Belial POV

"And tell me, why shouldn't I kill you right now for eavesdropping on an important private meeting of two members of the Valoisian Royal Family? Depending on your words, I might or might not execute you on the spot." I said menacingly while I stare at the apprehended priest.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop but this country had not allowed my entry even when I said I was from the Anthropocentric Church. I don't know if you are just non-believers or something but when my ship filled with priests and missionaries got near one of your ships, we were shot down indiscriminately. What was surprising was even my holy barrier cannot withstand the power of your weaponry. If it weren't for the sacrifies of my fellow servants of God, I wouldn't be alive today. So I snuck passed your guards and soldiers, had to travel on foot at lightspeed, and hid from the patrolling soldiers. Then Finally, I arrive at here in Atalanta but when I tried going through your citadel to reach you, I was stopped by a certain barrier. If it weren't for those kind nephilims, I wouldn't even be here. So I hid and travelled to the rooftops. That is when I found you talking to the Princess of Valois. You were having a heated discussion so I didn't interfere. I did hear a lot of things I am not supposed to hear but I didn't do it on purpose. I came here to talk to you as His Holiness have ordered: to deliver an important proposition from the Church. I hope you hear me out."

Those brats. I have to educate them later. I directed my look to my retainers. "Take your weapons away from the priest." They immediately withrew their weapons but still remained vigilant. I spoke again to them. "Leave us. I will hear what this clergyman have to say."

"""""""At once, Your Highness.""""""" They all bowed and left the room.

When my retainers left, I gestured the priest. "Sit. I won't have you on your knees while we are talking. I'll be the judge whether what you are going to say can pardon you of your transgressions against me."

Standing up and bowing towards me, the priest spoke. "Thank you for giving me such leeway. I am glad that you would hear me out." He then say down to a chair opposite to mine.

I conjured a dark hole in front of me and took out a teapot that is still hot. I took an unused teacup on the table and filled it with tea. I then conjured another dark hole on the table in front of the priest and on mine. I passed the teacup through the hole and it appeared in front of the priest. Surprised by such gesture, he curiously looked at the cup.

"I am a monarch. I wouldn't poison an envoy just because I don't like him or her. I am just giving you tea. I don't want anyone to disturb us in our talks so I hope that will do. That's chamomile, by the way. Here's the teapot in case you need more." I passed the teapot in the hole and it appeared in front of the priest.

Taking the teacup by its saucer, he took the cup near his nose and held the cup by its ear and took a sip. After a while, he showed a smile that doesn't fit his gender. He then looked at me and said.

"Thank you. I appreciate the tea."

"Good. Now that you have drank some tea, let's get down to business, shall we? First, why are you here, enough for your fellow priests and volunteers to sacrifies their lives for your safe passage?"

He then composed himself and spoke. "I am a messenger of His Holiness, Pope Phillip. I came to deliver his message to the ruler of the Principality of Agmanac, Prince Beale Maxime Thierry de Agmanac de Valois who bears the title 'The Hydra Prince, The Prodigy, The Conqueror and The Imperial Scourge."

"Wow. Even I didn't now I had those titles. Fancy but I see no meaning on it all. But carry on. I confirm that I am the one you seek. Now, What is it that you want me to hear?"

"His Holiness asks if the Prince is willing to convert to our faith."

"And why would I do that?"

"His Holiness said that should the Prince agree to be converted, you would be proclaimed as the Champion of the Light. You would given the highest position of the church just below His Holiness. You will be given the full command of the Holy Army and if you make great contributions to the church's cause, that Pope guarantees that you will be accepted in the Court of the Lord our God and be embraced by God's love and blessings. You're name will be sang and be immortalized and be remembered forever." he said with a big smile in his face.

Is he nuts? Or is he just stupid? I then looked at his Status board.

