Northern Main Continent, Friesland.
While various fierce disputes surrounding the Great Desolate Sacrifice were continuously unfolding in the Ancestor Valley on the New World, rewinding time slightly, as the confrontation in the New World was initially beginning, the drama on the Main Continent was also quietly starting.
In the dead of night, high above Yarnster, under the dark sky, two massive steel warships were currently suspended. The Light Floating Churches, equipped with countless heavy weapons, were confronting each other at a height invisible to the naked eye of ordinary people. Both sides had all sorts of weapons ready, their alert levels almost maxed out, and a fierce conflict seemed imminent.
Wearing a luxurious Cardinal Archbishop's robe, Cardinal of Salvation Amanda of the Shining Light Church was currently standing at the bow of the "Extermination Sister" ship, looking ahead with a solemn gaze. On the deck of the "Holy Law Judgment" ship there, Cardinal Judge Kapak was staring at Amanda with the same gaze.
"All ships on alert... Hmph... I knew you coming here wouldn't be for anything good, sinner Olivia..." Staring at Amanda on the other ship hundreds of meters away, Kapak sent his voice using the language of the soul, while Amanda used Extraordinary means to respond to Kapak with a similar tone.
"Sinner? Heh... It seems you haven't just stripped me of my Holy Title, but have directly convicted me. Are you completely prepared to disregard the Cardinal Council, to disregard the authority of the Holy See? Vanbas..."
"The Holy See? So brazenly sheltering and indulging otherworld, letting the saint church's higher-ups be corrupted by cults, and you still have the face to mention the Holy See to me?! Don't be ridiculous! The Cardinal Council is now filled with fools like you, already incapacitated. If I still cared about this incompetent institution, how could I fulfill the Holy Duty given to me by the Holy See!" Facing Amanda, Kapak directly brandished the scepter in his hand and spoke loudly, his emotions seemingly exceptionally agitated. Listening to Kapak's words, Amanda also spoke frankly.
"Disregarding the lives of hundreds of thousands to tens of millions, obstinately carrying out a large-scale purification, performing such a horrific act of extermination against the Lord's innocent followers, is this what you call your Holy Duty? Vanbas?"
"Shut up, Olivia! A mediocre person like you who always likes to place yourself on a moral high ground to win people's hearts has no right to accuse me! You... and many Holy Mother factions like you are just incompetent people who only know how to boast! In the current situation in Friesland, what other way is there to deal with it besides purification? Are you waiting until the crisis is delayed and spreads across the entire continent before you wake up?"
Kapak said this, then pointed the staff in his hand directly at Amanda, and continued speaking after escalating his tone to almost abusive levels.
"Or maybe... you! The Cardinal of Salvation has been completely corrupted by cults. Is the so-called banner of great love that you now hold aloft actually being waved for an evil god? Have you, like Yunina, become a wicked apostate? If that's the case, then come! Use force to stop this purification that must descend no matter what! I will judge you with my life... Olivia..."
In a declarative tone, Kapak frankly announced this to Amanda. Facing Kapak's words, Amanda did not immediately respond, but after a moment of calm stillness, she silently looked at Amanda and said faintly.
"Wake up, Vanbas. Even if you successfully initiate the purification, it won't stop the Netherworld Coffin Society's conspiracy. Your purification is part of what these guys can anticipate, and it will facilitate the further development of their plan." Amanda said this to Kapak. Hearing Amanda's words, Kapak paused involuntarily, then continued speaking firmly.
"Do you think I'll believe that? Don't even think about playing any glib tricks in front of me."
"No, this isn't glib talk..." Adjusting her gaze, Amanda, staring at Kapak, continued to speak solemnly.
"Think carefully, Vanbas. What about... the large number of vengeful spirits generated during Friesland's many years of religious injustices? Where did they all go?"
"The vengeful spirits from Friesland's religious injustices? Why are you asking about that? They are, of course... Hm?"
Just as Kapak was about to say something, he suddenly seemed to realize something, and his expression immediately turned solemn. And just as this solemnity appeared, a look of confusion suddenly surfaced in his originally solemn eyes. Then, the words he was about to say were directly interrupted, and Kapak's expression returned to excitement and fanaticism.
"The vengeful spirits from Friesland's long-standing religious injustices were all secretly and quietly dealt with by those fallen Judge Lords! They are a group of villains who deceive superiors and conceal the truth from subordinates, whose crimes are unforgivable! They are a stain on the Court of Tribunal! Fortunately, I personally eliminated them back then!"
