Origin Player.

Chapter 652 War's Favor (6.5K)
The Medici family castle.

The endless parties and banquets hosted by celebrities came to a halt.

The Duchess and Mirai wept uncontrollably. The young nobleman was furious and wanted to go out with his sword, but was stopped by the old butler. Some clergy who had conquered the church arrived and used divination and bloodline to track down the murderer, but all traces were nowhere to be found.

Wiglide was equally furious.

He had some affection for his family after his arrival.

If it were a forced "sacrifice" due to a scheme, he could accept it. But such a death was utterly worthless. The potential role that the eldest daughter of the Medici family could play had become nothing but empty talk.

“Let’s start the war,” Viglid said.

The fact that the traces have been erased most likely indicates that a peak-level hero intervened.

"Rhein Augustus".

“I can have the son of the Duke of the North die, and you will inherit the title of Duke, but on the condition that you and Governor Eleanor completely eradicate the Secret Language faith throughout the North.”

"Comprehensive?" Jiang He asked calmly.

“From priests to archbishops, that’ll be ten thousand heads of the Secret Word clergy,” Vigrid replied somberly. “In return, I will sever all ties with the Seven Gods. Since the emperor wants to see the Conqueror Church and the Seven Gods become enemies, then so be it.”

The sky belongs to the gods.

The land once belonged to the Titans, and later to the monarchies.

Vigrid said, "In the upcoming Holy Tournament, your opponents will all be church saints. Killing them will be a piece of cake for you."

"And I will deal with the Empress in a way that the Emperor would like to see."

Clearly, the Holy War Army had been plotting against the Holy Tournament for some time. The ironclad rules promised by the Dragon Emperor, including marquisate territories and sub-legendary weapons, were all resources that the Holy War Army needed.

[Hint: You have been granted the favor of the authority of war]
[Note: Due to increased weighting, victories in the Sacred Tournament phase will be counted towards the number of war victories in the Joint Promotion Mission.]
Jiang He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly.

Duke Vigrid, the God-Conqueror, wields the power of war.

……

In the afternoon.

The "second prince" secretly arrived in the capital.

The accompanying guards were Eleanor from the North and a tamed Saint-level monster, Storm Falcon.

The group went straight to the Medici Castle. The number of people, including maids, cooks, alchemists, and grooms, was only about twenty. For members of the royal family, this was undoubtedly a very simple and unpretentious trip.

Castle hall.

Upon seeing Jiang He, Eleanor immediately stepped forward and gave him a big hug.

"I miss you," said the blonde, blue-eyed girl.

Jiang He's expression was somewhat strange. When a certain person was lustful and clear-headed, he would often say things like "I love you," but never with such fervor and directness.

Not far away, Mirai Kamishiro was still immersed in grief over her elder sister's death. Upon seeing this scene, she burst into tears again. Although it was a choice made from her own heart, she was in fact no different from her lover.

Eleanor took two steps back reluctantly, exchanging pleasantries with those present as a governor of the North. Duke Vigrid responded with a forced smile, "What kind of good person could someone who married Rhine Augustus be?"

Among the crowd, the second prince stood there somewhat at a loss.

She was not a real prince after all. Before playing the role of a substitute, she was just an unknown maid on a farm. She was filled with anxiety and fear when she learned that the Imperial Council was about to conduct a joint investigation. Just explaining to the powerful and wealthy people why the prince had turned into a girl was an apocalyptic task.

Head maid Belladonna quietly approached and whispered, "Your Highness, I will protect you."

The Shadow Saint, at the pinnacle of gold, resolutely became an assassin, an undercover agent for the enemy, at the recommendation of Storm Sage, King of the Wild Hunt.

"Thank you, Lord Dona," the second prince said gratefully.

Only a quarter of an hour.

They didn't even set out a banquet to entertain guests.

The envoys from the court arrived at the Medici Castle, and the examination to verify the identity of the second prince began immediately.

The second prince turned pale, nervously grasped Belladonna's hand, and said in a trembling voice, "Lady Belladonna, someone has betrayed our whereabouts!"

Belladonna trembled as she said, "How terrible, Your Highness!"

Addressing the crowd, Vigrid said, "Let's set off then. To be honest, we have already won."

……

Golden Castle.

On the throne carved from the head of a giant dragon.

The Emperor of the Holy Empire reluctantly attended.

His current condition is similar to that of someone who has just finished fighting the King of Light, and it is rapidly deteriorating every moment, but it is still much better than when he was bedridden before.

