Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 611 The Pact of Betrayal
"The Blind Shadow" Archirad—enveloped in a "shadow" and enduring the intense heat, he was on the verge of escaping into the dark army formation.

The moment he saw the Holy See's "Third Cardinal"—the "Radiant Cardinal" Evra—appear, he sensed something was wrong.

Their current predicament has shifted from the three "Seven Fates" besieging the "Holy Sword" Monine to a stalemate with a cardinal and a Sun Knight from the Holy Court. And above them hovers a terrifyingly large dragon; any further delay could lead to an inescapable predicament.

Archibald knew this perfectly well.

He looked at the "Blood Crown Venerable" Bogula, who was not far away and was enveloped in a crimson blood mass, while Bogula looked at him at the same time.

Both Bogula and Archela were thinking the same thing.

Their gazes, unanimously, turned to the last remaining ally, to the "Lich King"—the "Brown King" Bridget.

Bridget was the only one who did not flee towards the edge. Surrounded by the scorching flames of dragonfire and holy fire, he struggled wildly, flailing his octopus-like tentacles as if in a frenzy.

Both the "Holy Flame" and the "Dragon Flame" have a powerful "purifying" effect on Bridget.

Bridget, the "Brown Demon King," is also one of the relatively weaker among the Saints at the "Sevenfold Fate" level.

In fact, long before the Dark Pillars received news from the Lich Council that they were willing to intervene in the final battle and help the Dark Pillars weaken the Empire's fighting power as much as possible, the Dark Pillars had already figured out the greatest use of the "Great Lich" and "Lich King" sent to the battlefield.

—They serve as "targets" to draw enemy fire. When the Black Pillars are besieged by multiple Saints of the Empire, they are abandoned in exchange for the Black Pillars' escape.

As for why the Lich Kings were able to agree to such conditions, it stemmed from the "price" they demanded from the "Black Pillars".

Almost all of the dark pillars forged a soul pact with the Lich Kings before the final battle began.

If any "Black Pillar" dies on the battlefield, its soul will be spontaneously gathered by the nearby Lich Kings. The Lich Kings also promise these Black Pillars "rebirth." If the souls of the dead Black Pillars can be reshaped into "Lichs," then death is not such a frightening thing.

This pact benefits both the Black Pillars and the Lich Council.

……

"Aaaaaaahhhhh!!!"

Bridget was still screaming in agony.

He was enduring immense pain; the combined scorching of dragon flames and holy flames was causing him excruciating agony.

The tangible spiritual ripples then spread outwards in waves, becoming disordered and dissipating. Two dark red eyes, embedded in the sticky flesh and blood on his face, looked at the person opposite him with surprise and anger.

Bridget, the "Brown Demon King," possesses the power to harvest souls and manipulate the surrounding spirituality.

However, they are quite afraid of fire.

That might be related to the characteristics of the lich he fused with—that is, an "octopus." It was blessed with endless life by the [lost] pillar god "Primal Mother," but at the cost of needing to devour the souls of those who fell into the water to sustain itself. As a result, it was twisted and became a life form of the "lich spirit."

Bridget was originally a priest of the Lich Order. After he ascended to the "Fivefold Destiny" of the Lost and became the "High Priest," he was chosen by the lich with whom he now coexists, and after he ascended to the "Sixfold Destiny," he completely merged with the lich.

As a result, he ended up with his current octopus-like twisted shape.

at this time.

In Bridget's eyes, the "Holy Sword" Monigne, which should have been his prey, the newly appeared Cardinal "Radiant Cardinal" Evra, and the terrifying dragon hovering in the sky were all enemies who posed a great threat to him.

The two dark pillars—"Blind Shadow" Archirad and "Blood Crown Venerable" Bogula—had originally agreed that he should "drain" the spiritual energy surrounding "Supreme Sword" Monine, so that either Archirad or Bogula could deliver a fatal blow to Monine and the "Saintess".

