Why is my anime art style so weird?

But he did not retreat, not even a single step!

He gripped the crowbar tightly, then raised it high and swung it down forcefully!

17%!

The monster seemed to have been suddenly paused; all its movements stopped.

The extended chains and head remained suspended upright in mid-air.

Xu Ming could even clearly smell the stench emanating from the monster, a mixture of blood and stench.

"what!"

Suddenly, all of the monster's heads screamed in agony.

"Impossible! This is impossible! Why have I lost contact with the Empire? Have I been abandoned by the Empire?"

Negative energy was visible to the naked eye emanating from the monster's body.

The monster's enormous spherical body deflated rapidly, like a ruptured balloon.

Upon seeing this, Xu Ming immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

After numerous failures, the 'cut-off' finally took effect!

Even with Xu Ming's dull senses, he could easily perceive that the monster's aura was like a floodgate being opened, cascading down from the peak of level 4, which was almost at level 5, to just advancing to level 4, and then it actually dropped directly to level 3.

Such an opponent is no longer a threat.

Xu Ming remained very cautious and immediately raised his phone, pointed the lens at the monster, and pressed the shutter button.

After a flash of purple-gold light, the monster instantly turned into charcoal, and then quickly disintegrated into ashes.

This time, Xu Ming watched as the monster was completely reduced to ashes before he lowered his guard.

Finally... we won!

Won!

This is probably the most difficult battle he has ever faced!

But he still won in the end!!

Engulfed in the euphoria of victory, Xu Ming didn't see that the shadow behind him stirred slightly before slowly settling back into stillness.

Just then, the entire underground church suddenly shone brightly, with golden light descending from the sky like the sun. The top of the church turned into a golden sea of ​​clouds. Amidst the swirling clouds, the faint sound of horns could be heard, solemn hymns lingered in the sky, and melodious bells echoed in the heavens.

A massive, majestic gate, seemingly made of gold, stood deep within the clouds. Its doors were wide open, and within, winged angels seemed to dance, constantly scattering golden light like a veil and golden rose petals.

Gates of Heaven.

The moment Xu Ming saw that golden door, a name inexplicably popped into his mind.

At this moment, the phantom images of nuns kept entering the church.

Bathed in golden light, their bodies gradually solidified, becoming like living people.

They bowed to Xu Ming and the others, and then, summoned by the sacred sound, slowly flew towards the golden gate.

Before the last nun left, she slowly walked up to Xu Ming, handed him something, and then flew towards heaven.

Soon the angels departed, the gates slowly closed, and the golden light, clouds, and other phenomena gradually dissipated, leaving only the lingering sound of hymns, as if telling them that everything that had happened before was not an illusion.

Xu Ming lowered his head and looked at the gift the nun had given him before she left.

A simple, rough-looking cross lay quietly in his palm.

This cross is a handmade piece made by simply binding two tree branches together with a rubber band.

The branches weren't even polished smooth; the bark hadn't been removed, and the rubber bands were rough and full of gaps, as if they might break at any moment.

But even such a rough work, seemingly made by a child, faintly shimmered with golden light, clearly indicating that it was no ordinary piece.

This cross seems to be quite old; its rough bark has been rubbed repeatedly, as if coated with a layer of dark brown paint. It has a smooth and rounded feel, much like a walnut that an old man has played with for many years.

The rubber band, which looked like it was about to break, was actually gleaming with a metallic sheen.

Xu Ming put the cross into his pocket, then put Erina and the little pig back into the Hyakki Yagyō (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons) to recuperate. He then helped Ryougi Shiki and limped out.

After the monster was defeated, the entire underground palace seemed to be purified, and the stench and bloody smell disappeared.

Xu Ming helped Ryougi Shiki slowly ascend the steps and leave the underground palace, then walked out of the chapel.

Looking at the tranquil Liyuan Garden under the night sky, Xu Ming felt as if he had been transported to another world.

Bathed in the silvery moonlight, the school remained as quiet and deserted as ever.

Xu Ming could feel that the gloomy atmosphere surrounding Liyuan was being quietly parted like dark clouds by a pair of invisible hands.

"Hey, thanks this time."

Ryougi Shiki, who was being supported by him, suddenly spoke in a low voice.

Xu Ming was taken aback for a moment, then smiled slightly.

"You're welcome."

A silent understanding was forming between the two of them.

