The next day—
"Good morning, Middle Ages!"
Well-rested, Fuli stretched lazily.
Not only was the Immortal Brew non-addictive, but it also didn't cause hangovers like other inferior wines.
That was one comfortable sleep!
Then, he stared blankly at the sudden appearance of a pink, eye-shaped mark below his abdomen, its design and location unspeakable.
[Name: Stigmata of Reason]
[Rank: A]
[Type: Permanent]
[Effect: Proficiency in using all tools created by intelligent lifeforms.]
[Note: Before the true protagonist appears, the villain is the protagonist of the story.]
"What the heck is this?" the boy muttered in confusion, trying to rub it off, only to find it wouldn't disappear. "It's actually real?"
"Good morning, Mr. Fuli. Did you sleep well? I came to call you for breakfast~"
The little angel Vera walked cheerfully into the room, only to see Fuli sitting on the bed, his hands busy around the newly-acquired Stigmata of Reason.
"Good morning, little Miss Vera?"
Fuli quickly looked up to greet her. "I slept alright. The beds in the Middle Ages are hard, but I like hard beds."
She saw Fuli, then looked at the hands he had hastily pulled away from his Stigmata.
The little girl tilted her head, blinked, and a giant exclamation mark materialized above her.
"Ex-excuse me!!!"
She retreated with a beet-red face, not forgetting to close the door behind her.
Fuli was confused at first, then looked down and suddenly understood.
"You've misunderstood, little Miss Vera! I don't have the bad habit of rewarding myself first thing in the morning!"
He pulled on his pants and chased after her. The moment he opened the door, DUANG, he ran right into two massive pieces of front armor.
"Good morning, little bro!"
The white-haired, ice-eyed Saintess wore a meaningful smile. "I just saw little Vera running outside with her face in her hands. I trust you didn't force her to do anything she didn't want to, just because she's a virtual character in your eyes?"
As she spoke, she made gestures that were, at a single glance, definitely alluding to some unsavory activities.
Whoa, this girl is so lewd!
Fuli nodded timidly, then, realizing his mistake, shook his head frantically.
"If you didn't, there's no need to be so nervous. I trust your character, little bro."
The scummy Saintess, who had stood guard in his room all night and only left half an hour ago, knowing full well he had no opportunity to do anything, still teased him cheerfully.
"Come, come, let's go wake that guy Otto. It's almost nine and he's still in bed. What kind of example is he setting for the younger generation?!"
"No need. I'm already awake."
A nearby door was pushed open from the inside, and a blond man, rubbing the bridge of his nose, stepped out.
"Let's move out after breakfast."
He pulled out a chair and sat down. "The Pentecost ceremony will begin at ten o'clock sharp. The various troops guarding the headquarters, led by Death Knight Einmaid, should have already set off to maintain order throughout Vienna."
"Roger that."
The group quickly finished breakfast. Before leaving, Fuli mysteriously gathered them together.
"You should all take one of these."
He handed over several blank slips of paper.
"What's this?"
Kallen raised a slender, willow-like eyebrow.
"A Vivre Card."
The method for making Vivre Cards, like the Immortal Brew, was a product of his last ten-pull.
This item was waterproof and fireproof, a piece of paper that represented its owner's life force. When torn, the pieces would be drawn to each other, ignoring any external interference.
Furthermore, a Vivre Card shrinks when its owner is weakened and returns to its original size when they recover. If the card is slowly turning to ash, it means the owner is close to death.
"I made these last night using your fingernails and hair," Fuli explained as he handed them out. "Who knows what will happen next. With these, we can at least regroup quickly if we get separated."
"There's one for little Miss Vera too. Think of it as a souvenir."
There was no way they were taking Vera on this perilous trip to the headquarters. Neither Otto nor Kallen would agree.
The little girl also knew she would only be a burden, so she said she would prepare a grand feast at home and wait for the three of them to return victorious.
"A handy item."
Kallen accepted it readily, tearing her card into three pieces and handing the other two to the others, excluding Vera.
Fuli and Otto did the same.