Facing Amanda's question just now, Kapak responded directly with an attitude as if it were a matter of course. Seeing Kapak's reply, Amanda was slightly taken aback, then sighed and said.
"Your understanding... is still like this?"
And as Amanda spoke, on the ship's railing of the Extermination Sister's deck, a small bird was also silently watching everything before it.
And below the position where the two Holy Steel ships were confronting each other, somewhere in the city on the ground in the dark night, Dorothy, sitting on the hotel balcony, couldn't help but frown after witnessing the scene high in the sky.
"This divinity of forgetting, the consciousness overwrite is really quite fast... It's a bit difficult now..."
Dorothy mused like this, then her thoughts drifted back to a moment ago.
...
Deep within the Netherworld, in the Underworld River.
Just as Kapak successfully escaped, but the souls of Neff and Kapak's half-soul had not yet been recalled to the present world, Dorothy was explaining the plan to "Kapak" through Neff after finishing her explanation. "Kapak" couldn't help but nod after listening.
"By way of deception, trying to get the cultists to spirit us out... That's why you had me use 'Holy Law' to help people escape... What a fantastic idea. 'Qi' symbolizes wisdom. You truly are a heritage sect of the ancient 'Qi'... I hope it succeeds.
"I also don't know if I can be spirited out together with you based on my contract with you... But given that the divine curse placed upon me is very powerful, I'm afraid that even if you get out in the end, I will still be left in the Netherworld."
In the Underworld River, "Kapak" couldn't help but speak with some emotion after listening to Naifnis's explanation, while Naifnis immediately responded.
"You can rest assured about that. Even if you can't be spirited out this time, we will think of other ways to release you back to the present world later."
"Oh... there are other ways. Your decision-makers are truly resourceful... I hope a way can be found. At this moment, I must return to the present world... otherwise, a terrible disaster will descend! I must stop all of this!"
After listening to Neff's words, "Kapak" responded with a severe expression, while Neff, after hearing "Kapak"'s words, raised her eyebrows slightly, and then, following Dorothy's prompt within her mind, asked again.
"The disaster you mentioned... are you referring to the half of you left in Friesland in the present world? That half whose mental state seems quite severe?"
"Yes... but not entirely."
"Kapak" responded frankly, then paused slightly, and in Neff's somewhat confused expression, continued to speak.
"The whole matter needs to be explained from the beginning... You... or rather, the one behind you, are you aware of Friesland's past, especially the period of religious terror after the Turbid Current War, the Judge Lords, and the history of how I ended them?"
Looking at Neff before him, "Kapak" asked this. Although Neff herself was confused by the history "Kapak" spoke of, under Dorothy's guidance in her heart, she still nodded in response to "Kapak" amidst her confusion, and seeing this, "Kapak" continued his narration.
"Decades ago, I, who had not yet held the position of Cardinal Judge, was sent to Friesland to thoroughly investigate the severe religious persecution here and almost single-handedly destroyed the Judge Lords who had ruled Friesland for hundreds of years. At that time, almost all Judge Lords were convicted. The process of evidence collection and trial for all cases went very smoothly. Those Judge Lords committed cruel acts of persecution in the Lord's name, and the evidence was conclusive. There was only one point of doubt.
"This is the issue of vengeful spirits. Although those Judge Lords sentenced a large number of unjust, false, and wrong cases, causing countless innocent people to die in prison. According to past experience, the resentment generated by those who suffered torture during their lives and died unjustly is extremely heavy. With so many people dying unjustly, the vengeful spirits generated after their deaths should resonate with each other and cause spiritual disasters. Such phenomena often occurred in Iweig in the past.
"However, in the history of religious terror in Friesland spanning hundreds of years, there has never been any record of such spiritual disasters. It was as if those who died unjustly at the hands of the Judge Lords did not generate vengeful spirits. This was also why, despite conclusive evidence from all sides, I still found it difficult to issue the final judgment against those Judge Lords, because they clung to this point, believing that since no vengeful spirits were generated, their judgments were not wrong."
In the Underworld River, "Kapak" spoke while recalling past events, while Neff on the side asked curiously.
"So, how did you convict them back then?"
"Of course, it was one of the final means of judgment... Soul Judgment..." Still maintaining a solemn expression, "Kapak" continued to narrate to Neff.
