"Miss, seizing someone is a grave act of impoliteness."

  Crash! Crash!

  Torrential rain lashed down in the darkness. A man with short, white hair that reached his shoulders suddenly appeared. He had blood-red eyes, and despite his polite demeanor, exuded a dangerous aura.

  Adelaide.

  The progenitor of the immortals.

  The so-called immortals were those who couldn't be killed—literally. Even if ground into mincemeat, they would regenerate, albeit painfully.

  The only way to deal with them was to encase them completely, burying them underground or throwing them into the deepest waters, inflicting extreme torment.

  Their bodies couldn't die, but their minds could be tortured to collapse.

  The source of this immortality was the white-haired man before Mei, possessing the ability to grant others immortality. Almost no one knew of his existence.

  Perhaps due to his confidence, he didn't hide from Mei, openly revealing his true form.

  Mei assessed Adelaide with a glance.

  His power was approximately Tier 3.

  In this era of Apokolips, this was undoubtedly peak power, explaining his confidence. More importantly, in this era, he was the nexus of all major causal events. He was the protagonist of this time and the Church's absolute nemesis.

  Subtle power descended, and Mei intertwined Adelaide and the Church's destinies, ensuring a life-or-death confrontation between them.

  The Church severely stifled human thought and cultural development, while Adelaide represented a mysterious force. The downfall of either would profoundly affect the future of this world.

  That was a key coordinate.

  A pivotal point determining the future course of Apokolips' civilization.

  With this causal link established, this key coordinate would be solidified, allowing Mei to complete an upgrade task.

  However, the moment they confronted,

  Adelaide's future was determined by Mei, something he was completely unaware of, as he was far from reaching that level of power.

  Mei knew Adelaide's intentions.

  "You intend to grant this man immortality?"

  Adelaide countered,

  "What's impossible about that?"

  "Perhaps you should ask him his opinion."

  Hearing their conversation, particularly the word "immortality," the dying man in the mud glared with hatred.

  He turned his head and, in a weak yet resolute voice, spat out words.

  "Get lost!"

  Burning hatred flared in his eyes. The man's parents, wife, and child had all been killed by an immortal, and the Church had blamed him, leading to his persecution.

  He hated the Church.

  And he hated immortals.

  Even with the temptation of immortality before him, his rage and hatred consumed that temptation. His willpower remained unwavering.

  Though a humble and uneducated peasant, this man possessed incredibly strong willpower—the reason Adelaide had taken an interest in him.

  "Good eye."

  Adelaide's appreciation for the man grew. Rainwater plastered his white hair, disheveling it. He chuckled, "You don't want it, but I'll give it to someone else. But before that…"

  Bang!

  With ghostly speed, Adelaide appeared before Mei, his face stark white in the dim light of the rain, pale as death.

  Mei seemed to know him, understanding that any further words would be a threat, so she decided to quickly deal with this mysterious man.

  However,

  Just before Adelaide reached Mei, something unexpected happened. He was flung away with bone-shattering force.

  Boom!

  An invisible force tore through Adelaide's body, crimson blood mingling with the rain to stain the mud. Adelaide lay on the ground, stunned and unable to comprehend what had transpired.

  Before losing consciousness, Adelaide mustered his remaining strength to look at Mei, meeting only cold, unperturbed eyes. A final sentence echoed in his ears:

  "You still have value."

  Then,

  Adelaide lost consciousness.

  He yearned to ask who Mei was. In his countless years, he'd never encountered someone with such power, someone he couldn't withstand in a single confrontation.

  It was truly inconceivable.

  However,

  Adelaide also realized that he wasn't the only unique being in the world; others, even more terrifying and powerful, were hidden far deeper.

  When the sun rose,

  Adelaide awoke to a warm, dazzling light. He opened his eyes; the half of his body that had been pulverized was completely healed. He stood up from the mud, still shaken.

  "It seems I can't be so reckless in the future."

  This encounter left a profound psychological scar on Adelaide. More importantly, he didn't understand Mei's words.

  Value of life?

  Adelaide grew increasingly uneasy, feeling like he'd been manipulated. He'd never felt this way before in his countless years.

  With this unease, he vanished without a trace.

  ...

  Jade Territory.

