"Look, the domain is vanishing," Colonel Jackson pointed out, drawing everyone's attention to the shrinking domain.
While the domain might be invisible to the naked eye, those with a Rank S level above could detect the subtle fluctuations in space caused by its presence.
After a few seconds of waiting, the domain vanished, revealing a man adorned with a mask. The atmosphere brimmed with tension as the mysterious figure appeared before everyone .
As the man stood before them, they noticed a few changes in his appearance. While the mask remained the same, his hair had grown longer, cascading down his back. Moreover, he seemed to have grown a few inches taller than before. These alterations intrigued the onlookers, adding to the enigma surrounding the masked leader of the Moonlight Sanctuary.
"I can't sense his aura at all," Saint Agnes muttered to herself. There were only two possible reasons for this. Either the person had absolutely no aura, which seemed impossible in his case, or his aura had elevated to a level beyond her perception.
She believed it was the latter, which was truly frightening.
"Oh, we have some guests," Vincent spoke with a nonchalant tone.
However, his words carried an heavy weight that left those present feeling inexplicably uneasy. Having displayed power beyond everyone's expectations before, it was only natural for fear to creep in, even though they couldn't sense his aura anymore.
"This is not good," Saintess Agnes thought to herself after seeing the fearful expressions of everyone around her, she understood that she couldn't show weakness in front of the masked man.
As one of the three strongest combatant of the Vatican, she couldn't afford to cower in fear, because it will tarnish the Vatican's reputation. With a braved face, she masked her unease.
"I am Saint Agnes of the Vatican. I came here to inquire about the status of the Demon Lord," she declared with authority, her voice steady and unwavering despite the heavy tension.
"Dead," Vincent replied .
"I..." She felt insulted by Vincent's one-word response, but she couldn't fault him.
His overwhelming display of power granted him the right to act arrogant. Despite her feelings, she had to acknowledge the reality before her and tread carefully in the presence of such a formidable figure.
However her sense of duty still compelled her to seek answers.
"Verifying such a crucial claim is imperative," she asserted with righteous tone. "Please provide evidence to support your claim. The Vatican must be thorough in such matters. We are talking about a demon lord here . A being that can potentially cause chaos in the world "
"Why should I give you any proof? I don't work for the Vatican," Vincent chuckled, he was clearly not giving her face.
Saintess Agnes was taken aback by his response. It appeared that he was even more challenging to converse with than the veiled woman. Observing the exchange, Erika couldn't help but laugh at the situation. She felt excited seeing Vincent teased the the Saintess.
"Don't test the patience of the Vatican," she replied sternly, her tone serving as a warning to Vincent not to underestimate their authority.
While he might be stronger than her individually, he was not more powerful than the entire Vatican united. She sought to remind him that their church held significant power and influence, and challenging them could lead to consequences he would regret.
Of course, her warning was far from baseless. The Vatican indeed possessed substantial power and concealed many hidden trump card .
As a saint, she knew that the public image of the Vatican only scratched the surface of its true strength. However, tapping into those hidden powers risked destabilizing the very core of the Church.
"Are you threatening me,? Even Saint Udalrik had to watch his words around me. Perhaps you should have him teach you some manners," Vincent shook his head in disappointment .
"Or perhaps he still hasn't woken up after having his blood sucked out," he added with a sly smile, taunting Saint Agnes further with his knowledge of Udalrik's rumored fate.
"He got his memory back?" Erika couldn't help but exclaim, astonished by Vincent's words.
The information he possessed should only be known by Fenrir and Xavier, as it was an event that occurred long before the holy war when the two confronted the Vatican.
But little did she knew that the masked man was still Vincent. After gaining access to Fenrir's memories, he deliberately portrayed himself as the Fenrir they were expecting. Though the memories had influenced him, he hadn't lost his true identity.
"Who are you?" Saint Agnes' eyes narrowed, her curiosity and suspicion growing.
Saint Udalrik's existence had been kept hidden for a very long time, and Vincent's knowledge of this closely guarded secret left her both surprised and uncertain about his true identity.
"I knew him personally," he replied with an easygoing demeanor, seemingly downplaying the significance of knowing Udalrik.
"Knew him personally?" she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease upon hearing those words.
Saint Udalrik was the first and oldest Rank SSS in Vatican history, the very first Saint.
If the masked man knew him, it meant that he was also an old god—a being of immense age and power.
The revelation that he might be an old god was deeply unsettling, as they were considered even more terrifying than demon lords.
They had been relentlessly hunted down after the holy war, making someone who survived that era a force to be feared beyond imagination. The realization left her grappling with the implications of the masked leader's true identity and the vast power he potentially wielded.
"So, am I still required to report to you what happened? Tell me, do you dare take responsibility for asking such questions?" Vincent chuckled, but there was an undertone of threat in his easy-going demeanor.
It was clear to everyone present that he held power over life and death, and they could easily be killed at his will. His words left them feeling uneasy, realizing the extent of danger they were facing in his presence .
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