It was a quest that could be cleared. Damian was convinced about it.His confidence hadn’t changed even when he was trapped in the barrier, when he was caught by Hill, or when Aliburn summoned hundreds of black spheres.
‘Based on the worldview, this crisis must be pa.s.sed.’
He was sure it would be maintained even if Grid hadn’t shown up. In fact, Rebecca’s Daughters weren’t using White Transformation as promised. If they did, the momentum was likely to change. Thus, Damian had been waiting for the story to reach a specific section—the moment when Rebecca’s Daughters would go out with all their strength.
However, the situation went differently from Damian’s expectations. Before Rebecca’s Daughters could move, Grid changed things dramatically. Something happened the moment Grid touched the sword in Aliburn’s arms. It was the sword that was sealed into the rock.
A brilliant light exploded, and the image of the sword Grid had drawn out didn’t fade away. Instead, it became complete.
“What?”
Pagma"s Descendant was interfering with the symbol of the Rebecca Church?
‘What are his qualifications?’
The keepsakes of Fifth Pope Franz—the Holy Light Set—were made by Pagma, so it wasn’t strange for them to be a.s.sociated with Grid.
‘Did Pagma have anything to do with the first holy sword?’
Ttiring~
Damian was feeling confused when a notification window popped up.
[The Recapture the Holy Sword quest has been updated to Recapture the Holy Sword (2)!]
[Recapture the Holy Sword (2)]
[★ Hidden Quest ★
The sealed holy sword, which was in the Yatan Church’s hands, has been liberated with the power of the seven malignant saints.
The seven malignant saints, who wanted to move away from being half-G.o.ds and become true G.o.ds, sought the sword in the past.
The Holy Sword is the symbol of Rebecca and proof of the pope!
You must retrieve it!
Be wary of the evil person seeking the throne of a G.o.d!
Quest Clear Conditions: Take back the Sealed Holy Sword.
Quest Clear Reward: The blessing of G.o.ddess Rebecca, G.o.d Judar, and G.o.d Dominion. Affinity with the elders will reach the peak, and you will be respected by all believers.
Quest Failure: Many believers will be disillusioned with the ineffective church leaders.h.i.+p and will leave the church. You won"t be eligible to serve as the pope. G.o.ddess Rebecca will be disappointed in you. Level -10.]
‘The seven malignant saints? Where did this suddenly come from?’
For the majority of ordinary players, the seven malignant saints episode was still uncharted territory. Even Overgeared King Grid had only recently learned about this story. Additionally, he only knew because Kraugel told him. However, Damian wasn’t an ordinary player.He was a ranked who had a formerly hidden cla.s.s, and he was the pope of the Rebecca Church. Just like Kraugel, he had dominated many quests. No, perhaps Damian was a player with even more knowledge and information sources than Kraugel. He knew that the malignant saints were absolutely evil.
‘They became half-G.o.ds due to the G.o.ds’ favor, but they weren’t satisfied and aimed for the G.o.ds’ position...’
He had heard that one of them had inherited the power of light from G.o.ddess Rebecca. Just thinking about the seven malignant saints made Damian angry. How dare they betray G.o.ddess Rebecca who cared for humanity with love and compa.s.sion? From the time he became the G.o.ddess’ Agent until the day he became a pope, Damian had learned many things about Rebecca’s work. He admired Rebecca and didn’t like the seven villains who had tried to hurt her by betraying her.
‘Wait...’Damian was astonished. Weren’t the quest’s contents updated the moment Grid touched the holy sword? Then that meant the mention of the ‘evil person’ who used the power of the seven malignant saints was referring to Grid.
“Grid!”Damian felt a chill as his voice entered Grid’s ears. Grid was also looking at a new quest.It contained a powerful temptation that was causing him to feel conflicted.
[Crossroad of Good and Evil]
[★ Hidden Quest ★
After all sorts of adventures, you have won the power, G.o.d’s Command, that the fourth malignant saint, Taren, left for later generations.
You can hear Taren’s voice, “The light was so bright that I couldn’t see the darkness hidden beyond it.”
The voice of the War G.o.d Zeratul is also heard, “Human. This isn’t Taren’s arrangement. It is Dominion’s and my arrangement. Don’t listen to the voice of the corrupted one.”
The Incomplete Holy Sword is starting to be eroded by the power of G.o.d"s Command.
The Incomplete Holy Sword is a symbol of Rebecca.
Please make a choice.
Will you rely on the power of the seven malignant saints to make the Incomplete Holy Sword yours or return it to the Rebecca Church?
Pioneer your own path!
Rewards for Gaining the Incomplete Holy Sword:
The ‘Holy Sword of the 4th Evil’ will be acquired.
* Your race will evolve from a human into a half-G.o.d. A half-G.o.d is a race that transcends humanity and approaches being a G.o.d. There will be room for great increases of all abilities.
* The pa.s.sive skill G.o.d’s Command is strengthened. The probability of activating G.o.d’s Command will become 100%. However, a critical hit won’t be applied to skills that G.o.d’s Command is used on.
