Chapter 127: Lucius, You Deserve Death! - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

### Chapter 127: Lucius, You Deserve Death! Mise was exceptionally patient. He hadn't rushed into action, preferring instead to observe from the sidelines—playing the role of a strategic reserve, as the saying goes. It was only when Lucius took the initiative to fix his gaze upon him that their eyes met, clashing with an unspoken intensity. Mise's voice echoed from afar. "Lucius, His Eminence the Pope has given you countless chances, yet you've chosen to degrade yourself, mingling daily with witches." "You mistook the Pope's generosity as a license for recklessness. Now that consequences have arrived, do you feel any remorse?" "If you kneel and surrender, perhaps I could persuade His Eminence to be lenient, allowing you to sincerely repent before the Goddess, to atone for your sins." Lucius did not reply with words. Instead, an immense thunderbolt, tearing through the sky like a colossal water serpent, shot from his fingertips. Initially as thick as an arm, by the time it arced through the air, it had expanded to dozens of meters in width, imbued with a terrifying and boundless energy that, in the blink of an eye, reached Mise. The sudden attack came too swiftly. Mise's face changed as he hastily muttered a chant to cast a protective spell. He had not anticipated that Lucius, even while holding his ground against five adversaries, had so much strength to spare for such a surprise assault. A sacred shield manifested just in time around Mise, narrowly deflecting the dreadful lightning. The impact on the shield emitted a piercing shriek, assaulting the ears of all present. Selina instinctively tightened her grip on Eilene's hand. She raised her head, gazing up at the silhouette of the man above. Despite having been deceived by him, Selina couldn't bear to see her Lord Lucius defeated at this moment. However, her momentary distraction caused the surrounding circle of black flames to waver, threatening to dissipate. Startled, Selina quickly refocused, casting a worried glance at her friend beside her. The friend's delicate face was devoid of emotion, eyes vacant, the black dress fluttering in the breeze. Her fragile and helpless appearance evoked a sense of pity in anyone who looked upon her. Above, Lucius continued his battle against the top-tier forces of the Church. He stood with hands behind his back, maintaining a calm demeanor, though the sweat on his forehead betrayed the effort it took to appear untroubled. Holding off five cardinal archbishops on his own was impressive enough, let alone finding moments to counterattack Mise. This overwhelming full-scale assault was unsustainable even for Lucius for long. The lightning, relentlessly surging forth, was slowly beginning to diminish, its terrifying presence gradually dispersing. Mise astutely observed this, and his expression shifted with renewed vigor. Finally, it was time for his counterattack. Despite being on par with Lucius as a priest, being constantly overpowered by him was a humiliation that stung deeply. The next instant, Mise unleashed his full power. A fierce holy radiance erupted from Mise, illuminating the night sky around him. It was accompanied by his uncontrollable shout of exhilaration. "Lucius!" "You betrayed the Church, forsaken the Holy Light..." "You deserve death!" The white light swiftly overwhelmed the tumultuous thunder. Lucius frowned, realizing he could no longer hold back. His fingertips gathered another storm, though this time, his target wasn't Mise, nor the five red-clad archbishops, nor the silver-white cavalry below. He pointed skyward, toward the thick clouds above. Within them, a more terrifying storm was brewing. It responded swiftly to Lucius's call. A fearsome tempest descended from the clouds, striking Lucius with unerring precision. In an instant, the man's face twisted in pain as lightning coursed through his body. The excruciating agony surged through him, eliciting a muffled groan. All of this transpired so fast—he didn’t hesitate as he chose to sacrifice his own life. Mise's eyes widened in horror, an icy dread encroaching on his heart. His voice rose in volume. "Lucius! Using forbidden magic, have you truly forsaken your life?!" At their level, every grand mage possessed the opportunity to burn their life force as a last resort. This option typically related to their primary school of magic. Without a designated name or description, it was simply known as forbidden magic. Once forbidden magic was unleashed, there was no turning back. The user would gain immense power in a short period, but at the cost of their own life. A storm whirled above Lucius, resembling a massive tornado, carrying an aura of utter annihilation. As the situation dawned on him, Mise began to retreat rapidly. In an instant, bolts several times thicker than before chased him down. Lucius moved with the thunder, gifted by the forbidden magic not only with enhanced spells but also a body of top-tier resilience. The price of such power was steep—his very survival would soon be forfeit. But for now, he could look down upon all challengers. Sensing the icy killing intent behind him, Mise's hair stood on end. He turned to flee with all his might, panic chilling his blood. Yet Lucius was much faster; in less than a second, he was right behind Mise. The myriad layers of light shields and defense artifacts prepared by Mise crumbled in an instant. And then, a long, pale hand gripped his throat. "No, don't..." Mise's voice quivered as he faced Lucius, babbling frantically, "You can't kill me, Lucius. If you do, you'll be forever at odds with the Church, never able to return to the Goddess's embrace..." "His Eminence is watching!" But he was met with Lucius's peculiar gaze. "Do you think I plan to survive this?" A sudden revelation hit Mise: this was a man who didn't hesitate to use forbidden magic—he had nothing left to lose. Steeling himself, he tore the crucifix from his neck. As the necklace shattered in the air, a strange spatial force yanked him a dozen meters away from Lucius's grasp. Freed from Lucius's hold, Mise didn't continue fleeing. He knew that in such circumstances, unless he used forbidden magic himself, escape was impossible. But unlike Lucius, he valued his life too much. Turning around, Mise shouted desperately in a specific direction. "Your Eminence the Pope, save me!" _(Chapter ends)_