I'm really a serious wizard.

Chapter 236 Woe to the pious (Part 2)

Buho!

dangerous!
Seeing the sky torn apart by the greatsword, with its tip aimed directly at the location of the trap, Ron's spirits sank to the bottom.

Limited by the era, he couldn't immediately find out what had happened at the witch's place.
However, even a fool would think it's not a good thing.

After glancing at the sacred and imposing church, Ron did not hesitate.

He lightly touched the ground with his toes, and taking advantage of the fact that most of the Vatican guards were distracted by the giant sword in the sky, he rushed toward the church door at a speed that left an afterimage.

Now we've reached a critical moment. If no one stops Cyrus VII, we're all likely to die.

"who!?"

"stop!"

Ron's behavior stood out among the crowd looking up at the sky, and he was quickly noticed by the guards surrounding the church entrance.

They stood in front of them, swords in hand, attempting to block the sudden attackers.

The blond boy glanced at them and understood immediately.

"Ha, four third-tier and fifteen second-tier clerics."

This force is the elite of the elite wherever it is placed, and even some fourth-tier professional powerhouses would probably be hindered in their progress.

However, to Ron, these guards were nothing more than underage kids.

A strange blue light flickered in his palm, instantly engulfing a ten-meter radius around Ron.

Suddenly, the nineteen burly guards, with their well-defined muscles and full beards, shrank rapidly.

However, in an instant, she transformed into a pale-skinned, thin, and short little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, barely 1.3 meters tall.

Faced with this situation, Ron didn't hold back and kicked several of the troublemakers away.
Without pausing, he continued kicking, violently sending all the little girls flying.
The bizarre scene left everyone speechless, and the papal guards and priests who wanted to surround and support their allies were horrified.

"What kind of evil magic is this!?"

"Retreat! Retreat your teeth!"

The guards at the forefront, their faces filled with terror, all stopped ten meters away from Ron, staring at the guy who looked like he was carrying a mop covered in feces.
She dared not cross the line, fearing that some terrifying creature from who-knows-where would turn her into a little girl too.

After all, they couldn't guarantee that their sexually repressed colleagues wouldn't do anything outrageous.

Seeing the numerous guards intimidated by his overwhelming power, Ron finally found a sense of accomplishment as a superhuman.
"Hmph, retreat now, or face the consequences!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he took a heavy step forward.
The guards surrounding Ron's faces changed drastically, and they took a step back in unison to the sides, afraid of getting even a speck of blue light on them.

In just a few breaths, under the awe of his own immense strength, Ron arrived at the massive archway, nearly ten meters high, with almost no hindrance.

Using his strength, he kicked open the giant door, and his gaze swept across the scene, finding the vast church completely empty.

With the layout of the Papacy flashing through his mind, Ron instantly located Cyrus VII's position.

That is the building located at the very center of the entire Vatican, a sky garden built on a high-rise building.

If you ask how he knew, the answer is naturally—

"There are many companions there, let's go join the fun!" the Holy Light Elemental said faintly.

To perform a miracle with a mortal body, one must obtain the assistance of a vast amount of holy light elements.

As someone with experience, Ron was very familiar with this.

The blond boy didn't stop, even though the Vatican was under semi-lockdown; thanks to his familiarity with the terrain, his speed didn't decrease in the slightest.

Within minutes, he had forcefully advanced to the massive building located in the center of the Vatican.

boom--

Ron kicked the stained-glass doors and windows to pieces.
At this moment, the point where he sensed the holy light elements gathered became exceptionally clear.

This means that Cyrus VII was here, in the sky gardens on the top floor!

"Hopefully, it's not too late to stop it!"

The blond boy moved swiftly, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.

Suddenly, a flash of silver-white sword light appeared, accompanied by a clang, and a broad-shouldered middle-aged man was forced backward uncontrollably.

He stomped deep holes in the stone slabs, and there was a deep wound on his forearm and palm that exposed the bone.

Ron stared at the man and noticed the middle-aged man's distinctive white robe.

He was a white-robed archbishop I'd never seen before!
The name of a person, the shadow of a tree—the blond boy's heart sank slightly as he unconsciously thought of his battle with the nun.

He had already given it his all, but when it came to a head-on confrontation, Ron believed that his stats were no match for St. Eileen.

But he wasn't as strong as the nun!