* The skill, Corrupted Holy Sword, will unlock.
* You will be cursed by G.o.ddess Rebecca, G.o.d Dominion, G.o.d Judar, and G.o.d Zeratul.
* Affinity with the Rebecca Church, Dominion Church, and Judar Church will fall to minus values.
* Followers of the Warrior G.o.d will chase you.
Rewards for Returning the Incomplete Holy Sword:
G.o.ddess Rebecca’s blessing. Affinity with the Rebecca Church will rise to the maximum.
* Affinity with the Rebecca Church is already at the maximum.]
Duguen!Duguen!Duguen!
Grid’s heart thumped as he read the contents of the quest. His greed wriggled under the enormous stimulation. Grid’s original heart was crying.
‘Grab the Holy Sword!
‘A half-G.o.d, half-G.o.d!
‘No one will be able to beat me! I will reign forever!
‘The whole world will see me everyday, and people will look up to me.
‘My first love Ahyoung will feel regretful every night. Huhuhut.
‘What about those guys who bullied me?
‘This is a unique opportunity. It is dangerous now. A strong person like Kraugel or Agnus can take my position at any time.
‘What about those people hoping for the downfall of the Overgeared Kingdom? What if I am deprived of everything and return to that awful life?’
Duguen!Duguen!Duguen!
His conflict was biased. Grid’s greed was too strong, despite receiving many rewards and overcoming his past. He gripped the holy sword harder.
“Grid!”
Grid heard Damian’s shout. Damian sincerely respected and envied Grid.Grid liked him too. It sometimes felt akin to a dream that he shared a mutual admiration with a great person like Damian. However, it wasn’t enough. Grid didn’t let go of the holy sword in his hand.
“Grid! Wake up!”
Then he heard Isabel’s cry. Isabel—she was a poor woman. Grid had saved her, and she gained happiness. The feelings of grat.i.tude, love, and respect she felt for Grid were a great source of strength and pride for him. He felt a bit sorry to let her down.
“I...”Grid’s tight grip on the holy sword loosened slightly. Still, this only lasted for a moment. Grid increased his strength again because he couldn’t suppress the greed inside him.
“Your Majesty!”
“Father!”
“...!”
He heard Irene’s and Lord’s cries. That’s when Grid’s mind awakened, and he s.h.i.+fted his gaze from the sword for the first time. The first woman who loved him—she was the woman who devoted herself to him and taught him what happiness and rest were. Additionally, there was the fruit of his love with her—the child who followed his back.
Then other faces appeared in his mind—Huroi, Yura, Jishuka, Regas, Pon, Lauel, Peak Sword, and Toon.
“I...”
The biased conflict changed. He suppressed his boiling desire and shouted with all his strength, “I can’t risk my family and colleagues...!!”
What was he doing alone? His people would suffer if he gave into his desires and became hostile to the world. He didn’t want that. Right now, his life wasn’t his own.
“Damian!”Grid shouted and threw the holy sword into the air. Pope Damian caught the turning sword, and a bright smile appeared on Damian’s face.
Phew, it was really fortunate. What would he have done if Grid had become the second coming of a malignant saint? It was the worst situation that Damian didn"t even want to imagine.
“This... Stop all of them!”Aliburn shouted urgently, overwhelmed by the divine power released from the holy sword. He had lost his calm expression long ago, but he was already too late. Yatan’s Servants and the black magicians weren’t able to react yet.
“G.o.ddess’ Will.”The pope waved the first holy sword, and a divine power was manifested. The sword glowed in the darkness, getting rid of all the dark curses and cutting the Yatan’ Servants and black magicians in its path.
“Kuock!!”
The first holy sword was a weapon against the great demons. Yatan"s Servants couldn’t endure its power. Aliburn suffered a terrible blow and collapsed, while Grid started dancing in response to Damian’s move.
“Pagma’s Swordsmans.h.i.+p!”
“You!”Aliburn glared at Grid with bloodshot eyes.The grudge he felt toward the person who made all his plans useless was too great to be described.“I will die and take you to h.e.l.l with me!”
“Kill!”
“Kuk...!Kuaaaaak!”
“H-Hik...!”
“The Third Servant!”
The deathly screams of the wicked being who threatened thousands of Rebecca members drove the black magicians into chaos.They ran away while the Rebecca paladins chased them.
“Pant... Pant...”
Aliburn disappeared in a gray pillar of light, and Grid stumbled. The physical and mental fatigue he felt while fighting to protect his precious ones were tremendous. The sudden drop of stamina meant it wasn’t strange if he fell down immediately. However, Grid stood firm. He had to hold out his wife and son.
“Your Majesty!”
“Father!”
“It’s fortunate. I’m glad you’re safe.”
As he embraced them, the smile on Grid’s face as was as warm as the portrait of the G.o.ddess. The Rebecca Church’s elders gazed at Grid with a different expression in their eyes. Meanwhile, Isabel looked like she was on the verge of deifying Grid.