The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1287.1

Bishop Tophenne followed Priest Roam, with whom he had joined forces.

Saint Davey O’Rowane had acquired a set of stigmata. Yet, he had since lost the qualification for the stigmata and had them taken away. On top of that, he was also plotting something.

In Tophenne’s eyes, Davey O’Rowane was a man unworthy of being a saint.

If asked whether he hated him, the answer would be no. For Bishop Tophenne, who had gone through an elite education, the way the priests of the Holy Empire lived was as close to the truth of life as could be. The actions of Prince Davey, moving completely contrary to that truth, were something he could never interpret as the behavior befitting a saint.

Of course, the man used to have stigmata. So, perhaps he was different when no one was watching. That thought crossed Tophenne’s mind, too.

However, after seeing Davey ignore those who needed help in the current Holy Empire crisis, then walking away somewhere, he truly began to doubt if he was someone worthy of the title of saint.

Priest Roam and Bishop Tophenne were now watching the sacred temple from a distance.

The sacred temple, a symbol of the Holy Empire, was usually inaccessible even to its citizens. Those who knew about the temple also knew of the special barrier surrounding it.

It was one of the miracles of Goddess Freyja.

That sacred temple, surrounded by the barrier of a miracle, was now shrouded in a red mist. Ever since Saint Davey O'Rowane had entered, the ominous red mist had only grown worse.

“Look at that! Since he entered, that dreadful mist has thickened. He's defiling the Holy Empire’s sacred temple to reclaim his stigmata.”

Hearing this, Bishop Tophenne, already half-brainwashed after receiving stigmata, clenched his trembling fist. “How dare he, defiling the sacred temple that carries the rich history of the Holy Empire!”

“We don’t have time. If you use your stigmata, we can locate Prince Davey. Please, weaken his power momentarily.”

At those words, the stigmata on his wrists began to resonate faintly, and Bishop Tophenne slowly knelt to begin his prayer.

At the same time, the red mist surrounding the temple began to shake, and he detected otherworldly stigmata with his holy power.

‘This has to be his!’

Without hesitation, he chanted loudly, “O merciful primordial light, I humbly request...”

As he spoke, a massive magic circle formed around him.

‘I created this?’

Startled, he marveled at the holy magic circle he had just conjured.

At that moment, figures rushed toward him from a distance.

“What are you doing?! Stop right now!!”

It was none other than Archbishop Alice, the professor of divine studies from Heins Territory.

She was the person whom Bishop Tophenne, who had gone through the elite course, respected the most. She was now running toward him, her face contorted with anger, shouting from outside the magic circle he had created.

“Stop right now! What is this nonsense!?”

He continued, “By the will of the gods...”

“What bullshit are you saying? Why is the goddess’s will a manifestation of such horrific magic?”

Bishop Tophenne couldn’t understand her actions. He had no clue why she was trying to stop him from performing a sacred ritual. After all, the magic circle he had created felt holier than anything he had ever felt in his life.

Yet, she didn’t trust him. It made no sense to him.

However, seeing Archbishop Alice and the other revered priests urgently trying to stop him, a sense of unease began to grow in the corner of his heart.

“Do not doubt.” At that moment, he heard a voice in his ear.

It was Priest Roam.

With an expression as if he were possessed, he ignored the priests around them and whispered, “Believe. The light is on your side, and the others are just people who falsely claim to serve the goddess. They are foolish sheep deceived by Saint Davey O'Rowane.”

Tophenne didn't say anything.

“Now, go ahead. Quickly.”

Following Roam’s shout, Bishop Tophenne closed his eyes.

With a threatening voice, Archbishop Alice told him, “Hey, young priest. Stop. You’re going to regret this.”

Bishop Tophenne bitterly smiled and muttered, “The goddess is with us. Do not doubt the will of the Primordial God.”

“You idiot!!”

With those words, his magic began its final phase.

At the same time, a tremendous sense of powerlessness overwhelmed his body, and an enormous amount of energy drained out of him.

“Ah. My goodness!”

Bishop Tophenne knew he wasn’t wrong. The ones who didn’t understand the will of the gods were the real fools.

As he thought that, he suddenly saw the stigmata on his hands turn black.

“What... is this?”

At the same time, he realized that the holy power flowing from his body was unlike anything he had ever known before.

“What is going on?”

It wasn’t holy power. What was escaping his body gave off a similar feeling to the red mist he had just found so disgusting.

“Ugh. Ughhh?!”

