I find it very sacred to pick someone up and make them a saint.

Theodore stared at the Mother Goddess's relic in his hand, his eyes bloodshot with rage.

Because it saved itself from a sacrifice, sacrificing only Miles.

But now, if they still want to resist, there is only one path left: the inevitable sacrifice of themselves.

Even if one loses their physical body, as long as they overcome the difficulties, their soul will remain, and they may make a comeback.

But this feeling is like being castrated.

"It's better than death!" Theodore made up his mind, tightening his grip on the relic as he prepared to crush it.

…………

While dismantling the outer magic array within the domain, Mien observed the battle outside.

He quickly realized that the battle had ended easily, so he put aside his doubts and focused on the final work of the esoteric sect.

One by one, the magical nodes surrounding the core of the magic circle disappeared, and Mien's spiritual tentacles drew ever closer to the energy core.

This ease reignited Mien's doubts.

"It can't be that easy..."

Recalling the purification of the Fountain of Faith in Iron Can Street, it was far from as smooth.

So he immediately looked up at the phantom of the Mother Goddess above the factory.

It happened at the very moment their eyes met.

Theodore crushed the relic. His mouth gaped open, his expression contorted in agony, yet he couldn't utter a sound. His body rapidly turned into specks of blood, flying through the air before becoming nourishment for the Mother Goddess's energy.

The shattered relics were also awakened by this blood, and the pitch-black power of faith rapidly expanded and rose, floating above the phantom of the Mother Goddess.

The moment the blackness climbed upwards onto the illusory figure, the phantom Mother Goddess seemed to be colored, gradually taking on a physical form.

Her gaze, too, shone with the purple light of life, illuminating her emptiness.

The ink flowed over the last inch of her head, and the Mother Goddess swayed and rose with her breath for a moment.

A powerful pressure rippled outwards, making the entire city-state feel like a delicious meal waiting to be enjoyed.

The entire sky was dyed a deep purple.

Rachel and Phil couldn't help but open their mouths, tilt their heads back, and take two steps back.

Neuer and Phyllis, who were in the distance, also stayed where they were due to the intimidation.

Phyllis was the first to break free.

"Run!!" she shouted, waking Neuer up.

Phyllis looked sharply at Neuer:

"We must get as many people as possible out of here now!"

Her eyes trembled.

They knew perfectly well: if the people inside the factory couldn't handle it, where could they go?

But at this point, every little bit helps. We can't just sit and wait to die with the people; we must at least give them a glimmer of hope...

As Neuer's chest, which had been heaving with each breath, gradually calmed down, he was infected by Phyllis's spirit, and his face regained its former fearlessness and determination.

She drew her sword and commanded her personal guard of knights and the city's law enforcement officers.

Phyllis also tried her best to gather the panicked scholars together.

The two groups gradually converged, and the Academy and Neuer fought side by side in tacit cooperation, striving to stabilize and evacuate the people of the city-state during the apocalypse.

…………

The Mother Goddess's gaze shifted from the empty space to Mien, meeting his eyes.

Her gaze was indifferent, devoid of any expression, yet it carried a chilling indifference, as if she regarded life as mere dust.

In that instant of eye contact, Mien felt his heart clench, and he could hardly breathe.

The energy that resonated with the power of the Mother Goddess's faith was gradually backfired, and the chill traveled back along with the energy, attempting to take over Lucia's body and soul.

"Damn it!!"

Mien couldn't help but curse, biting her lip to calm herself down and averting her gaze.

But the immense power of faith still surged in from all directions, attempting to devour Lucia.

Lucia, who was lost in her own world, was awakened by Mien's loud scolding.

Her consciousness returned to her body, merging with Mien's, sharing the same feelings and facing the same challenges.

The overwhelming pressure, from which Lucia had no choice but to resist, plunged her into a dark abyss of fear and despair.

Mien poured all his power into the Tranquil Domain, attempting to resist with the [Tranquil Book], but the pure white sphere of light was squeezed smaller and smaller.

He would surely die if things continued this way, and the one who would die before him was Lucia, whom he was manipulating.

Mien's eyes narrowed, revealing a ruthless glint.

"Absolutely not!"

He had already promised Lucia that he couldn't let her face the danger alone before him.

The effect of the Twin Soul Ring was suddenly canceled by Mien!

Lucia was startled, her body swayed, and she found herself with her own body again.

The next instant, Mien's scholar's robe, billowing in the wind, obscured his vision and stood in front of him.

With a loud shout, Mien opened his arms wide.

"It was my own oversight."

In the stillness of his heart, Mien thought.

He planned all of this, made countless contingency plans, and was aware of the looming crisis before anyone else in the empire.

However, they still underestimated the destruction that was about to occur.

Inside his scholar's robes, the academy emblem hanging on his chest burst forth with indigo magic, surging out like a vast ocean.

This is a hidden entry added by Mien through Hein's modification.

[All Rivers Run into the Ocean] Effect: Drawing upon the vast knowledge inherited from the Academy of Scholars, it allows for the storage of as much energy as possible within the Holy Emblem.

Compared to it, the energy storage ring on the left hand is but a drop in the ocean.

The Holy Emblem, which had gathered almost all the energy reserves of the entire Academy of Scholars, suddenly erupted, along with all the magical artifacts on his body, and poured out without reservation.

Accompanied by Mien's own negligible magical power.

A vast blue ocean instantly filled the entire realm of the [Tranquil Bookshelf].

Within the small space, it constantly clashed with the power of faith in the Mother Goddess.

Lucia froze on the spot, watching Mien's back tremble with the impact, her pupils gradually contracting.

Even with such a large energy reserve, it was rapidly depleted in the struggle against the power of the Mother Goddess, and half of it was lost in the blink of an eye.

Rachel and Phil, outside the domain, stared blankly at the precarious domain before them.

What should I do?

They didn't know if Mien was merely putting up a fight using the unknown territory, but they knew that such resistance wouldn't last long.

Phil immediately rose and floated in mid-air, his eyes wide open, his holy gold robe fluttering as he unleashed all his power to release holy light and support Mien.

Rachel realized what was happening and immediately ordered the soldiers and knights outside the factory to come inside.

They gathered their energy and surged towards the trembling, pure white realm, fighting together as if their lips were gone.

The arriving soldiers and knights had no idea what was happening; they only saw a white spherical barrier floating in the air.

They thought it was a spell cast by Phil or Rachel to fight against the evil god.

Mien's energy stored in his scholar's badge was almost depleted, and he didn't know if he could hold out any longer, so a desperate, savage look spread across his face.

Lucia, filled with fear and confusion, slowly raised her head and saw Mien's face blocking her way.

The teacher, who was once always refined and elegant, now resembled a warrior engaged in close combat; his academic robes were torn in several places by the impact, revealing his skin.

Several streaks of blood stained the teacher's delicate face.

Tears welled up in Luya's cold eyes.