Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 910 - 845: Just Another Conquest
"The [Secret] of the Leader of the Holy Light’s death—its worth—I do not have an equivalent [Secret]."
The inorganic voice revealed a trace of regret, but the anomaly of the transaction did not dissipate; [Mystery] displayed its greed.
It was not about the lack of equivalency but rather "not being unable to pay." Merchants are never satisfied with fair exchanges; they exploit the client’s needs to extract gains. What Mr. Dark truly desired, he and [Mystery] were both well aware of.
"The answer."
"The primordial concept, as a fragment of the world itself—you can provide me with the answer I seek. Use the secret of the angel’s fall as payment, [Mystery], respond on behalf of heaven for me."
"Having experienced betrayal, having embraced death, their monumental deeds undone, has the radiance of the heavens ever dimmed?"
...
The Pact-Maker violated the rule of secrecy, revealing the priceless secret that lacked equivalency before the masses. Spielberg endured the agony of soul-tearing and roared: "No! Mr. Raymond! The Angel of Light has never fallen! He has never dimmed! Never succumbed! Remaining pure and noble, blooming with splendid light in the darkness!"
The complete voice rang within the Ring of Andrei. The corrupted angel ceased its movements, and the twin cataclysmic wails and roars also came to a halt. Flesh stirred and transformed into branches, weaving a net over its form. The slumbering one’s tendrils descended from behind the angel, like collapsing stone pillars, encircling the suspended angel completely. The tendrils isolated the angel from the others, yet the corrupted angel merely halted its motion, with no further transformation initiated.
"Now, Lyle!"
Only one person could hear the excited voice. Lyle raised his hand, blood spewing from the tips of his fingers. From the shadows, a mass of pitch-black flesh was thrown—the Fragment of Evil God imbued with spiritual essences, painstakingly prepared by Nia. Soul, medium, vessel—the Spirit Summoner carefully adjusted the discrepancies among the materials; this was his sole task.
A grand light descended behind Lyle. With the barrier of the divine net lifted, many figures capable of wielding holy light emerged. This concentrated luminosity fell like golden dust scattered midair, as Pope Atrax began to chant.
"O Holy Light, I beseech your benevolence to forgive his transgressions, your mercy to cleanse his sins. Recreate a pure heart and instill righteous spirit within him. I, Atrax, your devoted servant, offer the trials of life in sacrifice and beseech your compassion to flow into this repentant soul."
[O Light, Redeem this soul.]
The hymn resounded, light piercing through the mists, delivering grace. Divine angelic shadows scattered sacred feathers and blessed the flesh incarnate with their holy presence, as blood beckoned the departed soul. The sacred wind dispelled impurity; the resurrection’s miracle brought forth the rebirth of a resplendent angel.
Angel of Water, Gallaron Loshutar.
He opened his eyes, restrained divine light exploding in an instant like the flash of blades. Without pause, he became a stream of radiance, rushing toward the corrupted angel trapped within the cage.
"O Light, I shall protect the weak and stand against the world-ending Raymond."
The power of the Water Angel, the concept of [Benevolence], activated.
"O Light, I shall avenge the wrongs and confront the cruel George."
[New condition detected: Concept of Revenge, condition fulfilled.]
[Transforming entity [Backstabbing Angel] into a new Avenger.]
The power of the Fire Angel, the concept of [Revenge], activated.
"O Light, I shall save the world and resist the vile Triton."
[Justice, be with you.]
The power of the Light Angel, the concept of [Justice], activated.
Now, all Crusader leaders had succumbed to corruption. The concepts they established had chosen their closest new proxy. Gallaron erupted with unparalleled light, harnessing angelic powers to strike at his brethren. Against the cumulative force of angelic powers, the Evil God’s tendrils proved frail. Corruption barely reached the sacred form of the angel before dissolving away. This angelic body not only wielded holy light but was inherently comprised of the mutated Fragment of Evil God, rendering it nearly immune to corruption.
"Longinus!"
"..."
[Justice]-empowered right arm materialized Raymond’s weaponry—the Godslaying Spear erupted with lightning and flame, piercing into the corrupted angel’s core. Moments echoed in eternity; the spear embedded itself into the seam where the silent head and raging head joined, slicing through the corrupted angel like hot steel through butter, leaving only a sliver of flesh behind.
[My angel! Purify everything!]
The slumbering Triton sensed unprecedented threats, relinquished control over the corrupted angel, and issued a command at the last moment—intending to provoke Raymond’s Tenth Tier form. His plan was to deploy the absolute Purifier to obliterate his enemies completely.
With no corruption to hinder him, the Angel of Light ascended at unparalleled speed to become the merciless Purifier. In the first second, he locked onto Gallaron—the Angel of Water—by sheer magnitude of strength. In the second second, he recalled [Justice] and the Divine Spear and struck Gallaron down. Without dwelling on the inevitable demise of the fallen, the Purifier shifted his gaze to the retreating slumbering Triton and the Dragon Father Yemotal. He wasted no time in hesitation; the Purifier, unmoving at his center, began to amass power to execute the ritual to eradicate all life on the planet. In the eyes of the Purifier, Triton’s Divine Realm had already enveloped the majority of the planet, inciting the perception that the world was saturated with filth.
"You won’t have your way, Raymond!"
A mist of blood converged behind the angel. With his flesh destroyed, the Angel of Water succumbed rapidly to corruption under the influence of the evil god infant Lyle—with far greater swiftness due to his willing intention. The once-elegant vampire angel now sneered wildly and drove a blood-forged longsword through the Purifier’s lower back.
The concept of [Benevolence] inverted, [Betrayal] enacted.
"If my destiny is to lead angels to fall, then I shall embrace this fate and drag you down from heaven once more! My brother, this is the blade that severs beloved bonds."
The deeper the love, the deeper the resentment. The greater the admiration, the greater the disdain.
The corrupted angel twisted his emotions and descended into madness upon laying ruin to his closest companions and dearest beloved.
The corrupted angel fell.
His tier of power shattered—from Tenth Tier, he plunged.
The sustainment of physical form severed; the corrupted angel disintegrated.
The silent angel unfolded its arms, clasping the two heads in its grip and crashing them into one another. At the moment of collision, holy light purified them, tainted flesh turning to ash. Angelic wings extended anew.
The Angel of Light, Raymond Mellock, stepped onto the battlefield.
"Enough, stop causing trouble, you two."
The Angel of Earth, Lyle Bidmont, entered the fray.
"It is an honor to fight alongside you again, Lord Raymond. But... why am I tangled up in these bandages?"
The—uh—Void Fallen Angel, George Edmund, entered the fray.
"Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot! Raymond! You’re scorching me with holy light again! This is the end for you!"
The Angel of Light glanced at the dissipating blood mist in the sky. Holy flames reignited, further accelerating the collapse of the phantom.
"Gallaron, my brother."
The Blood Bead drew a faint smile; the Angel of Water spoke nostalgically.
"At least, my confessions were true."
"Lead us to victory once again, my beloved elder brother."
The Angel of Water returned to the Netherworld.
"For the Holy Light! For Justice! For Humanity!"
The Crusader leaders regained consciousness, and the Legion of Holy Light freed itself from corruption.
Raymond stood tall as a banner before the divine. Behind him, the Paladins rallied once more, blessings flickering like flames, and the army radiant as golden light—steadfast and united in resolve.
