Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

Therefore, they burned their lives for only one purpose: to create an opportunity for their remaining companions to break through!

"Lord Cohen! Farewell to the divine realm! Hahhhhh!!!"

The four Judgment Knights charged towards Ryūka and her companions like burning meteors! Their unstoppable momentum suggested they were determined to perish together with their enemies! Ryūka decisively gave the order:

"Get back! Don't fight them!"

"But!"

Hafulen wanted to try again, but Ryusha roared:

"Get back! Soldiers in the rear too! No one is allowed to gamble with their own safety!"

The group instantly fell silent, immediately avoiding the attacks of the four knights of judgment. The thousands of troops surrounding the cathedral also retreated decisively, allowing Cohen to see a path to hope!

The remaining six immediately followed, but at that moment, Ryuka shouted again:

"Lord Weston! It's your turn to make your entrance!"

A hearty laugh rang out from the crowd: "What, my safety isn't important to you anymore?"

On the parted road, Weston and his barbarian warriors appeared, clad in heavy armor!

Chapter 37 Betrayal

The army surrounding the Judgment Knights retreated from the center like a tide. The tall barbarian warriors, wearing heavy magical armor provided by the Merchant Guild, formed an iron wall, instantly shattering the Judgment Knights' spirits and filling them with despair.

In response to Weston's teasing, Ryusha laughed and said, "A slave of the highest rank would cost at least ten thousand Otus gold coins, enough to drink for a lifetime if you exchanged them for wine."

Although the scroll was created by Clovis and it was none of Weston's business that he and Ryusha each took half, Ryusha's words still caught his eye.

He raised his massive iron shield, his footsteps shaking the earth, and clashed violently with the foremost Judgment Knight. Amidst the thunderous impact, the savage bear warrior asked in a muffled voice:

Can we discuss commission splitting?

“Father, the Vino people are not so mercenary towards their friends.”

The death stare from behind made Weston chuckle instantly. Paruru, standing behind the human wall, was right. He and his people had been eating and drinking at Ryukyu's expense during this time. Now, joining the battle was not only at Ryukyu's request, but also because of the old relationship with the Third Prince Clovis. If they continued to haggle, even his own people would find it unbearable.

"Just kidding... Kids! Anyone who lets a big fish go free is banned from eating meat and drinking alcohol for a year!"

With Weston's shout, the Vino warriors roared in response, showing no fear even in the face of the enraged Grand Master. The ice crystals and chilling air that Ryūsha created on the battlefield reminded them of their distant homeland. The Vino people in the snowstorm were not afraid of death, for their souls would return to the embrace of their ancestral spirits along with the snowflakes.

"Okay, let's start with one!"

After shouting, Weston immediately pinned the Judgment Knight he had just knocked down to the ground. No matter how the knight unleashed his holy energy in retaliation, he remained as unmoved as a rock. After all, he possessed a strong body capable of withstanding many rounds from a Heavenly-ranked opponent; this kind of damage was nothing to him.

Liu Xia immediately seized the opportunity, and ice spread from his feet, reaching the Judgment Knight who was under Weston's control, instantly freezing him firmly in place!

Cohen's heart was bleeding. Ryūka's goal was not to kill, but to capture alive, or rather... to capture! This large-scale operation was like a hunt, with knights and mages taking turns to cover and attack, harassing and exhausting their spirit and stamina. The Vino warriors stood at the front, constantly tightening the encirclement, and then Ryūka and his men would take down the Judgment Knights who showed any weakness!

"Avoid the leader! Break through the others! They're moving too slowly!"

One of the Judgment Knights shouted something, and the rest immediately charged towards the Vino warriors, whose strength was far inferior to Weston's. Paruru watched this scene from behind, a cruel smile playing on her lips.

"The prey cannot escape the hunter's control...because they have regained their former glory."

After saying that, she turned to look at the white-haired boy who was already rubbing his hands together, eager to rush up and help Liuxia.

