Search and Arrest

Seeing that even beyond the encirclement, the plaza was packed with more troops, despair crept across the Holy Warriors' faces.

Robin, however, suddenly shouted, "I am Robin, a Holy Warrior! The false Pope Jay and Gandalf have slandered me. They are the greatest heretics in this church! The root of all corruption!"

"There is no such thing as original sin in this world. God loves all beings. What they call original sin is nothing but an excuse they invented to justify their extravagant excesses and exploitation!"

"This religion needs reform. Those willing to follow me, step forward!"

His voice rang out, carrying far into the distance.

As the Church's Chief Holy Warrior, Robin had once enjoyed an image of unimpeachable virtue, and that served him well. The crowd surrounding them fell into an uproar.

"Damn it!"

Watching this, Gandalf's expression darkened. He knew Robin had struck right at the heart of the matter.

Most of the black-robed Clerics in the Court of Justice were Ability Users with little faith. They felt no qualms about putting Holy Warriors on trial or torturing priests.

But the people outside were the Church's own armed forces, and most of them were devout believers.

For them to suddenly turn on Robin was no small hurdle.

"Everyone..."

At that moment, Pope Jay's figure appeared amid the holy light. "Robin is no longer a Holy Warrior of Our Lord. In the name of the Pope, I hereby strip him of his status as a Holy Warrior!"

If Gandalf had tried to move against Robin, these people would have turned on him at once. But with the Pope himself stepping forward, the uproar immediately subsided.

"Even His Holiness the Pope has said so himself. It seems Lord Robin really is a heretic!"

"You're still calling him 'Lord'?