Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

"Holy Light, an external force that does not exist in my world, is just as domineering as you, Raymond the Pure One."

Golden Triton's skin wrinkled, his flesh withered, his bones decayed, and he chose to end his own life. A new mass of mud rose from the deep tide, forming a new incarnation.

“All my creations originate from my bloodline; they all bear my mark to varying degrees, or rather, the bloodline of the void. And the Holy Light can recognize the void. I know the Sea of ​​Holy Light, that energy body that is different from the sun. The Holy Light has extremely strong exclusivity and will react to my creations.”

"This is why divine magic detects evil and works on them. Even the purest saint, if he is my child, will react to the detection of evil. Only true beings, not belonging to creation, can remain unharmed in the detection of evil, that is, the pure ones."

“I brought original sin. Those with pure hearts are one in a million, and outsiders like you are even rarer. That’s why they call you the Pure One, and put the power of the Holy Light and your existence on a pedestal, making you an example.”

"And you deceived yourself into believing them, relying on your sense of superiority from being praised, and taking advantage of the fact that fate cannot be ignored to arbitrarily alter my planet. You saw yourself as one of humanity, as their representative, and practiced human justice as a 'non-human'. Raymond, what exactly did death change about you?"

The dark gold helmet obscured the Crusader King's face, but Triton could sense that Raymond Meloch's full attention was focused on him; his gaze remained unwavering, and the spear of light in his hand burned brightly.

"Evolution and ascension are always accompanied by anomalies. I do not resent the changes brought by outsiders, the humans transformed by the Holy Light, the armies commanded by you, the angels baptized by you, and the rising human race. I do not care if the fog of fate obscures my vision, but there is one thing I cannot tolerate..."

His body was cleaved open by the light spear, his head falling through the air twisted into an evil eye, the air became murky, and flesh and blood sprang forth out of thin air, forming a mountain of flesh that stood before the paladin. His voice screamed, his indistinct words like hot irons branding meaning into his mind.

"Aldington Merlock, your foster father, the Enlightener of the Holy Light, the Father of the Papacy, the first Pope... This man, whose fate was destined to be ordinary, had his destiny altered because of you. I witnessed his tumultuous first half of life and sensed the noble and gentle pinnacle of his existence. Even though it was my destined low point, I rejoiced at the unexpected ripeness of his life. However, when Aldington died, the soil received only the empty shell of his body."

"His soul ascended to heaven, to that sea of ​​holy light."

“He is my bloodline! My possession! His soul! Everything about him! He was originally a part of the world, and his remains and soul would be reborn into new life in the cycle of reincarnation I had planned. But in reality, I have lost him forever…”

“Aldington, Newland, Sfeldt, Azaha, Conrad, Aldridge…” Raymond held his breath, listening to Triton recite his familiar names, and his aura grew increasingly dangerous.

The sleeping one is angry.

"Popes, cardinals, the purest souls among mankind have all ascended to Heaven, to that ocean of holy light, a realm not belonging to this world... It is because of your existence, Raymond, that you are harming the planet itself, you Pure Ones, you are the true enemies of this planet, and indeed, of me."

The sea was no longer calm; fleshy tentacles surrounded the tiny humanoid figure, and eyes sprouted from the clouds, their bloodshot, malevolent gazes dripping tears of blood, raining down blood over the head of the Holy Light Calamity. In an instant, Raymond entered the abdomen of some enormous monster from the outside world. This was not spatial teleportation, but rather Triton revealing another side of the world's reality.

Raymond stood in the center, the deep tides forming an ellipsoid around him. He felt the most malevolent gaze upon him, emanating from the earth beneath his feet. The mesmerizing halo was the gaze of the slumbering being. Raymond stood upon His eyeball.

The surging lightning struck straight down, but instead of blasting the earth into a pile of minced meat as Raymond had imagined, the deep tide splashed out, and the distorted phenomena on the water's surface earlier seemed to be nothing more than the reflection of a god.

