Chapter 295
“Humans possess truly amazing and grotesque survival instincts. The long history with the Goddess Church proves this. They have been slaughtered and ravaged endlessly, yet with a resilience like weeds, they continue to endure and fight against us.”
With a shift in topic to the Great War, Ultreman smoothly continued speaking.
He subtly hinted at recognizing humanity, ensuring the atmosphere didn’t become too heavy.
With unexaggerated gestures, he captured everyone’s attention.
Ultreman paused dramatically, drawing in a deep breath.
“But, humanity’s tenacity is also a necessary condition for the Goddess Church.”
He compared the Goddess Church to a master and humanity to livestock.
“Pigs taste better when fattened up before slaughter, and humans are no different. Those foolish beings may think the world belongs to them, but we know otherwise.”
The blood and mana of humanity are ultimately materials for sacrifice.
They are livestock that don’t even realize they are being offered as tributes.
Or… perhaps even if they knew, there would be nothing they could do about it.
“As countless years piled up, among the swarm of humans, some emerged who were called heroes. But they do not realize that it wasn’t just their story hoping for the birth of heroes…!”
The heroes who boldly fought against the Goddess Church for the liberation of humanity.
Ultreman emphasized their existence would also benefit the Goddess Church.
“Top-quality livestock! Perfectly suited to be offered on the sacrificial altar like a freshly butchered pig’s head! How delighted the Pope must be to taste their exceptional mana and blood!”
Ultreman wore an expression of ecstasy just thinking about it.
He composed himself from the excitement and announced that it was time.
“The Great War… the ‘Slaughtering Season’ has finally arrived.”
The final war between humanity and the Goddess Church.
Ultreman described that war as a butchering.
“We must execute a slaughter on a scale larger than any recorded in history. The livestock has already been sufficiently fattened. With the tributes offered until now, and the blood and mana we will collect this time, the Pope will surely be able to descend upon this land.”
“The Pope might indeed return to this land.”
For them, war was a grand ritual.
It was a process to free the sealed Pope Bael.
“Hahaha—! Good, good!”
“I can finally completely uproot those human scum!”
The air in the conference room was heating up.
Just a moment ago, the archbishops had been tense due to the tension among the cardinals, but now they began to cheer with enthusiasm.
They were beings originally created to be faithful to their desires.
The suffocating and orderly conference room did not suit them at all.
Under a single purpose, the archbishops threw up their feelings of hatred toward humanity, without waiting for anyone to speak first.
Then—
“We must not underestimate the Heroes.”
A heavy male voice echoed in the room.
Ultreman watched him with interest, as if he found it fascinating that he was speaking at all.
“To hear the esteemed Executor Archbishop Ipos say such a thing… Is there a special reason behind it?”
Executor Ipos.
With tough brown skin and round eyes that seemed to have fish eyeballs wedged right in, his voice resonated deeply.
“Have you already forgotten that the one referred to as a Hero perished after the battle? Cardinal Gamigin was slain.”
Four years ago.
Before the collapse of the Academia, a battle among the leaders took place.
As a result, the Goddess Church lost its first pillar, the cardinal.
One of the pillars that was thought to be absolutely unbreakable had shattered.
Naturally, the Altife were shocked, and a new sense of vigilance towards humanity was formed.
“Ultreman. I understand your intent in belittling humanity. However, isn’t it time to reconsider whether what we need now is cooperation and camaraderie, or rational thinking?”
“…Indeed. You are ten thousand percent correct, Archbishop Ipos. I must apologize for my hasty remarks.”
“….”
As Ipos pointed out Ultreman, the other archbishops quickly fell silent like extinguished flames.
No matter how much the archbishops liked to act as they pleased.
Before the cardinals and Executor Ipos, they were nothing more than lambs.
‘Oh ho.’
Baragan, watching Ipos, inwardly marveled.
Indeed. The Altife, who could be described as slaves to instinct and emotion, tended to react immediately, boiling or chilling in response.
Even though a major incident occurred just four years prior—the death of a cardinal—Ultreman’s remarks easily swayed them, a testament to this.
However, sometimes, a heavy axis like Ipos provided balance, grounding them.
Though he had only experienced Ipos’s might through descriptions in novels, it seemed that Ipos was more embedded in the depths of the archbishops than he had imagined.
Deeply apologizing, Ultreman cleared his throat and spoke.
“While humanity may indeed be livestock for the Pope’s return… it is certainly necessary to heed caution, just as Archbishop Ipos mentioned earlier. Especially concerning the number one Hero, Sylvester, and number two, Helion.”
“Of course, the top-ranked hero Sylvester and the second-ranked Helion are no exception.”
As familiar names drifted out, whispers filled the conference room again.
Though Sylvester is currently holed up in the Central Church, protecting the high-ranking officials of Yggdrasil, he has previously chopped off the head of an archbishop.
Helion, the second-ranked hero, was no different.
