Chapter 462

Chapter 462
An emissary of divine will.
A celestial agent dispatched to the terrestrial realm to act for deities who cannot easily manifest their immense authority within the physical world, bringing forth otherworldly wonders.
‘A divine messenger, is it?’
‘So he wasn’t merely a mortal from the beginning? I had a feeling something was off…’
The high-ranking leaders of the Pantheon assembled inside the grand boardroom found it incredibly difficult to maintain their composure as they gazed upon the majestic, otherworldly entity exuding an undeniable aura right in front of them.
The words spoken by such a magnificent being held an unparalleled degree of credibility compared to anything else.
To be fair, there was no absolute rule preventing a celestial being from speaking falsely, but was this specific chamber not under a binding restriction maintained by the Chairman that mandated absolute honesty?
‘He isn’t using sheer force to suppress or bypass our sensing techniques. That entity is genuinely uttering nothing but the truth.’
The Chairman intuitively recognized this reality.
More than anyone, as devout clergy dedicated to the gods and occupying the pinnacle of power within the entire Pantheon, they understood precisely what the celestial being who just unveiled his true identity had performed only moments before.
‘An unyielding vow bound to his very devotion.’
Because they had observed that profound event with their own eyes, they had no choice but to accept it.
Had his recent statements been fraudulent, that divine emissary would have stripped himself of his sacred energy and instantly fallen from grace right there.

The setting swiftly transformed from an interrogation room investigating suspected breaches of protocol into an emergency strategy session directed by the very individual who had been under investigation.
‘They are proving far more cooperative than anticipated. Quite convenient, isn’t it?’
Amrich gave a subtle nod, observing the surrounding reactions.
Regardless of the vast differences between their respective deities, every single one of them was a seeker walking a spiritual path.
Very few individuals possessed the audacity to disrespectfully oppose a direct messenger of the heavens standing right before their eyes.
‘…Though, not every cleric possesses such a cooperative nature.’
An impeccable demonstration of this fact was currently unfolding, involving the very faction that everyone was discussing.
Pandemonium.
They were widely referred to as the ‘devotees of malevolent deities,’ yet the group was not solely comprised of those who worshipped dark entities intent on total annihilation.
There were also fanatical believers driven by radical dogmas, pridefully convinced that their particular creed was the solitary ‘righteous’ path while condemning all other belief systems as blasphemy.
Consequently, those who demanded the systematic cleansing of the world via holy crusades constituted another major faction within Pandemonium.
‘For that exact reason, they struggle to form a unified front and instead remain fragmented into separate cells. They would instantly break into internal conflict and refuse to coexist if they ever gathered in one place.’
Due to this inability to merge their factions, Pandemonium had long since degenerated into a useful tool for the Reverse Heaven Society to exploit and control as they pleased.
By comparison, the Pantheon was remarkably balanced and rational.
Its foundation rested upon the core tenet of identifying and tolerating differing sects as equal peers.
‘In some respects, this current dilemma was an inevitable consequence. Lowering the entry requirements to foster a grand alliance naturally exposes structural flaws.’
On the bright side, the corruptive reach had failed to infiltrate the highest echelon of the Pantheon, known as the 12 Committees.
To be perfectly accurate… an administrative official had managed to climb to that lofty rank, but she was eliminated by his own hands, which naturally erased their foothold.
Had she managed to retain her seat of power, resolving this predicament would not have proceeded nearly as seamlessly.
‘You see? This reinforces the notion that one ought to lead an upright life.’
Heinrich offered a contented smirk.
He quietly observed the high-ranking officials who were deeply immersed in a grave and weighty debate before him.
Directly after the discussions among the Pantheon’s upper management drew to a close.

