Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 580 "Dragonblood Knight Commander" Demosth

"Archbishop, Her Highness the Saint is waiting for you outside."

This was the first thing Luo Xiu heard after waking up from his short sleep.

That was the voice of Jon, a temporary clergyman, coming from outside the door—

"The 'Holy Blood' Knights are already waiting outside Fafnir City, on the Dragonbone Plain. The Holy Blood Knights under Lord Demoste have also entered the city and informed Lord Monigne."

"Lady Franya sent me to find you. Please accompany Lady Franya to meet and welcome Lord Demosth..."

"Archbishop, are you awake, Archbishop? Archbishop—"

"..."

"..."

……grass.

Luo Xiu, who had just woken up, still felt a buzzing in his head from the constant vibrations of Yorn's voice.

He felt that Yorn must be an alarm clock...

Luo Xiu rubbed his forehead, got up from the bed, casually took the holy robe hanging on the clothes rack, and put it on.

Then, amidst the continued "greetings" from Yorn, Luo Xiu went to the door and turned the handle.

The door was pushed open, and Luo Xiu saw Yorn—his expression was quite anxious, but when he saw Luo Xiu, his anxious expression turned into one of respect and joy.

"You're awake, Archbishop...please...!"

"Let's go." Luo Xiu didn't let him continue.

When Yorn stopped speaking, Rosh felt that his ears were finally free again. He then roused himself and walked toward the courtyard of his residence.

He walked out of the manor villa where he lived.

He did indeed see that familiar figure in the courtyard of the manor—the "Saintess" Franya stood quietly in the courtyard, casually flipping through a sacred book.

That must record some kind of [glorious] skill.

In the world of Apocalypse, the extraordinary individuals and those who have attained sainthood mostly learn extraordinary skills through repeated and long-term processes of reading and practice. Even saintesses always have things they need to keep learning.

Luo Xiu was thinking about these things.

Behind Franya—on either side of the entrance gate to the manor courtyard—stood the two vice-commanders of the "Godhunter" Templar Knights, Prandell and Royce.

They also followed Franya and came here to meet up with Luo Xiu.

When Frania saw Luo Xiu, she closed the Holy Book and walked towards him.

"Lord Demosth has arrived."

Franya gazed at Luo Xiu with her clear eyes and said:
“I’ve come to meet you, Rosh. We need to make the handover of the ‘Devouring Dragon’ with Lord Demosth, and that requires your presence.”

"How are you feeling right now, Luo Xiu? I'm worried you haven't been getting enough rest."

"...I'm fine," Luo Xiu nodded slightly and said.

Actually, the most intense drowsiness was right after being dragged out of bed. Now that he had been forcibly turned on for a while, Luo Xiu felt that he had regained 90% of his alertness.

At least for now, handling some routine tasks is no problem… Luo Xiu thought to himself, and then continued:

"Let's go."

"Let's go and greet Lord Demosth."

"...After completing the handover of the 'Devouring Dragon,' we should set off to leave Fafnir City."

"Mm." Franya nodded as well.

They said nothing more, but walked side by side out of the courtyard.

Prandell and Royce, the two vice-captains of the "God Hunt," followed behind them.

They were the saint's "guards." Now, the group hurried towards the outskirts of Fafnir.

……

Fafnir City, outside the city walls, Dragonbone Plains.

Monine, the "Sword of the Holy One," had already arrived here before Franya and Luo Xiu.

Behind her was Daveld, the "Heavenly Ring Paladin," who represented the commander of another "Heavenly Ring" Templar Knights. He had come with Monigne to "pay homage" to his direct Grand Paladin Commander, the "Dragonblood Knight Commander" Demosth.

Both Monigne and Daveld, being members of the Templar Order, were actually subordinates of Demosth.

Even though Monigne and Demosth both belong to the "Seven Fates" and hold the same position in the Holy Court, within the "Knights Templar" system, she is the second-in-command.

Demostre had the power to command her, and Monigne was required to obey and carry out some of Demostre's arrangements for her.

At this moment, standing before Monigne and Daveld were four Templar Knights who had removed their black robes, revealing the holy armor in the style of the Holy Blood. They were the four vice-commanders of the Holy Blood Templar Order of Demosth.

Two "Sunfire Paladins" - Shul and Cantron;
A "Radiant Mirror Paladin" Loya;
With a "blood angel" named Metra.

