A Power Beyond Gods: One Man Wipes Out Three Hundred Shadow Elites!

Mas rushed up from behind, supporting the Shadow Godfather, his voice a frantic cry, "Three hundred of the Shadow Legion, annihilated?! Those were the Shadow Temple's most elite brethren! How many troops did the enemy deploy? Ten thousand? Twenty thousand?"

Already gravely wounded, the Shadow Godfather gasped even more frantically for air under Mas's jarring tug and urgent shouts. He slowly shook his head. "It wasn't a human army..."

"Then did the Dragon Clan army stationed on Mount Miglio find you? But three of our Shadow Legion brethren can contend with a single dragon! Did the Dragon Clan dispatch hundreds of those winged reptiles!?"

Gasping for air, the Shadow Godfather struggled to push Mas away.

Mas urged, "Tell me, quickly! For heaven's sake! Did the enemy employ a large-scale sacred artifact of war!?"

The Shadow Godfather, with a last surge of strength, pushed Mas away. "Battle God Enforcer, the foe was not an army, nor a swarm of dragons... the foe was merely... one person!" The Shadow Godfather's final words were almost torn from his throat, syllable by painful syllable. Then...

A profound silence descended upon the Eye of Heaven Temple. A truly profound silence.

The Pontiff slowly raised his gaze, the radiant glow of the crystal golden lamps embedded in the temple's ceiling causing his eyes to narrow slightly.

"This night, indeed, proved to be most intriguing! First, Du Chen, the Divine, astonishingly dealt a crushing defeat to Dragon God Samuel, and now, three hundred Shadow Legion warriors have been eradicated by a single individual... Gaining a king piece, yet sacrificing three hundred pawns! A profit, or a devastating loss!?"

Deceased chess pieces can always be replaced, yet their manner of death seems utterly unbelievable, and the timing, utterly inopportune!

The Pontiff drew his gaze from the crystalline golden lamps and commanded, "Shadow, recount the full details of these events to the living representatives of the gods! Francis, you shall also bear witness!"

The Shadow Godfather was a tall, gaunt old man cloaked in a head-shrouding black robe. His features were obscured, discernible only by the wisps of white hair that escaped his hood, hinting at his advanced age. At this very moment, his black vestments were dotted with myriad tiny crimson specks, which had visibly corroded the fabric, faintly revealing the Shadow Godfather's putrefying skin beneath!

The Shadow Godfather's report was stark and concise. "Your Eminence!" he began, "Five days prior, I led three hundred of the Shadow Legion to Boulder Mountain, on the periphery of Mount Miglio. We were poised to execute your decreed plan: to fabricate the illusion that Constantine had no prior affiliations with the Holy Church, thereby compelling the Dragon God to issue an apology! Yet, on the very night of our arrival at Boulder Mountain, a lone figure abruptly manifested at the entrance of our secluded cavern. He uttered not a single word, but immediately commenced his slaughter! In less than a quarter of an hour, the three hundred strong Shadow Legion was utterly annihilated. This subordinate fought with the ferocity of desperation but was vanquished by the adversary in three strikes, narrowly escaping through the grace of the Secret Technique bestowed upon me by Your Eminence! I humbly submit myself for your censure!"

"Three strikes!?" The Pontiff's eyelids twitched almost imperceptibly. He had just been pondering that the Shadow Godfather should be capable of resisting the Dragon God for more than three exchanges, given Du Chen, the Divine's, recent Three-Strike Pact. Yet now, an individual had bested Shadow in merely three strikes. Such power...

The Shadow Godfather took several deep, ragged breaths, striving to quell the resurgence of his injuries, before continuing, "The adversary was of moderate stature, though lean! His attire bore a striking resemblance to the red-robed clergy of the Papal Curia — a voluminous crimson robe, black boots, and a white jade belt! However, his head was adorned with a most peculiar black iron helmet, akin to the flat-topped heavy helms common among soldiers, but with an unusually broad brim that obscured half his face. This subordinate could only discern fragmentary features of his lower countenance — a beardless, pointed chin, thin lips, and remarkably pale skin!"

"Furthermore," he added, "the individual's Secret Technique was exceptionally ruthless. He slew with but ten fingers, each strike claiming multiple lives! This subordinate's vision was clouded, yet I can estimate that he employed no more than twenty to thirty finger strikes to utterly obliterate the three hundred strong Shadow Legion!" As he spoke, the Shadow Godfather shivered, causing his robe to fall open and reveal a segment of his arm, festering and oozing pus. "These vestments and these wounds were inflicted by that man's finger-techniques; I implore Your Eminence to inspect them! This, then, is the entirety of the intelligence this subordinate managed to retrieve!"

The Shadow Godfather truly proved himself a most capable subordinate; to retrieve such a wealth of intelligence in the throes of mortal peril was commendable. It was little wonder the Pontiff had elevated him to the esteemed position as head of the Nine Godfathers!

