https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-848-Lance-Helps-Loren-Go-Crazy-Part-1-/12937138/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-849-The-Ultimate-Battle-at-Brillada-s-Sky-Canopy-Battlefield/12937140/
Chapter 848: Lance Helps Loren Go Crazy (Part 2)
Chapter 848: Lance Helps Loren Go Crazy (Part 2)
Smiles froze on people's faces, turning into confusion and vigilance.
The easily stressed citizens looked at each other, whispering, unsure of what was happening.
The brightening sky earlier was not an illusion; it seemed like something was about to descend.
An ominous premonition lingered.
Soon, they saw it.
In that beam of light, over a dozen figures slowly descended.
The intense light obscured their features, leaving only vague silhouettes.
Yet, even so, one could sense the extraordinary aura surrounding them.
These figures were all draped in pristine white robes, like divine beings or angels.
The leader among them appeared more like a pope, clad in a unique pure white papal robe, his face hidden behind a silver-white mask.
He was tall and slender, exuding an innate dignity in his demeanor, surrounded by an aura that seamlessly blended with the world, as if he were a natural-born gospel teacher, revered by all.
Though their identities were unknown, the leader's attire suggested they were from an ancient religious order or a mysterious organization, transcending time and space. Their presence instilled an unconscious fear in the other residents.
The appearance of these uninvited guests instantly changed the atmosphere in the square.
Simon Roland paused the coronation ceremony, and the nine Archons in the memorial square warily turned their attention to these unwelcome visitors.
The Archons had stayed behind today to address any potential unrest.
After the vampire uprising three days ago, it seemed everything had calmed down.
But now, it appeared that a deeper, more sinister power was about to descend.
The residents of Brillada couldn't endure such turmoil.
However, with Hestinos present, they felt a sense of reassurance.
Hestinos had become the strongest person in the entire empire and even the entire Southern Continent this year, the only one to enter the realm of the divine. Even if the vampire progenitor returned, the people of the empire believed that ancient evil spirits would be eradicated by Hestinos' Seros Sacred Sword.
"..."
Hestinos shifted his gaze from the crown before him to the center of the square.
The stronger the people present, the clearer they could sense the aura emanating from these white-robed figures.
This power even left the Archons in attendance with a hint of bewilderment.
Twisted Carnelian, the Third Archangel, furrowed his brows.
Most of these individuals were at least eighth-rank powerhouses.
Some of them even gave off an aura comparable to the Archons themselves.
Even on the battlefield of the Alliance, it would be challenging to gather so many of the era's top-tier powerhouses.
If these were indeed the Alliance's strong, then their appearance here today was undoubtedly a long-planned infiltration of Brillada, and at this moment, they were plotting something that could easily threaten the entire capital.
Among the citizens, unease and anxiety began to spread.
"Why are they here again?!"
"No more trouble!"
"Let's move away first."
The Crethia Empire citizens instinctively wanted to retreat and flee the square.
The fear that was still vivid from three days ago gripped their hearts like an invisible hand.
Crethia Memorial Square, near the stage close to the palace.
"Your Highnesses, what brings you here?"
Hestinos' gaze never left these uninvited guests. Even without asking, he could guess that they were here to disrupt the ceremony.
But with the citizens still nearby, it wasn't appropriate for him to react too aggressively.
He gripped the Seros Empire's sacred sword, and its blade glowed with a sharp light.
In the center of the square, the leading figure in white robes did not immediately respond.
The White Robed Pope slightly lifted his head, and the gaze from behind the mask was piercing, as if trying to see through Hestinos.
That gaze seemed to be judging.
"Hestinos Oreigia, the Seros Empire's chosen heir, we are here in response to the Divine Decree to witness this moment."
After a brief pause, he spoke,
"You are not the rightful emperor. Please return the throne to the rightful heir of the Crethia Empire's royal family to maintain the order that keeps the world functioning."
The White Robed Pope's words echoed like thunder across the square, causing even the distant residents who were evacuating to tremble.
Divine Decree?
Which deity had such great authority to issue this decree at this moment?
Why was this decree being issued now?
In the crowd, a giant web of speculation and doubt formed, and the voices of confusion continued to rise.
Some began to recall ancient prophecies, but more felt an indescribable sense of unease and fear.
This White Robed Pope seemed like a cult leader rather than a normal religious figure!
...
Meanwhile, in the allied nations, the attention on the Seros Empire's coronation ceremony began to intensify.
The most obvious example was at the open square in front of the Echter Academy.
The sudden change in the situation quickly attracted the attention of numerous teachers and students.
Even those who had no intention of paying much attention to the Seros Empire's coronation ceremony couldn't help but stop and watch.
