Volume 1 Chapter 685

Chapter 685: The Holy Maiden’s Colossus Battle God Lolth of the Papal Coronation Arc

Should one stand upon the sacred soil of the Holy Capital and gaze skyward, they would witness a sight of such splendor that it might be called the ultimate masterpiece of this mortal realm.

Countless streams of resplendent golden light transformed into ethereal, wondrous shapes that drifted downward through a magnificent celestial veil.

This divine spectacle emanated from a colossal, sanctified statue – the luminous upper torso of a maiden radiating both sacred radiance and divinity, simultaneously invoking reverence and an inexplicable draw.

No manifestation could better embody the essence of "miracle" and "sacredness." Every disciple of the Holy Light would find their soul stirred with genuine awe at this vision.

Even Lolth, now positioned at the epicenter of this glorious display resembling a dazzling spectacle of fiery blossoms and silver branches, couldn’t suppress her quiet astonishment.

"Marvelous… this is truly exquisite."

Were she not such an unwavering non-believer, even she might have been moved to extol the Holy Light’s magnificence and purity in this moment.

Yet alas…

As certain proverbs wisely state –

Every fragment of this beauty spelled lethal peril for Lolth.

Feathers beyond counting, celestial debris, and floral showers… these enchanting elements descended with purifying might upon the divine-powered mecha Lolth had constructed, each contact dissolving traces of her godly energy.

Though individually insignificant in size and power, their overwhelming numbers rapidly eroded numerous breaches across the surface of Lolth’s divine amalgamation.

Despite their leisurely descent and expansive coverage, Lolth knew…

She possessed neither the capacity for evasion nor retreat.

The Holy Light effigy of the Lady of Light maintained its relentless gaze upon her.

Within this luminous prison enveloping her, every tactical impulse she projected onto the colossal entity transformed into detectable magical surges…

All transparent before the Lady of Light’s divine perception.

The slowly rotating Holy Light annulus maintained its lock – a sensation Lolth perceived with crystalline clarity.

Her previous artillery barrage had been but a probing gesture, much like…

This current display constituted mere preparation for the Holy Maiden!

"How delightfully intriguing!"

Within her shuddering cockpit, surrounded by blaring alarms and strobing crimson alerts across every monitor…

Lolth’s excitement intensified.

Both the Lady of Light receiving this "Divine Selection" and the God of Light bestowing it…

Unexpected thrills beyond measure!

Lolth’s palms pressed against the control interface.

"Shall we… elevate our engagement slightly?"

Her fingertips discharged myriad magical filaments, bypassing the decorative levers and half-functional limiters…

Direct neural synchronization with the divine-engineered colossus!

"After all," she murmured with fierce glee, "what’s a proper mecha without an overclocking mechanism?"

Lolth chuckled as she activated the amplification device.

Adopting a deepened voice befitting a classic antagonist, she projected tones of bitter resentment, fiery rage, and desperate resolve after enduring repeated assaults.

"An admirable display, Lady Lily… but you’ve yet to witness my full capabilities!"

"Prepare to behold the true pinnacle of this construct’s potential!"

"Rage! Howl! Annihilate! – ‘Divine Might Lolth’!"

The moment she finished her declaration, Lolth’s face twisted into a grimace.

"Ugh, ‘Divine Might Lolth’… What an absurdly stupid name…"

"Should’ve drafted a proper script first… No matter now!"

As she muttered these regrets, torrents of magical energy surged through the machine.

Every exhaust vent and mechanical joint erupted in a deafening crescendo tenfold louder than previous operations – roaring jets, shrieking metal, and crackling discharges merging into a cacophony that drowned even the mightiest orchestral thunder.

Glowing runes along the artillery ports flared anew, launching staggered volleys of projectiles and energy bursts. Some detonated midair to intercept cascading golden radiance, while others…

…strategically carved a less hazardous route through the luminous barrage, forging a direct path toward the Holy Light effigy!

"Perish, Lady of Light!"