Du Chen rose alongside the Pontiff, both advancing to inspect the Shadow Godfather's grievous injuries.

"It is a composite corrosive Secret Technique, drawing upon both plant and water elements!" the Pontiff mused, slowly pacing around the Shadow Godfather. "The perpetrator commands two elemental affinities, indicating a cultivation of at least Level Ten or higher... yet to defeat Shadow in merely three strikes, that individual must surely stand on par with myself and the Dragon God!" As he spoke, an attendant diligently recorded his every word.

"Though the putrefying wounds are undeniably severe, the actual perforations caused by battle qi are no larger than a fingertip. This suggests the adversary's finger-techniques employ layered force, inflicting manifold damage! Throughout history, few factions have mastered such intricate finger-techniques. Foremost among them are the descendants of Sun God Mikael, renowned for the Saint Dak family's 'Sun's Tear'... and the Thunder Halberd Batuoke family's 'Flash of Light and Thunder'..."

While genuinely admiring the Pontiff's vast breadth of knowledge and insight, Du Chen simultaneously felt a prickle of unease, his scalp tingling at the mere mention of those names.

"Designate those I have just named as primary suspects," the Pontiff commanded, settling back into his ornate reclining chair with a flick of his wrist. "Thoroughly investigate their recent activities! Mas, escort the Shadow Godfather to the Shadow Temple's grand healing tent. This incident shall not be deemed a crime of war; Shadow will therefore not be held culpable for the demise of three hundred elites!"

Only Du Chen and the Pontiff now remained within the hallowed confines of the Eye of Heaven Temple!

The Pontiff settled back into his golden reclining chair, releasing a sorrowful sigh. "Alas for the three hundred loyal and valiant soldiers of the Holy Church!" he lamented. "Francis, the Shadow Legion falls under the dominion of the Shadow Temple; thus, tomorrow, you shall preside over their solemn memorial rites!"

"As the Deacon Godfather of the Shadow Temple, it is only fitting for Francis to bid farewell to these fallen warriors!" This was the Pontiff, having borne witness to the true might of Du Chen, the Divine, shrewdly consolidating his own authority to involve himself in the Papal Curia's affairs!

The Pontiff continued, "Constantine was apprehended personally by Du Chen, the Divine. Now that he has been rescued, and the Papal Curia finds itself embroiled with the Dragon Clan, our resources are temporarily stretched thin. I wonder if Du Chen, the Divine, would be inclined to lend his aid once more!?"

Du Chen pondered for a brief moment. "I shall entreat Du Chen, the Divine, to intervene," he replied. "However, my divine self is presently journeying afar on the Azure Heaven Continent, and it may be some time before he can..."

"The affairs that occupy Du Chen, the Divine, must indeed be of utmost importance, so we shall not impose upon him!" The Pontiff's words were nothing more than pleasantries; in truth, the further Du Chen, the Divine, remained, the better – for this was a pivotal moment in the contention for that formidable sacred artifact, a true case of too many wolves for too little prey!

"Your Eminence!" Du Chen probed, his tone measured. "Regarding Constantine's rescue, you alluded to several potential culprits. Among them, who do you suspect most strongly? Could it possibly be Thistle Valley?" A faint unease stirred within him; Constantine was not truly deceased, merely in a vegetative state. Should he ever awaken, Du Chen knew his troubles would be far from insignificant!

Yet, there was little need for excessive worry. Considering the sheer ruthlessness Deboning displayed in his actions, the probability of Constantine's awakening was even more remote than Mas proving capable of intricate schemes and stratagems!

"Difficult to say," the Pontiff replied dismissively. "Though Shadow exerted his utmost, the intelligence he brought back remains regrettably scant! However, Thistle Valley is highly improbable; they never concern themselves with rescuing captives, only with safeguarding the villains within their valley from capture!" The Pontiff brushed him off with a perfunctory remark, then, returning to the crux of the matter, revealed his true agenda. "Francis, what are your and Du Chen, the Divine's, thoughts on this newly emerged sacred artifact?" The Pontiff's demeanor grew increasingly benign, yet his words conveyed an undeniable, immense pressure!

"You mentioned earlier that Du Chen, the Divine, seemed to harbor an interest in this sacred artifact. Is that indeed true? Hmm!?" The underlying message was clear: 'Du Chen, the Divine, seeks to contend with me for this sacred artifact, does he not!?'

Du Chen smirked inwardly. With the emergence of the new sacred artifact, the crux of the conflict between the Dragon Clan and the Holy Church had shifted entirely from the inconsequential Constantine to... the new sacred artifact itself!

Thus, to "halt the conflict," the pivotal element now rested squarely upon this novel sacred artifact!

Du Chen cast a fleeting glance at the Golden Circlet of the Divine adorning the Pontiff's head, and a silent, disdainful 'Hmph' escaped him before he smiled. "Your Eminence is mistaken," he declared smoothly. "My divine self harbors absolutely no interest in this new sacred artifact! My earlier words were merely a ploy to silence Divine Envoy Donna! In my estimation, no one is more suited to be its rightful master than Your Eminence!"