Without even thinking about it, they knew that the viewership ratings for this broadcast were about to skyrocket exponentially across the Kingdom Alliance!
This sudden turn of events might be a source of panic for the Empire, but for the allied nations, it brought a mix of suspicion, fear, and a glimmer of hope.
"Even if it's a mysterious force with unclear motives, as long as they're willing to help us against Hestinos, it's a good thing."
The Echter students spoke in unison.
They could even dream that if both sides fought to a stalemate, it would be a blessing for the Kingdom Alliance.
Because the residents of the allied nations had developed an excessive fear of the Empire's power and Hestinos' absolute strength.
As the White Robed Pope said, it was a terrifying imbalance, and if Hestinos intended to march from the south to the north, no one could truly stop him.
Luveshir's entire being was alert, and her lazy eyelids lifted.
Her journalist radar was buzzing.
The scene continued on screen.
In the air near the citizens' side of Crethia Memorial Square.
Behind the White Robed Pope, the other members of the congregation also exchanged glances with the War Gods.
That terrifying oppressive aura brought unprecedented pressure to the ordinary Empire citizens fleeing behind them.
They had thought that the gathering of the Twelve Archons was the Empire's peak fighting force, but they never expected there to be another force, with an unknown number of Eighth Rank powerhouses, whose name they couldn't even guess.
The unknown, when it reaches a certain level, can turn into fear.
That pressure, like an invisible giant stone, made it hard for everyone outside the square to breathe.
This mysterious White Robed Pope made a shocking demand, asking Hestinos to abdicate and return the throne to the so-called "rightful heir"!
"Why do you think I'm not the rightful heir?"
Hestinos asked the White Robed Pope calmly while waiting for Simon Roland to reinforce the barrier around Crethia Memorial Square and for the residents to evacuate as far as possible.
Although he wanted to quickly defeat these troublemakers who were disrupting the ceremony, and even more so, to cut down the civilians who were getting in the way, his established character didn't allow him to do such a thing.
What a nuisance.
"Hestinos, you are not a true advocate of peace. In the South Continent War, your actions have contributed to the chaos. Your absolute power and authority will throw the world into imbalance, which is a devastating threat to all the nations in the north of the South Continent."
The White Robed Pope continued.
"Your accusation is rather arbitrary. Everything I do is for the prosperity and stability of the Seros Empire. I would never do anything to harm my people."
Hestinos gazed in the direction of the residents being evacuated by the Imperial Guards, speaking almost to himself.
His calm demeanor made it seem like he didn't consider these intruders a significant threat.
He was only restrained from taking action due to the presence of the civilians.
And his opponents seemed to have calculated this, putting him in a difficult position.
Those who hold the moral high ground are often more restricted in their actions, while those who act without scruples can be more unscrupulous.
"Hestinos..."
Seeing Hestinos' state, the other War Gods also relaxed slightly.
If it were still the night of the vampire attack, the threat of these White Robed Congregation members would have been immense.
But at this moment, with Hestinos at the Ninth Rank and the ten remaining War Gods, even if these intruders were powerful, they were not a cause for concern.
"Humans always imagine the future, but this future should be feared. However, most people don't feel afraid because they can't understand its true significance."
The White Robed Pope's gaze behind the mask was calm and steady.
"Under your absolute rule, the world will neither enter a relative balance nor a terrifying balance. You will only bring war and destruction."
He spoke from the perspective of an observer, detached from the world.
"If you insist on finding fault, then for the people of the Seros Empire, I will eliminate you."
"Hestinos glanced at Simon Roland beside him, confirming through eye contact that the temporary barrier had been reinforced. Finally, he sent a hostile signal to his opponent, no longer concerned with the fleeing civilians or the enemy's words.
At that moment, something unexpected happened, even to the War Gods.
The Tenth Archon, Ruby Garnet Julius, suddenly summoned a heavy cannon and aimed it at the White Robed Pope in mid-air.
Intense crimson energy gathered in the cannon, distorting the air with its heat.
He was the first to make a move!
A dazzling beam of light shot from the cannon, piercing through the sky towards the White Robed Pope. The roar of the cannon fire was deafening, and the recoil caused the ground to tremble.
The residents outside the barrier didn't even have time to react before their vision captured this scene, and it was already over.
The Tenth Archon, Ruby Garnet Julius, was known for his decisiveness on the battlefield. He might not give his teammates a signal before striking, delivering the decisive blow.
'Julius, what about the civilians?' Twelfth Archon, Cat's Eye Bianca, exclaimed in shock.
Fortunately, she sensed the change in Julius' aura and understood what he was about to do.