They are the four most powerful vice-commanders in the "Holy Blood" Knights, second only to Demosth, and the "Sixfold Fate" Sun Knights.

Among them, "Blood Angel" Metra is the strongest of the Four Horsemen—that is a hidden class.

There is only one of him in the entire Holy Court. He is a saint who is between a human and an angel, a special kind of saint who has been possessed and merged with an angel.

Generally speaking, the Holy Court currently only allows bishops to contract with angels, but the "Holy Blood Angel" is an exception. This is because it involves an angel voluntarily descending and possessing the person, as was the case with Metra.

Before he embarked on his glorious journey, he sacrificed himself to save a drowning child. The child was saved, but Metra was on the verge of death.

His original village only recovered his body, but just before his body was to be buried, Metra miraculously "came back to life".

It is said that at that time, Metra "grew six shining wings." Church saints who were circumambulating the area heard of this and took Metra into their church, nurturing her.

Later investigations revealed that after Metra fell into the water, she may have received the mercy of a "six-winged angel".

And the angel's original contracted saint seemed to have fallen in the river where Metra drowned, and the six-winged angel "guarded" there for a long time until Metra arrived.

The angel attached to him said that Metra's "body" was actually dead.

The body that Metra is now formed by His power, but the angel must also rely on Him at all times, otherwise the body formed by the [radiance] will dissipate.

They had such a "symbiotic" relationship. Metra was not originally called "Metra"; his original name was "Fandit," but because he had died once, he changed his name to "Metra." Metra was the name of the six-winged angel who possessed him.

That was also the paladin that Demosth had carefully nurtured. Standing before Monigne at this moment was the "Holy Blood Angel" Metra.

“Lord Metra.” Monigne gazed at the paladin before her, whose face possessed an inhumanly pale glow, and frowned slightly as she asked:
"...And Demosth?"

"Captain... he has already gone to the sealing pillar of the 'Devouring Dragon'."

Metra said with a wry smile:

"...You know the captain well, Lord Monigne. Ever since he heard that you and your comrades from 'Godhunter' suppressed and sealed the 'Devourer Dragon' outside Fafnir, even though he still appears meticulous and serious on the surface, he has been secretly excited until now."

“When we come to receive the Devouring Dragon, the captain will definitely go and see it first… He doesn’t really follow the Holy Court’s etiquette, you know that.” “…That’s true.” Monigne sighed.

"Dragonblood Knight Commander" Demosth – he is the strongest in the Holy Court, second only to Pope Lorend, but also the most difficult saint to command.

He possessed almost complete autonomy, and no one except Pope Lawrence could truly command him to do anything. Demostre's arrival in Fafnir was also due to a direct dispatch from Pope Lawrence, and his genuine interest in the "Devouring Dragon."

While Monigne was speaking with Metra, the "Angel of Holy Blood".

Footsteps sounded behind them. Monigne turned around and saw that Franya had arrived with Luo Xiu.

"Your Highness the Saint."

"Your Highness."

"Greetings, Your Highness."

"..."

The four vice-commanders of the "Holy Blood" Knights, Shul, Cantron, Loya, and Metra, all bowed and greeted Franya.

Luo Xiu, who was traveling with the Holy Maiden, simultaneously felt four scrutinizing gazes surrounding him.

The vice-leaders of "Holy Blood" were scrutinizing him very clearly. Luo Xiu could sense that although he was a "Sixth Fate" Saint like them, he was at least ten years younger than any of them, so it was normal for him to receive such unusual attention.

The gaze cast from the other side was not so sharp; it even carried a hint of pleading.

That came from "Heavenly Ring Paladin" Daveld.

He simply stood somewhat reservedly beside Monigne, merely listening without saying much.

—Because the "Holy Blood" Knights indeed hold a far higher status in the "Holy Court" than the "Heavenly Ring" Knights, and the four vice-commanders are the most powerful saints in the "Sixfold Fate".

Even though Daveld is the leader of the "Sky Ring," he still feels somewhat uneasy when facing the four Sun Knights who follow Demosth day and night.

He saw Luo Xiu as if he had seen a savior. Luo Xiu also looked at him, nodded slightly, and said:
"Hello, Daveld."

"Hello."

Daveld responded politely.

As he uttered those words, it was as if he had been relieved—he finally had the chance to speak.