But Bridget never imagined that she would fall into such a deadly situation.

He even saw Archirad and Bogula, the "Pillars of Darkness," fleeing in two directions, away from him. They had clearly used him as a scapegoat, as the best target to draw their attacks.

Bridget was furious.

"—Ahhh!!!"

He suddenly roared, and all the tentacles on his body violently rolled outwards.

From his body, countless substances, like flowing mud, gushed out, making a wailing sound, and then blasted towards Monigne and Evra in front of him.

Those were all souls that Bridget had gathered on the battlefield of the final battle.

These souls could have increased her own power and provided a feast for the lich that coexisted with her, but Bridget now has to abandon them completely.

"—Waaaaaaah!!!"

Amidst a cacophony of wailing sounds, like a surging tide, the dark yellow soul, carrying with it a violent and chaotic spirituality and the curse Bridget had instilled in it, crashed toward Monigne and Evra.

……

--boom!!!!!!!

But just before the soul of "Brown Demon King" Bridget surged forth and truly reached Monigne and Evra, and burst forth with a deafening roar,
Crimson dragonfire descended from the sky once more, enveloping Bridget and all the souls he had released in crimson once more.

Although Bridget had a premonition, when the dragon above once again unleashed such terrifying dragon flames, he still felt an excruciating pain from the inside out, as if he were melting in the flames.

The "lich spirit," now fused with itself, has an irresistible instinct to fear fire. Even though Bridget wanted to escape while the souls were entangled with Monigne and Efra, he was instantly rendered powerless.

A sense of powerlessness washed over him, and despair welled up in his heart. Out of the corner of his eye, Bridget saw the two "black pillars," Archirad and Bogula, who were also trapped at the edge of the dragon flames, unable to break through the crimson curtain of fire.

For some reason, Bridget felt a surge of relief welling up inside her.

He instinctively felt that perhaps the two "Black Pillars," Archirad and Bogula, would turn back to help him. After all, they were also trapped in the dragonfire, and now their only chance of escape was to either shoot down the dragon above them or severely injure either Monigne or Evra.

He was indeed naively thinking that way—

Until he saw Archirad, the "blind shadow," he suddenly turned around.

Archira's lips curled into a strange smile as he gripped the crescent-shaped blade in his right hand and raised it toward himself.

—Snap!

Bridget heard the sound of something being cut.

He then smelled the blood, and belatedly felt a cold, painful sensation. Before he even realized what was happening to him...

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw on the other side—the "Pillar of Darkness," Bogula, a gloomy old man with a pale face like a vampire and wrapped in a dark red robe, also extending his withered hand towards him.

In the palm of his right hand, like a weight, lay a dark gray heart. The heart was still throbbing, its outline marked by deep lines drawn from Polgara's fingers.

“Give yourself to me, Bridget—”

Bridget heard a withered, low voice.

--puff!

Then he heard the sound of something being crushed.

Suddenly, he felt as if his consciousness had been struck by a heavy hammer. His body then exploded, and blood gushed out like a fountain, enveloping tentacles that desperately craved air.

Bridget, the "Brown Demon King," has lost control of himself.

The "beast" within him—the true "lich"—was about to burst forth.

This is the true purpose of Archirad, the "Pillar of Darkness," and Bogula.

Even though Bridget realized this belatedly, it was too late to undo the damage.

……

"—With my radiant flames, I purify blasphemy and defilement."

"—With my sacred fire, I will build a wall of severance."

"..."

"Radiant Holy Pivot" Efra is conducting a sacred prayer.

He was also paying close attention to the battle and watching the scene unfolding before him.

The archbishop, who came from the church of Sina, had once again used the dragon he controlled to exert a powerful suppression on his enemies.

Even Evra, the "Radiant Flame Pivot" who was proficient in the art of holy flames, knew he couldn't achieve such a large-scale and powerful blaze.

