When the Pope Becomes Competent - Chapter 65



Only Noblemtl

◈65. A unique way to prove your qualifications

【… … It’s a shame. The last apostle of Lucid Miller is such a foolish and arrogant person.】

Doria’s comment on my answer of not choosing was like this.

He accused me of being stupid and arrogant, very bluntly.

The disappointment is so blatantly apparent… … .

I guess he thought I was just being stubborn.

But I was wrong. I wasn’t just being stubborn right now.

‘I intend to prove my worthiness as an apostle in some other way. Other than the wager you proposed.’

【… … ?】

This time too, Doria didn’t seem to understand what I was saying… no, my thoughts.

The boy’s sense of doubt was conveyed to me, but I continued to ignore it.

‘Of course I understand your anxiety. You must be worried that the same old story will repeat itself. That’s why you’re taking the time to check on me… my qualifications.’

That’s why Doria ignores the screams of the people here.

To test whether I am fit to be an apostle, and at the same time to shock me with what happened today, so that I can become a more obedient apostle.

In conclusion, it could be said that the deaths of people here were simply sacrifices for a greater salvation.

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand. But―

‘Even if I understand, I still don’t like it. I’m in this situation where I’m your loyal ant, and I’m only worrying about the choices you gave me. So I’m going to prove my worth in my own way.’

【… … But if you don’t accept the bet, you won’t be able to get your body back.】

‘Really? I don’t think so.’

【… … ?】

Ants have their own paths that only they can enter and exit.

Before I set off on that path, I checked first.

‘Information window opens. Detailed description of deification skill opens.’

Opening the information window was possible without physically moving, as it was a simple matter of reciting a command in one’s head.

So here is a detailed explanation of the skill I just opened.

The content was, as expected, the same as before, without any changes.

[Deification (L)]

– A first-class being possesses the body.

– The rate at which ability values ​​increase varies depending on the ability of the divine being and the ability of the apostle.

-There is no limit to the number of times or time that the skill can be used.

(But only as long as the law of causality is not distorted due to excessive intervention by a divine being.)

What you should pay attention to is the text written in those parentheses.

Skills can be used without restriction until the causality is distorted by the intervention of a divine being… … .

In other words, this meant that if the causality began to be distorted due to the intervention of a divine being, the skill would be canceled.

Besides, Doria himself had already revealed this.

He said that he must be careful not to distort the laws of the world… the law of causality due to his intervention.

And this was Doria’s weakness.

‘You are a human being who has entered an ant hole. You are not free.’

【… … ?】This time again, I did not explain in words to Doria, who was puzzled.

Instead, I activated the skill to show it directly.

The skill that was activated was―

[Skill “Deification (L)” has been activated.]

[The effect of the skill “Deification (L)” causes a being with a 1st-grade rank to reside in your body.]

[All abilities, including your attack power, increase due to the effect of the skill “Deification (L).”]

*Ability Increase Rate: ???

*Skill Duration: ???

Deification… I have once again activated the skill that has put me in such a predicament.

It wasn’t difficult. This skill could be activated indefinitely as long as causality allowed.

Wasn’t it written like that in the information window?

【What are you doing now… …!】

‘Now, come deeper into the ant hole.’

I thought to myself, towards Doria.

After that, the skill was activated again.

[Skill “Deification (L)” has been activated.]

[The effect of the skill “Deification (L)” causes a being with a 1st-grade rank to reside in your body.]

[All abilities, including your attack power, increase due to the effect of the skill “Deification (L).”]

*Ability Increase Rate: ???

*Skill Duration: ???

Already the 3rd skill used.

At one moment, I felt the divine power within my body increase explosively.

The feeling that my body would be torn apart if I did more.

But I couldn’t stop.

[Skill “Deification (L)” has been activated.]

[The effect of the skill “Deification (L)” causes a being with a 1st-grade rank to reside in your body.]

[All abilities, including your attack power, increase due to the effect of the skill “Deification (L).”]

*Ability Increase Rate: ???

*Skill Duration: ???

That’s how I activated the fourth skill.

Then Doria cried out.

【Stop! If you do this any longer, your body and soul won’t be able to handle it!! It means that your soul may burn and disappear forever because you forcibly took in Lucid Miller’s power… …!! Then, even if you turn back time, you won’t be able to come back to life… …!! Is that what you want?!】

‘Not yet. I can do a little more.’

【… … Okay, I’ll just say you won the bet. I’ll teach you how to use the Deification skill and give you back control of your body, so stop now―】

Doria said so, but he didn’t listen.

I took advantage of the pause in conversation to activate the skill again.

[Skill “Deification (L)” has been activated.]

[The effect of the skill “Deification (L)” causes a being with a 1st-grade rank to reside in your body.]

[All abilities, including your attack power, increase due to the effect of the skill “Deification (L).”]

*Ability Increase Rate: ???

*Skill Duration: ???

There were five in total, including the one just now.

The L-rank skill was activated a whopping five times.

My head turned white as if it was burning.

It wasn’t just a simple headache.

A deep and terrible pain, as if the soul itself was being damaged, as Doria had said, clawed at my head.

But it wasn’t in vain.

