Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 497 Meetings and Accusations! (6k4)

Ask me about the Abyss and demons?
After listening to what Davild of the "Sun Knight" said, Luo Xiu couldn't help but feel a little moved.

If he wanted, he could directly summon a "True Ancestor Demon" here... The "Mourning Lord" Sasseer would probably be able to make Davild drop his jaw, but Luo Xiu obviously wouldn't do that.

Luo Xiu actually knew that sooner or later the Holy Court would send someone down to investigate this matter. To truly kill a True Ancestor Demon, it was indeed crucial at this time when the Abyss had not yet truly appeared. Luo Xiu was also ready to share something with the Holy Court.

He then looked at the two attendants of the clergy in the Bishop's tent and said to them:
"You guys go out first, Colen and Radel."

Cologne and another "guide priest" Radel then performed the sacraments on Rossio, Davide, and Huberte, and then turned and left the bishop's tent.

Then, Luo Xiu gently raised his arm and turned his palm upward, and a ball of light emitting golden light gradually condensed in the palm of his hand.

At the same time, the entire periphery of the bishop's tent was completely covered and enveloped by the rising golden barrier.

After setting up the barrier, Luo Xiu said to Davild:
"I may know something, Lord Davild."

Looking at Davild's burning eyes, Luo Xiu's face showed a look of recollection and thought. After a while, he said:
"About the 'True Ancestor Demon' - the 'Gluttonous Tyrant' Brigantes who was eventually killed by me."

"My guardians once obtained some important information from the scars of the Abyss in Latama City. It was about the 'true name' of the 'True Ancestor Demon', which may be the essence of their existence."

"For example, the 'Greedy Tyrant' Brigantes, his real name is [Greedy Tyrant Brigantes, Bottomless Belly Jaeger, Voracious Mouth]."

"Once you obtain His true name and recite it completely, and resist the backlash and erosion from the True Ancestor Demon's 'True Name', you can deprive Him of His power and allow the 'Angel' to truly kill Him."

"..."

"Real name?"

The Sun Knight, Davild, had his eyes slightly lit up, and asked Luo Xiu:

"Well, in the intelligence we received about the campaign against the 'gluttonous tyrant' Brigantes in Latama City, there is indeed a record of the 'real name'. What is it exactly?"

When Davild asked this, Luo Xiu told Davild the half-true and half-false story of how the "Guardians" obtained their "real names" from their scars, how he and other saints such as Albert and Lansas recited the "real names", and how they organized all the elite expeditionary forces with triple destinies and above to recite the "real names" as a group.

Although it was actually Luo Xiu who told the players the real name of Brigantis through the alias of "Lord of the Holy Abyss", when the players told themselves as the "Bishop" the real name, they also used a fabricated reason.

Luo Xiu then simply relayed the same thing to Davild, so that he could verify it with the players at that time.

The spiritual perception commonly used by the local extraordinary people in the entire "Apocalypse World" actually has little effect on the players. Luo Xiu is not worried that the players' lies will be exposed - he has already experimented. Using this way of perception to perceive the spiritual fluctuations of the players is like calm lake water. In the perception of normal extraordinary people, the perceiver will generally judge it as "truth".

Unless it uses real supernatural items or "oaths" as a medium like the "Black Sword Mansion", or imposes an "edict" on the "descenders" like the [Supreme], it will have the effect of detecting the "descenders".

That was also the way the supernatural world in the middle and late stages judged the "Adventers" - but that was not now.

Even if the players finally explained the matter about the "Holy Abyss" and the "Lord of the Holy Abyss" to Davild, it didn't matter. Because for their own interests in the "Holy Abyss", the players were unlikely to tell the Holy Court the truth about these things, and the few voices were attenuated and it was not easy for them to reach the ears of the real high-ranking people in the "Holy Court".

Moreover, the "Holy Abyss" has actually entered the official field of vision for a long time, but it has not shown any harm for the time being. The Holy Abyss has nothing to do with me, who is ostensibly a "bishop", and the relationship between me and the "Holy See" has been "neutral" so far.

While narrating this to Davild, Luo Xiu was thinking about this.

"..."

"I see."

"Sun Knight" Davild nodded solemnly and said:
"Regarding the information about the 'real name', I will report it to the 'Holy See' and His Holiness the Pope after the expedition is over."

"Yeah." Luo Xiu also nodded.

But he had not finished telling Davild what he wanted to tell him. What he had told Davild before was the information about "Destroying the True Name". After that, Luo Xiu continued to say to Davild:
"There is one more crucial matter, Lord Davild, and that is also about the 'real name'."

"'Higher Demons' and lower-ranking demons can be killed by conventional means, but 'True Ancestor Demons' and higher cannot be killed."

