Little Pink Starfish

Ding.
Main Boss Objective: Pope Ogolink – 9 minutes 59 seconds remaining. (Landing one successful hit counts as quest completion.)

The players who had been frantically attacking the priests immediately froze.

“We’ve got to get out—only by tagging the Pope can we complete the main quest!”
“Stop pushing! Let us through!”
“Only ten minutes left, damn it.”
“Would dying and respawning be faster?”
“If you die, can you make it back here in ten minutes?”
“But we’re totally blocked in—can we even get out in ten minutes?”
“Everyone move, or we’ll fail the quest!”

Panic surged. Some players, unable to see a way through, began killing themselves to respawn at the starting point—believing they could run back faster from the respawn area than by forcing a way through the packed corridors.

As more and more followed suit, the priests stood dumbfounded.

Just… like that? Casual suicide just to save time? How terrifyingly dedicated!

The path outside quickly cleared as players who had just entered the cathedral began surging back out. Compared to the side quest of killing priests, the Main Boss—the Pope—was far more important.

Pei Sen let out a breath of relief. Luckily, such system mechanics worked well on players. Since he needed to get outside, he let the remaining priests go. Annan was dead, and the supposed illegitimate son of the Pope was barely alive—though still breathing. Another priest quickly healed him—he would survive.

The old priest—Kaenli—was true to his word and didn’t renege now that players had left. He turned to Eagle.
“To solve your problem isn’t actually that difficult. You should know—it’s because your body can’t withstand the Seed of Light’s power that you’re suffering. If you strengthen your body, the issue can be resolved.”

“How do we strengthen it?” Pei Sen asked immediately.

Kaenli glanced at him. “Deep underground lies the Spring of Light, the source of the Holy Spring. If you absorb its power, your body will become stronger.”

Eagle suddenly asked, “The Pope has been absorbing the Spring’s power all this time, hasn’t he?”

Kaenli was silent for a moment, then admitted, “Yes.”

That was why the Pope had always remained the strongest in the Church of Light.

The other priests were clearly unaware of this. Even Luria looked stunned. As senior clergy, they had never even seen the true source of the Holy Spring—let alone known it was hidden beneath the cathedral.

Pei Sen was shocked. He had thought players had thoroughly explored every corner of this cathedral long ago. All the maps were supposedly archived on forums. Yet not once had he seen mention of a “source spring” underground. Had the players really never discovered it?

Deep underground… so well hidden that even late-game exploration players never found it?

Pei Sen glanced at Kaenli. “We’ll let the others go. But you stay and guide us to the spring.”

Kaenli nodded calmly. “Very well.”

The other priests let out a sigh of relief. Whatever secrets Kaenli and the Pope were hiding, at least now they were free to go. They felt a deep gratitude toward Kaenli.

“Kaenli…” Luria, already entering the teleportation array, couldn’t help calling out softly.

Kaenli looked at her. “The Church is yours now.”

He knew the other priests weren’t reliable. With Luria around, at least there was a sliver of hope for the Church’s future. Both he and the Pope… might not survive this crisis.

Pei Sen looked on coldly. He didn’t have a high opinion of the Church’s clergy. From what he knew, only Kaenli and the Pope mattered. As for Luria—even during the Church’s peak in the original timeline, she had died an untimely death. Likely not even at the hands of players. She had simply lived too long.

She had a powerful enemy—a lich who sought revenge after she killed his student and family. That lich had managed to infiltrate the Holy City and kill her there. Without the protection of the Church and cathedral now, she might die even sooner.

Pei Sen let the ten priests leave. They hadn’t managed to take any of the Church’s foundations with them. Even if they’d kept some hidden reserves, rebuilding the Church would be nearly impossible. Not to mention, more and more players would soon arrive across the continent. There’d be nowhere to hide.

Kaenli? Pei Sen didn’t believe he could stir up much trouble.

“Alright, we’ve honored our word and let them go. Now, take us to the spring.” Pei Sen looked at Kaenli.

If even players in the original timeline couldn’t find this place, he still needed Kaenli to guide him.

Kaenli honored his promise and led the way. Pei Sen, though, remained wary. He gripped a teleportation scroll in one hand, the other holding Eagle—who was too weak to walk unaided.

“You don’t need to worry I’ll trick you,” Kaenli said suddenly. “In fact, I’ve long hoped the spring would dry up—so things would never reach this point again.”

Pei Sen looked at him in surprise. As a senior leader of the Church, how could he think that way?

Kaenli sighed. “You’ll understand once you see the spring.”

No one knew a deep staircase lay hidden beneath the cathedral, leading to a place unimaginably deep below.

Pei Sen looked around and finally understood why players had never found this place. It was too well hidden—sealed behind a secret room, within a secret room, within another secret room, opened only with a special key.

---

While they headed for the spring, outside, the Pope suddenly paused mid-combat.

A surge of foreign energy… someone had entered the underground spring. Only he and Kaenli knew about that place.

No need to guess—it was clearly Kaenli leading someone there.

Holy energy exploded outward, flinging all surrounding players away.

The Pope tried to rush back into the cathedral, but reentry was harder than exit. Every path inside was jam-packed with players pushing outward to meet their quest timer.

Even the windows on the third floor were being used—players leaping out to get to the Pope faster.

And all of them were heading for him. The crush of bodies made it almost impossible to move.

Sadin, blocked from the fight, now stood back with arms folded, watching the chaos with an amused smile. He’d been in such situations before—and had been furious when it happened to him. But watching it happen to the Pope was oddly satisfying.

“You lot…” the Pope growled. His face darkened.

He had used every method, but these tireless “foreigners” just wouldn’t stop.

And no matter how many times he killed them, they always came back—resurrected, and ready to attack again.