“Aldington… My father once warned me that I was not a rational person. I would respond to everyone’s expectations, I would listen to everyone’s confusion, and my acquiescence, in my father’s eyes, was not true kindness. One should make choices, and people always package themselves as benevolent and moral. He taught me to discern, but I couldn’t learn. I learned to close my eyes and leave judgment to intuition, because I am always right.”

“I am not an idealist, I am Raymond, the embodiment of human justice. Are the Pure Ones outsiders? Have my actions harmed the planet itself?”

"None of my business."

"I still remember the satisfied smile on my father's face when he turned into light, and I still remember their joy when I shot down the dragon. I will achieve anything that benefits humanity. I will uphold my justice and what I believe to be right, and nothing can stop me."

The burst of holy light tore through flesh and blood, and he emerged from the darkness bathed in blood, not a single drop of blood clinging to his armor. Triton's physical body withered, reverting to his human form, his expression serene; Raymond had not harmed his true form. Raymond's valiant and fearless demeanor brought a smile to Triton's face.

"Then, righteous hero, where are your companions?"

Raymond's coming alone represented an attitude.

"I……"

"I don't need any partners, right? [I'm enough on my own; companions are just a burden.]"

That's not what I meant!

"What is that? Fear of their injury? Fear of their death?" A smile appeared on Triton's face. At this moment, the god of blind folly revealed his cunning. He slowly spoke, dissecting Raymond's inner turmoil.

"They are too weak to fight alongside me. For their own good, I should slay the evil god alone, just like I did when I slew the dragon. Heh, aren't you the same? You use your power from a high place, ignoring the sacrifices of others, doing whatever you want. You keep saying you consider yourself human, but you still act like a god."

Raymond wasn't good at persuasion; he usually didn't give others a chance to convince him. This assertiveness further fueled Raymond's resentment at the moment. Facing a true immortal being for the first time, the warrior who tried to persuade with reason was at a disadvantage.

He stared silently at Triton with murderous intent.

This was a rather novel experience for both of them.

Chapter 821 Corrupted Angel

"Haven't you found a solution yet?" Triton said, his handsome figure smiling, appearing calm and confident.

Raymond's attacks continued, but he was in a bad mood. Even with his helmet blocking the view and the holy light covering his entire body, he could easily feel the gloomy atmosphere around him.

“The Holy Light is omnipotent.” Triton repeated Raymond’s words with a hint of irony. Braving the burning flames, he swung his torn and mangled body closer to Raymond, stretched out his palm, and watched as his finger bones turned to ashes twenty centimeters from Raymond’s breastplate.

"Raymond, did you really not find a way, or are you deliberately avoiding the correct answer?"

"A rare tenth-tier level, stepping into the God Realm, are you really that weak? Or are you afraid? Afraid of your own power, afraid of your own justice?"

"Shut up!" The expanding blade of light easily sliced ​​through Triton, his upper body plunging into the deep tide, his regenerated limbs mocking Raymond's powerlessness.

He stood up again, opened his arms, and looked up at the thick clouds torn apart by the holy light, from which warm sunlight descended, but not a single ray fell on Triton.

"Come on, let's sort out what exactly you're afraid of."

He was like someone standing on a stage, directing and acting all by himself, facing Raymond, the only audience.

"After slaying the dragon father Yemotar, the Holy Light rewarded your glory, elevating you to the tenth rank and, based on your [Justice], evolving new power, the incarnation of a god."

“Even if I don’t know your abilities, the divine qualities are not worth scrutinizing because there are so few users. The quality of divinity is constant. All the divinity used to be in my hands. The dragon took a portion, and when you advanced to the tenth rank, you took another portion from me. I know exactly what I have lost.”

“Raymond Merlock, your divinity is [purification]. Or rather, it is [destruction] that conflicts with my [creation]. Limited destruction is purification.”

"Do you still remember the curse you left within the dragon race? What kind of power could make a powerful race disappear without a trace? They roared, howled, ate, and reproduced, yet they could never stop their people from perishing."