Kallen then folded the three slips she received into the shape of a three-leaf clover. As she folded, she said, "Did you know, little bro? In religion, a three-leaf clover often means good luck."
The three-leaf clover symbolizes luck, hope, and love.
In Christian culture, it represents the Holy Trinity.
"The Holy Trinity is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit," Fuli said, following her lead, but couldn't resist asking, "What about a four-leaf clover? Does it mean God has a second child in Guangxi?" (T/N: A Chinese internet meme about a specific region.)
"It brings extra good luck and love!" Vera exclaimed, half-laughing, half-exasperated. What the heck is a second child?!
"Four-leaf clovers are hard to find, so everyone considers them a special symbol of luck with the power to attract love."
Otto muttered under his breath, "I always thought it was because a four-leaf clover, when stood upright, looks like the cross Jesus was crucified on, which is why everyone sought it."
Fuli slapped his shoulder excitedly. "Brother! Your level of abstract thinking is on par with us modern people!"
"..."
"..."
Their conversation left Kallen and Vera speechless.
"But I heard the ancestor of the Apocalypse family was that Gautama Siddhartha who founded Buddhism, right?" Fuli recalled another fun fact. "The descendant of the Enlightened One joining Schicksal, which reveres a single god—what's that all about? The star, the moon, the cross, and the lotus—the three religions were one big family all along?"
In terms of personal preference, he was more partial to Buddhism, which had been reformed several times and had completely integrated into the system of Shenzhou.
As for Jesus... the Five-Finger Mountain would have a hole in it; it wouldn't be able to hold down the Great Sage who peed wherever he wanted.
"Alright, we're heading out!"
"Have a safe trip~"
Waving goodbye to the adorable Vera at the door, the trio with their own agendas embarked on the epic quest to solo Schicksal's headquarters.
As superhumans in the broader sense, they naturally didn't need to walk the streets.
Otto's physical abilities were a bit lacking, but Fuli could carry him princess-style, so it wasn't a big problem.
Kallen: Wow!
Darting across rooftops, the three looked down. Compared to the desolation of yesterday, Kolosten was much livelier today.
Carriages sped by, their riders brandishing whips and shouting harshly at the commoners who got in their way:
"Out of the way! Out of the way!"
"Are you blind?!"
"S-sorry, my lord! Ah!"
Similar scenes played out in towns all over, including Vienna. The members of the knightly orders responsible for maintaining order merely glanced over. As long as it didn't cause a large-scale disturbance, they wouldn't intervene.
In this chaotic era, those who could travel between regions were either wealthy or fanatically devout.
The well-to-do disembarked from their carriages upon reaching the main square, chatting and joking with other finely dressed individuals, occasionally casting scornful glances around. The ragged fanatics, guided by the clergy, made their way to the square in front of the church, where they knelt in unison, awaiting the arrival of God's incarnation—Archbishop Nicholas Apocalypse of Schicksal.
Under the sunlight, the magnificent church complex looked solemn and majestic. Trees provided shade, and flowers bloomed, creating a serene, holy land.
The main entrance was a massive bronze gate carved with exquisite patterns. Beyond it lay a wide square with a towering stone monument in the center.
Beneath the monument, knights armed with weapons patrolled in small groups.
Fuli looked away. "Didn't you say the troops were sent out to maintain order?"
"Sending troops out doesn't mean leaving the place unguarded."
Otto, in his arms, shifted uncomfortably. "Compared to the elite Death Knight Legion, these Papal Knights are more than a single tier weaker."
Kallen was more direct: "I could take on a hundred of them with one hand. Even now."
A short while later, accompanied by the prayers of a boys' choir, a handsome, middle-aged man with blond hair and blue eyes slowly walked to the forefront.
At the sight of him, the fanatics erupted in a tsunami of cheers:
"Long live the Archbishop!"
"Almighty Lord!"
"Please bless me!"
"Amen!"
They pushed and trampled over each other to get closer, completely oblivious to the dark glares from the corners of the streets, from people who had lost everything due to the crusade and exorbitant taxes.
Or perhaps they did notice, but simply didn't care.
