Everyone quieted down, including the weeping girls from the Qinqin Fan Love Group.
Everyone wanted to hear what Rody had to say at this moment.
Even Rody's opponents, or those who saw him as a lifelong rival, felt that Rody's life was like two extremes of ice and fire. On one side, there were comrades and girls who crazily supported him; on the other, powerful forces that wished to see him dead. Such forces were formidable enough to make anyone cautious, including kings who dared not utter a word against them.
Was Rody really a necromancer?
Was that why the temple was so desperate to destroy him, tearing apart its façade of righteousness and charity? Unless Rody was an evil necromancer, offending the justice that the temple fiercely protected...
Everyone, including his enemies, was watching him intently, curious about what he would say.
"You must be wondering, how a novice magic apprentice, who can't even cast a small fireball and is the most useless magician, could stand in the top hundred of the Magic and Martial Arts Tournament, competing with elites from various countries, even defeating powerful temple knights. How could a one-star novice magic apprentice be so strong?" Rody's pale face showed a mocking smile, very light and faint, "If we go back seventeen years to the birth of the third young master of the Laien family in the Koro territory, people cheered for him because the Laien family had a once-in-a-century magic genius. Father Saito who baptized him confirmed this, noticing that the third young master's mental power was like a rich gemstone mine, with unlimited potential for growth..."
Many people knew a bit about Rody's past.
But more were unaware.
"When he was five years old, the Laien family's third young master was determined to have no magical sensitivity, turning a once-in-a-century future magic genius into a laughingstock! At eight, the temple declared his blood blasphemed the gods, refusing him the chance to become a sacred and great Light magician! Later, the third young master of Korodi was not only no longer a young master but became a bird catcher of Koro," Rody said with a faint smile: "After eight, he had to pick wild vegetables and catch fish to feed himself and his mother, his young mother weak and bedridden, longing for the man who had driven them out."
Many people shed sympathetic tears upon hearing this.
It was hard for them to imagine an eight-year-old child, abandoned by his father, struggling for survival with his mother.
"To earn a bit of bread money, the young third young master would do any laborious work for others, shoeing horses, burning charcoal, chopping wood, cutting pig grass, herding cattle, washing clothes... He would do anything to survive, even without pay, even if it was just a hard piece of black bread. He survived and grew up, learning to hunt to make a living," Rody said calmly. "If he didn’t have two brothers close to becoming temple knights, then Koro would have had one more outstanding hunter. But when he learned that a half-brother intended to burn him at the stake for blasphemy and evil, he fled Koro overnight with his mother, enduring hardships, arriving in Felik through a storm, hiding in this sparsely populated forest duchy until today. In his undisturbed days, he grew up cherishing his time. He didn’t need magical sensitivity; with just mental power, he could become strong, so the world had one more Magic Kid Rody..."
"Whatever you say can't hide your evil deeds." Lot, whose injuries had greatly improved under holy light magic but was doomed to lose his left eye, roared angrily: "Why don't you tell everyone that when you fled Koro, you used despicable means to kill my loyal servant Marcus and his wife?"
"Everything you said, Lieutenant Rody, is not true, just an excuse to hide your identity as an evil necromancer. You exploit everyone's sympathy, making them pity your plight. But, Lieutenant Rody, you underestimate the justice of the temple. For justice, no matter who you are, no matter how many people want to protect you, no matter how many are bewitched by your mental manipulation, we will judge you!" Archbishop Gao Pero declared solemnly: "In the name of the God of Light, we will not tolerate any evil on our land."
"You keep saying Rody is an evil necromancer, but what proof do you have? You trash!" Stanley jumped out, roaring like thunder.
"I'll prove it." Suddenly, Temple Knight Terry, Lot's elder brother, descended from the sky.
"Everyone knows you're a lapdog of the temple, get lost, don't bark here!" Jesse and others immediately retorted, and the girls from the Qinqin Fan Love Group in the audience were crying and scolding Rody's heartless elder brother.
"Ladies and gentlemen, kings and distinguished guests, this is a message from my father," Terry raised a memory crystal.
"..." Wawa, the little hostess, didn't take it, but a magician beside her did and played the stored image. Everyone was extremely quiet, wanting to know what Rody's father, who had abandoned him years ago, would say. The Elite Team and the girls from the Qinqin Fan Love Group's hearts sank, knowing that this father, who had abandoned Rody early on, probably had nothing good to say.