Name: Kapharel Level: 850 Titles: Bishop of the Anthropocentric Church, Herald of God, Archangel (Lower) Jobs: Master Staff Wielder, Master Exorcist, Master White Magician, Master Hydromancer, Archangel Health: 851000 Magicka: 851000 Stamina: 301000 Strength: 851000 Intelligence: 851000 Agility: 851000 Dexterity: 851000 Vitality: 851000 Endurance: 300500 Luck: 50 Active Skills Staff Mastery Lvl 41 Purification Magic Lvl 42 Holy Magic Lvl 42 White Magic Lvl 42 Water Magic Lvl 41 Angelic Magic 42 Passive Skills Holy Aura Compassion Devotion Aura Rejuvenation Aura

His supposed to be intelligent. I guess being intelligent doesn't mean you are wise. *Ting

System Update New Stat Created: Wisdom (WIS)

I was right. Even as an intelligent person, it wouldn't mean you are wise. That's the case of the person in front of me. I'll check this new update later. I focused my attention again at the priest in front of me.

"So let me get this straight. If I am going to be baptized and join your church, I would have all of those things you said. Am i right?"

"That's precisely it! So, would you join our church and be our Champion?!" He said excitedly. Again in a way not befitting his gender. He couldn't be...

I just looked at his face and replied with one word.

"No."

"Wha-"

"Let me tell you this, priest. What I am going to be is a church dog. Let me tell you why. Being named Champion of the Light is all classy and awesome for others but I only see it as a liability. I will be bound to follow what the Pope is going to instruct to me. I will be like a zealot for the cause I don't even understand. Besides, why would I need to be the head of your so called Holy Army when I already am the owner of the most formidable army in the continent, the Black Army? I am the richest man in the continent right now and the leader of the most progressive country this continent have." I better test the waters on this one to dig more information. "Besides, how could a mere mortal bestow me something that can assure my entry to Heaven? Only God could do that if I am correct. What will he do? Give a recommendation? Who is he other than a human that spreads God's influence on Earth. Isn't he? Are you giving me empty promises, priest? I expected better from a clergyman but it seems you are all the same."

"That is not true! His Holiness can really do that! He can commune with the Lord! He can-"

"Isn't the church originated in the empire? Why ask me when you have the almighty emperor of the Luxum Empire? Did the church change allegiances? I mean, even with the vast area the empire comprises and as the country with the biggest army in this continent, he was defeated by a mere principality with an army smaller than even their northern army of one million five hundred thousand. So you though that even with his power, he can't be the Champion you are looking for. For what I know, you already proclaimed that emperor as champion, right? He just suffered one defeat."

"He... His greed had grown to big that his ego grew as well. What we didn't expect is a 12 year old prince, angered by the emperor's transgression, lead his armies to destroy the southern imperial army with less than half the imperial army's size and successfully conquered the empire's biggest grain and metal producer in the empire plus you captured and capitulated the greatest trade ports that connects the empire from the other parts of the continent. And now, you are sitting heree talking to me as if it is trivial while the empire plots to reclaim their former territories. If you are this relax then that means you know any plans and plots of the empire against you is futile and will only end to tragedy. That is what His Holiness told me and my own deduction. If you would join us, you would have the control of an army that even the empire couldn't contend with. You could have that army if you-"

"Did you hear what you just said? I already have counterplans to everything the empire can throw at me. And you say you have an army that even the empire cannot triffle? Then will attack those followers of yours inside the empire's armies? Those that are praying to the same God you believe? Foolishness. I have given you my rejection. You may leave. I have judged that what you said really does equate your life. Now leave. You will be escorted out."

He just stared at me. After a few moments, he spoke again. "What did you do to the inhabitants of Ceawin and the port cities? I received reports that there are no humans living on those you have conquered except those that you have deported and those who migrated there for greener pastures. Where are they?"

"They all perished" I said briefly.

"What?! Why?! They are innocent! Why include them in your quest for vengeance?!"

"Innocent? Don't make me laugh, Priest. How many of those innocent do you think plotted against my life? How many of those 'innocents' are the relatives of those soldiers we killed? How many are sons and daughters and fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters and wives and husbands were included in those we killed who are related to those 'innocents'? Why should I give them a chance to do an uprising against me? Absurd! I will do what I can do maintain the stability of my rule, even if that means I have to kill millions for it. I have a goal and I will not stop unless I reach that goal."

