The Target of Public Criticism

Anis realized something.

From the very beginning, he had sensed something amiss.

Why had the ever-steady Lucia suddenly undertaken such high-risk decapitation strikes? Twice, even, until the second left her broken and sunk.

It was almost as if… some invisible force had pushed, compelled her toward that fated end.

Lucia was never the Rhine Holy Church’s leashed hound.

Her power stemmed from unwavering inner conviction and love for all beings, not blind adherence to dogma—her strength and independence, her radiant glory, made her humanity’s sturdiest shield and sharpest spear against darkness.

But that same brilliance made her… a stumbling block in certain eyes.

Those vermin curled in power and shadow, those schemers who stopped at nothing for their ends—they might, no, they absolutely wished for this overly dazzling, sometimes “disobedient” star to fall!

And when Anis saw Charles summon Lucia’s 【holy soul】 as an 【angel】, his mind burned with endless rage.

From the other’s “joyful” expression, he confirmed Lucia’s death was a orchestrated… trap!

A vile trade sacrificing a hero’s fall for a more useful, “obedient” ultimate weapon! And Charles before him was the deal’s biggest, coldest beneficiary!

Through Lucia’s death, achieving 【heroic spiritification】, claiming the mightiest Hero of Light for himself!

What utter… blasphemy!

But reason ultimately quelled the flames.

No matter his fury, Anis absolutely could not kill the man here under all eyes.

Doing so might ignite human internal strife, creating the perfect opening for demon assault—his own logic told him he could not act now.

Holy Son Charles turned his gaze back to the “angel,” admiring his finest masterpiece.

“Behold,” he said softly, as if reciting poetry, voice laced with pathological appreciation, “how perfect—stripped of needless emotion, divested of weak flesh, leaving only purest power and holy light—she will be the Lord’s sharpest sword, sturdiest shield, and this is merely the beginning…”

Before his words finished, the motionless “angel” suddenly stirred!

Without warning, her gray-white, hollow eyes shifted slightly, locking onto a faint demonic fluctuation lingering in the distant direction of the Ashen Demon Lord’s escape.

Next instant, she raised 【Star of Dawn】, sword tip pointing afar.

No battle cry, no declaration, not even preliminary energy gathering.

“Bang—”

Simply—a beam of holy light, pure to the extreme, condensed to the utmost, cold to the core—erupted from the tip like a supernova! Its speed surpassed visual limits, energy dense yet uncontained, instantly tearing the sky and vanishing at the horizon!

“Boom—”

Seconds later, from the distant skyline came a deep, earth-shaking explosion!

Even at such remove, a small burst of blinding white flashed, briefly evaporating a void in the demonic haze!

Even so far, the ground trembled beneath their feet.

The entire battlefield fell deathly silent.

All were stunned by this sudden, emotionless yet terrifying strike, while Holy Son Charles’s smile grew brighter; he even clapped lightly, the crisp sound lonely in the quiet.

“Precise, efficient, zero waste—truly the perfect cleanup tool.”

He appraised calmly, as if inspecting fresh crossbows, “This is her proper form and value, far stronger than a hero swayed by emotion, fatigue, or injury… isn’t it?”

Anis watched Charles immersed in perfect feedback, an unprecedented chill and fury overwhelming him.

He understood—thoroughly.

This was a demon.

Holy Son Charles seemed to sense Anis’s near-flaming glare and slowly turned.

Those seemingly clear eyes held no human emotion, only pure, efficiency-supreme cold rationale.

“Hero Anis, likely many foul demons still survive on the field. Please continue leading the sweep—【she】 is tired.”

Charles said slowly, and the floating angel began disintegrating into light particles—the Holy Son retracted his tome and turned to depart.

Nearby, his personal guard hurried to escort Charles from the battlefield, leaving only Hero Anis and Bishop Lester.

Once Charles left, Lester’s fawning expression gradually faded.

“Hero.”

“Bishop.”

“Our thoughts align.”

No need for pretense before Anis now.

They exchanged a glance, nodded silently, then Bishop Lester resumed his dignified, benevolent pose, turning with attendants and priests to fulfill clerical duties—healing wounded, purifying land.

Anis silently led remaining mobile units to continue clearing the ruined 【Ashen Territory】.

Holy Son Charles, departing the front, elegantly boarded his private carriage.

Only when the compartment closed did he unleash his laughter, mad and unrestrained.

“Hahahahaha! Success! Success!”

“【Lucia】’s power is mine! Hahaha!”

“With the strongest Hero, the Rhine God’s blessing, and the Rhine Holy Church’s backing—this game is mine!”

Charles laughed wildly, as if the world were already in his grasp.

And indeed, he had capital for arrogance—the mightiest Hero’s power was his, nearly holding the clearance code.

But what Charles forgot was that by claiming Lucia’s power, he had naturally become… the target of all.