Chapter 427: God Says, Demon Beasts Shall Not Exist
Veronica’s adherence to the knightly virtues of loyalty, integrity, and righteousness made it difficult for her to accept Qin Chu’s plan. It was simply too shameless, too despicable.
He was essentially fabricating miracles.
But then she remembered he was the Goddess’s chosen.
So, his actions must have been divinely sanctioned.
If the Goddess herself approved, she had no right to object. In fact, the Goddess allowing such deception was a testament to his favor.
But then, a new doubt arose.
“Your Holiness,” she began, “initially, this plan will work. But as time passes, the number of followers will increase, won’t it?”
She had no doubt the so-called miracles would attract countless converts. Providing food for everyone every day would soon become unsustainable.
“Don’t worry, we only need the miracles occasionally,” he said.
It was merely a marketing tactic, to attract attention, to spread the word.
Too many miracles would diminish their impact.
“Once we have enough followers, we can simply prepare the food in advance and distribute it to those who attend the prayers.”
“Their only duty will be to pray. I’m sure many will be willing, in exchange for food.”
The elderly in the Heavenly Continent were a pitiful lot. Food was scarce, prioritized for the young and strong, the primary earners. The elderly often went hungry.
A guaranteed meal would make them far more devout than any cleric.
“While they’re praying, have the priests… educate them. Indoctrinate them. Fill their minds with the Goddess’s benevolence. Make them memorize the scriptures.”
“And after that, we can establish orphanages and shelters, starting with the homeless children.”
Veronica’s single-mindedness required him to explain everything in detail. But with Shaye’s assistance, it should be manageable.
After Veronica left, he went to see Candice.
She greeted him warmly, sitting on his lap and kissing him deeply before delivering her report:
“The Demon Beast ranks are in turmoil.”
“With the First and Second Prince confirmed dead, and Lomond, the most likely successor, strangely inactive, the other princes are vying for the throne, eager to prove themselves.”
“The most conspicuous among them is the Third Prince, Dicken, as I mentioned before.”
“Perhaps because of his earlier humiliation at the hands of the Dark Witch, he’s desperate to prove himself, and with the humans unable to mount an effective resistance, his constant victories have gone to his head.”
“He even plans to march on the Imperial City, his slogan ‘Crush Auville, capture the Hero.'”
Capture the Hero? Such arrogance.
In that case, he would start with this Dicken.
“Any news about Diabolique?” he asked suddenly.
The First Prince’s fate still bothered him. He had killed him, but Nagath had retrieved his body. What was his purpose? He didn’t think the Demon King cared about his children.
And the body had been taken to a secret chamber. He suspected Nagath was planning something.
And now, knowing Nagath might be Jie Luo, or a fusion of Jie Luo and Nagath, he had to be even more cautious.
“Nothing.”
“Inform Lomond to keep an eye on him. And I’ll send him a gift. You know what to say,” he said.
Candice smiled seductively, her Succubus blood making her every movement alluring. “Of course. I’ll handle it. He won’t suspect a thing.”
“Good. Now, tell me where to find this Third Prince, Dicken.”
…
At the front lines.
The battlefield was swarming with Demon Beasts.
Dicken’s mother was from the Ape tribe, another powerful race among the Demon Beasts, and he had inherited their traits, his body covered in thick, curly fur, making him look like a… giant, hairy baboon.
While not as large as Lomond, he was still massive, over seven meters tall, his movements surprisingly agile for his size, his powerful hands capable of crushing a human with ease, even the strongest armor offering little protection.
He stood within his army’s encampment, surveying his followers.
Their numbers had increased several times over recently, though still fewer than his foolish younger brother’s. He had become a powerful contender for the throne.
From being the laughingstock of the Demon Beast world after his humiliation at the hands of the Dark Witch, he had risen again.
And his experiences had only fueled his ambition.
He believed his earlier downfall was due to his lack of power and influence. Now, at the peak of his power, no one could touch him.
Since taking command, his army had been unstoppable, advancing deep into human territory, over a hundred kilometers.
His victories had made him arrogant.
While his army numbered only two hundred thousand, they were the fiercest warriors, unmatched on the battlefield.
Killing a few members of the Hero Squad was nothing.
He wanted to capture the Hero himself. That would be a true achievement.
Lomond, though a fool, had handled Ronald quite effectively. He would do the same, offering the captured Hero to his followers as… entertainment.
He believed his encounter with the Hero was imminent.
Despite the late hour, he wasn’t tired. He couldn’t sleep, eager to continue his conquest.
Under the moonlight, his ambition grew.
One day, this entire world would be his.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in the sky above, blocking the moonlight, interrupting his grand vision.
He was annoyed, assuming it was some foolish Demon Beast, but then he realized… it was a human.
Had his sentries failed him?
A mere human, daring to approach his army? Was he suicidal?
The man’s audacity intrigued him. He looked up, his massive head tilted upwards: “Who are you?”
His voice boomed through the camp, awakening many Demon Beasts, who grabbed their weapons and gathered around him.
