The Holy Envoy's face showed no trace of panic; instead, it bore a faint smile, which left Archbishop Berkeley and the others feeling puzzled and slightly wary.

"You pathetic, lowly beings dare to fantasize about killing me? What a joke! Do you honestly think what you've seen is my limit?" The Holy Envoy flapped his massive wings, his expression brimming with mockery.

Archbishop Berkeley erupted with Holy Light, pointing his magic wand at the Holy Envoy as he declared, "Since you remain obstinate, we will show no mercy. Captain Hans, let's begin!"

Hans licked his lips, fixing his gaze firmly on the Holy Envoy, and said, "I'm offering you one final chance. You've got what you call the map now, but if you hand over the stolen artifacts, I might consider letting you walk away!"

Hans felt helpless deep inside. The Louvre had already lost thousands of artifacts, and if trading this parchment scroll could recover the cultural treasures, it might not be an idea without merit.

Of course, this decision had come from above!

The Holy Envoy froze. Stolen artifacts? He had clearly taken only the parchment scroll with the map! Were they trying to extort him?

Upon realizing this, the Holy Envoy's face contorted into a fierce expression. Truly, a dragon stranded in shallow waters invites shrimp to mock it; a tiger humbled in the plains is shamed by dogs! And now, this feeble Rose Squad dared to lay their demands upon him!

"Ha, how utterly shameless!" The Holy Envoy sneered coldly. "Why should I surrender the fruits of my labor to the likes of you? If you want it back, resolve it through strength—and strength alone!"

Hans's face twisted briefly in frustration and anger. He hadn't expected that even after taking so many steps back, the other party would remain unrelenting.

"Fine. Let me see for myself what makes you so confident to utter such bold words!" Hans retorted coldly.

In both numbers and strength, Hans was confident they could suppress the Holy Envoy from Hell's Gate.

Archbishop Berkeley waved his magic wand, a beam of Holy Light striking Hans; immediately, Hans's momentum surged dramatically.

"Heh heh heh, ganging up on fewer opponents—truly the hallmark of the Papal Court of Light!" An eerie, mocking voice echoed at that moment. "Disgraceful, really!"

"Who goes there?" Hans scanned his surroundings cautiously but failed to locate the source of the voice.

The voice continued, "Who I am is irrelevant. What's relevant is your despicable tactics. Even a mere bystander like me can hardly stand to watch..."

Archbishop Berkeley's commanding voice rang out, "Shadow Elder of the Dark Church, do you truly think altering your voice can mask the revolting aura that clings to you? Since you've come, are you too cowardly to reveal yourself?"

"Oh my, Archbishop Berkeley, it seems you hold me in such high regard—so much so that I only need to utter a few words before you deduce my identity!" A black vortex appeared in midair, out of which strutted a man with a sinister and flamboyant demeanor.

Hans's expression shifted slightly. "The Dark Church!"

The Papal Court of Light and the Dark Church had vied against each other for thousands of years, with neither side able to vanquish the other—proof of their evenly matched strength!

The Rose Squad, while formidable, simply lacked the depth to compare with a titan like the Dark Church. Thus, when the Shadow Elder from the Dark Church appeared, Hans's face darkened.

Yet, the sight of Archbishop Berkeley from the Papal Court of Light beside him brought Hans some measure of relief.

"Shadow Elder, are you planning to intervene on behalf of this Abyssal Creature?" Archbishop Berkeley stepped forward and spoke indifferently. "As far as I know, Hell's Gate and the Dark Church don't have particularly close ties."

The Shadow Elder chuckled. "Berkeley, you're woefully uninformed. While our factions may lack direct affiliations, the sources of our power intertwine in countless ways. Besides, anyone targeted by your Papal Court of Light becomes someone we Dark Church must protect. Surely this point isn't in doubt."

Archbishop Berkeley slammed his wand to the ground, his face brimming with anger. "You alone intend to save this Abyssal Creature? I don't think you're up to the task!"

"Whether I'm up to the task is a matter of action, not lip service!" The Shadow Elder snapped his fingers, and over a dozen black vortices materialized behind him. From each vortex emerged an elder of the Dark Church.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd; everyone instinctively inhaled sharply. Over a dozen elders from the Dark Church—how could they possibly fight this?

Archbishop Berkeley's face turned grim instantly. How had he forgotten that the Shadow Elder's greatest mastery lay in opening Space Gates? With a planted space mark, the gates enabled instantaneous teleportation!

But to summon over a dozen elders at once? That was beyond his previous capabilities. Could this signify yet another surge in his strength? If true, this boded ill for the Papal Court of Light!

The Holy Envoy's expression shifted to one of elation as he observed the disheartened expressions across the room; he burst into hearty laughter and taunted, "Weren't you brash just moments ago? What now? Lost your nerve?"

Hans clenched his fists in fury, but a pang of despair welled up within him. They couldn't win—truly, they couldn't win. If they forced the fight, the Rose Squad would undoubtedly face complete annihilation!

Such was the disparity in resources!

"Captain Hans, better to retreat and regroup than to perish foolishly. We've miscalculated!" Archbishop Berkeley's voice reached Hans in a quiet transmission. "We cannot hold here. Reinforcements from the Papal Court of Light will need more time to arrive, and by then..."

Hans took a deep breath, his tone laced with bitter resignation. "Archbishop Berkeley, I... understand."

Hans then cast a resentful look at the Holy Envoy and said in a voice full of resentment, "Freedom Organization, the Rose Squad will remember this grudge! For now, you may keep those stolen treasures, but one day we'll see them returned to their rightful place!"

The Holy Envoy relished Hans's mixture of frustration and impotence, savoring every moment.

The Shadow Elder whispered to the Holy Envoy, "Now is not the time for entanglement. This remains the Papal Court of Light's territory; we should retreat for now."

The Holy Envoy mulled it over and nodded. With a flick of the parchment scroll in his hand, he quipped, "Rose Squad, the artifacts are in my possession. Feel free to come reclaim them—but I can't guarantee their intact condition for too long!"

"Damn it!" Hans cursed furiously, his fists trembling with searing rage.

"Let's go!" The Shadow Elder motioned with a wave, and over a dozen black vortices began to form once more. The elders of the Dark Church faded gradually into the swirling darkness.

Just as the Holy Envoy prepared to step into a black vortex, an intense, razor-sharp Sword Qi locked onto him.

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