"Directly extracting the prisoner's soul and judging the soul directly. Without the assistance of other special'Silence' Extraordinary abilities, this is equivalent to judging the prisoner after first sentencing them to death. It is generally not used lightly, but when the trial situation was tending towards stagnation, we still used this method and soul-judged several typical Judge Lords.
"And the final result was that those Judge Lords in their soul state confessed without reservation to secretly dealing with the vengeful spirits of those who died unjustly. Therefore, we concluded at the time that the religious terror in Friesland over hundreds of years did not mean no vengeful spirits were generated, but rather that they were all privately handled by these Judge Lords. Their crimes were further increased by one degree, and in the end, almost all Judge Lords were executed.
"After individually judging all those Judge Lords and ending the entire era of religious terror in Friesland, I originally thought the matter of Friesland was concluded, but I didn't expect..."
"Kapak" spoke, his expression and tone becoming more severe, and at this moment, Neff also spoke curiously.
"Didn't expect what? Could it be that those Judge Lords were wronged?"
"No, they were not wronged. Their crimes were ironclad. My judgment of them itself was not wrong. It's just that this whole matter is not that simple; there are deeper factors hidden within it." Coming back to his senses, "Kapak" responded to Neff, then he cast his gaze towards the distance again, looking at the deep darkness in the Netherworld beyond the Underworld River, and continued to murmur.
"In the early part of last year, I led the organization of the Court of Tribunal's archives and personally participated in reviewing some files. Then, one particular file caught my attention.
"This was a case file submitted by a local Judge. The year before last, Prit's Bureau of Secrets Hunter in Tivian cracked a cultist case. This group of cultists was conducting soul transactions not far from the An-Yin Main Bureau. Something went wrong, and they were directly arrested by the local Hunter. Through interrogation, they were found to belong to a society called the Death Sleep Society, a subordinate organization of the Netherworld Coffin Society, responsible for helping the Netherworld Coffin Society capture valuable souls in the New World. They were arrested because they were double-crossed for various reasons."
"Kapak" narrated this, and listening to "Kapak"'s account, Neff on the side seemed to have thought of something and couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth slightly.
"According to the confession of the leader of this Death Sleep Society, they primarily operated in the New World with New Jacques as their base. While serving the Netherworld Coffin Society in New Jacques, they had once received help from an official mysterious figure from the Church. Soon, the An Yin Bureau informed the saint church of this news. The local Church in Tivian quickly relayed the information to the traveling Inquisitors in the New World.
"The New World traveling Inquisitors were already searching for clues regarding some otherworld. The intelligence from the An Yin Bureau greatly accelerated their progress, allowing them to quickly pinpoint their target. They soon apprehended the suspect, the Judge of the local Church in New Jacques, Coat Dino."
"Kapak" continued his narration, and Neff, after listening to "Kapak"'s words, couldn't help but ask curiously.
"So... is there anything special about this Coat Dino?"
He used to work under me and participated with me in the great trial of Friesland's vindication. At that time, he was responsible for the layout of the Soul Trial Ceremony site and the construction of the magic array!
Klama
withdrawing his gaze, said directly to Naifnis with an extremely serious tone. Hearing "Klama's" words, Naifnis was stunned for a moment, then realizing something, she spoke directly.
He... he was the one who set up the Soul Trial Ceremony back then? This means the Soul Trial magic array used to judge those Judge Lords was drawn by someone connected to the Netherworld Coffin Society. If he was already a member of the Netherworld Coffin Society during the great trial...
Then the Soul Trial Ceremony conducted at that time might have been problematic... the results might not have been accurate...
Klama
continued Naifnis's words with a severe expression, and then he continued to speak seriously.
After I finished reviewing Koat's case files, I immediately realized this problem. I immediately dispatched trusted confidants in secret to Friesland to cooperate with the local agencies and re-investigate the relevant matters. However, not long after, my confidant disappeared without a trace in Friesland.
At this point, I realized the seriousness of the matter, so I decided to go to Friesland myself to investigate the case. To avoid alerting the enemy, I departed from Holy Mountain under the pretext of inspecting the Courts of Tribunal in the northern part of the continent. I first went to Faloro for a tour, and then gradually approached Friesland, heading to the place I needed to go, which was where my confidant disappeared, Stinaam.
