Is the Ritual Fake?

Zoe and Gaia stood frozen on the spot.

The seawater of the Sea of Unconsciousness flooding back into the real world should have been a disaster, but before it could spread far, Beatrice absorbed it all.

Nearly all the Candlelight Society's upper ranks present had been wiped out, while the Mechanical Cathedral's monks had suffered comparatively few casualties. They now gathered on either side of the cannon barrels, uncertain whether they should aim their guns at their own pope.

Quite a few turned to look at Hela, the Grand Mechanist, but ever since Beatrice had appeared, Hela had kept her head lowered without saying a word. Only now did she slowly raise her head.

Hela glanced at the believers around her, took a deep breath, turned up the volume on her amplifier, and stepped forward.

"Her Holiness Ruo An, she—"

Suddenly, Hela's voice stopped.

Her mechanical pupils rotated slightly and magnified, then she slowly lowered her head.

A massive hole had appeared in her chest.

The surrounding believers froze. It took them a moment to react, turning around and raising their guns.

Behind them should have been the church wall. Yet under everyone's gaze, the wall suddenly warped, then shattered like glass. The real wall stood farther behind it, and before them stood—

A dense mass of [Investigators] in neat robes.

"Wha—"

"Fire!"

Only then did the Mechanical Church's monks realize that these Investigators were carrying muskets as well. Perhaps they were not as effective as the Mechanical Cathedral's firearms, but at this distance, it made no difference.

Bullets streaked through the church, trailing crimson light that looked almost... holy.

The Mechanical Cathedral's monks roared as they returned fire. Most of their bodies were made of steel, more reliable than flesh and blood; they should have been able to withstand