“Holy Spirit… uh, I mean, Vitry.”

Vitris didn't like Paruru calling her that, and seeing the displeasure in the snow spirit's eyes, Paruru immediately changed her address, gently pleading with her as if guiding a child:

"Vitry, shall we do as we discussed before?"

"I want to go up and fight! They're bullying Ryuka! They're bad people!"

Paruru didn't want to discuss with Vitris who was bullying whom.

"If you transform, you'll cause Ryuka even more trouble."

"All right……"

Vitrilis muttered a few words, suppressing the wild instincts within her, and obediently cooperated with Paruru. On the battlefield, the shaman girl chanted obscure poems with ancient melodies, and a strange feeling arose within Vitrilis, causing her to shout to the sky. Although she didn't transform into the Snow Spirit form, her voice seemed to possess a power that instantly unleashed boundless potential in the Vino warriors on the field. Their muscles bulged, and their eyes burned like flames. Strange but oppressive roars erupted from their chests, and this dwindling Vino people, after thousands of years, reconnected with the bloodline of their ancestors, fearlessly blocking the onslaught of the Judgment Knights.

One by one, several Judgment Knights had been captured in this fierce battle. The remaining men retreated to Cohen's side, gathering together for a final stand.

Clovis also came to Ryukyu's side at this moment. He didn't have any princely airs at all. Instead, he pointed at the strongest Cohen like a shrewd businessman and said, "Let's make it clear first, this strongest one is mine."

“Not a single one.” Clovis snorted coldly. “I didn’t have an easy time after you defeated me last time. I spent so much manpower and resources. Not to mention my father’s opinion, a number of my vassals lost their support. It took me a lot of money to stabilize the situation below.”

The conversation between the two men plunged the knights into despair. They felt like merchandise being picked over, a profound insult that the knights of the Papacy had never experienced before!

"Lord Cohen, my holy energy is running low..."

What should we do next?

"It's better to be martyred than to be captured by them!"

"Rocco! Stop lying on the ground trembling! Is this what you call a follower of the goddess?!"

Cohen, panting heavily, unlike his despairing subordinates, still had half his strength remaining, searching for a possible breakout. But Ryūka's formation was like an iron barrel; not only that, Ryūka's timing in deploying and playing cards was perfect, making Cohen feel utterly powerless.

He glanced at Rocco lying on the ground, no longer in the mood to vent his anger on this good-for-nothing, and simply asked:

"Where is Paladin Joel? And where have all the other paladins in the church gone?"

Rocco shuddered slightly. Having never witnessed such a scene before, he was terrified, and only now did he remember his comrades. The outside of the church was in such a state of chaos, yet inside, there was not a sound.

"In...in the crypt beneath the church, guarding Lady Sinatiel..."

"Is that so..."

Cohen paused for a moment, then casually said:

“Go and inform him to prepare for martyrdom, especially to help Bishop Sinatiel and the priests and nuns inside.”

"Wh-what...?"

Faced with Rocco's incredulous sobs, Cohen roared angrily, "Stand up! Is this how you treat a member of the clergy of the Holy See? Rather than face a humiliating fate, you'd rather die a glorious death! Do you want us to become a laughingstock?!"

Indeed, at this point, they had no chance of escape, so it was better to die a glorious death. Not only them, but the clergy of Sochi Cathedral should naturally suffer the same fate. Since Ryūsha and his men had enslaved the devout knights of judgment, they certainly wouldn't spare the people inside Sochi Cathedral. Therefore, before sacrificing themselves, upholding the dignity of the Holy See in this way was perfectly justified!

Especially with Hinatil in a coma, even the devout and ascetic Cohen understood what Hinatil's appearance meant, especially if she fell into the hands of the heretic Ryusha...

That kind of thing! Absolutely not allowed! Where are you, Mei and Lin? Mei is empty, Lin is here...?