Because the message I’ve been waiting and waiting for has finally come to me.

※warning※

*Collapse rate: 0.3%

Yeah, I’ve been waiting for this message to come up for a while now.

For that purpose, he activated his skill several times to drag the divine being… Doria into the ants’ cramped hole.

Doria’s body, which had only a finger slightly inside the ant hole, was being dragged in by me, up to her wrist, forearm, and shoulder.

As a result, the cramped ant hole was in danger of collapse.

The law of causality was beginning to break down.

The results were immediate.

[The Deification skill is automatically canceled due to the collapse of causality.]

*Time left until cancellation: 10 seconds

As stated in the detailed description of the skill, the use of the skill was eventually restricted due to the distortion of causality.

I was finally able to get Doria out of my body.

Since my body still hadn’t moved, I smiled inwardly.

‘Okay, now get out. The ants will take care of the ants’ business.’

【… … .】

Doria’s displeasure was clearly felt through the silence.

It didn’t matter if I was upset.

Now there are 8 seconds left until the skill is automatically deactivated… no, 7 seconds.

After 7 seconds, Doria had to get out of my body even if she didn’t want to.

It was a time when I was waiting for such a short time to pass.

【I’ll take back what I said about you being foolish and arrogant. I was wrong. You’re arrogant, but not foolish.】

‘6 seconds to go.’

【I was thinking of trying it out because I didn’t really trust you, but I feel a little better now. I think I can trust you with my world once more.】

‘5 seconds’

【So since I’ve decided to leave it to you… I’ll give you one last piece of advice.】

‘3 seconds.’

There are only 3 seconds left until the skill is released.

At that moment, with only three seconds left before he left my body, Doria quickly gave me one last piece of advice.

【Go back 23 minutes.】

‘… … ?’

【You’ll probably use the ring to revive the people here. Go back 23 minutes. That should be just right.】

It’s also easy.

Doria expected that I would soon use the Hidden Piece, the “Ring of the Goddess’ Mercy” to turn back time.

23 minutes ago is that before the tree was resurrected?

Maybe it would actually be possible to turn back time by that amount.

I’m not sure if I can set the rewind time at will because I haven’t used this item yet.

【I will reserve a little of my power, so you can save people with it. I will return to my treasure trove in the sky and watch over your activities. This is the extent of the help I can give you without breaking the law of causality. I hope that you will come to your senses and do well. As the successor to Lucid Miller, I earnestly hope that you will go down the right path.】

‘1 second.’

Although he kept nagging until the last second, Doria was unable to finish his words.

The skill duration has ended.

[The duration of the skill “Deification (L)” has ended. A being with a rank of 1 has withdrawn from your body.]

As soon as the message appeared, I moved my finger.

Click. My fingertips moved according to my thoughts.

I never thought that my body moving the way I wanted would be such a fucking happy thing… … .

“after…….”

I sighed deeply, ‘according to my will.’

I really wanted to enjoy this freedom I had now.

But unfortunately, the situation was not relaxed enough to enjoy anything like that.

“Ahhhh!!”

“Please save me!”

“Whoa!”

Screams continued one after another, leaving me no time to come to my senses.

I turned my head in the direction of the tree… a huge homework assignment that I had yet to solve.

Still, the trees and branches were horribly huge and ugly.

While talking to Doria, there were also corpses of people impaled on tree branches… … .

It was while I was staring at Timor, who was impaled alongside the corpses.

“Your Majesty! Come to your senses!”

“Luciana.”

“You need to come to your senses! This is not the time to be looking at the moon! Even Sir Argelio is like this… …!!”

After hearing Luciana’s words, I looked around and saw Argelio lying behind her, bleeding.

Luciana seemed to have been protected, but was not impaled on a tree branch, and had already been pierced through the abdomen.

The guy was panting in pain to the point where it seemed better to just stop his breathing.

Bliss was also seen nearby. It seemed that she had sensed the commotion late and had managed to sneak through the sturdy palace walls.

A few people managed to escape thanks to the guy breaking through the wall, but it was too late.

His expression also took on a dark shade, as most of them were already miserably hanging corpses.

and-

Gggggg… … .

A tree soaked in the blood from the corpses was growing, making a strange noise.

Before I knew it, black, egg-like things had formed on the top of the branches, like fruits.

It was a familiar form.

‘Magic source… … So that’s how it grows from seeds.’

To perform the fifth main oracle, ‘Purification of the Ruins’, ten magic sources were destroyed near the Nerebloka Temple.

The magic circles I had destroyed back then were all different sizes, but their shapes were exactly the same. Egg-shaped fruits on trees.

I thought that maybe they too, like this magic source, had grown from seeds that someone had planted.

After I had memorized its shape, I went to Luciana.

The injured Luciana and the already deceased Argelio… … .

When I saw them, it all felt unrealistic, and my voice came out calmly.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t respond quickly. I’ll try better next time.”

“Yes… … ? The second… one?”

Luciana asked, looking so bewildered.

I just said this to her.

“See you later.”

I looked at the hidden piece, the ‘Ring of the Goddess’s Mercy’, that I had been wearing since before I came to this world.

At some point, it was emitting a light so bright that it seemed blinding.