Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 1288: Chapter 703: Lighting the Path Ahead (Part 1)_2

"If even saints can’t do it...how can we possibly succeed?"

"It’s terrifying! The Holy Flame is turning pale and blurry!"

Lance hadn’t expected this to shatter their will so thoroughly; he initially hoped they would find a way to break the seal, but this scene suddenly caught him off guard.

Lance cursed inwardly: Damn! You can’t rely on people from the Church, just because a saint died, is it necessary?

All those involved with religious beliefs have this flaw; their will can be incredibly resilient in certain aspects, but once broken, they retreat instantly.

In reality, Hamlet has this aura too, except they don’t trust the Church, they trust their Lord.

Don’t be fooled by the Honor Guard’s stoic faces; it’s only because their "God" is untroubled. If anything happened to Lance, their resolve would crumble instantly.

That’s why Lance dislikes this heroism; he isn’t a hero and dislikes being idolized, like a statue.

Reason and dialectics are the weapons he leaves for those people, but unfortunately, people today are groomed by the Church’s fundamental logic, preferring simple, brutish guidance, with few able to understand this.

Lance feels helpless about this, knowing that to change their mindset, it can only begin with the next generation.

But now, they can’t be allowed to collapse; there’s work waiting for them.

He immediately spoke to break through their impending breakdown.

"They’re waiting for us, not so you can fret and whine before even facing the enemy!"

"We must help them complete their tasks and inherit their beliefs."

"Physical bodies can be destroyed, but the spirit endures forever!"

Lance roared out these words, stabilizing their minds.

Yes, the saint’s radiance still shines, spirit cannot be killed.

Our mission is to accomplish what they couldn’t.

Both were resolute individuals; under Lance’s incitement, they quickly stabilized.

"They fell, we come; if we fall, others will follow, regardless if he’s a saint or I’m a Lord; it’s beyond religion or class - it’s for humanity!"

Lance was unwilling to be lifted high by the Church’s saint; even though he did accomplish some things back in the day, Lance has personal interests to consider.

However, he didn’t violently strip the saint’s achievements; instead, he cleverly encompassed the sainthood’s glory within the concept of "humanity."

In the face of the broad concept of humanity, individual heroic traits become infinitely blurred, allowing Lance to highlight his own significance.

The subtleties in this brief phrase may be seen by old Brother Martin, but neither Baldwin nor Junia, having lived in Hamlet under Lance’s care, noticed.

Especially Baldwin, who nearly owes his life to Lance, pulled him out of the mire, being the only one who understands him.

Under such circumstances, even a king with political sensitivities cannot help but be swayed by the Lord’s slogans.

But the Honor Guard reacted even faster than the two, already unabashedly cheering for the Lord.

"For My Lord!"

"For Hamlet!"

"For humanity!"

No need to mention anything else; the morale is adequately boosted, as emotions strongly influence humans, especially under strong fluctuations.

Their psychological foundation is not just faith but also the Lord.

Yes, for humanity.

"I’ll do it." Junia stepped out and walked directly into the Sanctuary.

Lance hadn’t dared touch the area surrounding the saint due to sensing the power; he could naturally destroy it brutally, but he wanted to fully acquire everything from the saint and the three other legendary figures.

He also thought it was thanks to earlier efforts of his ancestor’s entrapment, therefore conservatively choosing to leave.

Now, Junia was adorned with the "for humanity" banner, leaving no hesitation as she reached out directly.

Upon their contact, nothing happened; she passed through easily, even she was slightly surprised.

"What’s the feeling?"

"Warm, fiery, like... Holy Power flowing within me."

Lance realized he bet right; the saint left this behind for successors, and only someone from the Church, also imbued with Divine Power, could pass through the Sanctuary.

But soon the situation spun beyond everyone’s control, including Lance’s; the once-stable scene suddenly took an unexpected turn.

At the moment Junia crossed the Sanctuary, the seated saint’s corpse ignited spontaneously, and Junia seemed uncontrollably drawn into the air, exploding in intense and dazzling radiance.

Nobody knew what happened, as blindness hit everyone momentarily, even Lance couldn’t react, subconsciously shutting his eyes yet encountering pure white.

The roaring energy surge could be felt without sight, like a blazing sun attempting to ignite them all.

Yet, the vigorous energy surge weakened instantly; too brief a time, a mere instant for most, only Lance captured the anomaly.

But it didn’t matter much; as he activated his power to clear negative effects, upon reopening his eyes, he found Junia suspended mid-air, emitting bright but gentle light, her eyes luminous, igniting the iron torch through unknown power, so fierce it overshadowed the blood mist’s erosion.

"It seems she has gained the saint’s power."

Earlier, Lance also scanned teammates’ states; everyone realized.

Without Baldwin speaking, Lance already sensed Junia’s rapidly growing aura; curious, is this considered inheritance?

Suddenly, Lance sensed something amiss; Junia’s seemingly calm state broke, replaced by emerging pain etching her face, her floating body subtly twitching.

"What’s happening? Does Church inheritance cause this?"

"Unclear, I’ve never seen this from Church inheritance..."

Baldwin, aware of Lance’s questions, was as clueless; despite once being a king leading a Church, he hadn’t seen saints, the church personnel mostly the army.

But soon it worsened; Junia’s glow fluctuated violently, directly crashing from mid-air.

Lance then rushed forward swiftly, catching her, immediately sensing something off; alarm etched on his features.

Junia’s aura was fading rapidly, replaced by the crescendo of an unfamiliar force.

Despite not seeing many fantasy works, witnessing chaotic entities invading phantoms, Lance quickly deduced.

This isn’t inheritance, damn it, this is possession!

"Wake up! Don’t sleep!" Lance bellowed intensely, hesitating none.

Bless, activate!

Lance wasn’t lacking Spiritual Essence; as the Bless’s power flooded, the struggling Junia found familiar support.

The Lord is calling me...this is the Lord’s strength...

I can’t sleep yet...for humanity...

Her consciousness, nearly extinguished like an oil lamp, persisted forcefully, even now sprouting rapid resistance under that power.

This isn’t a solitary battle; in the face of Lance’s vast oceanic strength, even the saint must yield.

A flash of light expelled from Junia’s body, yet before escaping, a large hand reached out.

"Lay hands on my people! Die!"

Lance rarely used vulgarity, signifying action when spoken.

One can’t grasp light, but how about the void?

Sacrifice!