  Mei wasn't without a fixed abode. The Jade Territory was under her rule, although she took a hands-off approach, leaving management to her subordinates.

  This territory didn't belong to any kingdom, situated on the border between several large kingdoms. Its geographical advantage made its trade and commerce incredibly prosperous.

  Therefore, it flourished.

  Vergil awoke to find his wounds treated and bandaged. For days, no one had attended to him until an armored knight appeared, revealing that the person who had saved him was the lord of this territory.

  He immediately pledged his loyalty to the lord. Whatever the reason for his rescue, this was his chance to survive.

  Without protection, he couldn't survive the Church's pursuit.

  "I pledge my allegiance to the lord!"

  Vergil's voice resonated.

  Julius replied, "The lord doesn't require your service."

  "Then why…"

  Vergil was confused. Why save him?

  Julius's sharp gaze was intense, his handsome face and bright blonde hair dazzling. He asked Vergil,

  "Do you hate the Church?"

  "I do!"

  Vergil gritted his teeth.

  "And the immortals?"

  "I'd kill them all!"

  "Then destroy the Church and annihilate the immortals. I'll teach you how to wield a blade. Just follow your hatred; destroying everything is enough."

  "Understood."

  Adelaide saw Vergil's powerful willpower, but Mei saw the causal connection on Vergil—a stronger causal link than Adelaide's.

  The difference was that Vergil was an ordinary person, an average human without any mystical powers or supernatural abilities.

  ...

  Outside the universe,

  Mei stood in the void. She had attempted the divine ascension ritual in the mission world, but it proved unsuitable.

  This universe could utilize the Self-Awareness system because Mei had based it on the properties of void energy, a universal energy source.

  Adaptable to any world's system.

  However,

  Limited by the differing rules of different worlds, this was not a Self-Awareness universe. Mei couldn't use the divine ascension ritual to upgrade ordinary Self-Awareness into conceptual Self-Awareness.

  She'd used Truth Manifestation to observe; those conceptual deities were inherently divine, none having ascended through any power system.

  This world lacked a system capable of raising beings to the conceptual level.

  This was problematic.

  Unable to solve this immediately, Mei decided to focus on the lower-level concepts. She remembered that lower-level concepts could merge into higher-level ones.

  She had tried this before.

  A pile of useless lower-level concepts; perhaps merging them into higher-level concepts might trigger the merging mechanism.

  Hum—

  A vast and incredibly complex Self-Awareness structure unfolded in the void, and then, one by one, the lower-level concepts manifested in Self-Awareness form, like cogs fitting into the structure.

  The complex, illusory structure depicted the mysteries of cosmic principles. The lower-level concepts continuously connected and interlocked, forming a more complex whole.

  The Self-Awareness expanded like a living entity, shimmering in the void like a star-filled cosmos. An immense power was gestating.

  The interface finally updated.

  【Detectable Mergeable Abilities】

  【Ability Merge Complete】

  【Ability Acquired: Concept · Eternity】

  After a moment,

  Boom!

  The void trembled.

  Energy erupted, and the immense Self-Awareness structure instantly retracted into Mei's body. A terrifyingly powerful conceptual structure—the concept of Eternity—fell into Mei's hands.

  ——

  【Ability: Concept · Eternity】

  【Level: LV1】

  【Description: A concept transcending time and space, a true higher-level concept, even among higher-level concepts.】

  ——

  The merging of dozens of lower-level concepts did not disappoint Mei. If causality was a higher-level concept, then Eternity was a super higher-level concept.

  It perfectly counteracted most higher-level concepts, such as time, space, death, fate, and nothingness. Few concepts could resist or oppose Eternity.

  With the concept of Eternity in Mei's possession, the super higher-level conceptual deity had no chance of revival; it had met its true death.

  The concept of Eternity didn't merge into Mei.

  Mei speculated that if she obtained all the higher-level concepts, she could merge them into All Concepts through this same mechanism.

  All Concepts!

  Mei anticipated with excitement.

  Then, she would not only possess all conceptual power but also Conceptual Counter-Creation, possessing both sides of the coin—she wondered how powerful she would become.