Lolth’s battle cry echoed as the colossal humanoid machine’s legs pistoned into motion. Propelled by surging divine energy, the mech lurched forward in an ungainly yet surprisingly swift half-run, half-skid toward its target.

These limbs served more than ceremonial purpose – Lolth remained an uncompromising pragmatist. Though her temporarily christened "Divine Might Lolth" amalgamation hardly exemplified pure functionality (a quarter of its mechanisms existing solely for intimidation and theatrical flair)…

…and despite its enchanted metallic carapace shimmering with illusionary enhancements…

…those massive legs undeniably served critical utility.

The six-winged Holy Light statue, conversely, showed no capacity for mobility. Thus when Lolth’s damaged but relentless machine charged through disintegrating golden veils toward the radiant idol…

…even its divine pilot recoiled in alarm.

"Impossible!"

The Lady of Light barely folded her luminous wings against the bombardment’s concussive fury. Before she could regroup, the mechanized colossus closed the distance.

From the machine’s left arm coalesced a crescent blade of solidified argent radiance, already arcing downward toward the statue’s right shoulder. Defensive wing membranes parted like mist before the luminous edge.

Though the mech’s framework groaned under thirty percent structural compromise, though its joints shuddered precariously…

…the strike’s devastating trajectory remained unimpeded.

"Is this your best, Holy Light?!"

Lolth’s roar reverberated through the crumbling cockpit. Within the radiant statue, the Lady of Light gritted her teeth against invasive dark energies searing through her metaphysical form – an agonizing corrosion that paradoxically ignited fiercer resolve.

"You’ve seen nothing!"

Her seraphic counter-shout rippled through the battlefield, pure tones clashing against mechanized fury.

The razor-edged blade plunged deep into the tri-fold wings, embedding over halfway through as radiant streams of Holy Light erupted from the wound like celestial blood scattering through the air.

Undeterred by the grievous injury, the Lady of Light defiantly lifted her right set of tri-fold Holy Light wings—the motion tearing the wound wider. With her wings raised, both hands moved toward her chest in a ceremonial gesture.

From between her collarbones emerged a luminous greatsword, its hilt clasped in both hands. The weapon, forged entirely from Holy Light, seamlessly blended with her alabaster skin as though extending from her very flesh—though in truth, it formed an intrinsic part of the divine statue’s essence!

"Shiiing—!"

The Holy Light statue reversed its grip and executed an upward diagonal thrust, the blade piercing precisely through the left shoulder joint of the mechanized construct. The severed arm dropped away yet remained suspended mid-air—for this was no ordinary machine. Its components maintained arcane connections through mystical bonds, allowing Lolth to retain control over the dismembered limb.

Yet within this luminous domain, two minds perceived the truth with crystalline clarity: Lily Mi’rado, whose spiritual senses rivaled Lolth’s own, and the seventy-seventh Lady of Light—a strategist whose wisdom compensated for her limited battlefield experience.

As the arm fell, a whorl of Holy Light erupted from the annulus’s center. The spiraling radiance engulfed the limb like a disintegration beam, initiating a "purification" that severed its magical tethers.

"Not bad at all!"

Lolth’s laughter boomed from her lopsided construct as her remaining arm morphed into a gleaming mechanical claw. With a hydraulic snap, the talons launched forward, their scimitar-like curves biting deep into the statue’s shoulder. Three glowing furrows appeared in the divine armor, spilling luminous energy like plowed earth yielding liquid sunlight.

The attack served but one purpose—anchoring the radiant colossus in place.

"Perish, Lady of Light!"

Lolth’s declaration thundered as a reactor-like depression in her construct’s chest flared to life, amassing energy capable of scouring the Holy Capital from existence.

Within the Holy Light statue, Lily Mi’rado’s pain-twisted features blossomed into fierce exultation. "Oh elder one…" she breathed, her voice swelling with decades of pent-up fury—not toward Lolth, but toward the world, her station, and the failing institution she represented. "That’s my line—"

"JUST DIE ALREADY!!!"

Her roar matched Lolth’s in ferocity, a dam bursting to release torrents of self-loathing and cosmic disillusionment. For this singular moment, the heavens themselves became her confessional.

