Chapter 576 - 560: Day of Divine Punishment, Judgment Begins
Chapter 576: Chapter 560: Day of Divine Punishment, Judgment Begins
The Holy Mountain, the heart of the Pope’s Kingdom.
Inside the mountain’s belly, a nauseatingly thick stench of blood filled the air. A massive pit, a hundred meters in diameter, occupied the entire underground space. Viscous crimson liquid churned within; every drop was high-purity Essence of Life extracted through an Alchemy Array.
BUBBLE BUBBLE.
In the center of the Blood Pool, the liquid bulged upward, coalescing into a blurred, humanoid blood shadow. A suffocating fluctuation of energy permeated the air, though the arrays within the Holy Mountain completely masked its presence.
By the pool’s edge, the Pope, clad in a gold-threaded white robe, knelt on both knees. His forehead was pressed tightly against the freezing Obsidian floor, and he didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly. Outside, he was the spokesman of the Holy Spirit, worshiped by countless people; here, he was nothing but a fawning dog wagging its tail for scraps.
"Great Lord..." the Pope said, his voice laced with utter humility.
"I smell... anxiety," the blood shadow’s voice echoed throughout the cavern, entirely devoid of emotion, like a Deity questioning a speck of dust. "Speak."
"Teacher, the rebels have infiltrated the nobility and military of the Three Great Kingdoms. They seem to have received outside help, mastering a type of Extraordinary Power that doesn’t rely on the Holy Blood Mark." The Pope’s voice trembled with fear. "They are secretly colluding, seemingly planning to make a move on the Day of Divine Punishment ten days from now."
"Outside help? It’s nothing more than some nearly extinct demi-human race, or perhaps a blind, wandering Wizard." The blood shadow scoffed, its viscous body writhing momentarily. "It has been a hundred years. What kind of waves can a bunch of bugs who have never even birthed an Official Wizard make? Let them be. It’s the perfect opportunity to drain all that restless blood in one go."
"But, you and Lord Blood Hand..." the Pope boldly probed.
"Do not ask what you shouldn’t!" The blood water around the shadow violently exploded. A few drops splashed onto the Pope’s white robe, instantly corroding it into charred holes. The terrified Pope trembled all over, kowtowing repeatedly.
"That idiot insisted on resorting to banditry in the Gray Channel. Did he really think looting in the Sea of Magical Power was that easy?" The blood shadow snorted coldly, as if recalling an unpleasant memory. "Pay him no mind. I am only one final step away from condensing the Blood Law. As long as the Law is formed, it won’t matter even if everyone on this continent dies."
The blood shadow looked down condescendingly at the Pope. "Go, find an excuse to levy the Blood Tax one more time. I want to see the Blood Pool filled to the mark within ten days. Once this is done, I will bestow upon you the complete Flesh and Blood Rune System, allowing you to become a true Second-level Wizard."
A Second-level Wizard! This was exactly why he had followed his teacher to this remote Star Domain.
"Praise be to you, my great Teacher!" the Pope cried out, trembling with excitement.
The blood shadow said no more, slowly sinking into the depths of the Blood Pool to continue its long metamorphosis.
The Pope respectfully maintained his deep prostration until the pool’s surface had completely returned to calm. When he finally stood back up, the bone-deep humility on his face instantly vanished, replaced by undisguised ruthlessness and greed.
He thought, "A Second-level Bloodline Wizard! The threshold to immortality!"
Half a day later, an Oracle emerged from the Holy Mountain, echoing throughout the Three Great Kingdoms.
"Heretics run rampant, and Demons roam the mortal realm. To purify the world’s sins, effective immediately, the three major parishes shall temporarily impose an additional Holy Blood Baptism. All subjects over the age of twelve must offer their devotion."
The moment the news broke, the realm was in an uproar.
The Blood Tax, originally collected once a month, had already left the lower-class commoners suffering unspeakably, emaciated and sickly. This sudden, unannounced additional levy was tantamount to squeezing another drop from bone marrow that had already run dry.
A young boy looked at his mother on the bed, reduced to a mere skeleton from excessive blood drawing. His eyes mirrored those of a starving wolf forced into a corner.
Over in the Alden Royal Capital, several powerful nobles who commanded heavy military forces smashed priceless crystal goblets in a secret chamber, their faces ashen with fury.
Under the weight of this single Oracle, a volcano that had been suppressed for a hundred years had finally reached its critical eruption point.
Meanwhile, in an inconspicuous inn room within the Alden Royal Capital.
Allen looked at the message popping up on his wrist’s personal terminal. Colin’s intelligence report had arrived.
