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Chapter 428: Holy Light and a Choice

“Estrada is the most pious, most courageous, most humble and most powerful Holy Knight of all.” This was Roland’s understanding of him, as well as how the entire world saw him.

He was pious. For the past thousands of years, not once had he strayed from his belief in the Holy Light. Every day, every moment, he would measure his actions by justice and self-discipline. Daily he would pray piously and consume only rye bread and water to help himself stay away from all temptations. Although every pope throughout history had been deeply on guard against him, not a single person dared to doubt Estrada’s piousness.

He was courageous. Through the endless wars, as long as someone asked him for help and as long as the reason agreed with the justice in his heart, Estrada would never refuse. In any battle he took part he would forever be at the very forefront. He had a body covered with scars that even the Holy Light was unable to cure. He had never once run away from any battle.

“…The Holy Light shall never refuse any request of aid from a mortal. As long as there’s even a sliver of hope, I shall fight for the sake of Holy Light and Justice… until the final moment.”

These simple words of his were no empty platitudes. As long as people still needed saving, even in the most despairing of situations Estrada had never run away.

He was humble. Estrada never acted like the other high-ranked Holy Church members that led lavish lifestyles. He resided in the common dormitories for Holy Knights, where anyone could easily go find him. And he had countless disciples. He loved young and brave warriors, and one of his joys in life was to raise talented students. His incredibly long list of students contained an untold number of heroes’ names. Of course, one name in this list of his gave him tremendous headaches.

“…Roland, if only you could be a little more serious you’d definitely become one of the strongest Holy Knights in all of history! No—no—no—this isn’t an excuse for you to cut classes! I shall assign you special extra classes that are befitting of your talent. You’ve already mastered Holy Light Divine Arts, so how about extra swordsmanship classes? What? You’re already a Sword Saint? How about we discuss Holy Light philosophy? What? You’re saying you want to have a bet if we debate Holy Light philosophy and God theories? Fine, if you lose, return your brother disciples’ wallets. Ha! You think I’m going to lose? What a joke.”

Even now, Estrada still recalled how, on a sunny afternoon, that youth who smiled like the sunshine managed to use baffling chicanery to win half a year’s worth of Estrada’s salary.

“A belief system based on personal benefits to satisfy selfish desires? You believe only in the justice of the pure Holy Light itself? Little Roland, don’t ever tell anyone else about this. No, I’m not saying I completely disagree with your way of thinking. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be admitting defeat to you in this debate. However, there are people out there who are even more stubborn than an old artifact like me. They’ll directly kill whoever they can’t defeat in a debate. It doesn’t matter if it’s someone like me, but you’re still young. Don’t draw trouble to yourself.”

Perhaps what Estrada regretted most was that he hadn’t probed into Roland’s foundational way of thinking. He didn’t attempt to change Roland’s overly extreme thoughts. He figured that a young genius like Roland simply had too many idle thoughts, thoughts which would be corrected by the severities of reality and the public’s normal way of thinking. Estrada never expected Roland to have an extreme way of thinking that would go farther and farther off the normal path, reaching a point where Roland could no longer turn back.

Estrada’s power and age had helped him learn that justice without power backing it up was absolutely meaningless. As he was the Strongest Holy Knight… no—he could even be called the strongest living human with nobody objecting even though he last took action more than a century ago.

“…Roland, your past hatred has caused you to sink into insanity. I created you but didn’t manage to save you from your fate of despair. All of this is my fault. Roland, face me! Face your poor excuse of a teacher! Today, I shall correct my past mistake, even if I have to pay with my life!”

During the Yongye Calamity, Estrada’s brilliant figure singlehandedly facing an endless legion of undead was branded into the memories of countless people. Even after the Emperor of Eternal Night destroyed the entirety of the Holy Church allied armies, Estrada still challenged him and his army. Estrada’s glorious deeds had even been carved into the highest-quality of sculptures on the ceiling of the Anton Grand Cathedral.

Estrada was pious, courageous, humble and powerful. As a Holy Knight, Estrada was considered perfect. If one had to forcefully find some imperfection, then it would be that he was too perfect—too brilliant to behold.

Every pope throughout history had viewed Estrada as an excellent blade, but that was all. Since Estrada’s personal reputation exceeded that of the popes, his “supporters” would constantly clash with the Holy Church’s teachings and authority. It was only normal for the Holy Church’s higher-ups to greatly despise him.

After so many years, Estrada had gotten accustomed to the Holy Church’s higher-ups discriminating against him. His title had been promoted and demoted countless times over the years. Yet his belief had never been shaken in the slightest. With utmost severity, he would always carry out anything he was determined to accomplish.

“…Child, justice isn’t actually that hard to understand. Justice is simply kindness that comes from the bottom of your heart, while belief is the process of expanding your own kindness. We believe in the Holy Light because we believe that Holy Light can protect the kindness in human hearts. Whenever you need to make a choice, simply ask your heart. You’ll be able to choose for yourself.”—Estrada, Spring of the Year 226.

