Estrada, the Miracle Hand, the strongest Holy Knight, the Holy Light Walker on Earth. Each of these glorious names represented countless achievements and achievements. Estrada could often be seen in the heroic epics sung in the taverns. If one had to use a single title to describe the first half of his legendary life, "Living Epic" would probably be the most appropriate.
"He is the most pious, the bravest, the most humble, and the most powerful Holy Knight." This was Roland's understanding of him, and it was also how the world viewed him.
Pious. For thousands of years, he had never betrayed his faith in the Holy Light. Every moment, he used the righteousness and discipline in his heart to restrain himself. Every day, he devoutly prayed, drank clean water, and drank black bread to keep himself away from greed. Even the past popes who were deeply afraid of him didn't dare to question his faith.
Estrada was courageous. In countless battles, as long as someone extended a helping hand to him, as long as it was in line with the justice in his heart, Estrada would never refuse. And as long as he participated in a battle, he would always be at the forefront. He had scars all over his body that even the Holy Light couldn't heal, but there were no scars on his back that deserters would have.
"… The Holy Light will never refuse a mortal's request for help. As long as there's a shred of hope, we shall fight for the Holy Light and justice until the very last moment."
These were simple words, but they were never empty slogans. Even in a hopeless situation, as long as there was someone behind them who needed salvation, he would never leave.
He was humble. Different from the other upper echelons who lived luxuriously, he never had the self-awareness of being one of the higher-ups of the Church. He always lived in the dormitories provided by the Church, and anyone could directly go to him. However, the old Holy Knight had countless disciples. He liked young warriors, and it was one of the joys of his life to nurture talents. There were countless heroes in his long list of disciples, and one of them gave him a huge headache.
"… Roland, if you could be slightly more serious, you would definitely become one of the most powerful Holy Knight in history. No, no, no, this is not a reason for you to skip school. In order to be worthy of your talent, I will give you special supplementary lessons. Holy Light Divine Arts can't stump you, but how about swordsmanship? What? You're already a Sword Saint? Why don't we talk about philosophy? What? There's a prize in a philosophical and theological debate? Fine, if you lose, return the wallets to your fellow apprentices. Heh, I will lose? What a joke. "
Even now, Estrada still remembered that sunny afternoon. The boy who had a bright smile on his face had just won half a year's salary from his fellow apprentice brother's wallet in a bet. Estrada had just won half a year's worth of salary from Estrada.
"To satisfy your selfish beliefs? Was it just a pure faith that recognized justice? Little Roland, you mustn't tell anyone else. No, it's not that I don't approve of your way of thinking. Otherwise, it won't count as your victory. But there are some people who are even more stubborn than an old man like me. They will directly destroy the physical body of an opponent that they can't defeat in a debate. It doesn't matter to me, but you're still young. Don't make trouble for yourself. "
Perhaps what Estrada regretted the most was that he didn't get to the bottom of the matter. He didn't try to change Roland's overly extreme way of thinking from the very beginning. Estrada only believed that Roland was just a young genius' crazy way of thinking that would be gradually corrected by the harsh reality and public opinion. He didn't expect that the slight difference in opinion would gradually become larger and larger, and that Roland would gradually reach an irreversible state.
Power. The long years taught him that justice without power as a backing was meaningless. And the strongest Holy Knight … No, perhaps it could even be said that Estrada was the strongest human. Nobody would object to that, even though it had been more than a hundred years since he last fought.
"… Roland, the hatred of the past has already driven you to insanity. I created you, but I didn't save you from a hopeless fate. This is all my fault. Roland, face me! Face that unqualified mentor of yours. Today, I shall correct my past mistakes here, even if I have to pay with my life. "
During the Yongye Calamity, Estrada's dazzling figure that charged alone against the countless Undead Calamities was still etched deeply in everyone's minds. Even after the Holy Church's allied armies were completely destroyed, Estrada's heroic feat of challenging Emperor Yongye and his army by himself had already become the most dazzling sculpture on the ceiling of the Anton Cathedral.
Pious, courageous, humble, and powerful. As a Holy Knight, Estrada was perfect. If one had to forcefully find any flaws in him, it would probably be that he was too perfect and too dazzling.
Every pope in the past viewed him as a useful weapon, but that was all. When Estrada's personal reputation surpassed that of the pope, his "personal opinions" would occasionally conflict with the church's teachings and authority, and the church's higher-ups would naturally find him quite annoying.
After so many years, Estrada had gotten used to being neglected, feared, and ostracized. His position had risen and fallen countless times, but his faith hadn't wavered in the slightest. He would only seriously do what he was doing.