Inside the vast and majestic palace.

On the left, led by Grand Chancellor Duke Vigrid, nine cardinals of the conquering church stood in a row, with Jiang He and Eleanor lagging behind by half a body length.

On the right, the seven sages of the Seven Gods Church and the seven chief archbishops stood in order, with the Minister of the Navy, the Duke of the West, and the Minister of Finance, the Duke of the East, also in attendance.

Beneath the throne, the King's Sword Guard, composed of the Demon Wolf and other members of the Holy Domain, stood with their swords raised.

The empire's core power structure contains over thirty Saint-level experts. If they were to unite, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous disaster for the local nobles.

On the throne, the emperor spoke wearily:

"I heard that the Marquis of Rhine has signed an order to eradicate faith in the North."

A vassal of a lord is not a vassal of a lord. Since the division of imperial power between the nobility and the church, the court has lost absolute control over the lower and middle-ranking local nobles.

In theory, the Northern Earls' handling of the secret language belief is a matter of their religious freedom, and the Emperor has no reason to interfere. However, he can put pressure on the Earls' superior, Marquis Rhein Augustus, since Duke Felix is ​​dead and the position connecting the upper and lower ranks is vacant.

Vigrid replied, “Your Majesty, I have received news that the new Duke of the North has passed away, and Rhine is ready to swear allegiance to me. The purge of faith in the North can be limited to the Church of the Secret Words and will not spread to other regions.”

This morning, Wiglitz decided to resolve the issue of the new duke.

It was only afternoon, and Felix's youngest son, who had inherited the title, was certainly not dead yet.

However, they are all the same. In a political sense, the Green Forest family, having lost its authority, strength, military power, and dominance, has reached the end of its life. Anyone can pronounce a death sentence as long as they can afford to buy a "coffin".

The emperor laughed and said, "Great noble of the North, my alchemist, pledging allegiance to you, does that sound appropriate?"

“It’s not appropriate,” Wiglitz said.

The emperor tapped the armrest and said, "Since Augusta and Augustus were originally from the same family, and the current marquises are both husband and wife, why not simply restore the ancestral honor of their bloodline?"

"The Western Border, the Southern Border, and the Eastern Border are also included."

The Imperial Council consists of seven members. If four of them agree, any order can be passed; otherwise, if the other four oppose it, even the emperor can refuse. Not every emperor can smoothly reach the pinnacle of power.

When the goddess of beauty turned back, the Dukes of the West and East, who should have strongly supported the Ten Gods Cult, chose to remain silent.

“Agreed,” Viglid said.

"Abstain," the Prime Minister stated.

The Grand Scholar is dead, and the Dragon Commander is absent.

The wolf hesitated. As the "King's Sword," he was also one of the seven members of the Royal Council. The Queen belonged to the Church of the Goddess of Beauty, and from the perspective of the "Queen's Hound," he naturally did not want to see the Augustus family grow stronger.

but.

The emperor said calmly, "Does my sword oppose me?"

The wolf knelt on one knee. "Everything is at your command."

The Prime Minister said, "Effective immediately, Rhein Augustus is promoted to Duke of the North, and Eleanor Augusta retains the position of Governor of the North. The investiture ceremony will be held at a later date."

"To be held on a later date" means "to cancel".

A Saint Guard presented the Duke's badge, and the matter was settled.

Inside the main hall, everyone waited quietly.

Half an hour later, a court lady brought news of the Queen's death. The nine cardinals looked at each other in bewilderment. After a long struggle, two of them stepped forward, their eyes filled with fanaticism for their faith. They took the poisoned wine from the guards and committed suicide.

At this moment, inside Golden Castle.

The Church of Conquest and the Church of the Seven Gods are in opposition.

The Saint-level experts were outnumbered seven to fourteen, putting them at a significant disadvantage.

Without the support of imperial power, defeat was to be expected.

On the right side of the assembled officials, power quietly shifted.

The Sage of Beauty retreated, while the Sage of Shadows stepped forward.

Vigrid's eyes showed some doubt. If the God of Whispers returned to his throne, then after the Queen's death, the Sage of Whispers should have taken over the leadership.

"Let the second prince enter the palace," the emperor said.

When the second prince stepped into the hall facing the assembled saints, his face was already deathly pale.

A hint of helplessness flashed in the emperor's eyes as he looked at Vigrid.

Viglid looked at Jiang He.