"You have successfully annihilated countless races by using the so-called justice of humanity as your standard, ushering in the era of holy light, the era of humanity."

"You should be worshipped, be thanked, and become the most magnificent symbol alongside your angel brothers... But where are they now?"

Triton narrowed his eyes and subtly waved his hand, creating a wall of flesh and blood that surrounded the two. Raymond remained unresponsive, like a statue.

“Galaron chose betrayal, George embraced the Void, Raphael dedicated himself to the corruption of the Church. And you, you've mixed up with a bunch of liches.”

"Why did your noble justice not bring about a good ending? Because your power is not noble, and what you fear is the meaning of purification."

"Eliminate all forces that are harmful to humanity and superior to humanity. You believe that humanity is fragile and needs protection. So the purification chose its enemies."

"Dragons, monsters, evil gods... and that's not all. When all these threats are eliminated, what else is superior to humanity? Oh, those dangerous forces that humans have mutated into—liches, mages, all sorts of spellcasters. And after all of these are eliminated? Only one power remains: the Holy Light."

"The power of purification lies in erasing mysticism. You foresaw that ending, that your friends and brothers would be executed. The God of Holy Light will transform the world into a world as ordinary as humanity. Humanity will become the true masters of this planet, because there will be no species with intelligence surpassing that of humans, and the Holy Light will become a simple spiritual belief."

"But you can't accept this ending. Divine purity seems to be ignorant of human justice. That's why you refuse to use your incarnation. You'll lose control and purify all those close to you. Your fear has been conveyed to the entire Holy Light faction. As the spokesperson for the Holy Light, your words and actions are subtly influencing all those who seek the light. Your angel brothers are well aware of this. In the end, they went down a different path from you."

Triton's body was supported by tentacles, and He approached Raymond, looking down and sniffing the fear overflowing from the Holy Light Calamity.

"You will not purify me, even if it were easy for you. The great deed of annihilating the evil god will immediately put you into a state of purification. The world may escape the deep tide, but it cannot escape the 'baptism' of the holy light."

“I retract my comparison of you to a god, Raymond. You are indeed incredibly human.”

"You have learned a great deal about the weaknesses of human nature. You are afraid of loss and fear change. Now you will understand how weak human nature is in the face of the gods."

"My angel, please say hello to Mr. Raymond."

The mangled body, with its melted mouth roaring desperately, had a few feathers stuck to its asymmetrical fleshy wings on its back. The body was spiral-shaped, with blood dripping from its pointed ends.

"Roar!" "Roar!"

On the left and right, the corrupted angels stretched out their claws and stared at Raymond with venomous eyes through the gaps in the tumor.

"no no!"

"Raphael..."

“George…”

He parried the angel's slashes and dodged the projectiles of flesh, repeating their names over and over, but they couldn't hear him.

Raymond once thought he could easily put righteousness before family, having punished countless leaders of the Holy Light. Now it seems they were simply not close enough.

Despite dodging attacks and being in a suppressed state, Raymond could handle two corrupted angels, but there was still an evil god lurking nearby.

Triton watched the drama unfold, his brow slightly furrowed.

"Aren't you going to purify them? It seems fate has offered you a good option."

“Triton, I will kill you!” Raymond replied enthusiastically, though he was too busy to move.

Pierced by the projectile light gun, Triton was reborn with a new body. Watching Raymond and the corrupted angels entangled in battle, he idly played with his tentacles.

"Shouldn't traitors to the Holy Light be executed on the spot? What are you still holding on to? Waiting for salvation, waiting for a miracle?"

Raymond's eyes widened, and for a moment, flames shot out as if he had grasped at a straw.

"And Lyle! Lyle the Pure, he will bring us new miracles."

Triton nodded. "I understand that you, as one of the Pure Ones besides yourself, have a lot of expectations regarding the same uncertainties as you. When I realized that outsiders were constantly arriving, I changed my strategy."