"… Child, justice isn't that difficult to understand. It's just kindness that comes from the bottom of your heart. Faith is the process of discovering and expanding your own kindness. We pursue the faith of the Holy Light only because we believe that the Holy Light can protect the kindness in people's hearts. When you need to make a choice, just ask yourself what's in your heart. You'll be able to make the choice that belongs to you — AD226. "
Although Estrada's faith was somewhat different from the church's higher-ups, with the phrase "all teachings that don't guide people towards kindness are evil cults" giving him countless troubles, his teachings about faith still spread throughout the entire continent. Countless young people chose the glorious job of Holy Knight because of this. The Holy Knight's path of Holy Light was also subtly different from other Holy Light job classes. "Kindness from the bottom of your heart" became the motto of the young Knight outside the city, and it also became the strongest Holy Knight's weakness that was always being attacked.
"If the God of Holy Light's divine decree conflicts with your justice, what choice would you make?"
Someone had once questioned Estrada about this, and his answer had caused countless disputes. Everyone thought that they had caught Estrada's weakness, but he laughed out loud in front of everyone. His thunderous answer still echoed throughout the entire Holy Church to this day.
"Holy Light above, if my faith conflicts with the most basic morality and justice, then what need is there for such a faith to exist?"
That year, Estrada had believed so with the powerful Holy Light descending from the heavens as proof. That was what he had done.
This year, when the God's Envoys representing his faith descended from the heavens, and when they decided to slaughter the heretics, when the so-called God's will conflicts with the most basic morality and justice, when a battle of ideals transformed into a real life and death battle, what choice would he make?
Two days ago, Estrada had received a letter from his own disciple. The letter began with the exact same question.
"Teacher, I'll ask you one more time. If the God of Holy Light's will conflicts with the righteousness that comes from the bottom of your heart, what choice would you make?"
Originally, Estrada had been quite confused. But now, he could only helplessly smile wryly as he clutched the letter in front of his chest.
"Is that so? You've seen through everything? In that case, Roland, let me tell you. My way of thinking has never changed. If the Holy Light's faith doesn't even have the most basic kindness left, then there's no need for such a faith to exist. "
The silver hammer of Holy Light landed heavily on the ground. A fully-armored old Holy Knight blocked the way on his old horse. In front of him was an endless Holy Army.
The old Knight shook his head helplessly. For so many years, he had been known as the representative of the Holy Light on earth. He had never imagined that he would one day have to face the flag of Holy Light and justice. However, his arm didn't move in the slightest. His boiling fighting spirit explained everything.
"The Holy Light will never refuse a mortal's request for help. As long as there's a shred of hope, we shall fight for the Holy Light and justice until the very last moment."
Behind him was a city of heretics. The old Knight's angry roar echoed throughout the entire battlefield, and right now, the glorious vanguard of the Holy Light army mysteriously retreated in front of the old Knight.
No, not everyone retreated. Someone suddenly took a step forward and walked out from under the glorious flag of Holy Light.
"Ken? I didn't expect that the first person to face me would be you, my disciple. "
The old Holy Knight was somewhat nostalgic and somewhat surprised. However, he didn't hesitate at all. After making such a decision, the old Holy Knight was mentally prepared to face any opponent, even if the opponent was the disciple he was most proud of.
"Old Antique, you probably have countless disciples. What's so strange about me being one of them?"
This was a middle-aged Knight with a pitch-black face. The Holy Knight Ken, who was also a SemiGod, walked up to Estrada and unsheathed his longsword. However, he suddenly turned around and shouted in the direction he came from.
"Hey, Old Antique got ahead of you again. How much longer do you intend to wait? Are you going to be even slower than a useless fellow like me? "
One Holy Knight after another silently walked out from the Holy Light army and unsheathed their swords to face their former allies. Meanwhile, their companions who stayed behind could only watch all this in shame.
"By the Holy Light …"
This time, it wasn't only the Holy Knight who walked out. The previously devout Holy Light priests also made their own decisions, even if this would cause them to lose all status and honor. Even if this would cause them to become the most shameless traitors and fallen priests in the past.
"… If there's a conflict between the faith of the Gods and the most basic morality and justice …"
The kingdom's Knight who participated in the Holy War also walked out from the Holy Light army. Their Knight's virtue didn't include slaughtering civilians. The Knight's face was flushed red as he made the decision to not embarrass his descendants, even if this would cause them to suffer the wrath of their domain lord and king.
"… Slaughtering civilians? Damn it, that's more than two million people we're talking about. What need is there for such a faith to exist!? "
Everyone chanted Estrada's famous words together. The resonance of their faith caused them to make the same decision. In the next ten minutes, as the frontline commanders hesitated and asked for instructions from their superiors, the scattered warriors all made their own decisions.
Although in the end, Estrada's side was still less than 1% of the Holy Light army's, and even if they were about to be crushed into mincemeat by the Holy Light army, he still smiled in satisfaction.