  Simultaneously,

  Within the universe,

  A highly advanced sentient being, calling itself a god, unexpectedly stumbled upon the aftermath of Mei's battle against the deities, stopping in its tracks.

  Its entire body involuntarily trembled.

  "What… what"

  "What exactly happened here?!"

  Rumble!

  Terrifying lightning tore through the cosmic space, leaving behind destructive energy. Rents in space gaped like grotesque maws, devouring everything.

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  Rivers of divine blood, severed limbs, and mutilated bodies littered the cosmos.

  The scene was horrifying.

  An indescribable terror washed over the self-proclaimed god. A colossal skull swept through the cosmos.

  He recoiled in terror.

  He had witnessed conceptual deities before; the power lingering in the cosmos confirmed that these were undoubtedly the remains of conceptual deities.

  What had happened?

  Why were the universe's supreme beings so utterly devastated?

  He shuddered.

  Where were the other gods?

  Were they all dead?

  No one could answer his questions. Gazing at the silent, profound cosmic void, this advanced being felt an icy chill of fear.

  At that moment,

  An image flashed unexpectedly into the being's mind: a magnificent Daemon, surrounded by a swirling galaxy, standing on the corpses of the deities.

  The being's pupils constricted.

  "Dead…"

  "All dead!"

  All the conceptual deities were dead!!

  Initially believing it to be information left behind by the deities before their deaths, the Daemon's image in his mind suddenly turned its head.

  Staring directly into the depths of the being's memories.

  Sensing the causal force disturbance, Mei's gaze descended from the void, looking down upon this minuscule ant—a self-proclaimed god.

  A Tier 4 ant.

  An overwhelming sense of dread pressed down. With a single glance, the advanced being lost consciousness, the brink of death causing its perception to collapse.

  Before losing consciousness, the final thought flashed through its mind, filled with utter terror.

  "Daemon!!!"

  Mei withdrew her gaze,

  Leaving it adrift in the cosmic void.

  The reason this advanced being could perceive the information left behind by the deities wasn't proximity; it had become a container for a higher-level concept.

  Based on its own strength, it would believe this was an awakening of its power, gradually pushing this power to the conceptual level.

  Then,

  The higher-level deity wielding this concept would use its body to awaken.

  Whatever conceptual deity it was, they were incredibly unlucky to be detected by Mei before fully awakening. If any concept could deceive the heavens, it would be fate.

  Fate and causality were closely related concepts, silently manipulating all things. This was why Mei had difficulty detecting traces of fate.

  A brilliant light streaked across the night sky. A teardrop-shaped gem, like a shooting star, traversed countless light-years, precisely landing on Apokolips.

  A girl, washing clothes by the river, discovered the gem. Curiosity prompted her to pick it up; a bright light flashed in her eyes.

  "What is this?"

  Looking at the world again, she found the connections and relationships between all things clearly visible. A slight tug on an invisible thread seemed to allow her to manipulate the fate of everything.

  Unbeknownst to her, the moment she picked up the gem, her fate had been placed under control. Or perhaps, picking up the gem was her fate.

  And so it went.

  More and more.

  The higher-level conceptual deities began to awaken. This might be a long process, but it was what they desired.

  ...

  Twenty years passed in the blink of an eye.

  "Have you found her?"

  "Not yet."

  "Then continue searching."

  "Progenitor, forgive my bluntness, but I sense your fear. Why? You are the greatest and most powerful being in this world."

  "..."

  Silence fell in the darkness.

  "Keep searching."

  "Yes."

  In the darkness, Adelaide sat in a chair, his hair disheveled. In recent years, the image of that person had haunted his memory.

  Along with an unforgettable sense of power and fear.

  However,

  He was too lonely.

  For countless years, he had been utterly alone. He'd grown accustomed to it, but the appearance of another being like himself made him unable to bear the solitude.

  In the long, monotonous years, Mei's appearance had brought an unprecedented excitement to Adelaide; a calm lake had been disturbed, creating violent ripples.

  Mei was an extremely dangerous person.

  Therefore,

  He dared not risk finding Mei; he feared death. In recent years, he had ordered his immortal subordinates to search everywhere for Mei's traces.

  This showed just how complex Adelaide was. Mei's brutal display had left a significant psychological scar, to the point where this progenitor had become fearful and timid.

