When the Pope Becomes Competent - Chapter 127



Only Noblemtl

127. Phoenix
2024.03.06.

Just then, the system information window popped up before my eyes and told me about the phoenix.

[Fallen Phoenix (??)]

― A legendary bird that was corrupted by a strange power.

― It is said to live forever without dying.

― Also called the Phoenix.

[Owned Skills]

― Fearsome Roar (S)

― Hot Feather Rain (S)

― Burning Exhalation (S)

― Regeneration (L)

― Resurrection (L)

I wanted to look at the phoenix’s skills a little more and figure out a way to hunt it, but of course, I didn’t have time to do that.

The phoenix had come within striking distance of the ghost ship and spread its wings wide. I

could see the pointed feathers of flame standing upright on its wings.

Without another moment to think, I shouted.

“A skill that rains down feathers of flame!! Everyone, gather around me!!”

As I shouted, I took out my Nerebloka shield and formed a defensive barrier.

As expected, the fire feathers poured down on our heads like a monsoon rain.

Fortunately, everyone in the group quickly gathered around me, so we were all safe.

However—

‘Damn, the ship’s on fire!’

A few of the fire feathers that had poured down on us landed on the deck of the ghost ship, igniting it. The

bright red flames spread in an instant.

Dionik continued to shout.

“It’s on fire! I worked so hard to fix it!!”

I activated my deification skill and called out to Cheong Gwang.

“Cheon Gwang! Did you control water?”

“Yes, that’s right! I will summon a rain cloud and put out the fire now!”

Cheong Gwang was a divine beast that used to bring rain to small villages.

I asked because I remembered that he used a sword made of water when he attacked us, and as expected, Cheong Gwang had the ability to control water.

As if Cheong Gwang had done something, dark clouds began to gather in the sky, and I swung my sword at Phoenix in relief.

Saaaaa―

A sharp crescent-shaped sword energy shot out at Phoenix.

For some reason, Phoenix didn’t even try to dodge and took the sword directly.

Soon, the sword energy tore Phoenix’s wing flaps apart.

However―

‘Is that a regeneration skill… …?!’

The torn wing flaps regenerated at a frightening speed.

As if water had been cut with a knife, the wings reattached in an instant.

It was probably the power of one of Phoenix’s skills, “Regeneration (L).”

I could feel the party hesitating at the sight, so I shouted urgently.

“Don’t worry and attack! You won’t be able to regenerate forever!”

Bliss heard my shout and swung a blade filled with the resentment of the dead at Phoenix.

Since it was a cold-elemental attack, I thought it would be able to deal significant damage to Phoenix.

However, the result was the same this time.

Phoenix easily regenerated its left leg that Bliss had cut off.

Soon after, Luciana activated her persistent thorny vines to try to tie up Phoenix’s body, but the vines burned and turned to ash as soon as they touched Phoenix’s body.

‘There’s no attack that will work… …!’

The compatibility was bad.

In the meantime, Phoenix opened its mouth wide.

I recalled the list of Phoenix’s skills I had looked at earlier and immediately predicted the next skill and shouted.

“That’s ‘Burning Exhalation’… a skill that spits out flames! Everyone, come behind me and bow your heads!!”

Fortunately, we were one step faster this time.

The defensive barrier of Nerebloka that I had barely activated in time protected our party from the blazing flames.

In addition, rain began to pour down one or two drops at a time from the dark clouds that Cheonggwang had summoned .

Thud, thud, swoosh—

The rain pouring down on the ship extinguished the flames.

Phoenix, who witnessed this situation, let out a long cry as if indignant.

Kaaaak—!!

I kept the shield as it was and told the party,

“Luciana, Petros, you two stay here and guard the ship.”

Luciana’s skills mainly summoned plants to attack, so she was not good against Phoenix, who used flames.

Petros was the same. Petros’s skills were focused on close combat with a spear as his main weapon, so he was not good against Phoenix.

So I gave Luciana the flute that could control the ghost ship, and spoke to Bliss and the Mongmas.

“You guys, let’s fly together and lure Phoenix somewhere else. The demons can fly anyway, so it doesn’t matter, and Bliss, get the succubus wings from Petros.”

Finally, I gave instructions to Cheong-gwang.

“Cheong-gwang, stay on the ship like Luciana and Petros and put out the fire on the ship.”

After confirming that the group nodded, I went outside the Nerebloka defense shield.

Bliss and the demon siblings also flew up after me and surrounded Phoenix.

Bliss was wearing succubus wings, and the demons had used their combination skills to merge into one.

“Focus on keeping them away from the ship!”

Bliss heard my shout and swung her blade, cutting off the tips of Phoenix’s wings. She

then immediately turned around and flew in the opposite direction of the ship.

Phoenix, who had been provoked, let out a long howl and followed Bliss.

We occasionally provoked him and succeeded in luring him far away so that he wouldn’t pay attention to the ship.

Thanks to that, the ghost ship was safe. However―

‘What should we do now? How can we hunt the phoenix that regenerates no matter how much we cut it? … .’