Under her furious cry, the Holy Light annulus whirled with renewed acceleration.

Lolth was gathering an attack potent enough to obliterate her or nearly half the Holy Capital—the surging magical density and intensity within her mech’s core had unmistakably reached such catastrophic levels. This, the Lady of Light keenly perceived.

Yet even so.

Having spoken those words, there remained no room for retreat or hesitation!

No struggle, no evasion, no defense—only answer force with force. To her esteemed senior, Lolth…

She would respond with utmost reverence!

"BOOM——!!!!"

From the Holy Light annulus erupted a devastating beam capable of annihilating all in its path, nearly meeting head-on the searing energy ray bursting from Lolth’s mechanized torso.

At their collision, every soul in the Holy Capital glimpsed the blinding birth of a newborn sun—a silent cataclysm whose radiance swelled to devour the world.

The ferocious divine energy, saturated with "purification" and chaotic contradictions, rippled outward harmlessly. Yet the light’s sheer brilliance alone seared eyes to tears and stole vision momentarily. Engulfing the entire Devoted Area, its glare forced even the Capital’s mightiest to squint from the periphery, awestruck by the apocalyptic energies unleashed.

This was power that made deities tremble.

Across the mainland plane, the Holy Capital’s sudden false dawn blazed for ten lingering minutes before dimming. Observers from Demon King Castle’s distant spires to the Eastern Seven Kingdoms, entities peering through half-plane veils or alternate dimensions—all witnessed the indelible flare.

"Truly… beyond extravagance."

Beyond the Dimensional Barrier, gods and primordial beings privy to this clash marveled. That two non-demi-gods—mere girls—could unleash such forces, albeit borrowed… For who else could channel true divinity through a Holy Domain’s vessel?

However earthshaking, the contest’s conclusion had been foreordained.

When light receded, no stormclouds remained above the Holy Capital. Night’s tranquility returned, the magic environment thrumming with Holy Light’s harmony as gentle radiance dusted the streets. Scorched ruins, fissured earth, and smoldering wreckage still marred the city—but unmistakably, the long nightmare had ended.

In the Devoted Area, both Holy Light’s statue and the colossal mech had vanished. The Capital’s restored peace proclaimed the victor plainly—though perhaps not to the duel’s participants themselves.

Amidst the Devoted Area’s rubble, Lolth slumped on the unfinished chapel’s steps, weariness etching her features.

In front of her, Janine Irene supported the nearly weakened Lady of Light as they approached slowly.

"Well done, my lovely Miss Lily Mirado."

As Lord Lolth spoke these words, the Lady of Light blinked in mild astonishment.

"Though you know my name, must you constantly use it… Lord Lolth."

Her soft murmur carried a note of resignation.

"Does it really matter? You’ve been addressed as ‘Her Holiness’ and ‘Lady of Light’ for years. After tonight, all will hail you as ‘Your Holiness’… I’ve never been particular about such formalities, and this transitional moment hardly demands strict protocol… Must you maintain such solemnity? Allow yourself some ease."

Lord Lolth crossed her hands before her abdomen, leaning back slightly as she spoke.

"We’ve just achieved a feat that will reverberate across the continent. You’ve earned proper respite."

"Persistent tension will make anyone break down."

At these words, the Lady of Light emitted a soft, musical laugh.

"Perhaps… But speaking of this—"

"What plans does my senior harbor now?"

Lord Lolth paused thoughtfully before responding.

"I shall collect debts from the God of Light."

"The deity owes me substantial favors."

The Lady of Light’s expression shifted to mild bewilderment.

"Pardon?"

Her questioning tone held both disbelief and tentative amusement.

"Consider it jest if you will… Though perhaps I should retract my earlier declaration."

"True relaxation remains premature."

Abruptly rising from the stone steps, Lord Lolth’s demeanor transformed. Her visage darkened with venomous malice, voice coarsening to a guttural rasp.

"Insolent wretches…"

"You believe fleeing the demon race’s territory and revealing my ‘exchange’ scheme for the Holy Maiden will thwart me? That your patron’s blessings might save you?"