"You must first know their true names, and then have the contracted holy angels possess, deprive or erase their true names in order to truly kill a 'True Ancestor' demon - otherwise, if their true names are not revealed, or if they are killed in conventional ways after their true names are known, they can be resurrected."

"..."

"what?!"

Surprise appeared on the face of "Sun Knight" Davild, and his eyes widened. This was the first time he had received such information.

This information is far more crucial than the so-called "conquering the True Name" that can weaken those True Ancestor Demons.

The reason why Luo Xiu told Davild this information was because it was the underlying logic of the confrontation between [Glory] and [Abyss] - at this time, the Holy See had actually "killed" many demons of True Ancestors and above. But this was false, and the killings were carried out without breaking the True Name, and they would be resurrected soon.

At that time, the "Holy Court" will definitely send more people to investigate these things in depth.

Rather than waiting for them to find out, it is better to tell them now, which can avoid suspicion of concealment. And before the "Scarlet Tide" and "Abyss Upside Down" that will be faced in less than half a year, it can buy precious time.

Luo Xiu was thinking about this.

"..."

"How do you know this?"

There was a gleam in Davild's eyes as he asked Luo Xiu for confirmation.

"…At that time, Brigantes, the 'Greedy Tyrant', was trapped by me in the power curtain of the 'Lightless Cage'. He said so himself."

Luo Xiu responded to Davild.

This is the truth.

At that time, the "gluttonous tyrant" Brigantes did say "I am the demon of my 'true name', you can't really kill me" when he was seriously injured.

Luo Xiu guessed that other Holy See saints who had faced the True Ancestor Demon should have heard them say similar words, but they just didn't really understand the meaning behind them yet.

"what?"

When he got this answer, Davild said "Ah" subconsciously.

But Luo Xiu did not continue to elaborate or explain anything. He then took out the sacred scepter of [Holy Grip] from the storage bracelet and held it, and prayed to summon the "Four-Winged Angel" Tatia.

"... Tatya of the Four Wings, I pray for your coming."

This is the standard covenant angel summoning prayer.

And in front of Luo Xiu - in the air in the center of the bishop's tent, a door filled with pure white and golden light opened, and then the figure of the "four-winged angel" Tatya emerged from it. She walked through the sacred door and descended on the steps of heaven.

At this time, Tatia was in the image of a "Valkyrie" wearing a sacred pure white battle skirt.

He held the Radiant Sword and the Radiant Bow in his hands, with a white feather helmet covering his pure and beautiful face. His long hair, like flowing gold, was sparkling with brilliant golden light, which contrasted with the four sacred wings that were slightly retracted behind him and his perfect outline that also emitted a light golden light. An incomparably pure sacred aura emanated from his body.

He looked at Luo Xiu, and then at the "Sun Knight" Davild in front of Luo Xiu. His lips under the feather helmet opened slightly, and he uttered a clear, sacred and ethereal voice:

"The Holy Wings' messenger, my contractor, Luo Xiu Carlos..."

"There are no enemies here who deserve holy judgment."

"..."

"I need you to prove it to the Templar Knight of the Sun, Lord Darvild Rossus."

Luo Xiu stood up from the main seat and said to Tatiya:
"Please tell Lord Davild the method that can truly kill the 'True Ancestor Demon'."

"..."

Tatia looked towards Davild, as if she was thinking about something, and said after a while:
"We must first learn their 'real names'."

"Four-winged angels like us can analyze and obtain their true names from the battle."

"Only we 'angels' can deprive them of their 'true names'."

"After that, we will impose the final judgment and purification on it before we can truly kill it."

After saying these few short sentences, Tatia flapped her sacred wings, turned to face Luo Xiu, and said softly:
"Well, since there are no enemies who deserve the Holy Judgment, I should go back."

Then, Tatia reopened the sacred door, and His figure poured into it. As the door closed, He disappeared from the sight of everyone in the tent.

He has cooperated with Luo Xiu to fool Davild.

This can be considered a deception that fits the sins of the "fallen angel" Tatya - Luo Xiu knows that Tatya should be in a good mood now.

For some reason, he wanted to laugh when he recalled Tatia's solemn and sacred look just now, but he held it back. He then looked at Davild, watching the "Sun Knight" with a serious and thoughtful expression on his face, and said:

"The angel I contracted with has informed you and confirmed this information."

"Sir Davild, the judgment of the 'devil' must be made by the 'angel' - this is the most basic information I know so far."

"You can seek new confirmation from other archbishops and cardinals of the Holy See. The angels they contracted with may be willing to reveal more, but that always requires seeking their consent."

"..."

"I understand, Mr. Ross Carlos."

Davild nodded solemnly and said:

"I will report all of this to His Holiness the Pope." "The information you provided is indeed crucial, Mr. Ross Carlos."