The individual who stepped forward to meet Heinrich as he departed from the committee chambers was none other than Priest Jason, the man who had accompanied and aided him throughout this entire stay at the Pantheon.
Given that Heinrich had not yet officially integrated into the organization, the one who had spent the most time alongside him had willingly offered to act as his personal escort.
“It was merely a slight misunderstanding. Everything has been completely sorted out now.”
Heinrich, keeping a gentle grin on his face, gave a casual nod of reassurance.
Then, turning his gaze toward his companion, he casually raised a question.
“If I recall correctly, Priest Jason, your origins lie within the Tamaria Dimension, do they not?”
“That is correct. I only brought it up briefly before, but you have an excellent memory.”
People walking past cast inquisitive glances at the pair as they made their way down the corridor.
Their attention was drawn in particular to Heinrich, with his striking silver locks and golden gaze.
The chaotic manner of his initial arrival had unavoidably carved a lasting impression into the minds of everyone present.
“I understand that theological conflicts are exceptionally brutal in that realm. Two dominant religious factions are constantly trying to destroy one another, with neither side willing to back down.”
“Indeed. It is an unceasing holy war between our own Rasus Church and the zealots who worship the malevolent deity Luseni.”
“Are those dark worshippers still causing disruptions here on Earth…?”
“Regrettably, yes. They have integrated into Pandemonium now. Swept up by the deceptive allure of that wicked god, they fail to regain their sanity even after migrating back to Earth. It is truly a miserable state of affairs.”
Priest Jason clenched his hands together in visible anger.
He appeared to experience a genuine sense of sorrow for those who surrendered their minds and bodies to a corrupt deity.
“…I share your perspective. To think they survived so many trials to reach this point, only to remain completely oblivious to the fact that they are being controlled like mere marionettes.”
Both individuals let out a synchronized sigh.
Although they were visualizing entirely different adversaries in their minds, the underlying emotion behind their words was identical.
“What prompted you to bring this up all of a sudden?”
“Oh, it is nothing of great importance.”
As they continued their conversation while advancing forward.
Heinrich noticed a small group of individuals waiting outside the quarters assigned to him.
“I simply… harbor a wish that they would cease being such an annoyance, those devotees of the dark god.”
These were clergy members originating from Outerica, actively carrying out the directives he had issued.
Stopping in his tracks, he turned toward Jason and presented a bright, wide smile.
The hidden conspirators operating from the shadows.
It was an expression heavily charged with his own private sentiments, carrying a distinctly frosty undercurrent.
A handful of days went by.
On a morning marked by a misleading serenity, resembling the quiet moment before a tempest erupts.
“Stop this instantly! What is the meaning of this violation? I am Sandro of the Piscus Church! Do you truly believe my faction will permit such treatment?!”
The crackdown commenced without warning.
Entirely out of nowhere, a massive upheaval destabilized the foundations of the entire Pantheon.
“Sandro Fermi. You are being detained under charges of repeatedly conspiring with Pandemonium, an alliance that traces back to the assassination of Rabin William three winters ago.”
“…What sort of fabricated garbage is this? Inventing charges out of thin air? I would never cause harm to my own companion!…Ah, it makes sense now. You corrupt officials are merely using me as a scapegoat to strike at my denomination!”
“You can voice your denials as much as you like; it will change nothing. We have already collected and validated undeniable proof. Do you require me to recite the names of every single cleric who lost their life as a direct result of the intelligence you bartered away?”
“…Attempting to manipulate me with fabrications will achieve nothing! You wretched lackeys of the committee, looking out only for your own wealth!”
As expected, none of the accused surrendered without a fight.
Instead, they aggressively asserted that the Pantheon Executive Committee was merely attempting to force their independent churches into submission.
However, their fierce pushback did not endure for long.
When confronted with undeniable, inescapable physical proof, they were left with no choice but to fall into silence.
Once matters escalated to that absolute state, even the influential churches backing them were completely incapable of intervening.
The high-ranking executives had not maintained their silence following Heinrich’s initial disclosure for no reason.
They did not merely stop at verifying the catalog of traitors delivered to them; they dug deeper and brought to light entirely separate transgressions.
Bypassing standard channels to operate exclusively with a highly restricted, verified circle of operatives, the leaders personally went out into the field to conduct investigations.
“Think of how much effort I have poured into the advancement of this church! And you choose to cast me aside over a matter like this?!”
“Curse it all, how did they manage to uncover my trail? I ensured every piece of evidence was meticulously erased.”
“Our position is compromised. Disperse into the area this instant and prepare to reform later.”

The dragnet managed to ensnare not only the individuals who maintained direct lines of communication with Pandemonium but also those who were merely extracting financial benefits from the relationship.
With the entire executive body dedicating its full authority, it was a display of sheer efficiency. They had seemed quite passive previously, but this action revealed the true capabilities of the organization.
He had scarcely perceived their latent power during their period of quiet inactivity, but now they were exerting their full strength.
Within an incredibly brief window, they seamlessly connected disparate pieces of information into an inescapable trap, commanding deep respect.
‘Following this purge, one can look forward to far more aggressive internal monitoring. That factor alone ought to significantly minimize the number of operatives controlled by the Reverse Heaven Society.’
One unexpected element that became apparent while observing the systematic elimination of traitors was that not all of the Pandemonium collaborators were driven by complex or grand ambitions.
While a portion of them acted under the genuine conviction that their choices were beneficial for the future of their specific church, they were not the majority.
‘The enemy identified and exploited that exact vulnerability from the very beginning.’
Petty resentment, bitter rivalry, raw greed, material wealth, societal status, and localized political advantages.
Despite being spiritual leaders, they remained fundamentally human and succumbed to temptation with immense ease.
The primary catalyst for this was simple: the betrayal did not directly conflict with their spiritual devotion.
Aligning oneself with Pandemonium did not diminish an individual’s personal faith or breach their sacred commandments.
Their religious texts simply lacked any restrictions regarding such actions to begin with.
The profound animosity directed toward an external adversary like Pandemonium within the boundaries of the Pantheon was merely a political treaty forged by the mortals of Earth—it held no relevance to the cosmic deities they served.
The higher entities viewed the matter in an identical fashion.
The human concepts of righteousness and malevolence were entirely artificial constructs anyway.
The majority of these cosmic gods merely bestowed appropriate spiritual energy upon those who showed proper devotion.
A significant portion of the individuals caught in the sweep belonged to neutral factions positioned squarely between the benevolent and malevolent pantheons.
This network included fiercely loyal devotees who genuinely believed they were acting in the best interest of their religious order.
These were the unyielding extremists found within any collective group.
Fanatics who utterly refused to watch their respective churches fade into irrelevance on the restricted platform provided by the Pantheon, pledging to employ any conceivable strategy to restore their former glory.
“It has been quite some time since we last met.”
“Ugh… Heinrich…!”
A prime example of this mindset was Walter, a dedicated paladin representing the Qu.

