze, originating from the distant Void Realm, drained all his strength and made him shudder uncontrollably.
But in the end, his fanatical faith in the Divine Emperor allowed him to struggle back to his feet, swaying unsteadily.
Tortured by this evil Extraordinary Power, his vision blurred until he could no longer see the path. Gritting his teeth, he persisted, stumbling his way forward until he stood before the Mage.
At that moment, the street, which had been filled with panic and fear, gradually fell silent.
All eyes were on the young Priest, watching his every move.
As his former colleagues from Caster Monastery watched Raphael rely on sheer faith and willpower to face the Demon’s unholy Mighty Power and walk step-by-step to the Mage, their eyes filled with utter disbelief and shock.
They couldn’t believe it.
A Newbie Priest, ordained for only a year, with shallow knowledge and no Extraordinary Power of his own, actually had the courage to face a powerful Mage and a genuine, bona fide Demon!
The young Priest’s faith and courage surprised even Scholar Lakon.
According to his plan to corrupt the world, after four years of quiet infiltration and decay, there shouldn’t have been any believers in Caster Monastery left with such steadfast faith.
Raphael’s appearance was not only unexpected, it also disrupted his plans.
In his plan, no one from the Monastery was supposed to oppose his proposal. That way, the city’s faith would completely collapse in the wake of the Monastery’s betrayal.
After that, he would turn the City Lord and seize the Defense Army’s final Fortress. It would only be a matter of time before the world fell into his master’s hands.
No matter what, as long as Caster Monastery still stood and the light of the Divine Emperor shone upon the land, the Thousand-Change Monarch could never completely conquer this world.
Therefore, he had no intention of giving this defiant Priest a chance to speak and ruin his plan.
The Mage’s gaze turned cold as he raised his Scepter.
In that instant, in the moment between life and death, a figure shot out from the crowd. He tackled Raphael, who stood alone before the Monastery, then drew his weapon and lunged toward the Mage.
"Mage! In the name of the Judgement Court, I declare your actions as blasphemy against the Divine Emperor! Your crimes are heinous!"
At the same time, a squad of Judges in dark blue uniforms arrived on the scene. They shouted orders, dispersing the crowd, while three of them broke off to surround the Mage and cut off his escape.
"By order of the City Lord! The entire city is under martial law for twenty-four standard hours! Go home! Everyone, go home!"
"What’s so interesting about a Demon! You all want to die?!"
"All unauthorized personnel, leave the area at once! Anyone who lingers will be charged as an accomplice to the Mage!"
Upon their arrival, the Judges from the Desolate Wasteland Ruins, with their excellent professionalism, instantly brought the spiraling situation near Caster Monastery under control.
Their weapons were completely different from the equipment of the Knights Reinhardt had seen.
Even on a simple dagger, the blade would be densely engraved with holy script. The radiance of the Divine Emperor’s blessing, though faint and thin, was definitely present.
Although Reinhardt was an Imperial Knight, he knew little about Demons. Even the great library inside Caster Monastery contained no records of them.
It seemed that besides the National Church Knight Order and the Judges, few had access to the secrets of these evil creatures. The Great Demon he had seen revive even after its head was crushed to a pulp had left a deep impression on him.
Faced with the encirclement by the local Judges, the Mage showed no fear. Instead, he stared resentfully at Raphael, who was drenched in a cold sweat.
’My plan was so close to succeeding.’
’If it weren’t for this lackey of the Divine Emperor... damn it—!’
Unfortunately for him, he did not serve a Great Demon from the Dark Abyss. His master did not permit him to become a brainless fool who knew only slaughter.
Even in this situation, he remained true to his nature, attempting to beguile the Judges who had come to capture him.
The Judge who had tackled Raphael was the same sloppily dressed middle-aged man Raphael had met earlier in the Lower City District. He helped the young Priest to his feet and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"
Raphael was startled to see the Judge. "It’s you?"
"We can talk later. You’re no match for him. Get back to the Monastery. My people will handle this..."
Before he could finish, the Mage’s insidiously charming voice drifted over from behind him.
"Mr. Kirk, we meet again. I forgot to mention, your daughter is still alive. But if you wish to find her, we’ll need to strike a little deal."
Judge Kirk exhaled heavily. He stared into the Mage’s eyes, and the Thorny Sword Holy Emblem hanging from his neck emitted a power that soothed the spirit.
"My daughter died a long time ago, you bastard."
Kirk signaled to his teammates to move in, but the image that appeared before him next made the stubble-faced, middle-aged man freeze in place.
The Mage opened a thick, evil-looking tome. In the magical projection that appeared, a small, disheveled girl was rummaging through a trash heap in the Lower City District, desperately searching for food.
When Judge Kirk saw the little girl’s face, his pupils constricted.
’Rosie...’
The other Judges’ faces paled when they saw this! They knew this was the most venomous trick of Mages and Demons. They shouted, trying to warn their captain not to fall for it.
But Kirk was already lost in memories of his daughter.
An invisible, evil power drifted from the Red-Eyed Crow’s beak, attempting to bypass the protection of the Thorny Sword Holy Emblem and seize control of his mind and will.
It was at this exact moment that a plain, old Iron Sword shot past them with a terrifying WHOOSH, moving too fast for the naked eye to track. It pierced the Red-Eyed Crow, pinning it firmly to the wall!
Immediately after, the Mage’s agonized shriek echoed from the gates of Caster Monastery, resounding throughout the Desolate Wasteland Ruins under the silent gaze of the Radiant Divine Emperor’s statue!
