Six of them were still caught in their internal struggles and hesitating, but one of them actually began to flee into the distance without even so much as a look behind him. He moved extremely swiftly, crossing ten miles in a breath. In the blink of an eye, he had vanished into the horizon...
The six remaining true gods’ eyes widened big and round as they stared in stunned silence at the other true god’s back. Torrential waves churned in their hearts—they really felt like breaking into expletives at this moment!
“Jarpet!”
“That bastard!”
“He’s actually fled!”
“He’s actually abandoned his faith and deserted the Light Church and chickened out!”
“A disgrace! He’s a disgrace to the church!”
Pope Hayes had an extremely dark and sinister look on his face. Jarpet had always claimed that he wouldn’t hesitate to do anything and would go through the hardest of trials for the church, yet now, in the face of danger, he had actually fled so resolutely. This was an utter embarrassment to the church!
“Someone has actually fled?”
Ol’ Amos also looked taken aback. He said, “Every one of those quacks from the Light Church has always adopted an attitude as if they were full of compassion and pity for mankind, and acted as if they would sacrifice themselves for their faith anytime. I’d never have thought that they would actually make a run for it the moment trouble actually knocks on their door. What a jaw-dropping surprise!”
A smiling Meng Lei shook his head at Ol Amos’ comment. Then, he said, “It’s already remarkable that only one of them has fled. After all, which among those that could cultivate all the way to become a true god isn’t a person of determination and strong will? How would they possibly truly worship someone else?”
“That’s true.”
Ol’ Amos agreed with his statement. He said, “Be it half-deities or true gods, they are usually all selfish people that can bring themselves to abandon anything during moments of life and death.”
“The six of you are the only ones left now,” said Meng Lei as he turned to the six remaining true gods.
The six true gods shuddered all over upon noticing Meng Lei’s gaze. Then, they did something shocking—they took off at once without even so much as a look behind them and disappeared into the far horizon in the blink of an eye...
Meng Lei, “...”
Ol’ Amos, “...”
The Light Church masses, “...”
“All of them ran away, Ol’ President!” Meng Lei found this hilarious. “We were wrong—their faith in the Goddess of Light isn’t that pious after all!”
“Yeah, we were wrong!”
Ol’ Amos didn’t know what to say anymore. “As expected, humans are selfish. And the more powerful and the higher of a status a deity is, the more selfish they usually are, too.”
“Exactly!”
Meng Lei nodded slightly. Then, he turned to Pope Hayes and said, “Your Holiness, the talents that the Light Church has groomed sure are astonishing.”
“Bastards! Those seven selfish and mercenary bastards! They are all sinners! Sinners!”
Pope Hayes could no longer maintain his compassionate and merciful attitude. His whole face had become incredibly distorted, and even his eyes were red.
“They’ve abandoned their faith and betrayed our Lord, as well the church. They are even more abominable and deserve death even more than those wicked heretics!”
“What do we do now, sir?”
The Holy Maiden of Light also had an icy look on her face. She had never thought that things would reach such a point.
Two true gods had fallen in battle while the remaining seven had fled from battle and abandoned them!
The Light Church had landed itself into an incredibly embarrassing and perilous situation.
“We can only risk our lives and fight!”
Pope Hayes instructed, “Activate the light shield. Nothing must happen to the Shrine of Light!”
“Yes, sir!”
The Holy Maiden of Light nodded slightly and relayed his order.
Buzz...
A gentle milky-white glow formed around the Shrine of Light before swiftly spreading and turning into a milky-white shield that isolated the whole Shrine of Light from the outside world.
“The light shield is formed from power of faith that the Shrine of Light has accumulated over the years. It can endure several attacks from an intermediate deity.”
Pope Hayes let out a sigh of relief as he gazed at the light shield enveloping the Shrine of Light. He said, “With the light shield, the Shrine of Light should be safe and secure. Now, I can battle with peace of mind.”
“Sir, you—”
A huge jolt went through the Holy Maiden of Light.
“Altacia, blasphemy toward our Lord’s faith cannot be condoned. The Light Church will not stand for anyone challenging its authority. Keep this firmly in mind, and you’ll become a qualified pope.”
Pope Hayes gave Altacia a deep and meaningful look. Then, he took off the pope’s hat he was wearing and personally placed it atop the Holy Maiden of Light’s head.
“Sir, no! Don’t!”
The Holy Maiden of Light shook her head vehemently, choking up as tears welled up in her eyes.
“Altacia, do not grieve for me. It is my utmost honor to be able to sacrifice myself for our Lord.”
Then, Pope Hayes gave her a kind and benevolent smile and said, “Besides, your teacher won’t die so easily.”
Then, Pope Hayes slowly rose into the air. Without the pope’s hat restraining his hair, his head of white hair now fluttered in the breeze. His snowy-white robes were clean and spotless. Flames of fury burned within his small and skinny frame like a volcano that might erupt any moment.
“Your Holiness, you’re finally out.”
Meng Lei looked at the Pope of Light with a smile. He said, “You’re very brave. I’m even somewhat admiring you now!”
“For our Lord’s glory, what is there to fear about death?”
Pope Hayes’ voice turned cold and emotionless as he said, “Your Holiness, leave at