  No longer fearless as before.

  Yet, he couldn't bear the solitude, prompting him to risk searching for Mei, like a moth to a flame—a contradiction.

  In a tavern 10 kilometers away, an immortal was leisurely drinking ale, pondering where to find the person the progenitor had mentioned.

  Suddenly,

  The sound of horseshoes echoed outside the tavern.

  Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!

  Initially, the immortal paid no attention until a swift horse raced past the tavern, its rider expertly throwing a rope that ensnared the immortal's neck.

  "?!!"

  Bang!

  Before the immortal could react, the horse's strength snapped its neck, throwing it from its seat. The immortal crashed through the tavern door, dragged along the ground.

  The tavern patrons exchanged glances.

  "Fast!"

  "Who was that?"

  They rushed out, but the horse and the immortal had already disappeared, leaving only a bloody trail—vivid and shocking.

  By the lake,

  Vergil swiftly bound the immortal's limbs before it could regenerate, tying a large stone to them and covering its head with a sack.

  When the immortal revived,

  Vergil asked only one question: "Where is the progenitor?"

  Without eliminating the progenitor of the immortals, their numbers would only increase. Vergil hunted immortals while searching for Adelaide.

  He was fortunate.

  To have encountered the progenitor twenty years prior, learning of the immortal progenitor's existence.

  A muffled voice came from beneath the hood.

  The immortal's tone was icy: "You're courting death."

  Failing to obtain the desired answer, Vergil didn't hesitate. He drowned the immortal, condemning it to countless cycles of life and death until its consciousness collapsed from the torment.

  It wouldn't take a hundred years.

  Or ten.

  A few days would suffice.

  Even if later recovered, it would be only an immortal body without consciousness; its mind would be shattered—Vergil's method for dealing with immortals.

  They weren't indestructible.

  An unusual smell wafted through the air.

  Bang!

  Vergil swiftly drew his sword, turning to find himself surrounded by over a dozen immortals. He smirked, showing no fear.

  "I can smell your stench from ten kilometers away. Why aren't you attacking? Why are so many of you afraid of one man? I'm just an ordinary person."

  "Vergil."

  An immortal pulled out a Church wanted poster from his chest, displaying Vergil's image. "We have a few questions for you."

  "Ugh."

  Vergil scoffed, giving the immortals a deeply insulting gesture. "I've got nothing to say to you pathetic lot!"

  Rumble!

  A chaotic torrent of hooves thundered toward them. The immortals looked up, instantly terrified. A silver-armored cavalry, mounted on warhorses, formed an unstoppable tide of steel.

  "The Church's Heretic Judgment Knights!"

  "You're insane!!"

  Vergil wouldn't dare raid an immortal lair unprepared. He wasn't just provoking the immortals, but the Church as well.

  "Hahaha!"

  Vergil laughed, "Wouldn't it be great if we all died together?"

  "Madman!"

  "Scatter!"

  The immortals dispersed, having no time to deal with Vergil. Vergil let out a cry, fearlessly charging into the knightly order with his sword drawn.

  Escape was impossible.

  Perhaps death in battle would be preferable.

  Thirty minutes later.

  Immortals, battered and bloodied like dead dogs, were dragged away by the Judgment Knights. Immortals possessed only immortal bodies, not the progenitor's power.

  Otherwise, they wouldn't fear the Church.

  Similarly,

  Vergil, over twenty years, had pushed himself to the human limit, mastering stealth, tracking, swordsmanship, and disguise.

  But he was still human.

  Facing a well-armed, steel tide, he suffered countless broken bones. The Judgment Knights brought him back to the Church, where he was sentenced to execution, to be carried out the following day.

  ...

  In the Heretic Judgment Hall.

  Vergil lay in his cell when a figure emerged from the shadows. Adelaide, as if unseen, approached Vergil's cell.

  "You've been looking for me."

  Vergil merely stared at Adelaide, remaining silent. Adelaide continued, "And I've been looking for you. Tell me, where is she?"

  Hearing this,

  Vergil offered a scornful expression.

  "Aren't you afraid she's already killed you?"

  "I am. Just tell me where she is. If anyone knows her whereabouts, it's you."

  "I won't tell you."

