Chapter 440: A Battle on the Holy Bridge
Chapter 440: A Battle on the Holy Bridge
Sylvia just shrugged her shoulders. She no longer bothered about Yuuki's extreme ice cold outburst anymore. After all, it was out of control, and she couldn't blame the fox girl either.
Then, she turned to the big armored man only to snort. She no longer paid her attention there. Some time ago, she had tried to talk to that dragon-like man several times, but she only got a silent treatment in return.
"Nee, where's grandfather? I'm sure he will be very excited to know the Goddess of Blessings is coming at this moment." Ella asked her mother.
"Mm, I think so too. However, the Holy Grandfather is unreachable no matter what I do to contact him. I wonder where he is now. Could it be-" Lucia put her hand to her chin as a possibility crossed her mind.
"Do you know anything?" Nell could sense that Lucia knew about the Pope's whereabouts. She wanted to meet him on some business before she went to the Imperial Palace to meet Arthur.
"I'm not so sure, but it looks like he's in the underground secret chamber. It's a place I can think of when none of us can reach him." Lucia shook her head slightly.
"Underground secret chamber? What is he doing there? Is it a sealed chamber in the underground Holy Cathedral?" Nell tried to use her magic vision to see deep underground. However, she could see nothing but darkness.
"..." Lucia decided not to answer with anything because she knew that the Goddess of Blessings already knew more things than her.
Finding nothing, Nell was reminded of Elysia's unique ability to scan thoroughly. Thus, she asked for help. 'Ely, can you try looking further down there? What can you see?'
'All right, but please cover me. That ability will make my eyes glow and it's really eye-catching.' Elysia glanced at her friends secretly.
'Sure. Your real identity is still a secret to your friends after all. Poof, all right, now you are covered by my illusion magic. No one will know that your eyes will shine later. But, please do it quickly because you will arouse suspicion.' Nell cast her magic around Elysia silently.
'Mm.' Elysia examined the illusion magic and immediately looked down at the ground using her sacred vision.
Her eyes shone with a purplish-blue color, just like what she said. Nevertheless, in the eyes of others, she was just sitting casually beside Yuuki doing nothing.
It was a secret chamber located deep underground. Elysia passed through many specific rooms and focused only on the one that caught her most attention.
In a secret chamber enveloped by a particular barrier, she could see the Holy Grandfather was there. He seemed to be praying, or maybe he was meditating.
'Hmm, Nell, I can only see faintly. But, Grandpa, the Holy Grandfather is there.' Elysia had just reported what she saw. But at that very moment, Alexander was seen walking toward the exit. 'Oh, looks like he is walking out of that secret chamber. Maybe it's a place of meditation? Let's wait a moment and we can reach him.'
'Understood.' Nell revoked her illusion magic after Elysia's eyes no longer shone.
Deep beneath the grounds of the Holy Cathedral, Alexander was in the most sacred place for him. He sat cross-legged beside a coffin-like stone with his eyes closed.
After two seconds, he opened his eyes and sighed. "It seems that the appointed time has arrived. This holy city has been invaded by the elite devils and a battle will engulf this city."
Alexander looked up at the hundreds of gems embedded in the ceiling. "It has been more than 200 years since the tragedy. Divine beings have come down from heaven to save the world. However, it seems, I will be following you soon to heaven."
After saying that, Alexander stood up and stared at the coffee-like stone with a tender gaze. "If you are watching me from heaven, please wish me luck. I may not be able to slay the entire devils because the world has a new threat.
I don't know what will happen in the future, but I want to sacrifice this body and soul to help the divine save the world from this great, inevitable threat. I hope our Almighty Goddess can bring myself to you when I too am no longer living in this world."
"Well then, I need to deal with the devils up there. They're too presumptuous to infiltrate this holy city. Allow me to eradicate them once and for all. Farewell, my wife, Olivia." Alexander took another glance at the coffin-like stone, then he walked out of the secret chamber.
It was the place where his wife's ashes were kept, an unusual burial because he refused to bury his wife in the ground for a reason. Cremation was the only option after all.
After Alexander returned to ground level, he just went outside the Holy Cathedral. He was already wearing the white-golden robes of a Holy Pope. A sacred golden staff was in his hand as if he was ready to punish the evil with holiness.
