How can there be such a strong superpower?

Among the many towns built on the Albany hills, there is one mountain town that attracts the most attention, because in this small mountain town, there is an 'independent kingdom' - Castle Gandolfo.

It also has another name, the Papal Summer Palace.

Although this papal summer palace is not as famous as the seat of the highest authority of the Roman Catholic Church.

But in terms of area, this summer palace covering an area of ​​about 70 hectares... is larger than the seat of the highest authority of the Roman Catholic Church.

the most important is.

No tourists.

Therefore, many popes have always liked to spend their summers here, often staying here for a long time, and some even stay here for half a year.

Among them, there was also the Iron-blooded Pope, Gregory III, who had been killed during the change of power more than ten years ago.

Although times have changed now, the church has always been considered to be out of touch with the world and losing people's hearts, and the faith that bishops and priests have been selling is nothing more than an expired commodity.

But no matter how you belittle it, it cannot change the fact that the Roman Catholic Church is still the most influential religion in the world, and their pope is still one of the most powerful people in the world.

No matter how pessimistic ordinary people are, the fundamentals of the church will not be shaken.

In the supernatural realm, Gregory III, who had mixed reputations within the Holy See, could be called a god descending to earth.

After he became pope, the Roman Catholic Church, which had been declining day by day, immediately regained its second spring and began wild expansion, with its strength continuing to expand.

It even achieved the achievement of reversing the course of history and restored the tradition of divine right of kings.

Although secular power in most of Europe still seems to be in the hands of the people, or more accurately, in the votes they wave.

But what they don't know is that whoever they choose...will come and kiss the Iron Pope's ring.

And for that.

There was not no opposition within the Holy See, and the Anabaptists within the church even wanted to assassinate the pope.

But to this day, the pope is still alive and well. On the contrary, the Anabaptists who were at the height of their power more than ten years ago... have all become sinners. To this day, the five Anabaptist Knights of the Holy Coffin are still being tortured in the Inquisition.

This also raised the pope's power and majesty to a higher level again.

developed to the present.

Within the Holy See, even those who opposed him only dared to make a few comments in their hearts.

of course.

This is just the perspective of an ordinary believer.

And for higher-level believers, such as the Cardinals... His Majesty the Pope is a little more intimidating.

Castle Gandolfo, southwest of the hillside town of the same name.

Cardinal Lamar Alheti raised his head slightly and looked across the town to the highest point of Castle Gandolfo. Then he held up the four-cornered hat on his head and took a few deep breaths until he confirmed again and again that he I stopped trembling, so I continued to move forward.

But he had just taken a few steps when a group of guards wearing brightly colored traditional uniforms and holding spears and swords stood in front of him.

In modern society, guards like these who seem to have traveled from the Middle Ages suddenly appear... it is indeed a bit irritating.

But considering the Pope is vacationing here, it’s not surprising.

Because the seat of the highest authority of the Roman Catholic Church... also has such gendarmes, they are responsible for social order, border control, traffic control, and criminal investigations in Vatican City.

Although nominally the Pope's personal bodyguard, he is the Pope's most reliable bodyguard.

But to put it bluntly, it’s the police.

Of course, this was before...

brush--

The group of guards wearing brightly colored uniforms suddenly raised their spears and stood in front of Lamar Ahiti. The leader of the guard said expressionlessly:

"Stop."

"..."

Lamar Ahiti looked at the captain of the guard in front of him, felt the holy aura overflowing from his body, his eyes stung, and he immediately lowered his head: "His Majesty the Pope has summoned me."

"..."

The guard captain looked at Lamar Ahiti carefully for a while, then raised his head and closed his eyes.

Two seconds later.

He took two steps back, and the other guards also put away their spears and lined up on both sides.

Lamar Ahiti breathed a sigh of relief and was able to move forward...but during this period, he never dared to raise his head.

Walk slowly all the way.

at last.

He came to the highest point of Gandolfo Castle... and saw Gregory III with silver hair, a stooped figure, and a white cassock.

Gregory III turned his back to him, facing eastward overlooking the mountains and Albano Crater Lake, and did not seem to notice Lamar Alheti.

But Lamar Ahiti still moved forward respectfully, and slightly raised his hand towards Gregory III.

Gregory III finally turned around, revealing his weather-beaten, wrinkled face, and raised his right hand.

Lamar Ahiti kissed his ring devoutly and said at the same time: "His Majesty the Pope."

"Lamar."

Gregory III, the legendary iron-blooded pope, does not look like a difficult person to talk to. He has a kind and kind face. Just calling out Lamar Alheti's name has already made him feel happy. The feeling of brushing your face.

Like a kind father.

If you really want to say that the only thing that doesn't match well, it's probably his neck.

Although it was blocked by the standing collar of the white cassock, one could still vaguely see a scar on Gregory III's neck, which seemed to be a knife mark.

