Chen Fan's expression was grave. He glanced down at his pocket, took a deep breath, and was about to make another move when, unexpectedly, Ge Jun also approached!
"I'll help you."
He brandished his Dragon-Slaying Spear in front of him, looking at the Pope with hatred.
"Oh?"
The Pope looked at Ge Jun with amusement. "Another old friend, I see."
A most welcome surprise.
It had always been his regret that Ge Jun had escaped him years ago. He never expected to encounter him here.
The Pope nodded. "In that case, you too, make a move and let me see if you've improved after all these years."
His attitude was so dismissive that he clearly didn't take either of them seriously.
Ge Jun's eyes blazed with even greater fury!
He had cultivated tirelessly for years precisely for this battle!
If he couldn't behead the Pope with his own hands, he might as well end his own life!
"Die!"
Ge Jun was about to attack the Pope's face when, at that moment, Chen Fan's secret sound transmission reached him, "His fatal weakness is the crown of his head."
Ge Jun didn't know how Chen Fan had learned this.
But with the tacit understanding developed from their previous battles, they instantly understood and jointly attacked the Pope!
The Dragon-Slaying Spear and the Amatsukami Sword danced in a dense, relentless flurry of attacks.
Yet, the Pope stood his ground, his expression unchanged. Instead, he watched their assaults with an almost appreciative look.
"Mere fancy moves."
The Pope waved his hand in disappointment.
It seemed he had overestimated them.
After blocking their attacks once more, the Pope's patience ran out. "Alright, I've played with you enough for today!"
"Return with me to the Holy See for judgment."
As he spoke, he wielded his Gravity Scepter and attacked Ge Jun first—
Ge Jun was drawn in and trapped in place by him.
He neither dodged nor flinched.
At this critical moment, he unleashed all his divine power, firmly anchoring the scepter's light onto himself. Simultaneously, he roared at Chen Fan, who had soared upwards, "Now!"
He was sacrificing his life to hold the Pope's attack because—
*Boom!*
The Amatsukami Sword had reached the Pope's crown.
However!
By a mere inch!
The Pope blocked it with one hand!
"Insolent brat! How dare you!"
Chen Fan gritted his teeth, staring at the crown of the head, now within agonizing reach. His eyes were already bloodshot!
Ge Jun had risked his life to allow this strike to land!
But the Pope's hand now firmly gripped his Amatsukami Sword, preventing it from advancing even an inch further!
What to do!
Were he and Ge Jun doomed to die here today!?
"Brother Fan!"
Luosheng's small knife flew towards Chen Fan at that very moment!
Excellent timing!
Chen Fan gritted his teeth and contorted his body into a horrifying arc!
Then, he fiercely kicked the tail end of the small knife!
"No!"
For the first time, the Pope's face showed a flicker of fear!
He tried to reach out to block!
But his left and right sides were already restrained by Chen Fan and Ge Jun!
The two of them fought him with their lives, causing the Pope to lose his immediate chance to resist—
"Chink."
The sound of a knife piercing flesh.
Chen Fan's vision began to blur. He watched the color drain from the Pope's face.
He slowly closed his own eyes…
The force that had been pinning him seemed to loosen.
*Thump.*
He thought he heard a sound of something falling.
The Pope?!
He could hear the agonizing cries of the Holy See's followers—
But he could no longer hear them for long.
For Chen Fan had completely lost consciousness!
"Brother Fan!"
"Lord Pavilion!"
…
Chen Fan awoke three days later.
His bones felt as if they had been reforged, aching terribly.
As he pushed himself up from the bed, Chen Fan heard Luosheng's jubilant cry, "Brother Fan! You're awake!"
Seeing Luosheng's boisterous demeanor, Chen Fan began to feel a sense of reality return.
"The Pope—"
As soon as Chen Fan opened his mouth.
Luosheng immediately understood his meaning and quickly began to explain, "Three days ago, the great battle you fought was truly earth-shattering and soul-stirring. The people of Europe are still talking about it to this day. That battle..."
Chen Fan interrupted with a frown, "Get to the point."
Fine.
Luosheng sighed deeply, but then lifted his head, unable to hide his pride, "My small knife directly took the Pope's life!"
"Tsk, tsk. It seems the small knife my father gave me was no ordinary weapon."
He uttered this sentiment, only to immediately see Chen Fan's displeased expression. Luosheng instantly curbed his pride and slowly added, "After the Pope's death, the entire Holy See scattered like a broken ant nest. The battle situation was quickly brought under our control."
"These past few days, the major families have been clearing out the remaining remnants of the Holy See in Europe. The process has been smooth, and of course, it's due in no small part to the eager reporting by the common people."
Chen Fan frowned. "Reporting?"
Luosheng's tone gained some energy as he spoke of this. "Didn't the Pope issue an expulsion order? Guess where those people tried to flee!"
"That's right! To Santorris!"
"They ran headfirst into the Santorris citizens who had been impacted by the Hall of Rebirth, and the two groups ended up confronting each other. The people of Europe couldn't believe it, so the citizens of Santorris directly took them on a tour of Fallen Blossom Valley! This incident caused a sensation throughout Europe!"
"It almost stole the thunder from us killing the Pope!"
Truly, a single spark can start a prairie fire.