Chapter: 639
Lasha, facing Lucy’s Divine Grace, felt her body stiffen.
She had no faith whatsoever, yet she was still an Apostle of Evil God.
As the spokesperson of the God of Destruction, she knew that this Divine Grace was something humans could never possess.
That’s the true Divine Grace of Lord Jushin. The light of life that appeared first when this world was created.
“That’s a problem.”
“Why?♡ Are you scared imagining getting beaten up?♡”
“I should be careful, but I don’t think I can.”
Her blood boiled.
What stood before her was a strong person.
The daughter of the great knight Benedict Allen and the chosen hero of the Lord.
And lurking behind was the hero’s companions. Chosen by God himself—how splendid!
She wanted to kill them.
She wanted to break them.
She was desperate to see how fierce the explosion would be when their light shattered.
This impulse belonged to no one else.
It was hers.
The anticipation for the destruction they would showcase during their demise made it hard to suppress this desire to destroy.
“Well, I must do it. If not me, who would?”
“We will.”
A Holy Knight stepped in front of her.
“Can you really do it? You know what that little brat’s Divine Grace signifies.”
“I’ve already prepared to fall into hell.”
“It’s true; only madmen surround madmen.”
“You too, ♡ Sweat-stinking crazy girl! ♡”
Responding to Lucy’s provocation, Lasha swung her fist, and with a crack, the impact was dispersed.
She thrust out her shield, aiming for the moment the force rained down.
This wasn’t coincidence. It was intentional.
Has she really grown this much in just a few months?
Feeling deep regret for the fact that she had to break this, Lasha swung her fist once more.
This time, unlike before, there was a thud as Lucy was pushed back.
“If that’s all you can do, you’ll die.”
“Sounds convincing coming from a girl whose brain was eaten by muscle! ♡”
While distracted by Lucy, Lasha snagged a sword flying toward her throat, glancing at Arthur’s face and Frey wielding a sword atop his shoulder, and hastily brought her arms together.
Blood dripped from the small wounds etched onto her skin.
“What excuse will you make this time?”
“…Haha! Sadly, I have no excuses!”
With Lasha charging in, the party of Holy Knights directly under the Pope collided with Lucy Allen’s team.
With blasphemous words against the Lord, Lucy drew attention, and in that gap, their party’s attacks left marks on the Holy Knights.
The injuries done to the children by the Holy Knights were instigated on the massive shockwave created by Lasha.
Both sides unleashed magic, grasping ankles and healing comrades as they tried to create variables.
Surprisingly, the clash of these two parties appeared evenly matched.
No, it seemed like Lucy’s team had the upper hand in the Pope’s judgement.
Even exhausted from the battle with Evil God Agra, their momentum was intense, and there was an undeniable hesitation felt by the Holy Knights, except for Lasha.
Objectively speaking, they shouldn’t be losing.
They shouldn’t even be even.
Lasha was one of the strongest monsters on the continent.
And the Holy Knights under the Pope were deemed strong even in the grand scope of the continent.
In contrast, Lucy Allen’s party were still children yet to become adults.
They possessed incredible talents but were not fully grown.
They should have been crushed under the force the Pope had brought.
Even if they bore restrictions forbidding them from killing anyone.
Even if the guilt stemming deep in their hearts held them back.
They should have won easily.
Under normal circumstances, anyway.
The Pope, watching everything unfold from a step back, felt a miracle within the battle.
It must be due to the presence of the first God, the greatest God, and the best God, Lord Armadi, standing behind them, that this standoff was occurring.
The Lord wished to protect His Apostle while simultaneously stopping me from accomplishing my desires.
After questioning himself again and again, the Pope acknowledged this truth and buried his face in his hands, ignoring the commotion around him.
The Pope, who hadn’t moved even once, felt his shoulders tremble.
Droplets fell one by one through his fingers.
A voice, almost sobbing, was drowned out by the chaos.
How long had it been? When the Pope lifted his face again, a smile was etched on his lips.
So profound that it seemed to be inscribed on his face for eternity.
“Oh, Great Lord Jushin.”
The Pope trembled at the realization that he had been rejected.
This was the God he had faith in for so many years.
Even knowing that if left alone, this being would offer him great benefits, this existence was the great God he believed in, as He sacrificed everything for the sake of good.
“Thank you for proving my faith was right.”
With a trembling voice, the Pope prayed and stepped onto the battlefield joyfully.
Then, a crack appeared.
Lucy, who had not lost her smile amid the opponents’ offensive, bit her lip.
Arthur, who kept searching for where he should be, lost his composure.