This would never end. Even he would eventually tire.

Worse still, the crowd was growing thicker.

Swords, daggers, and chaotic magic flew in waves so thick they nearly blocked out the sun.

“This can’t go on. I can’t let Kaenli reach the spring.”

The Pope knew Kaenli’s thoughts all too well. Finally, he stopped hesitating.

He raised his staff.

A brilliant holy light surged around him. If Pei Sen were present, he would’ve recognized it—it was nearly identical to the blinding light Eagle had radiated after emerging from the ruins.

Meanwhile, players were still yelling:

“Just let me touch the boss!”
“Dammit, there’s no time left! Move!”
“Bro, give me some space—I’ll just tag him and leave.”
“If you’ve already hit the boss, move over!”
“Clock’s running out!!!”

The system had filtered out terms like “boss” or “quest,” since native NPCs weren’t supposed to recognize them. But “touch” wasn’t censored.

So what the Pope heard was a chaotic sea of people yelling that they wanted to “touch” him.

While holding weapons.

It was incredibly confusing—and deeply humiliating.

He was over 200 years old, and never in his life had so many people tried so hard to “touch” him.

This wasn’t an honor—it was disgusting.

His voice dropped, ice-cold.

“You… all die!”
“Descent of the Light God!”

Night turned to blinding day.

The Pope became a massive orb of light, floating into the sky.

Player attacks missed. Some cursed loudly:

“There were still seconds left! GM, this is quest fraud!”
“The countdown isn’t over!”
“Yeah, you can still hit him—if you’re fast enough.”
“He’s still in mage range—for now…”

Players stared up, curious.
“What’s he doing now?”

---

From afar, Sadin’s expression turned grim.

“God’s Descent… I can’t believe Ogolink can use God’s Descent!”

This was no small thing.

In history, the Church had nearly been wiped out twice—both times due to Popes who could use this power.

The nations of Arley Continent had long agreed: the Church of Light could spread their teachings, but they must neverwield the power of a god.

Any pope who did was swiftly executed by allied nobles.

“Now that you’ve used God’s Descent… you must die.”

Even if Eagle let you go, the nations would not.

Sadin shouted to the Bix players:
“Get back! After God’s Descent comes Divine Judgment!”

But no one listened.

Players still waited to see if they could “touch” the boss again. What was Divine Judgment anyway? They weren’t afraid.

---

The Pope, floating above them, looked down with divine indifference.

A god gazing upon ants.

“Even if you are immortal creatures, surely the power of the divine can end you!”

“Divine Judgment!”

Sadin had retreated far, but even from that distance, the shockwave hit.

He felt his body almost torn apart—only surviving thanks to his status as a Sword Saint.

Back underground, Pei Sen and Eagle were far deeper and shielded by Eagle’s immense holy power. The Divine Judgment wave barely touched them. Even Kaenli didn’t feel a thing.

Kaenli finished setting a candelabra.

“The spring is just ahead.”

A gentle light glowed. As they moved forward, a warm fragrance drifted through the air. Pei Sen couldn’t describe it—only that it felt warm.

He expected a fountain—but it was a small, still pool. Barely a meter across. Golden-red, glowing faintly.

Kaenli explained, “This is the source of the Holy Spring. What the Church distributes above is diluted. Every year, the Pope adds one drop of this real springwater to the supply.”

“One drop?” Pei Sen was stunned.

“Even one drop maintains its sacred properties,” Kaenli sighed.

Eagle frowned. The power in his body craved the spring.

“This… is it the blood of the Light God?”

Kaenli nodded. “Yes. That’s why I didn’t want it to remain. Using it like this is a blasphemy. But the Pope said the Church needed it to grow stronger.”

Pei Sen was shaken.
“Blood of the Light God?”

He’d never believed in any “god”—maybe just another powerful supernatural being. But Kaenli claimed this glowing red liquid was divine blood?

Eagle wasn’t surprised.
“What about the Seed of Light?”

“It’s crystallized divine power. The Church originally had 19. Some were sold, others destroyed during failed research. Only 10 remain.”

Pei Sen thought, At least it’s not divine flesh… How disgusting would that be?

Eagle said, “I feel much better just standing here. So drawing on divine power lets me absorb the spring?”

Kaenli nodded. “You’re a descendant of Light. The Pope had to try many ways to absorb it. For you, it comes naturally.”

Eagle closed his eyes.

Light burst from him—and the golden-red liquid surged toward him like it was alive, encasing him in a glowing cocoon.

Pei Sen was alarmed and nearly attacked, but Kaenli stopped him.

“He’s absorbing the spring. When it’s done, he’ll emerge on his own.”

Pei Sen stayed close, holding his scroll tight.

“Can you hear me, young lord?”

Kaenli smiled.
“He can’t hear you. Don’t worry. It’s like sleeping. When he wakes, everything will be fine.”

---

Back above, the Pope floated in the sky.

Everyone in the city—players and civilians—was gone. Vaporized by Divine Judgment.

He sighed.
“You were children of the Holy City… now may you enter the Light God’s realm.”

Then, coldly:
“Undying? So what? The divine will annihilate even immortality.”

He slowly descended.

But outside the city, resurrection lights flashed.

“Holy crap, what kind of AoE was that?”
“Total wipe.”
“Is the Pope still alive? Can we still touch him?”
“No clue…”

From the distance—another black tide surged.

The Pope froze.

Impossible. Even immortality should fall to divine power.

“This isn’t happening…”
Ogolink’s faith wavered.

Divine Judgment had drained him completely. He was vulnerable. A few strong transcendents could kill him now.

Sadin was rushing forward. The Bix players were back.

“No…”
The Pope clutched the pendant on his robe.

“I… will not lose.”

This—was his final card.