”By the way, have you investigated who spread these rumors?” Looyt asked.
“I don’t know; I don’t pay attention,” Hans said, embarrassed.
How would he have time to investigate those lowlifes?
If not for the worsening of the rumors, he wouldn’t even know about it.
Hans was quite busy setting up the churches that he didn’t have time for these.
“I also don’t know,” Popo said calmly.
He was busy setting up gambling stations; how could he have time?
Anyway, as long as they have money, their reputation can go to trash.
“You two aren’t doing your jobs properly,” Looyt shook his head in disapproval.
The Three Churches—The Church of Shadow, The Church of Thieves, The Church of Gambling—are in alliance.
Hearing that they didn’t even send spies to investigate made him feel like he was surrounded by stupid teammates.
No wonder the bad rumors about them spread like wildfire.
“Then do you know?” The two ask sarcastically.
If Looyt himself knew, then this wouldn’t happen.
“I have.”
“Unlike you two, even if I’m busy with something, I put spies around the Westle Empire.”
Looyt didn’t prevent the spread of rumors on purpose.
He had been sent by the God of Shadow for one thing, that is to end the war quickly.
Unfortunately, despite his persuasion.
The Church of Thieves and the Church of Gambling didn’t want to end the war quickly.
“Oh~ Then quickly tell us, do you know the instigator?”
“Hmm, it’s mainly the nobles, soldiers, and more importantly, the Church of Puppets.”
“What? That bastard who joined halfway?!”
Originally there were only three of them who helped the Westle Empire conquer the whole Curse Continent.
However, halfway through, it seemed that the Gods had come into agreement and allowed the God of Puppets to join the fray.
‘If you put all of your strength into helping the Westle Empire, then there is no need for the God of Puppets to join.’ Looyt muttered internally.
“Speaking of which, their retreat from the enemy seemed to be the fuse for all of this!” Hans concluded after a bit of thought.
“What a bunch of heretics.”
“Don’t they know that this is blasphemy to the Gods?!”
Hans and Popo cursed one after another, hearing that their own people from the same continent were the ones to backstab them.
“Alright, it’s already a done deed.”
“We are also at fault for not helping them anyway,” Looyt calmed them down, thinking rationally.
It’s not the time for them to fight.
What they needed to do was solve the root problem—the Moonlight Empire.
“You don’t care?” Popo asked in puzzlement.
He heard that Looyt could not even accept the slightest tint to his God, that he would punish them in the most painful way.
Yet now, he was alright after others blaspheme the God of Shadow? ᴡ ᴏᴠʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛʀs ᴀʀ ᴘᴜʙʟsʜᴅ ᴏ NovlFre.et
“We have more important things to do than to fight amongst ourselves,” Looyt said blankly.
Being a devout believer didn’t mean being stupid; Looyt still knew his priorities.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be a Divine Priest but a mere believer.
“Alright, then what do we do?”
“Contact the believers of the God of Puppet.”
“It’s time to end this war…”
…
A few days later, on Grim Island, the main stronghold against the Moonlight Empire.
“Is this the mighty army of the God of Puppets?” Popo muttered admiringly, gazing at the billions of puppets stationed there.
Just the aura they unconsciously exuded made his scalp numb.
Even the hundreds of thousands of believers they bought nearly trembled at the sight of it.
“Otherwise, why would our God agree to have another God being at the table?” Looyt replied nonchalantly.
This was also the reason he didn’t want conflict with the believers of the God of Puppets.
Unless his God employed a tier 9 believer to assist, they would be crushed by the enemy like nothing.
The Puppets were natural sweepers, that would defeat anyone in war.
Although puppets didn’t possess the power of law, their number can grind them to death.
Unless one were to escape, they were invincible.
Thus in a war where one had a choice, the puppets had a natural advantage.
Numbers truly worked wonders once you had enough.
“It’s indeed us who were unreasonable,” Hans said, fear evident in his voice.
Upon their arrival, they met up with the Divine Priest of the Church of Puppets.
“I’m Mononov, pleased to meet the three Divine Priests,” Mononov greeted courteously.
“No, the honor is ours,” The three responded in kind.
“By the way, who is this?” Popo inquired, noticing a man beside them.
“This is the Commander of the Puppet Army, Antonio,” Mononov introduced.
Unlike the other three churches, where the Divine Priest ruled about the battle forces.
Excluding the forces directly under their God, all the combatants were like their subordinates.
In the Church of Puppet however, the responsibilities of the Divine Priest are only about management and production.
The General on the other hand is the one who handles all combat-related things.
Like Antonio, the highest commander of their campaign in the Curse Continent.
He had the highest authority over the billions of puppets, that even he a Divine Priest had no control over it.