The Pontiff gave a subtle nod, his smile unwavering. "Then regarding tomorrow's deliberations with the Dragon Clan and Water's Embrace Lake, do you harbor any particular opinions?"

Du Chen shrugged, then declared in a clear, resonant voice, "Though Margaret is formidable, she remains distant at Water's Embrace Lake, rendering Divine Envoy Donna a negligible concern! The Dragon Clan's armies are massing, yet the Dragon God himself is gravely wounded, thus they, too, are of little consequence! Therefore, Your Eminence's sole imperative tomorrow is to prevent their alliance! As for my feigned interest in the new sacred artifact earlier, that was, in truth, an elaborate ruse orchestrated for Your Eminence's benefit!"

"Oh? For my benefit, you say? I am eager to hear the specifics!" The smile on the Pontiff's serene face deepened, a knowing glint in his eye. He was feigning ignorance!

"After I uttered those words, the Eye of Heaven Forest instantly became a battleground where four factions vied for a single sacred artifact," Du Chen explained. "Among them, Your Eminence's influence is paramount, the Dragon Clan's is second, my own Francis faction ranks third, and Divine Envoy Donna's is the weakest! Now, by feigning my own interest in the new sacred artifact, I have positioned my divine self as one of these four contenders. In the eyes of the Dragon God and Donna, my allegiance becomes ambiguous, making me a potential ally or foe. This allows me to feign an alliance with them, ostensibly to confront Your Eminence, the most formidable power, but in actuality..."

Having delivered his intricate plan, Du Chen bowed slightly and declared with resonant conviction, "Tomorrow, Francis shall most assuredly assist Your Eminence in establishing initial communication with that sacred artifact!"

"I am much obliged, Godfather Francis," the Pontiff replied, a subtle smile playing on his lips. "Convey my profound gratitude to Du Chen, the Divine! Should no one within my Holy Church prove capable of establishing successful rapport with that sacred artifact tomorrow, then it shall, indeed, rightfully belong to Du Chen, the Divine!"

Du Chen exited the Eye of Heaven Temple. As he swept past the guards lining the halls, he gave a graceful flick of his pristine white robe, his handsome features alight with a cordial smile. "My thanks for your diligent service, everyone!" he offered smoothly. His golden hair, stirred by the night breeze, seemed to dance, instantly earning the burgeoning admiration of countless ordinary soldiers for their new Godfather!

Yet, the moment he rounded a corner into a secluded alcove, Du Chen's lips curled into a smirk, and he shrugged derisively. "Old Sama," he muttered, "rest assured, I shall most certainly support your endeavor to claim the new sacred artifact tomorrow... provided, of course, that the sacred artifact still remains in place by then!"

Inside his tent, Deboning had enveloped Andy in a shroud of black mist, while Snow Wolf snored softly. Aliza, meanwhile, was sharing beef jerky with Beibei. Upon Du Chen's entrance, Deboning looked up and stated, "Young Master, my apologies. I miscalculated last night during my reconnaissance of Moon Lake!"

"No matter!" Du Chen dismissed, snatching a handful of beef jerky from Aliza's grasp, tossing it into his mouth. "Even the Pontiff was deceived; why should you castigate yourself?" He then mumbled, "Something truly significant has transpired!"

Deboning nodded gravely. "Indeed, that new sacred artifact compelled my Blade of Vanishing Moon's Deadwater to both submit and lament its presence. This signifies it is assuredly no ordinary sacred artifact! I anticipate a colossal battle will erupt in the Eye of Heaven Forest tomorrow!"

Du Chen extended a single finger, wagging it dismissively. "To your young master, anything related to a sacred artifact is but a trivial matter, barely worth a whisper! The 'significant event' I speak of is... Constantine has been rescued!"

Deboning paused, taken aback for an instant, then a chilling sneer touched his lips. "Setting aside the near impossibility of his awakening, even should he miraculously stir, I now possess the absolute conviction to confront him directly and emerge undefeated!"

Du Chen leaned his hands heavily upon the tabletop, his voice dropping to a grave tone. "While the likelihood of Constantine's awakening remains exceedingly slim, we must nonetheless exercise caution! Deboning, the Dragon God sustained significant injuries in today's engagement. I surmise the Four Great Divine Dragons are undoubtedly preoccupied with attending to the Dragon God's recovery! No individual within the entirety of the Mount Miglio Dragon God's Traveling Palace could possibly stand against you! Take Dus with you and meticulously uncover Constantine's past. I demand to know, beyond Thistle Valley – which the Pontiff explicitly dismissed as impossible – what other old comrades he possesses who would dare to intervene on his behalf and defy the Holy Church! Hmph, if the Pontiff chooses to dismiss me, am I not capable of conducting my own inquiries?!"