Frey’s speed began to lag, and Phoebe was so preoccupied with healing that she couldn’t assist with anything else.
As Joy faced the knights who reached her, her balance faltered, leaving her unable to aid her friends.
Once balance is disrupted, it quickly spirals into chaos.
And as they sensed the falling momentum increasing, it was already too late.
The balance had collapsed.
“Now, everyone.”
The Pope, certain that Lucy’s group was nearing their limit, moved the knights back and stood in front of Lucy.
“Do you agree that I should elevate the Apostle of Jushin?”
“Can’t you even make a decision at your age? ♡ Your intelligence must have dropped significantly! ♡”
As the Pope asked with a smile, Lucy lowered her shield, revealing a mocking grin.
“So you believe in the Shoddy Pedo God? ♡ You must be mentally ill to worship some perverted freak who’s trying to dress girls up in bunny suits! ♡”
Shaking off the hands that held her back, Lucy stepped forward and poked the silent Pope in the belly.
“Maybe you’re empathizing with that Pedo God ♡ Are you desperate? ♡ Trying to suffocate me with your belly fat? ♡”
Lucy’s provocation was definitely not something to say in a disadvantageous situation, especially not to someone planning to kidnap her.
“All you can do is press down and rape, huh? ♡ But seriously, who would like a disgusting creep like you? ♡”
Despite everything, Lucy kept provoking her opponent because…
“Can you even see your tiny thing? ♡ I’d say it’s buried in flesh and hard to find! ♡”
“You’re trying to make me attack you, aren’t you?”
That was her duty.
“You wish to torture me instead of your friends to make me surrender. It’s easier for you that way.”
Tears streamed from the Pope’s eyes once again.
The Lord’s chosen Apostle was so noble.
Willing to face any fate to rescue her friends. So virtuous that she would rise for the world that had cast her into hell.
If she didn’t qualify to be an Apostle, who would?
“O Apostle! I ask for very little. Just to have my end witnessed by you.”
“I could take your head off right now! ♡”
“Haha. Sorry, but I can’t die just from my head being chopped off.”
“Hmph ♡ You’re scared, aren’t you? ♡”
The Pope couldn’t tear his gaze away from her, looking at him as if she was weighing him.
He was literally entranced.
As if the great God had captivated him, the Pope’s gaze was glued to Lucy.
“Shoddy~♡”
That’s why the Pope didn’t notice the great sword flying toward his neck.
“Don’t move, Your Holiness.”
Benedict Allen.
One of the most threatening forces on the continent.
Even facing his furious gaze, the Pope smiled.
“Well, I have to understand the situation.”
The Pope wasn’t the only one subdued.
The Sword Saint. The Apostle of the Arts Church. Kent’s clan leader. The Second Queen. The two princes left outside. The owner of a forest. The queen of the fairies. And the God of Darkness surrounded this place.
In a moment the dungeon crumbled, and they seized the opportunity to ambush. It wasn’t coincidence that I let my guard down briefly back then.
“Fool, Papa. You’re so slow.”
“Apologies later, Lucy.”
The Apostle had planned for this situation.
Had they been led to this point all along?
It was unclear. It seemed impossible to fathom.
Could the being be this exceptionally noble and competent after all?
Tears were about to flow once more.
“Pope of the Church of Jushin. After surrendering the fragment of Evil God, forget everything and step aside.”
Erginius warned in a stiff tone, and the Pope shrugged.
“We’ll keep it on our side.”
“Should I have to say that your head would have rolled already if it weren’t for your position?”
“I know that. But I can’t give it to you. You wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
“Me?”
“Great Wizard, remember how you almost got swallowed by darkness; I know that even better than you.”
“There can be a lack within me, but that doesn’t mean you should possess it.”
The Pope’s stubbornness was met with more force from the strong people.
No matter how strong the Pope or Lasha or many great Holy Knights were, getting out of this predicament will be tough.
It would be best to step back, as Erginius proposed.
Under normal circumstances.
“No, I’m fine. Great Wizard.”
“Oh? Really? Why’s that?”
“Before I respond, may I ask you something? Do you remember me?”
“Why should I remember you?”
“Looks like that’s as far as your memory goes.”
A sense of dread swept through as Erginius burst the Pope’s head, but suddenly, the previously vanished head reappeared.
As if he had never endured any of it.
“Let me reintroduce myself. I am the Apostle of Evil God Agra, and having worshipped the Lord, I reached the position of Pope and survived the mythological age.”
“…What?”
“And I’m also an acquaintance of the Great Wizard Erginius, your puppet.”
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.