289 Celestial Church vs. Infernal Battalion (1/2)

The roar thundered within the entirety of the Celestial Church, hacking at the eardrums of the non-Sages, and causing blood to trickle down their earlobes.

Alongside the thirty-six Celestial Elders, Anatol rose in shock and spread his divine sense toward the outside. There, the most formidable gathering he'd ever witnessed in tens of thousands of years of existence hovered.

”Infernal Knights…Infernal Knights. Three-hundred Knight Commanders, sixty Knight Generals, ten Quasi-Paramount Knights. Tarnation…tarnation.”

Anatol muttered in a stupor. Due to the Restoration path's unique characteristics, Infernal Knights were usually stronger than their average counterparts at the same level. Worse, those standing before him boasted auras that stood leagues above the average Infernal Knight. As if they'd been bathing in rivers of God-Blood across centuries.

Faced with such a startling demonic fore, Anatol was forced to admit, that even if he deployed the headquarters' full strength, the Celestial Church's victory odds were shallow…to say the least.

Where did such mastodons suddenly come from?

”Activate the headquarters' defensive formations.”

Anatol ordered, and immediately, the Celestial Protectors took position across the various corners of the Celestial Church to trigger the defensive formations. At the same time, Anatol took command of the central formation; then, with the elders by his side, shot toward the invaders.

The Celestial Church's headquarters was a massive floating domain stretching across tens of thousands of miles, with the several houses each occupying an area and forming a circle around the central cathedral where all turned into church disciples. Besides the formations, a perpetual barrier surrounded the domain, preventing a direct assault.

But today, feeling the horrifying demonic energies assailing their headquarters, from disciples to elders, none trusted in the safety of the barrier.

In dozens of light beams, Anatol and the Celestial Elders dropped before the barrier's edge, their eyes locking on the hundreds of Infernal Knights that stood on the outside. Although they'd already sensed the force beforehand, witnessing it at such close proximity filled their hearts with a greater sense of gravity.

”When did such a force appear, and how did we offend them? Even the Hidden Forest can't possibly conceal that many experts!

The great elder exclaimed, speaking the words that rang within his peers' mind and filled their hearts with incomprehension.

”The timing is questionable. When we're at the critical juncture of completing the summoning ritual, when Heaven's Gate is about to open and bring forth our backups, they suddenly appear? No. I'm afraid we've been backstabbed.

One of our owns must have leaked the situation.”

Anatol analyzed while his eyes locked on the man leading this dreadful battalion.

”As for where they hail from…look at their leader. Isn't that obvious?”

When the elders heard this, their eyes followed Anatol's and locked on the leading man. It was a handsome and suave looking man in his late twenties with a finely trimmed circle beard.

Though his appearance didn't echo with anyone they knew, seeing the short, slicked-back jade hairs, the golden eyes and red prism mark on the man's forehead, the elders were immediately reminded of the incarnation of their nightmares.

The Profane Prince and now August Jade Emperor, Konrad.

Their eyes widened in disbelief.

”He can't possibly be…one of his relatives…right?”