If two heroes who wielded judgmental weapons clashed head-on, even those among the upper echelons of archbishops might not stand a chance.
“Sylvester. Helion. Both of those so-called heroes, along with the newly emerging heroes, are quite threat. The standout among them is, of course, Alicia, who earned the sub-hero title in record time.”
Alicia’s record-breaking achievement is not limited to merely the title of sub-hero.
She is the one who reached single digits in the hero rankings in the shortest time.
As a swordmage who masterfully combines magic and swordsmanship, she is the one who has completed her unique spell and whose red aura has transcended.
The records she sets are faster than even those of Gulemashia, who is called a legend.
“Heh-heh… Alicia. She’s the ingredient I want to get my hands on no matter what…”
“…….”
As Alicia’s name came up, Cardinal Jephar chuckled softly.
Next to him, Salecius remained motionless.
His eyes lacked any spark, as if all emotion had completely drained from him.
Seeing this, Cardinal Amon asked,
“By the way, Jephar. Why did you bring Salecius but leave Alicia alive? If you had brought them both back then, your ranks of archbishops might have increased by now.”
“Are you talking about the first time I met Salecius? Heh… Yeah. Even thinking about it now feels like a missed opportunity. I suspected his brother might have some talent too…”
“But to still not bring him along means there must have been a reason, right?”
“Well, it was because there was a risk that Salecius might take his own life before the experiments succeeded, so I left room for possibilities. It means that whatever animal I was experimenting on needed adequate conditions to thrive.”
And now that Salecius has lost all emotions, bringing Alicia for experiments wouldn’t risk Salecius taking his life or rebelling.
“But Amon… if we’re talking about accountability for Alicia, shouldn’t that fall on the author instead of me? ‘He’ is the one who unlocked her potential.”
Jephar pointed his aged finger at Vargan and let out an unpleasant chuckle.
Comfortably, the focus of the conference room shifted to Vargan.
Vargan lowered his head, looking apologetic.
“That is clearly my fault. There was an error in my calculations, and I failed to integrate the cultivated Alicia into the Goddess Church.”
“That’s truly unfortunate. She could have easily been used as an ingredient… providing, of course, that your words were true.”
Jephar glared at Vargan with narrowed eyes.
Vargan responded without batting an eyelash.
“I’m just saddened that my loyalty to the Goddess is being questioned.”
“Hehehe….”
Jephar, who harbors doubts and questions about all things, found it hard to trust Vargan either.
To him, Vargan was an unverified, unstable, and intriguing subject of observation.
The one leading the discussion, Ultreman, naturally interjected as he assessed the flow.
“Well, first and foremost, keep in mind that the three among the current Heroes require caution, and next, let me share some information about the battlefield where the Goddess Church will advance.”
Ultreman used a magical device to project a hologram of the terrain for everyone in the hall to see.
At the center was the Central Church.
Surrounding it was a rugged terrain that forbade intrusion, not to mention being protected by several fortifications.
“We must ultimately advance towards the Central Church, said to be the origin of the Heroes. However, the area is protected by a barrier similar to the shield at the Academia, making surprise attacks impossible even with Beled’s powers.”
With steep, cliff-like terrain that made it difficult for a large army to advance, coupled with strong fortifications and a barrier, the Central Church was well-guarded to the point that “impregnable” seemed apt.
Ultreman shaped a circle around it and proposed a strategy.
“If we charge in recklessly, no matter how powerful the Goddess Church’s force is, the damage will be severe, and we risk defeat. Therefore, I believe it’s wise to control all routes heading to the Central Church and hold a siege.”
A siege.
Cutting off supply routes and slowly choking the opponent in a prolonged conflict.
Ultreman suggested utilizing the mobile Nests, similar to the methods used in Academia four years ago.
If they merely moved the Nests while blocking the paths, the Heroes would run out of blood, but the Goddess Church’s forces could raid nearby villages to quickly replenish soldiers and supplies.
But as he shared his strategy, Blurans raised an objection.
“Considering the scale and resources of the Central Church, it seems like a prolonged battle that could easily last for years. Is there no faster method?”
“Considering safety and certainty, this is indeed the best option… But then…”
“There is.”
It was Vargan who continued Ultreman’s thought.
As if he had already been pondering, he pointed to a nation near the Central Church.
Ultreman quickly grasped what Vargan was thinking and smiled broadly.
“So you’re thinking the same as me, Archbishop Vargan. Yes, if the enemies keep their Castle Gate firmly shut, breaking down the door is a low strategy. It’s a major task to make them open it, but the best strategy is to make them come out of their own accord.”
The place Vargan pointed to was the Darek Union, a nation where all kinds of races lived together.
In the center of that nation, close to the Central Church, stood an enormous tree.
“Yggdrasil. If this gigantic sacred tree, the symbol of the church, is threatened, no matter how surrounded they are by enemies, the Central Church wouldn’t just sit idle.”
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