It was a monster called the ‘phoenix’ because it couldn’t be killed.

So hunting it would be impossible. There

was only one way.

‘Should I purify it?’

Since I couldn’t kill it, I thought it would be better to purify it like I did with Cheonggwang.

Of course, there was the difficulty of having to ‘contact’ the phoenix while using the Non-Aggression Pact skill to purify its evil energy… But it was still a more realistic solution than killing the phoenix.

It was at that moment when I was lost in thought.

【【Whew!!】】

Phoenix suddenly activated its skill 「Burning Exhalation (S)」 toward the Mongma siblings.

A hot ball of flame narrowly passed the Mongma siblings.

I immediately swung my sword at Phoenix to restrain it.

The flying sword energy split the Phoenix’s body in two, but it quickly regenerated like a phoenix.

I asked the Mongma siblings during that time.

“Are you okay?!”

【【That didn’t work! More importantly, aerial combat is unfavorable!! Let’s drag it down!!】】

I was momentarily lost in thought after hearing the Mongma’s words.

‘To drag the Phoenix down, we first have to cut off its wings. The problem is that even if we cut them off, they’ll just recover right away… … .’

I had to find a way to slow down its recovery.

At that moment, a thought suddenly popped into my head.

“Bliss! I’ll cut off its wings first, so can you quickly freeze the cut surface in the meantime?”

“You’re trying to freeze the cut surface to prevent regeneration?”

“Huh! Is that possible?”

“I don’t know if it’ll work, but I think it’s worth a try.”

We agreed.

I waited for Bliss to prepare her skill, then immediately shot my sword energy to cut off one of the Phoenix’s wings.

After that, Bliss threw the blade while activating the skill “Blue Claws of the Frozen Corpse (A)”. The cold blade barely passed

Phoenix’s cut surface, freezing the area it touched. Crap— it was

a

success. Once the cut surface was frozen ,

the wings would no longer regenerate .

Kaaa … .” “I can’t use it twice. There’s a skill cooldown.” “Is that so?” In that case, the method of blocking regeneration like just now couldn’t be used. Another method was needed. Another way to tie up that violent Phoenix. At that moment― KAAAAAAH―!! The Phoenix opened its mouth wide and let out a strange roar. It wasn’t a simple howl. ‘It’s a skill! It’s a mental skill… … !’ A terrifying roar. It was probably a skill that made the body freeze and stop when they heard the roar.

It seemed that I wasn’t the only one affected by the skill, and Bliss and the demons also froze in that position.

And Phoenix didn’t miss that opportunity.

“… … !!”

Phoenix rushed at me with one wing cut off.

It then bit my shoulder with its sharp beak and swung it around in the air.

My body was paralyzed. I couldn’t even react as one of my arms was ripped off.

“Your Majesty!!”

【【Nickelus!!】】

Bliss and the demons, finally freed from the power of the fearful roar skill, called out to me one after another.

Of course, I couldn’t answer.

A terrible pain surged from my severed arm, and my mind went blank.

‘Damn it… … .’

I gritted my teeth and looked at my arm.

It really was ripped off.

Of course, drinking the elixir would completely cure it, but in any case, seeing my shoulder ripped off was quite a shocking experience.

Phoenix let out a growling sound as he looked at my torn arm like a wing. It must have been mocking him.

“Your Majesty! Are you okay?!”

【【Brother, your arm… …!!】】

Bliss and the demons approached me and checked my condition one after another.

I made a calming gesture with my remaining arm to them.

“Don’t be so excited. One bottle of elixir will cure you. For now, let’s take care of that one.”

I glared at Phoenix, who was flapping its wings as if to keep us in check.

Unlike me, whose forearm was still ripped off, its severed wing was slowly recovering.

If it recovered, it would attack with feathers like before.

I held the Sword of Judgement with my right hand, which was still intact, and stood up.

“Let’s seal off their movements for now. I’ll be the one finishing them off.”

【【Understood!!】】

“Understood.”

Then, Bliss and the demon siblings simultaneously activated their skills.

First, the Mongma siblings flew into the sky, spreading their wings.

Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo!

It was a punishment raining down.

Phoenix, who was in the attack range, screamed in pain, but as expected, it immediately regenerated its body.

But that didn’t matter.

After all, the punishment raining down was just a skill for deceiving the eyes, and our real goal was different.

Tsk tsk—

While the Mongma siblings were confusing Phoenix with the punishment raining down, Bliss activated the Eternal Snow Shackles.

The ground ‘tsk tsk—’ froze, and Phoenix’s two feet also froze for a moment.

Its movements were sealed.

Next, it was my turn.

I held my sword with my remaining arm and rushed at Phoenix.

‘The third form… I think I can use it now.’

I had learned something from talking to Cheongwang earlier.

Even people close to you can become objects of longing.

That’s why I missed them. If I don’t defeat Phoenix right now, I might lose my people.

And I swung my sword, filled with all my heart, at Phoenix.