The magic image showed a study room. Lord Warren of Koro, the father of the Magic Kid, sat upright and serious, his face solemn and his eyes sad. He said slowly, "To everyone seeing this image, please listen to me. Do not be deceived by my abandoned son, Rody. He is indeed a necromancer, without a doubt."
The crowd erupted in uproar, shocked that Rody's father would speak such words.
"My abandoned son, Rody, craved power and ceaselessly practiced evil necromancy. He accidentally discovered the skeletal remains of a necromancer imprisoned by our ancestors in a secret chamber in the mountains, inheriting necromantic powers, thus transforming into the so-called Magic Kid... I cannot determine whether he is my abandoned son or the evil necromancer Nicholas from three hundred years ago," Lord Warren spoke as if about someone else's son, his expression stern and composed.
The people clamored, too disturbed to listen to the rest of Lord Warren's speech.
Many felt sorry for Rody. Not only did he have two brothers intent on his death, but also such a father, a great blow in his life. Even if Rody was a necromancer, he had not harmed anyone and was a hero in the human protection war.
Having suffered hardships and battled on the battlefield, he also made countless inventions to facilitate people's lives. Now, the Temple and his father sought to kill him over a possibly untrue necromancer identity, giving him no chance to explain or defend himself.
"Wawa, the little hostess, suddenly spoke: "Ladies and gentlemen, kings and guests, there is something we need to know about the difference between evil necromancers and ordinary people. Necromancers worship the dark gods and must sacrifice large amounts of blood daily to maintain their powers. The stronger the necromancer, the more blood is needed. They must kill daily, not only to drink blood but also to maintain their evil power. Though powerful, their bodies are corroded by dark elements, eventually becoming skeletal. Have any of you seen such signs in Lieutenant Rody? What does this mean? Maybe he is just mentally superior, not an evil necromancer!"
"No, he is," Archbishop Gao Pero of the Temple immediately denied. "He absolutely is."
"Terry, loudly addressing the kings, guests, and the wise little hostess, said, "What you see is an illusion. Rody is adept at disguising. He channels his blood sacrifices and lives onto the battlefield, making everyone see only his bravery, not realizing he is killing and sacrificing daily to dark gods. As for his body not yet being corrupted to a skeletal state, he hasn’t reached that level yet and is very skilled in disguise magic. Plus, his reclusive nature has kept people from noticing any abnormalities in his body."
"Use his blood to prove that this bastard is an evil necromancer!" After hastily bandaging himself, Lott jumped out and shouted, "Bring the holy water! Let his blood drop into it, and everyone will understand immediately!" Temple mages and knights brought a dish of holy water and two bottles. All the magic reporters crowded close, focusing their memory crystals on the holy water. King William II and many royals stood up, watching the upcoming test. Is Rody really an evil necromancer? If so, the holy water will react; if not, there will be no reaction.
When the blood from the first bottle was poured into the holy water, it bubbled fiercely, settling down only after a while. The temple mage explained to the stunned crowd that this was the blood of an evil demon. The second bottle's blood was gently dripped in, and the entire dish of holy water remained calm at first, but just as everyone was about to relax, it began to boil intensely.
The crowd gasped in shock, Rody's blood seemed even more evil than the demon's?
"Why are you all just looking at the dish in the temple mage's hand?" Chris stood up, holding a bottle in his hand. He held up the prayer holy water, glowing with holy light, for everyone to see clearly. Then, he cut Rody's hand with a dagger, letting his blood drip directly into the prayer holy water.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Huh?" The people waited, but saw no reaction.
Why did the same holy water and Rody's blood produce two completely different results? Perhaps one party's holy water and blood had been tampered with. Though unsure who did the tampering, the crowd was more inclined to believe in the authenticity of Chris's side. Prayer holy water can't be faked; it's the strongest, purest holy water, feared even by demons, and can only be obtained by the most devout through prolonged prayer.
As for the blood, Chris had cut Rody's skin in full view of everyone, leaving no room for deception.
"That Chris tampered with it, we should redo the test with our people!" Lott accused loudly.
