Reinforcements

The platinum scepter lightly tapped the Pope, and a beam of holy light suddenly descended from the heavens. For an instant, Saint Ivan III's aged body became upright and strong, as if he had suddenly drawn power through some mysterious means and returned to his peak. But his resistance lasted less than a second—the holy light falling from above did not protect him, nor did the holy light floating around him. All the sacred radiance around him seemed to turn into deadly flames, beginning to scorch Saint Ivan III's body. Amid the blazing light, he looked at Veronica in shock and fury. "Wh—"

"In essence, holy light is merely a form of energy," Veronica said calmly as she watched Saint Ivan III's body gradually dissipate in the radiant flames. Her face still bore that gentle, serene expression, but her voice was as cold as a machine's. "When your methods of using energy are too backward, your devotion is meaningless."

Saint Ivan III's body fell apart. In the end, only a hate-filled voice, carrying boundless obsession, echoed through the Hall of Great Light: "Deceiver... you will be... destroyed by... the Lord..."

The radiant flames gradually subsided, and the Hall of Great Light returned to its previous state. The Sea of Holy Light Clouds still churned amid the prayers, while the bishops bowing their heads in prayer maintained their poses as though they had seen nothing. Veronica held the platinum scepter in her hand. The focus of the Divine Descent Ritual had shifted from Saint Ivan III to her, and beneath the faint attention of the God of Holy Light, her body began to split apart bit by bit.

"Destruction... perhaps," Veronica murmured. Carrying the platinum scepter, she walked step by step to the Pope's holy throne. As more cracks filled with