"You monster! You-"

"Have you ever tried to rule a country?"

"I am a clergyman! I am no politician nor am I monarch so I have never experienced-"

"Then have you ever been given the task to lead a group of people?"

"I did! What does it have to do with-"

"What happened to that grop of people?"

"They... They all died because of you and your soldiers! If they didn't fire at us, they wouldn't have-"

"I am currently in a middle of a war and you people are riding a ship that waves an imperial flag. What do you think will happen if my soldiers saw that? But that aside, how did it feel to lose those under your command?"

"I... I regretted it. I shouldn't have brought them with me. I should have-"

"Now you know why I did that. I did that for my people and their safety. For the safety and stability of my country, I killed those people! For the welfare of my people, I slaughtered those that could potentially kill them!"

"But... But you could have deported them back to empire and-"

"Fool! If I did that, what do you think will happen?! They will be brainwashed by the empire's propaganda and will become death soldiers that will, sooner or later, attack my dominion! They will produce more soldiers from those that I banished! If that is so, then a clean death for them would be more appropriate! At least they wouldn't be that vengeful! At least what they will have is only regret of not living longer! As a clergy, you should know that, imbecile!"

"You! You are evil! You are a monster! You are right! You shouldn't be the Champion of the Light! You're way of thinking is that of a demon! I should not let such a vile human live!" Releasing his wings and gathering holy power in his fists, he spoke again. "Perish, vile spawn of evil!" He then lunged at me.

Why are all those who proclaim to be envoys always attacks me in the middle of our discussions when they are defeated in an argument?

I caught the right fist he aimed to my head with my left hand easily. He was shocked when I caught his hand easily. Snapping out of it rather quickly, he threw his other fist which again was captured by my hand. He then tried to kick me which was caught by my feet. He made an incredulous face as if he just saw something impossible.

"This... This is impossible! How could you have caught a fist embued by holy magic?! I am an archangel and I can't even overpower a human?!"

"You are wrong about one thing. I am no human." Spreading my 6 wings in front of him, I spoke again. "I am Belial, one of the seraphs who was betrayed on the last war. I am here to bring vengeance to the treachery done to me and my fellow fallen. I am here to have my revenge. Now, little angel, I will have your head."

Black tendrils wrapped the hands and feet of the angel in front of me and left him suspended in the air. He tried to break free by wrapping himself with holy magic but to no avail. He then looked at me with a horrified look as I was gathering magicka from the surroundings.

"Oh... You don't know how to gather magicka from the surroundings yet. Poor you. Now, you will submit to me." I then casted a spell to him. "Corruptio"

He was struck with the spell that soon engulfed him inside a black haze. Coupled with my corruption aura, he can now be seen squirming and black lines are emerging from his skin.

"I am the Lord's servant! I am inviolable! I am a loyal servant of the Lord our God! I am loyal to my Father!"

"Tough one aren't you?" Magicka again gathered in my hand. I invoked the spell and pointed it at him. "Try this one. MENTIS CONFRACTUM"

Violet light congealed and shot itself at lighspeed towards the head of the squirming and shouting priest. The spell flashed when it made contact with its target. Kapharel shouted and after a few minutes, he stopped. He then stopped squirming and drooped his head, seemingly dead. I didn't kill him though. I just destroyed everything in his mind. I lowered him to my level by controlling the black tendrils. I cancelled my corruption aura and saw the new look of the angel in front of me. Black wings can be seen on his back rather than the former white ones. I looked at his half open eyes and saw that his pupils turned red rather than the former blue. Lastly his blonde hair became black. When I finished checking his current change, I put my hand in his nead and and casted a spell.

"FALSUM MEMORIAS"

Violet magicka glowed in my hand and enveloped Kapharel's head. After a while, I removed my hand and slowly lowered him towards me. I dispelled the black tendrils and he fell to me. Soft? He's not supposed to have this, right? Ah. I get it now. He never said he was male. He just said he was a bishop. Not that it matters. Some moments later, he or she woke up. She looked at me and kneeled.