However, when it came to salary, acquisition of material and such Mononov was still the one responsible.
Thus, unlike the other three churches, Mononov and Antonio’s position is equal.
“Nice to meet you,” Antonio smiled sarcastically, still holding a grudge against them.
“Hahaha, So it’s the famed Commander!”
“We apologize for our previous inactions, leading to losses to the God of Puppets.”
“I hope the commander can forgive us.” The three Divine Priests bowed sincerely, or at least that’s what Antonio felt.
Observing their courtesy, Antonio softened and accepted their apologies.
He didn’t really want to fight with these three, seeing they were sincere enough.
How dare Antonio still hold a grudge against them?
“How could I hold grudges against the Divine Priests?”
“It’s my incompetence that led to our losses,” Antonio replied as if nothing had happened.
“Is that so?”
“Then we thank for the Commander’s forgiveness.”
After a few more pleasantries, the atmosphere relaxed.
Even the believers in the back ready for battle heave a sigh of relief.
“Hmm, Since everything has been made up, shall we talk inside?” Monograt invited.
“That would be a hon—”
Suddenly, before Looyt finished speaking, an enemy bomb came flying towards them.
Boom!
A huge explosion occurs, destroying almost all of Grim Island.
As the smoke faded, hundreds of thousands of believers flew up, searching for the target.
“No need to look, up here…”
“You!”
“The Field Marshal of the Moonlight Empire!”
“How dare you come here!”
The Divine Priests and Generals of various churches shouted in shock.
They didn’t expect the enemy they were about to discuss to appear in front of them.
“Hmph! You can’t attack but we can’t?!” Isabella snorted.
Behind her are over ten thousand elite soldiers, picked from the most talented people in the Moonlight Empire.
They were the Imperial Moon Army, directly under Isabella.
“Outrageous! With your numbers, you dared to attack us?”
Just the comparison, excluding the puppets, they outnumber them over ten times.
Yet a woman dares to point her knife at them?
“Heh, why don’t you shut up and see?”
“Formation!” Isabella commanded.
Without waiting for the enemy to react, the elites behind Isabella moved manipulating their mana and power of law at a specific frequency.
Soon a Cosmic Behemoth begins to form overshadowing the sky.
Roar!
A roar appeared as the vibration of energy around suddenly became chaotic.
“What kind of formation is this?!”
“Is this a Heavenly Army Formation?!”
The monster in front of them made them feel like they were facing a pseudo-god.
The pressure was so big, that they suddenly stopped moving, as if the fear froze their body.
“Heh, Attack!”
Like a stampeding beast, the Cosmic Behemoth trampled upon the hundreds of thousands of believers frozen in fear.
“Hmph! We’re not that easy!”
“Formation!”
The church’s various generals and commanders quickly reacted, trying to form their own formation.
Unfortunately, they reacted too late, as the Cosmic Behemoth already locked their movement.
“Argh!”
“What a monster!”
“Damn it, move! Don’t let it hit you!”
Seeing thousands of people died in one attack, the divine priests couldn’t help but panic.
These people were the elites of the elites.
Unlike the puppets, countless resources were spent just for them to advance to tier 8.
With anger and distress, they couldn’t help clenching their fist, wanting to fight.
Unfortunately, they are neither soldiers nor generals; they have no fighting ability.
All their power and abilities were concentrated on manipulating people.
They can only ensure their life not others.
Suddenly, they remember the billions of puppets around the previous island.
Looking around, they’re still stationary and not moving.
“What happened?”
“Where is Antonio? Let these damn puppets move!”
“Mononov, where is your subordinate?!”
“Could it be that he died in the explosion earlier?!”
Hans and Popo asked angrily, thinking that this was Antonio’s revenge.
Didn’t he just forgive them?
Why allow these needless casualties?
“I don’t know,” Mononov panicked, looking around.
Antonio had the highest authority with the puppets; without him, they couldn’t move the puppets even an inch.
As for the backup commander, after looking around he also couldn’t be found.
“What do you mean you don’t know?!”
“I really don’t know,” Mononov continued to shake his head.
“Did you check on it?” Looyt asked coldly, still calm despite the situation.
“Yes.”
“How is the life signal? Is he still alive?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?!”
“Damn it, look at the divine connection! Are you a divine priest or what?!” Looyt asked angrily.
He was really surrounded by stupid teammates.
Even at a time like this, they still forgot their abilities and what they should do.
“Oh! That’s right!”
Mononov quickly felt the thread of divine connection Antonio had with his God.
However, after a few seconds, he didn’t find anything.
“Gone?!” Mononov panicked.
“Dead?!” The other three also noticed Mononov’s expression and panicked.
“You noticed too late…” Nathan smiled, holding the bloody head of Antonio.
“You!”