He is the Lord of MC, not the God of Light!

Chapter 177. The Fangs of Faith Manifest: There Can Only Be One Voice on the Continent of Rhodes!
"By the dawn of time, and by His Majesty the Sea God Lugia."

"The Merfolk Orm, with his ambition tainted his bloodline, colluded with the demons in a rebellion."

"May the blood of the Merfolk warriors stain the Coral Royal Court; may the chieftain and the great elders shed their blood on the battlefield; may the Sacred Ring of the Bright Moon be tainted; may the glory of our race be forever submerged in the dark currents!"

"Om's sins were not only the slaughter of his own kind, the murder of his father and relatives, but also the desecration of the Moon Ring, leaving a sin on his entire race and nearly causing the Merfolk to bear an eternal infamy!"

"Therefore, the judgment is pronounced in accordance with the laws of the deep sea and the spirits of our ancestors."

"Om and his remnants are guilty of heinous crimes. They are stripped of their mermaid status, their names are removed from the mermaid code, and no mermaid may ever mention them!"

"Abolish the Great Ocean's fighting spirit, banish them forever to the Soul-Devouring Trench, and subject them to the bone-corroding torture of the Dark Tide until their flesh is torn away and their souls decay!"

Above the shattered royal court, Neptune and many elders sat on the platform, loudly proclaiming the final verdict to Orm, the many traitors, and all the merfolk who were kneeling on the ground below.

The trial grounds were deathly silent, and Orm and the others were filled with despair.

For Orm, he knew that whatever trial he faced was deserved; the scenes of killing his father and causing the deaths of countless members of his tribe tormented his heart like a knife every moment.

He dared not raise his head, dared not face the angry gazes of his clansmen, dared not face the sorrowful gazes of his mother and brothers and sisters.

If he hadn't been blinded by jealousy, none of this would have happened.

The scenes of the father's corpse being taken away and corrupted by the arrogant king kept flashing back.

To keep him alive is the greatest torture he can endure.

The sentencing is still ongoing.

"However, the Orm rebellion polluted the Moon Ring, nearly dragging down the Hundred Races Alliance. Ultimately, it was the Merfolk's inadequate oversight that caused the problem."

Neptune's voice was filled with sorrow.

"The Merfolk have no face to be protected by the Holy Ring of the Moon any longer, and have no face to call the Holy Ring of the Moon a sacred object of the Merfolk."

"The Holy Ring of the Bright Moon will be handed over to the Church of Dawn."

"From this day forward, Merfolk are forbidden from approaching within a thousand meters of the Sacred Ring of the Moon. Those who violate this rule will be held responsible for their own lives."

"The entire Merfolk tribe submitted to the Church of Dawn, under the watchful gaze of the Great and Holy Dawn."

"The Merfolk will reclaim the bodies of their chieftain and the great elder, cleanse the Merfolk of the impurity they have suffered at the hands of the Demon Clan, and will not rest until death!"

"May Your Majesty the Sea God bear witness!"

After saying this, Neptune knelt down before Lugia. After a long while, Lugia let out a soft cry, and the power of the sea helped Neptune up.

"Thank you, Your Majesty the Sea God!"

Neptune turned around and looked at Om with a gaze full of unfamiliarity and sorrow. After a long while, he raised his hand.

"Head to the Soul Devouring Trench, and carry out the execution!"

……

The army escorted Om and the others, and soon they arrived at the edge of the bottomless, dark, and endless trench.

This place is like a sheer cliff in the ocean, with endless dark currents swirling below. The dark currents sweep across the cliff, and the cliff face, which has been solidified by the pressure of the sea, instantly develops several terrifying ravines.

This is a place that even sages and legends are unwilling to venture into; once you enter, you can never leave.

Orm and his companions will be cursed by the sea by Lugia. They will not die instantly when facing the Dark Tide, but will only have their flesh and bones scraped away again and again, and regenerate each time.

He will suffer the punishment of slow slicing forever, until his lifespan is exhausted.

Om stared blankly at the trench. If this punishment could atone for some of his sins, then so be it...

But how can such punishment erase the fact that he murdered his father and killed his clan, causing the downfall of the mermaid race?
He is a sinner, an unforgivable sinner.

One by one, the mermaids who followed him had their fighting spirits stripped away and were thrown into the trench, their wails gradually fading away.

The desperate look in each person's eyes before they disappeared was like a poisoned knife plunged into his heart.

Soon, it was Om's turn.

Neptune raised his hand, signaling the merfolk warriors to retreat.

With eyes full of anger at his lack of ambition and sorrow, Neptune stood in front of Orm, staring at him.

Om's head was practically hanging to the ground; right now, what he least wanted to face was the gaze of his family.

“Om…”

Neptune's voice was filled with sadness.

"I don't understand why you would do such a thing... Was it the instigation of the King of Jealousy? Or was it your own resentment?"

Om lowered his head and after a long while said in a hoarse voice:

“These mistakes are irreparable, whether it was the bewitching of the King of Jealousy or… I, like you, will never forgive myself.”

