After wrapping up the discussion, Roland cleared his throat and adopted a stern tone. "Now, let's hear about the Devil and the ruins," he said. He briefed Tilly on the recent discoveries in the snow-capped mountains and the hidden forest behind Border Town. "I had planned to send the Witch and the First Army warriors to rescue the trapped souls from the ruins, but the snowstorm that hit over a month early threw everything into disarray." "The legendary Devil army is actually right here nearby. There are still survivors in the ruins from over four centuries ago..." Tilly was stunned. "I'm starting to believe what you're telling me..." Anna turned to Roland, who cleared his throat. "Judging from the scene and their reactions, the Devils have been entrenched behind the mountains for years. I suspect they're limited by the red fog's range and can't expand further into the kingdom's territory, so they're not currently threatening Border Town. I'll establish coastal monitoring posts over the next two years to track their movements." He paused. "As for the sealed soul in the ruins... she likely holds the truth about Tachira's Holy City and the Church's collapse." "I agree," Tilly closed her eyes. "Is there a way to bypass land routes and fly directly over? Ash mentioned you have a heat-powered flying device." "Do you plan to take her out of the ruins on the Day of the Evil Moon?" Roland frowned. "The Yawang hot air balloon can carry ten people, or even more—fifteen if expanded. But no matter how large it gets, it can't fit the First Army soldiers. If we encounter the Devil, the Witch might suffer casualties, especially with the omnipresent evil beasts... This is dangerous." "It's risky relying solely on the Guild," Tilly nodded. "But with Savie and Ash now, the danger has decreased significantly. As you mentioned, the Devil's main attacks are long-range spear throwing and close combat with superhuman strength. Here, Savie's invisible barrier can block multiple spear throws, while Ash dominates in close-quarters battles. The Demon Moon has just arrived, and the evil beasts aren't yet powerful. Now is the perfect time to head to the ruins." Roland hesitated. His last battle against the Devil had ended in air combat losses, and the thought of flying again made him uneasy. But Tilly's reasoning made sense—the Sylvan's Magic Power Eye could ensure undetected entry. Flying at 10-15 meters above the ground, right beside the treetops, they could land before the enemy approached. Combined with Nightingale and Ash's devastating attacks, a ten-member Devil squad would be utterly crushed. Even if some escaped, Savie and Anna's dual shields would guarantee their safety.
He paused for a moment. "Are you sure you want to go?" "This might be the key to solving the mystery," Tilly admitted frankly. "The evil moon appeared earlier this year, and the appearance of the evil beast in the South Sea always gives me a bad feeling." Roland felt a chill run down his spine. He shared this unease too. The evil moon was unlikely to be an abnormal celestial phenomenon caused by climate change. He had a vague sense that these events were closely tied to Devil and the Church.
"What about the team?" "I'm not entirely familiar with the Witch from Border Town, but I'll personally go there," Tilly said without hesitation.
...
Snowflakes drifted through the gray sky as Maine and Tavren ascended the walls of Hermes, which had just endured a fierce battle.
Black, warm blood flowed beneath their feet, melting the pristine snow into viscous sludge. Thankfully, this blood came from the enemy. Hundreds of God's Punishment troops stood tall on the city walls, awaiting the next assault from the demonic beast.
"Lord Bishop!" The Inquisition Army warriors assisting God in punishing the army clenched their fists in salute, their faces still somewhat youthful, their eyes a mix of fear and excitement.
"They're still children," Tavren sighed as he walked to an open space and gazed at the wasteland. "When I was my age, I was grinding flour for the Noble lords in the mill." "God's Punishment Army must prioritize defending the New Holy City. I can only leave the remnants of Wolfheart City's stubborn resistance to the experienced Inquisition Army. These are newly promoted believers who haven't truly seen battle before," Meen said helplessly. "This snow came too early." Tavren hesitated. "The Holy Book doesn't mention such a scenario." "The Holy Book was written by the Pope, so omissions are inevitable," Bishop leaned against the cold battlements, overlooking the cliffside piled with corpses below. Ordinary evil beasts couldn't scale such high walls. Only hybrid creatures could threaten the Holy City. "As long as the general direction it points to is correct. Judging from the Wasteland Beast that appeared last year, we still have about ten years left." "Unify the Four Kingdoms in two years, then spend eight more years building God's Punishment Army. By then, the Church will have a massive force of over ten thousand." He continued. "Leveraging Hermes' sturdy walls and terrain, we'll hold this plateau until our strength reverses against the enemy." "I'm old, I doubt I'll live to see that day." "It's not about age, Lord Tavren," Meen comforted. "Too many people can't witness that moment—like Aaron, Stone, Lich..." "And Heather." "Teflon," he added.
"True, and Heather too," he nodded. "But no matter what, successors will carry on our legacy." "Let's not dwell on such pessimism," the old man shook his head with a laugh. "By the way, how effective is Jeluo's snow powder formula? Is it being tested in the Secret District?" "Tools for mortals won't help the Church much," Mein scoffed. "Snow powder might clear swarms of demonic beasts, but our true enemy remains the Abyssal Devil. Its lethality drops sharply in open terrain. To inflict damage on heavily armored Devils, we'd need an enormous snow powder package—unlike God's Punishers, no one can hurl a half-body-sized snowball." "Is that so... What a pity." "There's no shortcut to defeating the Devil," Mein emphasized. "Only by confronting them head-on can we survive." At that moment, the long, resonant horn sounded from the watchtower on the city wall.
A long howl— 'Ugh...' —marked the arrival of the evil beast.
"Back to the cathedral. Another battle is coming." "Mmph." Tavren nodded, and just as he turned around, the horn sounded again.
"Ugh—ugh—" The two long howls signaled the presence of numerous hybrid demons in the horde. A shiver ran through Meen's heart. Undoubtedly, the God Punished Army was about to face a grueling battle.
But... why is it happening so fast? This is only the first month of the evil moon.
Yet the echoes of the horn had not yet faded when a third blast rang out, its deep, resonant tones like thunder rolling across the skies of Hermes, lingering long in the air.
"Whoo—whoo—whoo—" Meen could hardly believe his ears. He turned to Tavren, who stared back in shock. The three horn calls signaled an urgent crisis—the New Holy City was in mortal danger! Not even the last time the demonic beast breached the cathedral's outer walls had such a warning sounded.
What did the lookout see?
Mein soon saw the answer.
Among the monstrous beasts surging like a black tidal wave, two colossal creatures stood out. These behemoths, with their four thick fangs, four limbs, and two hands, were clad in pitch-black fur. A single leg alone measured as thick as a hybrid wolf's torso. From a distance, they resembled a mobile fortress, leaving deep footprints on the permafrost-covered plains with every step. Any surrounding beast that failed to dodge in time would be trampled into a bloody pulp by their powerful kicks.
It is mentioned in the Holy Books in various forms—announcing the dead, the fearsome beasts of hell, the Devil's fangs... Yet what terrifies Maine is not its terrifying appearance, but the meaning it symbolizes.
Why? A wave of terror surged through his mind. Why was the monstrous being, foretold in the Holy Scriptures to appear five years before the apocalypse, now manifesting before Hermes?