Jiang He looked at the emperor and said, "This is His Highness the Second Prince."

The Shadow Sage snorted coldly and said, "I request to begin the bloodline resonance."

“Agreed,” said the Duke of the West in his capacity as Minister of the Navy.

“Agreed,” said the Duke of the East, in his capacity as finance minister.

The demon wolf spoke up, "Agreed."

The emperor remained silent. He would not allow outsiders to deceive the royal bloodline. If Vigrid and the others found a remote branch or even an illegitimate child, he would accept it. But to randomly pick a stranger would be to disregard the dragon bloodline.

Wiglide's eyes were extremely serious.

Two Holy Guards approached, each wielding a scale from the Dragon of Calamity. The Second Prince trembled, yet his entire body emitted a dazzling aura, indicating the activation of his extremely pure dragon bloodline.

The emperor couldn't help but narrow his eyes.

This bloodline was so pure that it resembled that of his direct descendants.

"The authority of the dragon has given me the answer."

boom!
A commotion erupted within the Seven Gods Cult's ranks, as clergy from the Church of Destiny investigated. They had even thoroughly investigated the origins of the prince's double, finding it impossible for him to have dragon blood.

The Shadow Sage said coldly, "Your Majesty, she is a woman."

A woman, of course, cannot be a prince.

"She was born a daughter anyway," the emperor said lazily. "As for her preference for appearing as a man, I can't be bothered with that. But from now on, she should behave herself."

"Your Majesty!" the Shadow Sage cried out in dissatisfaction.

Other wise men secretly advised against it, but the emperor hoped that someone could stand against the third prince. Since the dragon bloodline was genuine, it didn't matter whether the prince was male or female; both had the right to inherit.

The second princess seemed to be living in a dream.

She seemed to have transformed from a farm maid into one of the most honored people in the entire Holy Empire.

The intense and unfamiliar surprise made her dizzy.

"Father!" the second princess cried out excitedly.

The two Holy Guards were startled. A hint of impatience flashed in the Emperor's eyes as he said:
"That's it for today."

The Imperial Conference has concluded.

The emperor spared the Duke of Wiglide.

When leaving the Golden Castle, the second princess kept her head down the entire time.

In Jiang He's line of sight, an old woman appeared, and she nodded gently and kindly in greeting.

The Church of Destiny, Chief Archbishop.

"Unlike I expected, you seemed very restrained. I'm about to return to the South, and I don't know when I'll see you again," the old woman said.

Jiang He ignored her and walked straight past.

Old woman: "..."

This is the sin of arrogance.

……

Medici Castle at night.

In the bedroom, her beautiful figure swayed against the window.

Jiang He rested his hands on his head, staring at the ceiling. The second task in his joint promotion mission was to defeat the Heavenly Father Cult or the Ten Gods Cult. To accomplish the former, he had to reduce the influence of the Heavenly Father Cult.

With the Father and the Pope unable to descend from Heaven, doctrines have been extensively altered, and countless churches have collapsed and closed. The most critical target right now is the nine cardinal bishops who are still alive and in hiding.

As for the bloodline displayed by the Second Princess in the Golden Castle's main hall today, it actually came from the First Princess. Bloodline transplantation is a core technology of the forces under the Black Marquis of the Maritime World. The candlelight flickered.

After a while, Eleanor collapsed weakly onto the comforter.
"Rhine... I'm sorry."

Eleanor lowered her head in shame. Unlike herself, who had enjoyed herself countless times, she had never been able to please the other person.

Jiang He didn't comment on this; this guy had completely exhausted himself. Meanwhile, in the corner of the blanket, Zhuang Ya glanced at Eleanor's smooth back—the worst one so far.

After a moment, Jiang He stood up.

Eleanor was startled and quickly asked, "Rhine, where are you going?"

"Pay the rent," Jiang He said.

Eleanor quickly changed her clothes, but by the time she chased after Jiang He, he was already gone. She walked a few steps in a daze until she heard a faint sound.

Upon reaching the top-floor lobby, Eleanor pushed open the oak door and heard sounds coming from inside a bedroom as she walked to its door.

"Senior, my sister is dead."

"Ah."

“I’m so sad, but this isn’t right. Every time I see Eleanor, I can’t help but think of my sister. I can’t keep going like this, but I can’t help it, I can’t help it.”

"Ah."

"Senior, please let me forget these painful things."

Eleanor's eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't believe that Ville de' Medici, whom she trusted so much, would betray her. She stood outside the door for a long time, her mind blank.

