The people in the barbecue restaurant broke into enthusiastic applause at Axel's words. They had never heard ideas like these before.
Yahiko looked at the equally resolute Axel and said quietly, "You're one of the Holy Light Clerics!"
Axel smiled. "Yes, but this has nothing to do with my position. It's what struck me most as an ordinary person after coming into contact with Holy Light!"
"You might think I have to speak for Holy Light because I'm one of the Holy Light Clerics. But what I want to say is that Holy Light is simply there. It has never demanded that people believe in it, and we have never killed or driven away anyone for refusing to believe in Holy Light! What we believe in isn't merely Holy Light itself, but the ideals it brings!"
"But is it really right to place your convictions in a god? What if that god changes one day?" Yahiko asked, staring intently at Axel.
"If Holy Light truly changed, it would no longer be Holy Light. Holy Light has never been a god. It is conviction, the hope of people united by the same conviction! We pursue Holy Light at any cost only because we believe that the beautiful world it points toward exists! We firmly believe that companions guided by the same faith and the same hope will bring about that glorious, magnificent age!" Axel met Yahiko's gaze with unwavering eyes.
For a moment, that burning gaze moved Yahiko. But when he thought of his teacher Jiraiya's teachings, he reaffirmed his own convictions. Suddenly, he smiled and said:
"That's a truly steadfast conviction! Honestly, I'm a little moved, and I'd like to see the age you described! But my teacher's teachings won't let me abandon my own ideas to pursue your Holy Light at any cost. I want to try walking the path my teacher spoke of, too. After all, none of us can know what the future holds!"
Seeing the boy suddenly smile, Axel burst into laughter as well:
"That's fine. I like honest people like you. Whatever the future holds, let's each carry our own convictions and keep moving forward! Even if we become enemies someday, we Holy Light Clerics still respect people who strive to make this world a better place! Why don't we put our tables together, share a meal, and become friends?"
"Sure, I'm happy to have met you, too!" Yahiko readily agreed.
"Ha ha! Everyone, eat as much as you want today! Kumata, our boss, is paying for everything!" Shishu suddenly declared with a carefree laugh.
Across from him, Kumata's face darkened. But since it was his incorrigible friend who had said it, he ultimately said nothing more. His heart simply ached!
Seeing Kumata's miserable expression, Konan suddenly covered her mouth and giggled!
Yahiko gave it little thought. "That's really too generous of you!" Then they had the waiter push their two tables together!
As they talked, they found they got along better and better!
When they shared their experiences, they discovered that they were all war orphans. That shared background brought them even closer!
"By the way, Yahiko, you said Jiraiya is your teacher. Is he really strong?" Shishu asked curiously.
"Of course! Hanzō of Amegakure called him and his companions the Konoha Sannin. They're very famous ninja in Konoha, too!" Yahiko said confidently.
"A ninja from an enemy nation willing to teach ninjutsu to children from a country at war with his own? He sounds like a good man!" Axel said approvingly.
"Don't you Holy Light Clerics hate ninja?" Nagato asked calmly.
"That's not quite right. We don't hate individual ninja. We hate evil ninja who commit atrocities-or rather, the entire ninja class!" Kumata answered solemnly.
At that, the cheerful group suddenly fell silent.
"Axel, do you really have to wipe out the ninja? Can't you coexist peacefully?" Yahiko asked reluctantly. He had not grasped the seriousness of the issue, and deep down, he did not want to become enemies with these friends he had only just met.
"Yahiko, it isn't that we insist on making enemies of the ninja. It's that the path we must take will inevitably put us at odds with them. If we win, I can promise that Holy Light will pass judgment according to its laws. But if we lose, we and the families and ordinary people behind us will once again become playthings of the powerful. You have to understand that ninja are tools serving the nobility and their villages. What we hope for is unity among all the world's people, working together to build a better world!"
Axel looked at Yahiko as he spoke earnestly. Afterward, silence settled over the table.
"Enough, Axel, Yahiko! Are you going to let everyone enjoy their meal or not?" Konan said, puffing out her cheeks.
Their heavy moods vanished in an instant. What was the point of dwelling on these things now? At least here and now, they were still friends.
Late that night, Axel said goodbye to Yahiko, Kumata, and the others, then walked home alone. Thinking of the friends he had made today, and how they might become enemies in the future, he could only strengthen his resolve in the face of fate and continue down the path of light!
"Oh! If it isn't Axel! So you remembered to come home!" Ria said in an ominous tone, wearing a strange smile.
"Boss, you're still awake!" Axel said with a sheepish grin.
"Ah! My little brother has grown up. He finished his work today and didn't even have dinner with his big sister. Instead, he went out on his own to fool around! Suddenly, I feel like such a failure as a sister!" Ria said, pretending to be hurt.
"Ha ha, well, boss, I saw you were busy! So I went out to eat with Kumadai and the others!"
"Hmph! Little brothers stop being affectionate once they grow up!" Ria said haughtily. She and Meli had cooked today specifically to share a reunion dinner with Axel, only for him to run off with other people!
"All right, Ria, stop teasing Axel. He's growing up and has friends of his own now!" Meli said with a smile as she quietly approached.
Ria let out a giggle. Looking at the still-embarrassed Axel, she said, "All right, your big sister was only joking! Did you get enough to eat? Would you like anything else?"
