Return of the Sword God-Rank Civil Servant novel Chapter 592

Through the spray of blood, Su-ho’s face appeared, his brow narrowed.

“You’re nothing but a dead ghost. Who do you think you are, ordering me around?”

‘I’m not justice. I’m revenge.’

And if that was what justice meant, he had no intention of following it. If necessary, he was even willing to give up the seat of Pope.

Besides, anyone watching would think he had bowed and scraped to get this position.

He had become Pope by proudly standing as a candidate according to their own rules.

Su-ho sighed and prepared to return.

Judging by the mess the very first test had become, the next test—no, the remaining tests—were already obvious without even seeing them.

That was when it happened.

“We will proceed immediately to the next test.”

The two priests who had been sitting beside Ruinberg rose from their seats and opened a door leading to a new location.

“What?”

‘So you people could talk?’

They had kept their mouths shut the whole time, so he had thought they were mute.

On top of that, even though Ruinberg had died right before their eyes, they did not so much as blink, making them seem like emotionless robots.

The two opened a portal that led to the next test site, and before stepping into it, Su-ho narrowed his eyes at them.

“Forget it. No point talking.”

He had plenty he wanted to say, but he held it back.

Because saying it now probably would not mean much anyway.

When he entered through the open portal, his vision flickered, then brightened again.

The place where he opened his eyes again was a vast land marked by a desolate landscape.

There, countless knights clad in heavy armor stood in formation.

They were fully armed, even their faces covered, and the man standing at the very front among them approached and spoke.

“My name is Spil! You must be that new Pope, atrocious and brutal as they say!”

‘Oh, really?’

‘Fine. Looks like you don’t like me either.’

‘Then I don’t need to show you any courtesy.’

Su-ho also stepped forward and answered.

“So?”

“I heard you cut down Lord Ruinberg moments ago! Though you have become Pope of the Pantheon, you ignore the word of God and refuse to follow the teachings of our predecessors. To us, you are heresy itself!”

“And?”

“We cannot acknowledge you as Pope. Nor can we permit you so much as a shred of the power of us Paladins!”

Instead of a sword, Spil raised the massive spear he was holding and struck it against the ground.

Thud!

Then the countless holy knights standing in formation behind him shifted into combat stance.

“We are the glorious knights who protected the Pantheon. And now, by executing you, who seek to shake the Pantheon, we intend to set the Pantheon’s justice right once more!”

“What, so you’re ghosts too? Also, the more I think about it, the more ridiculous this gets. If you’re holy knights, shouldn’t you restrain yourselves from this kind of resurrection? What are you, black mages? Necromancers?”

“Silence! Did you think we would waste time trading jokes with a heretic like you?”

“Does this sound like a joke to you?”

Su-ho’s voice sank.

At the same time, he took one step forward and began exuding a terrifying killing intent.

“I don’t really know what kind of place the Pantheon is, or what kind of existence the chief god Quai is to you. What I need is power. And I became Pope legitimately, through the Conclave, according to your methods. But that doesn’t mean I’ll tell you to obey me. A Pope and a king are different things. However.”

[ Blood Armor is activated. ]

Su-ho gripped the Blood Sword in his hand and pointed it at Spil.

“I can’t tolerate you ordering me around and insulting me when I’ve at least become Pope. If you can’t give me power, then you can’t give it. How long are you planning to keep insulting me? If you ignore my words and keep insulting me...”

Su-ho narrowed his eyes.

“Then I’ll take every last bit of it by force. Know that.”

“......!”

“......!”

“......!”

At Su-ho’s declaration of war, the Paladins’ eyes widened as far as they could go.

At the same time, resolve welled up in them.

They seemed almost sublime and sacred, as if facing an absolute evil like a Demon King.

Spil, too, seemed worked up as he glared at Su-ho with his eyes wide open.

“Good.”

Then he struck his spear against the ground once more.

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

The moment Spil’s spear shook the earth, a massive stone monument rose behind the assembled Paladins.

It was an enormous stele reminiscent of the stele of King Gwanggaeto’s tomb, and Spil rested his spear on his shoulder while pointing at the monument with his opposite hand.

“That is called the Paladin Stone. It is the teaching of the sages passed down to the glorious Paladins who protect the Pantheon. Whoever obtains it can learn all the powers possessed by Paladins. You are right. You did become Pope of the Pantheon through legitimate means. But becoming Pope does not mean you can win people’s hearts. However, by the rights of the Pope, you are qualified to possess everything the Pantheon owns. Therefore.”

Whoooosh!

Spil swung the enormous spear, cutting through the wind, then pointed it straight at Su-ho and said,

“If you want the power of Paladins that badly, defeat us, who were called the strongest Paladins in history, and take the Paladin Stone. That is the only way for you, who have not been acknowledged, to inherit the power of Paladins.”

“I like how simple that is.”

The corners of Su-ho’s mouth rose.

‘Yeah.’

This was better.

Rather than arguing over some half-baked justification or teaching, it was tens of thousands of times better to trade blows and decide victory or defeat this way.

“You’re the ones who acknowledged this method. Don’t change your tune later.”

“Hmph!”

Instead of answering, Spil let out a battle cry.

Then every Paladin in formation raised their weapons and began activating sacred arts.

[ Song of the Sacred Battlefield is activated. ]

[ Hymn of the Majestic Warrior is activated. ]

[ Holy War Protection is activated. ]

[ White Radiance is activated. ]

......

All kinds of skill effects exploded in white and yellow light.

As expected of Paladins, they were incredible at gearing themselves up.

“This makes it feel like I’ve really become the villain.”

- It doesn’t just feel that way. In the current situation, you are the villain, aren’t you?

“Why am I the villain?”

- In any group, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. But when that nail is a Pope-level jackpot, would ordinary hammering be enough?

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