Cohen grabbed the limp Rocco and shoved him through the door, then loudly encouraged his men: "Gentlemen! Buy some time for our brothers and sisters inside! Then we'll meet again in the Kingdom of God! If anyone gets frozen by that kid, someone else will save face for them! I'll be no exception! Is that alright?"

With his shout, the knights of judgment erupted in a desperate roar, taunting the surrounding soldiers and spewing out obscene words that would never have been tolerated before, displaying an attitude of certain death.

"Ugh... this is a real headache..."

Seeing this scene, Clovis couldn't help but curl his lip. He had spent a lot of money to get those high-level slave scrolls. If these Judgment Knights died, it would be a huge loss.

He didn't notice that Ryūka's face always wore a playful smile. Faced with the provocation and insults of the Judgment Knight, not only the impulsive Vino warriors, but even Ryūka's soldiers were on the verge of collapse, but their governor remained in no hurry to give orders.

"Come on! You sons of bitches! Are you scared now, Ryuka! You coward hiding behind your whore! Come on!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, can you tolerate this, Your Excellency?" Clovis raised an eyebrow with delight, while Ryūka simply said indifferently:

"Don't worry, they'll have their day of despair..."

Amidst the probing of weapons and the taunts of the Inquisitors, screams echoed from the door behind them. The desperate cries of these fellow clergymen sounded incredibly pleasing to the ears of these Inquisitors. After all, in the Inquisition's eyes, being a prisoner of heresy was worse than death, and urging those less courageous and devout believers to undergo holy martyrdom was their duty.

They had completely lost their initial composure and revealed their fanatical side. Some even rushed into the enemy lines, killing several soldiers before being frozen in place by Ryūka.

"Lord Cohen! Let me go first!"

Faced with his subordinate's shouts, Cohen licked the blood from the corner of his mouth and raised the longsword in his hand.

“Not a single one.” Clovis snorted coldly. “I didn’t have an easy time after you defeated me last time. I spent so much manpower and resources. Not to mention my father’s opinion, a number of my vassals lost their support. It took me a lot of money to stabilize the situation below.”

The conversation between the two men plunged the knights into despair. They felt like merchandise being picked over, a profound insult that the knights of the Papacy had never experienced before!

"Lord Cohen, my holy energy is running low..."

What should we do next?

"It's better to be martyred than to be captured by them!"

"Rocco! Stop lying on the ground trembling! Is this what you call a follower of the goddess?!"

Cohen, panting heavily, unlike his despairing subordinates, still had half his strength remaining, searching for a possible breakout. But Ryūka's formation was like an iron barrel; not only that, Ryūka's timing in deploying and playing cards was perfect, making Cohen feel utterly powerless.

He glanced at Rocco lying on the ground, no longer in the mood to vent his anger on this good-for-nothing, and simply asked:

"Where is Paladin Joel? And where have all the other paladins in the church gone?"

Rocco shuddered slightly. Having never witnessed such a scene before, he was terrified, and only now did he remember his comrades. The outside of the church was in such a state of chaos, yet inside, there was not a sound.

"In...in the crypt beneath the church, guarding Lady Sinatiel..."

"Is that so..."

Cohen paused for a moment, then casually said:

“Go and inform him to prepare for martyrdom, especially to help Bishop Sinatiel and the priests and nuns inside.”

"Wh-what...?"

Faced with Rocco's incredulous sobs, Cohen roared angrily, "Stand up! Is this how you treat a member of the clergy of the Holy See? Rather than face a humiliating fate, you'd rather die a glorious death! Do you want us to become a laughingstock?!"

Indeed, at this point, they had no chance of escape, so it was better to die a glorious death. Not only them, but the clergy of Sochi Cathedral should naturally suffer the same fate. Since Ryūsha and his men had enslaved the devout knights of judgment, they certainly wouldn't spare the people inside Sochi Cathedral. Therefore, before sacrificing themselves, upholding the dignity of the Holy See in this way was perfectly justified!