"I greet you, Lord Belial."

"Mm. Change into this." I produced a dark hole and took out a battle dress for a battlemaiden. "I don't like your garbs. This will do fine. This will automatically fit you and give the command 'PROELIUM' for your armor to enter battle mode. It will produce a breastplate, gauntlets and greaves, which are all under a dress, suited for your body build. To dispel the armor, just say 'COTIDIANUS'. That will return it to its normal form. Now go."

"Yes, milord."

After she left, I then took out a marble-loocking glass ball. It glowed with holy power. I didn't really let go of Kapharel's memories. I just destroyed it in her mind and transferred it here.

"Now then. Let's see what you know, Kapharel..."

Light engulfed me and I began to see the things in Kapharel's eyes.

Somewhere in the Empire

Pope Philip POV

Kapharel... My connection with her is also severed. Reziel and Kapharel... What happened to you two? Could it be... I then stood up and walked outside the room and called.

"Anyone! Can anyone attend me?!"

A plated paladin appeared and kneeled. "What will it be, Your Holiness?"

"Send for someone to check if there are movements on the dragon island. And... Have someone check if there are any higher demons roaming in the continent."

"At once, Your Holiness." He then bowed again and walked away.

I just hope I am just paranoid...

3 months later

Outskirts of Celtrieze, Capital of the Luxum Empire

Emperor Luxum POV

"Finally, they are now here! The empire's finest! The Imperial Grand Army!" I exclaimed with great joy as I am seeing the marching soldiers that blotted the once open space here in the outskirts of the capital.

"Indeed, Your Majesty! We can finally have our revenge!" A noble near me spoke.

"Of course! I will have that brat's head on a pike after our reclamation to those that were taken from us! We will-"

"Request permession to speak, Your Majesty." General Arthur Canter interrupted me by kneeling down.

"What is it? Another one of your 'Don't attack the Prince' stuff again?"

"I still believe this is a bad idea, Your Majesty. If you are that hell-bent in attacking the Prince then at least hear me out. I have new information regarding the Prince and his armies. I would like to hear it."

"Then what are you waiting for?! Speak! I would like to know such thing so thatwe may plan what to do to kill that brat once and for all!"

"The whole border of Ceawin have been walled. 30 meters high 7 meters wide at the top and some 10 to 12 meters at the ground, forming a trapizoidal wall. It is equipped by unknown weapons whose characteristic is and I quote: Black, cold and deadly. Every 200 meter of the wall contains a turret that is higher than the wall by around 10 meters. This turrets is manned by at least 4 men and equipped with those unknown weapons that seems to release condensed magicka fireballs but much much stronger. The wall is also riddled with crenelations and machicolations. And not just that. The wall is also manned by not just soldiers but also by warmages that could cast spells that even I don't know but what I do know is that it can decimate a group of soldiers and turn them to dust in mere seconds. The wall extends up to the port cities the Prince took from us. In front of the wall is a clearing that my scouts calls as 'The Dead Space'. It covers around a kilometer starting from the foot of the wall extending out. The sentries on the wall can see anyone that walks in the clearing and will be shot by a precise blast that could kill anyone within 10 meters of the explosion. Also, the wall is riddled with runes that automatically repairs the wall should it be damaged or electricute and incinerate anyone who dare climb the wall. And lastly, what waits beyond the wall of Ceawin... Is around 6 million soldiers of the Black Army."

"What?! 6 million?! How could that be?! Valois only have 7 million with a reserve of 3 million! Where could he have taken 6 million soldiers?!"

"I don't know how he did it, Your Majesty but there are really about 6 million. The wallaround the port cities contained lesser with around a million and a half but it is backed up by the fleet that could fire projectiles for more than 15 kilometers away."

"15 kilometers?! How could such things be possible?! Explain it to me?!"