It's not romantic love between a man and a woman, but a sense of trust between comrades who have gone through life and death together, a trust that can be relied upon.

Xu Ming felt relieved, at least Ryougi Shiki would no longer regard him as an opponent.

Afterwards, Ryougi Shiki was taken directly to the hospital by the Ryougi family for treatment.

Xu Ming reported the situation to Kato Megumi and stayed there temporarily to await the aftermath.

Taking advantage of this free time, Xu Ming casually opened the system.

—Congratulations, host, for completing the event 'Liyuan Girls' Academy (3 stars)'. Rewards are being calculated...

—Settlement complete. Task completion rate: 100%!

—Gained 1500 Strange Points (300%)

—The hidden reward 'Saintess's Prayer (Relic, Cannot be Upgraded)' has been delivered to the host through special means. Please check your account.

This must be what 'Saintess's Prayer' refers to.

Xu Ming took out the ordinary-looking cross from his pocket.

Saintess's Prayer (Relic, cannot be upgraded):

This is the sacred object that Joan of Arc held when she was burned at the stake. It embodies Joan of Arc's last faith and prayers before her death, and the wearer will be protected by God.

Divine Protection – can significantly reduce the damage caused by 'Strange'.

Pray that my injuries will heal quickly.

Holy Word Armor – During the armor's active duration, it can block all types of damage. (Duration: 10 seconds, 2 times/day)

Sacred Flame Arbitration – capable of simulating the holy fire of Seraphim Michael, inflicting immense damage on all evil. (1 time/day)

God's protection—If one is a Christian, all abilities are doubled, and those who are protected by God have a certain probability that their prayers will go in a better direction.

Relics can be used as a summoning medium to summon the Servant Joan of Arc through a special ritual.

(Lord, I entrust myself to you!)

Chapter 268 'The Atonement Scroll', New Clues

"We've struck it rich! We've struck it rich!!"

Looking at the attributes of the cross on the system panel, Xu Ming muttered to himself, his hand unconsciously clenching into a fist and swinging it fiercely.

Xu Ming learned from the system that relics are equivalent to special seven-star equipment, which is the most top-tier ultimate divine equipment!

Two powerful passive skills that combine damage reduction and healing.

Active defensive skills are what's known as 'invincibility'.

As for the "Holy Flame Arbitration" skill, which exudes an aura of dominance just by its name, it is probably an even more terrifying active attack skill than invincibility.

More importantly, it is also a relic, which can be used to summon Servants through special means.

As for what special method it is, it is naturally the famous Holy Grail War.

However, the most terrifying effect is this—God's protection. Although it can only be used by Christians, this effect causes a qualitative change in the attributes of this equipment, directly upgrading it from an ordinary relic to a divine artifact.

The only pity is that Xu Ming is not a Christian.

Moreover, having grown up under the red flag, he was influenced by what he saw and heard, making it difficult for him to sincerely believe in a deity.

If the 'God's Protection' effect doesn't work, the value of this relic is greatly reduced.

Xu Ming was somewhat unwilling to let such a gem go to waste, so he inquired with the system.

'System, what defines a "Crusader"? Is there any way to make this effect take effect immediately?'

The system responded quickly.

—As long as one is recognized by a formal Christian organization, one can be identified as a Christian.

and many more! ?

Does this mean that he doesn't have to believe in God, but in Jesus, and as long as he gets recognized by a legitimate Christian church, he can be called a Christian?

Xu Ming immediately thought of the famous Atonement Scroll.

So this really is judging by actions, not intentions?

Xu Ming's mind immediately started racing.

There is a similar case in a certain beacon country where a member of parliament is not a believer, but as long as he donates a large sum of money to a church, the priest of the church will endorse him and he can get a lot of votes from believers in the nearby area.

In other words, as long as he finds a way to gain the approval of the Holy Church, he will be a 'Cross Believer' and can activate the effect of 'God's Protection'!

Xu Ming has now accumulated some savings. The money he has saved from exorcising demons is close to 10 billion yen. As long as he can find a way to make connections and do some work, this matter will be settled, right?

There is no need to force yourself to believe in Christianity.

If a problem can be solved with money, then it's really not a problem.

However, on the other hand, donating money can help the church expand its influence and achieve greater development, and in the end, it does help the church.

The expansion of the church is equivalent to opening up more faith for God.

Looking at it this way, he can indeed be considered a 'devout' Christian.