Julius was using his ultimate move, the compressed mana beam cannon.
But before she could finish scolding Julius, the situation in the sky silenced her words.
The White Robed Pope didn't dodge or defend himself, not even making a single defensive move.
He quietly hovered in mid-air, allowing the intense beam of light to rush towards him.
The energy beam split into two in front of the Pope, as if blocked by an invisible barrier.
Two beams of light split from the Pope's side, shooting towards the distant sky and eventually dissipating into the clouds.
Throughout this, the White Robed Pope remained unmoved.
He didn't use any spells and showed no signs of mana, yet he effortlessly withstood Julius' full-power attack.
For a moment, Julius' eyes widened in shock.
His heavy cannon still emitted hot air, but he was frozen in place.
He stared at the White Robed Pope in the sky, unharmed, as if he had never seen anyone who could take a direct hit from his cannon and remain unscathed.
The other Archons also realized the seriousness of the situation at that moment, but before they could blame Julius for his rash preemptive strike, they became aware of the severity of the situation.
No one knew the power of Julius' full-power attack better than them. As a specialized burst output, Julius' attack was not something any of them could casually block.
Julius glared at Hestinos, Salone, and Gat, his eyes filled with hostility.
Perhaps, in his eyes, an enemy of this caliber was at least a challenge for the first three Archons.
Gat pretended not to see, unwilling to provoke an unknown opponent without reason.
He hadn't figured out how the White Robed Pope had blocked Julius' attack.
If there had been spellcasting or mana usage, it would have been easier to explain.
This indicated the use of an evasion, defense, or immunity-type item.
However, based on current observations, the opponent's defense didn't seem to fall into these categories. There were only two possible explanations: either an extremely high-level defense spell that others couldn't detect, but even an Epic-level spell would have a limited number of uses; or the opponent was incredibly powerful, with a defense so strong it was incomprehensible, and Gat couldn't even hurt him.
Salone gripped his sword hilt, and it was a firm grip.
Facing such a formidable foe, he was eager to test his skills.
Salone's eyes seemed to see through the opponent's aura, mana flow, and potential evasion directions. He saw nothing but weaknesses, as if the opponent was standing there defenseless, ready to be struck at any moment.
Yet, this strange enemy also gave him a sense of invulnerability, as if any attack would be useless.
Hestinos, on the other hand, maintained a calm and collected demeanor.
His sword-wielding hand tightened, veins popping out.
'Interesting,' he muttered, his gaze fixed on the White Robed Pope.
Hestinos had wanted to test his sword against this troublemaker since the start.
He had been patient, enduring for a long time, maintaining his troublesome image and considering the safety of the foolish civilians. Even if he wanted to kill them, he would have to wait until he had complete control, and then slowly take his time to kill them.
Throughout Brillada, the broadcast covered every corner of the city-state, enveloping it in a solemn atmosphere.
At this critical juncture, a confrontation seemed inevitable.
Snowflakes danced in the air.
'War Gods, the world you see now is not real and incomplete because you see the world with your eyes open. From now on, you must learn to see the world with your eyes closed,' the White Robed Pope said, not angered by Julius' sneak attack or suddenly starting a devastating war. Instead, he spoke with a hint of regret.
But behind him, the White Robed followers and the War Gods stared at each other with hostility.
This put pressure on the War Gods.
If they made another move...
The group behind the White Robed Pope might also take action.
A battle between twenty Eighth Ranks.
It would no longer be a Bloodwash Day-level disturbance. The disaster might spread from the capital, Brillada, throughout the Botswana Province, a kingdom-sized area, within hours, causing its destruction.
'Enough,' Hestinos' voice was gentle, but it carried undeniable authority. 'If you insist on endangering Brillada, let me tell you what it means.'
As his words fell, Hestinos' hand officially rested on the hilt of the Seros Empire's Spirit Sword.
'I had intended to observe the Empire for a while longer, but now I must stop you.'
"The White-Robed Pope gazed upon the temporary, oversized barrier erected in Crethia Memorial Square, and addressed Hestinos with his final concession, "Within an hour, if you don't make a move, I won't either. Let the nearby residents evacuate and give us the battlefield."
He spoke with kindness.
"Are you challenging me?" Hestinos smiled, a rare occurrence, "I'll just cut you all down, won't I?"
He stared at his opponent, silently mouthing the words, his eyes filled with mockery, as if questioning the other party's intentions. He was relying on the safety of the residents to threaten and pressure the White-Robed Pope, but only if he possessed the power to do so.
