At this moment, the directors of the "Netherlands Bank Group" and the coalition's mobile units, who played no effective role, the only survivors left on the city wall, had gathered at the "Golden Summit Cathedral" not far from the bank group's headquarters.

"Bishop, please take action!"

He looked at the few small-sized sea monsters that continuously circled the cathedral, seemingly pondering where to attack.

Mr. Joel, the head of the bank group, had a face that flickered between pale and red, while the expressions of the directors under him were even more ugly.

By this time, they had long realized that they had all been outwitted by the seemingly amiable Pirate King.

All the rumors of him being generous, bold, and brotherly... were just disguises by Harkins.

They coveted the "wool" on him, but what he coveted was their entire treasury!

Even with the robbers already inside their house, they still weren't clear whether Harkins wanted the entire treasury or a particular treasure within.

However, it did not prevent them from reaching one conclusion: whatever Harkins' goal was.

After opening the vault, he would surely not take just one item!

Fortunately.

They still had their final trump card, the secret weapon known only to the bank group head Old Joel and Bishop Jasper within "Golden Lion City"!

"Obeying the Goddess's decree, there should be no place for pirates to survive on the sea, and all pirates must be eradicated.

The so-called Pirate King is no exception!

Rest assured, Chairman, the Goddess will descend divine punishment on these madmen!"

Bishop Jasper, appearing as a tall middle-aged man, nodded slightly to the chairman. Though his words were clouded with mystery, it was clear that he had agreed to take action.

Afterward, the "refugees" from the bank group and mobile units were respectfully ushered out of the hall by the priests.

"Oh yes, Knight Ambrose, please stay. I need a Goddess Knight with firm faith to assist me."

The bishop, dressed in a noble and solemn bishop's miter, holding a golden volume of the Goddess's Holy Words, stood at the center of the hall, calling out to Iron Wall Knight Ambrose, who was about to leave with the others.

Since arriving at the "Leiden River Valley," Ambrose had been leading his team to act with the mobile units, yet never expected his first encounter with the Pirate King would force him to flee, unable to do anything but rescue the two young soldiers beside him.

Burdened with self-blame over his powerlessness, Ambrose looked up confusedly when he heard Bishop Jasper's voice.

"Knight Ambrose, I can provide you a chance to face the Pirate King directly. Please wield the Judgement Holy Sword with faith and loyalty to the Goddess."

Understanding quickly what the bishop intended, Ambrose resolutely and without hesitation agreed:

"The will of the Goddess is my mission! I will give it my all, your Excellency!"

Moments later, all the clergy within the cathedral had gathered here.

They wore black clerical robes with rank indicated only on the sleeves and collar, holding black cast iron crosses with anchor points at the bottom, forming a perfect circle around the rising dome in the center of the hall.

The hall, adorned with murals praising the Goddess, was combined with pointed arch vaults, flying buttresses, and slender bundled columns, creating a light and airy sense of ascension.

This was the sanctuary favored by the Goddess, a pure land of the divine kingdom on earth.

Here, led by Bishop Jasper, they began to chant the Holy Words of the Goddess in unison!

The different timbres of the people melded into one single voice.

A deep humming with mysterious power was continuously amplified, echoed, and enhanced by the circular dome, while also being colored, corrected, and harmonized by this sanctuary.

In this sacred atmosphere.

The tall and majestic statue of the Goddess in the hall gradually emitted a misty golden light, a power left from the continuous prayers and devotion of countless believers!

The golden divine light resonated with the priests' prayers, transforming under Bishop Jasper's guidance into a rumbling golden tide that filled the entire hall and then slowly overflowed outward.

There was no need for the bishop's reminder.

Standing beside Bishop Jasper, Ambrose had already solemnly drawn his longsword, raising it overhead.

Clang—

It seemed to pierce through something suddenly.

Outside.

Golden light gathered on the dome-shaped shell top of the cathedral, an invisible force vertical as if a longsword piercing the sky, broke through the clouds, inviting a golden stream of sunlight.

Unlike the spires of other Gothic structures, the very top of this Golden Summit Cathedral was formed by a golden shell dome composed of six sail-like gilded structures.

The sunlight drawn down flowed and flickered across the six "sails," growing brighter and brighter until it seemed as though the entire sun had descended upon the mortal world!

[Divine Art: Sun Judgment Holy Sword!]

This exclusive Divine Art of the Black Iron Cross Church originates from the "Meteorology" domain of the Goddess's "Nautical Divine Position," with each deity possessing inexhaustible power within their respective divine domains!

In this world, there is no Sun God of the true god tier. The domain of the sun is divided among three true gods: the "Goddess of Navigation," "Dawn," and the "Eternal Flame."

