The two idiots struggled wildly at the bottom of the water, their great swords slashing furiously, until it seemed they finally needed to breathe.
Their four-cylinder engine lungs made each breath sound like steam engine exhaust, but underwater, this became their greatest fatal flaw.
"Gurgle..."
As gurgling sounds echoed through the water, countless bubbles emerged from the two Holy Knights' armor.
Then, their relentless slashing movements gradually ceased, and they began flailing their limbs like struggling pigs at the bottom of the water, thrashing about like fish on a chopping block.
Norton anchored himself against a nearby rock with one hand to prevent floating up or sinking down, coldly observing the two Holy Knights' demise.
"Gurgle..."
A massive bubble emerged from one Holy Knight's armor, followed by thick blood that likely resulted from water inhalation damaging internal organs during the breathing process.
Instead, some small fish and shrimp had swum over, circling around as if consuming the dispersed blood.
However, their steel armor prevented them from actually penetrating to feast on the flesh.
Only then did Norton feel reassured and slowly swam toward the bottom.
He reached out and removed the two Holy Knights' helmets, revealing two utterly ordinary faces.
So it really was biotech after all. He had thought such powerful golden knights would at least be burly men with fierce faces, but these looked no different from ordinary, frail missionaries.
What secret method had they used to train these weak individuals into powerful Holy Knights?
Norton couldn't figure it out, but he could be certain that such potent Holy Knights must have highly nutritious blood!
However, he still needed to be wary of the Church poisoning the blood!
After all, many movies from his previous life featured blood poisoning plots, and some even went as far as poisoning number 13! What terrified him even more was that one even gave itself decorative cuts...
These classic scenes compelled him to first dip a finger and taste a trace of blood, bringing it to his mouth.
"Hiss... Extremely delicious, no issues!"
After waiting an hour and feeling no unusual reactions in his body.
Norton opened his mouth wide, revealing his gradually transforming white teeth.
"Groowl..."
----
Holy Lord Cathedral.
Father Mia smiled compassionately as he stroked the head of the boy before him, comforting him: "There, child, you've completed the necessary blessings. I believe you will..."
Before he could finish, the wooden door was kicked open.
"Damn it, who..." Father Mia flew into a rage, whipping around to look at the doorway while hurriedly pulling his clothes to cover his aged body.
However, the intruder had already rushed forward and seized him by the throat, then slammed him violently against the wall behind.
"Rod Mia, quite the pastime."
An old man wearing dignified purple robes entered with a dark expression, looking at Father Mia who had been slammed against the wall by Church Knights, speaking in a deep voice.
Father Mia, who had been furious moments before, now looked at the old man entering with eyes full of terror, his mouth gaping from being choked but not daring to make a sound.
Cardinal Adam! (In the Bible, Adam is depicted as the first man created by God, and also the man who mated with him, thus giving birth to the primordial death god Jonah. Church bishops possess holy names, and Adam is this cardinal's holy name, hereafter referred to as saint name.)
His purple cardinal robes undoubtedly indicated this old man's extremely noble status and authority.
Cardinals governed an entire state (containing several districts), equivalent to governor status by ancient standards.
His direct superior wasn't the cardinal, but directly the Pope.
High bishops, one rank below him, were equivalent to provincial governors or inspectors.
Low bishops, two ranks below him, similar to Bishop Rosen, were equivalent to city mayors within a province.
Whereas cardinals, one rank above him, functioned more like mascots, primarily responsible for ceremonial matters like sacrifices and worship.
But this didn't mean cardinals lacked status or power. As elder figures accompanying the Pope, cardinals resembled first-rank officials in the capital—though they couldn't act as local dictators outside, cardinals like him would still show deference when meeting them.
However, cardinals generally didn't offend purple-clad cardinals. Since cardinals served as ceremonial elders without eligibility for papal election, successive popes were either selected from among purple-clad cardinals or internally cultivated and appointed by the Pope. (Not based on reality, unrelated to reality)
Now, seeing the dignified figure of the purple-clad cardinal, Father Mia reacted like a county magistrate seeing a governor—even without being choked, he wouldn't dare make a sound.
The terror on Father Mia's face had solidified into substance as he tremblingly watched the approaching purple-clad cardinal, the pain of being choked unable to overcome the fear in his heart.
The sudden intrusion into the room left the boy inside utterly terrified, but years living in this damned environment had taught him instinctive silence even when frightened. He simply trembled with fear while watching the purple cardinal's approach.
Unfortunately, even this was unforgivable.
A Church Knight entered the room, grabbed the boy's head, roughly pulled him from the wooden table, and dragged him toward the cabin's exit.
Within seconds, before a pleading cry could escape, the sound of a great sword severing neck bones echoed outside the cabin.
Father Mia's body shuddered violently, and he began pleading with even greater terror.
"Your Eminence, Your Eminence, I don't know what wrong I've committed..."
"What wrong you've committed? Hmph! Two Holy Knights have perished because of you! That's what wrong you've committed!
A vampire emerged in your jurisdiction, yet you didn't report it, instead concealing the information immediately, and even caused the loss of two Holy Knights—that's your crime!"
"What?" Father Mia paled in shock, his entire face contorted with terror.
"Holy Knights can die? Impossible, that's impossible..."
"Silence!"
Cardinal Adam coldly snorted, his expression extremely gloomy. As he spoke, a trembling Bishop Rosen entered from outside.
At first sight of Adam, Rosen immediately knelt down.
"Greetings Cardinal Adam! Your Eminence, I am guilty! I failed in supervision, causing Father Mia to commit such grave errors! I beg for Your Eminence's punishment!" Bishop Rosen's attitude of admission was extremely sincere—he knelt immediately upon entering and confessed errors without any defense.
He simply completely detached himself from the matter.
You motherfucker! We both agreed to deploy the Holy Knights initially!
Hearing Bishop Rosen's words, Father Mia was so angry he nearly had a stroke.