"There's only one thing... Big brother..."

Om suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with pleading.

"We must bring Father and the Grand Elder back..."

Neptune took a deep breath and said coldly:

"By the dawn, I will! I will make the King of Envy and the King of Pride pay the price!"

Om smiled, a tear of blood streaming down his face.

"Thank you... Father said you were the best mermaid warrior. I was always resentful back then, even though I was only a few years younger than you..."

“But Father is always right, Neptune, only you can bring hope to the merfolk.”

"I am willing to pay the price for my mistakes, to suffer torture for eternity, it is the end I deserve..."

“Neptune, you shouldn’t have a brother like me, so full of sins. I have brought shame upon the whole clan and the whole family…”

"Forget me, and my mother and the others... Please let them forget me, and take good care of them. This is my last request."

"Under the dawn, you will surely make the merfolk great again. I am sorry that my sins have burdened you with this heavy responsibility. Now... this is the only apology I can give you."

Om closed his eyes and said calmly:

“Neptune, please do it yourself. My sinful bloodline cannot be stained by you.”

Neptune closed his eyes in pain.

He witnessed his younger brother's rebellion, which resulted in the deaths of many compatriots, and he even killed his father with his own hands.

Now, he must personally push his brother into eternal punishment.

After a long while, Neptune opened his eyes, his gaze filled with determination.

He raised his hand and pressed it on Om's head, and the roaring battle qi of the ocean surged into his body.

Meridians and bones shattered inch by inch, and finally, it directly destroyed Orm's battle aura vortex.

Om remained silent, gritting his teeth and enduring it.

In the end, Neptune threw him into the depths of the trench himself.

Flesh and blood continued to disintegrate under the sweeping undercurrent, and bones were visible in the blink of an eye. Om opened his eyes with some relief and looked at the blurry Neptune in the sky.

"We must... bring them back!"

These were Om's final words of repentance.

The merfolk did not appear joyful after the execution; instead, they were filled with a deeper sense of bewilderment.

Lilies shook her head from a distance.

While the core reason for Orm's rebellion was the manipulation of the King of Envy, if Orm himself did not have envy, how could he have been controlled by the King of Envy?
The events that happened to the mermaids served as a wake-up call for them.

The demons are mysterious; even after more than two hundred years of fighting them, they still don't fully understand their methods.

But as it turns out, the demons aren't just good at sweeping through everything; they're also experts at using cunning and strategy.

The Human Kingdom Alliance has spies, the former Angel race was forcibly stripped of its feathers by the Mind Demon, and now the Merfolk race has been bewitched into rebellion by the King of Jealousy.

Even if the elves join the Cult of Dawn, they must pay attention to monitoring the mentality of their people, lest the demons seize an opportunity to cause great chaos.

They were too ashamed to face Ian.

Seeing that the mermaids remained silent, Lilies stepped forward and spoke up.

"The Holy Ring of the Moon has been restored, and the follow-up procedures are complete. His Holiness the Pope is waiting for our return to report, and many Dawn Warriors are also waiting to be resurrected."

“If you don’t know what to do next, come with us to see His Holiness the Pope and hear his divine decree.” After a long silence, Neptune nodded heavily.

It seems there's no need to stay in this place of sorrow.

……

The starting point.

Ian left the returning Ho-Oh on the Tree of Life and returned to the Pope's residence.

After this battle, it wasn't just the merfolk who were in a state of chaos.

Consequently, the Dawn Realm and the Cult of Dawn have become highly sought-after destinations for the Hundred Races Alliance.

Those tribes that hadn't yet decided to submit their allegiance are now frantically submitting their applications, but Ian hasn't seen them yet.

As a result, these people flocked to the two major guilds, to the point that during this period, even a low-level quest between the two guilds would be fought over by a group of elite knights.

Of course, most of these people come from small tribes.

The primary goal of those powerful clans was naturally to meet Ian and discuss joining the Church of Dawn directly and becoming part of its organization.

"Your Holiness, the four dragon patriarchs have just arrived. They, along with the Dwarf King, have sought out Bishop Matthew to request an audience with you."

Standing beside Ian, Hania quietly reported the situation, but her eyes were fixed on the strange yellow mouse in Ian's arms.

Although it's a yellow-skinned mouse, it's exceptionally cute, and its strength shouldn't be underestimated.

This little thing can generate electricity.

When Markov teased this little guy named Pikachu, he was thoroughly stunned by the electric shock for half an hour.

but……

Watching Pikachu lazily roll over in Ian's arms, hugging its tail and sleeping, Hania couldn't help but scream inwardly.

So cute!

No wonder His Holiness the Pope holds him in his arms and masturbates him every day.

Ian didn't seem to care about Hania's gaze. He had just caught this Pikachu a few days ago, and it was quite strong. At the very least, most hero riders couldn't withstand its electricity.

"No rush. Let them explore the starting point for a while. We'll talk about it when Lilies and the others return."

Ian casually remarked, then added:

"Have the Behemoths, Titans, Giants, and Flower Spirits arrived?"

