After dealing with the Subterranean Creatures, Kurion and Noviscar sensed the Golden Cardinal's aura and came to help Undrila. Though they had just reached Condensation Phase, the numerical advantage they provided balanced the discrepancy in power.
The Golden Cardinal rested his right hand on the Golden Book of Virtue. Though he was gradually losing his initiative, he remained smiling. His eyes shone with unwavering conviction. The Seven Goddesses had decreed his secret return; they must have planned everything. He had unshakable trust in their miracle.
"This is a matter of curiosity," The Golden Cardinal said. "From your crude usage of power, you two must be new Condensation Phase Monster Girls and not a hidden force. How coincidental that two new Monster Girls would appear the moment I want to eradicate the Labyrinth."
The Golden Cardinal's calm voice gave the Monster Girls a chill.
Holding the Carefree Mirror, Undrila eyed Kurion and Noviscar. She remembered the two Monster Girls, but they used to be at Peak Transformation Phase. How did they manage to break through the limit at such a crucial moment?
Though surprised, Undrila quickly accepted their help and let them come inside the Carefree Reflection Chamber. They used to be at Transformation Phase and should not be the traitors that gave information to the Pure Races. After all, only the Condensation Phase Monster Girls knew about the confidential information.
"Congratulations, Lady Kurion, Lady Noviscar." Undrila gracefully smiled. "I would have thrown a party for you, but alas, the situation at hand is perilous. Though you two have just broken through, may I request for your aids?"
Kurion and Noviscar nodded. They had remained as the Rulers of their Layers for a long time now. The Labyrinth of Love was their home; they would do everything to protect it. The symbol of peace and pleasure would remain standing so long as the Monster Girls remained standing.
"With us three, even if we can't force the Golden Cardinal to retreat, we will be able to survive until help arrives," Undrila said. "Still, be careful. He hasn't revealed his full power yet. He had used the Golden Book of Virtue and the Honest Quill but never both together."
The Carefree Reflection Chamber had multiple cracks on its surface, its colours dimmer than before. Even with the Golden Cardinal holding back, Undrila and her Artefact House still suffered substantial damage. If Kurion and Noviscar didn't come to the rescue, Undrila would have been in a worse state.
"Three Condensation Phase Monster Girls won't change the outcome," the Golden Cardinal said. "If it were Amplicia and the rest, I would have thought of retreating, but these two new guests aren't enough."
The glowing pages of the book in his left hand flipped. Runes inside them manifested and floated around the Golden Cardinal. They arranged into an array, which gushed out mystical visions and songs, retelling an ethereal fairytale.
Golden clouds congregated above the Monster Girls and rained rainbow droplets, which tainted the forest below with a sweet fragrance. Tress and bushes quivered as their barks grew smooth, their leaves shiny, and their flowers alive. They swayed, gained consciousness, looked up, and reached out to the Carefree Reflection Chamber.
"Let me handle this," Noviscar said. "Golden Cardinal, you're cruel to force Mother Nature out of her peaceful dream."
Noviscar's voice rang throughout the Carefree Reflection Chamber. Her melodious tone seeped out of the Artefact House and echoed into the forest. The song of life and serenity enveloped the living forest. Even without any instrument or magic, the tune still soothed anger and dispelled confusion.
On the ground, Noviscar's illusionary silhouette manifested. She opened her embrace and hugged the forest. The raging vines and thorns gradually calmed down, resisting the unseen command. They retreated to the ground and hugged themselves, rejecting the forceful influence.
When Mother Nature fell into her slumber once more, Noviscar ended her short lullaby. Unlike when she was at the Transformation Phase, her songs had become better. It no longer needed Corruption Power to enhance its effect.
"Not just the power of nature, but also the power of sound?" The Golden Cardinal narrowed his eyes. His grip of the Honest Quill tightened. "It seems that I've underestimated you."
Before the Golden Cardinal could cast another spell, Kurion smirked as she pointed at the sky. The golden clouds shaded them from sunlight, casting a big, faded shadow over the Monster Girls and the Golden Cardinal.
Though the shadow was faint, it was vast.
Without any incantation, Kurion commanded. The shadow surrounding the Golden Cardinal turned into grey chains. They shot towards his body, binding his arms and legs. Around him, countless ghostly daggers condensed into existence and stabbed towards him. The empty shadow around the Golden Cardinal turned into a torture chamber as weapons and torture devices manifested, giving him no space to breathe.
The Golden Cardinal flicked his right hand, which held the Honest Quill. Its ink-coated tip splashed black droplets. They enlarged until they tainted the fabric of reality with unwashable murkiness. From the black puddle, ancient characters spread, forming a barrier around the Golden Cardinal.
The shadow daggers and blades swung at the Golden Cardinal. They crashed against the ink, then got tainted by the spreading blackness. They violently quivered as the power inside them failed to resist the invading energy. Once the ink consumed the weapons, they dissolved into a flood of black characters, infecting more and more shadows.
The torture devices and weapons quickly disintegrated into countless ancient ink characters. The Golden Cardinal casually broke away from the chains, his golden robe still untainted, exuding the holiness.
"Your innate talent is commendable. An ordinary Archbishop would have some trouble dealing with you." The Golden Cardinal placed his eyes on the Carefree Reflection Chamber. His gaze landed on Kurion. "Unfortunately, the shadow is a byproduct of reality. No matter how exotic and realistic it looks, it can never surpass the truth."