Luo Xiu smiled and nodded slightly in response. Then, his gaze shifted back to Monine and the several vice-captains of "Holy Blood".

Luo Xiu greeted them individually and received responses. Although the responses from the vice-leaders of "Holy Blood" seemed somewhat distant and cold, they did not completely ignore Luo Xiu, who was at the same level as them.

Luo Xiu didn't care too much about their reactions.

"I apologize for interrupting your pleasant conversation. We should now meet with Lord Demosth."

Loya, the only female vice-captain of the "Holy Blood" guild, spoke first.

Luo Xiu looked at her.

She was dressed in a silver-white body armor and wore a silver-white pleated headband. At first glance, she looked like a maid or a "mirror-bearing maid".

She wore a loose, flowing battle dress that shimmered with waves of bright silver and gold, making her look more like a maid, and a "battle maid" at that.

As Luo Xiu knew, the "Radiant Mirror Paladin" was a hidden class among the Paladins of the Sixfold Fate, and it was a support and protection class.

At this moment, Loya, the "Radiant Mirror Paladin," held the crescent-shaped "Radiant Mirror," its curved surface constantly shimmering with pale gold and silver vapor, in both hands. She nodded slightly to Monine and Franya, and said in a soft voice:

"Lord Demostt has already gone to the 'Devourer Dragon' and it has been thirteen minutes... no, it has been fourteen minutes now."

"In order to prevent that lord from doing something that would leave us to clean up the mess because of his interest in 'Ancient Dragon'... Gentlemen, let's go and meet Lord Demosth immediately."

“Okay.” Monigne nodded.

Without saying another word, they walked toward the pillar of light in which the "Devouring Dragon" was suppressed and sealed.

……

A few minutes later.

As Luo Xiu moved forward, he could see Demosth, the "Dragon Blood Knight Commander," right below the pillar of light sealing the Devouring Dragon. His imposing figure had come into view.

Even from a great distance, one could sense an extremely strong "aura" emanating from Demostre—just as a butcher who has killed millions would exude a strong killing intent, Demostre possessed a similar aura.

Luo Xiu seemed to hear it; he vaguely heard the roar of a "dragon" in his ears—a mournful, painful roar, and Demosth seemed to be a nightmare they could not escape.

Even though the surroundings were actually calm and there wasn't a breath of wind.

at this time.

Demosth was looking up, his gaze fixed on the enormous ancient dragon that was thousands of times larger than himself.

Fafnir Ramzanx, the "Devourer Dragon," was sealed within the Pillar of Retribution, frozen in his final struggle. The countless wounds on his body, the dragon blood flowing around him, and the surging rubble and light—all of these had "condensed" and "stagnated" in Demosth's eyes.

"So it is..."

"..."

Even without seeing Demosth's face, Luo Xiu could guess that he must be wearing a fanatical expression with his eyes shining.

Demosth's hand gently caressed the sealed pillar of light.

Even though touching the surface of the pillar of light triggered a defense mechanism, igniting a scorching flame on Demosthen's fingers, he seemed oblivious to it. He simply continued to "touch," unconsciously murmuring to himself:
"beauty……"

"So... a beautiful dragon. It's a pity it's tainted by that abhorrent darkness... but... perhaps it still has the potential to 'purify'."

"Let Loya try it... using that glow mirror..."

"Or perhaps His blood is still pure? Hmm... If I release Him here and then kill Him... that power might be even stronger and more intense than 'Aranpis'..."

“His blood… oh, His blood…”

"..."

Even though Demostt was muttering unconsciously, Luo Xiu could hear it clearly. He only felt that Demostt seemed to be plotting something loudly, but the members of "Holy Blood" did not seem to react.

It's like I've gotten used to it.

In his previous life, Luo Xiu had never seen this side of Demosth. To be honest, he found it somewhat novel, and in his eyes, he saw Demosth slowly raise the long sword he was carrying on his shoulder.

Crimson flames rose from it, turning the black cloth that wrapped it into ashes that fell to the ground.

That was a "Dragon-Slaying Greatsword".

Moreover, it is a "Dragon Slayer Blade" that has undergone a rather complex process of [Radiance] inscription and Holy Spirit tempering.

The Holy Dragon Slayer is Demosth's exclusive weapon, a "divinely forged" quality "alien holy sword".

Now, Demosth raised his crimson-red blade toward the pillar of light sealing the "Dragon Devourer".

……

(End of this chapter)