Finally, in Stinaam, I found the investigation report left there by my confidant. I understood the whole story and realized what the Netherworld Coffin Society was plotting?
Klama
spoke quickly, while Naifnis listened carefully to the answer "Klama" revealed.
Resentful spirits... this is the key to the Netherworld Coffin Society's plot... For hundreds of years, the innocent people in Friesland who died unjustly after the Judge Lords were not failing to turn into resentful spirits, but were secretly sealed by the Netherworld Coffin Society.
Over the past few hundred years, the Netherworld Coffin Society has been secretly monitoring every trial conducted by the Judge Lords, using their power to secretly 'clean up' for them, sealing all resentful spirits of the unjustly deceased that had just been generated into the earth, thus creating the illusion that the Judge Lords' trials did not cause any resentful spirits. Then, they used this in conjunction with other various methods to intensify the Judge Lords' cruelty, prompting them to escalate their brutal trials within this illusion, spreading unjust convictions throughout Friesland, allowing the darkness of religious terror to shroud Friesland for hundreds of years.
The purpose of the Netherworld Coffin Society doing this is to make these Judge Lords continuously produce a large number of various resentful spirits with deep-seated grievances for them. They sealed these resentful spirits into the earth, using hundreds of years and millions of resentful spirits as materials to construct a shocking ceremony.
And those foolish Judge Lords have been unknowingly utilized by the Netherworld Coffin Society for these past few hundred years, allowing their sins to become increasingly profound, until the great trial of Friesland arrived decades ago.
Originally, I had the opportunity to uncover the Netherworld Coffin Society's conspiracy during this great trial, but unfortunately, they had already infiltrated the trial group one step ahead. Although the infiltration was only a small fry like Koat, his position at that time was extremely important. He secretly tampered with the Soul Trial magic array, allowing the Netherworld Coffin Society to remotely interfere with the Soul Trial Ceremony, interfere with the souls of the Judge Lords being tried, influencing them to admit that the disappearance of the resentful spirits was indeed their doing, without other factors influencing it, thus dispelling my doubts at the time.
Regarding the research of souls, the Netherworld Coffin Society can be said to be the strongest in the world. Even the saint church is behind the Netherworld Coffin Society in terms of soul technology... Therefore, even I at that time could not see through the Netherworld Coffin Society's trick and did not detect the abnormality of those souls... This was my dereliction of duty... If I had been more cautious at that time, these crises would not exist today...
With a hint of regret and self-blame, "Klama" said so, and Naifnis, after hearing "Klama's" words, nodded understandingly, and then continued to speak.
So... what is the use of this shocking ceremony that the Netherworld Coffin Society has prepared for so long, using so many resentful spirits as materials?
Naifnis asked like this, and Klama, after hearing Naifnis's words, paused slightly to organize his thoughts, and then answered in a deep voice while thinking.
Regarding the specific function of this ceremony, I am not clear about it now, but what is clear is that once it succeeds, it will erupt with huge influence. According to my confidant's investigation, the countless resentful souls full of hatred were sealed by the Netherworld Coffin Society underground in Friesland and cultivated for hundreds of years. Each resentful spirit has a strength hundreds of times greater than ordinary souls, and they are gradually becoming a whole, assimilating with the land of Friesland, forming a large-scale collective of land resentment.
Now, this resentful spirit disaster is the result of countless spiritual disasters that should have descended upon Friesland being continuously delayed and merged into one, and then continuously strengthened by the Netherworld Coffin Society. It is like a huge powder keg buried underground in Friesland. It only needs a suitable medium as a fuse to be completely ignited, forming a spiritual disaster of extremely vast scale.
Although I don't know what those cultists want to do with a spiritual disaster of this magnitude? But it must be stopped!
Fuse... the fuse you mentioned, could it be...
Klama
s words, Naifnis muttered as if she had thought of something, and "Klama" also nodded in response.
That's right... the 'fuse' designed by the Netherworld Coffin Society is the purification that my other half is about to carry out. When millions of innocent people in Arnster perish due to the saint church's purification, the resentment of their souls who died unjustly will be able to resonate intensely with the collective of resentful spirits originally buried underground in Friesland, who also contain grievances from unjust deaths. This resonance will serve as a fuse, activating the ceremony, and bringing disaster to the entire Friesland and even the entire continent, carrying immense hatred!
