episode_0174

Do you know how scary it is when someone who was leaning against the wall suddenly moves?

Especially when those who were unconscious until just now move, it makes people even more startled because the atmosphere inside here is already gloomy.

But that fear vanished instantly with the words the moving Paladins uttered.

“Aaaah!?!!!”

“What on earth is going on?!!!”

“Why are you all like this…!!”

Paladins shouting as if screaming.

As such weak voices echoed in the quiet and scary space, everyone’s expressions instantly became a sight to behold.

Noah trying to suppress her laughter and Grace wearing a bewildered expression.

It felt as if the tension that had built up until just now was instantly released.

But if you think about it carefully, this is natural.

All the brainwashed Paladins we’ve met outside District 1 so far were speaking normally.

So that their bodies couldn’t move as they wished, but they could still speak and think.

What we can understand from this is.

“Do they have to restore their minds in order to move?”

Indeed, like the brainwashed Paladins we met in District 0. If they were continuously conscious, managing them would be difficult.

They sever their consciousness when storing them, and restore it when needed.

“Just seeing this, you can tell how unqualified the Pope is to be in that position.”

To achieve his goals, human dignity and life are nothing.

Of course, there aren’t few such people.

Especially since human rights don’t exist yet in this era.

But the problem is that the target is the Pope of the Ariel Church.

Because this position should be held by someone more benevolent and altruistic than anyone else.

“Whether it’s the Saintess or the Pope, they’re no different from us black mages.”

“……”

I couldn’t argue against Noah’s words, who peeked her head out.

There was nothing else to do but change the subject.

“By the way, what should we do about those people?”

“What to do? Let’s go as we initially decided.”

I immediately canceled my stealth and jumped down from the 3rd floor in one go.

Thump!!

Seeing me land right in front of the moving Paladins, they were startled.

“Aah?! You scared me!!!”

“Gh- Ghost!!!!”

But unlike their surprise, the Paladins’ bodies quickly began to draw their swords.

I also quickly manifest the Holy Sword.

Having manifested the Holy Sword emitting a dazzling light, I quickly withdrew the Paladins’ light and lightly swung the Holy Sword.

As if assisted by a computer, the divine power riding on the Holy Sword immediately branched out into countless streams, extending to all the surrounding Paladins and devotees.

An action I could never have done before.

But, influenced by item effects, I immediately dispelled the brainwashing magic on people’s bodies at once.

Flash-

The inside of the chapel was filled with light for a moment before returning to its original state.

“…Huh?”

The two Paladins who were trying to attack me immediately stopped moving and collapsed on the spot.

And as time passed little by little.

The people inside the chapel began to move.

Not by external will, but solely by their own will.

Murmuring.

The inside of the chapel gradually becoming noisy.

In a situation where it was impossible to know what had happened.

I immediately, holding the Holy Sword.

Slowly walked towards the center of everyone.

At that sight, murmuring.

As if night had passed and the sun was rising, sunlight began to pour over the stained glass towards me.

I raised the Holy Sword high.

“The Pope has just declared a holy war against the Labyrinth City!!!”

While everyone was reacting as if their brains had stopped working at the unbelievable news.

I continued with the story.

“The Lord Deity has said, ‘Drive out the Pope and the betrayers who have joined hands with the forces of evil. As the rightful master of the Church, and as the Lord Deity’s Apostle, reclaim the Church!!!’”

There were many devotees who had not yet regained their senses from the sudden change in situation.

A situation like suddenly waking up from sleep, suddenly finding out the Pope is a bad guy, and some strange person appearing claiming to be the master of the Church or something.

Even I wouldn’t be able to accept it easily.

But.

It is also true that the current situation is clearly strange.

The sight of so many devotees piled up in one place like luggage is not characteristic of the Church, but rather of black mages.

While judgments were quickly being made.

There was someone who acted first.

“Waaah!!!!”

Clap clap clap clap!!!!

A girl’s voice and clapping sounds were heard.

It was Kitra, the sole healer in our clan.

I wondered if she might not recognize me because my hair color had turned white.

But she recognized me and was sending the greatest cheers possible.

And furthermore, seeing that I had awakened countless people, the Paladins joined that movement.

“That person woke everyone up here!!”

“But who is he? Was there such a person in the Church?”

“Looking at that sacred sword, perhaps he’s the Apostle who was captured in the Holy Land?”

As befits most devotees who can handle divine power to some extent or know the history and doctrine of the Church.