"Right, change to your people, so you can secretly replace Rody's blood with demon blood and deceive the tens of thousands present," retorted Chris. As soon as he finished, the elite squad booed, and hot-tempered members like Stanley and Lopeck cursed angrily.
"If you think this is the only evidence, you are greatly mistaken," Lott shouted, "Come out."
A man dressed as a mercenary walked out timidly. Seeing him, the elite squad was stunned.
Rody's expression remained unchanged, but the mockery at the corner of his lips deepened. Chris looked towards Big Beard Maru, who was rushing over from a distance, and angrily shouted at the mercenary, "Bern, what are you doing here? Are you going to testify for the temple that Lieutenant Rody is a necromancer?"
"Protect the witness!" Terry gestured, and a dozen temple knights surrounded Bern for protection. He pushed aside the angry Big Beard Maru and patted the mercenary Bern on the shoulder, saying, "Speak freely, tell everything you know. Under God's glorious light, no one can harm you here! As a friend of justice and a witness against evil, you will be under the strong protection of our temple for life!"
"Lieutenant Ro-Rody, he, he is a nec-necromancer, I, I have seen..." Bern, the mercenary, stammered out his testimony.
He claimed to have seen Rody summon skeletons to fight against orcs and wield a dry bone hand to cast necromancy spells, even using evil necromancy during orc interrogations.
Bern implied that Rody's easy victory over orc soldiers was due to his use of evil necromancy.
"You bastard, you... your conscience must be eaten by dogs, I curse you! Who saved you? Do you remember who saved you when you were poisoned by a snake? You trash! Who saved you when you were almost killed by an orc berserker? Who gave you food when you had none? Bern, I dare say, you are worse than a dog! If Rody had saved a dog, it would still loyally guard his door. You son of a bitch!" Big Beard Maru, with veins bulging in anger, wanted to rush and beat Bern but was kicked away by the temple knights. Keri pulled him back, and the elite squad members restrained him.
"Be angry, because he spoke the truth, hitting right at your heart!" Terry laughed loudly.
"Captain... I, waaah, waaaah!" Bern, the mercenary, collapsed weakly to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. He crawled towards Big Beard Maru, but before he could reach his captain, Maru's furious punch sent him flying, blood spattering on the ground.
"Don't call me captain, you piece of shit, I don't know you!" Big Beard Maru roared, seething with rage.
"After the trial of Rody, we will judge all the crimes of you evil allies." Terry had the weeping Bern taken away by the temple knights and sneered, "Do you still need evidence? I know you won't give up easily. Come on, play this again. When you think you can exonerate Rody after all your tricks, you won't expect that we have secret footage that you don't know about... God is omnipotent, watching you clowns from the sky. Do you think you can deceive the gods? Fools, let me tell you, that's a big joke!"
Another magician approached the memory crystal and played it. In the footage, people's attention returned to the blood-and-fire battlefield of the land of evil. The number of orc soldiers far exceeded the elite squad, and everyone was retreating rapidly, with Rody and Chris at the rear, blocking the orc soldiers.
People saw that besides the life vines, Rody summoned an old goblin wizard to help cast spells. But it was a drop in the bucket. As the elite squad was about to be overtaken, and the mercenaries at the back, including the big-bearded Maru who was delayed in retreating due to filming and the previously mentioned mercenary Bern, were caught up by the orcs. People saw Rody summon new war pets, two mantises, and a rabbit, attacking the orc soldiers swiftly.
Behind Rody, a skeleton appeared, casting black magic with a bone staff, casting it on the two mantises and the rabbit. Most orc warriors were attracted by the magic, chasing the two mantises and the rabbit. But the orc berserker pursuing Bern was stronger-willed and farther away, and it wasn't affected. At the critical moment, Rody, holding a bone hand, cast a black beam, stiffening the orc berserker. Then, two strange creatures, not quite human or skeletal, under Rody's command, carried away Bern while fearlessly attacking the orc berserker.
Countless orc warriors surged up, chopping the obstructing skeletal creature into more than ten pieces. Rody used the life vine to shoot and retrieve the skeleton's head, then, pulling Chris, followed the main force at high speed. Along the way, he even summoned several clay creatures to stop the orc soldiers' pursuit... In this battle, the skeleton mage, goblin wizard, and the sword-wielding skeleton creature were all left with only heads or half bodies.