At the same time, excruciating pain began to envelop his entire body, and it wasn't long before an enormous amount of pale wisps escaped his body, only to become part of the red mist.

“What... is this?” Kneeling and staring blankly at the sky, Tophenne’s body began to turn black. His holy power had begun to be contaminated.

“This doesn’t make sense! I’m sure I...” He was certain he wasn’t wrong. Confused, he frantically looked around, and his jaw dropped to the ground.

At first, only the regular citizens had these things escaping from their bodies. Suddenly, even those with considerable holy power were losing it as well.

Those who had these pale things taken from them collapsed in a daze, as if overwhelmed by helplessness. The only ones still standing were the high-ranking priests, including Archbishop Alice.

Even with holy magic protecting them, they were slipping away. It seemed that defense was useless.

“Priest... Priest Roam!! What is this? What is happening?!”

The pure holy power he had always believed in had turned into something terrifying, and the stigmata had disappeared. In that unbelievable situation, the only lifeline he could hold onto was Priest Roam.

However, Priest Roam completely betrayed his expectations.

Sling. Squelsh!!

Pulling a black knife from who knew where, Priest Roam pierced Bishop Tophenne and grinned savagely. “Aah. Thank you, Bishop Tophenne. Thanks to you, my plan is complete.”

With those words, the red mist over the Holy Empire swayed and soon scattered. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

What emerged was Saint Davey O’Rowane, standing in the rubble with a wound on his arm. His expression was as emotionless as it could be. Next to him stood his daughter, Evangeline O’Rowane, along with Saintess Lena and a man no one recognized.

Priest Roam had said it was all done by Prince Davey. The monster next to them, and the fact they were fighting against it, made everything inexplicable.

In the midst of his confusion, Priest Roam spoke with a chilling laugh, “Bishop Tophenne, the affection a devout believer receives from God is truly terrifying. It possesses great power.”

“What are you saying?” Coughing up blood, he glared at Priest Roam.

“You are an elite. Although foolish, the holy power you carried was pure and abundant. That is proof that the Goddess must’ve cherished you greatly. Thanks to that—” Madness gleamed in his eyes. “I was able to absorb the time of the citizens of the Holy Empire—something I couldn’t have done on my own. I was even able to take it from the fallen high priests over there.”

The pale things escaping from everyone! Tophenne had believed those were the work of Davey, but the brutal truth was that the culprit was Priest Roam.

“Why... Why?! What reason do you have?!”

Facing his frantic cry, Priest Roam shrugged. “What’s stopping me from doing so?”

“W-What?”

“Who's to say I can't become someone with enormous influence over this continent? Look.” A black sphere, radiating tremendous power, formed in his hand. “With this power now in my hands, I can bring down the empire all by myself. Just like Saint Davey, I’ve now gained an overwhelming power, and it’s all thanks to you.”

“Priest Roam... Roaaam!! Have you deceived me?!”

As Tophenne struggled while still pierced by the blade, Priest Roam flicked his finger, lifting him into the air. Then, he trapped him in a pillar of light that radiated a dark-red glow.

“Don’t be so angry. Be patient instead. You still have things to do.”

“You think you’ll be fine after this?”

“Of course. The one who I have made a contract with will take care of Saint Davey. Soon, everyone on the continent will know my name.”

The changes born out of jealousy between the two men were completely different, depending on the deep desires each harbored.

“Why... Why have the stigmata and divine power changed?”

Bishop Tophenne couldn’t understand that the most. What he had felt was clearly the stigmata and holy power. Yet somehow, things turned out this way.

“You’re the same as me,” Roam told him. “You felt jealousy toward him, and because of this incident, you were greatly disappointed by him. This is the result of your lack of experience and your foolish pride.”

“You will face God’s divine punishment!!”

“Divine punishment? How laughable.” Smirking, Priest Roam shrugged. “That doesn't change anything. Bishop Tophenne, your twisted jealousy clouded your judgment, and that's why you fell so easily for the hallucinations that the being I made a contract with created.”

The stigmata, the divine power from the stigmata, and even the revelation of God—everything he saw and felt had been fake. Simply illusions.

Bishop Tophenne paled.

“Take a good look! This is the result of what you've created. You were the biggest contributor, so you should witness it yourself. I am truly grateful to you. Thanks to all your efforts, that being gave me tremendous power. As long as I have this power, I’ll never die.”

Despair spread across Bishop Tophenne’s face.

Then it happened. As the demon devoured the pale things and began to unleash overwhelming power, Davey sneered.

At the same time, pillars of pure white light began to fall around the demon.