"Sister Eleanor, I'm so sorry!"

boom!
Eleanor kicked open the door in grief and anger.

Mirai Kamishiro is in a state of chaos, watching helplessly as the other party arrives, unable to even control her voice, and her whole body is tense due to nervousness and embarrassment.

"Veile!"

Jiang He pulled away Kamishiro Mirai and stood up fully clothed.

"What are you doing here?"

“You betrayed me too,” Eleanor said, tears streaming down her face.

Jiang He looked puzzled. How could someone who offered an elven maid on their first meeting say such a thing?

"I thought you were like her, not bothered."

Eleanor suddenly realized why she always felt that the way the other person looked at her was as if they were looking at someone else.

"I see. Goodbye."

Eleanor turned and left without stopping.

“That won’t do.” Jiang He raised his hand and took a step. The Augusta and Augustus families had just merged, and the Duke’s position was not yet secure.

The next moment, under the shocked gaze of Mirai Kamishiro.

A karate chop pierced Eleanor's back.

Wow!
Jiang He drew his hand and chopped out the shattered heart fragments.

Blood gushed forth like a fountain; the death that fate had foreseen had become a reality.

Eleanor knelt on the ground, her life force rapidly draining away. At the same time, her long golden hair was fading, gradually turning as red as blood. Her figure grew taller and more slender in the blink of an eye, like a black dress adorned with stars falling down, with wisps of violent wind swirling around her.

On her exquisitely beautiful face, a pair of bright red eyes opened.

Meanwhile, crimson and the reflection of the Storm Goddess.

—Eleanor is completely dead.

"That's too cruel," Lilith said with a smile as she turned around.

Her aura was rapidly growing, stirring up a great storm in heaven, causing the gods to be banished to the mortal world. Taking advantage of this, she controlled the Storm Lady and regained control of the storm. When the moment of awakening arrived, the strength of her soul rose steadily, to the point that even her physical body underwent a devastating collapse.

Reclaiming control of the storm in the mystical realm means Lilith has become more complete.

“I need your current peak heroic combat power,” Jiang He said calmly.

"Tsk tsk tsk, can't you be more precise?" Lilith teased, "Say you need me."

"Ah."

"That won't work."

Lilith manifested as a soul, merging into Jiang He's spiritual world.

"You'll probably have to say goodbye to the Eternal Dark World. I need to use this world as my foundation to advance to the position of ruler. This is something that was almost completed before. The future fusion of the five realms into four realms will not take more than a year or two in the current time scale."

Jiang He's expression remained unchanged. "Are you planning to touch something from the Origin?"

“Of course.” Lilith’s soft and cheerful voice echoed in my ears. “And there will be no punishment, because I am your property. For the only player who has twice become the King of Ages, the cost of destruction is far greater than adjustment. Origin is, in a sense, the most rigid and fundamental rule.”

Seventh-tier ruler.

It is an entire era higher than the sixth-order mythical beings who gave birth to divinity.

"The Saint Lilith," Jiang He asked.

“A lie,” Lilith said simply.

Jiang He sneered and shattered his own soul. Facing the soulless body of the player and the usurped divine soul, the eternal freezing judgment left over from the past descended. Even the strongest being who dominated a region in the boundless void would be powerless to fight back.

“I’m sorry,” Lilith said sincerely.

Under the privilege of the King of Gold, Jiang He maintained the self-awareness of his soul until his complete death. Finally, the time loop opened, and his shattered soul healed before annihilation.

Jiang He sighed softly, "I really want to kill you."

To perish together is ultimately too much of a loss.

Lilith rolled her eyes inwardly and said, "I didn't harm you. At most, I'm just a bad woman who lies occasionally."

"Also, let me tell you some free information."

"By melting the power of the sin of gluttony into the most primordial transcendent factor and then restoring it with the time ring, one can complete the plundering or bestowal of power. However, this method has two prerequisites: first, the person who receives the power must possess subordinate authority; second, your rank and the rank of the time ring must be sufficient."

"Plundering power is actually very difficult, at least for you right now. Once power is completely melted away, it leaves no trace, and the time loop has no object to restore it."

Jiang He pondered for a moment. In short, all team members can try to transplant the authority next.

"Finally, your divine thinking has been upgraded."

In the instant that time seemed to stand still, Lilith returned to Jiang He's spiritual world and immediately fell into a semi-sleep state in preparation for her advancement to the seventh-tier ruler.