Otto whispered, "People despise each other, yet they flatter each other. Each wishes to be above others, yet they grovel before others."
Sorrow also filled Kallen's eyes. How many of these people had bankrupted themselves, sold their wives and children, just to come here and spend their life savings on an indulgence, to grovel in the brilliant light and feel that tiny sliver of hope?
But the saddest part was that even this hope was nothing but a falsehood concocted by others.
Both the Lord they believed in, and this false, digital world.
Once they reached the vicinity of Schicksal's headquarters, they could no longer dash across the rooftops. Under the effect of the large-scale Eye of Reality, both the items mimicked by the Void Archives and Fuli's presence concealment would become difficult to use.
Hiding behind a building, they peeked at the square. On the high platform in the center, Bishop Nicholas's speech was reaching its climax.
As for the content—
Well, to quote a famous line from Tiger Shark: "Every time I try to give you some respect, you open your mouth."
It was a twisted mess of black and white, complete nonsense.
To Fuli, who had received a proper nine-year compulsory education, that was the level it was on.
It made sense. Any modern Chinese person with a normal worldview, thrown back into medieval Europe, might not be a saint, but their moral standards would definitely be at the paladin level.
Even Kallen, hailed as Schicksal's Saintess, might not have as upright a worldview as a normal modern person from Shenzhou.
After all, everyone talks a big game as a Paradox Interactive player, but in reality, they'd hesitate even to kill a goose. Petty theft is an unforgivable crime, not only would your conscience condemn you, but if caught, you'd be scorned for half a lifetime.
This was the manifestation of an era and a civilization.
"Brother, lend me your unbreakable worldview for a moment!" Otto said, grasping Fuli's hand with utmost sincerity.
"?"
The boy pulled his hand back and took out the handkerchief little Miss Vera had given him before they left, wiping it vigorously.
The Sacred Cross Barrier. By consuming a large amount of Honkai energy, it created a circular barrier with a radius of hundreds or even thousands of meters, the exact range depending on the energy consumed.
Inside the barrier, allies would be continuously healed, and enemy units would be blocked. Even if they managed to break through, they would be continuously judged, taking massive mixed holy and light attribute damage.
"With the right knowledge, one can also use external energy sources like ley lines or Honkai energy crystals to create a semi-permanent Sacred Cross Barrier."
Otto squinted. Under the sun, the translucent barrier enveloping the church refracted a dazzling golden light. "The outer layer of the headquarters is wrapped in something like this. That's why Bishop Nicholas dared to let the elite Death Knight Legion disperse throughout the city even after learning of Kallen's escape."
An S-Rank Valkyrie at her peak with a Divine Key could naturally shatter the Sacred Cross Barrier, which drew energy from the ley lines of the surrounding hundred miles, with a single focused strike. But the current Kallen? She could forget it.
After saying this, Otto looked at Fuli with half-lidded eyes.
"What are you looking at me for?" the boy said calmly. "If we really can't get in, you'll be the one who's more anxious, not me."
"Pfft!"
Kallen covered her mouth, stifling a laugh. The fleeting beauty in that moment was enough to make one's eyes go straight.
"Ahem!"
Otto, having barely escaped the charm check, cleared his throat. "Alright, I won't keep you in suspense."
He said solemnly, "Brother, you possess the Stigmata of Thunder, am I right?"
"Indeed. How'd you know?"
"I saw it yesterday when you face-planted into the cell. It was on the inside of your spread thigh." Otto's face darkened, recalling the terrible sight of his own manhood being utterly outclassed by a sixteen-year-old boy. "That design, I've seen it in the Void Archives. I can't be mistaken."
Fuli patted his shoulder and said seriously, "It's fine. Size is secondary. Experts say that as long as the technique is good enough, women can still feel pleasure—"
"Shut up!"
The glass-hearted man forcefully steered the conversation back on track. "With the Stigmata of Thunder, you can greatly enhance the power of lightning-based abilities. The cursed Kallen can't use her full power, but her Honkai energy reserves as an S-Rank Valkyrie have been well replenished."