His deep, jewel-like eyes scrutinized his enemy from head to toe. When he saw the wound on the enemy's arm, Ron didn't waste any words and prepared to execute him on the spot.

Da, da, da.
Just then, footsteps suddenly echoed through the empty hall.

Ron, on guard, held his longsword horizontally in front of his chest and looked in the direction of the sound.

One after another, bishops dressed in their signature white robes emerged from behind the pillars of the basilica.

They were of varying heights and builds, some short, some thin, some tall, some fat; there were nine of them in total, all of whom Ron had never seen before.

The crisp footsteps seemed to pound on the blond boy's heart, making Ron feel a pressure comparable to a mountain.

To become a white bishop, the primary requirement is to be a fifth-order clergyman.

The fifth rank is clearly a rank with a gap greater than that between a human and a dog.

Even under the most ideal circumstances, and assuming these individuals are only of average level among those in the fifth tier, there are still a total of nine of them.
"Ha, it's just a little fellow who's arrived. How did Coster deploy his defenses? If it weren't for us, His Holiness the Pope might already be dead!"

At that moment, a white-robed bishop with a red nose chuckled in a strange tone.

“Seth, don’t let your guard down. This guy is very strong, especially skilled in swordsmanship. He broke my Holy Light Blessing with just one strike and slashed my arm.”

"If I hadn't reacted quickly enough, he probably would have chopped my entire arm off!"

The burly middle-aged man frowned and warned his companion, demonstrating through his actions that the enemy was not as harmless as he appeared.

"So what?"

"He was alone, and he seemed to have a hard time dealing with even one of us."

The red-nosed white-robed bishop didn't take Ron seriously.
After all, this is where the pillars of the entire Vatican are gathered, the indispensable backbone of the party.

If just anyone could easily deal with them, the Holy See wouldn't have survived this long.

"His Holiness the Pope has instructed us to guard this place, and I think it's best to be cautious."

At this moment, another white-robed bishop spoke up.

She had a nose like an eagle's beak, and her eyes drooped at the corners due to wrinkles, forming a triangle, making her look somewhat similar to Gargamel.

The white-robed bishop looked at Ron and said, "According to the information, he is the most recently chosen one in the Stardust Order and once defeated that child, Ellen."

As soon as the aged voice fell, Ron felt scrutinizing gazes upon him.

These gazes, whether indifferent or greedy, fiery or envious, made him feel uneasy.

To be honest, Ron wasn't one to judge people by their appearance, but these nine people were indeed quite oddly shaped, shattering his preconceived notions of what a white-robed archbishop should look like. Miss Eileen, though a bit temperamental, was a beauty no less stunning than the guild leader.
The same goes for the Coaster; although he wasn't as handsome as me, he was still quite good-looking.

Are these nine people under so much pressure from their work outside the Vatican that they've all turned out like this?

Thinking of this, Ron immediately stopped his thoughts and banished all the nonsensical ideas from his mind.

"Everyone, now that you know my identity, you should also know what the will of the God Lord is?"

“Seleus VII has defied the Holy Light and will surely be punished. Do you also intend to follow him down this dark path?”

"Just leave now, and I can pretend I didn't see you!"

Ron gave a stern warning.

In this situation, negotiation is clearly more efficient than blindly rushing in.

The entire hall suddenly fell into a silent stillness.

"Pfft-"

Suddenly, a sneer rang out.

Immediately afterwards, a series of sneers rang out from inside the hall, causing Ron to frown slightly.

“You child, the youngest among us is forty years old, old enough to be your father.”

"I've seen far more storms than you have. You wouldn't be thinking of spouting nonsense about justice and fairness, would you?"

The female bishop, who looked to be about 60 years old and had a nose like an eagle's beak, said with a smile.

Hey, just say what you want, what are you trying to gain by taking advantage of me?!

Ron frowned, sensing the hidden meaning in her words.

Before the blond boy could ask any more questions, Bishop Gargamel continued:

"The Holy Light Church has strict rules, the source of which points to God."

“By obeying the precepts, we will receive the blessings of the gods and become clergy, thereby gradually rising in rank.”

"The more precepts you follow, the more power you gain; conversely, if you fail to follow the precepts, the power you gain will be taken back by the God."

"This is a system that the Vatican has inherited for thousands of years, and no one can shake it."

It is not good?