  "Gentlemen!"

  Heavy footsteps echoed through the prison as an armored Judgment Knight slowly appeared, his gaze like a blade, sweeping over Adelaide and Vergil.

  "I apologize for interrupting, but could you tell me who you're referring to?"

  Immediately,

  Adelaide's expression darkened. These hounds had keen noses; a brief silence had passed, and the battle was intense.

  Boom!

  In an instant,

  The Heretic Judgment Hall was reduced to rubble.

  Adelaide's apprehension towards the Church was justified. Individually, he possessed an overwhelming advantage, but the Church's high-ranking Judgment Knights were not to be underestimated.

  They also possessed significant supernatural powers, and their numbers were considerable; each possessed Tier 2 strength. Adelaide couldn't afford to ignore them.

  The Heretic Judgment Hall was the stronghold of the Judgment Knights, harboring a significant number of high-ranking knights.

  ...

  "Her?"

  "Based on the conversation between the immortal progenitor and Vergil, we overheard them mentioning someone. The progenitor seemed quite fearful of this person."

  A high-ranking Judgment Knight, having just clashed with Adelaide, reported to the Bishop of the Heretic Judgment Hall. They were very interested in the person mentioned.

  The Bishop was also quite surprised.

  "He actually fears someone?"

  "It seems so."

  "What about Vergil?"

  "I'm sorry, he was taken away. Our forces were no match for the progenitor. If he hadn't been so eager for a fight, we might have suffered some casualties."

  "He is the immortal progenitor after all…"

  The Bishop sighed. There was nothing they could do about Adelaide. The Church desperately sought power that could surpass Adelaide's.

  The high-ranking Judgment Knights weren't enough.

  "Bishop, regarding the Jade Territory…"

  "I've already sent someone to deal with it."

  Rumble!

  Another rainy night.

  In the wilderness, outside a secluded cabin.

  Adelaide threw Vergil to the muddy ground, impatient with further conversation: "Either you tell me where she is, or I grant you immortality."

  Becoming immortal might be a coveted dream for others, but for Vergil, it was something to be intensely hated and resented; it was a form of torment.

  "..."

  Vergil merely stared at Adelaide, hatred burning in his eyes. Seeing this, Adelaide stopped wasting words.

  He cut open his palm, letting a drop of blood fall onto Vergil's hand. A strange power surged into Vergil's body; veins pulsed, rapidly moving toward his heart.

  Vergil demonstrated his resolve, struggling to his feet, rushing into the cabin to grab a hatchet and sever his left hand.

  Allowing the blood to flow freely.

  The immortal transformation stopped.

  Vergil collapsed, his gaze icy as he looked at Adelaide.

  "..."

  Adelaide had never encountered such self-destructive behavior. For a moment, he was at a loss; his expression darkened like storm clouds.

  He didn't want Vergil to die. If Vergil died, he wouldn't know where to find Mei. However, Adelaide wouldn't stoop so low.

  He was the progenitor of the immortals, after all.

  A former ruler of a nation, a noble sovereign, possessing a degree of pride that would prevent him from begging Vergil not to kill himself.

  "Then perish."

  With that,

  Adelaide left.

  He didn't believe he couldn't find Mei without Vergil.

  After an indeterminate amount of time,

  Rumble!

  A bolt of lightning illuminated the rainy night. An old man, his face etched with wrinkles, entered the abandoned cabin, finding Vergil lying in a pool of blood.

  ...

  Jade Territory.

  Due to its thriving commerce, the Jade Territory was immensely wealthy. Trade caravans arrived constantly; the tax revenue alone was enormous, bringing unimaginable riches.

  Therefore,

  The lord's estate was vast, the mansion built with grandeur and elegance, far surpassing the estates of many kingdoms' upper nobility.

  There was simply too much money to spend.

  In the study,

  Illusory Self-Awareness structures intertwined through space, the world's causality manifesting visibly before Mei.

  The Church.

  Vergil.

  Adelaide.

  …

  The intertwined causality was complex. With a single thought, Mei could manipulate the causal threads, silently controlling everything.

  Adelaide's fear was excessive; the Church hadn't gained a significant advantage in its conflict with him.

  Their conflict needed to become more intense.