Replenished = eating, drinking, playing, and sleeping!
"Next, I will act as the casting medium to channel the vast Honkai energy within Kallen's body and infuse it all into you. Then, I will chant the incantation for the Heavenly Command spell, allowing it to be unleashed with the massive amplification from the Stigmata of Thunder, thereby shattering the Sacred Barrier protecting the headquarters."
"Heavenly Command? Never heard of it. An A-Rank spell?"
Otto shook his head. "No, it's B-Rank."
Even a genius like him couldn't cast a spell of A-Rank or higher without relying on his own power.
And the one he chose was the most suitable for breaking the Sacred Cross Barrier.
—Heavenly Command (B): Summons judgment-type celestial lightning for an attack. Compared to other offensive spells of the same rank, this spell has extremely high power, a very slow startup, massive consumption, and is extremely complex to control, making it particularly difficult to cast.
Normally, one would need A-Rank+ control over Honkai energy to barely control this spell stably. If the spell goes out of control, the lightning it has gathered will erupt upon the caster.
In exchange, when fully unleashed, the power of Heavenly Command can rival an A-Rank spell. If the target has committed sins, this effect is further enhanced.
Otto explained, "The 'sins committed' are judged according to the caster's worldview."
"So that's why you said you needed to borrow my worldview."
Looking at an ancient religious leader through the eyes of a modern Chinese person, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the bonus would be sky-high.
Hah! Feudal remnant! Taste the fiery iron fist of a successor to communism!
"The Eastern Heavenly Punishment versus the Western Divine Blessing."
Fuli smiled and took the initiative to hold Kallen's slightly cool hand. "Wanna give it a try?"
Kallen was hesitant at first. The Honkai energy of an S-Rank Valkyrie compared to an A-Rank wasn't exactly a firefly to the moon, but it was like Mount Tai to... Shimmering Shadow Mountain.
What? You've never heard of Shimmering Shadow Mountain?
That's right, you haven't. It was a name an author came up with on a whim while looking at an unnamed hill outside his window during a writing break.
Under such a full-power infusion, even the absolute Honkai resistance of the Kaslana clan would be difficult to maintain.
Though called "absolute," its effectiveness was really only around the A-Rank+ level.
The Knight Errant from the previous cycle had been thoroughly tormented by the awakened Herrscher of the Void, which was ample proof that Kaslanas couldn't handle S-Rank Honkai energy.
But upon hearing this, Fuli dismissed it as a trivial matter. Don't worry, good sister. Just go ahead and pour it all into me, fill me up like a cream puff.
Seeing the little bro so confident, Kallen decided to test the waters by inputting a small amount of Honkai energy.
A moment later, her cherry lips parted slightly, her dream-like face filled with surprise.
Her clear, holy eyes scanned every inch of the boy's skin, as if wondering, How can someone with this kind of resistance not be one of us Kaslanas?
It shouldn't be! Could he be from a mutated bloodline of some long-lost ancestor?
That raised a question: did a Kaslana's fiancé count as long-lost?
Otto, on the other hand, looked as if he had expected this. He never fought a battle he wasn't sure of winning.
His fingers tapped in the air, accessing the records stored in the Void Archives. The Heavenly Command spell had been used by a Taoist priest from the Shenxiao sect who came to aid the Ming Dynasty during the Kipchak campaign. He happened to be there at the time and recorded the casting steps with the Key of Revelation.
The man closed his eyes and began to murmur the incantation he had heard back then:
"Central Yellow Emperor Thunder Lord, may demons and devils retreat;
Eastern Green Emperor Thunder Lord, may divine soldiers disarm;
Southern Red Emperor Thunder Lord, may heaven and earth be boundless;
Western White Emperor Thunder Lord, may the universe lend its law;
Northern Black Emperor Thunder Lord, may wind and thunder receive my command."
Speaking of which, throughout history, any powerful incantation would leave its name in history in one form or another.
The most typical examples were the Nordic runes and the Taoist Nine Syllable Mantra.
The name "Heavenly Command" was not well-known in Shenzhou, but that was certainly not because it lacked power.
