After the Storm Lord gave the signal, a cataclysmic black storm erupted centered on the super-large teleportation array, demolishing every pillar and dome of the Cathedral of Radiance that had been fortified with Divine Arts.
The buildings on the left melted like glass, while those on the right froze into clusters of ice crystals—both translucent and shimmering with otherworldly hues. Then, as the extremes of heat and cold exchanged places, everything crumbled into powder and gas.
At the same time, bolt after bolt of silver lightning, writhing like massive serpents within the storm, crackled down upon the super-large teleportation array. Each bolt seemed to carry a terrifying aura of annihilation. The tremendous electromagnetic force warped the surrounding scenery, and the deafening roar of wind and thunder sounded like a series of soul-shaking booms.
This was Fernando's fundamental legendary spell—the Raging Storm!
Yet the Divine Protection, cast by Angel King Meikantelon through the projection of Heavenly Mountain, seemed to place him and the super-large teleportation array in an entirely different world. It was an ideal realm accessible only to Holy Spirits and Angels, a sanctuary where the
The destruction-laden storm, lightning, extreme heat, and bitter cold passed straight through the Divine Protection as though they existed in separate realities. Those ripples that did not belong to this world, those ethereal colors, gently shimmered in silence.
It truly was the Divine Protection. It truly was the Angel King—that Supreme Angel who had once descended, an existence at the very peak of the legendary realm!
And this time, he seemed to have descended in his true form!
The Magic Parliament and Lucian had always believed that it was Saer de pulling the strings behind the radicals' manipulation by the mysterious figure known as the "Great Prophet" and the "Incarnation of the Angel King," so their preparations had been aimed primarily at him. They never expected it to actually be the real Angel King—the being nicknamed the "Minor God of Truth."
Perhaps the powerful figure behind Saer de was none other than him!
Then what was his relationship with the Pope and the other members of the Cardinal Conclave? Were they cooperating to set a trap, or deliberately pitting both sides against each other for their own gain?
Fernando continued casting his legendary spell while his thoughts raced, considering the objectives of Meikantelon and Saer de, and simultaneously readying contingency plans.
The Cathedral of Radiance, stripped of its Divine Arts barrier, crumbled into ruins under the Raging Storm.
This turn of events transformed all their suppressed anxiety into raw tension and dread. Just then, a calm, steady voice echoed from midair: "Fall back to Alinger. The rest of you, fight alongside me. The Divine Protection may be known as the pinnacle of spatial defensive spells, said to be impervious to all damage, but it still has its limits. Working together, we can break through!"
The man who had stood unwavering for centuries, the pillar supporting the Magic Parliament, had arrived. That familiar, kindly voice eased the tension and dread in Tampo and the other mages. As long as His Excellency the Chairman did not fall, the Parliament would not suffer a catastrophic blow!
In the air,
"Element Dominator," "Hand of Annihilation," "Ice Witch," "Prophet," "Curse Eye," "Star's Light," "Sun King," "Alchemy Grandmaster"... Seeing all eleven of the Magic Parliament's legendary mages assembled here—five of them Grand Archanists, one at the very peak of the legendary realm—Donald and the others grew calmer still and flew into Alinger as its Maze Lock opened.
And around Alinger, brilliant "stars" ignited one after another. This sky city, possessing one of the most formidable Maze Locks in existence, could function as a powerhouse approaching the third tier of legendary power at critical moments—though its energy reserves could not sustain this for long, unless Lucian's proposed "Eternal Furnace"—a magnetic confinement controlled nuclear fusion reactor—could become reality.
......
Luntate Monastery.
Arthur, whose bearing was both rigid and keen, stood before the radical faction's Cardinals, Bishops, and Priests, speaking with fervent devotion: "The time has come for us to be martyrs!"
"Eternal is the Truth alone!" These Cardinals and Bishops all knelt before the cross and began praying in low voices.
Arthur turned, crossed his arms over his chest in the shape of a cross, prostrated himself face-down upon the ground, and chanted:
"You are the One, and the All."
"The beginning, and the end."
"The Creator, and the Sovereign."
"...Your will shall be done on earth, as it walks in your kingdom."
The other Cardinals followed in recitation:
"...Your will be done on earth, as it walks in your kingdom."
Soft rays of Sacred Light emanated from within their bodies, drenching them in pure, luminous color. Behind them, what seemed like pairs of feathered wings materialized. These streams of Sacred Light merged together, rapidly swelling into a vast sea that surged eastward toward Luntate.
Holy Knight