"Return it too?"
Kurose Akira stared at the white stocking in his hand, falling into a brief silence.
He didn't know exactly what it did—but the faint, intoxicating fragrance clinging to it was more than enough to stir dangerous thoughts. If Winnesan weren't standing right beside him…
"Get going already."
Winnesan urged him forward. "That idiot Kaelisi is already inside, itching for a fight. The moment she heard it was a summons from Her Holiness, she got even more fired up than I did."
"?"
Akira frowned slightly at her words.
From what he'd heard, Kaelisi was supposed to be Lucía's rival—if not outright enemy. But the way Winnesan described her, she sounded like an even more devout fanatic than herself.
That contradiction left him momentarily puzzled.
"Move!"
Before he could think any further, Winnesan gave him a firm shove.
—
The instant he stepped into the Light Tribunal, a sea of golden radiance engulfed his entire body.
The light was gentle… yet the moment it touched him, his connection to mana was completely severed.
"Not even a trace of mana left…?"
Akira looked down at his hands in disbelief. The sudden loss of magical perception left him deeply unsettled—like a fish ripped from water, cut off from the very element it depended on.
"Hey! Who are you?!"
A sharp, commanding voice cut through the air.
Akira's head snapped up.
Standing before him was a woman clad in red-and-white armor, a vivid crimson cloak draped over her shoulders. Her attire bore the unmistakable style of the Church's Inquisitors—but modified, refined. And unlike them, she wore no identifying cross.
Likely because… she was a Saintess.
"You're not from the Church. Why are you here?"
Kaelisi's voice was cold.
She raised her right hand—and in the next instant, a long spear adorned with a fluttering banner materialized within her grasp.
Her gaze locked onto him, sharp as a blade.
"To trespass upon the forbidden grounds of the Holy Church… do you have any idea what crime that is?"
At that very moment, her status panel appeared before Akira's eyes.
[Kaelisi (Legendary)]Level: 85 (? / 76500)Race: HumanStrength: ? / Agility: ? / Mana: ? / Constitution: ?Growth: 12 (All attributes +12 per level)Skills: (Expand)Traits: [Saintess][Heavenfeather Sacred Spear]Status: [Mana-Sealed]
"…Level 85."
Akira frowned.
Just as he'd expected—under normal circumstances, he wouldn't stand a chance.
But here…
In this mana-nullified domain, everything came down to raw physical strength.
—
There was no time to prepare.
Kaelisi exploded forward.
Her speed was like lightning—closing the distance in the blink of an eye.
The spear tore through the air, trailing a streak of crimson light as it thrust straight toward Akira's arm.
At the critical moment, Akira reacted instantly.
Half-Dragon Transformation—activated.
Crimson dragon-scale armor erupted across his body in an instant.
Though he hadn't brought Maré Rhein with him, he had borrowed a portion of her power beforehand. It granted him the same enhancement as fusion—albeit for only thirty minutes.
Clang!
The spearhead struck the dragon scales, producing a deafening metallic clash.
The force behind it was overwhelming.
Akira was driven back several steps, and a small puncture appeared in the scales where the blow had landed.
"Strong…!"
He steadied himself, his expression turning grim.
Even in a mana-sealed state, her physical strength far exceeded his expectations.
—
Kaelisi didn't pursue immediately.
She retreated a few steps instead, staring at him with equal intensity.
Her heart was racing.
This was the first time she'd ever seen a human transform into a half-dragon in an instant.
A being like that…
Rare beyond belief.
And now, it had appeared inside the Church's most sacred forbidden ground.
Her suspicion spiked instantly.
A heretic? A cultist of some evil god?
"You… who are you?"
She leveled her spear at him once more, the banner fluttering as crimson light shimmered along its edge.
Akira said nothing.
He exhaled slowly.
A breath heavy with draconic presence.
The scales along his body shifted slightly, releasing faint wisps of white vapor.
Then—
A flash of red ignited in his eyes.
His massive frame shot forward like a launched cannon.
—
Elsewhere—
Lucía sat atop the grand throne, lazily twirling a strand of her silken hair between her fingers.
Suddenly, a glimmer passed through her golden-red eyes.
Her lips curved into a faint, amused smile.
"So… they've finally started."
She murmured softly.
"But that commotion is a bit too loud… If it attracts those old fossils, that'll be troublesome."
With a subtle motion of her fingers, golden mana gathered in her palm—then unraveled into countless delicate threads, silently spreading in all directions.
"That should do it~"
She nodded in satisfaction.
Then, with a small yawn, fatigue flickered across her eyes.
She closed them…
And drifted into a peaceful sleep upon the throne.
—
Meanwhile—
The battle raged on.
Each violent clash sent cracks spreading across Akira's dragon-scale armor, pain surging through every fiber of his muscles.
Yet compared to Kaelisi—
Whose armor was already on the verge of shattering—
He was clearly in better condition.
"What is with this guy…?!"
Kaelisi gritted her teeth, confusion filling her eyes.
She had started with overwhelming dominance.
But as the fight dragged on—
Akira was getting stronger.