On the contrary, even without any modern media promotion, its other name was so famous in Shenzhou that it could be said to be on par with top-tier IPs like the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Nezha the Third Prince, and Erlang Shen.
Don't believe it?
"As swift as the statutes and ordinances—"
Otto opened his eyes and slowly uttered the incantation's widely known name in Shenzhou:
"Let the Five Thunders Strike from Heaven!"
BOOM!!!!!
The Heavenly Punishment from the eastern skies thus struck the barrier protected by the Western world!
...
"Long live the Archbishop!"
"God, please bless me."
Bathed in boundless celestial light, on the temporarily erected high platform, the handsome, blond, middle-aged man enjoyed the prostration of the masses at his feet.
His expression was solemn and grave, his gaze over the common folk filled with pity and sorrow.
Even if his heart was full of mockery and contempt for these plebeians, as a competent leader, Nicholas would never show it in public.
'Otto, you're here, aren't you.'
A soft murmur echoed in his heart. His hawk-like blue eyes darted around during a pause in his speech, searching for his worthless, rebellious son.
He believed Otto would not sit idly by. The witch (Kallen) who had colluded with a Herrscher could at most last another half day under the curse; her life would end at midnight.
And today was a crucial ceremony. Only now, with the elite troops dispersed to maintain order, did they have the slightest chance of breaking into the headquarters.
Nicholas's judgment was correct. Just before he took the stage, he had received reports from his subordinates:
The War Knight Legion stationed on the outskirts of Vienna had indeed been ambushed by those apostates. War Knight Zofia, as usual, was responding passively and was tied up.
After receiving the intelligence, Nicholas should have quickly recalled the Death Knight Legion directly under his command, prioritizing his own safety.
He did not.
Not because he didn't need to, but because he couldn't.
Einmaid. Hereditary duchess, commander of the Death Knight Legion, S-Rank.
Before receiving the inheritance of the Death Knight, this tall, striking woman with gray hair and red eyes held a high position in secular society and was a crucial member of the Castle Council.
Her status meant Nicholas could not place his full trust in her. Moreover, her presence in Schicksal had been too prominent recently. Words like "reform" and "unbearable" that she occasionally uttered had made many of the old guard uneasy.
If he recalled her now, and Otto launched an attack on the headquarters, who could say she wouldn't take the opportunity to take his head and then pin the blame on someone else?
The disloyal Kaslanas certainly wouldn't investigate deeply. The Schariacs depended on the Apocalypses' favor. If the Archbishop fell, the whole tree would fall. Who could expect a hanger-on to strike back?
Fortunately...
The man on the high platform made a gesture to quiet the crowd, his eyes glancing at the translucent barrier overhead, which shimmered with a faint golden light under the blazing sun.
The ley line energy drawn from a hundred-mile radius, the Honkai energy crystals plundered during the Tenth Crusade, the blessings from the ceaseless prayers of 3,333 devout monks—all of these combined to forge the invincible Sacred Cross Barrier that had allowed Schicksal to stand tall to this day, never once breached.
So it was in the past, and so it would be in the future.
The speech had already lasted half an hour. Sweat from his brow slid down his cheek, carried away by a gentle breeze before it could fall.
God must have seen my fatigue and sent this breeze to accompany me, Nicholas thought arrogantly, opening his arms to feel the refreshing wind.
WHOOSH—!
Just as he was about to say something more to the commoners below, the cross hanging on his chest was violently blown away!
Realizing something was wrong, the man looked up sharply. The sky had suddenly turned grim.
Layers of black clouds, like a thick curtain, blotted out the sun, churning and roiling as if a massive beast were circling above the city.
They pressed lower and lower, seemingly about to pour down at any moment and drown the entire town of Kolosten.
A howling wind kicked up dust, blurring people's vision.
Tree branches thrashed wildly in the wind, and the silhouette of the church, against the backdrop of the black clouds, looked increasingly sinister and terrifying.
Such an abrupt change in the environment clearly could not be explained by a simple change in the weather. The expressions of the knights at the edge of the square all grew grave, and some had already drawn the silver swords from their waists.