"Their ships are... partly made of metal, Your Majesty. Metal ships with runes that could fend of even tier 3 spells. Mounted on those ships are the same with those mountedon the walls only a lot more bigger. We... We can't even dent their ships with our spells. And with the biggest one known as Tidehunter is reported to have 6 those gigantic unknown weapons aboard it. They could destroy any ship in sight within the range of its weapon! And with our spells rendered ineffective, we could do nothing to it! Even if you regain the port cities, what will await you is a barrage of those powerful weapons the Prince have and they will lay siege on the cities. In the end, your army will be destroyed and your reclaimed cities turned to rubble! You want to attack him the long way around Okeanus?! What will await you are around a thousand of the Prince's ships ready to sink our ships! Your Majesty, this is a futile waste of time, troops and resources! Just admit that we lost now, bid your time and strike another time! That way, we could have a fighting chance!"

"YOU... YOU COWARD! YOU DARE SAY WE LOST! WE WERE CAUGHT UNAWARES! WE-"

"FUCK! CAUGHT UNAWARES?! HE DIDN'T ATTACK US SUPRISINGLY AND CUNNINGLY! HE ATTACKED US HEAD-ON AND THAT CLASH DECIMATED OUR SOUTHERN ARMY! DON'T FUCKING SAY THEY WERE CAUGHT UNAWARE BECAUSE YOU HAD ORDERS THAT THEY BE READY TO MOVE AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE! THEY WERE READY THIS WHOLE TIME! BUT THAT READIED ARMY FELL TO THE HANDS OF THE HYDRA PRINCE! THAT PRINCE ONLY CARRIED WITH HIM 7 HUNDRED THOUSAND SOLDIERS AND WITH ONLY THAT MUCH, HE DESTROYED OUR SOUTHERN ARMY OF 2 MILLION! 2 MILLION, WASTED! HE MARCHED UNCHALLENGED TO CEAWIN, KILLED ANY WHO DARE BLOCK HIS WAY AND CAPTURED DUNSTANBURG IN ONLY 3 DAYS! TRAVELLING FROM THE BORDER TO CEAWIN COULD BE AT THE MOST 5 DAYS BUT HE DID IT IN 3! WITH AN ARMY TO BOOT! WHILE HE MARCHED ON LAND, HIS NAVY ANNIHILATED OUR FLEET STATIONED IN ALGAIR AND MARCIA! EVERYONE, DEAD! NO SURVIVORS! WITHIN JUST 4 DAYS, HE CONQUERED CEAWIN AND THE PORT CITIES PLUS HE KILLED AROUND 3 MILLION OF OUR TROOPS! HOW MANY FELL FROM THE RANKS OF THE PRINCE'S ARMY?! NONE! WHY?! BECAUSE THEY HAD ARMORS THAT MADE OUR SWORDS, SPEARS, ARROWS, MACE OR ANY FUCKING WEAPON USELESS! IT COULDN'T EVEN DENT THE ARMOR, MUCH LESS KILL THE SOLDIER! MAGIC CAN SLOW THEM DOWN BUT CANNOT KILL THEM! THEY JUST MARCH LIKE THEY ARE HAVING A BREEZE WHILE BEING FIRED BY MAGIC! WHEN THEY ARE HIT BY BOULDERS FROM CATAPULTS, DO YOU KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE SOLDIERS? THEY WILL JUST CRAWL OUT OF THE BOULDER AND CONTINUE MARCHING LIKE FUCKING UNDEAD! THAT'S THE BLACK ARMY THAT OUR SOLDIERS VALIANTLY FOUGHT AND LOST TO!"

I was in a daze hearing those things. Unpenetrable by projectiles and spears? Unbendable by blunt weapons? Unhackable by swords and axes? Unfazed by spells? How the fuck do you fight something like that?! "You must be bluffing, general? Have you gone senile?" I asked.

"Senile? SENILE?! FUCK! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH SCOUTS DIED AND FAMILIARS DESTROYED BEFORE I COULD GIVE YOU THIS FUCKING REPORT?!"