Looking at his boss, whose sudden smile blossomed like a flower, Axel said, "No, thanks. I made a few new friends today and really enjoyed the meal!"
"Good, then! But as your big sister, I still have to remind you: no drinking. You're still underage!" Ria said, suddenly putting on a stern face.
Axel immediately waved his hands in protest. "What? Of course not! Does alcohol even taste as good as juice?"
Remembering the sake she had ordered at a tavern a while ago, Ria touched her chin with her small hand. After a moment's thought, she answered, "No. It's bland and tasteless, and it burns a little!"
"Aha! Boss, you've been drinking! Otherwise, how would you know what it tastes like? You're underage too, and you're a girl!" Axel immediately declared in a loud, righteous voice.
Meli also turned a stern gaze on Ria and said seriously, "Ria, as the big sister, you have to set a good example!"
Ria blushed and hurriedly said, "I was gathering intelligence at the time! I had no choice but to drink a tiny bit!"
"Hmph! You can't just lecture your little brother. You need to keep yourself in check, too. This is a very serious matter!" Meli said, turning her head away in mild anger.
Axel promptly nodded along, looking the very picture of righteousness.
"Meli, you have to believe me!" Ria put on a pitiful expression, hugging Meli's arm and gently shaking it.
Seeing Ria's increasingly watery eyes and woeful expression, Meli burst into a giggle. "All right! I understand. But no more drinking. Remember, most of us Holy Light Clerics are still children!"
Ria hurriedly nodded!
Axel chuckled beside them. Seeing him still grinning foolishly, Ria felt her temper flare. She walked over and flicked him on the forehead. "This is all your fault, you rotten little brother! You're not cute at all anymore!" She had only meant to tease her little brother, whom she had not seen in ages, but had ended up losing all her dignity as his big sister. She stamped her foot and went back to her room.
"Ow! That hurts! Boss, how is this my fault?" Axel called after the departing Ria, trying to explain. Women really were difficult creatures to understand. He sighed helplessly.
Looking at the exasperated Axel, Meli lightly covered her alluring red lips with the back of her hand and chuckled. "Axel, you should get some rest, too! The Holy Church has a meeting tomorrow!"
"All right! You should get some rest too, Meli!" Axel told her with a smile and a nod.
Early the next morning, all the High-Rank Holy Light Clerics in Corona City gathered in the conference room of the Lord's Mansion, quietly waiting for Ria to speak.
Ria looked at the forty-odd level 30 High-Rank Holy Light Clerics in the room and nodded in satisfaction. In just a year and a half, counting Huayu Town and the various villages, Holy Light's forces had grown to more than sixty High-Rank Holy Light Clerics comparable to jonin. That did not even include the several Earth Holy Knights about to advance. Among all the ninja villages, their strength would probably rank above average!
"Everyone, report on your respective progress!" Ria said calmly.
"Bishop Ria, the First Holy Knight Legion can now proficiently deploy three legion formations: the Holy Spear Charge Formation, the Legion Defense Formation, and the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation. One is for attack, one for defense, and one for trapping and killing the enemy!" Axel said after careful consideration.
"Bishop Ria, our Priests have also made major breakthroughs in potion-making. We have successfully developed energy potions, antidote potions, strength potions, agility-enhancement potions, stamina potions, and life potions comparable to Holy Water. Going forward, we can redirect the manpower required to produce Holy Water toward gathering medicinal herbs. As long as we have enough manpower and materials, I believe our warriors will be better protected on the battlefield." Smiling, Meli reported the Priests' progress in the study of life.
"Bishop Ria, the Holy Armored Ones' research team has also made advances across the board, building on our various weapons and civilian devices. As more and more people take up the Holy Armored Ones profession, we have divided into two research teams: one for military equipment and one for civilian equipment!" Iron Mountain, a burly boy who looked over thirty but was actually only fifteen, paused briefly to think before continuing:
"On the military side, we can establish basic arms factories to upgrade weapons and armor for every profession. Our preliminary estimates suggest that level 1 armor can withstand various kunai thrown by Chunin and provide immunity to basic elemental ninjutsu. Our weapons have also received enhancements to sharpness and hardness. As for military equipment, besides our existing Holy Light Cannons and Holy Light Machine Guns, we have added level 1 Siege Tanks and level 1 Airships!
"As for civilian equipment, such as rapid seeders, fertilizer, waterwheels, rails, and Holy Power Railcars, all of these require supporting light and heavy industrial factories before they can be produced!" Having finished, Iron Mountain, who usually buried himself in hard work and disliked talking, fell silent.
"Bishop Ria, relatively few people have taken up the Holy Cantor profession. Apart from various artistic works and interpretations of musical culture, we haven't made any particularly outstanding achievements!" Shui Sha said uncertainly.
She felt that, of all the Holy Light Clerics, Holy Cantors contributed the least. Aside from their useful ability to grant group buffs on the battlefield, and the illusions and sonic attacks their music produced against enemies, they only outperformed Priests in publicity during ordinary times. They really did not seem all that useful, and the profession was especially dependent on talent.
Ria smiled gently at the somewhat insecure Shui Sha and gave her an encouraging look. She knew why Shui Sha felt inferior, but publicity was also an important part of the Holy Church's work.
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