"This is worthy of the most detailed research by several cardinals of the Holy See. Luo Xiu, if we can truly kill the 'True Ancestor' or even the 'Original Ancestor' demon with this, you will have made an indelible contribution."

Under the clergy system of the "Holy See", the so-called "merit" is by no means empty talk - the "merit" converted into it can be used to apply for a considerable number of props, knowledge, and other things that only the "Holy See" possesses.

Luo Xiu knew what Davild meant. He didn't say much, but responded to Davild humbly:
"I didn't do anything extra. This was the guidance of 'Xu Yu'."

"Okay, Lord Davild. We still have some time before we go to the Supreme's residence to participate in the meeting chaired by the Lord."

"Is there anything else you would like to ask or see? Since you have plenty of time, I can accompany you."

……

Afterwards, before the meeting time at noon actually arrived, Luo Xiu, Hubert and David exchanged some other information, and led David to "visit" the church's headquarters again in detail.

It was not until noon that Luo Xiu, Hubert and David left the church headquarters, boarded the chariot sent by the Supreme to pick them up, and went to the Supreme headquarters to participate in the first important meeting after the merger of the armies.

The temporary location for this military meeting was in a slightly dilapidated auditorium in the official residence of the "Chief Executioner" Fafnir.

This was originally where Fafnir held meetings with his executioners. However, ever since Fafnir led the Dark Army to the border of the territory and engaged in a strategic decisive battle with the Empire's expeditionary force, this auditorium has never been used again.

In addition, Fafnir City was captured by the expeditionary army soon after, and the auditorium was covered in dust. As soon as Albert led the expeditionary army to station there, he ordered people to seal off Fafnir's official residence and the auditorium. It was not until Lord Gawain entered Fafnir City that the auditorium was ordered to be reopened.

After getting off the sedan chair, Ross, Hubert and Davild walked straight into the courtyard of Fafnir's residence and entered the auditorium.

Before the meeting started, in the morning, Albert sent someone to clean up. The spider webs and dust on Rachel were cleaned up. At least in Luo Xiu's eyes, the auditorium was still quite clean. The surfaces of the dark Principality-style tables and chairs reflected light, which was the trace of fresh wiping.

Luo Xiu also saw that the statue of the "Dark Duke" that was supposed to be enshrined in the center of the auditorium had also been moved away by Albert's order. The pedestal in the center of the auditorium was empty, and it always made people feel that something was missing.

When Ross, Davild, and Hubert entered the auditorium, the throne knight in charge of guiding them led them to their respective seats.

Luo Xiu and Davild came to the main seat on one side of the church and took their seats. Opposite them was [Wisdom] - the "Secret Sage" Dukeler, who sat on the main seat, and below him was Dukeler's "Fivefold Fate" alchemy sage, and then the two deans of Fangbei Academy, Irfan and Eureka.

The row in the center is the "Supreme" seats.

Sitting on the main seat in the middle was Lord Gawain, and on the left was the "Knight of Heaven's Proclamation" Stuart.
The next in line on the left and right were Gawain's chief clerk, "Grand Judge" Lucien, "Thunder" Albert, "Winter" Lansas, "Lionheart" Pampas, and other Supreme saints who had accompanied Lord Gawain on the expedition.

This time it was the highest-level military meeting of the Empire-Songyuan Expeditionary Force.

All those who participated in this meeting were high-ranking people of "quadruple destiny" and above.

After Luo Xiu, Davild, Hubert, and all the deacons from the Holy Court had taken their seats, Lord Gawain, the Supreme Chief, stood up from his seat. He looked around the auditorium with a calm but majestic gaze and slowly spoke:
"Very good, everyone is here."

"Well, now - we, the Supreme, the Holy See of Glory, and the Tower of Sages of Wisdom, will discuss and decide on the next agenda."

"..."

After Lord Gawain finished his opening speech, all the participants in the auditorium stood up, greeted Lord Gawain, and then sat back in their seats at the same time.

"First, regarding our future goals—"

Gawain crossed his hands, resting them on his chin, and said in a calm voice:
"I have discussed this with Lord Stuart, as well as General Albert, General Lansas, and General Pampas. After General Atton of Atton Fortress leads the Atton Expeditionary Force to Fafnir City, the Songyuan Expeditionary Force and the Red Maple City Expeditionary Force will join forces and march towards the capital of the Dark Principality."

General Atton Sorens, who is in charge of "Atton Fortress", is the second seat at the round table of Songyuan Law Office.

Luo Xiu knew the general's position in the "Round Table", and another general of the Round Table would arrive with his troops later - that was General Wood Gates, who was in charge of the "Wood Fortress" and the seventh seat of the "Round Table".

The seventh Knight of the Round Table, Wood Gates, is the younger brother of the "Insane Viscount" Yasuode who became the "Executioner".