However, whenever their eyes inadvertently swept over the Sacred Cross Barrier that still enveloped the headquarters in a semi-circle, their uneasy gazes would always calm down.
Yes, we are the chosen people of the Lord.
Protected by God, how could we possibly—
"As swift as the statutes and ordinances!"
"Let the Five Thunders Strike from Heaven!!!"
A dazzling bolt of lightning, like a silver serpent, struck down from the clouds, crashing heavily onto the translucent Sacred Cross Barrier!
In that instant, the world seemed to be lit up, the light so blinding it was impossible to look at directly.
BOOM!!!
A deafening clap of thunder followed, so loud it felt as if it would tear the world apart.
But to the people in the square, no matter how loud the thunder, it couldn't compare to the soft, tiny sound in their ears.
Spiderweb-like cracks etched themselves into the vision of the stunned crowd.
CRACKLE—
The belated sound of shattering followed, almost instantly surpassing the limits of their vision!
With a CRASH, the Sacred Cross Barrier covering the entire Schicksal headquarters shattered!
The Heavenly Punishment from the Eastern world had blasted a huge hole in the sky above the Western Church!
The unrestrained rain poured down, drenching everyone's clothes in an instant.
The fanatics stared at the scene, lost and bewildered, as if they couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
"Let's go!"
Otto, in the corner, couldn't help but clench his fist, ready to move according to their plan.
"Hehehe, hehehehe, HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
A wild laugh suddenly erupted.
Perhaps thanks to the gear he was wearing, or perhaps because the Five Thunders Strike's power had greatly diminished after penetrating the Sacred Barrier.
Nicholas, standing at the highest point, had somehow not died on the spot.
Bathed in the storm, he stood up, opening his arms amidst the lightning and thunder!
His hair and beard flying wildly, his face contorted, he roared at the crowd below:
"In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind."
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight!"
His roar drowned out the thunder and the rain, brutally invading everyone's ears.
Had it been other commoners unfamiliar with the doctrine, they would have likely thought Nicholas had gone mad.
But the devout fanatics were different. The words of countless past prayers quickly guided the faith in their hearts.
One by one, they knelt on the ground with their hands clasped, humbly and reverently murmuring the verses etched in their hearts.
Finally, their voices converged into a unified chant:
"Amen..."
"Aaaaaaaamennnnnn!!!"
Empowered by this force of faith, the shattered barrier actually reversed its decline, reweaving itself at a visible rate!
Otto couldn't help but punch the wall. "Damn it! I can't believe he's even using these common people!"
Nicholas was not only mobilizing their faith but also the vast majority of the life force of tens of thousands of fanatics.
Looking at their withered faces and increasingly gaunt bodies, it was hard to say if they would even live to see the next day!
Kallen's face was also pale. Having channeled over ninety percent of her Honkai energy at once, coupled with the curse, even she would find it difficult to cooperate for a second Heavenly Command in the short term.
Had the journey to invade Schicksal already reached its end before it even began?
"Leaving a backup plan is perfectly normal for an old fox like Nicholas. Not even considering that means you still have a lot to learn, brother."
Apparently not.
"Right now, we have two choices."
Seeing both of them turn their gazes to him, Fuli, strolling leisurely, raised an index finger:
"The moment the barrier shattered, I used the power of the Outer Path to devour a portion of the Honkai energy of the same origin. We can use it to move freely in the lower levels of the headquarters. But if we encounter a dangerous enemy or an accident and this energy is depleted, we will immediately face an all-encompassing, inescapable strangulation by the barrier."
Not only did it keep outsiders out, but it also kept insiders in. The Sacred Cross Barrier considered this basic functionality.
"That's not an option! What's the second one?" Otto said without hesitation, clearly aware of the danger.
"Stop keeping us in suspense, little bro!"
Kallen looked like she wanted to go over and mercilessly pinch that handsome face that so perfectly fit the Kaslana clan's tastes.
"So it seems you both agree to the second option?"