Thousands of eyes fixed on the small figure in the sky.
He was surrounded, both from above and below.
But the man showed no fear, a calm, almost… gentlemanly smile on his face.
He even bowed slightly, his clear voice echoing: “Greetings. I am Qin Chu.”
Indeed, it was him.
He wasn’t sure how long it would take to reach the Exeter Kingdom.
Having just become Pope, and with the Hero having been inactive for a while, he needed to boost his reputation.
This Dicken was the perfect target. He had been making quite a name for himself lately.
Qin Chu?
Dicken froze, the name… familiar. After a moment, he realized… wasn’t that the Hero?
What was he doing here?
Had he come to surrender, awed by his, the Third Prince’s, might?
He had believed their encounter was imminent, but he hadn’t expected it to be so soon.
A cruel smile twisted his furry face. The Demon King had blessed him. Today was his lucky day.
He wouldn’t let the Hero escape.
His eyes gleamed with excitement. He waved his hand, stopping his followers, who were about to attack. He would capture the Hero himself.
A mere human. He could crush him with a single blow.
With the Hero gone, humanity would be doomed.
He roared with excitement, his greed and ambition overflowing. He could already see himself on the throne, all Demon Beasts bowing before him.
To him, the Hero was already dead.
He didn’t even bother speaking to him.
“Kekekekeke…”
With a sinister laugh, his body surged with demonic energy, and he launched himself into the sky like a cannonball, fearing the Hero might escape.
His followers roared, praising his strength and invincibility.
But Dicken had miscalculated. Qin Chu hadn’t come here to surrender.
He had come to kill.
He smiled, his expression unchanged by Dicken’s arrogance.
He spread his arms, the Scepter of Holy Light appearing in his hand.
A pair of white wings unfurled behind him, lifting him into the air, bathed in a holy light.
“God says…”
“Demon Beasts shall not exist!”
His voice, ethereal and commanding, echoed through the night, like a divine decree.
Chapter 428: The Revived First Prince?
“God says, Demon Beasts shall not exist.”
Just as Qin Chu’s voice faded into the night sky…
The Demon Beasts before him vanished.
Reverse Prophecy!
Qin Chu had mastered this technique from Augustus’s notes.
Augustus, in his quest for revenge, had done many despicable things, even planning to turn Qin Chu’s corpse into a weapon. But even so, Qin Chu had to admire his ingenuity.
Augustus knew that even a mortal who reached the peak of strength, transcending the Heavenly Continent’s limitations and becoming a demigod, was still no match for a true god.
He had sought divine power.
But who could grant him such power?
Unable to learn it from anyone, he had created it himself.
Augustus’s specialty was the Great Prophecy, a Super-tier spell passed down through the Holy See for a thousand years.
He had modified it, infusing it with blasphemous power and incantations, creating Reverse Prophecy.
This spell might have truly reached the level of divine magic.
But using mana to fuel such a spell came at a great cost.
After using it at the Holy See, Augustus himself had been severely injured.
And while he had created it, he couldn’t unleash its full power. Divine magic required divine power. Perhaps, a power beyond mana and battle qi.
But in Qin Chu’s hands, it was different.
He had refined the spell, fixing its flaws. And he possessed the Divinities of Gluttony, Lust, and Decomposition, and the Authority of Water. While he didn’t know the true nature of divine power, he could still channel a fraction of it through these divinities.
Perhaps only he, in the entire Heavenly Continent, could unleash Reverse Prophecy’s true power.
He didn’t even need to chant the lengthy incantations.
He simply channeled the power of the Decomposition Divinity, the divine energy he had extracted from it, into the spell.
A mysterious force, carried by the night wind, swept across the battlefield.
There were no dark clouds, no lightning or thunder, no earth-shattering tremors.
Just a cool breeze.
And where it passed, everything stilled. The world fell silent, the Demon Beasts’ roars ceasing, the beating of their wings no longer audible.
Even the Third Prince, Dicken, froze mid-air.
Then, another gust of wind, and the most terrifying scene unfolded.
All the Demon Beasts within sight… vanished. Or rather, they turned to dust, their bodies eroding as if exposed to the elements for eons.
Their fur, their grotesque faces, their claws and fangs…
Everything disintegrated, scattered by the wind, a sandstorm rising from the ground, covering the battlefield in a thick layer of dust.
When a god declared you should not exist, you were erased.
This was the power of divine magic, a power far beyond mortal comprehension.
With a single spell, all Demon Beasts within sight were gone.
Except for Dicken, the Third Prince.
He was already dead, his head, limbs, and torso separated, scattered across the ground, no different from his followers, except he hadn’t turned to dust.
His eyes, still wide, held a look of excitement. Even in death, he seemed to be dreaming of capturing the Hero, of claiming the throne.
His ambition, his greed, his lust for power… all turned to dust, scattered by the wind and the cold moonlight.
Qin Chu hovered in the air, assessing the spell’s limitations.
It was powerful, but not invincible.
Firstly, the cost was immense. A single use depleted a Divinity completely. He could only use it four times before needing a long recovery period.