Estrada’s belief was somewhat different to that of the Holy Church’s higher-ups. He would preach that “any teachings that don’t guide humans to kindness are all evil,” but doing so gave him countless amounts of trouble. Despite all of that, Estrada’s teachings about the Holy Light’s belief spread throughout the entire land. Numerous youths would choose the glorious job of Holy Knight due to his influence. Soon, Holy Knights’ path of Holy Light started having subtle differences from other Holy Light job class members. “Kindness in your heart” became the catchphrase of young Holy Knights, and it also became the Strongest Holy Knight’s greatest weakness that others always attacked him with.

“What choice will you make if the God of Holy Light’s divine will clashes with your sense of justice?”

Someone had once asked him that in public, causing no small amounts of controversy. Others felt that Estrada had been caught in an inescapable paradoxical conundrum. However, Estrada responded with uproarious laughter as he replied in a thunderous booming tone, which echoed in the skies above the Holy Church even today.

“With the Holy Light above me bearing witness, I say this: if my belief in the Holy Light ever clashes with basic morality and justice, what use will I still have for such a belief?”

On that day, the powerful beam of Holy Light that descended proved that this was truly how Estrada believed and acted.

And now, today, angels that represented the God Envoys of Holy Light had descended from the skies. These angels then decided to slaughter all heretics. The so-called divine will had finally clashed with Estrada’s most basic sense of morality. Now that there was an absolutely unsolvable conflict between Estrada’s belief and justice, just what would he choose?

Two days ago, he received a letter from his most talented disciple. It started off with the same old question that he had been asked countless times already.

“Teacher, I shall ask you one last time. If the God of Holy Light’s divine will conflicts with your sense of justice born out of kindness, what will you choose?”

Estrada had been mystified as to why Roland would suddenly ask him a question to which Roland certainly knew the answer. But now he could only clutch the letter to his heart and bitterly smile.

“Is that so? You’ve already seen through everything since the very beginning? Then, Roland, I shall tell you that my way of thinking has never changed. If belief in the Holy Light can no longer coexist with basic kindness, then there’s no more reason for me to believe in the Holy Light.”

The elderly Holy Knight was clad in full combat attire. He rode atop his old horse into the path of the Holy Light’s massive army and threw down his silver hammer.

It landed heavily on the ground.

Estrada shook his head. Over the many years, he had been accoladed as the living representative of Holy Light. He had never imagined that this day would come. The day he would be facing off against the flag of Holy Light, the flag which represented justice.

However, as he faced off against the Holy Light army, Estrada’s arm didn’t shake one bit. His boiling combat was the best explanation.

“…The Holy Light shall never refuse any request of aid from a mortal. As long as there’s even a sliver of hope, I shall fight for the sake of Holy Light and Justice… until the final moment.”

With his back to the heretics’ homeland, the angry roar of the elderly Holy Knight echoed throughout the battlefield. Despite the fact that the elderly knight was all by himself, the glorious Holy Light army vanguard took a step back in unison.

No—not everyone stepped backwards. Someone took a step forward and stepped out from under the glorious banner of Holy Light.

“Ken? I never expected you, one of my disciples, to be the first to face me.”

Estrada felt somewhat nostalgic as well as surprised. But he didn’t hesitate. After he had made his decision, this aged Holy Knight had resolved himself to face any opponent, even if his opponent was one of the students he was proudest of.

“Old artifact, you have more disciples than you can count. What’s so strange about one of your disciples like me stepping out?”

Ken was also a Holy Knight, a SemiGod. Appearing middle-aged, he had rather dark skin. But when he walked in front of Estrada, Ken pulled out his longsword and suddenly turned around, shouting at the place he had just came from.

“Hey, the old artifact managed to steal the first move yet again! For just how long are you all intending to wait around? Are all of you going to be slower than someone as inadequate as me?”

As a response to this, numerous Holy Knights walked out from the massive body of the army. They unsheathed their weapons, facing off against their previous allies. Meanwhile, their companions remained where they stood and could only watch all of this happen with embarrassed expressions.

“The Holy Light is above us…”

This time, it wasn’t only Holy Knights who stepped out of the army. Previously pious Holy Light priests also made their decision, even though they knew that it would make them lose their status and glory—that this would make them be treated as dirty traitors and fallen priests.

“…If my belief in the Holy Light ever clashes with basic morality and justice…”

Some royal knights who had participated in the Holy War also walked out of the army. Their knightly virtue contained nothing about slaughtering ordinary citizens. These knights, red-faced from embarrassment, made a choice that wouldn’t shame their descendants despite knowing that they would receive their domain lords’ and kings’ wrath from doing so.

“…Slaughtering innocent civilians? Damn it all! That’s two million lives we’re talking about! What do we need such a belief for!?”

Every one of them spoke out Estrada’s teachings. Their shared beliefs made these people make the same decision as Estrada. In the next ten minutes, as the frontline commanders hesitatingly reported this situation to their higher-ups, numerous scattered warriors made their choices.

Although Estrada’s side numbered less than one percent of the Holy Light army in the end, and even though he knew that they would all be crushed into pieces by the mighty army in the next instant, Estrada smiled in satisfaction.

