Chapter 659
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Archbishop Nicholas actually wanted to lead this army to Phoenix for a looting session, so that the army could receive resupply and nourishment . Even before reaching Phoenix, the soldiers began falling ill however .
Archbishop Nicholas did not pay much attention to it, it was normal for soldiers to fall sick after losing a battle . More and more soldiers fell ill, even the holy masters could not carry out treatment .
Archbishop Nicholas immediately became alert . The intermediate grade holy masters he deployed had executed forceful treatment on the ill soldiers . Most of them recovered, but some did not respond to the treatment . What made Nicholas astonished was that one soldier actually was killed by the divine spell treatment .
It could only mean one thing if a person got killed by a divine spell treatment . The vitality of this soldier had been fully depleted, there was no more vitality left for use .
Archbishop Nicholas was no idiot, this incident caused him to break out in cold sweat .
"The pope actually used that technique! No wonder the soldiers were so fearless, battling as though they were berserk, they were even scarier than the fanatic believers . When my holy masters treated these soldiers, the process was more relaxed than usual, they didn't even use much divine strength . I still thought that it was because these people were sincere enough . Theisio, are you trying to ruin my future by doing this?" Archbishop Nicholas calculated many possibilities, but he never calculated that his soldiers would not live for long . "The pope has already stimulated their vitality in advance, no matter victory or defeat, there will only be one outcome . "
"Nicholas, have you finally straightened your thoughts?" A voice rang behind Nicholas, causing Nicholas to turn his head around sharply . He saw that a white-robed youth was seated in his tent .
"Fycro…"
"Nicholas, do you want to die, or live?" Fycro asked with a smile .
"I want to live!"
"You are still a smart person after all . Nicholas, do you know why Theisio plotted against you?"
Nicholas shook his head . Even though he was not the pope's confidante, he was one of the powers who supported the pope among the inner ranks of the Holy See . He could not understand why Theisio had done that . He could understand the reason behind sacrificing the soldiers in order to raise their offensive powers, but why was he the scapegoat?
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"You have the powers of grade-9 right?" Fycro's smile was very modest, but Nicholas could detect the arrogance within . A grade-9 holy master was no expert in Fycro's eyes .
"You cannot hide from me and neither can you hide from Theisio . During the ambush of Emperor Chanake the inner ranks of the Holy See had sustained massive losses . You also know the kind of injuries Theisio had sustained, but Nicholas, you don't know how he managed to recover so swiftly right?"
Fycro's words set off a landmine in Nicholas' heart .
Fycro continued using words to attack Nicholas, he said, "That's right, back then, half of the people who died were killed by Theisio . Then, within the next year, the people in the Holy See were assassinated by sorcerers from Alchemy City . In actual fact, a number of them were actually killed by Theisio himself . He absorbed the vitality and divine strength of these people, that's why he could recover so quickly . Nicholas, think about it, if you return to receive punishment, how do you think Theisio will handle a grade-9 holy master like yourself?"
Archbishop Nicholas hesitated no more, with a thud, he knelt before Fycro .
"Sir Fycro, save me!"
"So… how will you thank me?" Fycro grinned as he looked at Nicholas . "This powerful bishop from the Holy See has completely fallen under my thumb . "
"I will be at your beck and call!" Archbishop Nicholas was utterly terrified . "If the pope absorbs one's vitality, their soul won't be spared either . Given the pope's powers, he will surely not waste my soul . By then, I can be crafted into all sorts of things . "
"Great . There are five-thousand wardens at a location about one-hundred miles south of you . I have already them trapped in a magic array, they cannot leave at the moment . Bring your men and kill all of them . "
Nicholas shuddered, but he did not refuse .
Fycro continued, "After killing these five-thousand people, your ten-thousand troops and the twenty Red Bishops shouldn't be spared either . You shall then defect to Metatrin City's owner, Saleen . "
"Sir!" Nicholas bellowed, then he immediately lowered his voice . Quivering, he said, "Then I will…"
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"You will have fallen, right? A fallen holy master is a very powerful presence . In the future, you can steal the power of the believers and you don't have to care about the feelings of the god, right?"
"Sir Fycro, kill me . " Nicholas was in utter despair .
"Why are you so anxious, do you know about Genesis' death?"
"Yes," Nicholas answered weakly .
"His Script of Redemption is in my possession . If you complete your tasks well, I will have a way to let you return to God's embrace . " Fycro's smile was ever vibrant, but Nicholas felt a chill down his spine .
"If you aren't willing…"
"I am willing to do it!" Nicholas bowed deeply .
"Take it, there are one-hundred-thousand broken souls inside, it will be sufficient to fulfill your usual intake of religious strength . Remember to collect the souls of the slaughtered wardens and believers . " Fycro took out a black bead, tossing it in front of Nicholas .
