"Father, I'm not sure what exactly this Ascension Ceremony involves... I mean, I want to be bathed in more of God's divine light during such a noble ritual!"
Norton spoke ingratiatingly to Father Mia beside him in a low voice, while trying to ensure his words conveyed an impression of steadfast faith.
Just as expected, hearing Norton's words, a look of satisfied smile appeared on Father Mia's face.
"Very good, child. Your faith is sufficiently steadfast, and I believe God will favor you. As for being bathed in more of God's divine light, you needn't worry about that.
Just as expected, hearing Norton's words, a look of satisfied smile appeared on Father Mia's face.
Father Mia's words, spoken as if offering comfort, made Norton feel like he had taken off his winter coat in the dead of winter and jumped directly into a snowbank - chilled from head to toe.
Norton's face turned green.
In the future, when you serve by God's side, you'll naturally be able to behold God's holiness every day!"
What nonsense about serving by God's side every day in the future? Why not just say outright that he was the sacrifice for the Ascension Ceremony!
Father Mia's words, spoken as if offering comfort, made Norton feel like he had taken off his padded coat in the dead of winter and jumped directly into a snowbank - chilled from head to toe."That's right, child. You are the main participant of the Ascension Ceremony."
"So you're preparing to execute me, Norton?"
"No, burn you to death. With the most brilliant flames, to burn away the filth on your body, let the holy fire cleanse your unclean soul, so that you may ascend to Heaven and serve by God's side eternally. This is the most glorious aspiration we could hope for!"
Father Mia's face was full of faithful devotion, his words seemingly condensed with pure faith.
Looking at his damned expression, Norton - who had just painfully learned that he was truly to be a sacrifice, and worse, burned alive - felt his heart turn ice-cold.
Despair sprouted in Norton's heart, and along with the rising despair came not only the fear of impending death, but also twenty years of pent-up anger from the church's closed-door torment, and the final recklessness of someone about to be burned alive.
"Mia, wo cao ni ma!"
The loud shout suddenly echoed through the silent church, immediately followed by a fist filled with despair, rage, killing intent, and vengeful mentality.
Upon learning of his certain death, Norton completely stopped holding back. He threw a punch directly at Father Mia's wrinkled old face.
Damn it all, even if Norton were to die, he'd take half this old man's life with him first!
"Holy shit!" Father Mia was utterly shocked. At sixty-nine years old, he had never in all these years encountered anyone daring to lay hands on him.
Even those impure missionaries from before, when being executed, would only show tearful remorse and despair after years of obedience training.
These church-raised missionaries had long become accustomed to obedience under years of compliance management, possessing only thoughts of submission. Even if their hearts were impure, they never had any awareness of resistance, at most thinking about escape.
Father Mia's face was full of faithful devotion, his words seemingly condensed with pure faith.
His rebellious thoughts had exceeded their expectations, catching everyone completely off guard.
"Thud!" Norton's narrow fist, made small and thin by his emaciation, smashed hard into Father Mia's eye socket. Fueled by rage and years of resentment, Norton even erupted with one hundred and twenty percent of his strength, punching Father Mia until he was nearly knocked unconscious.
"Ah!"
Despair sprouted in Norton's heart, and along with the rising despair came not only the fear of impending death, but also twenty years of pent-up anger from the church's closed-off torment, and the final recklessness of someone about to be burned alive.
As Father Mia fell to the ground, the stunned church knights around them finally reacted.
"Swish!" accompanied by the clanking of steel armor, greatswords were drawn from behind.
"Thump!" Just after punching Father Mia and preparing to pin him down to continue beating him, Norton suddenly felt a chill in his chest, followed by the belated sound of a blade piercing through flesh.
A grooved blade stabbed straight through Norton's back from behind, protruding from his chest.
Blood dripped from Norton's chest.
Blood almost immediately burst from the wound, creating a sensation both cool and warm in Norton's chest.
Norton glanced down slightly, the bloodied blade already visible in his vision.
"Uh... I... cao ni..." Adrenaline hadn't yet allowed Norton to feel the pain; he even wanted to turn around and punch the church knight behind him.
But as he tried to raise his right hand, he felt exceptionally weak all over.
Norton's right hand wavered as it rose halfway, then abruptly dropped down.
Darkness completely obscured Norton's vision, and before his consciousness completely faded, only one final thought remained in his mind.
Finally won't have to sell my ass to accompany God anymore...
These church-raised missionaries had long become accustomed to obedience under years of compliance management, possessing only thoughts of submission. Even if their hearts were impure, they never had any consciousness of resistance, at most thinking about escape.
Though this entire process seemed complex, it actually took only seconds.
Therefore, neither the priests nor the mass-produced church knights who were similar to the missionaries could have imagined that Norton would instantly turn traitor and directly attack.
Norton's head tilted back weakly, causing his hood to slip off the back of his head, revealing his handsome yet gaunt face.
His eyes remained slightly open but had completely lost their spark, just like the two mother and child heads chopped off during the mass the day before yesterday, no longer able to find any focus.
Blood slid down the greatsword, continuously dripping onto the church's brick floor, making a trickling sound that intertwined with Father Mia's curses, more like Norton's final lament.
"Thud!" Norton's narrow fist, made small and thin by his emaciation, smashed hard into Father Mia's eye socket. Fueled by rage and years of resentment, Norton even erupted with one hundred and twenty percent of his strength, punching Father Mia until he was nearly knocked unconscious.
Norton, your sinful and unclean soul only deserves to suffer in hell! Your filthy and disgusting soul will endure endless torment!
Take him to the cemetery, take him there! Damn it, burn him to ashes!"
Father Mia's roaring continuously rang out, with no other sounds besides.
Father Mia felt wronged too - he had quite liked Norton before, but now, all that goodwill was gone.