Walter glared back with a deep furrow in his brow, demanding answers, but Heinrich possessed absolutely no desire to offer a courteous explanation.
His sole purpose for being there was to inspect the target for any lingering indicators of mental coercion.
‘Ah, there it is.’
Fixing an intense, piercing look directly into the prisoner’s eyes, Heinrich ultimately detected the incredibly faint mark concealed deep within his consciousness.
It was so exceptionally minuscule that anyone would have overlooked it entirely without preexisting doubts and a thorough examination.
Had it not been for the detailed intelligence provided by Doctor and the careful confirmation work done by his trusted agents, he would have remained entirely oblivious to its presence.
“What in the world are you implying?!”
Feeling visibly overwhelmed by the heavy, suffocating silence of Heinrich’s focused stare.
Walter completely lost his grip on his emotions and made a desperate, aggressive lunge forward—but having already sustained a severe beating beforehand, his movements were entirely futile.
“Argh!”
Heinrich watched without a single trace of emotion as the man collapsed and writhed upon the floor, before simply turning his back on the scene.
There was no longer any reason for him to remain in this place.
The specialized execution brigade from the Pantheon was already on its way and would oversee the final disposal without requiring any further action from him.
“…Alright, it is finally time to unmask you.”
A vibrant, radiant silver-white divine energy erupted all around his form.
Broadening his perceptive capabilities to their absolute limit, he rapidly locked onto a specific individual’s energetic signature.
Attempting to isolate a solitary essence from the dense, chaotic ocean of spiritual energies swirling inside the Pantheon was a task that bordered on the impossible—yet for an individual of his caliber, it presented nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
His physical form surged forward at immense speed.
The faint echoes of a disturbance originating from a distance reached his position.
Priest Jason, picking up his pace as he moved toward the source of the noise, knitted his brows in disapproval.
“Good heavens, what is the cause of all this disorder?”
The abrupt chain of shocking occurrences had instantly thrown the entirety of the Pantheon into utter disarray.
Operating fundamentally as a cooperative alliance, the Pantheon typically favored gentle approaches, such as formal requests for mutual aid, rather than resorting to unilateral physical force—yet even that level of intervention was creating immense stress for the leadership of each individual sect.
Confronted with absolute, irrefutable proof, the churches found themselves completely unable to mindlessly protect their compromised members.
“My word, there is never a peaceful moment around here. The remaining time is far too limited for the divine.”
Jason ran his hand down his trimmed beard, letting out an irritated sigh as he muttered to himself.

Whatever chaotic events were unfolding in the broader environment were of absolutely no consequence to him.
His only obligation was to steadily carry out his regular spiritual obligations.
He intended to remain fully absorbed in his personal duties, paying no mind to the external madness.
Upon reaching the absolute termination of the long hallway, he unexpectedly crossed paths with a familiar person.
“Priest Jason.”
“Well, if it isn’t Brother Heinrich? What could have possibly brought you to this particular section?”
His eyes expanded in genuine astonishment upon recognizing the man.
The young man’s face seemed to shine with an otherworldly brilliance… rather, it appeared to emit a literal ring of light, radiating a powerful, cosmic grandeur.
“I made my way here specifically to locate you.”
Heinrich delivered his words in a slow, deliberate manner.
His tone was completely stripped of his habitual warmth, replaced instead by an unmistakable, piercing coldness.
“Joker.”
The embedded operative of the Reverse Heaven Society who had successfully wormed his way into the heart of the Pantheon, pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes from the very beginning while executing dark schemes from the background.
And a secret devotee of the malevolent gods of Pandemonium.
Joker returned Heinrich’s intense gaze, his features freezing into a completely unreadable, stony expression.