When I was in Stinaam, I discovered the truth of this ceremony and found that the Netherworld Coffin Society was preparing to use Stinaam as a fuse to attract the saint church's future purification, thereby triggering the ceremony. Fortunately, I discovered their plan one step ahead. When I arrived in Stinaam, the construction of the entire land resentment ceremony was not yet completed, which was the best time for me! So at that time, I immediately prepared to first destroy the fuse node in Stinaam to destroy the entire ceremony. However, the Netherworld Coffin Society also took corresponding measures. They linked the citizens and the node of Stinaam through other preset ceremonies, using the citizens of a city as hostages to stop me.
But... I will not be stopped by such tricks. Taking advantage of the fact that the entire land resentment ceremony was not yet completed, I immediately carried out purification directly in Stinaam, ignoring all the hostages, because the construction of the land resentment ceremony was not yet completed, so that purification would not trigger the underground resentful spirits... I needed to eliminate them before they became a fuse.
However, at this time, some accidents occurred, causing some errors in my purification. Before my purification was completely finished... two Golden from the Netherworld Coffin Society arrived. They interrupted my purification, and I had no choice but to withdraw. You know the rest; the Netherworld Coffin Society summoned a divine curse, I was forced to split my soul, and then I, as a half-soul, and the entire Stinaam were forgotten, until now, when a turning point has appeared.
Klama
continued to speak with a severe expression. Hearing "Klama's" words, Naifnis couldn't help but swallow, and then said.
So... if your other half performs the ceremony now, it will trigger the land resentment ceremony?
That's right. After so long, I have reason to believe that those cultists have completely completed their land resentment ceremony and have chosen a new fuse node. Now it seems that this node should be Arnster...
They lured my other half to perform purification in Arnster. Once the purification begins, the land resentment ceremony will be activated, and disaster will descend... Therefore, the purification targeting Arnster is absolutely not executable!
Klama
said to Naifnis with extreme determination. Hearing "Klama's" words, Naifnis was completely stunned for a moment, until she heard the voice in her heart and then spoke again.
So... the food mixed with corpse fragments circulating throughout Friesland is just a smokescreen used by the Netherworld Coffin Society? The reason the Netherworld Coffin Society did this is to lure your other half to Friesland to perform purification, and these corpse fragments are essentially useless bait?
Under Dorothy's guidance, Naifnis asked "Klama" this, but "Klama" did not respond immediately after hearing Naifnis's words. Instead, after a moment of contemplation, he spoke again.
As for that... I'm not entirely sure either. The possibility of it being just bait exists... but it cannot be completely confirmed...
Klama
replied to Naifnis while thinking, and Naifnis also nodded thoughtfully after hearing it, and then continued to ask.
Then... I still have one last question remaining. What was the 'accident' you encountered when you were performing purification in Stinaam at that time?
Naifnis asked "Klama" directly like this, and facing Naifnis's question, "Klama" did not answer immediately, but spoke again after a period of silence.
...
Returning to Friesland, the time goes back to when the Destroyer Sister arrived above Arnster, and Amanda and Klama officially met.
Just as the two Cardinals of the Church were engaged in a fierce negotiation high in the sky, on the ground in the dark city, on a high roof in the Church District of the Soul Suppression Cathedral in the city center, a tense confrontation was also ongoing, and the two sides of the confrontation were the Archbishop of Friesland, Sinclair, and the legendary saint Sister, Vanya.
Now that Amanda has finally arrived in Arnster, thanks to you, Sister Vanya, you have won hope for this city to survive from that madman Van Bass.
I believe Amanda is currently negotiating with Van Bass up there. If Sister Vanya, you would like to participate, I can send you up as well. After all, one more person means one more chance to persuade. Even if you cannot persuade Van Bass, you can help Amanda to forcibly stop him.
Facing Vanya before him, Sinclair said slowly with his usual expression, while Vanya, not far in front of him, replied calmly.
There's no need for that... I believe Captain can persuade the Court of Tribunal, and the person I want to persuade now is not the Court of Tribunal... but you, Bishop Sinclair.
Me?
Hearing Vanya's words, a look of surprise appeared on Sinclair's face, and then he shook his head and smiled in response.
Heh... I don't know what you have to persuade me about, Sister Vanya... Haven't I been helping you save the people of Arnster? Is there something about this action that doesn't suit your wishes?
Sinclair smiled and asked Vanya in return, while Vanya continued to respond calmly.