Hania regained her composure and whispered:
"The Flower Spirit Clan and the Giant Clan have arrived, while the Titan Clan, who are further away, are still on their way."

"What about the Behemoths?"

Hania hesitated for a moment, but Ian understood and chuckled softly.

"What an arrogant clan... Even after all this, they still want to maintain their pride?"

Hania pursed her lips and said again:

"The gifts from the Human Kingdom Alliance have arrived, and many member states of the Human Kingdom Alliance have sent representatives to discuss joining the cult..."

“Let their king come in person.”

Ian closed his eyes and leisurely rocked in his rocking chair.

“When asking for help, you should have the right attitude. It’s not that our Dawn Cult wants to proselytize; it’s that they are begging us to proselytize and protect them.”

Hania didn't think there was anything wrong with what Ian said and nodded as if it were perfectly natural.

The two projections that obscured the sky have demonstrated the will of the world and the seven sacred objects' stance, and the facts have proven that only the Church of Dawn is qualified to save the continent of Rhodes.

I haven't figured out what kind of humble attitude I should have towards the Dawn Cult yet.

It seems the knife didn't actually hit them.

Do you really think the Dawn Cult is easy to talk to?
"After Lilies and the others return and we subdue the dragons and other major races, I will take a trip to the location of the Seven Sacred Relics, and then... it will be the Eastern Expedition."

Ian still needs to personally go to the Möbius strip of the Seven Sacred Relics, although saying "go" isn't entirely accurate.

Those that can be moved should be moved directly to the territory of the Dawn Cult; those that cannot be moved should be guarded by powerful members of the Dawn Cult.

The Seven Sacred Relics are extremely mysterious, and Ian must keep them in his own hands to prevent any unfortunate things from corrupting them with demonic possession.

Furthermore, with the Eastern Expedition about to begin, it wouldn't be appropriate for the Hundred Races Alliance to have any voices other than those of the Dawn Cult...

This time, Ian intends to seize the opportunity to completely control the Hundred Races Alliance.

Hania thought for a moment, then said softly:

"Given the current power of Your Holiness the Pope and the Church of Dawn, the various races should not object... Of course, they have no right to object either, as the continent of Rhodes should rightfully submit to the great Dawn."

"But... what about the Behemoths..."

Ian slowly opened his eyes, and the coldness that flashed in his eyes made Hania's heart tremble.

“I gave them a chance, but their arrogance made them seem to disregard me.”

"The sacred eastern expedition is about to begin. The Hundred Races Alliance can only have one voice. They don't seem to understand the principle that internal strife must precede external resistance."

Ian turned to look at Lacia, who was sitting to the side, exuding a ladylike demeanor.

"Whether it's the Human Kingdom Alliance or the Behemoths, they should make the right choice before starting the Eastern Expedition."

Lacia nodded happily and smiled:

"Of course, the Black Pillars were created for this purpose."

Ian nodded slightly, closed his eyes again, and said meaningfully:

"The continent of Rhodes is so vast, with so many races... losing one or two ignorant ones won't make a big difference."

"Yes, His Majesty the Pope."

Lacia's laughter sent chills down Hania's spine.

"The dawn revealed His supreme divine authority and His only hope for defeating the demons."

"If any race disobeys and still cannot understand the greatness of the Dawn, they must be spies of the Demon Race, heretics."

"The Inquisition will handle everything."

Thus, by defeating the Demon King and the Demon Clan's conspiracy for the second time, the Dawn Cult displayed its divine power throughout the entire continent of Rhodes, truly revealing the fangs of its faith.

Ian's mercy ends here.

Next, whether it was for the objective needs of the Eastern Expedition or to gain control of the Seven Sacred Relics.

Those who disobey will die.

Behemoths...

Ian has already given them two chances, and each one has been more significant than the last.

Blame it on their arrogant ignorance.

In the great cause of fighting against demons, it is normal for one or two races to become remnants of history.

The Behemoths are not irreplaceable, so it's a good idea to entrust the Resonance Codex to the Pokémon for protection.

After this battle, the demon race will inevitably prepare for war as a whole. What follows will no longer be a small-scale skirmish; as the Arrogant King said, it will be a war between the gods.

After collecting the seven sacred artifacts and dealing with the Behemoths and the Human Kingdom Alliance, Ian still needs to subdue some divine beasts and super divine beasts as soon as possible.

In order to prepare for the demons' even more frenzied retaliation.

After crossing the chasm, the eastern continent, which had been trapped in the primordial abyss for a long time, was not a place where the divine rulers could not descend.

Lilith and the others still need a lot of time to grow, and the main force in the upcoming battle of the gods will still have to rely on Pokémon.

Just as she was pondering this, Freya skipped in, glanced at Hania, and said happily:

"Your Holiness, Bishop Lilies and the others have returned."

Ian casually pinched Freyne's cheek, put Pikachu in her arms, and stretched.

"It's time to rest... There's still a lot to do."

"Let's go, hold a commendation ceremony, and then we will receive the submission of all the tribes."

(End of this chapter)