Lord of Prayer

Chapter 127: Chapter 106: Divine Descent

Wielding a longbow and wearing a crown, the White Horse Knight tore through the heavy gloom, descending from the heavens bathed in light.

Judging by its appearance alone, one might mistake it for a Holy Knight arriving to lend aid. But anyone with even a slight understanding of religious lore would know what the Inciter had just been chanting.

—Revelation.

The White Horse Knight he had summoned was, likewise, unmistakable—the first of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

The White Horse Knight drew its bow taut, like a full moon. Terrifying fluctuations gathered on the steel arrow. The moment its grip was released, the arrow shot forth, imbued with the unstoppable force of conquest. Tearing across the sky like a stampeding army of thousands, it surged toward the Winter King and the others.

The Dusk Knight leaped into the air. A heavy, ancient, brilliant gold round shield materialized in his hand, and he blocked the arrow of conquest head-on.

Immediately after, amidst a blinding radiance and a deafening roar, the arrow of conquest shot back in the opposite direction, moving far faster than before.

BOOM!

A terrifying ball of light exploded where the White Horse Knight stood, and the ancient, illusory image was instantly annihilated.

—That was the effect of the [Shield of the Guardian]: Double the return!

“When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say…” The Inciter attempted to continue reciting the remaining passages, but a Knight’s Lance, burning with the light of dusk, came streaking through the air.

His figure flickered and vanished like a mirage. He had incited the World to reject him, allowing him to evade the piercing lance. But in the next second, space froze. The Inciter, now covered in frost, tumbled out of the void, the ancient book in his hands vanishing with him.

The Winter King snapped his fingers with a crisp CRACK. In an instant, a ten-li radius froze solid, transforming into an arctic Restricted Area where all life fell silent. From every direction, tens of thousands of icebergs erupted, forming a deadly killing formation that lunged toward the four Crowned Kings.

SCHLICK. The sound of flesh being pierced rang out. The most heavily injured was the colossal Nine-headed Demon Serpent, followed by the Filthy Angels. Both were run through by sharp icebergs, and a frigid chill invaded their bodies, freezing their very souls inch by inch.

“My control over this Realm is limited. I’ll leave the rest to you.” The Winter King’s voice was as cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice, and puffs of frosty mist accompanied every breath.

The Dusk Knight, clad in silver-white heavy armor, nodded. He summoned a magnificent, armored warhorse, mounted it, and brandished his lance, his fighting spirit soaring.

The warhorse galloped through the air, its iron hooves thundering. With a fierce neigh, it charged brazenly toward its powerful foe.

The blade in the Holy Judgment Angels’ hand ignited with sacred flames that could incinerate all the world’s sins. Her sixteen wings unfurled, nearly blotting out the sky. Every feather flowed with the essence of holy fire, majestic as if bathed in the radiance of the Sun.

“Sinner.”

The Holy Judgment Angels pointed her blade at the Filthy Angels, her expression utterly cold and filled with killing intent—the Filthy Angels often disguised themselves as her to wreak havoc and deceive the masses.

Her sixteen holy wings beat behind her, stirring a gale that chased the clouds. The Holy Judgment Angels appeared before the Filthy Angels as if by Instant Movement, her Celestial Punishment Sword raised high. As if accompanied by the chorus of a million voices, a brilliant light soared into the sky—Slash!

The fiery light converged into a single line and sliced straight down.

With the clang of holy steel, the foul Flesh and Blood Sword that met her blade was gashed open. The Filthy Angels’ massive body was also slashed, a ghastly wound appearing from nowhere as oil, pus, and all manner of filth splattered in every direction.

’This is getting interesting…’ Watching the Dusk Knight charge toward him on his warhorse, the Purgatory Fire Demon felt an unprecedented pressure and sense of crisis. Yet, it couldn’t help but break into a smile, its body trembling with excitement.

’If not for its mission, this battle would have been absolutely exhilarating. A pity it needs to conserve its Power. Just like the two Crowned Kings from Fallen Paradise, it hasn’t gone all out from the very beginning, secretly looking for a chance to strike and seize its prize.’

Unfortunately, everyone present was a Crowned King. Such subtle maneuvers couldn’t fool anyone. No matter who made a move, someone would be there to restrain them. Therefore, they all needed to wait patiently for an opportunity.

“By my calculations, it’s about time…” the Purgatory Fire Demon muttered. It threw a punch at the oncoming Knight’s Lance, unleashing a terrifying shockwave. Yet, the lance was completely unaffected, piercing through its shoulder as if breaking through bamboo.

’A Guaranteed Hit… what a pain…’ it thought, looking unhappily at the Dusk Knight before it. But the corners of its mouth curled up, and it grew uncontrollably excited.

’Just a little… warm-up, then!’

Just as the battle between the Crowned Kings was reaching a fever pitch, back in the real world, an uninvited guest arrived at the entrance of the Star Association headquarters in Jinzhu City.

The moment he appeared a kilometer away, countless detection devices blared with piercing alarms. The soaring pollution readings on the screens indicated his immense power.

A Tier Four Corrupter.

On the deserted street, in the instant he was detected—before any person, machine, or even countermeasure program could react—the elderly Grand Steward lowered his hood and smiled toward the Star Association.

He soundlessly mouthed a single word.

“—Goodbye!”

An immense torrent of Hellfire surged from his tiny frame, sweeping out in all directions before soaring into the sky. It brought with it cold, despair, Darkness, and endless death, blanketing the sky like a dark curtain.

Within it, a lofty, illusory silhouette could be faintly seen, gazing down indifferently upon the mortal world.