But from the perspective of the future of the Age of Gods.

Jiang He killed Eleanor, and her body turned to ashes.

Mirai Kamishiro's face turned deathly pale.

“I… killed Eleanor.”

……

The next morning.

News spread that Eleanor, the Governor of the North, had been assassinated by the Church of the Fathers. Witnessing the death of her close friend, Valerie de' Medici chose to become a nun that very day.

At the same time, power shifts and consolidation occurred in the North.

In the capital, the sacred martial arts competition continues.

The disappearance of the First Prince, the Pope's ascension to Heaven, the Southern War, the Governor's death, and so on are all minor matters. For the people of the capital, the Holy Tournament is the most important event.

After a riot, the Second Legion moved into the Imperial Arena to maintain order in the face of eager free citizens.

Behind the gilded fence.

Duke Vigrid sat opposite the newly appointed Grand Scholar of Shadows, the latter being the leader promoted by the Cult of the Seven Gods. Beside them sat the Second Princess and the Third Prince, respectively.

Golden battlefield.

A breathtaking figure defeated the opposing Holy Domain, and unprecedented cheers erupted from the stands.

"Elf Queen!"

"I have a feeling that she is not from the Holy Realm at all!"

"That's incredible! This trip was definitely worthwhile!"

Freya remained aloof, ignoring the raging waves. Her mission was to stop the Great Demon from destroying the world; nothing else mattered.

"Next match, Rhein-Augustus will face Lotus,"

"The Duke's Battle Against the Holy Knights!"

The wolf announced loudly.

"Duke?"

"The Marchioness is dead, so he's now the Duke."

"What? The marquis is dead?"

"who cares."

Inside the arena passageway.

Mirai Kamishiro, dressed in a black and white nun's robe, her expression slightly cold, addressed the approaching man:
"Senior, this is the last time I will see you off. I have already caused the deaths of my two elder sisters and I am determined to remain chaste for the rest of my life. The family chapel is in the castle, but from now on, we shall never see each other again."

Jiang He looked at the girl in front of him and put his hand on her shoulder.

Kamishiro Mirai trembled slightly and bowed her head tightly.

“You want to be God’s obedient child,” Jiang He said. “Unfortunately, your nature is corrupt.”

"Senior is talking nonsense." Mirai Kamishiro suddenly looked up.

Jiang He remained noncommittal, only saying, "What kind of respectable nun would come to see me without an undershirt? You couldn't wait even one night. Come to the church tonight to wait for me."

Mirai Kamishiro stood frozen in place upon hearing this, and by the time she came to her senses, Jiang He had already walked far away.

Inside the golden sand field.

Lotus held his knight's sword and waited quietly.

He will be facing a duke who has lost his wife and is suppressing his rage; a tough battle is to be expected.

Smoke and dust billowed as a figure stepped onto the golden battlefield.

"Begin!" the demon wolf waved.

The 100,000 people of the capital closely watched the battle; nobles chatted and laughed, while clergy whispered among themselves.

The next moment, Jiang He's figure disappeared.

"Disappeared!"

"Space teleportation array?"

"No, it's pure speed!"

A gust of wind rushed towards him, and Lotus opened his eyes wide. He could barely make out the afterimage of his opponent's black armor. The incredible speed aroused his instinctive fear.

"How can it be."

boom!
A powerful punch landed.

Lutes gritted his teeth and drew his sword. The sword light of the Royal Secret Sword, Dragon's Fury, was extremely dazzling. But at close range, an ancient savage dragon with nine heads and eighteen horns, and unimaginably violent, charged fiercely.

The power of authority was activated to its peak for the first time since its arrival.

Boom!

The Imperial Arena was completely silent.

The ground, reinforced countless times by generations of alchemists, exploded, creating a giant crater a hundred meters in diameter. The uppercut shattered the knight's sword, destroyed the magic armor and hero's weaponry, and finally struck Lutus in the chest.

As he lay dying, Lutes saw the enemy's eyes.

It was a gaze filled with indifference and chilling coldness, a look he would never forget. He had recalled and regretted that night, which was nothing short of a nightmare, countless times.

It can't be wrong!

"mad……"

Boom!

The second punch shattered Lotus's skull, forcing his last words back down his throat.

Jiang He casually flicked the blood from his fist, ignoring the gazes that were filled with fear, astonishment, anger, or madness.

[Hint: Number of war victories +1]
(End of this chapter)