Though he did not fully endorse the Pope's radical approach, he understood the concern about the dragon church's rapid growth and feared that it might one day overshadow the Vatican.
The priest cleared his throat, and the whispers in the crowd ceased, leaving the room in silence.
"Today marks a significant day for our church, one that will be etched in history, and you are the witnesses to this momentous occasion. From now on, our church will be a dual-deity church. As you can see, we have added a statue of the great dragon. Many of you may wonder why the dragon has been included among our deities." He paused, scanning the crowd before continuing.
"Since the great dragon's appearance a mere decade ago, its power has grown exponentially. Initially discovered at seven meters, it has now grown to twenty meters, reaching heights that are nearly divine. One day, it will become the new god of this world.
"A divine reincarnation is always marked by extraordinary events. When the Holy Son descended, the Virgin conceived miraculously, and to save humanity, he was crucified, returning to the embrace of the Father. Grateful and faithful, humanity established the Vatican.
"Now, with the dragon's arrival, its rapid growth in power is an anomaly that signifies a divine reincarnation destined to return to the divine realm. Since the Holy Son's advent, the Vatican has witnessed fewer miracles, leading many to doubt God's existence. The dragon's arrival is a powerful testament to the divine's reality."
…
After leaving the church, the congregation was filled with confusion, disbelief, and excitement. Everyone was deep in thought, reflecting on the day's revelations.
In the Vatican, at the grand cathedral, the Pope sat in his chair, deep in contemplation. He worried that his actions had been too extreme, but he also feared that without such measures, the Vatican's influence would wane, eventually being overtaken by the dragon church and forgotten in the annals of history. Perhaps only theologians would remember the Vatican's former glory.
This drastic change would result in losing many followers and a period of decline for the Vatican. However, the Pope believed that short-term pain would lead to long-term growth and rejuvenation for the church.
The Vatican underwent a major purge, with all dissenters placed under house arrest. With the formidable Kevin, everything proceeded smoothly. Since Kevin's journey to Snake Valley, he had reached the legendary lesser heaven level, an almost divine status for a mortal.
The Pope had not anticipated such strong opposition to his proposal. These old traditionalists were stuck in their ways, unaware that the world had changed and that the Vatican could no longer rely on empty faith. The church needed a real, living miracle.
Perhaps, in the future, they would see the wisdom of his decision.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
There was still one task remaining: to contact the dragon—no, the great dragon. But the great dragon had disappeared, a significant headache for the Pope.
So, what was the dragon doing? It was standing in a clearing in front of its lair, facing a towering five-meter-high Golden Bell. The Golden Bell was covered in mysterious, flowing runes and hovered silently in the air.
Brandon inspected the Golden Bell from every angle, trying to understand it. The bell had once emitted a powerful sound, a display of might that had satisfied Brandon. But since then, no matter what Brandon tried, the Golden Bell remained silent.
To Brandon, the Golden Bell seemed like an illusion; his body could pass through it freely, making it impossible to strike. Even when he stood outside and swung a giant log at the Golden Bell, the log would pass right through as if the bell didn't exist in this space. He discovered that anything he held couldn't touch the Golden Bell.
So he picked up a stone and threw it at the bell. This time, the Golden Bell reacted, the stone rebounding back towards him, but there was no sound. No matter how hard Brandon tried, the bell remained silent.
Brandon started to recall the circumstances from before. The Golden Bell had sounded when it was struck by an electric current. He felt a wave of disappointment; he couldn't generate electricity. Did this mean he needed to summon lightning to make the Golden Bell produce infrasound? This was clearly impractical.
Then, a thought struck him—electricity! Electricity was a form of energy. What if he attacked the Golden Bell with energy? Brandon felt a surge of excitement. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Surely, ringing the Golden Bell couldn't be as complicated as summoning lightning.
He approached the Golden Bell, and from his claw, purplish-gold sparks began to flash. The light grew brighter and more intense. Soon, a basketball-sized energy orb formed in Brandon's claw. The energy orb glowed with a purplish-gold hue, like a small sun, emitting a blinding light.
Brandon hurled the purplish-gold energy orb at the Golden Bell.
"Boom!" A long, deep sound resonated from the Golden Bell. The air began to vibrate intensely, and the ground beneath his feet trembled rhythmically as if a strong earthquake had occurred. Fine cracks slowly appeared in the earth, and small stones floated and shook violently in the air.
From the nearby forest came the cries of giant beasts in agony.
Brandon put away the Golden Bell and returned to his lair. The infrasound waves emitted by the Golden Bell were immensely powerful, with great penetrative force and range, making it a viable weapon for large-scale use.
Brandon found himself increasingly fond of the Golden Bell. Despite his usual disdain for weapons, he held the Golden Bell in high regard. Technically, it wasn't even a weapon but rather an extension of his martial art. As his internal Qi advanced, the Golden Bell grew stronger, exhibiting significant potential. It wouldn't become obsolete as Brandon's strength increased; instead, it would evolve with him. He began to wonder what the Golden Bell might eventually become.
Returning to his lair, Brandon lay down on the vibrant, glowing Divine Power Crystals. He sighed contentedly as thick smoke billowed from his nostrils.
Reflecting on his past life as a cautious lizard to his current leisurely existence, Brandon felt a wave of nostalgia. He had become so powerful that he no longer feared any enemy. Even the most formidable humans had to compromise with him. Brandon couldn't help but feel a bit smug.
Thinking about humans, Brandon's emotions grew complex. Once, he too had been human. Recruited into a special forces unit due to his extraordinary combat skills, he had been arrogant and defiant. Even his instructors couldn't defeat him. With his Golden Bell Shield at the third level, he was so strong that he could resist swords, and punches felt like mere scratches.