"Ordinary mortals can't defeat the Devil," Isabella mused. "That's why the Church has God's punitive army."
They possess boundless strength, free from pain and fear, serving as the ultimate weapon against the Devil. Though incapable of autonomous movement, this very limitation may not be a drawback in military campaigns.
Such a formidable force is naturally beyond the defense of ordinary mortals.
Without the city walls to back them up, trying to defeat these elite Church members in close combat is simply a pipe dream.
The golden tide was the Inquisition Army, their main force storming through the main gate of Wolfheart City and clashing with the assembled defenders. The red accents represented God's Punishment Army, who scaled the collapsed walls as if walking on water, then began slaughtering the enemies attempting to hold their ground.
"Are you going to help them?" She turned to look at Jie Luo.
The latter yawned. "No, my Magic Power is limited and must be reserved for vital objectives." "You could fight with swords, hammers, or crossbows," Isabella pouted. "They can't possibly defeat you anyway." Jie Luo shook her head. "They'd easily win if I went, and they'd win just as easily if I stayed. I don't want to do such pointless things." "Alright," she changed the subject. "Why did you do that earlier?" "What?" "Playing with the captive," Bishop's face stiffened. "He seems to dislike this trial. And the next Pope might be him—you could face consequences." "Lord Main will be angry because he hasn't become Pope yet," Jie Luo said nonchalantly. "When he walks into the library on the top floor of the Secretariat, he'll understand this is how to please God." "What... how?" "Playing with it," the Pure One stroked his snow-white hair tousled by the wind. "God has never descended to earth or protected humanity. He only uses an intangible goal to make us rush toward it, longing for His grace. Doesn't this resemble the trial we just witnessed? I at least gave him a clear objective, but God has nothing. He didn't even guarantee the goal's existence—everything's just our wild speculations. Yet we still throw ourselves into it... Tsk tsk, that's the ultimate form of manipulation." "What the hell is he talking about? Why can't I understand a single word?" Isabella frowned. "Have you been to the Library?" "No," she shrugged. "All this was told to me by Lord Oberlan. He's not a Witch—his lifespan is nearing its end. I heard that when mortals reach their final moments, they can't help but relive their life experiences in their minds and desperately seek someone to confide in. He even planned to have me devour him before I die." "You can't—" "Of course not. That would make Lord Mayn furious," Jeroe interrupted. "Don't worry, I know what to avoid." She gave a secret smile. "What if I lose? Wouldn't I just give him my body for free?" "I don't think so. If you lose, probably nothing will happen." Isabella sighed. This man was peculiar, probably due to her abilities—after devouring so many people, there were few sensations left unexperienced in the world. That's why Jeroe rarely pursued anything seriously. Everything she did was for pleasure, and it had to be extraordinary fun.
Isabella shifted her gaze back to the battlefield. Suddenly, a group of desperados emerged from the city walls and charged at God's Punishment forces. Most were pierced by whistling spears as they approached, but a few managed to evade and close in. Then came the explosion, and the rising smoke obscured the breach in the wall.
This must be the alchemical weapon from the last siege battle. She thought its power seemed formidable—a solid choice to contain the demonic beasts. But confronting God's Punishment would be suicidal. Without the pill, they wouldn't even get close to the God's Punishment warriors.
Meanwhile, the golden ocean's flow slowed, and a raging fire suddenly erupted beneath the city gates, cutting off the Inquisition Army from the city. Some of the flames clung to people, and even rolling on the ground couldn't extinguish them.
"Um... the God's Stone behind the door has several times the normal density, and there are two of higher quality. Looks like a high-profile guest is coming," Isabella mused.
"Since that's the case, let's go down." Jie Luo stretched lazily.
"But these two aren't the Wolf King or the Queen of Emerald Waters," she glanced toward the inner city. "The fiercest battle is still raging in the castle. Are you sure you want to go?" "The army's in trouble, isn't it? Winning by easy means and suffering a crushing defeat are two different things. I need to help Lord Oberlan's forces minimize their losses," Jelore said earnestly, tilting her head. "As I've said before, I'm wholeheartedly devoted to the Church."
By afternoon, the siege had reached its climax when the outer defenses of Wolfheart City finally crumbled. After God punished the warriors for controlling the breach, the Inquisition Army began clearing out the resistance along every street.
"The target has begun its movement," Isabella observed, her gaze fixed on the castle. "They appear to be heading toward the inland river dock." The two prominent figures who had organized the resistance were the wolf king's sons, both now consumed by Jero. Through Prince's intelligence, she confirmed that the moving God Stone was the mission's ultimate objective.
Moreover, they eliminated a corrupted Witch who bore the striking resemblance of an alien in both appearance and attire. After the Witch's demise, the number of drug-addicted militiamen daring to perish alongside God's punitive forces plummeted dramatically.
"Apparently they were planning to leave by boat," Jie Luo said with a smile. "Let's go and fulfill the mission assigned by His Majesty." The opposing party moved with remarkable caution, changing routes multiple times along the way. Upon reaching the dock, they didn't board the black-sailed ship but instead chose a small single-masted merchant vessel.
But no matter how they tried to hide their tracks, every move they made was exposed to Isabella's surveillance.
The moment the Wolf King and the Queen boarded the small boat, they were already flanked by the dock. Most of the twenty-odd people on board were the Imperial Guards. At that critical moment, even without asking, they knew something was amiss. Everyone drew their weapons, leaped off the boat, and charged straight at the Pure Ones.
Jieluo once again showcased her masterful combat skills. After snatching a guard's longsword barehanded, she locked horns with the crowd. Each strike sent opponents tumbling, yet her movements were so agile that no one could predict her next move. Whether thrusting, slashing, chopping, or parrying, Jieluo wielded her weapon with perfect timing and calculated angles. Soon, over a dozen guards lay sprawled on the ground—most meeting their end with a single fatal blow.
The wolf king drew his sword from his waist, ready to fight to the death.
"Isabella!" she cried.
"Understood." The latter then activated her power—a luminous void visible only to the Eyes of Magic Power. In Isabella's vision, the black zones formed by the various God's Stones trembled at their distinct frequencies, like ripples on water. Her controlled field vibrated in sync with these oscillations, then merged with the God's Stone areas. The ripples instantly canceled each other out, leaving the field smooth and seamless.
Jieluo instantly transformed into a spectral glow and entered the body of the Wolf King.
As the Wolf King twisted into the Pure One, Queen Bishui revealed her divine aura. "How did you wield power before the God Stone?" "Because the God Stone isn't what you think..." Isabella then calmed her trembling voice. "But you needn' t know this, because... it's coming to an end soon." Before she could finish, Jieluo lunged at Garcia Wemberton once more.