Chapter 1433 - 17: Preparing to Set Out (2)

Lorenzo’s gaze swept past Heracles and fell on the Red Falcon Bola and the others, then continued to shift, landing on Selyu.

"Are you a relative? Or a priest?"

Lorenzo asked somewhat uncertainly.

"I never thought it would be like this."

Selyu did not answer Lorenzo’s question but talked about something else.

"This was originally really just a party..."

"I know, you foresaw such an outcome," Lorenzo saw through Selyu’s intent, "This day will always come. Instead of panicking when accepting it, why not feel the little joy remaining before disaster arrives."

"The party was nice, just unfortunate that the bad things happened too quickly."

Lorenzo gently stroked Selyu’s head. Looking at it this way, the leisurely days seem to be intentional, seeing the semi-despondent look of others, they also seemed quite leisurely.

Rest, regroup, then welcome the next round.

"Any other intel? Watson, this information isn’t enough to make you rush."

Lorenzo asked Watson, who was possessed by Oscar, noticing that she should know more than this.

"The new Pope has gone missing. At least when I left the Seven Hills, I didn’t find his whereabouts. I suspect he might be trapped in the Static Holy Temple."

"What else? What about the new Order? The agitation of the Well of Ascension, they won’t just sit back, right?"

Speaking of the new Order, Lorenzo felt a subtle emotion; he was once one of them, reminiscing about the past. Now he knew well that the Demon Hunting Order he was familiar with was long buried on the Night of the Holy Arrival. Now what he sees from the new Order, is merely a shadow of what was left from that time.

Yet this mere shadow is his only solace to reminisce about the old Order.

"The Demon Hunting Order has started moving; they have controlled Saint Nalos Cathedral and cleared the Seven Hills. The outskirts are guarded by Holy Hall Knights, while most believers have been dispersed and spread to nearby Florence."

Watson answered, at that time, she was one of the departing believers, moving through different bodies to observe it all from multiple perspectives.

"To avoid ordinary people turning into demons, thus reducing burden? They’ve done well."

Lorenzo whispered. So far, the new Pope’s actions align with Lorenzo’s expectations.

"He is Raphael."

Watson suddenly spoke. She had never mentioned this to Lorenzo.

"What?"

Lorenzo was somewhat unresponsive; this was a word buried in memories. If Watson hadn’t brought it up, Lorenzo might have completely forgotten it.

"The new Pope is Raphael. After the Night of the Holy Arrival, leveraging his authority, he usurped the position of Pope and has continued ever since... We can trust his decisions; after all, he personally experienced a Night of the Holy Arrival; he knows what to do."

"No... wait a moment."

The shock came too suddenly, hitting Lorenzo’s mind with dizziness. He paused for a long time before slowly asking.

"You knew earlier... why mention it now?"

His emotions were unusual, even stranger than before; Lorenzo guessed that even Oscar might find it hard to accurately capture these feelings on paper.

"He is in the Static Holy Temple, facing the agitation of the Well of Ascension. I think he might not survive, but such stories should not be forgotten... moreover, you have the right to know."

Watson’s tone was calm; she also knew that it was not the best time to say this, but it ultimately had to be said.

Lorenzo remained silent for a long time, until his expression showed a slight relaxation, then rasped out.

"Alright, I understand, is there anything else?"

"Lawrence has also taken action."

At this point, Selyu spoke; Arthur had just brought this information.

The others didn’t know much about "Raphael" and naturally couldn’t feel the same emotion as Lorenzo. But when Lawrence’s name was mentioned, everyone’s expressions became much more tense, as if Lawrence was as terrifying as a monster like The Inexpressible.

They are different, but in these people’s hearts, they vaguely occupy the same standing.

In many battles of the Purification Mechanism, they successfully killed their enemies, even monstrous ones like Roger. But Lawrence alone was different, every time surviving tenaciously, as if he’s truly protected by his prophecy and fate, incapable of death before his true end date.

"Lawrence left Maruri port late at night with a fleet, destination unknown."

"His destination is the Seven Hills, under Saint Nalos Cathedral’s Static Holy Temple."

Lorenzo stated bluntly.

"Are you sure?" Selyu was somewhat skeptical.

"Of course, Lawrence is an obsessive zealot, fully believing in his own prophecy. Everything he does is for the end battle mentioned in his prophecy, for his destined end-of-life day. Besides the Static Holy Temple, I can’t think of a better, more suitable place for his death."

Lorenzo had seen Lawrence’s memories, witnessing his crazed prophecies in that sunset wilderness.

He suddenly felt a bit of fear; everything Lawrence prophesied was slowly turning into reality. What more does this madness hold at its end?

"So... I suppose you have made all the arrangements, haven’t you?"

Lorenzo looked at Selyu, then at Watson, pretending to be nonchalant, "These days, apart from sleeping, I’ve been dazing, haven’t done anything at all."

"We’re really pressed for time, Lawrence has set off for a while, and the Seven Hills are already in lockdown; we need to hurry." Selyu said.

"Then what to do? Traversing the Gap? In those terms, the deployable forces would be just me and Watson."

Lorenzo thought; actually, that’s not impossible, but Lorenzo holds a strong reverence for Authority·Gabriel, avoiding using this power unless necessary, which leads to his familiarity with the Gap being much less than Watson’s.

"Don’t worry too much about that; the new Order isn’t that fragile. Moreover, Lawrence has his Secret Blood Legion with him, no matter their intent, they can withstand The Inexpressible’s murmurs for a time."

Selyu explained; she tried hard to state that the situation wasn’t that bad.

She’s also afraid, fearing this pressure, and even more scared of the impending doom. Actually, there was something no one had pointed out.

This is a funeral; those destined are heading to that bloody battlefield. No one can ensure they can return alive; they must push forward—at this point, seeking a retreat is too late for everyone.

"So, how long until we depart? With circumstances like this, can the Purification Mechanism still operate efficiently?"

Lorenzo asked directly.

"I’ll handle those; you just need to be ready," Watson said, "Is a plan necessary?"

Lorenzo paused for a few seconds, then shook his head with a smile.

"At this point, what plan is needed? The plan is to reach Saint Nalos Cathedral, kick open the Gate of Celestial Kingdom, and eliminate all obstacles along the way, then completely exile that damned presence!"

Speaking the last words, Lorenzo’s voice carried a twist, like a beast growling.

"It’s really long... fortunately, it’s finally coming to an end."

Lorenzo took a deep breath again, feeling the indoor air a bit oppressive, with a tinge of heat, making Lorenzo momentarily difficult to breathe. He wanted to leave here, go outside to get fresh air, and feel the cold wind.

Turning around, Lorenzo scanned the room, faces flashed before his eyes, their gazes hesitant yet firm.

"Everyone! I’m sorry, the party has to end early!"

Lorenzo shouted loudly to the others, though wearing a blanket, it seemed like he was draped with a battle flag.

"Vacation is over, time to go to work."