—
The reason?
The white stocking wrapped around his wrist.
Winnesan's stocking continuously healed his wounds… while also providing a shocking boost to his combat power.
"This thing is insane…"
Akira glanced at it, astonishment flickering in his eyes.
For a fleeting moment—
He seriously considered keeping it.
—
"Time to end this."
A confident smile crept onto his lips.
In the next instant, he vanished.
With Maré Rhein's agility boost, his burst speed surpassed the speed of sound.
In less than a blink—
His massive fist slammed into Kaelisi's abdomen.
"—!"
She couldn't even react.
Her body was sent flying like a broken kite, crashing violently into the ground.
Her armor shattered into pieces.
Her helmet split apart—
Revealing her face for the first time.
"…Are all the Saintesses in the Church this beautiful?"
Akira couldn't help but sigh.
Winnesan. Delori. Kaelisi.
Each one stunning in her own right.
Though perhaps slightly inferior to Lucía—
But comparing anyone to her felt almost unfair.
Among all the women he had met…
Only Idiss and the Elven Queen could rival her.
—
"It… hurts…!"
Kaelisi clenched her teeth, gray hair disheveled across her face.
That single punch had nearly knocked the breath out of her.
Two ribs—broken.
The pain crippled her.
Instinctively, she tried to invoke holy magic to heal—
But the mana seal rendered her helpless.
"Damn it!"
She roared, forcing herself upright.
In the past, she always relied on layers of enhancement magic before battle.
But now—
Stripped of all that—
She realized the harsh truth.
Her so-called physical strength…
Was nothing before a true monster.
—
"Dragonman… I admit you're strong!"
A wild grin spread across her face.
Golden veins bulged across her skin, her eyes bloodshot with exhilaration.
"But this is the Holy Church's sacred ground! I will never let you—!"
Before she could finish—
Thud!
A sharp blow struck the back of her head.
Her eyes rolled back.
She collapsed instantly.
"…?"
Akira blinked, confused.
Then turned his head.
Winnesan had entered the battlefield.
"That idiot was about to activate a forbidden technique," she said coolly. "If I hadn't stopped her, either she would've burned out her blood and died… or you would."
"…I see."
Akira exhaled.
If she had gone through with it…
He didn't want to imagine the outcome.
"Whew… that was close."
He removed the stocking from his wrist and casually wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"…?!"
Winnesan's expression froze.
Then twisted in disbelief.
"You used my stocking to wipe sweat?!"
Her eyes flashed with fury.
She had just lent him her power—
And this was how he repaid her?!
"Give it back!!"
She snatched it away angrily, then grabbed Kaelisi by the ankle and dragged the unconscious Saintess out of the tribunal.
—
Akira watched her leave, smiling faintly.
A trace of fragrance still lingered on his fingertips.
After resting briefly to recover some strength, he slowly made his way back to the main hall.
—
When he arrived—
Lucía was still asleep on the throne.
Exhaustion from recent events had clearly taken its toll.
Akira approached quietly.
No one else was present.
His gaze settled on her sleeping face.
Peaceful. Beautiful.
Like an angel resting in the mortal world.
Even knowing her true identity—
The Pope of the Holy Church—
His feelings hadn't changed much.
To him…
She was still an irreplaceable member of his guild.
But—
His eyes drifted to her soft, alluring lips.
A dangerous thought surfaced.
She had put him through hell.
Every muscle in his body ached from that battle.
Sure, he'd beaten Kaelisi—but it hadn't come cheap.
And she had been hiding her identity all this time.
That alone was enough to irritate him.
"Lucía… Pope of the Holy Church…"
He murmured softly.
His fingers gently lifted her chin, admiring her face at close range.
Then—
He kissed her.
Her lips were soft like petals.
Tempting.
His desire deepened.
His free hand slowly slid downward—
Resting against soft, snow-white skin.
—
The moment he touched her—
Her eyes snapped open.
Golden-red pupils flashing with shock.
She shoved him away.
"…Is it over already?"
"Yeah. Just got back."
Akira nodded.
Then, without hesitation, he leaned in again—
Pressing her down onto the throne as his hand moved to undo her golden ceremonial dress.
Lucía's eyes widened.
"Wait—don't tell me you're planning to do this here?!"
Her voice trembled with disbelief.
Akira's answer was simple.
"I want a reward."
Right here.
In the sacred hall of the Church.
He wanted to defile the Pope.
—
"You—!"
Her brows furrowed.
She wanted to refuse.
This was the Holy Church's main hall!
Was he insane?!
Thinking with the wrong head again?!
But…
He had fulfilled her wish.
A reward was only fair.
After a brief hesitation, she lifted her gaze, light flickering in her eyes.
"…Not here."
"Fine. Then let's—"
Before he could finish—
A freezing gust swept through the hall.
The temperature plummeted instantly.
Lucía's expression changed.
"The Frost Saintess is coming!"
Her voice sharpened.
At that very moment—
Her current state—!
"Your Holiness, Bingqin has urgent matters to report!"
…
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