*Boom!* *Slash* *Bang!*
The noise that came from outside did not change Alexander's expression in the slightest. He kept walking with firm steps. His gaze was unwavering because he knew what was happening out there.
A battle was taking place on the Holy Bridge over the Serene River. Hundreds of holy knights and priests were seriously injured. A dozen of them were no longer breathing.
Red and purple blood stained the white concrete of the Holy Bridge and also the clear river below. Nearly a hundred elite devils attacked the Holy Cathedral as their main goal. Yet, there was one devil with the most terrifying aura among the others.
"Found you~" A girl with dark purple eyes and flaxen hair smirked at the Pope. She kept swinging her black greatsword and cast her dark magic to clear her path to the Holy Cathedral.
"Our Holy Grandfather is here!"
"You devils won't live to see the sunset!"
"You will pay for all your sins!"
The holy knights became excited to see the Holy Grandfather's arrival, no matter those who were seriously injured or those who were still struggling to exterminate the devils.
"The embodiment of evil and darkness, this is the end of you. None of you devils will leave this city alive." Alexander squinted his eyes to stare at the girl with such a thick aura of evil.
The girl was more than three hundred meters away, but he could feel an evil and dark aura from her. It was definitely not an aura for a young girl to have. Perhaps, a unique-class devil or a devil possessing a girl's body.
"Hehe~ It doesn't matter if I'm going to die, but I'll drag you with me to hell!" The Emperor-level devil smiled widely. She plunged her black greatsword into the bridge and opened her palm forward. "Begone, humans."
*Boom!*
A super-strong shockwave of dark energy swept across most of the holy knights in front of her. Dozens of holy knights and priests splashed into the river from the impact.
"It's like Emperor-level devil strength. However, I felt a strange premonition from that devil girl. I didn't know if the Devil Continent had six Emperor-level devils." Alexander muttered and checked the surroundings with his magic vision.
"All holy knights and priests, listen to my orders! Exterminate all the devils from our holy city! Our enemy is an Emperor-level devil with her hundred minions. The holy light will shine upon us to eradicate the evil!" Alexander thumped his sacred golden staff to the ground with a clang.
At that very moment, the Holy Cathedral's defense system was activated to its maximum level. A dome-like barrier was set up to seal all the devils from escaping. Then, another barrier appeared to protect the main building of the Holy Cathedral.
"Oooh!" The holy knights shouted in response to the Holy Grandfather's call.
"Hehe-hahaha! You will die by my hands today, Alexander Celestine! My mighty devils, slay all these disgusting humans." The Emperor-level devil laughed heartily and extended his hand forward.
"Your order is our honor, lord!" The elite devil minions immediately prepared their weapons and magic before rushing to attack the humans as ordered.
"Meh." The Emperor-level devil grinned and enveloped herself in dark energy. She puts a stance with her greatsword, ready to attack.
After that, she shot forward like a missile with Alexander as her sole aim.
"Hmph!" Alexander also enveloped himself with the all-around shield of holy energy. He dashed forward to face the Emperor-level devil head-on.
However, at that moment, he felt a slight tremor in his chest. Someone sent a message via talisman. Unfortunately, the current situation was too precarious for him to think about anything other than the one in front of him.
Alexander just ignored that and repelled his enemy's greatsword attack with his staff.
*Bam!*
A burst of impact from the clash of dark energy and holy energy created a mighty explosion. It traveled all the way to the Imperial Palace.
The attention of all citizens immediately turned to the Holy Cathedral.
Meanwhile, Arthur stared at the Holy Cathedral with a sharp gaze.
"A great battle has taken place and that old man has stepped in. The situation has already gotten to the worst. Lucas, Lawrence, prepare a level five defense system and send elite troops to come to the Holy Cathedral. We have plenty of devils to slay." Arthur ordered his two trusted subordinates without looking back.
"Affirmative, My Majesty." Lucas and Lawrence gave a respectful bow and immediately carried out the order.
Arthur took a deep breath, then he immediately put on his complete war equipment. After that, he jumped out and shot toward the Holy Cathedral at full speed.