"Yes, Sir . "
"Just tell Saleen that I have asked you to defect to him, he will not refuse . In the future, I will ask Picasso to contact you if I have any tasks for you . "
"Yes . " When Nicholas raised his head again, Fycro had disappeared . Nicholas started laughing bitterly, "I have lived for over seventy years, but I am still so naïve . I had thought that since the Golden Grand Swordmaster had been killed by the enemy in one hit and the five-thousand wardens had escaped, I could explain myself and be rid of blame when I returned to the Holy See . To think that my life had long been part of Theisio's plot already . "
Saleen originally planned to train for three months . On the sixth day, he had to emerge from the warehouse because someone was looking for him .
When Saleen arrived at the second story of the temple, he saw that red-robed old man . Nicholas simply stood there looking a little lifeless surrounded by a group of people .
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What made Saleen astonished was that a black holy prose had appeared on the forehead of this red-robed man .
Cuisi and the rest stared nervously at Nicholas, this old man was a grade-9 expert . If he attacked Saleen abruptly, the consequences would be predictable . Jola had even drawn his longsword . He stood behind Nicholas, preparing to spring into action anytime .
When Saleen appeared, Nicholas was taken aback . Saleen was much younger than he had imagined, Saleen might not even be twenty years old . "Why was the pope in such a hurry to kill such a person?"
"You are the overall commander of the expeditionary army right, why are you here to look for me?" Saleen went straight to the main point .
Nicholas glanced at the people surrounding him . Even though he was a grade-9 expert, he would not wind up well if he got attacked by these people . He was not sure whether he should let them learn about Fycro's words . Since Fycro did not mention anything, Nicholas had to be more vigilant .
Pondering for a while, Nicholas steeled his heart, then he took out that black bead and handed it over .
"This is a Soul Bead . Since I have already fallen, this is the source of my powers . If you crush this bead, I will transform into a normal human being immediately . "
Saleen used the Elemental Eye to observe this black bead, as Nicholas continued, "This bead contains the soul fragments of the entire expeditionary army . A total of one-hundred and twenty-five-thousand people . I have also killed the escaped wardens, as well the twenty Red Bishops who served me . Sir Saleen, can I speak to you in private?"
"The people present here are my trusted associates, go ahead and speak . " Saleen observed that there were countless of soul fragments inside this black bead, there were also some souls which were more complete . All of them were wailing in agony .
"I have come forth to defect you . " Nicholas pointed to his forehead, then said, "I have already fallen . Even though Myers mainland is huge, I can only settle down in your city . "
"I don't need you . " Saleen rejected flatly, but he was fiddling with that Soul Bead .
At this moment, Nicholas then realized why Fycro had reminded him to say Fycro sent him . "Fycro sent me here . "
Saleen's expression suddenly froze, "Since Fycro has asked him to come here, can I possibly refuse?"
"Okay, everyone leave, what is your name?"
"Nicholas . " Nicholas did not mention his surname .
"Mm, Nicholas, since he asked you to come here, I cannot refuse . You have to sign a contract with me . I am a mere grade-6 mage, your powers are much stronger than mine, I cannot rest assured having you beside me . "
"It's okay, please write one up, I am willing to sign a contract . " Nicholas did not care about anything anymore . He could not turn back anymore after killing twenty Red Bishops . All his hopes were pinned on Fycro's Script of Redemption . If Fycro reneged Nicholas still had to rely on this young mage .
"This city is sturdier than I thought . If it is developed further, there will be no problem resisting an army with a million soldiers . "
"If all holy masters are like you, there wouldn't be a holy war already . " Saleen teased, as he wrote on a scroll . More than half the people had left the room, only Sika, Nailisi, and Cuisi stayed behind .
By now, Saleen was extremely deft in writing a contractual scroll . This time around, the scroll was made from the skin of a lightning dragon, it was from the grade-8 lightning dragon they killed some time ago . Even so, this contractual scroll could still bind any expert below grade-10 .
Nicholas did not even look, he used his blood to write his name decisively . Out of the blue, a layer of dense electric current appeared on the scroll . The blue electric currents interweaved, flashing for one whole minute before turning the scroll into ashes .
Saleen had added the power of lightning into this scroll . If Nicholas tried to harm him in the future, Nicholas would first be restrained by the power within the scroll . Saleen did not believe that Nicholas' soul could resist lightning from a lightning dragon .
This was double insurance . Before Nicholas could act, he would lose all his powers immediately . Making this precaution was so much simpler than crushing a Soul Bead .
"Take this back . Nicholas, let's talk . " Seeing that the contract had taken effect, Saleen was no longer fearful of this fallen grade-9 holy master . He returned the Soul Bead to Nicholas .
"Sir Saleen, what do you want to know?" Signing the contract, Nicholas felt more assured already . At least Saleen would not be suspicious of his abilities, he would remain alive for the time being .