"Blinded by greed, led astray by the devil—Saer de, you have forsaken the Lord's teachings and shall suffer eternal torment," Pope Benedict II intoned in a deep, commanding voice, his words carrying a strange rhythm that seemed to stir the conscience within one's heart and bring forth tears of repentance.
He maintained his calm and composed demeanor, as though all Saer de need do was bow his head in remorse, and he could once again grant him baptism and absolve his sins.
But Saer de understood perfectly well—under normal circumstances, this attitude would mean nothing, but now, the more composed the Pope appeared, the more resolute his decision had become. Heretics were ten thousand times worse than heathens, and a heretic who sought to seize one's power and engineer one's downfall was ten thousand times worse still, someone to be cast down and trampled beneath countless boots.
This was a relationship with absolutely zero possibility of reconciliation. The Pope's reason for weaving Divine Arts into his words was to loosen his guard—he still had not determined the extent of Saer de's secrets or the backing behind him.
Saer de raised his head. The flash of panic from moments ago had vanished completely. His hair and beard bristled, as though he were a true saint martyred in defense of the Lord's glory, and he shouted with fierce reprimand: "Every Pope has seized the Lord's authority, stolen the Lord's glory, and falsely claimed to be the Lord's mouthpiece on earth—placing themselves above His Majesty the Angel King, who stands closest to the Lord! They are the greatest heretics of all! I have listened to the Lord's teachings and received the support of the Angel King, and I shall rid the world of you—the greatest devil of all!"
"It seems you have truly been blinded by so-called secrets," Benedict II said, raising his scepter.
While the two spoke, Natasha had been seizing every moment to withdraw her extraordinary power, gradually and solemnly retreating from the Earthly Paradise. Though she possessed the Sword of Truth—a third-tier Legendary artifact—she had no confidence whatsoever of surviving the aftershocks of a battle between the Pope and Saer de. Her only hope was that the Earthly Paradise could withstand the first wave.
Saer de said nothing more. His aura shifted, as though something had manifested within him—ethereal and vast, serene and supreme. In an instant, he broke free of Pope Benedict II's lock and reappeared high in the sky, ten thousand li above the earth. This level of power was absolutely at the peak of the Legendary realm!
"Devil who beseeches the Lord's authority—face your judgment!"
Benedict II raised his platinum scepter, tore through space, and pursued Saer de to the sea of clouds opposite him.
"You are One, and You are All."
"You are the instant, and You are eternity."
"You are the Creator, and You are the Sovereign."
As these sacred verses were chanted, Saer de seemed to exist in another world entirely. Mighty, holy, milky-white radiance flowed from his body, and an overwhelming sense of transcendence—of looking down upon all creation from on high—arose naturally.
Every believer in the city of Lontart was moved at that same moment, tears of joy streaming down their faces as they followed in prayer:
"You are One, and You are All."
"You are the instant, and You are eternity."
...
The ocean of sacred light within the "Earthly Paradise" calmed. The turbulent waves that had been rocking dangerously amid the clash of Legendary powers subsided, and a gentle, serene hymn drifted outward:
"You are One, and You are All."
"You are the instant, and You are eternity."
...
Wrinkles spread across Saer de's face at a speed visible to the naked eye. The luster of his skin faded, and his entire body resembled that of a desiccated corpse. His right hand rose, and in the sky above, the projection of seven tiers of Heavenly Mountain materialized. Holy radiance blotted out the sun itself, and ethereal, wondrous, joyful, soaring hymns and psalms of praise rang out in chorus. Countless rays of light began converging upon the boundless orb of light on the seventh tier.
This unmistakable scene declared one thing beyond all doubt—Saer de could also use:
"Divine Descent!"
As a competent schemer, one's own strength was always the foundation of every plan!
"So you've also received His power, touched that secret—one step further than the heretic to the north. No wonder you dared to scheme for the throne. But are you not afraid of exhausting your life force and dying on the spot?" The Pope suddenly switched to the most primitive form of faith-based communion, his tone carrying both surprise and a calm sense of expectation. "Was it you who seduced the Angel King, or did he seduce you? What exactly did you encounter in the Realm of the Dead...?"
Saer de's eyes, now clouded once more, fixed upon Pope Benedict II. "With Divine Descent, I may not die. But if you capture me, I certainly will. That secret—only one person in the world can master it. As for what I encountered... you'll have to catch me first before you can ask."
This exchange took place on the plane of spirit—completed in a mere instant.
Pope Benedict II smiled. Once again he raised the platinum scepter in his hand. An even mightier, more magnificent, more holy and supreme radiance—radiance that looked down upon all things—emanated from him, enveloping his entire figure. With devout fervor, he chanted rapidly:
"You are One, and You are All."
"You are the instant, and You are eternity."
"You are the Creator, and You are the Sovereign."
The believers of Lontart, the believers of the entire Holm Diocese, the believers of the Holy City of Lans, and all the clergy in these places felt their emotions of inspiration and joy either deepen or gently rise within them, and they followed in prayer:
"You are One, and You are All."
"You are the instant, and You are eternity."
...