Late at night, Vatican City, St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy. This holy sanctuary for Catholics worldwide, having closed its doors to tourists after a day of crowds, was now wrapped in an unusual silence.

The reigning Pontiff sat alone beneath the colossal crucifix, deep in devout prayer. He was eighty-eight years old. During the decade he had served as the new Pope, while the Holy See’s influence had not shown significant decline on the surface, his direct armed forces had entirely withered away, leaving the Papacy perilously exposed.

Several years prior, the newly appointed Grand Inquisitor embarked on a world tour with the Pope's Three Sacred Artifacts, using the journey as a pretext to boost the Church's prestige. However, the new Grand Inquisitor was unexpectedly murdered in Hong Kong, and the Three Sacred Artifacts he carried were lost. Later, when the Holy See dispatched three Cardinals and the Knights Templar to the East to seek the whereabouts of the assassin and the artifacts, they too were utterly annihilated in that distant land. Along with their complete destruction went the final Papal Artifact they held.

It was this failed global tour and the subsequent failed reprisal mission that instantly depleted the Vatican’s military strength, rendering it incapable of maintaining its former martial might. Simultaneously, a figure known as the awe-inspiring Black Knight emerged in Hong Kong. The Holy See often suspected the Black Knight was responsible for eliminating their contingent sent East, yet in their current state of utter military decline, they dared not directly confront him to demand justice.

Without the protection of armed might, the Holy See was like a child wandering through the streets clutching immense wealth, constantly in danger. Therefore, during these late hours, the Pope would come alone before Jesus to engage in deep confession and fervent prayer, hoping that under God's guidance, the Holy See could escape the current perilous situation and rise to strength once more.

Tonight, after the Pope concluded his penance and prayer, the hour struck one in the morning. Somewhat bleary-eyed, he slowly stood up, only to suddenly see the sealed serpent in the fresco behind him appear to move. The Pope gasped in shock, quickly rubbing his eyes before looking closely, only to find that the black serpent in the mural showed no abnormality whatsoever.

The Pope sighed, believing he was old and beginning to hallucinate. The painting opposite depicted the biblical story of God sealing the serpent that tempted Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. After that serpent instigated Eve into consuming the apple, causing humanity to lose the Garden of Eden, God punished the serpent—the chief culprit—sealing it, as it was rumored to be a manifestation of Satan. Later generations based this story recorded in scripture to create this famous mural in St. Peter's Basilica, displaying the glory of God.

The Holy See was currently beset by dangers from all sides. If, at this critical juncture, that sealed demon were to break free and descend upon the world, it would spell the end for the Papacy. Just as the Pope let out a breath of relief, he suddenly heard sounds of a struggle outside the cathedral doors. Then, two figures were hurled upward, crashing violently against the great doors of St. Peter's, forcing them open. Outside, a woman draped in a purple cape, crackling with lightning, stepped inside.

The Pope's two nearby attendants immediately rushed forward, preparing to intercept the woman. To their surprise, two thin, serpentine bolts of electricity shot from the tips of the woman's fingers. These electric snakes wrapped around the attendants, instantly blasting them backward, sending them flying far onto the ground.

“Who are you? This is the Lord’s church; you cannot cause trouble here.” The Pope, gazing at the woman wearing a pointed hat, a purple cloak, and a thin veil obscuring her face, felt utter terror surge within him. Yet, seeing his attendants twitching on the floor, he loudly condemned the unidentified woman.

The woman spoke, “Your Holiness, have you so quickly forgotten the existence of our family?” Then, with a flick of her wrist, she displayed a family crest.

“This is… you… you are from the Augustus family?” The Pope was greatly startled. With his vast knowledge, he instantly recognized the crest of the most renowned family in Europe, and a sense of dread immediately struck him.

“Indeed, I am of the Augustus family. My name is Luron Augustus.” This veiled woman was none other than Luron Augustus, who had escaped from the "City of Starlight."

“So, it is the famed immortal sorceress of the Augustus family, Sorceress Luron. May I ask the purpose of your visit to us today?” Recognizing the identity of the woman before him, the Pope’s heart began to pound uneasily.

According to the intelligence the Pope possessed, this Sorceress Luron was actually over a hundred years old, older than he was. But for some unknown reason, she had maintained the appearance of someone around thirty.

Luron was a sorceress of the Augustus family, and also their foremost martial power. However, she had spent many years in seclusion, meditating on the highest realm of sorcery. Her sudden appearance now, surrounded by crackling lightning, suggested that she might have finally attained that ultimate state of the mage.