Secondly, while it had killed Dicken instantly, it hadn’t been as effective against the other Demon Beasts, whose levels were below 90.
Those above 90 might survive, though severely injured.
And against demigods, those who had broken through the level 100 limit, its effectiveness would be further reduced.
Of course, his own divinities were still weak, unable to unleash the spell’s full power.
He didn’t bother absorbing the Demon Beasts.
He still had the heart and the leg to digest. They were a purer source of power.
After a moment of contemplation, he vanished, reappearing above a military encampment over an hour later.
It was a human encampment.
He didn’t think the general in charge of this war was a fool, despite his numerous retreats and the loss of territory.
He hadn’t ordered his troops to engage the overwhelming Demon Beast forces, choosing instead to conserve his strength, retreating and regrouping, gathering reinforcements. And Dicken’s army, with its relentless advance, had become overextended.
The general, still awake, was studying a map, his face creased with worry. He had received twelve urgent missives from the Emperor, ordering him to attack, to stop the Demon Beasts’ advance.
He sighed, then looked up, surprised to see a figure before him: “Who’s there?”
Then, he recognized him: “Hero! What brings you here?”
The general, Cromwell, a Count, had met Qin Chu during a banquet in the Imperial City…
The banquet where the First Prince had been killed. He was one of the few competent nobles.
“Count Cromwell, long time no see. You seem to have aged,” Qin Chu said, noticing his completely white hair, despite being only in his fifties.
Cromwell smiled wryly: “I’m getting old.”
“By the way, have you heard about the recent events in the Imperial City? The chaos at the Holy See?”
“I’ve heard some rumors…”
“I’m the new Pope,” Qin Chu announced, nodding slightly.
Cromwell’s eyes narrowed: “So, Your Holiness… you intend to lead the Holy See’s forces, to join the war, to restore the Church’s honor and prestige?”
Dealing with intelligent people was so much easier.
Qin Chu smiled, nodding: “Indeed. And this… is a small gift.”
He produced something from his storage ring, larger than the table, and placed it before Cromwell.
Cromwell gasped.
It was a head.
He recognized it instantly.
It was Dicken, the Third Demon Beast Prince.
This powerful Demon Beast… slain by the Hero?
While he had heard of the Hero’s rapid growth, this was… incredible. How had he managed to kill him amidst an army of two hundred thousand?
The answer was simple: he had annihilated the entire army.
“The Church and the Empire, working together, have slain the Third Prince. And you, General Cromwell, leading your brave soldiers, have eliminated two hundred thousand Demon Beasts,” Qin Chu said, smiling.
But his smile sent a chill down Cromwell’s spine. Had he… single-handedly wiped out the entire army?
What a monster… No, that was disrespectful.
“Two hundred thousand Demon Beasts… this is a great victory. The Empire will reward you handsomely.”
Cromwell, a shrewd and experienced man, understood immediately. He clasped his hands together: “Oh, no, Your Holiness, this victory isn’t just due to my soldiers’ bravery, but also to the thousands of Holy Knights, priests, and nuns of the Holy See. Without their support, we wouldn’t have prevailed. They saved countless lives.”
While he hadn’t seen a single one of them…
He continued, his tone sincere: “My men have been blessed by the Goddess. From this day forward, we are all devout followers of the Goddess of Holy Light. We will spread her glory.”
“If possible, I would be honored to become an honorary knight of the Holy See. It would be my greatest honor.”
“The Goddess is generous to her followers. Your wish is granted, Count Cromwell. You are now an honorary knight,” Qin Chu said, tapping him lightly on the head with the Scepter.
“May the Holy Light protect you.”
As his voice faded, Cromwell felt a surge of mana, then looked up. The Hero was gone, only the massive head remaining.
He shuddered, then rushed out, leading a group of scouts towards the Demon Beast territory, several kilometers away.
They found the scattered remains of Dicken’s body.
And the ground covered in a thick layer of dust.
Cromwell trembled. Had the Hero turned them all to ash?
It was incredible.
And he had shared the credit, not claiming all the glory for himself.
Truly a great man.
…
At the Demon King’s Palace.
Lomond was cautiously gathering intelligence.
While he hadn’t killed any Hero Squad members or conquered any human territories lately, he was content.
He had just received a message from Candice.
Horus, using some clever scheme, had tricked the Hero into killing his third brother, Dicken.
Excellent.
He hadn’t even had to lift a finger, and a powerful rival was eliminated. What could be better?
Following Candice and Horus’ advice had been the right decision. As Horus had said, venturing out now was too risky.
By simply relaying the information he gathered, without even fighting, he was steadily moving closer to the throne.
While his own power hadn’t increased, his rivals were weakening, which was essentially the same thing.
He was enjoying this relaxed lifestyle.
As he walked past the Demon King’s Palace, about to gather more information for Horus, he noticed a familiar figure leaving the palace.
He rubbed his eyes, staring at the retreating figure. It looked like… his eldest brother, Diabolique?
But he was dead, wasn’t he?
Resurrected?