However, Hestinos wanted to show everyone from Brillada that he held absolute power, so he didn't need to compromise. He led the War Gods in expelling the enemy, ending the battle without endangering Brillada's safety.
This was the moment to showcase his absolute rule to everyone!
The next second, the Divine Era's Silver Radiance burst forth from its sheath, illuminating the entire sky.
The radiance was like countless stars burning simultaneously, instantly engulfing the clouds above the square and turning the sky as bright as day. A thunderous roar echoed, causing the entire city of Brillada to tremble.
In an instant, the heavens and earth changed.
The sky, once shrouded in clouds, was suddenly cleaved by an invisible giant sword. At the edges of the rift, space warped, as if time and space had lost their rules under the sword's might.
When Hestinos drew the Seros Spirit Sword, the gathering of power alone was enough to make all enemies seem insignificant and easily defeated in the face of his Ninth Rank pressure.
The air became thick and heavy, making every breath in Brillada City a struggle.
It was as if an invisible giant hand was exerting its power, and even through the distant barrier, the terror was inescapable.
With Hestinos' strike, any enemy would be obliterated!
The other War Gods' faces paled in that instant.
The mere release of sword energy within the barrier caused their skin to sting, their blood to flow backward, and their internal organs to tremble violently.
Salom tightly gripped his sword hilt.
Only he, having reached the peak of the Eighth Rank, understood the vast difference between this power and the Eighth Rank domain, and how unattainable it was.
The strongest Ninth Rank slash tore through the sky, aiming directly at the White-Robed Pope and the congregation behind him, intending to cut them all down!
The air screamed in agony under the sword's might, and where the sword light passed, buildings and statues crumbled like paper before the overwhelming sword energy.
Countless sword energies separated from the main beam, forming a dense web of sword shadows that surrounded the White-Robed Pope and his followers.
All the War Gods instinctively prepared their defenses, certain that even though the strike wasn't aimed at them, any misstep could result in injury from the aftermath!
This time, the White-Robed Pope finally made his move.
Behind his mask, he seemed to be smiling lightly or perhaps speaking.
But no one could hear what he was saying in the silence that followed.
Time seemed to accelerate in that moment, and the surging Silver Radiance turned into tangents, enveloping the congregation as it descended from the sky.
In the quiet, the snow-covered Crethia Memorial Square suddenly erupted with a deafening roar, like a thousand thunders, causing the entire city of Brillada to tremble.
As Hestinos indifferently watched everything in the distance being engulfed, his eyes flickered.
The other War Gods' expressions turned to shock, and they stood on guard.
They couldn't believe that this person had appeared here!
The entire downtown area of Brillada was suddenly engulfed by a raging wind, shaking the city as if it were the beginning of creation.
This wind started as a small whirlwind but quickly grew into a storm powerful enough to sweep away everything in its path.
Under the violent wind magic, all attacks, including Hestinos' previous Ninth Rank strike, became as fragile as paper, easily scattered by the wind.
The sun rose over the city, like a blessing of sweet dew.
The awe-inspiring radiance that struck the soul demonstrated the mighty force that formed all things in the world. The Divine Era's brilliance shone through the White-Robed Pope, as he manipulated the flow of clouds and transformed the sky. The power that pierced through the cloud layer carried the unique breath of wind, gently caressing the earth. Snowflakes froze in mid-air, defying gravity and rising!
The sky lit up, and Brillada's clouds were blown away.
In ancient legends, the Wind God controlled the direction of the wind, his voice a gentle murmur and a thunderous decree.
And in the heart of the storm stood the Wind God himself.
This simple clash didn't harm him in the slightest, nor did it affect the residents behind him.
It was merely the wind that caused his mask to fall naturally.
"You seem to have some misunderstandings, so let me clarify."
The wind blew across Loren's forehead, causing his hair to cover his eyes, except for the exposed bright blue iris that shone with intensity, "Hestinos, you are the challenger."
He pointed at Hestinos, no longer hiding his arrogance as he spoke.
Off-screen.
"Damn, Loren!!!"
Instantly, the entire Echter Academy erupted in cheers, and even the royal capital of Echter itself reverberated with the sound of cheers from various rooftops.
The face on the screen was none other than their Grand High Priest!
Especially for the students of Echter Academy, they loved watching Loren, their Grand High Priest, in action.
In that moment, the gloom of war was swept away, and the students and teachers in front of the open-air square cheered and stood up from the steps, waving their hands or clenching their fists in excitement.
---
I've been averaging over 10,000 words per day, and I'm asking for double the monthly votes during the National Day holiday! Let's give 'The Human Register' one last push on the monthly vote leaderboard before the conclusion! Oh, please!
(End of Chapter)
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