  Hum—

  With a thought, the causal relationships subtly shifted, then vanished into the void. Immense power subtly influenced the world from a higher plane.

  At that moment,

  The study door opened, and a stern-faced middle-aged man, clad in armor—a high-ranking Judgment Knight—entered, drawing his sword.

  An unfamiliar face.

  An uninvited guest.

  Mei said with amusement, "If it's a visit, you could've used the front door."

  The knight's gaze sharpened.

  "Two Judgment Knights were found hanged in the Jade Territory. Lord, what is your intention? We demand justice from the Church."

  Mei picked up the world's book, manifested by Truth Manifestation, its writing constantly shifting, monitoring the recovery of the higher-level conceptual deities.

  Her tone was nonchalant.

  "This is the Jade Territory. The Jade Territory's laws apply here. Those two knights attempted murder; I've sentenced them accordingly."

  Hearing this,

  The knight's face contorted with anger. He lunged at Mei, swinging his sword. A brilliant figure suddenly appeared before Mei, deflecting the sword with ease.

  Recognizing the person, the knight's eyes widened.

  "Julius?!"

  Once,

  The knight and Julius had served together in the Judgment Knights. In terms of talent, dedication, and strength, Julius far surpassed any knight of his generation.

  He was like the sun in the sky, too dazzling to look at directly. Mere proximity was intensely uncomfortable, earning him the title of "Son of the Sun" from the Bishop.

  Unsurprisingly, he was poised to become the Church's most powerful Judgment Knight in centuries, possessing strength rivaling Adelaide's.

  However,

  He had disappeared many years ago.

  If not for witnessing it firsthand, the knight wouldn't believe it—the once most devout and loyal Knight of the Sun had become the Jade Territory's attack dog.

  The knight's fury flared.

  "Julius! Do you know what you're doing?! We all believed you died in battle. You've betrayed the Church!!"

  Julius's gaze was unwavering; he remained silent, his blade resting on the knight's neck. The knight's anger intensified.

  He challenged Julius, "Have you forgotten your oath before the gods? Your loyalty belongs only to them! Your actions are a betrayal…"

  Mei's voice cut the knight short. This level of opponent didn't require her personal intervention; it wasn't worth the effort.

  "Julius."

  "Yes."

  The moment the words left her lips, Julius decapitated the knight, who couldn't believe he'd died by Julius's blade.

  The severed head lay on the ground, eyes wide with disbelief. Once, Julius's loyalty to the gods surpassed all others.

  Looking at his former comrade, a flicker of emotion crossed Julius's eyes. He spoke, "The lord I serve is far greater than your gods."

  ...

  A searing pain jolted Vergil awake. He instinctively reached out, only to find his left arm severed.

  A crackling fire banished the night's darkness. A grizzled old witch doctor stirred a concoction over the fire, a pot bubbling with something foul-smelling.

  Vergil knew.

  He'd been saved.

  "You saved me?"

  "You're lucky; I happen to be a witch doctor. Others wouldn't have been able to handle your injuries."

  "Thank you."

  The witch doctor ladled out a bowl of foul-smelling, blackened liquid and held it to Vergil's mouth. "Drink. The immortal blood in your system hasn't been completely purged."

  Vergil was taken aback.

  "What?"

  "You're Vergil, aren't you? Your wanted poster is everywhere. Regardless of your conflict with the Church, I support your hunt for the immortals. Perhaps it's fate that you met me here, and I just happen to have discovered a substance that suppresses immortal blood."

  "Really?!"

  Hearing this,

  Vergil was overjoyed.

  The witch doctor pushed aside Vergil's hand and poured the blackened liquid into his mouth. "Of course it's true. In this world, besides immortals, there are many other miraculous powers, and I just happen to know one."

  He swallowed.

  "Ugh!"

  Vergil almost vomited; it was far worse than excrement.

  "This is called Black Death Medicine. Immortals who even touch a drop are guaranteed a painful death. After drinking this, it will blend with your blood, making you the immortals' nemesis."

  "Give me several more bowls!"

  At that moment,

  Vergil wanted his veins to flow not with blood, but with Black Death Medicine. He didn't care about side effects; as long as it killed those bastards, it was enough.