There were some who recognized the Holy Sword.

“The Lord Deity has said, ‘Sometime in the future, I will send down my Apostle to save the world!!’”

An old man also spoke of contents from an old scripture.

Eventually, one by one.

The sound of clapping and cheering began to increase.

Soon, the atmosphere completely flowed towards me.

Immediately, I once again raised the Holy Sword, emitting a dazzling light, and shouted.

“Countless devotees are also captured in other chapels!! Save everyone right now! We must reclaim the Church from the betrayers!!!”

“”Uwoooooh!!!!!””

With an explosive reaction, everyone began to follow me.

As I slowly walked out of the chapel. Everyone began to follow behind.

When we reached the entrance.

The Pope’s Paladins, who had entered because of the noise, were already blocking my way.

“……Ivan Arcana.”

They were looking at me and the Holy Sword alternately.

“The reaction isn’t as strong as I thought?”

“……Indeed.”

Though they were the Pope’s Elite Guard. There likely wouldn’t be anyone whose individual heart fully agreed with the Pope’s thoughts.

I don’t think there are few people who are doing it simply to survive, against their own will.

Therefore, I walked confidently straight ahead.

The Paladins hurriedly tried to make their swords emit light, but.

As I gestured, it quickly scattered in all directions.

While I couldn’t dispel the strengthening of human bodies, it could be said to be a meaningless act. But the immediate effect seen before my eyes was the best.

“The master of the Holy Sword has removed the light from the Paladins’ swords!!!”

“Push back the betrayers!!!”

No matter how many enemies there were, it was about ten people. On this side, there were hundreds.

Furthermore, as the light on their weapons disappeared, the sound of quick thinking could be heard.

“Didn’t I tell you this is why the holy war was wrong?!!”

Suddenly, one of the enemies started to come over to our side.

Like a floodgate opening, the Paladins quickly began to turn towards this side.

In the end, only the Captain leading the Paladins remained.

“……Hmm.”

He also gauged the situation for a moment, then naturally joined this side.

“I also did it because the Pope ordered me, there was nothing I could do!! No, how could I have known he would declare a holy war against the Labyrinth City!!”

“…I understand.”

How many people in the world truly live their lives proactively, anyway?

He must have also resigned himself to reality and was just following orders, even though it was strange.

“You know where the people are captured, right?”

“……Of course!!”

“Please guide us.”

Immediately, I took everyone and streamed out of the chapel.

Then I immediately met the eyes of countless Spirits.

Well, having made so much noise, it was natural.

But with so many Spirits moving around like this.

People had no interest at all.

“No, why did our District 1 become like this!!!”

“My house is broken?”

“The statue in the likeness of the Lord Deity is broken!!!!!”

District 1 is currently in a state of utter chaos.

It’s a situation similar to waking up and finding your house destroyed!

Moreover, what kind of district is District 1?

It’s where the holy land of the Ariel Church is located, sacredly managed by all sorts of devotees.

The sight of such a holy place being destroyed and something they’ve never seen before mocking them is more than enough to fuel their anger further.

The difference between hearing about something and seeing it in person.

The fire immediately began to burn more quickly.

“Let’s kill all those mayflies and reclaim District 1!!!”

“Drive out the betrayers!!!”

Without me needing to say anything, everyone, filled with anger, poured out attacks towards the Spirits.

Of course, people from the Church like Paladins and Priests. There are also quite a few retired explorers in District 1.

And above all.

There are plenty of people here who can use blessings that bestow great power even upon ordinary people.

“Lord, give strength to everyone…”

“Give us light…”

Paladins and Priests bestowed blessings upon everyone.

[Descent of an Angel]

I created a giant angel and cast a shield and healing.

Taking that as a cue, everyone immediately moved and began to attack the surrounding Spirits.

And advance.

Breaking through all obstacles in front of them.

A long procession moving forward, singing hymns loudly.

“Wake these people up quickly!!!”

“Savior!! This way too!!!”

“Please wake up my child too!!!”

As I woke up all the countless devotees who were asleep along the way, the number of people gradually increased.

By the time we reached the Church headquarters where the Pope was, it had already become a massive crowd.

As if gathering all the Spirits outside.

Countless Spirits burst out from inside and outside the headquarters, attacking us.

But our regeneration and shields were strong enough not to be inferior anywhere.

We broke through right in front of the headquarters, unable to be stopped.