There are indeed some things you have done that do not suit my wishes, Bishop Sinclair... If you sincerely wanted to help me save the people of Arnster, I would not mind these things, but unfortunately... you probably haven't had that intention from beginning to end...
Vanya said this to Sinclair. After hearing Vanya's statement, Sinclair's face immediately froze, his expression completely solidified on his face, and the slight smile that had been on his lips was now slowly disappearing.
What are you trying to say? Sister Vanya... Have I done something that displeased you?
Sinclair said coldly to Vanya, while Vanya at this moment continued to answer calmly without changing her expression.
Pretty much... Just as the Court of Tribunal said before, food mixed with corpse fragments has been circulating in your jurisdiction for so long without you being aware, and cultists have been so rampant and active under your nose without you managing or questioning them... At this critical moment concerning the survival of the entire city, you, who should be doing your best to find a solution, are not moving at all... I have many dissatisfactions with you...
Vanya said this, and as she spoke, her tone gradually lengthened, and her voice gradually became heavy and serious. After her gaze towards Sinclair carried a hint of coldness, she continued to speak.
Of course, my dissatisfaction with you is based on the premise that you are an Archbishop of the saint church. If you had already betrayed the saint church and become a lackey of a cult... I might even marvel at your efficiency in working for your master...
In the cold wind blowing in the dark night, Vanya, with her skirt and robe fluttering, stared at the Sinclair in front of her and said coldly. After hearing Vanya's words, Sinclair paused slightly in place, then a smile reappeared on her lips, and she spoke again.
"I always heard that Sister Vanya is different, with divine miracles by her side... When we first met, I couldn't see where your legendary qualities were, but now I can finally get a glimpse... I'm very curious, when exactly did you realize I had a problem... Was my performance too exaggerated and artificial after Vanbas arrived?"
Grinning, Sinclair said directly to Vanya, while Vanya slowly and steadily began to speak.
"Perhaps... But maybe even before that, at some point you didn't even notice... In short, nothing in this world is flawless. Your disguise is good, but it's still full of holes..."
Vanya slowly said to Sinclair. She was right, she... or rather, Dorothy, had already realized something was wrong with Sinclair earlier today. Dorothy detected Sinclair's abnormality even before "Klama"'s reminder.
At the previous dinner hosted by Sinclair for Vanya, Vanya and Sinclair had a private chat for a while. During this time, Sinclair complained about the rift with the Court of Tribunal and didn't want to report problems to them. At this point, under Dorothy's instruction, Vanya deliberately guided the conversation, leading Sinclair to report problems to other powerful investigative agencies outside the Court of Tribunal.
And at this time... under Vanya's guidance, Sinclair actively brought up the Bureau of Secrets, and actively mentioned the Cardinal of Secrets, Artcherie.
The problem was, Artcherie herself had secretly entered the cursed land of Stinam an hour before Vanya guided this question. At that time, Dorothy had confirmed Artcherie's situation upon entering Stinam through her informants placed on the Twilight Pious Shadow. The result was that everyone had forgotten Artcherie's existence; Artcherie was directly forgotten by the world after entering the land of oblivion.
And under these circumstances... Sinclair not only remembered Artcherie's existence but could even be guided to actively bring her up, so there was definitely a problem. Vanya's guiding sentences were deliberately set up by Dorothy. From then on, Dorothy pretty much understood that Sinclair was not a good person and had already started to be wary of her.
"Bishop Sinclair, you were a colleague of the Court of Tribunal, a trusted Judge of the saint church. Why have you voluntarily fallen to the point of becoming a lackey for a cult today... Can you explain?"
Facing the Sinclair in front of her, Vanya continued to speak directly in a stern tone, while Sinclair sneered and then said.
"Vanbas's colleague? Heh... Don't put me in the same category as that lunatic! His mind is full of madness! If there's a disagreement, there's only purification! The lives of an entire city's people are not even worth a fart in his eyes! Stinam was destroyed by his hands! He's a butcher! A demon! Don't compare him to me!"
As she spoke, Sinclair's tone became increasingly agitated and loud, finally even shouting wildly. Vanya could see that her eyes were gradually filling with madness. Looking back at Sinclair's mad eyes, Vanya said in a deep voice.
"The Court of Tribunal purified Stinam to stop the Netherworld Coffin Society's conspiracy. And you... Bishop Sinclair, you are now helping the Netherworld Coffin Society complete the ritual, plotting against the lives of millions in Yarnster and even throughout Friesland. Isn't the severity of your sin far worse than that of the Court of Tribunal?"
