As the Pope's words fell, Yanile's face suddenly turned pale, the aura around him became violently chaotic, and the faint holy light lingering around him was suddenly completely extinguished.
Deep in his heart, something that was once constant suddenly had huge cracks.
A trace of blood glowing with white holy light dripped from the corner of his mouth, stained between his dazedly raised fingers, and looked particularly shocking against the pale skin.
Facing this scene, the Pope just stared calmly at the struggling Yanile, with some unknown meaning surging in his eyes filled with white holy light, as if he was waiting for something.
Gradually, as time passed, Yanile's eyes slowly calmed down, and a ray of determination rose from the depths of his eyes again.
The pale white holy light resurfaced from his body. It seemed to be no different from before, but there seemed to be some essential difference.
"How do you feel at this moment?"
Seeing this change, a glimmer of expectation suddenly flashed in the Pope's eyes.
"...there is no difference."
With a gentle breath, Yanile looked at his hands and answered in a low voice.
"Very good! Very good!"
Hearing this, Saint Mecia III finally showed a look of relief on his face.
"Although you have been impacted by the truth, it has not touched the foundation of your belief. Your true belief is not in 'God', but in light.
Even if this piece of light crystal disappears now, you will not be affected too much because your faith will always exist.
And this is the most critical requirement for becoming a pope!"
"Becoming Pope?"
Hearing the Pope's words, Yanile was shocked again.
"Your Majesty, what do you mean?"
"Don't worry. In our position, there are many secrets that we have to know. Even if we don't want to know, everything is bound to happen."
Turning around and looking at the huge light crystal in the center of Cave I, the Pope spoke in a low voice.
"God does not exist. This is a secret that only the Pope is qualified to know.
There is no God, and there is no Kingdom of God. What answers people's prayers from beginning to end is only people's own beliefs.
I admit, He is very powerful, unusually powerful.
But after all, He is not God, just a cold alchemical product, a container that contains the power of faith.
Although some special changes have occurred due to the infiltration of the endless power of faith, they are just a simple improvement in carrying capacity and feedback efficiency, and the distance between the god and the gods is like the distance between the sky and the earth!"
With that said, the Pope turned around again and stared at Yanile.
"But you know, Yanile, it shouldn't be like this, there is something always restricting it!
According to a few records from ancient times, gods existed at that time. The existence of the power of faith also proves this point from the side. The power of faith he collected should have reached the limit of becoming a god long ago.
But, what happened after that? Why did the gods disappear? Why did the gods never appear again? Where did the gods go?"
"His Majesty the Pope..."
Looking at the somewhat excited Pope, Yanile was a little frightened and couldn't help but try to end the topic.
"So, after becoming the Pope, whenever I had free time, I searched ancient documents and tried to find clues related to that lost history."
However, the Pope completely ignored Yanile's interruption.
"Finally, on a stone tablet handed down from the ancient golden age, I found a scaled claw related to all this.
It was a war, a war on a scale beyond anyone's imagination, a war between high elves and nameless beings, the final battle that ended the entire ancient golden age.
We don’t know the cause and process of the war, but in the history after that war, there is no trace of gods anymore.
That war changed the basic rules of this world, and there was no way forward.
The high elves sacrificed the future of all life in the world in exchange for the suspension of that war. Yes, it was just a suspension.
The ancient final war has never ended, it has just been extended indefinitely, and it is still continuing until the past, present, and unknown number of years in the future."
"His Majesty the Pope, why do you say this to me?"
After hearing this, Yanile finally couldn't help but ask a question.
"Didn't I already say that the day of final judgment is approaching, and without the Lord's light to protect us, the entire world will sink into endless darkness forever."
With a cold smile, the Pope revealed a piece of information that was like a bolt from the blue.
"Half a month ago, 'God' gave me a new revelation. Those dark beings who were lost in the final battle of ancient times have now re-locked the coordinates of the main material world.
Now, the darkness of the mythical age is about to come again, and people need a god who can protect the world.
If the rules are missing, then complete them again; if the god is not there, then create a god that belongs to us!"
"!!"
Hearing this, Yanile finally couldn't help but his eyes widened in shock.
Artificial gods!
Here and now, in the most sacred place of the Holy See, the holy words spoken by Pope St. Messia III are even more outrageous and blasphemous than the most evil and twisted pagans, and are treasonous!
"Don't look at me like that, Yanile."
Already anticipating Yanile's reaction, Saint Mecia III walked up to Yanile with a low tone.
"In this cold world, there is no god who will pity all living beings or us. There will always be only us, only ourselves!"
"But, this is blasphemous..."
Looking at the pope's eyes that were so close and shining with a faint holy light, Yanile murmured.
"Yes, this is blasphemous."
A cold smile appeared on his face, and Saint Mecia III nodded, with a little pity in his eyes.
"But, it is also saving the world."
"..."
Looking at the Pope in front of him, Yanile opened his mouth, but in the end he just lowered his head slightly.
"Then, Your Majesty, what do you want me to do?"
"No need to be afraid, Yanil."
"Did you know? There is actually no God in this world, but because people need God, 'God' appears.
The true original meaning of the holy scriptures is actually to praise the greatness of man."
Facing the silent Yanile, the Pope's tone softened.
"Do you remember the first verse of the first chapter of the Holy Book?
The ancient foreign objects from outside brought twisted darkness, and the darkness swallowed the people. People called God in despair, so God came with supreme light and banished the darkness and foreign objects.
From beginning to end, "God" comes from people. We do not worship idols, just because God exists in everyone's heart.
People need light, so there is light in this world!"