Yasold became the Order Slayer, but his younger brother Wood was not. It is said that on the night when Yasold defected from the Round Table, Wood went to the Marquis's mansion in person to report his brother's rebellion. He entered the Marquis's mansion covered in blood. It seemed that after discovering his brother's defection, he had a fierce battle with his brother and was eventually seriously injured by Yasold.

The wounded Wood Gates, with his conspicuous scars and naked loyalty to the empire, got the opportunity to accept the test of Marquis Bakar.

He finally passed the test of the Marquis's decree. Therefore, he was not implicated in his brother's rebellion, and the Marquis ordered that the seat and power of Asoed, which originally belonged to the seventh seat of the round table, be given to him.

As Luo Xiu thought about this, he also looked at Lord Gawain, the Supreme Lord, and listened to what Gawain continued to say:

"My father, Marquis Bakar, has received the imperial edict."

"His Majesty the Emperor has personally led the Imperial Divine Seal Knights to the Dark Metropolis. And we will become His Majesty the Emperor's sword and spear, participating in the final decisive battle against the Dark Principality and the Dark Grand Duke."

"As for the garrison in Fafnir City, it will be taken over by General Aton and General Wood who will soon join us in Fafnir City."

"At the same time, our new ally, the Golden Sword Master, 'Klein Fesera', from the Fesera Family, one of the ruling families of the Golden Kingdom, will assist General Aton and General Wood in garrisoning Fafnir City. We will not give Fafnir the slightest chance to retake Fafnir City."

"We have reached a consensus among the Supremes. So, allies of Glory and Wisdom, what are your opinions?"

"..."

After saying this, Gawain looked at Luo Xiu and Davild from the "Holy Court", and at Dukeler from the "Tower of Sages".

"I have no opinion."

"The Secret Sage" Dukeler nodded slightly and responded to Lord Gawain.

After receiving Dukeler's affirmative answer, Lord Gawain nodded with satisfaction, and then turned his gaze back to Luo Xiu and Davild.

Darvild of the Sun Knight did not say anything, but Luo Xiu, with Darvild's tacit consent, said to Lord Gawain:
"As long as we can ensure that the heretics lurking in Fafnir will not overturn our achievements after we travel to the Dark Metropolis, we have no objection."

"Okay," Lord Gawain nodded, "I understand."

His expression then became solemn and serious, and he continued:

"Then, let's decide - about three days later, after General Atton, the second seat of the Round Table, leads the Atton expeditionary force to enter Fafnir City, General Albert will hand over the defense matters to General Atton, and we will embark on the final expedition - to the Dark Metropolis."

"The saints of the Holy Court and the scholars of the Tower of Sages will accompany us on the final expedition."

"We shall see - we shall see the end of this nation of thieves. We shall return in triumph - bathed in the glory of the Emperor."

"..."

Until I finish saying this.

The serious and solemn expression on Lord Gawain's face became calm again, and his voice became much gentler. He said:

"These are the first things I want to inform you."

"Well, now you are free to talk. About some detailed resolutions, and anything else."

And when Gawain uttered this last sentence.

At the same time, "Lionheart General" Pampas, who was sitting in the fourth seat of the [Supreme] Second Seat, suddenly stood up, raised his hand, and pointed at "Bishop" Luo Xiu who was sitting in the [Glorious] Main Seat.

"My Lord, I have a proposal."

Pampas looked directly at Luo Xiu and said in a rough voice:

"I'm going to press charges."

"I propose that we thoroughly investigate the bishop of the Red Maple City Church, Ross Carlos."

"I have reason to suspect that he has blasphemed the Supreme Being - I have investigated him first. He came from the Church of Sina City, the same church where Alfonso Durant once appeared. Moreover, the two weapons he used on the battlefield before - they were obviously the shadows of the Supreme Being and the relics of the Authority."

"Therefore, before we embark on the expedition, we must first eliminate the possible threats within our ranks!"

"..."

After saying this, Pampas returned to his seat without waiting for Lord Gawain to respond.

"...?"

All the participants were stunned at the same time——

No one could have imagined that the "lion-hearted" Pampas would suddenly attack the bishop.

Even Luo Xiu didn't expect this. Although he had long guessed that the "Lionheart" Pampas was hostile to him, he didn't expect that he would reveal his claws in such an occasion!

The expression on his face gradually became serious.

His eyes gradually turned cold as he looked at the "Lionheart" Pampas who had just accused him.

There was a hint of provocation in Pampas' eyes, or perhaps a look of staring at a target that would be considered prey.

At the same time, a gloomy deep red flashed across Pampas' eyes.

Luo Xiu caught this moment, he would not make a mistake——

That is the dark crimson color that only the "Order Killers" have...

"Lionheart General" Pampas - that is also a "Order Killer"!
……

(End of this chapter)