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"The rest, just leave it to us old folks."
"You get some good rest."
The Pope studied Adrian with a look that mixed relief and gravity in equal measure. After everything he'd witnessed today, he was more certain than ever that partnering with Adrian had been the smartest move of his entire career.
The kind of power Adrian just displayed... hell, even without the Vatican's backing, any other major religion would jump at the chance to have him on their side.
And if that happened? The Vatican would be screwed, left scrambling to play catch-up.
The Cardinal stood off to the side, clutching the memory card from Savis's camera like it was the Holy Grail itself. His eyes practically burned with intensity.
This wasn't just footage of a fight.
This was the key to restoring the Vatican to its former glory.
The group filed out of the Apostolic Palace training grounds in silence, their footsteps echoing rhythmically through the empty corridors. The Pope addressed the assembled representatives—government officials and financial titans alike—his voice carrying that unmistakable ring of authority.
"In three days, the Vatican will issue a unified response to this incident."
Three days. Enough time for the news to spread like wildfire and for everyone to mentally prepare themselves for what was coming.
"Savis, you and His Eminence were on this mission together... did you really encounter an actual demon?"
Clarisse leaned in close to Savis, her emerald eyes wide with barely contained excitement. Her voice dropped to a hushed whisper, though she couldn't quite hide her enthusiasm.
Sure, Savis hadn't exactly been the MVP of the mission, but still—this sounded way more thrilling than hunting vampires.
A real demon. The sixty-second of the 72 Pillars of Solomon from actual mythology. Duke Valac of Serpents.
As long as she stayed safe, why wouldn't she want to see something like that with her own eyes?
"It's true," Savis confirmed with a somewhat sheepish smile. "But I wasn't much help, honestly."
"At least you guys have your Mutant abilities to fall back on," Estelle said softly, a hint of longing in her voice. "You can still be useful when it counts. Wright and I... we still don't know when we'll meet the requirements for comprehending Cosmo."
Wright stood nearby in silence, his lips pressed into a thin white line.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
The Vatican's internal video conference was completely open this time, with signals connected directly to high-ranking government officials from multiple countries and representatives from world-class financial conglomerates.
Before the meeting officially kicked off, someone ventatively spoke up.
"Your Holiness, is the conflict between the Vatican and the Rockefeller family truly beyond reconciliation?"
"The Rockefeller side is willing to pay the appropriate compensation."
The Rockefeller family had been the financial backers of that Mutant laboratory—the same people who'd masterminded multiple attempts to hunt down Adrian.
After news of Adrian's battle with the demon spread, they'd completely panicked.
Now they were trying to distance themselves, claiming it had all been the family head's personal vendetta, nothing to do with the family as a whole.
"Their funding of the Mutant laboratory violated the alliance established with Charles long ago," the Pope said, his voice calm but unyielding. "Not to mention, Adrian is a victim who escaped from that very laboratory and has been repeatedly hunted ever since. If you were in his position, would you just let it go?"
This wasn't just Adrian's position—it was his own.
Since Adrian refused to reconcile, he'd stand firmly by his side.
"Adrian's demands are crystal clear. Either the Rockefeller Consortium renames itself the Sanctuary Consortium and submits to direct Vatican management from here on out... or the Rockefeller family is completely annihilated."
The representative tried to interject, but the Pope raised his hand.
"I suggest everyone listen to the full report on this incident before deciding whether to intervene."
One by one, connections established. Faces that held the world's fate in their hands appeared on screens around the room.
The meeting officially began.
"Ladies and gentlemen, today the Vatican will provide an official response to the recent abnormal energy fluctuation incident and address the inquiries from various parties."
"Before that, please allow me to ask a question..."
The Pope's eyes slowly swept across each screen.
"Do you believe that mythical creatures... truly exist?"
"Mythical creatures?" A national leader frowned. "What exactly do you mean by that?"
"Demons, gods, and even divine beasts from myths and legends," the Pope added calmly.
"Could this incident be related to such beings?"
Everyone present was sharp enough to catch on immediately.
What followed was undisguised tension and unease rippling through the virtual assembly.
If mythical creatures really existed, if gods were real... would the entire world order get completely overturned?
The dark memories of the theocratic era might not have been personally experienced, but they were etched deeply into history books.
"What Adrian faced this time was indeed a mythical creature."
The Pope displayed the images captured by Savis. Eerie runes and distorted patterns projected onto every participant's screen.
"This is an ancient sacrificial ritual designed to summon a hell demon. The one who descended upon our world this time was the sixty-second of the 72 Pillars of Solomon... Duke Valac of Serpents. This demon summoned his avatar to Earth through sacrifice. And Adrian, while on a mission, engaged him in battle."
Before he even finished speaking, the Cardinal pressed play.
The recording began.
A golden barrier enveloped the battlefield, light flowing like sacred water across its surface. Inside, roars and impacts erupted continuously. The earth trembled. The air hummed with power. Two beings far beyond ordinary comprehension were locked in vicious combat.
Every participant held their breath, eyes glued to their screens.
If they hadn't already received verified reports, on-site photos, and energy readings from intelligence personnel, they'd never believe this was real footage.
It looked like something ripped straight from a blockbuster with a massive special effects budget.
But the earth really was torn apart. All life within the barrier had been extinguished. These were facts they'd confirmed repeatedly.
"Mythical creatures actually exist..."
"As long as it bleeds, it can be killed with thermal weapons, right?"
"Is human technology really not enough to fight mythology?"
"Does the definition of Mutant need to be completely re-evaluated? High-level Mutants like Magneto and Professor X might stand a chance..."
"Individual power has limits. We need to rely on collective strength, on technology!"
"But if even someone like Adrian struggled this much..."
Arguments erupted across the video conference. Representatives from all sides grew increasingly agitated.
The Pope listened in silence, a barely perceptible smile flickering in his eyes.
Adrian's goal was achieved.
His goal was achieved too.
Sure, this wouldn't reverse the entire situation for Mutants overnight or instantly restore the Vatican to world dominance.
But the fact that demon gods existed had cast a heavy shadow over all of humanity.
And fear of the unknown is often the strongest catalyst for change.
Adrian stood outside the conference room door, not entering.
But he heard every word of the arguments inside.
Where there was controversy, there was still room for negotiation.
The conflict between Mutants and humans wasn't set in stone.
At the very least, Adrian might be able to help with the problem humans feared most—Mutant powers spiraling out of control.
For example, by teaching them to cultivate Cosmo.
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