Although he could use holy arts of "Holy Flame" with equal or even greater power—that relied on the power of the [Radiance] authority. Moreover, it could not be sustained, and could not maintain the surging dragon flames of that power almost continuously like the ancient dragon.

"..."

Evra always felt like he had lost.

However, he didn't dwell on these thoughts. Taking advantage of the opportunity created by the ancient dragon, he offered a prayer—which was also a [Radiant] authority, a Level III authority [Cage of Holy Incineration]!
—Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The sound of pattering rain echoed around the battlefield where Evra was located.

Pillars of flame shot into the sky, enveloping and sealing off everything within a vast area.

—Including the "Brown Demon King" Bridget, the "Black Pillar" Archirad who was about to escape the range, and Bogula, all these enemies were trapped inside!

—Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Next came the sound of flames flowing.

The high walls of holy flame have been erected around the battlefield. They have blocked the retreat of "Brown Demon King" Bridget, as well as "Black Pillar" Archirad and Bogula!
The escape route that had been right in front of him, within arm's reach, was suddenly cut off. A look of shock and anger flashed across Archer's face. He whirled around, his dark eyes, like daggers, piercing straight at Evra beneath his cloak!
……

Before the fierce battle erupted between Archirad and Bogula, the "Black Pillar," Bridget, the "Lich King," Evra, the "Radiant Sacred Pivot," and Monigne, the "Holy Sword," Archbishop Roshu Carlos had already descended from the heavens.

He now stood behind Monine, beside Frania. As Quesanx unleashed another [Surge of Destruction] downwards, he simultaneously began praying for several [Radiant] holy spells.

They faced three enemies—Achlad, Bogula, and Bridget—and their overall combat strength was superior. Victory was indeed in their hands, according to Luo Xiu's assessment.

He was simultaneously performing several holy prayers, and at the same time, using the [Divine Summoning Seal] combined with the skill [Grace of the Holy Wings], he summoned an "angel" from the Eternal Kingdom, and also summoned the "Four-Winged Angel" Tatia to his side.

The angels surrounded Bridget, the "Brown Demon King," and the surge of holy light enveloped, cleansed, and pierced him!
—Boom! Boom!! Boom!!
Heavy rumbling sounds echoed, and the stench of blood filled the air as thick, grayish-brown, muddy blood gushed from Bridget's body.

The bombardment of Bridget by the "angels" was also seen as an attack by their "summoners"—Rossi.

The angels chose Bridget, the "Brown Demon King," as their target because he was indeed the weakest and easiest to kill among all the "Sevenfold Fate" Saints present. Luo Xiu had also noticed that Bridget seemed to be naturally countered by almost all the Saints present.

Both "Radiant Flame Sacred Pivot" Evra and "Supreme Holy Sword" Monine are proficient in wielding the power of "Holy Flame".

Therefore, Luo Xiu specially summoned angels from the "Eternal Kingdom" who were close to the qualities of the "Holy Flame"—having been promoted to "Holy Winged Envoy" for a long time, he was indeed capable of doing such a thing.

As Quesanx and the angels bombarded Bridget, Luo Xiu's panel displayed the prompt for the sixth objective of the promotion quest "The Crown of the Great Sun": to begin.

From this moment forward, Luo Xiu will join the saints in carrying out the holy judgment against "Brown Demon King" Bridget.

This is his goal.

Just a moment before, it seemed that the other two "Pillars of Darkness"—Achlad and Bogula—had done something to Bridget.

At that moment, Luo Xiu did not see clearly, but as he continued to pray, preparing to release all the dozen or so sacred spells he had accumulated.

A piercing scream reached his ears—

"Aaaaaaaahh ...

Those were the wails of the Lich King, the Brown King Bridget.

His body began to twist and expand infinitely.

From his wounds, which had been expanded several times over, countless thick, sticky tentacles emerged, like a cocoon breaking free.

……

(End of this chapter)