The Golden Cardinal raised his right hand, then placed it on the Golden Book of Virtue. As he was about to cast a spell, a premonition flickered in his heart. Something that could threaten him was coming; it was quickly approaching.
He turned around. Two Condensation Phase Monster Girls flew towards the Labyrinth of Love. Unlike Kurion and Noviscar, these two's presences were refined, controlled. They were strong Condensation Phase Monster Girls who had solidified their foundation.
Their auras were stronger than Undrila. Though they could not reach the level of the Golden Cardinal, the quantitative advantage had started to become a qualitative advantage.
The Golden Cardinal frowned. He glanced at the Carefree Reflection Chamber. Despite his power, he still couldn't force his enemies to use their last resort.
He feared that they might have something unknown that could severely injure him. With the new Condensation Phase coming, the Golden Cardinal could deduce that the Archbishops had encountered an unexpected situation. He must hurry now, for the risk of death was rising.
"I didn't expect so many of you to join the discussion of truth today." The Golden Cardinal took a deep breath. His aura changed from gentle to aloof, almost arrogant. "It would be rude of me if I don't show my knowledge and power. Today, I will demonstrate to you why the Pope had named me the Golden Cardinal of Virtue."
Surrounded by the five Monster Girls, the Golden Cardinal remained calm. His right hand moved, writing passages into the blank page. The Pure Power inside his body surged into the Honest Quill before embedding itself onto the Golden Book of Virtue.
With each character written, the book glowed brighter and brighter while more passages manifested on the pages. Under the heavy pressure of the Monster Girls, the Golden Cardinal wrote:
Amidst the serene forest, I stood, eyes closed, mind empty. Above me, the golden clouds hovered. They rained upon me hope and dream, upon my enemies purification and judgment. Below me, the forest sang to me comfort and trust, to my enemies tiredness and sorrow.
In me, my belief blossomed. In them, their despairs shimmered.
May I emerge victorious. May they fall.
And thus, the golden clouds above the Golden Cardinal rained magic, which healed the Golden Cardinal but damaged the Monster Girls. The raindrops were bright like starlights, yet incorporeal like emotions. They touched the Monster Girls and seeped into their heart, purifying their corrupted souls, tearing apart their corrupted bodies.
Below, the ownerless sounds originated from the forest and echoed throughout the Sinking Dark Forest. Their voices drained the Monster Girls their energy and happiness, evoking grieves of the olden days and regrets buried in their hearts.
As the Monster Girls defended themselves and attacked the Golden Cardinal, his chest, specifically his heart, glowed. Endless Faith and holy energy radiated from his silhouette while a hint of black mist, the despair, surrounded the Monster Girls.
The Carefree Reflection Chamber trembled as its heart-calming power resisted the despair, but the difference was too huge. The Monster Girls could not stop the mental attacks from disrupting their concentration. With their minds muddled, they could not unleash their full power.
The Corruption Power crashed with the Pure Power. Colourful lights flashed. Winds and rains and petals and shadows blossomed, spreading their magical influence outwards. They infected the Sinking Dark Forest with their all-reaching touches.
In the middle of the clash, the Golden Cardinal emerged victorious. His aloof gaze swept past the rest of the Monster Girls. His mouth curved into a smile as the last sentence of his writing was about to become reality.
"A nice repetition, though lacking in description and too sentimental," a stunning voice resounded. A mysterious Monster Girl appeared inside the Carefree Reflection Chamber, standing beside Undrila. "Corane, I've brought you to your lover."
Undrila turned around. Corane came out behind Nupian and rushed to Undrila. The two hugged and tried their best to hold in their tears, saying nothing. The silence was more comforting than everything else.
Watching Corane reuniting with Undrila, Nupian smiled, then shifted her gaze. The Golden Cardinal froze. His expression twisted from aloof to terrified. Though the rest of the Monster Girls couldn't sense the true depth of Nupian, the Golden Cardinal understood well how powerful the Scrouge of the Northern Snow was.
"Golden Cardinal, why did you stop?" Nupian said. "Show me more. I want to see how you make me fall. Maybe it can inspire me. If you can please me, I'll consider letting you live."
The Golden Cardinal shivered. His sweats tickled from his forehead to his chin and fell onto his robe, damping it. He pressed the Honest Quill onto the Golden Book of Virtue, but his hands kept trembling. He could not write eligibly.
Faith flooded into the Honest Quill and the Golden Book of Virtue, but they could not cooperate and write the scene where he could escape, let alone win the battle.
Nupian was at the Peak of Solidification Phase, a monster among monsters, stronger than ordinary Popes, more viscious than ordinary Demon Lords.
Using all his strength, the Golden Cardinal coughed blood and wrote:
Alone, amidst the despair, I greet death. May the Goddesses forgive me.
His Cardinal Robe fluttered. Its golden lustre rapidly faded from its fabric. The Golden Cardinal closed his eyes and ceased his movement. Blood ruptured out of his skin and mouth and nose and eyes and ears. His silhouette turned crimson before a blazing flame of Faith burnt him to ashes.
"Boring." Nupian reached out and grabbed an ethereal radiance. "Unfortunately, you aren't the author of this play. Within this place, I am the arbitrator of life and death. Your soul, it stays with me."
The Golden Cardinal's soul struggled, but all was in vain. Nupian opened her mouth and swallowed the soul in one gulp.
Even the Goddesses couldn't save him.