Without waiting for their reply, he raised the long sword, Black Swan, in his hand.
"Additional chant," Fuli intoned. "A World of Great Peace."
In the late Han Dynasty of ancient Eastern history, there was a group of people.
Clad in yellow clothes and wearing yellow turbans, they followed three generals and conquered half of the Han Empire, coming just short of changing the world.
The cause was hunger.
Fuli had no intention of judging the Celestial Master of Great Peace who had single-handedly started the Yellow Turban Rebellion. He only knew that in the Taiping Jing, part of the orthodox Taoist canon, there was such a spell.
—A World of Great Peace, a support spell that requires a B-Rank or higher lightning spell as a catalyst.
This spell had no learning difficulty. Even ordinary people without Honkai energy could add to it by simply chanting. It was no different from a slogan, which was why he hadn't recorded it on his panel.
The conditions for adding to the spell were that too much injustice, in the user's opinion, was happening around them, and the target must be a ruler who had enslaved tens, hundreds, or even millions of their compatriots.
Once these conditions were met, it would draw a certain percentage of mental energy from all willing individuals within a certain range, using it as a catalyst to increase the power of the lightning spell!
An invisible force enveloped Fuli, lifting him high into the sky.
The residual lightning from the Heavenly Command and the storm clouds gathered on his upraised sword, reflecting in the eyes of countless people oppressed by the world, who had lost their families in Schicksal's crusade.
In that instant, their gazes seemed to cross over 1,300 years, to the ancient battlefields of the Central Plains in the late Eastern Han Dynasty.
They saw countless wretched, emaciated commoners just like themselves, clad in yellow under the banner of the Great Worthy Teacher, armed with wooden sticks and pitchforks, launching a once-in-a-lifetime, desperate charge against the nobles and generals who held power but did nothing!
[He's lying! Why follow him!]
[Do you think I don't know he's lying to me? But I'm so hungry! If only I could have one bite of a pancake, one bowl of rice, and never go back to eating clay and dry bark.]
[So what if he's lying to me? At least he's treating me like a person...]
[Do those nobles and lords ever treat us like people?]
[Who said we have nothing left? Don't we... still have our lives?]
[Celestial Master Zhang, General of Heaven, we follow you, not for anything else, but for the world of great peace you promised, a prosperous world where everyone has rice to eat!]
The Blue Heaven is dead! The Yellow Heaven shall rise!
"The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise..."
Though the language was foreign, feeling the shared sentiment of oppression, the people murmured the words.
In the year of Jiazi! Great fortune to the world!
"In the year of Jiazi! Great fortune to the world!"
The call of a thousand, the shout of ten thousand, became a torrent of a million, surging in the hearts of countless people!
"..."
The prayers echoing through Schicksal's square had ceased at some point. The Christian believers stared blankly at the divine figure standing in mid-air.
They saw the boundless, dream-like stream of light, saw sparks of fire howling from all directions.
They finally converged behind Fuli, weaving into a colossal, heaven-and-earth-spanning divine avatar!
"By my august authority," Fuli's face was cold. The formation blade in the divine avatar's hand flipped, blazing brightly, moving like a flood dragon.
"I command it so."
Nicholas below was still saying something, but the boy didn't want to hear it, nor could he.
"Execution—without mercy!!!"
The cannon of radiant flame that Nicholas unleashed by reversing the nature of the Sacred Barrier erupted with a boundless brilliance comparable to the fire of Sodom, soaring into the sky, yet it was still split in two by the formation blade descending from above!
His final trump card shattered with a single blow, Nicholas suddenly felt his vision split in two.
The man, cut in half, struggled to move his eyes, using his last bit of strength to look back:
The light of dawn, like a meteor streaking across the sky, slashed straight towards the church. The sturdy stone walls were torn apart like paper, and massive stones tumbled through the air, creating a deafening roar!
The magnificent complex, with a thousand years of history, countless renovations and expansions, built on the blood and tears of countless laborers, was thus cut in half by the lightning formation blade forged from a prairie fire, ceasing to exist!
In the end, it was man who shattered God!
...