"You don't understand! Sister Vanya, this isn't plotting! This is salvation!"
Facing Vanya's words, Sinclair shouted madly, then she spread her arms, her face contorted as she roared wildly.
"This is the salvation bestowed by the great Netherworld Lord Father! The form of the living is so fragile... It cannot withstand the tyranny of Light! All the suffering in the world... Only death can bring eternal liberation! Unlike the Three Saints who reside at the zenith, ignoring the suffering of the common people for thousands of years without saying a word! The Lord Father has promised us that He will create a world after death where everyone is equal, without sickness or hardship! Breaking free from the cycle of fate, until eternity! I love the people of Friesland... I am merely bringing them salvation to that future world ahead of time. The Lord Father has promised us a paradise in the Netherworld!"
With unprecedented fanaticism, Sinclair spoke excitedly to Vanya, her face beginning to show obvious distortion.
"As long as Light reigns in the heavens, the arrogant ones like Vanbas, who are high above and oblivious to the suffering of the multitude, will be endless. I have figured it out and will no longer be bound by the boring concepts of life and death. The Lord Father once said that the sun's tyranny has cruelly ruled the world for thousands of years, and its remnants still remain; this is the root of all disasters and suffering in the world.
"Sister Vanya... I can see the kindness in your heart. You are not the same kind of person as Vanbas. I admire you, so come... Come with me, return to the embrace of the Lord of the Netherworld, and with me... extinguish the setting sun, and completely end the sun's tyranny!"
Facing the Vanya in front of her, Sinclair extended her hand, making an inviting gesture, while Vanya at this moment looked at the contorted face of Sinclair, remaining silent.
And at this moment, in Vanya's heart, Dorothy's voice sounded at the right time.
"Last April, Judge Klama in Stinam exposed the Netherworld Coffin Society's conspiracy. To stop the Netherworld Coffin Society's planned Earth Resentment Ritual, Klama immediately decided to purify Stinam.
"At that time, Klama's decision was met with strong opposition from the Archbishop of Friesland, Sinclair. Sinclair could not bear to see the living beings of Stinam suffer and resolutely opposed Klama's purification action, and quickly set off from Yarnster to rush to Stinam, wanting to save the city.
"However, when Sinclair arrived in Stinam, Klama's ritual had already begun, and nearly half of Stinam's people had been destroyed by the purification. Seeing her people under her rule suffering such hardship, Sinclair had a mental breakdown, verging on madness, and attacked Klama recklessly. Klama was ambushed by Sinclair, and because he considered the other party a friend from the past, he did not immediately kill her, which led to the interruption of the purification. By the time Klama controlled Sinclair and prepared to resume the purification, the Netherworld Coffin Society's Golden Extraordinary had already arrived.
"Afterward, the Netherworld Coffin Society's Golden drove back Klama and captured the controlled Sinclair. They took advantage of Sinclair's mental breakdown and collapsed belief to corrupt her with high intensity, twisting her will and completely turning her into the Netherworld Coffin Society's hawk... secretly continuing to prepare plans for the Netherworld Coffin Society..."
In Vanya's heart, Dorothy recounted the story she had just heard from Klama's half-soul in the Netherworld. Sinclair was the "accident" that "Klama" had referred to earlier.
After listening to Dorothy's narration within her heart, Vanya let out a slight sigh. She looked at Sinclair and said with a firm gaze.
"Please wake up... Bishop Sinclair, you have been corrupted by the Netherworld Coffin Society cult... What you just said is definitely not your own will! Please come to your senses!"
"Come to your senses? Heh... I am very clear-headed right now, never more so than I am now..." Facing Vanya's persuasion, Sinclair sneered, then spread her arms and continued to say loudly.
"It is you who needs to wake up! Sister Vanya! However, it is probably difficult to make you realize through words, so let me use some other means!"
As she spoke, a faint glow began to appear around Sinclair, showing a dangerous Spirituality reaction. Vanya could see that the other party was about to make a move.
And just as Vanya and Sinclair below were both ready to fight, suddenly above them, a dazzling light erupted, dispelling and illuminating a large area of darkness on the ground.
