Chapter 140: This Is Awkward

  g—!

  A resonant bell rang out, eg across the city.

  Where was that sound ing from?

  Not only the people ihe cathedral but the entire capital of the Northern Alliance raised their heads in curiosity, searg for the source of the sound. As the capital of the North, the city had its owower for emergencies. However, this sound was unlike ahe tower had ever rung. In fact, anyone listening could dis its in.

  And precisely because of that, they couldn't believe their ears.

  g—!

  The bell rang again. This time, someone in the surrounding crowd raised their hand, pointing toward the sky in astonishment.

  "Look! Look at the sky!!"

  They didn’t o be told. Everyone had already noticed it. Behind Alex, the thick white clouds in the sky were parting, revealing a golden, radiant city floating among them. Through the ethereal glow, they could see t gates and shadowy spires in the distahe gleaming, magnifit white buildings were so breathtaking that many onlookers were rendered speechless.

  "Could it be… the Heavenly Kingdom?"

  Staring bnkly at the celestial city, everyone was stunned. In other parts of the city, devout worshippers had already fallen to their knees, praying fervently. But in stark trast to their awe, the group led by Brand stood frozen, their expressions bnk as they struggled to process the situation.

  What in the world was going on!?

  Brand was certain this was no illusion. He could feel the intense, sacred aura emanating from the city, an aura so overwhelming that evehe Padin ander, felt the urge to kneel in reverence. But… why was the Holy City of Heaven appearing here?

  Could it be…

  Brand’s gaze shifted back to Alex. The young man stood calmly, showing none of the awe or fear that gripped the others. Instead, Alex wore a mog smirk, his eyes brimming with derision as they met Brand’s. In the past, Brand might have struck him down immediately. But now, fag that gaze, Bra an involuntary chill.

  He suddenly remembered what Archbishop Karl had told him—this young man was a Divine Padin.

  The Divine Padins had not appeared on this ti for a long time. Even withihedral, their existence was shrouded in mystery, with only fragmented records remaining. No one knew how Divine Padins fought or how they unicated with the angels who protected them.

  And now, with a celestial city that only appeared in legends emerging here…

  Before Brand could think further, beams of radiant light shot out from the city. These rays streaked across the sky like ets before desding to the ground, materializing into armored figures with wings of light.

  "Angels!"

  Cries erupted from the crowd as they gazed at the armored figures with luminous wings. Ma believers fell to their knees, praying fervently. But for others, including Archbishop Karl and Grand Padin Stohe atmosphere grew heavier. They gnervously between Alex and Brand, unsure of what to do.

  While the faithful and nobility were overwhelmed by the angels’ presehose who uood the implications knew something was amiss.

  The angels had positiohemselves between Alex and Ikaros, shielding them.

  This was not a casual act.

  For those aware of the Divine Padins’ history, the implications were chilling.

  The disappearance of the Divine Padins from the cathedral was a closely guarded secret. After a dark i, no Divine Padin had been seen again—until Alex appeared.

  So, if a Divine Padin was here now, what had ged?

  Surely, the angels wouldn’t allow history to repeat itself. That much was certain. Even a fool would uand that such a mistake would not happen twice.

  And if this Divine Padin faced the same challenges as before… would the angels not have prepared for it?

  This is bad!

  Archbishop Karl’s face turned pale as his gaze darted toward Brand. The Padin ander’s expression was equally grim. His grip on the Bde of Justibsp;tightened as he stared at Alex, clearly aware of the precarious situation.

  If the angels were truly here to protect Alex, Brand could not act against him. Any move against Alex would mean fighting the ahemselves.

  A Padin ander raising his swainst the very angels of the faith he represented, in full view of the public?

  The sequences of su a would reach the highest levels of the cathedral, involving both the High Priest and the Pope.

  A… would Alex let this go so easily?

  "Attack."

  With a single word, Alex shattered whatever hope Archbishop Karl might have g to.

  The situation had spiraled out of trol.

  Alex had no iion of letting things end so easily. He hadn’t just used a soul stone for show; this wasn’t a performance. If this Padin ander named Brand was as formidable as he cimed, then Alex was determio find out who was stronger—Brand or Malthael!

  After being empowered, Malthael no longer wielded the power of death alone. Now, he bore the dual strength of the Angel of Death and the Angel of Wisdom. This was why Alex could summon a proje of the High Heavens itself. After all, Malthael was one of the five Argels. If he couldn’t even summon a few subordinates, it would have been a disgrace.

  At Alex’s and, the angels raised their ons and charged toward Brand and his forces!

  The padins standing beside Brand froze, uain of what to do.

  Some among them were formidable warriors, but at this moment, watg the angels rush toward them, their first thought was to turn and flee. Devout as they were in their faith, seeing the emissaries of their divine belief approach as adversaries left them in utter disarray.

  What were they supposed to do? Fight or not? Striking the messengers of their faith felt like the ultimate sacrilege!

  Some padins quickly chose to retreat. They weren’t fools. Moments ago, Alex had been fighting ie viciously while she kept calling him a cultist. Many had withe se but hadn’t given it much thought. Now, however, the appearance of the angels brought the term "Divine Padin" to mind. Refleg on the events with that text, many turned pale.

  Are we reliving the Dark Eclipse? I’m not going to be a part of this madness!

  The events of the Dark Eclipse were etched into the cathedral’s history as a catastrophic disaster. Those in positions of power knew well its sequences. Ever sihen, the cathedral had imposed strict, secretive scrutiny of its members. Acg a fellow padin of heresy without irrefutable evidence had bee exceedingly rare.

  Earlier, everyone had been too fused by the intetle between Alex and ie to process the implications. Now, as they pieced things together, the realization hit them like a ton of bricks.

  No way… this really is the Dark Eclipse all ain!

  Back then, ambitious bishops had recklessly accused the Divine Padins of heresy. Now, it seemed history was repeating itself, with roles reversed. No wohe higher-ups" were furious.

  Most of the padins and clergy began withdrawing, unwilling to take sides. They still didn’t fully grasp the events’ ins, but it was clear that ie and Brand weren’t on the right side of this situation.

  If even they could see it, how could Brand not?

  Brand’s face was grim as he gripped the Bde of Justibsp;tightly, watg the angels rush toward him. As a Padin ander, he couldn’t bring himself to raise his swainst the angels. Yet as a father, he couldn’t stand by and watch his daughter be sin.

  “ander Brand, get Padin ie out of here!”

  At that moment, several of Brand’s personal guards rushed forward to block the angels’ path. Loyal to Brand, they hesitated only for a moment before stepping up, knowing full well the risk of diviribution.

  Hearing their shouts, Brand snapped out of his daze.

  Right—whatever else happened, he o get ie out of here!

  "Go, now!"

  Grabbing ie’s arm, Brand turned and began to retreat.

  Alex’s eyes narrowed as he watched them. A glint of icy killing i fshed through his gaze.

  Go? Did you ask for my permission?

  In an instant, a fsh of white light emanated from Alex. In the blink of an eye, he and Malthael appeared directly in front of Brand, blog his path.

  “Damn it!”

  Brand’s expression darkened as he realized there was no peaceful resolution in sight. With a furious roar, he raised the Bde of Justibsp;and charged toward Alex.

  Behind Alex, the Angel of Death moved. Malthael raised the twin scythes in his hands a Brand’s attack head-on.

  {Note:Believe me, I don’t want to leave you hanging here—but this is where the chapter ends. Bme the length, not me!}

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