The existence of that scar is like a secret past, an unknown story.

No one knows who left a scar on the neck of the Iron-blooded Pope, and no one has ever dared to ask.

"Is everything going well in East Asia?"

Gregory III slowly put down his hand, looked at Lamar Ahiti, and said calmly: "Although Hecate was a little reckless at the beginning, which caused the church's face to be damaged, she did a good job in the follow-up and knew how to take advantage of internal conflicts. Occupying the mysterious Kunlun God System...

Although I have not personally seen this pantheon, it is probably no worse than the Roman pantheon.

I am very interested in this, especially after the weapon called Heavenly Punishment came out, it can give birth to people like Xia Yue, and it can give birth to weapons like Heavenly Punishment, the Kunlun God System..."

Seeing that Gregory III became more and more engaged as he spoke.

Even if I tell myself again and again not to tremble.

But Lamar Ahiti still couldn't help it. He trembled all over and interrupted tremblingly: "His Majesty the Pope... Hecate failed."

"..."

Gregory III suddenly stopped speaking.

He focused his gaze and slowly looked at Lamar Ahiti, who was looking down. His gaze seemed to penetrate his flesh and blood and reach straight to his heart.

moment.

Lamar Ahiti felt that his heart and stones were being tightly grasped by invisible hands.

He couldn't help but take a deep breath: "I beg the Pope to forgive me."

Gregory III was silent for a moment, and then asked calmly: "What does...failure mean?"

"Hecate, Karen Otting, Schneider... died."

Despite his fear, Lamar Al-Hati could only speak the truth: "Igli Saba has been sentenced to death by human law... and will be executed within seven days."

"..."

When Gregory III heard this, he was silent again for a while, and then asked: "Why?"

"...I don't know."

Lamar Ahiti’s forehead was covered with dense beads of sweat, and he was trembling even more fiercely: “What exactly happened during the process, no news came out, I only know that all the Holy Coffin Knights were wiped out.

And one person, one name, became the hero of the entire Tiance Mansion... Chen Lusi. "

"Chen Lusi...the rumored creator of the Heavenly Punishment Weapon?"

"Correct."

"He defeated Hecate?"

"More than...the goddess Hecate, the source code of Hecate is confirmed to have fallen."

"..."

Gregory III has always maintained a kind and amiable appearance...even if he suddenly heard the news of failure, he remained calm and peaceful.

But at this moment, after hearing this, he finally couldn't help it anymore and his pupils shrank slightly.

Lamar Ahiti lowered his head.

this moment.

He wanted to kill Hecate again.

twice!

Twice! ! !

For the first time, he swore to himself that there would be no problems with the invasion, but it resulted in Igli Saba being captured alive!

The second time, I swore to myself that I had mastered the Kunlun God System and there would be absolutely no problems, but it directly led to the destruction of the group!

There are five Knights of the Holy Coffin!

And the prosecution was successfully completed!

This is no longer a simple failure!

...The invincible golden body of the Iron-Blooded Pope in front of me has been shaken!

He wanted to ask more than Gregory III.

Why! ?

Damn it!

Why do we still fail despite taking advantage of the right time and place? ?

are you a pig! ! ?

"Lamar."

After a short silence.

Gregory III finally spoke again.

He asked calmly: "You should know what this means, right?"

Lamar Ahiti suddenly came to his senses and replied with difficulty: "...I know."

But Gregory III seemed not to have heard Lamar Ahiti’s words, and said to himself: “First of all, many ignorant believers will feel that the church is not omnipotent. They will shrink back, shirk, and I feel old."

"……Yes."

Gregory III could pretend not to hear, but Lamar Ahiti could not. He could only bite the bullet and said with great difficulty: "They have already done this... Before I came, Bern informed the foreign affairs team, The promotion of the Roman Catholic Church as the state religion will be suspended.

They had obviously heard the news...the news that Hecate's army had been annihilated in the far east. "

But Gregory III still didn’t seem to hear what Lamar Ahiti said, and continued: “Secondly, the most powerful country in America will once again lean towards the Hebrews.

Because we did not solve the Tiance Mansion as promised... we even failed and lost face.

In contrast, the Hebrews, who did nothing and made no mistakes, were even better. "

Lamar Ahiti trembled: "..."

"Then."

Gregory III calmly continued: "The credibility and sanctity of the entire Roman Catholic Church will be greatly affected. After all, even the Knights of the Holy Coffin can be judged by human laws, so I, the Pope... I guess I can too."

Lamar Alhay lowered his head to the limit and did not dare to make a sound at all.

"at last."

Gregory III paused: "Those old Roman gods who have fallen into the mortal world, the remnants of the old Roman pantheon, will see hope and feel that they have found a 'backer', and they will fight back even more crazily.