"Great Lord," the Light Pope decred fervently, prostrating himself on the ground, "the Tyrant's forces are cunning and treacherous, deploying massive troops in three heavily fortified defensive lines. We still don't know the full extent of the Tower of Babel's power!"

  "According to intelligence reports," another voice added, "the Tower of Babel is rumored to be capable of unleashing devastating weaponry!"

  The Light Pope continued, "Our Church of Light will soon infiltrate the enemy's high command. We hope to uncover the Atabian's pns for the Tower of Babel and destroy it! Please, Great Lord, trust in us!"

  After listening to their impassioned pleas, Li Qing replied coldly, "Kill the Tyrant. This is humanity's chance for self-redemption."

  The colder and more aloof he appeared, the more mysterious and awe-inspiring he became. Li Qing never wasted words on his followers.

  "Yes, Lord!"

  "Yes, Lord!"

  Their fervor only intensified.

  Only a select few among them were Li Qing's true Familiars; the majority were Atabian natives, likely converted through the covert evangelization of his Familiars.

  After all, this was the way of civilizations. Ideologies inevitably diverged. Some sought to overthrow God, believing in humanity's triumph over fate, while others clung to divine reverence, worshipping with fanatical devotion. Such discord was as natural as the rising sun.

  Suddenly, more Imperial Guard troops appeared in the distance.

  Across the vast, sprawling border, Imperial Hero Herodotus, leading the charge, rallied his men: "Kill the Church's cultists!"

  "God, they..." the Pope stammered, his voice tight with anxiety.

  These messengers had risked death to deliver their message, knowing there was little chance of return. Only unwavering faith could have compelled them to charge into such peril.

  "God has heard your prayers," Li Qing decred, his voice echoing across the battlefield. "May the Lord be with you."

  As his words faded, the World Crystal Wall surrounding them began to tremble.

  The main ant force swarming to encircle them was shaken loose and sent plummeting into the sea, creating a spectacur dispy like a radiant meteor shower.

  The enemy troops in the distance dared not approach. They had discovered that anyone who neared the Crystal Wall, attempted to climb it, or tried to seize the Cultists clinging to its surface would be violently shaken off, crashing into the water. Soldiers with weaker exoskeletal bio-armor often shattered upon impact, sustaining grievous injuries.

  "General, what should we do?" one of the surrounding commanders asked, his voice trembling.

  "An Outer God is watching us from the heavens!" another excimed.

  Above the waves, Imperial Hero Herodotus stood atop the shoulder of a colossal white-armored Giant, scanning the battlefield.

  "Maintain your distance!" he commanded. "The Outer God cannot descend into our world. As long as we stay clear of the Crystal Wall and tighten our encirclement, they cannot escape!"

  "Understood!"

  Herodotus gazed skyward, his eyes bzing with martial fervor, and decred:

  "Next, the malevolent Outer God could only watch helplessly as his followers met their gruesome ends. This marked the beginning of shattering the myth of divine omnipotence—breaking the chains of fear in our hearts!"

  At that moment, the Pope observed the enemy soldiers, still positioned far out at sea, knowing they no longer dared approach. Yet his own forces remained trapped, likely to perish here given the overwhelming enemy numbers.

  Suddenly, a melodious, ethereal voice echoed from the heavens:

  "God created all things. Glory shall shine upon mortals who worship the Deity."

  "I shall bestow divine grace—the protection of all living beings."

  Li Qing opened his eyes. Rays of light streamed from his gaze, bathing the believers below.

  Whoosh!

  A warm, sunlight-like radiance of life enveloped them, nourishing their bodies and strengthening their spirits.

  One second.

  Two seconds.

  As the divine gaze lingered, the Pope, cardinals, priests, and countless followers instinctively knelt, accepting God's blessing and fervently reciting the Doctrine. Twenty seconds passed.

  "We beseech You to watch over every Church throughout the world, making them stronger! May more sinners walk into the Church of Light, confess their sins, and repent before You!"

  A vast torrent of consciousness surged forth, its sacred and majestic pronouncements echoing through the heavens above the Crystal Wall.