Especially with Hinatil in a coma, even the devout and ascetic Cohen understood what Hinatil's appearance meant, especially if she fell into the hands of the heretic Ryusha...

That kind of thing! Absolutely not allowed! Where are you, Mei and Lin? Mei is empty, Lin is here...?

Cohen grabbed the limp Rocco and shoved him through the door, then loudly encouraged his men: "Gentlemen! Buy some time for our brothers and sisters inside! Then we'll meet again in the Kingdom of God! If anyone gets frozen by that kid, someone else will save face for them! I'll be no exception! Is that alright?"

With his shout, the knights of judgment erupted in a desperate roar, taunting the surrounding soldiers and spewing out obscene words that would never have been tolerated before, displaying an attitude of certain death.

"Ugh... this is a real headache..."

Seeing this scene, Clovis couldn't help but curl his lip. He had spent a lot of money to get those high-level slave scrolls. If these Judgment Knights died, it would be a huge loss.

He didn't notice that Ryūka's face always wore a playful smile. Faced with the provocation and insults of the Judgment Knight, not only the impulsive Vino warriors, but even Ryūka's soldiers were on the verge of collapse, but their governor remained in no hurry to give orders.

"Come on! You sons of bitches! Are you scared now, Ryuka! You coward hiding behind your whore! Come on!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, can you tolerate this, Your Excellency?" Clovis raised an eyebrow with delight, while Ryūka simply said indifferently:

"Don't worry, they'll have their day of despair..."

Amidst the probing of weapons and the taunts of the Inquisitors, screams echoed from the door behind them. The desperate cries of these fellow clergymen sounded incredibly pleasing to the ears of these Inquisitors. After all, in the Inquisition's eyes, being a prisoner of heresy was worse than death, and urging those less courageous and devout believers to undergo holy martyrdom was their duty.

They had completely lost their initial composure and revealed their fanatical side. Some even rushed into the enemy lines, killing several soldiers before being frozen in place by Ryūka.

"Lord Cohen! Let me go first!"

Faced with his subordinate's shouts, Cohen licked the blood from the corner of his mouth and raised the longsword in his hand.

"Farewell, my brother, to the Kingdom of God..."

Pfft!!!

The longsword pierced the flesh, but the blood splattered not from the chest or neck.

Rather, it was one's own back.

A burning pain shot through his back. Cohen looked behind him in disbelief and saw that the one raising his longsword against him was none other than Joel, also a paladin…

Chapter 38: A Perfect Ending with Everyone Taken Prisoner

"traitor……"

These were the last words Cohen could utter before he was instantly captured by Ryūka, just like his remaining subordinates.

"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Joel."

Despite Ryūsha's smile, Jørgen's face showed no joy. He wiped the blood from his face—the blood of those fanatical followers like the Judgment Knights. After Rocco brought Cohen's order for their martyrdom, some of the fanatical clergy did indeed intend to do so, and Jørgen had merely helped them go to see the goddess.

As for himself...

For the past three months, Ryūsha had been communicating with Yōr privately through the people delivering supplies. After witnessing Rocco and Sinatiel's failures, Yōr's mind became troubled. He wasn't a devout believer to begin with, and he harbored resentment towards his family for sending him to the Papacy. After thoroughly investigating his background, Ryūsha, through numerous tests, finally managed to get this not-so-devout young paladin to make a decision.

Especially after hearing Cohen's order for them to commit mass martyrdom, Joel no longer felt any psychological pressure regarding the betrayal.

He silently walked to the side, ignoring the inquisitive knight's insults. Although Ryūsha had promised him good terms, he understood that a traitor might never be trusted again, but that was better than dying a senseless death.

"The Archbishop of Randall in the capital has granted you permission to withdraw from the Papacy, and His Highness Clovis has prepared a position for you in the north. Although it is far from the heart of Otus, the benefits are quite good."