In the next battlefield, in a critical moment, Rody summoned them again, incomplete, to rescue his companions. Sometimes, in places with deep mud, Rody used them to explore the way. Or seeing a swamp crocodile, he would use a female skeleton creature to silently drain the life from the crocodile. When the elite squad was exhausted and asleep, it was Rody, using skeleton creatures to guard in the distance... Throughout the battle, Rody summoned and used undead creatures dozens of times, even several times seen using a bone hand to cast black magic.
People were moved to tears, unsure of what to say. Everyone's feelings were incredibly complex, filled with emotion, shock, disappointment, fear, passion, sympathy, and... heartache!
The battle hero in the eyes of the world, that magical boy who seemed capable of anything, was actually a necromancer! The temple's claim was true: he was indeed a necromancer! However, many were also touched by him. Rody never summoned skeleton creatures for himself. It was always when his companions were hurt or in danger. After battles, he would shy away from everyone's gaze, silently picking up the skeletal remains on the ground, sitting far away, his eyes filled with sorrowful wounds, breaking the heart of anyone who saw him.
Perhaps becoming a necromancer wasn't Rody's wish. Moreover, he was not like those evil necromancers people knew; on the contrary, he was greater, more luminous, and more righteous than anyone... People saw more than once how he drank holy water, and even the skeleton creatures he summoned showed no fear of holy water and holy light magic.
This secret recording let people understand more about the hardships of the elite squad and the difficulty of their victories. Without Rody and his fearless, endlessly regenerating skeleton creatures, it would have been hard for the elite squad to survive countless battles unscathed, let alone make it out of the land of evil alive.
Although it was confirmed that Rody was a necromancer, and people deeply believed it, they couldn't bring themselves to blame or accuse him... This magical boy Rody, who created zero casualties in the great war against the orc demons, was not wrong, nor was he evil!
...
"Ladies and gentlemen, you have all seen it, haven't you? If I now say that Rody is an evil necromancer, I believe no one will have any objections! This is his true face; this is why our family had to cast him out; this is why the temple must judge him! In the light of the God, the truth can never be hidden!" Terry laughed triumphantly.
"By the will of the God of Light, let us judge the evil necromancer Rody!" Phoebus, the archangel of holy light, solemnly declared.
Thousands of temple knights and temple personnel swiftly surrounded the elite squad, with their spears pointed directly at Rody, who stood in the middle. Prince Norn sighed softly, and William II repeatedly shook his head, both sinking back into their seats, completely concealing themselves. As representatives of the state, they could not say no to the temple for the sake of one Rody, despite regretting his military talent and exceptional wisdom. Now was not the time for them to speak.
The Queen glanced at her husband, her expression subtly changing. She looked towards the fan group, seeing them holding their heads in grief, and quietly sent a few maids over.
"A bright and great angel, God's mercy and majesty are with us, Rody is not at fault, why not let him repent and atone?" A woman's shrill voice cried out, eliciting agreement from thousands, starting with the fan group, then softening the hearts of all the girls, and finally many men joined in, over and over again.
"Forgive Rody, Forgive Rody, Forgive Rody..." Nearly a hundred thousand people were chanting in unison, more and more joining in.
"Forgive..." In front of magic screens around the world, though knowing those at the venue could not hear, countless people still excitedly stood up, fists raised, loudly calling for 'Forgiveness for Rody'. This was everyone's heartfelt desire, regardless of Rody's identity as a necromancer, he was not an evil person, but just a child struggling in a cruel fate!
"Impossible! People of the earth, do not be deceived and beguiled by evil, God's will never changes!" The archangel Phoebus firmly refused the people's request.
"Charge, take down all the evil allies!" Lot shouted excitedly.
"Wait!" Rody stood up, his face glowing, scaring the temple knights, who stepped aside to let him through. Rody looked back at the elite squad, seeing his companions' faces streaming with tears and their look of despair, he smiled and said, "Yes, it's evil me who deceived them. I admit, I am an evil necromancer, skilled in beguiling minds. I've manipulated the minds of every member of the elite squad, and even those girls in the fan group... they've been under my control without knowing, and are still not awake to this moment..."
"Take him down!" Terry drew his sword and shouted authoritatively.