The Crimson Hand, a Black Wizard secret society of the Bloodline School. Its core members included three Dawn Star Level Wizards: the leader, Blood and Flesh Demon Lord Bajham, and members Blood Sea Monarch Kesuga and Blood Hand Sara.
A century ago, this organization occupied a Plane on the borders of the Ring City Alliance. They reveled in flesh and blood modification and plague dissemination, frequently plundering passing trade routes. After they looted and brutally murdered a private merchant caravan belonging to the higher-ups of the Ring City Alliance’s Tenth Floating City, they drew the devastating wrath of the Floating City’s expeditionary fleet.
Their leader, Bajham, was personally slain by the arriving Floating City Lord, and over ninety percent of the organization’s members were purged. Only Morning Star Wizards Kesuga and Sara went missing after being severely injured.
A century ago, Morning Star Wizards Kesuga and Sara were both newly advanced Morning Star Wizards, each having grasped only a single Law, rendering them relatively weak.
"So they’re just a pack of beaten curs," Allen said in realization. No wonder they didn’t dare show their faces in the core territories of the Wizarding World, choosing instead to run to such a remote, closed-off Plane to playact as gods.
"Jarvis, I’m also a newly advanced Wizard who has grasped a single Law. You have so much material in your database—you should at least learn how others come up with their codenames. ’Demon Lord’ this and ’Monarch’ that... it sounds so intimidating."
[Received, Commander. Now reading ’Sarcasm: From Beginner to Master’...]
"...Forget it. The enemy’s threat level is downgraded." Exasperated, Allen leaned back in his chair and took a sip of tea.
He had originally planned to call Hercules to hold the line. Now, it seemed he had saved himself from owing a favor. He could handle two newly advanced Wizards just fine.
"Jarvis, comprehensively monitor the military movements of the Three Great Kingdoms."
[The Celestial Net System has locked onto one hundred and twenty-nine anomalous gatherings. The rebel army and the Noble Private Armies have completed their change of attire. They are currently breaking into smaller groups and infiltrating toward the Holy Mountain.]
"Excellent." Allen set his teacup down, his gaze deepening. "Let the situation play out a bit longer. Once these mortals have smashed a crack into the Pseudo-God’s altar, I’ll step in and harvest the faith."
A Savior always had to make an appearance at the moment of utmost despair; only then could the natives be fully convinced.
Ten days passed amid surging undercurrents.
The Holy Blood Square, the Pope’s Kingdom.
This massive square, capable of holding a hundred thousand people, was paved entirely with pure white stone slabs. Right in its center stood a hundred-meter-tall faceless idol. Its hands were raised toward the sky, as if receiving something from above.
At this moment, a sea of people packed the square.
Three thousand Holy Temple Knights, clad in red armor and wielding halberds, formed layers of iron-clad defense lines. Their auras linked together, generating a chilling, oppressive presence that held back the Believers and commoners.
Fanatical Believers, the indifferent Holy Order Army, rebels harboring murderous intent, and ordinary civilians swept up in the spectacle—all of them crowded the area until not a drop of water could leak through.
On the elevated platform in the center of the square stood a pitch-black crucifix. A blood-stained man, his hands and feet pierced by thick iron nails, was crucified upon it. Blood dripped down from his toes, painting a shocking, gruesome sight on the white stone slabs.
His head drooped, his breath fading, yet the eyes peering through his messy hair remained fixed on the Believers below like those of an unyielding, lone wolf.
He was Seventh Violin, the former royal swordsmanship instructor of the Velti Kingdom, a man who had secretly trained countless rebel forces.
DONG, DONG.
The heavy, ancient toll of a bell echoed above the square, striking heavily against everyone’s heart.
The Pope, draped in a magnificent ceremonial divine robe and wielding a scepter, personally presided over the platform. By his side stood twelve pure, beautiful Saintesses, their heads bowed in attendance. The midday sun shone down upon them, reflecting a blinding light that made them look as though a Deity had descended to the world.
"The time has come!" a Priest stood up and declared, his voice carrying across the entire square.
Within the crowd on the square, countless eyes hidden in the shadows instantly locked onto that high platform.
A Minstrel tightened his grip on the short sword hidden in his instrument case. A one-eyed tavern owner rested his hand on the hilt of the axe at his waist. A young officer in military uniform discreetly gave a hand signal to the soldiers under his command.
The Pope slowly stood up and opened his arms, wearing a look of absolute, divine benevolence on his face.
"Lost lamb, you have been bewitched by Demons and betrayed the glory of the Holy Spirit!"
"Those who blaspheme the divine shall..." His voice echoed through the clouds. "...be purified by Divine Punishment!"