The towering, pure white gates of the holy city of Jelamia are in sight, and the holy emblems on the city walls gleam with light, exuding an inviolable majesty.
At the city gate, guards clad in white robes with gold trim and sharp eyes rigorously inspected every devout believer attempting to enter the holy city, their holy light detection spells flashing intermittently.
However, this was practically useless for Mark's squad.
With the legendary appraiser Monica's [Domain of Insight], the loopholes in the city gate guards' defenses, the details of the identity verification process, and even the patterns in the guards' gazes are all rendered useless in Monica's domain.
With Mark's seven-colored black light magic that could easily simulate the aura of holy light, disguising himself as the most devout believer in the holy light was a piece of cake.
Enzo restrained his molten, violent aura, Anna's shadow power vanished without a trace, and Ellen's starlight and moonlight radiance also subdued as usual.
The process is self-explanatory.
In Monica's precision
Under the incredibly realistic "holy light" emanating from Mark, the team members calmly passed through layers of checks.
The detection crystal in the guard's hand only reflected a pure holy light reaction, and the forged identity documents were flawless.
Like a drop of water entering the sea, the group silently blended into the sacred and solemn holy city.
The city's wide white stone streets were bustling with people, believers prayed in hushed tones, and the air was filled with incense and an invisible sense of oppression.
Mark's team discreetly moved with the flow of people, attempting to observe the heart of this city of faith.
Suddenly, a deep, rhythmic roar came from the end of the street, drowning out all the whispers of prayer.
It was the sound of heavy, rapid hoofbeats striking the stone slabs!
A massive cavalry force was seen advancing rapidly towards the city gate along the central avenue, like a silent silver torrent.
They wore standard heavy armor, gleaming silver, with a cross-shaped sword emblem engraved on it.
It is the Thirteenth Holy Knights under Alfonso Lin!
The strict formation and solemn atmosphere clashed with the devout atmosphere of the surrounding believers.
Their direction of travel was clearly to leave the holy city!
"They're... heading to the Misty Forest?" Enzo squinted, his lava-like beard trembling, and asked Mark beside him in a low voice.
He recognized the figure at the front of the group, clad in heavy silver armor, with unwavering, holy silver eyes—it was Alfonso.
Ellen's starry eyes narrowed slightly.
She didn't know the other members of the Church of Holy Light, but she was certain that Alfonso was aware of the dangers of letting the Enlightenment Society obtain the Heart of Holy Light!
At this juncture, Alfonso's decision to leave the Holy City raises the question: has he finally uncovered the truth about that matter?
However, just as this steel torrent, intending to withdraw, reached the inner city edge near the city gate, a sudden change occurred!
"Halt! Commander Alfonso Lin!"
A sharp shout, imbued with the oppressive power of holy light, rang out.
The other guard was even more ornately equipped, with gold-trimmed armor and the papal emblem engraved on their breastplates.
Like nails that had been laid in ambush, they suddenly emerged from the side corridors and street corners, instantly forming a solid defensive line that blocked the Thirteenth Knights' path to the city gate!
The middle-aged man at the head of the group, dressed in the robes of a high-ranking bishop, held a scepter studded with jewels and had a stern expression; he was the Pope's personal bodyguard captain.
"By order of His Holiness the Pope!" The bishop's voice boomed, carrying a questioning tone that echoed through the street, drawing the attention of the surrounding believers, whose faces showed alarm. "The Holy City is the core of faith. In these turbulent times, all divine forces should protect the Holy Land!"
"You, the Thirteenth Holy Knights, not only disobeyed orders to reinforce the Misty Forest, but you also dared to abandon your posts and attempt to forfeit the Holy City?! This is dereliction of duty and a betrayal of the Holy Light! Halt your advance immediately and return to your base to await further orders!"
The air seemed to freeze, and the oppressive atmosphere made it hard to breathe.
The believers remained silent, watching the tense scene with fear.
Even if they were slow to notice, they could sense that something was off about the atmosphere in the Holy City today!
Alfonso Lin, whose path was blocked, did not even manage to bring the entire Knights to a complete stop.
He sat atop his tall, unicorn-horned warhorse, his holy silver eyes coldly sweeping over the golden-armored guards blocking his path and the stern-faced bishop.
His face showed no change in expression at being questioned, only an icy indifference.
He didn't even offer a word of explanation or rebuttal.
The instant the Papal Guard captain finished speaking, Alfonso merely raised his right hand in an extremely subtle, almost imperceptible gesture.
Bring your index and middle fingers together and point forward gently.
"boom!"
In response to his gesture, a thousand knights of the Thirteenth Holy Knights behind him moved in perfect unison!
There were no slogans, no shouts, only the heavy thunderous sound of armor clashing together!
The knights in the front row instantly lowered their three-meter-long steel lances, the tips of which gleamed with a cold, icy light.
The knights on the side drew their greatswords from their waists or raised their rune tower shields.
The entire team instantly switched to combat stance while on the move, without even slowing down much.
A fierce, resolute, and all-crushing fighting spirit erupted as if it were a tangible force!
They didn't care whose guards were in front of them, nor did they care about any papal decrees!
They only obey the orders of their commander, Alfonso Lin!
The assault formation is complete. Obstacles ahead, crush them!
The Pope's Guard members' expressions changed drastically. They had not expected Alfonso to be so assertive and respond directly with a fighting stance!
The terrifying pressure emanating from that torrent of silver-armored soldiers was something that their guard, who had been stationed in the Holy City for many years, could not withstand!
"You... Alfonso! You dare disobey orders?! Do you want to rebel?!"
The guard bishop's voice trembled with disbelief, anger, and shock, and the gems on his scepter flickered with his surging magic.
Alfonso remained silent, his cold, holy silver eyes fixed on the city gate ahead, as if the obstacle blocking his path was nothing but dust.
His warhorse sensed its master's will, let out a high-pitched neigh, and slightly raised its front hooves.
As the silent, steel torrent, carrying an unstoppable destructive force, was about to launch its charge, the Papal Guard's defensive line involuntarily began to crumble and retreat under the pressure of the clashing swords and armor...
Mark's squad, mingling in the crowd at a distance, watched this scene quietly.
“Heh,” Ellen’s lips curled into a slight smile as she murmured, “It seems that, just as the goddess’s prophecy foretold, this earthly divine kingdom can never belong to the Church of Holy Light alone!”
...
Faced with the sudden formation of the Thirteenth Holy Knights' charging formation, their iron-blooded, resolute, and all-crushing will swept through the city gate area like a tangible shockwave!
The Papal Guard captain's face, which had been contorted with rage, instantly lost all color.
The golden-armored guards behind him felt their scalps tingle, and their palms, gripping their weapons, were instantly soaked with cold sweat.
This is a true battle-hardened cavalry, fresh from the blood and fire of the Lor Swamp, their ferocity still palpable!
These honor guards protecting the holy city can usually flaunt their power and prestige by relying on the Pope's authority, but what if they were to actually confront this steel torrent brimming with murderous intent?
court death!
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