The storm came swiftly and left just as fast.
Not long after the rain stopped, the sky cleared, and sunlight poured through the clouds, shining down upon Incarnation.
At that moment, she looked like an angel descended to earth—her entire being radiating a sacred glow.
Still bound to the cross, Rvy watched the sight, her eyes welling with tears. "Does God... truly exist?" she whispered.
Born into a noble family, she had always scoffed at the Church's lies and hypocrisy.
But now, seeing the miracle with her own eyes, she could not find words for the storm of emotions rising in her heart.
"Father Pucci," Incarnation said coldly, "were you not saying just now that I am a witch?"
"I... I..." Father Pucci stammered, unable to form a coherent response.
"The angel stands with me now, bearing witness. Those who lie shall fall into Hell and never be reborn."
"Father Pucci—tell me. Are we witches?"
Her voice carried a divine authority.
"You... she... they..."
Father Pucci stared at her in terror. For a moment, he thought he was seeing things—Incarnation's entire body was shimmering with light.
The radiance, of course, was merely an effect added by the Will of Ruler using Honkai energy.
It had no other purpose but to look impressive.
As a priest, Father Pucci knew well what Hell was said to be.
An angel. An angel had truly descended upon her.
His panic did not go unnoticed by the crowd. Many of the townsfolk began to exchange uneasy looks, realization dawning on their faces—they had been deceived.
"Father Pucci," Incarnation's voice rang out, clear and cold, "your sins, the Church's sins, and the sins of these foolish people have provoked God's wrath. Divine punishment has only just begun."
"Death is not the end. In Hell, you shall face judgment and eternal torment."
Her words sent a wave of panic through the crowd.
Father Pucci collapsed to his knees, trembling violently, his face pale as snow.
Once, he had committed sins without remorse, believing neither in God nor Hell.
But now—
Now, God was real. An angel stood before him.
Every sin he had ever committed would have to be repaid.
"I-I was wrong! I confess my sins! Please forgive me!" Father Pucci pleaded desperately, bowing low.
"The angel says forgiveness is not mine to grant," Incarnation replied coolly. "That belongs to Hell. My task is merely to send you there."
She swept her gaze across the crowd. "The markings on your bodies are not a witch's curse—they are God's punishment."
"Punishment for your false accusations... for your cruelty toward the innocent women you called witches."
"God's punishment?!"
The words alone were enough to send the crowd into chaos, terror spreading across their faces.
Ignoring them, Incarnation turned to Rvy and the others and spoke softly:
"Break."
The ropes binding the girls' hands and feet snapped instantly, severed by an unseen force.
Rvy fell from the cross, landing on the ground.
"Cleanse the pain."
At her words, every wound on the girls' bodies vanished.
"Are you all right?" Incarnation asked gently, smiling at the rescued girls.
Overwhelmed by relief, they broke down in tears. They had been certain they would die—yet now, they lived.
Rvy did not cry. She looked down at herself, confirming her injuries were gone, then raised her eyes to Incarnation.
Could such a miraculous power truly come from God?
"Sister Incarnation," she asked quietly, "what you said—about God punishing the Church—was that true?"
The Church claimed to be God's representative on earth.
For a nun to say such a thing meant declaring war on the entire Church.
"It's true," Incarnation answered with a nod.
"The angel brought me God's revelation. The Church has long since fallen—its priests corrupted by greed and lust. It no longer deserves to exist."
"I will found a new Church—the Church of Revelation."
"..."
Rvy looked around at the murmuring crowd, their faith wavering for the first time.
If the Church's higher ranks were to hear such words, they would undoubtedly label Incarnation a heretic, a cultist, or even the devil's emissary—and dispatch paladins to hunt her down.
For a nun to openly declare such things... could it be that God had truly granted her divine revelation?
Not only revelation—it seemed she also had an angel by her side.
"Incarnation, may I join your Church of Revelation?"
Rvy knew that even if she survived today, the Church's knights would eventually come for her. There would be no escape.
"Of course you may."
After spending time in communion with the angel, Incarnation had learned one thing for certain—
the angel favored beautiful women.
Turning to face the gathered townsfolk, Incarnation raised her voice and declared, "People, will you not join the Church of Revelation? Will you not seek redemption for your sins?
"Our God is the same as before—but He has abandoned the corrupted Church that has fallen into darkness.
"Soon, divine punishment will descend upon the world. Many will be cast into Hell for judgment. But I can intercede on your behalf—stay God's hand for a time, and allow you to live, to atone for your sins and lessen your punishment."
At her words, the crowd stirred, their hearts trembling with hope and fear alike.
Then, from among them, a frail man stepped forward—his family supporting him. Days ago, he had gone to church and been sprinkled with holy water by Father Pucci, only to contract the Honkai plague.
"I... I'll join," he said weakly.
Incarnation clasped her hands to her chest, closing her eyes in prayer. "O Lord, forgive this man's sins—for now."
Before the crowd's eyes, the violet markings on the man's body began to fade—vanishing completely within moments.
"It's gone!"
"He's healed!"
"I'll join!"
"Me too!"
...
Witnessing the miracle, the townsfolk—those stricken by divine punishment—now saw redemption before them. Nearly everyone chose to join.
Father Pucci, exposed as a liar and deceiver, was seized by the furious crowd and burned alive upon a cross.
Thus, the Church of Revelation was born.
Incarnation became its bishop.
Originally, she had wished to reform the Church from within. But the angel had told her that its leadership was rotten—no longer true believers of God.
Reform would only threaten their power and provoke their wrath.
Eventually, she would have to purge them anyway.
If so, why not begin the purification now?
Faced with the angel's logic, Incarnation could not find words to refute it.
The spread of the Honkai plague—this black death—threw the entire Western world into chaos and fear.
History had already proven how terrifying such a plague could be.
Yet this outbreak was unlike any before it. The vast majority of the infected were men.
Rumors spread across nations—a divine curse, people whispered.
A punishment upon the Church for branding women as witches... for torturing and killing them in God's name.
A punishment for the fools who aided them.
God had abandoned them.
Naturally, the Church refused to accept such heresy.
They sent out their blessed saints, holy sons, and paladins to display miracles, calm the faithful, and restore order—while secretly launching an investigation.
With its vast intelligence network, the Church quickly traced the truth back to Incarnation and the Church of Revelation.
The Church of Revelation was the only one capable of curing the mysterious new plague.
Its bishop, Incarnation, had once been a nun of the Church. Rumor claimed she had received God's revelation and divine power—and that an angel accompanied her.
But to the Church's high council, who had long known that "gods" and "angels" were merely the products of human faith made manifest, such claims were meaningless.
Through specific rituals and methods, the Church's leaders could summon angels into chosen vessels, greatly enhancing their strength.
Those vessels were individuals born with spiritual power.
To them, Incarnation was no divine messenger—merely another awakened mortal who had stumbled into power.