At that sight, Grace said with an understanding expression.

“This is why they put all their effort into preventing District 1 from being breached.”

“Things went better than I thought.”

It’s also undeniable that powerful enemies were somewhat eliminated because the Saintess went wild.

Just in time, the Saintess returned after finishing everything.

Even when we first met her, there wasn’t a single intact spot on her clothes and body.

Now it was worse.

The black robe that had hidden her identity was completely torn.

Her wounds were healed and gone, but she was extremely dirty.

As her clothes were almost completely torn, she appeared looking like a woman who had been dragged somewhere and violated.

People didn’t even know she was the Saintess, and just feeling pity, they approached and began to wipe her body with a cloth.

“Oh dear, why would a grown woman do such a thing…!!!”

“Did the Pope kidnap women and do something to them!!! This is sacrilege!!!”

“No…, well…”

The Saintess was about to say something, but only for a moment.

Already sa

Like an abandoned stray dog feeling a human touch for the first time in a long time.

The Saintess, quietly feeling that warm touch.

Soon began to choke up.

“What on earth did you go through…!!!”

“Let’s drag down the Pope!!!!”

I don’t know if she intended it, but the atmosphere became more inflamed, and at the same time, countless people were about to rush towards the headquarters.

Seeing them, the Saintess somehow seemed to have made a resolution and got up from her spot.

Flash-

In an instant, an enormous amount of light poured out and her appearance began to change.

White armor.

By then, all the clothes on the Saintess’s body were gone, and when the armor that was like her symbol appeared, everyone finally knew who had appeared here.

“The former Saintess?”

“Isn’t that the one the Pope excommunicated??”

“No, by what right did you come here?!!”

Public opinion changing rapidly.

What was just given to her before was gone, and they were scolding, cursing, and insulting her by throwing stones.

But she, instead, closed her eyes and regulated her breathing.

And shouted loudly.

“The Pope!!!!”

The Saintess’s voice echoing in the noisy surroundings.

By then it became quiet, and everyone focused on her.

“The real betrayer is the Pope. I was just used.”

But even with her words, the atmosphere didn’t change.

“How do you prove that?!!!”

“Aren’t you just saying anything?”

People retorted.

But she soon seemed to know something. She looked at me and then.

“Deep beneath the Church headquarters, there is the collapsed body of the Lord Deity!!!”

At her words, everyone was silent.

Reactions of disbelief began to emerge, but she continued to speak.

“For a long time, the Church’s upper echelon hid and used this. I was the same.”

She raised her right hand and looked at it with a wistful expression, then immediately stabbed it into her solar plexus.

Stab-

At the same time as blood instantly splattered in all directions. An enormous amount of light irregularly poured out in all directions.

“See, if someone of rank puts some of the Lord Deity’s bo-, dy in…!!”

Cracks of light appeared on the Saintess’s body, and something began to emerge from within.

Everyone could tell that was what she claimed to be the Lord Deity’s body.

As if trying to abandon the power that had made her the Saintess herself.

She was extracting the Lord Deity’s body from within her, screaming in pain.

“Aaaah!!!!!!”

Light came out from her eyeballs, and light came out from her mouth.

Cracks had appeared on her white skin, and light was irregularly appearing and disappearing.

A truly unstable situation.

Around the time people who were watching the scene began to stealthily back away to the side.

Ding!!!

The sound of the status window rising, heard in my ears.

But I, without even looking at it.

“…Stop.”

I stopped the Saintess who was trying to commit suicide.

Of course, she probably wouldn’t actually die by taking this out. But at least it looked like she would lose her power.

“……?”

The Saintess looked at me with a questioning expression.

And she had reason to. I still harbored hatred for her.

Were there only one or two times I nearly died because of her?

Not just direct instances, but if you include indirect ones, there are truly many.

Although I hated her so much, so very much.

That’s why I could use her without reservation.

“……Hiccup.”

The Saintess hiccuping.

“Play your role. Don’t do useless things.”

“…Yes.”

The Saintess now seemed to have calmed down somewhat.

After regulating her breathing. She stood before the crowd once again.

“Thus, the real betrayers are the Pope and his lackeys!!! Now that the true master of the Church has arrived. We will regain the era of the golden age once more!!!”

As she said that, the Saintess simultaneously blazed a path forward.

I immediately followed behind her and began to climb the stairs towards the Church headquarters.

And behind us were most of the devotees who would be in the Labyrinth City.