Of course he would be satisfied. As a Holy Knight and teacher, what more could he ask for? His teachings were believed in by so many people, to the point where they were all willing to sacrifice their lives. He would be satisfied even if he died the very next minute.

But then an elderly red-robed Cardinal shakily walked out of the crowd. This extremely wrinkled old man hobbled with the assistance of his walking staff and panted heavily as his servants and personal bodyguard knights hurriedly surrounded him.

“…Cardinal Stephen.”

Indeed. This was the current leader of the Holy Light vanguard army, the underhanded “credit-stealing” Cardinal Stephen. Although he had finally reached the peak of his career, regardless due to his advanced age it was unlikely that he would live for much longer.

If Estrada betrayed the Holy Church, if the Holy Light army’s conquering forces split up into factions, it was definite that the glory Cardinal Stephen just obtained would lose its luster. It was only natural that he would try to prevent this from happening.

“…Stephen, there’s no need to say anything. I’ve already made my decision.”

Although most people in the Holy Church looked down on Stephen’s actions, Estrada felt a mysterious sense of nostalgia as he looked at the old man with half a foot in the grave. Estrada recalled how Stephen was in the past—a stubborn orphan, who never complained even when bullied by classmates but would secretly hide and cry because of being powerless to save all his believers.

As everyone watched, the elderly Cardinal, who finally had a chance to shine in the spotlight, spoke up.

“Es…trada… I… I’m not here to stop you. I know that words are meaningless after you’ve made up your mind. I… I… Coug—cough—cough—cough…”

Violent coughing arched Stephen’s back as he coughed up blood streaks on the ground. However, he stubbornly held on to his walking staff and grit his teeth, standing up straight again.

Even Estrada couldn’t bear to see this sight. He wanted to go over and help support Stephen, but the elderly Cardinal slapped away the hand that Estrada proffered.

*Pa!*

It took some time, but Stephen finally succeeded in standing up straight. His elderly eyes contained a fiery will that didn’t seem to fit his age as his angry roars echoed throughout the entire world.

“I know that all of you look down upon me as the ‘Dirty bastard who stole credit’ or as the ‘Blackhearted bastard who stood on his compatriots’ corpses to obtain his position.’ But I was also a pious believer of the Holy Light! What does sacrificing my personal reputation matter as long as I spread the Holy Light which brings us hope… All of you, tell me, as a Cardinal, as a teacher, priest and spreader of Holy Light, did I act wrongly…?”

The old Cardinal’s bloodshot eyes looked all around him as he howled from the bottom of his heart. Although he had managed to increase his status over the past few days, the looks of condescension aimed at him had also increased. Even his best friends that had been through life and death together with him were now keeping their distance. Who could he possibly complain to regarding his aggrievements? And now, as everyone watched, he suddenly exploded and vented.

Some of the Holy Knights that had looked down upon him started to change their opinions. Perhaps they had been too judgmental of this old Cardinal. Still, the unbelievable scene that happened next caused everyone—not just a few—to change their opinions of Cardinal Stephen.

“But now… my belief in the Holy Light that I sacrificed everything in order to uphold can no longer even be called basic justice. Just why did I sacrifice everything in order to uphold Holy Light? Teacher, I refuse to act as the leader of the Holy Light army for one second longer. I shall face the future together with you, even if I know it’s a future where I’ll certainly die and no longer be able to ascend to heaven… Cough—cough—cough.”

Violent coughing once again caused Stephen to arc his back. But this time the elderly cardinal allowed his teacher to help support himself.

Now even the warriors who remained in the Holy Light army viewed this elderly Cardinal with respect.

Since the highest-ranked leader of the Holy Light army had betrayed the Holy Light, in the Holy Light army a huge commotion arose. Some warriors who had chosen to remain on the Holy Light side were now hesitating about their choices. Some naïve individuals were thinking that there wouldn’t even be an internal battle in the Holy Church. They thought that this would become a critical moment in history.

But at this moment a blinding light streaked across the sky…

“…AH—”

A giant flame-wreathed sword descended from the sky. Old Stephen couldn’t even complete his scream before he was impaled to the ground by this burning Holy Sword. Just like that, after making a decision that came from the bottom of his heart, the old Cardinal collapsed.

“This is what the Holy Light is truly like… I don’t… regret…”

Stephen reached out towards the sky unwillingly and took one last glance at this beautiful world before he transformed into black ash right in his teacher’s hands. The blood streaks he coughed up just a minute ago became the final record of his existence.

A fiery winged angel descended and hovered in midair. Achas, the leader of the angels, observed the mortals beneath him. Even now, he gave of no signs of any emotions whatsoever.

Meanwhile, the powerful angel squadron had finished gathering behind him in the air. Like their leader, these heavily armored angels simply watched down in silence. Their white wings and the holy flames on their swords were the best representation of which side they stood on.

“As commanded by the venerated God of Holy Light, those who betray the Holy Light shall be killed with no mercy.”

The Strongest Holy Knight’s hammer was the first to greet them.