As soon as these words were spoken, everyone fell silent.

Even the Goddess of Cool Summer, who had previously held a disdainful attitude towards the "foolish Angel," shook her head slightly and sighed softly: "It's truly a pity."

Indeed, it's a pity.

The mortals might still be hoping for a miracle.

But the gods had already concluded.

Even though the pure white Angel wielded a Divine Artifact and possessed a fearless will, the vast gap between enemy and ally remained insurmountable.

The outcome remains unchanged.

The battle in the black mist did not last long.

When the final clash and roar ceased, a figure fell from the black mist.

Swoosh—

The pure white Angel fell from the sky.

When the Angel fell from the black mist and appeared before the world again, he had already turned into something entirely different.

The pure white Angel, tainted with crimson blood.

His wings were broken, and his battle armor was covered with large and small, densely scattered cracks, along with ferocious scars corroded by Divine Blood.

His helmet was more than half shattered, revealing a face already corroded by purple Divine Blood, unrecognizable from its original appearance.

As a creature serving beside the gods, an Angel's true appearance might not align with mortals' aesthetic, but they must possess an extremely beautiful form.

But now, the Angel with broken wings and ruined visage, like a white dove with its spine severed, can no longer soar.

Watching that fallen figure, the cheers in the Holy City of Radiance abruptly stopped, as if by the throat-gripping reality, and the entire city plunged into silence.

Dead silence.

"No, no, no..."

"No!"

"Angel, my lord..."

"This isn't real!"

The believers turned from shock to confusion, ultimately to pain.

Pain over the Angel's defeat, pain over their own powerlessness.

Most of those left in the city were the sick and wounded; they no longer had the strength to fight.

"Why did no one go to help the Angel?!!"

"Where are the people?!!"

"Where is the Holy City's Guard?! Why didn't they move out?!"

Why?

Yes, why?

"..."

The Holy City Guard Captain listened to the questioning, felt the angry gazes, and silently clenched his fist, turning his gaze to the highest point of the Holy City, eyes full of puzzlement.

He did not understand.

"Your Holiness, why?"

Earlier, it wasn't that no one wanted to rush to help the Angel. The Sun God's followers did not fear death, as the zealots had nothing in their eyes but the god they worshipped.

They were all willing to fight shoulder to shoulder with the Angel, against the gods alongside him.

The only reason the Angel fought alone was... they were forcibly held back within the city.

And that person was the pinnacle of the Sun Church—the Sun Pope!

It was by the order of Your Holiness that all were forbidden to leave the city, forced to watch the battle between the Angel and the gods with their eyes.

Your Holiness, why do you sit by and watch the Angel fight alone?

Why can we only watch him sacrifice himself?!!

In the Holy Sanctuary at the highest point, the ancient Saint lifted his head.

"..."

His eyes subtly shifted, reflecting the powerless, descending figure.

"He..."

The old man's brow furrowed tightly, ripples stirred in his heart.

Why?

Pope Ivanson stared at the figure, silently talking to himself: "Why hasn't he used the power I gave him?"

The Sun Pope believed he had given Herbert enough strength, Divine Artifacts, blessings, power... short of intervening personally, he had offered all the help he could.

As long as Herbert could use this power wisely according to the plan, he should perform better, even defeating the incarnation of the Evil God.

But now...

Why?

"Child, what are you waiting for?"

...

"What!!?"

Valentina's eyes widened, watching that tragic falling figure, her heart almost stopped.

What happened?

Is that Herbert?

Her mind began to whirl, eyes starting to tinge red, body trembling slightly.

Herbert, Herbert, Herbert, Herbert... Herbert is in danger!

!!!

Though Kreti still felt shocked, she instinctively sensed something amiss with Valentina, and hurriedly tried to drag Flora to hide. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

But just as Valentina was about to erupt, a voice suddenly called urgently from the shattered mirror.

"Valentina!"

"Herbert says he needs your help!"

Valentina: !!!

Before Lukalia's message finished, the mansion door had already been smashed open.

The entire wall, densely embedded with a Rune Barrier, was blasted apart by the frantically anxious Valentina.

Because the Sage had said:

[Smash it open directly!]

[It's faster this way!]

...

The Angel ultimately did not reach the ground.

For shortly after falling, his body was ensnared by a serpent tail extending from the black mist.

Most of the winged serpent's massive body concealed within the black mist prevented external observation of its precise condition.

But judging from the scars on the serpent's tail that didn't have time to heal, perhaps the battle had not been entirely one-sided slaughter.

To kill the Angel, the Evil God likely exerted considerable effort.

And now, the Evil God capturing the Angel was not to continue humiliating him.

"Servant of Alberta, state your name."

The Evil God's serpent eyes gazed at the barely alive Angel and slowly said: "I recognize your will."

With a seductive murmur resonating across the sky, falling into countless ears.

"I have decided to grant you one opportunity."

"Become my slave."