“Lyle is different from you. His body was conceived by me, and he has a greater sense of belonging to this world. Although I still cannot foresee his destiny, I have completed a deal with this job. Guess what the deal is?”

"The Pure One Lyle will amplify the weaknesses of the Pure One Raymond."

The flesh and blood lurking within the armor, the flesh buds left by Lyle, pierced fiercely along the weak point of the Light's Reverse Scale. The power of holy light began to erupt, flying out through the gap. In contrast, Raymond's body dimmed somewhat.

"Your brother will become your prison!"

The corrupted angel charged at Raymond, flesh and blood tearing apart, tentacles sprouting to devour the stiffened Raymond. The angels merged into one, possessing three heads: two screaming, and the central one slumbering. The merged angel floated in the air, scattering pinkish-white spores from its three broken pairs of fleshy wings.

Triton laughed.

"My angel, let God's enemies tremble."

God and angels disappeared into the deep tide, and no light was ever seen in the darkness.

Chapter 822 Prayer

The skin on his chin was noticeably whiter than the rest of his body, with patches of unshaven stubble. He lowered his head and used his shoulder to push open the small door next to the chapel, a task that took considerable effort. Despite his large frame, this middle-aged man, dressed in shabby clothes and with a gaunt expression, was not a fearless warrior. He lacked the imposing armor of the old knight to guard the door and ward off the darkness, nor did he have the courage to refuse his assignment. He trudged through a darkness more dangerous than the night itself, sneaking into the cellar to retrieve the stored grain.

The cartwheel-sized flatbread in his arms felt heavy. The man swallowed hard, pulling his hands further into his sleeves to avoid his dirty nails scratching the surface. Some things are beyond one's control. To get back to his destination, he had to pass through the chapel, filled with candles, chandeliers, old benches, and crowds of refugees. Since the appearance of the "black water," people had surged towards the light like sheep driven by a whip. Some lucky ones escaped the tide and reached the shore, while others found the isolated lighthouse.

The Church of Holy Light, with its magnificent buildings that appear to be covered in gold leaf, did not waste the believers' atonement money. The holy light blocked out the darkness, and the light protected everyone within the chapel's perimeter, but that was all.

"Father!" "Father!"

Several sharp-eyed refugees spotted him. His disheveled appearance made it difficult for him to blend in with the beautiful stained-glass windows. He had tried to hide, but the white spots on his stained clothes and his stealthy movements always clashed with his pristine appearance. They were calling out to the man, but he felt their calls were more like the performance of a pre-meal ritual. His hungry, green eyes didn't reflect his stern expression, only the round, moon-shaped flatbread in his arms.

The man hid the flatbread behind his back, facing the crowd that was gradually waking up amidst shouts. They were emaciated, their eyes filled with fear and repression. Their eerie gaze made the man tremble, and also stopped the rhythmic shaking of his legs.

“The first offering is to the loving Lord…” He strained his tongue to make the words flow more smoothly. His sharp eyes immediately spotted the commotion in the crowd; their gazes shifted from green to red. They could easily tear him apart, the man had no doubt about it.

“...But the loving Lord is never stingy with the most devout believers.” Forcing a smile, the priest walked towards the crowd, breaking off pieces of bread and offering them to the kneeling worshippers. He couldn't actually distinguish who was more faithful, but he could tell who was stronger, fiercer, and more selfish. Where holy light might not be effective, force certainly would. The fed ones regained their strength, rallied around the priest, and considered themselves different from the others. But even so, they only withdrew their “protection” of the priest when the bread had completely disappeared from his hands.

Leaving the chapel and entering the inner sanctum, the priest wiped the cold sweat from his brow and muttered a few curses under his breath when no one was around. The priest's quarters, which had always been empty, were now deserted, leaving only the chapel and an old knight. The priest magically produced the remaining crumbs of bread from his pocket; thankfully, his nimble fingers had yielded enough, even though it was only a tenth of the original.