Indeed, why wouldn't he be satisfied? As a Holy Knight and a believer, to be able to have so many people recognize his faith from the bottom of their hearts, even to the point of martyrdom, even if he was about to die in the very next moment, how could he not be satisfied?
Suddenly, an elderly red-robed cardinal shakily walked out of the crowd. His face was filled with wrinkles as he supported himself with a staff and panted heavily. His servants and Knight guards hurriedly surrounded him.
"… Cardinal Stephen."
That's right, this was the current leader of the Holy Light army, the despicable Archbishop Stephen who had stolen all the glory. And now, he had finally reached the pinnacle of his life, but it seemed that he wouldn't be able to live for much longer.
And if Estrada betrayed the Holy Church here, and if the Holy Church's expeditionary army split up here, it was likely that the crown he had just obtained would lose its glory. He would definitely come here to prevent all of this from happening.
"… Stephen, there's no need to say anything more. I've already made my decision."
Even though many people in the Holy Church felt that Stephen's actions were shameful, Estrada felt an inexplicable sense of regret as he looked at this elderly man who was already on the verge of death and recalled everything he had done. In his memories, the past Stephen was still a stubborn orphan who wouldn't complain even if he was bullied by his classmates. Instead, he would secretly hide and cry for the sake of his fellow believers who he couldn't save.
And under everyone's gazes, the elderly cardinal who had finally calmed down finally spoke.
"Ace … Trada, I … I'm not here to stop you. I know that since you've already made up your mind, words are meaningless to you. I … I … cough cough cough cough …"
A series of violent coughs caused the elderly cardinal to bend over. There were already many bloodstains on the ground, but he stubbornly supported himself with his staff and even gritted his teeth as he stood up.
Seeing this scene, even Estrada couldn't bear to see this. He wanted to help the elderly cardinal up, but the elderly cardinal slapped away his hand that reached out to help him.
* Smack! *
Old Stephen finally stood up straight. However, his old eyes were burning with a will that was like flames. The elderly cardinal's angry roar echoed throughout the entire world.
"I know that all of you look down on me because I'm a 'filthy bastard who steals battle achievements' and 'a black-hearted bastard who rises by stepping on the corpses of my comrades'. However, I'm also a believer of the Holy Light who's involved. In order to bring us hope and light to the Holy Light, what's the point of sacrificing my personal honor … Tell me, as a cardinal, as a disseminator of the Holy Light and a pastor of believers, did I do anything wrong …"
The elderly cardinal's blood-red eyes glanced back and forth as he heard the angry roar that came from the bottom of his heart. Although he had risen to power in the past few days, the disdainful gazes he received had increased. His friends and family who had once gone through thick and thin with him had drawn a line between them. Who could he complain to about his grievances? Now, under everyone's gazes, he suddenly erupted.
The Holy Knight who used to look down on him had changed their opinions. Perhaps they had been too harsh on the elderly cardinal in the past, but this wasn't a reason for them to change their current ways. However, what happened next left everyone in disbelief.
"And now, he … I risked everything to protect the Holy Light's belief. Now, it's not even the most basic of justice anymore. Why would I still risk everything to protect him? Teacher, I'm not going to be the leader of the allied armies anymore. I'm going to face the future together with you, even if I'm destined to die, even if I'm unable to ascend to Heaven in the future … cough, cough, cough. "
His violent coughing caused him to bend over once again. However, this time, the elderly cardinal had his teacher help him up.
At this moment, even the warriors who were still in the Holy Light's faction were now looking at this elderly cardinal whose reputation had been completely ruined.
When even the leader of the allied armies betrayed the Holy Light, the entire Holy Light's allied armies were in an uproar. The warriors who had just made up their minds hesitated again. Some naive individuals even thought that perhaps if more people had chosen to betray the Holy Light, the Holy Church's internal war wouldn't have erupted. This would have become a critical turning point in history.
But at this moment, a blinding fiery light streaked across the sky …
"… Ah!"
A huge flaming sword descended from the sky. Old Stephen didn't even have a chance to scream before he was pinned to the ground by the burning Holy Sword. The elderly cardinal who had just made a decision from the bottom of his heart collapsed just like that.
"This is the Holy Light … I won't … regret it …"
Unwilling to die in peace, the elderly cardinal reached out his hand towards the sky and took one last look at this beautiful world. Then, he turned into grayish-black ashes in his teacher's hand. The traces of blood that he had just spat out on the ground became the last trace of his life.
The Seraphim descended from the sky and stood in midair. Angel Leader Arcath silently observed the mortals below him. Even at this moment, he was still completely emotionless.
Behind him, the powerful angel army had already finished gathering. The angels under their heavy armor only watched silently. Their white wings and the burning Holy Flames on their Holy Swords had already indicated their choice.
"This is the Holy Light's order. Traitors shall be killed without mercy."
What greeted them was the elderly Knight's Holy Hammer.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
