Chapter 663 : Supreme Protocol

She ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍plunged headlong into the encirclement of the Church, like a moth flying into a spider’s web.

They ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍placed upon her head the triple crown symbolizing the Pope.

From ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that day onward, she was never free again. From that day onward, she thought every moment of breaking free from this web.

And ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍today… she had failed.

From ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍beginning to end, she had been nothing but a chess piece, caught in others’ calculations. She tore through one web only to discover that outside it lay another, even larger one.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Church, the Empire, the nobility, surnames, bloodlines—one web after another bound her tightly, allowing her only self-deceiving struggles.

And now, she had reached a dead end.

The influx of seawater had stopped. Her ascension Ritual still showed no reaction, yet the seawater that had been poured into her body by the Ritual began to churn violently.

Perhaps she should have given up. From the very beginning, she should have given up. She had always known she could not break free of this web. Once the crown was placed upon her head, it could never be removed.

How had she even found the courage to struggle in the first place?

Yes—what had she been struggling so desperately for?

For Earl Hughes?

No. She truly wished to meet Earl Hughes once, but that was not the real reason.

At this moment, as the pollution within her body boiled like scalding oil, as dense enemies aimed their gun barrels at her, waiting only for her to lose control, Beatrice instead grew calm.

Her brief life flashed before her eyes.

From childhood, she had been forced to learn all manners of noble etiquette. A little older, she was sent to the Church—simply because she bore the name Joanne.

After that, she became Pope and wore the crown.

Her entire life had been arranged by others, and she had never stopped struggling.

What others fought a lifetime to obtain had inexplicably fallen into her hands.

And what she wanted—

Was only freedom.

Never had her mind been so clear. Her will hardened once more. If she had been a Mortal, perhaps she could have touched Transcendence with such resolve. But now, it could only drive her to make one final choice.

Beatrice endured the pain surging through her body, ignoring the intensifying hallucinations. Gritting her teeth, she forced her legs forward, staggering toward the front.

Since she had chosen to struggle, then she would struggle to the death.

Watching Beatrice slowly move step by step toward the gap in the pipeline, the man frowned.

“Michel, we—”

“Stop her.”

With a wave of the man’s hand, the Investigators advanced with their guns leveled at Beatrice.

But at that moment, a humming vibration once again rose from beneath their feet.

Clang!

A tremendous collision resounded, louder than the previous two.

“What is that sound? We’ve heard it several times tonight already. Another trick from the Mechanical Sanctum?” Michel felt an uneasy stirring in his heart. “Impossible. The Mechanical Sanctum has been under surveillance the entire time. They had no further preparations.”

“Forget it. We have so many Investigators here…”

He glanced around at his companions, which reassured him somewhat.

Nearly all the Investigators of the Church of Candlelight were here—dozens of them. Enough to overturn an entire nation. The Pope before them was merely at the end of her strength.

The Investigators gradually brought the Giant Cannon to a halt. The rift in reality slowly began to mend, the backflowing seawater ceased, and they closed in on Beatrice.

Clang!

Another violent tremor struck. The entire cathedral shook as though an earthquake had struck. Debris fell from the ceiling. Only by relying on their Transcendent physiques did the Investigators manage to steady themselves.

This time, the humming was far too close.

They finally realized the direction from which the sound came—

Directly beneath their feet.

“There’s something below!!!”

Boom!

Before they could fully react, the floor violently split open. A massive steel construct burst upward through it!

“Brother Freyr, is this the world above? It’s so beautiful!”

“Mm, this is the surface, no doubt… but I feel like we’ve arrived at somewhere quite extraordinary…” Freyr stood atop the colossal Steel Giant, squinting at the Investigators below.

“Brother Freyr, the machines on the walls are amazing! The surface people truly are impressive. Even Xiao Bu would need some time to build things like these… Eh? Why are they all dead?”

Seated within the cockpit, Xiao Bu looked at the corpses on the ground.

She did not know what the Mechanical Sanctum was. But seeing the mechanical limbs everywhere, then the Investigators holding firearms nearby—

“Brother Freyr, are these the bad people?”

Freyr scratched his head. Truthfully, he could not quite grasp the situation either. But after arriving in Rhine, he had learned at least one thing:

Punch the Church of Candlelight first—never wrong!

“Forget it. Beat them up first and talk later! The beacon Gaia gave me is nearby. She must be fighting them!”

“Alright!”

Xiao Bu grabbed the crowbar-modified control lever and slammed it downward to the limit.

Within the body of “The Big One,” the battered Steam Engine spewed green-tinged smoke and let out a shrill roar as the entire machine charged straight into the crowd!

“Who are you? Remnants of the Mechanical Sanctum? So you truly prepared for rebellion long ago!” Michel sneered and, along with several Investigators, flashed toward the cockpit in an instant.

“Heh. The war machines of the Mechanical Sanctum are indeed formidable. But in the end, they are controlled by humans. Kill the operators, and no matter how massive the machine, it becomes useless.”

As he spoke, several Investigators crashed directly toward Xiao Bu in the cockpit.

“Not good!” Freyr was startled. He had little experience with Transcendence; these Transcendents had discovered the machine’s weakness so quickly.

Two bowl-thick pipes rose within Xiao Bu’s cockpit, spraying corrosive liquid. Two Investigators were forced to activate their barriers and dodge aside. But Michel had already reached Xiao Bu.

He reached out toward Xiao Bu’s chest. Freyr wanted to block him, but his body could not keep up with his thoughts.

Clang!

Michel’s hand was seized by a mechanical arm.

Startled, he looked up. The moment he saw what stood before him, his eyes widened in shock.

“Ge—Gear Sage?! It can only give lectures, can’t it?!”

The robot towering before him looked down coldly. Its mechanical hand tightly clamped around Michel’s wrist.

It was the Gear Sage that lectured day and night within the Gear Sanctum.

Now, it bore none of the gentle tone it had in the classroom. The indicator light on its chest glowed a dangerous red. The gears upon its face rotated. The camera within its eye socket locked onto the man.

“Supreme Protocol: Protect Humanity.”

Its head rotated, turning toward Xiao Bu.

“Madam, shall I eliminate these non-human entities that threaten you?”