Accompanying that dazzling light was a subsequent violent roar and a powerful Spirituality reaction from the sky. Under the illumination of the dazzling light in the sky, Sinclair on the ground, after feeling that Spirituality reaction, couldn't help but laugh and say loudly.
"They're fighting! As expected... The Bureau of Secrets and Vanbas are fighting! The Bureau of Secrets will indeed ultimately use force to stop Vanbas!"
Feeling the Spirituality reaction above the sky, Vanya also paused slightly, then continued to speak to Sinclair.
"It seems that Captain Amanda has made a move... As long as she is there, the Court of Tribunal cannot carry out the purification targeting Yarnster. Without the purification of Yarnster as the fuse, your resentment bomb sealed underground will not explode, and the Earth Resentment Ritual will not begin... You have miscalculated..."
Witnessing the Sinclair in front of her, Vanya said directly, while Sinclair responded with a cold smile, her expression unchanged.
"You even know about the Earth Resentment Ritual? You know quite a lot... As the intelligence said, you indeed have an unclear connection with the revived 'Qi' (Awakening/Enlightenment) cult... You can easily know many secrets.
"However, this time, even the 'Qi' (Awakening/Enlightenment) cult behind you will probably miscalculate today! You think that if Klama doesn't purify... we have no other way? Not so... You must understand, I was the one who had you call Amanda. I had you call her here not to stop Vanbas, but to have her die in Friesland with Vanbas, so that Light loses more wings this time, making it convenient for our subsequent actions!"
Sinclair said loudly to Vanya. After listening to Sinclair's words, Vanya then answered seriously.
"According to your statement... it seems you can forcibly start the Earth Resentment Ritual even if Klama doesn't make a move? Or rather, you have other means besides the Earth Resentment Ritual."
"Otherwise?"
Sinclair responded briefly, then she turned her head to look at the city in the dark night. After scanning thousands of households, she continued to speak.
"Otherwise, do you think... the corpse fragments we spent over a year transporting mixed in with food throughout Friesland were meaningless ordinary items? We spent so much effort... just to attract Vanbas to purify? If it was just to attract purification, we would only need to tamper with things in Yarnster, why target the entire Friesland?"
As she spoke, Sinclair suddenly waved her hand towards the city in the dark night, and then continued to declare.
"Come! Let me show you! Sister Vanya, the ancient Bone Devouring Ritual! The Lord Father's Supreme Ritual! The great ritual unfolding on this land is not just one kind!"
...
Just as Klama and Amanda had just clashed above Yarnster, the Netherworld Coffin Society, feeling the Spirituality vibration, immediately began to act.
In that forgotten cursed land, the empty city of Stinam, somewhere underground within the cloud-shrouded city, there was a hidden space.
In this dark hidden space, the pungent smell of blood filled the air. Blood-red human bones and skeletons were laid out and piled everywhere. In the center of the space, a large "Silence" magic array was set up with blood and bones, and in the center of that array, there was a tall chair, and on that chair, there was a horrifying object.
It was a bald, closed-eyed male head. On the face of that head, there was a tattooed black handprint. From the severed part of the head, a bloody spine extended. This spine coiled around the seat, supporting the entire head, and besides the head and spine, there was no trace of the man's other body parts.
Suddenly, the head, which had been tightly closed and seemed to be sleeping, suddenly woke up, opened its eyes, and then said in a hoarse voice.
"The time has come... Hurry... Let me fully embrace death... Let the Bone Devouring begin here!"
"Yes... Lord Jelak!"
Following the command of Jelak the Death Curse, one of the three great death elders of the Netherworld Coffin Society, the Netherworld Coffin Society cultists who had been waiting for a long time at the edge of the space slowly got up. Wearing executioner's masked robes, they held various weapons and surrounded the seat, about to give their respected leader the arrival of death.
The large-scale rituals intertwined in Friesland, besides the Earth Resentment Ritual, also included the Bone Devouring Ritual... If Klama were to purify to stop the Bone Devouring Ritual, he would inevitably trigger the Earth Resentment Ritual. And if Klama did not purify or purification was obstructed, the Bone Devouring Ritual would proceed as scheduled.
These were the two sets of plans that the Netherworld Coffin Society had simultaneously prepared after the mishap in Stinam... Whichever of these two large rituals was initiated, it would help the other to inevitably start later, ultimately leading to both rituals running simultaneously... Therefore, as long as one of these two rituals was initiated, the Netherworld Coffin Society's goal in Friesland would be achieved.