  "One bowl is sufficient. More will increase the toxicity, but you'll also lose a significant amount of lifespan. That price…"

  "Several more bowls!"

  Vergil didn't hesitate.

  The gears of fate began to turn, the causal convergence pushing Apokolips' history toward a crucial key coordinate.

  Soon after,

  The Church received an anonymous gift: a vial of foul-smelling, blackened liquid, labeled "Black Death Medicine."

  Vergil was ruthless, but not stupid. Giving the Black Death Medicine to the Church would inevitably escalate the conflict between the Church and the immortals.

  The immortals wouldn't sit idly by; a desperate struggle would ensue, a mutually destructive conflict—precisely what Vergil desired.

  Events unfolded as expected. With the Black Death Medicine, the Church finally had a way to counter the immortals, who had previously inflicted massive casualties due to their immortality.

  From that moment on,

  The situation changed.

  Rumble!

  A squadron of inquisitorial knights charged forward, their silver blades coated with the dark, immortal-slaying potion. Any immortal struck by a blade would die instantly.

  "Don't let a single one escape!"

  "Yes!"

  A one-sided massacre began. Wherever the Judgment Knights went, immortal corpses littered the ground, the remaining immortals terrified.

  The Judgment Knights were victorious until they encountered a white-haired, red-eyed man—Adelaide, single-handedly blocking their advance.

  His face was grim.

  Seeing the Black Death Medicine on the knights' blades intensified his expression.

  "Kill without mercy!"

  The Judgment Knights charged at Adelaide, a tide of steel overwhelming him. Adelaide simply raised his hand, and then—

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  All the Judgment Knights and their steeds exploded into bloody mist, crimson fog rising into the sky, staining the land and wilderness.

  A gentle breeze swept past,

  Carrying Adelaide's killing intent and rage.

  "Church—"

  Since the Church sought complete annihilation, he wouldn't sit idly by. There was nothing left to restrain him; it was a fight to the death.

  Mei observed, knowing the spectacle was about to begin. A pivotal point, deciding Apokolips' future, was about to emerge.

  Intertwined causality connected the Church, extinguishing its members like starlight in the night sky. Adelaide, sweeping through the Church like a storm, destroyed its cathedrals.

  Following the Church's causal threads, Mei looked towards the cosmic void.

  Thus,

  The god was about to appear.

  Hum—

  Void energy manifested, slowly coalescing into a crimson spear. The causality of the Church's god, a being of immense faith, began to be intertwined.

  His causality was intertwined with death.

  An absolute suppression sufficient to completely erase him from the source. The crimson spear created violent ripples in the void, then transformed into a streak of light, shooting towards the horizon.

  The war between the Church and the immortals intensified. Even with the Black Death Medicine, the Church struggled against Adelaide, a Tier 3 powerhouse.

  Cathedrals were razed, Judgment Knights and immortals clashed in rivers of blood and corpses, both sides suffering heavy losses.

  For the common people, this dark age felt endless, the war and carnage terrifying.

  Those caught in the conflict between the Church and the immortals faced certain death, yet they were powerless, left only to pray.

  ...

  Holy City.

  The Pope's residence, the Church's absolute heart, and the closest point to their god. Within the grand cathedral of the Holy City, devout believers prayed.

  "Merciful Father God, we pray that you will send down Kamui, to burn away all the filth and evil in this world, to send those wicked immortals to the endless torment of hell…"

  "Father God, save us!"

  The Church was monotheistic, worshipping a single Supreme God. The believers knelt and prayed before a pure white statue of their god.

  The statue was majestic, with a golden halo behind it, wielding a spear and clad in armor—undeniably a valiant god.

  Including the Pope, no one had ever seen the Church's god. The believers' faith was entirely based on the Church's dissemination of ancient texts detailing the god's deeds.

  Undeniably, the Judgment Knights received their supernatural power through faith in the Father God. The purer and more fervent the faith, the greater the power.

  This was the source of the Church's supernatural power.

  Bang!

  The cathedral doors exploded inward.

  Adelaide, blood-soaked and radiating killing intent, strode into the Church's sacred space, his gaze fixed on the statue of the god.

  "Merely a lifeless object."

  It was time to end this conflict.