Ice Vapor Goddess

Chapter 44 Holy Wound
Joseph entered the Church of St. Lucia.

For the past twenty years, he has dreamed of this moment every day—presiding over Mass in a cathedral.

But reality seems to be quite different from his dream.

The organ on the second floor was not played, but Joseph summoned the little angels who sang hymns as accompaniment and began the introductory hymn.

That's the first step of Sunday Mass; the presiding officer leads the congregation in a procession through the church, singing hymns—

“The Lord is my shepherd, and I need nothing.” He held a cross and a candlestick and led the congregation in a procession through the church.

"He made me lie down in green meadows and led me to the side of quiet waters."

After recognizing the song, people began to sing along: "It also soothes my soul. For His name, He led me onto the path of justice."

Joseph trembled all over. He knew what kind of calamity Siren was facing. Once Siren died, he, who was administering the Mass, would have no chance of escaping.

He was Siron's appointed proxy, and in this emergency, there was even a legal basis for a successor bishop.

His legs were trembling, and the candlestick in his hand was flickering.

But the believers behind them sang loudly—

Even if I must walk through dark valleys, I will not fear danger, for You are with me.

So he sang, trembling, as well—

Even if I must walk through dark valleys, I will not fear danger, for You are with me.

"Your staff and stick are my comfort and protection."

Siren used Holy Healing to bring Logan back to his senses, but the Archangel was already weakening, the Red Mercury Reactor emitted a powerless wail, and the body, nearing its limit, was steaming in the high temperature.

Despite being covered in wounds and blood, Renn was still smiling, his body covered in lightning, like a god who controlled thunder.

“You have prepared a table before me in the presence of my adversaries; you have anointed my head with oil, and my cups are overflowing.”

People held up candles, and more and more people walked through the oak gate to join the march.

In the wind and snow, the candlelight remained steadfast, as if a deity lingered upon it.

"Happiness and love will be with me throughout my life; I will dwell in the house of the Lord for all eternity."

boom--! ! !
The archangel was repelled by Raine for the first time, and his chest armor was visibly dented. Logan coughed up mouthfuls of blood, and his consciousness was on the verge of fading.

Xilun's spiritual energy was nearly depleted. After repeatedly using the spells of Stop, Holy Healing, and Holy Fire, he leaned weakly against the desk, the sound of the Rein Guard's footsteps ringing in his ears. Death was approaching.

Joseph walked to the altar, bowed his head, made the sign of the cross, and said, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

The myriad candles answered, "Amen."

Joseph said softly, "May the grace of the Father, the love of the Son, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you."

The believers replied, "We are with your spirit."

These were the "entrance chant" and the "greetings," which Joseph knew by heart.

Next comes the "Confession Ritual".

He gripped the crucifix tightly, opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

The archangel retreated step by step, and Renn's ferocious fists fell like a sea of ​​lightning. Logan completely lost consciousness and could only stand by relying on the archangel's mechanical structure. His flesh emitted a strange, scorching aroma.

Siren rolled awkwardly over the marble table, dodging several shots, but the knights on the other side kicked him against the wall.

Then a gunshot rang out, and a bullet pierced his left shoulder, from which blood gushed out.

Joseph stood silently before the altar, head bowed, looking at the countless believers below.

He held the cross as if it were the only light, and then, a hoarse voice rang out:

“I don’t know what to say… I have confessed all my sins to one person… He punished me for my sins and forgave me for my sins… But he is in danger, death looms over the Lord’s shepherd, and I can only watch, like a powerless lamb…”

“Lord…if his suffering is because he bore my sins, then please place all the sins on me…do not let him die…” Tears streamed down Joseph’s face and fell onto the altar. People bowed their heads and prayed by candlelight.

boom! ! !
Amidst thick smoke, a smoothbore cannon suddenly fired a live round into the city. The smoothbore cannon, known for its inaccuracy, actually hit Renn squarely in the chest!
The legendary knight was blasted more than ten meters away, gazing into the distance.

Kyle directed the newly recruited soldiers to continue moving iron ball ammunition, while militiamen lay scattered on the ground beside them.

【Precision Shot】—This is the innate ability of the starting Cavalier, Kyle Bryan.

He grinned and gave the girl in front of him a thumbs up.

"Go ahead, I'm here."

Then, with her long, orange-red hair flying in the cold wind, the Virgin Mary descended from heaven to earth, only she held a silver revolver in her hand.

"Silen! If you're not dead, say something!"

She shouted and fired with both hands simultaneously.

Boom! ! !
The heavy candlestick fell to the ground, and Joseph knelt down helplessly.

"Have mercy on me, Lord... have mercy on me..."

"Have mercy on our shepherds... Have mercy on us..."

Xilun lay in the corner, his purple belt undone, his black robe spread out on the ground like a curtain.

The gunshot wound to his right chest, inflicted by Joseph, burned like fire. The bullet was still inside, yet Xiren felt it transform into the hottest metal, searing his wound.

He gently touched the spot, and in front of him, one of Raine's guards had just finished reloading and was aiming at his head.

He looked at his hands.

—That was golden blood.

"Have mercy on me... Lord... Have mercy on me..." Countless voices converged into pure divine thought, and the withered body was rejuvenated.

"Bah!"

The bullet flew toward Xilun's head, but was stopped by [Stop].

The guards looked at Xilun in surprise, seemingly not understanding where his divine sense came from.

Xiren stood up, his right hand supporting his shotgun, his left hand clutching the old gunshot wound in his chest.

That was the wound on his right rib, inflicted by Joseph. Now, golden blood flowed from it, and the bullet embedded in his rib was as hot as iron!
"Logan!" he shouted, sprinkling a few drops of golden blood onto the archangel.

The next moment, the cross on the archangel's chest twisted as if resurrected, the gears paused for a moment, and then began to spin wildly at an incredible speed!

Mathilde blew the head off the guard beside her with a single shot, then looked at Siron, who was standing trembling on the ground, and at the golden blood on his hands.

"A Holy Wound?!"

The term "holy wounds" specifically refers to the five major wounds suffered by the Son of God on the cross, and the miraculous appearance of these wounds on the bodies of certain saints.

It corresponds to the five wounds of the divine child, namely the nail marks on his hands and feet, and the wound on his right rib (right side of his chest) from being pierced by a spear.

It is usually an open wound that does not heal naturally, nor does it rot or become infected. The wound is painful and bleeds.

Legend has it that the blood flowing from the sacred wound is the divine blood of the son of God, possessing various miraculous effects—

Golden blood seeped into the body of the archangel, hidden runes shone, and the red mercury made a joyful boiling sound, as if its birth was for that day.

When the blood of the Son of God was mixed into it, the heavenly kingdom on earth opened one eye.

Logan's spirit awakens in his blood; physical pain and death have left him far behind, and he freely manipulates his body on earth.

Bang! — Click!
The scepter slammed down on Renn's chest, denting the legendary knight's chest, and he staggered back in surprise.

Before him, the archangel appeared both ferocious as a demon and majestic as a god, its steel body shrouded in crimson mist, its golden gears playing a heavenly opera.

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(End of this chapter)