"Why so hasty? Don't you even have the patience to hear me out? Holy and righteous knights of the temple, is it your style to harm the innocent rather than protect the souls of mankind?" Rody laughed, "Everyone knows, when a necromancer dies, all his evil vanishes. So, when I die, everyone will wake up, including the elite squad and the fan group... Righteous knights, aren't you here to judge evil? Come on, I accept your judgment! Hurry and take me away before I change my mind... The angel Phoebus surely knows, capturing evil me is not that easy..."
"No, boss, what are you talking about?" Stanley shouted, "Why are you admitting this? Why are you doing this? You fool!"
"We'll fight them!" Lopek cried, "Do you think we'd let these scumbags take you away? Not even in their dreams!"
"Brothers, attack!" Jesse also went crazy.
"Who dares to move?" Chris slapped Jesse, and his hand didn't stop there, slapping Lopek, Keri, Stanley, one after another, resounding slaps echoed. Chris, with tears streaming down his face, screamed, "All of you stand still, no one moves! Now I'm the deputy squad leader, Rody's gone, you have to listen to me! Everyone drop your weapons, shut your mouths, and leave this place with me, now! This is an order!"
"I can't do that!" Stanley shouted, "I won't leave, even if it kills me!"
"I'll kill you right now!" Chris hit him with several slaps, then punched and kicked Stanley down, yelling at Keri, "Drag this fool away, if you can't, I'll kill you too!"
"You want to leave? Evil allies will be put on the pyre as well!" Lot signaled the temple knights to attack.
"General Lot... We don't know any evil necromancer, we have nothing to do with him!" Chris walked in front of Rody, looked at him tearfully, and loudly asked, "I don't know you, do you know me? Evil necromancer?"
"I don't know you!" Rody smiled, "Leave now, I hate seeing men more handsome than me in my life!"
"You heard him, he doesn't know us..." Chris shrieked, waving at the elite squad behind him, "Let's go, this is an order!"
"Wait a minute, wait a minute! He said he doesn't know you, Lieutenant Chris, and though I'm skeptical, I'm still pleased to hear such a statement!" Lot laughed loudly: "But just because the evil necromancer doesn't know you doesn't mean he doesn't know your subordinates, and your subordinates might not be the same as you! Lieutenant Chris, have each of your subordinates ask him, otherwise, they cannot leave."
"I do know him! Lot, you bastard!" Stanley charged out, embracing Rody, only to be knocked down by a heavy punch from Chris. Keri and several members of the elite squad rushed forward, dragging away the shouting Stanley, all while tearfully shouting 'I don't know him'. Lopek at the back also started to cry and make a scene, and a group of people dragged the stubborn ox, quietly saying 'I don't know him', wiping the tears off their faces, and leaving disheartened.
"Girls of the fan group, if you still wish, then follow me..." Chris didn't look at those crying girls, but kept turning back to look at Rody. His tear-streaked face made everyone feel heartbroken.
What were once the best of friends, the most in-sync partners, in such a dire situation, both chose to sever ties with each other for the sake of more lives.
Perhaps their hearts hadn't changed, but the situation forcing them to verbally disown each other was frustrating.
The tears of Chris and the smile on Rody's face broke everyone's heart... A magical martial arts competition that was going well, unexpectedly, was changed by an angel from the heavens, bringing a nightmarish night to all. Nobody liked such an ending, nor the process.
What people really needed was not to see the magical boy turned into a necromancer, but to be brought more surprises by him.
No one wanted to see Rody judged and sent to the pyre to be burned... Everyone only wished to see his victorious moments, to hear about his new surprises. They might be jealous of his popularity, but even in jealousy, no one wanted to see him die in front of them.
Because he was the hero in everyone's hearts!
No one wanted to see the hero they most admired, took pride in, and boasted about, suddenly destroyed, falling with the stigma of evil, ending his short life on the pyre.
"Rody, we love you, forever and always, forever, forever! Forever..." The girls of the fan group cried and screamed.
"You are our hero... Rody, you are the hero!"
They were numerous and from all walks of life, connected to countless families, so the temple knights of the sanctuary, hearing them, pretended not to hear. While following Chris to leave, these girls of the fan group cried all the way, obviously knowing that thousands of unarmed girls and over a hundred elite members couldn't stand against the temple's army.
Of course, they wouldn't give up rescuing Rody, and that was precisely the reason they left with Chris.