  "Lord, guide Your Church, that it may walk the path of Your Truth!"

  Thirty-two seconds passed.

  "Merciful, righteous, all-wise, all-powerful, all-good God of Light, the omnipotent God!"

  Forty-six seconds passed.

  "I sincerely thank You for choosing me, for granting me enduring life and purpose, and for saving my soul from descending into the Kingdom of Sin!"

  Imperial Hero Herodotus watched the scene in astonishment. "What is that? What is God doing to them? Why have they all knelt down?"

  "General, should we charge in?" someone suggested.

  Herodotus pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "We can't get close. Let's observe what that Evil God from Outer Heaven intends to do."

  Swish, swish, swish.

  The knights continued to bask in the gaze and baptism.

  Li Qing's gaze, which had sted seventy seconds during the Awakening, still held residual power. The microorganisms awakened by his gaze continued to replenish the knights' mental fortitude, bestowing upon them an immeasurable spiritual benefit and elevating their consciousness.

  In the distance, under the stunned gazes of everyone present, something terrifying began to unfold.

  The entire Fanatical Holy Knight Army of the Church of Light discovered that not only had their minds been invigorated, but the exoskeletal bio-armor they wore had come to life.

  Now imbued with sentience, the armor emitted bewildered, primal, yet strangely endearing sounds: "Where am I...?" "Who am I...?"

  "It's become a Divine Artifact!" the Holy Pope suddenly roared. "A Holy Artifact of the Holy See! It's grown too powerful!"

  The followers felt boundless power surging through their bodies. Their eyes burned with fanatical fervor, their faces alight with the devotion of true believers.

  "This is a gift from God!"

  "This is a baptism in Holy Light, a blessing from the Lord! God has breathed life into our armor!"

  "I feel boundless power! I can shatter their lines with ease!"

  A Holy Knight of the Church roared.

  Suddenly, he felt immeasurable strength surging through his body, transforming him into a legendary Divine Descendant Knight.

  Piloting the intelligent exoskeletal bio-armor, his massive form towered over the battlefield as he swung his bone sword, cleaving through the enemy ranks like a storm.

  Boom!

  He charged straight into the ranks of the advancing army, cutting through them as if they were mere straw.

  "O God! Be with us! Be with every soul You have created on this earth!"

  His voice throbbed with religious fervor as he continued to ssh at his surroundings, chanting loudly:

  "The God of Light watches over us, guides us, and leads us down the path of the Father's Truth!"

  Crack!

  An enemy's head fell to the ground.

  Boom!

  The earth trembled with the thunderous decration, as if trying to channel every ounce of faith into his war cry:

  "Do what pleases God! Love what God loves!"

  The ground shook violently.

  "Grant each of Your Knights of Light these virtues: boundless love, unwavering courage, humble reverence, enduring patience, selfless sacrifice, and righteous justice. Help us manifest Your glory upon this earth, and may all earthly glory return to You, Heavenly God!"

  Thump! Thump! Thump! The Fanatical Holy Knight Army, a steel tide, surged through the enemy lines, roaring in unison, "Yes! Yes! Yes! We know You are with us every moment!"

  The Doctrine had transformed into a battle cry, rising and falling like ocean waves.

  This elite force of the Church charged into the fray with furious roars!

  "What is that Evil God doing to the Church?!"

  Everyone watched the battle in horror, their eyes fixed on the heavens beyond the World Crystal Wall. The massive gss window, stretched thin across the heavens, served as a fragile defensive line.

  As if suddenly injected with combat stimunts, the knights became ferociously aggressive. A single cavalry unit identified a weak point in the encirclement and shattered through a force hundreds of times rger than their own, achieving the impossible.

  Li Qing observed this desperate breakout from outside the World Crystal Wall.

  He felt as if he were witnessing a medieval war. Heavily armored knights in thick pte armor charged into battle, prociming the glory of God—a scene both magnificent and epic.

  Spectacur, bloody, and savage were his first impressions.

  His second thought was: "Those believers of mine have really memorized the Doctrine I gave them."