"YOU-"

"4702 SCOUTS AND 13391 FAMILIARS FELL TO GIVE US THIS INFORMATION! ALMOST FIVE THOUSAND SOULS DIED TO GIVE YOU THIS INFORMATION AND ALL OF THEM HAVE ONE MESSAGE FOR YOU! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEIR MESSAGE IS?!"

"CALM DO-"

"THEIR MESSAGE ALL SAYS ONE SENTENCE! DON'T MESS WITH THE HYDRA PRINCE FOR WE CANNOT WIN AGAINST HIM! THAT IS THEIR FUCKING MESSAGE BEFORE DYING! DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS?!"

"IT MEANS THEY ARE DELUSIONAL AND THAT THEY DESERVE TO DIE FOR GIVING SUCH FALSE INFORMATION SO THAT THEIR DEATHS ARE JUSTIFIED! IMBECILES! WE HAVE 15 MILLION SOLDIERS! BATTLE-READY AND WAR-TESTED! WE WILL WIN!"

"DID YOU FUCKING HEAR WHAT I JUST REPORTED TO YOU?!"

"YES! I HEARD! I HEARD HOAX AND DELUSIONS OF DYING MEN DUE TO THEM BEING UNABLE TO DO THEIR JOBS!"

Arthur looked down and stopped speaking for a while. A few moments later, he stood up and started to walk away. Curious eyes wondered between me and Arthur. Unable to bear the prying eyes, I called out to him.

"Arthur! Where are you going?"

"I'm going home to my domain. I... I want to fortify my home and my fief. I want to protect my people for what is to come. I want to protect my family from the wrath of the hydra."

"Have you gone senile?!"

"Maybe I have. I have served your grandfather as a soldier. I have served your father as his Southern General. I have served you as the Grand General of the Imperial Army. I think it is high time I retire. I haven't seen my granddaughter and grandson for a while. Surely they have grown up already as young toddlers."

"You don't mean-"

"I am relieving myself of my position as the Imperial Grand General. Let the young take the helm. I will now return home." He then walked away.

"Have you turned to a coward with your tail under your legs?" I said as I laughed.

"Have you been in a battlefield, Your Majesty?"

"I have!"

"Of course you have. Have you killed someone in the battlefield?"

"You know I have."

"Then have you encountered someone who is so strong that youcan't see yourself winning?"

"This is the Luxum Empire! There is no person or country that we cannot defeat!"

"Good. Because you will meet one soon." He then turned around and walked away.

"Senile fool! Hmph!" I then turned to everyone. "I will pardon him as he is the most distinguished person the empire had. It's too bad he turned coward! General Bristol. You are now the Imperial Grand General. Bring me victory!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" General Bristol excitedly exclaimed. He then turned around and shouted. "TO WAR!"

""""""OOOOHHHH!!!!""""""

Two months after the mobilization of the Grand Army

Throne Room, Imperial Palace of Celtrieze, Celtrieze, Capital of the Luxum Empire

I fell down on my throne as the ministers, whose faces are as pale as mine, supported me. I then yelled to the messenger in front of me.

"REPEAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID! WITH NO FALSEHOODS!"

"The elves in the west have started attacking our western front. With a only a five hundred thousand manning the western walls and garrisons, it readily fell to the might and cunning of the elves. The soldier's fates are uncertain."

"AND YOU! REPEAT YOUR REPORT!"

"Your Highness, the dwarves have came out of their mountains and overrun our eastern front. The east walls and garrisons were destroyed and the dwarves are now unhindered in their march. The six hundred thousand soldiers there are either killed or captured. No further reports.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?! I AM SUPPOSED TO BE THE CHAMPION OF THE LIGHT! NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! CALL! CALL BACK THE GRAND ARMY! HAVE THEM RETURN HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! WHEN THEY ARRIVE, I WILL HAVE THEM SPLIT UP AND DESTROY THOSE FUCKING DEMIHUMANS!"

A bloodied messenger came in front of me while panting but still kneeled. "Your Majesty, Report from the Grand Army!"

"TELL ME YOU HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR ME! REPORT!"

The panting messenger spoke. "The... The Grand Imperial Army is...

Annihilated..." He then fell face first, dead.