Ron frowned slightly, not understanding why the other person wanted to tell him these things.

"Child, you don't understand."

Bishop Gargamel shook his head and asked:

What do you think of most of the bishops in the Vatican?

Upon hearing this question, Ron stroked his chin. "It feels pretty good."

He thought of his good brother, Bain St.

Aside from being a bit abnormal, he's otherwise fine and hasn't done anything bad to harm others.

Upon hearing this, Bishop Gargamel smiled and said:
"Don't you think they're pathetic? Living their whole lives within the dogmas of books?"

"Are they still the same people they used to be?"

At this point, she seemed to remember something and said in a recollection:
“Our family has believed in the Holy Light for generations, a tradition that has been passed down within the Vatican for over six hundred years.”

"Since I was recognized as having talent from a young age, I have been consciously following those precepts: being kind to others, practicing asceticism every day, eating simple meals, keeping to myself, and never being extravagant."

"Children my age are still pestering their parents for toys and cakes every day. Do you understand what that kind of life is like?"

"Of course, I didn't understand these things back then. I also had ideals and wanted to dedicate my greatest goodwill to the world."

"Soon, because of my piety, I received more and more blessings, and my strength steadily increased. Finally, in the 28th year of my ascetic practice, I became one of the twelve archbishops and was sent to Ryan County to guard the local diocese."

“I thought my life would pass by in a hurry, like most members of the Vatican, but then I met someone.”

“He was a notorious playboy in Lane County. He was attracted to my looks and temperament and would always take the opportunity of confession to deliberately approach me and pursue me.”

At this point, seeing Ron's constipated expression, Archbishop Gargamel chuckled.

"When I was young, I was much prettier than that girl, Ellen."

“Having lived my whole life in accordance with the rules and regulations, I had no experience in dealing with this kind of thing. I quickly fell for him and started secretly being with him, meeting him every night.”

Upon hearing this, Ron suddenly understood something and asked in return:
"He was a playboy who ultimately betrayed you?"

That's roughly how it goes, following the typical storyline.

To Ron's surprise, the white-robed bishop, recalling the past, shook his head.
"No, not at all. He was attracted by my temperament, repented for his past, and only wanted to be with me for the real sake."

"The time we spent together secretly was the best time of my life. He would make me happy, let me taste cakes I had never eaten before, and let me take off my patched robes and wear the most fashionable skirts of the time."

Do you know what I was thinking at the time?

"I feel like a real person now, like a normal person. I experienced a joy and relaxation I've never felt before in my life."

Hearing this, Ron's imagination ran wild again, "And then what? You were discovered and forcibly separated?"

He felt that for this white-robed bishop to turn so dark, she must have experienced something unforgettable.

"Later, during another secret date, a local thug gave me his face. He was stabbed in the heart while protecting me and died soon after."

Bishop Gargamel pursed his lips and said with a hint of self-deprecation:
"Ha, I could have saved him."

“But I committed a ‘sin,’ I did not abide by those doctrines that violated human nature and common sense, I lost my virginity and was no longer pure, so I had no strength left, and could only cry and beg him not to die.”

"At that moment, I wondered, is it wrong to wear pretty dresses, drink alcohol, enjoy pastries, wear beautiful jewelry, and be with the person you love?"

"If this is all it takes to deplete my power, what have my twenty-odd years of arduous cultivation amounted to? Was it all just a child's play? Or a trivial pleasure in the eyes of the gods?!"

At this moment, Seth added from the side:

"That's right, the Vatican is too ancient. Its rules defy common sense and human nature, and it deprives us of our freedom!"

"What's the point if we gain immense power, but spend our entire lives trapped in small dogmas?!"

"We must resist, we must destroy the old order, and we must truly obtain the freedom we deserve!"

Upon hearing these words, Ron fell silent.

Then, he shook his head with a wry smile and sighed:
"So, that's what you all think?"

As he spoke, Ron opened his arms, surrounded by light.

"You may all have had heartbreaking experiences, but have you ever considered that behind those dogmas lies absolute justice?"

"Whether you are a prince, a beggar, or a commoner, as long as you join the Church and abide by its doctrines, you will receive the blessing of the Holy Light."

"And this means that anyone, even a commoner or a beggar, can become a pope revered by thousands."

"You people who have been devout for generations are truly hateful!"

(End of this chapter)