Even though the goddess's authority in the domain of the sun is not as high as the other two, she can still grant her believers unimaginable immense power!

At this moment, Bishop Jasper, a high-tier cleric as a true god, along with all the priests under his command, the Iron Wall Knight Ambrose who is an extremely devout temporary vessel, and the costly Gold Dome Cathedral with its many special functions, collectively borrowed the divine power that belongs to the goddess.

Hoo—

A breeze belonging to divine power began to blow.

Though Jasper and Ambrose's bodies still stood in the center of the hall, their perspectives had already transcended the limitations of the dome, reaching out into the outside world.

In the view akin to that of a giant looking down.

They saw the sea monsters hesitating around the cathedral due to the fear of the goddess's might, saw most of the citizens of Golden Lion City who couldn't escape from the north gate in such a short amount of time, and of course, saw Harkins who had started violently breaking into the underground treasure vault.

Their eyes instantly grew sharp.

In unison, they made a grasping gesture with their right hands as if holding a sun, the authority borrowed briefly from the goddess danced in their palms.

Bishop Jasper assessed the strength of the power in his hands and nodded slightly:

"Indeed, temporarily choosing Ambrose was the right decision.

The power he can borrow is at least thirty percent higher than that of the knight originally appointed by the cathedral, not to mention he is the most prominent young person in the church in recent years!"

In this ritual of borrowing divine power, Bishop Jasper acts as the brain responsible for deciding where to strike, while Ambrose is his hand deciding how to strike.

Among the 24 large species and 20 small species present, the absolute core is, of course, the two "Earthquake Two-headed Turtles" and the four "Earth Belly Snake Lizards," which are responsible for excavating the treasure vault, undertaking the most important part of this mission.

However, Bishop Jasper's first target is not them, but Harkins, the "Octopus Ghost" commanding in the middle of the periphery!

He has already seen the conch horn in Harkins' hand used to command the group of sea monsters. If they can eliminate the leader, even the powerful sea monsters would just fall apart like scattered sand, especially since after landing, they no longer have the ferocity of the deep sea, and even if they go berserk, they can be dealt with gradually.

The worst-case scenario is to wait until Augustus, the "Thunderbolt Halberd" Kingdom Guardian Knight of Tyrone Kingdom, arrives to eliminate these rampant sea monsters one by one.

Under the premise that the sea monsters do not split to chase the citizens, the immediate priority is to safeguard the treasure vault and also... preserve the hundred-year reputation of the "Netherlands Bank Group"!

Jasper found nothing wrong with his thinking.

Although he is a faithful believer in the goddess, he also serves the "Bank Group" and money, which are not contradictory.

Otherwise, why would he, as the only Tier 3 Bishop in Salt Lake County, neither be stationed in the capital "Brandenburg" nor in the most populous and culturally rich coastal city "Nisk"?

If not due to the wealth and resources of the bank group, and the full support of Golden Lion City for the faith enterprise, which extended the construction of the highest-spec Gold Dome Cathedral under his clerical jurisdiction?

However, because of the relatively short history of the Gold Dome Cathedral, the power of faith stored in the goddess's statue is not very rich.

The currently activated "Sun Judgment Holy Sword" cannot do what the New Inn Cathedral did with the Holy Spear: Durandal, reversing the gods.

Even with the blessing of Ambrose, the exemplary knight, it only grants three uses of the Tier 4 strength "Judgment Holy Sword."

Therefore, every single opportunity must be used cautiously.

"Receive the divine punishment bestowed by the Goddess, sinful soul!"

Sizzle—!

A golden pillar of light, like a divine sword of punishment descending from the clouds, shot towards the Pirate King Harkins surrounded by sea monsters and pirates.

Before the light even arrived, the scorching energy had already burned through the air, emitting a strong acrid scorched smell.

However, the bishop, accustomed to a privileged life without much combat experience, was too presumptive.

How could Harkins possibly not be aware of the commotion caused by the activation of such a high-level divine art ritual?

And there was enough power to respond immediately!

Swish—

In a fraction of a second.

A "small species" resembling a semi-transparent "flea," the Philosopher's Water Flea, swiftly jumped up to block the front of Harkins.

The powerful heat of the "Judgment Holy Sword" melting gold and iron was blocked for a moment by the largely exoskeleton-covered sea monster's body.

Yet, even with this moment of delay, it was enough for Harkins, who was already prepared, to seize the opportunity.

[Extraordinary Ability: Limit Release!]

Boom—

Within the Pirate King's body, it was like a bomb being suddenly detonated!

The unique crimson [Frenzy] of the "Exiled Prisoner" profession erupted like a hurricane.

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