“Your Holiness, I have not come here today to waste words with you. A supreme genius from our family had just joined your Church, and he was killed in Hong Kong. You made no move to avenge him. How do you propose we settle this account?” Luron had suffered a massive setback in the "City of Starlight," nearly failing to return. Thus, her first act upon returning to Europe was to seek out the Vatican, confront the Pope, and vent the humiliation she endured at the hands of the City of Starlight.

“Esteemed Sorceress Luron, according to the information we received, Augustus was murdered in Hong Kong. We investigated and concluded that he was likely killed by that famous Black Knight of Hong Kong. If you wish to avenge him, you may seek out that Black Knight in Hong Kong.” The Pope was unaware that Luron had just suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Black Knight, barely escaping with her life after paying a heavy price. He was attempting to divert the trouble, hoping to trick this ill-intentioned Luron into heading to Hong Kong.

The Pope’s intentions were malicious, but he did not know that Luron had already been severely humiliated by the Black Knight. She was currently in a volatile mood, and his words struck directly upon Luron Augustus’s raw nerve.

Luron assumed the Pope was aware of her recent ignominious flight from the Black Knight and that his current words were intended as deliberate mockery. Her expression instantly turned ashen, and a bolt of lightning shot out from her body, swiftly flying toward the Pope.

The Pope was merely an ordinary old man with no martial ability, utterly no match for a god-tier sorceress like Luron. He was struck by the electric snake without any suspense, his body flying backward until he crashed directly into the painting depicting God sealing the black serpent Satan. Then, the Pope’s body slowly slid down toward the floor.

Unexpectedly, after sliding onto the marble, the Pope immediately stood up again, staring at the murderous Luron with shock and rage.

Luron paused, immediately realizing the Pope must be wearing some kind of protective gear. This artifact had shielded the Pope from harm, meaning that although her electric bolt had sent him flying, the Pope had sustained no actual injury.

“The Holy See is truly the Holy See! You have equipped yourself with such a fine artifact that it can withstand my electric snake attack,” Luron chuckled, then slowly advanced toward the Pope, exerting immense pressure with every step.

“What do you want… Don’t do anything reckless! I am the Pope of all Catholics worldwide, blessed by the Lord. If you kill me, you will not meet a peaceful end; you will fall into hell,” the Pope’s tone remained defiant, but his words lacked any true force.

“Your Holiness, people of the Augustus family paid the price of life for your Holy See, and you have offered no gesture of thanks. Do you not owe our family some compensation?” Luron finally revealed the true purpose of her visit.

“Augustus dedicated himself to God; he certainly deserves our compensation. How do you propose we compensate you?” The Pope watched Luron press closer, fear flickering in his eyes as he quickly inquired.

“The Holy See has stood for millennia and surely houses countless rare treasures. Therefore, the compensation you offer our family must at least be worthy of the status of the Augustus family. If your offering insults our family, then this will serve as your example…” Luron said fiercely, and another bolt of lightning shot from her body, aimed directly at the mural depicting God sealing the black serpent Satan.

Just as the electric snake was about to strike the image, the mural suddenly flashed with dazzling white light. A semi-transparent shield materialized out of thin air, blocking the lightning bolt. Upon impact, the snake and the shield exploded and vanished simultaneously.

Then, a clear, resonant hymn rang out from the painting. The black serpent, previously sealed within the mural, suddenly writhed and slithered out of the frame. As soon as the black serpent left the picture, it began to change shape, slowly transforming into a towering, exceptionally sacred man enveloped in intense holy light.

This divine man possessed a compassionate face. Amidst the praise of the hymn, faint shadows of angels could be discerned in the sky. He stepped out of the painting, treading on the void, descending step by step until he stood before the Pope.

“Electric Mage, this is the most sacred place of the Holy See; I request that you refrain from displaying martial prowess here,” the divine man said, facing Luron. His voice was profoundly soothing and persuasive.

Merely hearing the words of this sacred man instantly made Luron feel that engaging in conflict here would be blasphemous to the Holy See. She even felt an urge to kneel and repent. However, Luron was, after all, a god-tier sorceress with an unbreakably firm will. The moment she sensed something amiss, she urgently mobilized the magical energy within her. Her electric mana circulated once through her body, and the influence of the divine man’s voice immediately weakened.

“Who are you? Why are you staging such a deceptive spectacle here?” Luron asked coldly. Suffering a hidden blow immediately upon meeting him enraged the typically arrogant Luron.

The second update is delivered, reaching 6,000 characters today; I hope everyone enjoys the reading.

Thanks to the reader: I Am Fei, for the tips and support votes! RO