"Your putrid creed, your rotting church—all meritless!"

"The Holy Light? Pathetic illusion!"

"Should this stratagem fail, I’ll crush you regardless… Fresh ‘initiatives’ already stir within our ranks."

"Where light shines, shadows inevitably fester… The darkness in human hearts cannot be purged!"

"So long as desire lingers within you, even the purest faith and brightest radiance… shall ultimately decay!"

"Anticipation thrills me—Lily Mirado! Janine Irene!"

"Not even you can prevent this impending reality!"

The Lady of Light and Janine Irene watched silently as Lolth’s declaration echoed through the chamber.

Around them, the aura of Holy Light emanated.

Whether knights, ascetic monks, Privy Bishops, or Cardinals—all were converging on the scene.

Lolth’s voice rang crystalline in their ears.

Nearly all present pieced together the narrative—or rather, the carefully crafted version Lolth intended them to believe.

"To think we were outmaneuvered by a single succubus…"

"Thank the heavens Her Holiness returned promptly, or all would have been lost!"

"Enough! Our priority is capturing this fiend before she flees!"

"Seal the perimeter—now!"

The Lady of Light and Janine Irene, amidst the rising clamor, gradually discerned the truth—

This was Lolth’s grand finale.

The two young maidens exchanged glances and resumed reciting their prearranged lines.

Though peerless in combat and Holy Light mastery,

and now seasoned in reforming colossal institutions like the Church,

their theatrical delivery remained…

distinctly unpracticed.

"Wretched succubus! Though shadows stain humanity’s soul," Janine Irene declared, her cadence retaining the wooden inflection from her Hillenbrand Town days, "kindness shall ever eclipse corruption—truth you deny, yet Holy Light proclaims."

"Return ten thousand times with ten thousand evils coveting mortal souls," she continued, her rehearsed monotone unchanged despite days of carriage-ride preparation, "I shall banish you ten thousand times over!"

Meanwhile, the Lady of Light delivered her script:

"Commence, Irene. Through us, Holy Light preserves the Holy Capital, the Church, and all faithful."

"No further chances shall you receive."

"I shall sanctify this very ground!"

Though her voice quivered with emotion,

Lolth detected only melancholy beneath the words.

A soft sigh escaped the succubus.

*"Your craft still requires polish, dearies,"* she mouthed silently.

As Janine Irene unsheathed her Paladin’s blade, Holy Light energies encircled Lolth’s position.

Yet…

In the next moment, a swirling abyss resembling a black void manifested beneath Lolth’s feet.

This was a "spatial gateway."

Crafted through arcane formulae, it connected to neither known alternate planes nor half-planes…

Then Lolth plunged into its depths, as though descending into an abyss of pure nothingness!

The moment her form vanished through the threshold, the anomalous portal on the stone staircase dissipated without remnant.

"Damnation—where has that succubus fled?"

"What manner of aberrant spatial sorcery is this?"

The first Paladin captain to arrive slammed his armored boot against the unyielding steps, driving his blade furiously into the stonework. Soon, more figures converged before the cathedral.

It proved rather humiliating for these eminent figures of The Church of Light to have permitted a wounded succubus—seemingly cornered by the Holy Maiden’s assault—to slip through their grasp.

Now that the demon had vanished…

Their attention could only shift to the other pivotal figure remaining at the scene.

"Your Holiness, are you unharmed?"

"Your safe return alone brings solace…"

"Was that manifestation truly the ‘Divine Election’?"

"Esteemed colleagues, Her Holiness requires immediate respite!"

All eyes turned to the Lady of Light.

While the escape of that treacherous fiend remained regrettable,

they took grim comfort that this audacious succubus—who’d impersonated the Director of the Heretic Tribunal—had wrought no lasting devastation.

This outcome…

owed itself entirely to the two young women present.

The soul who’d journeyed through perilous leagues from demonic territories to unravel this conspiracy…

Janine Irene.

And Her Holiness herself!

Or perhaps more precisely…

"Your Holiness the Pope."