novelraw Chapter 201: Shadow Guard
Chapter 201: Shadow Guard
The Sacred Parchment Scroll was a holy relic guarded by Leon's family, one simultaneously recognized by Pope Mario, Father Angus, and Holy Maiden Carolyn.
It had never originally belonged to the Knights Templar. Instead, it was a treasure of the primordial Church, merely entrusted to the knightly order for safekeeping.
When Mario held it in his hands, he saw the faint history of the Church. When Angus held it, he saw the codes and disciplines of a priest. However, when Carolyn touched it, she only perceived a peculiar, radiant light.
Later, guided by the prompts from the discipline crystal resting upon Carolyn's chest and Angus's innate abilities, they uncovered the true nature of this parchment scroll: its capacity for "recording."
It was a ledger meant to document the various departments of the Church. Whenever someone touched it, it would generate a corresponding entry, and it already contained a multitude of historical records.
In theory, this tome possessed the potential for infinite growth. Every single person who laid hands upon it would leave behind their own unique mark.
If it continued to evolve in this manner, it would eventually become a holy relic on par with the Book of Revelation!
"This must be a legacy left behind by the ancient Church for future generations!" Pope Mario had surmised. The more he pondered it, the more convinced he became. "A knight can witness the historical development of their order, a pope can gaze upon his predecessors, and a bishop can read the sacred codes and divine spells. The Holy Maiden, however, sees only light because her lineage has never possessed a written history..."
"Therefore, we must protect it. We must have every member of the clergy record their deeds within its pages and safeguard its existence just as we do now. Should there ever come a day when our lineage is severed and our memories lost once more, this scroll will give us the chance to rise again!"
This was precisely why Leon kept it at his side. He had come here to assist Mario, but he also intended to use the scroll's legacy to seek out remaining members of the Brotherhood.He was not overly concerned about any danger befalling the Sacred Parchment Scroll. Father Angus had personally consecrated it. Blessed with holy water, steeped in prayer, and inscribed with divine seals, the scroll could directly summon the descent of a Saint in times of utmost peril!
This was the Church's ultimate safeguard for such a holy relic, a testament to the profound backing they now possessed!
Handing this sacred item over to Gabriel Martin was, naturally, a decision Leon had made after careful deliberation.
Leon already had his suspicions regarding Gabriel's true identity. The emblem of Judgment, illuminated upon that black stone, had already made things quite clear.
He eagerly anticipated the moment Gabriel touched the tome. He looked forward to seeing what new legacies and forgotten tales the scroll would draw out. On the off chance that the man was actually a demon in disguise, the blessings and prayers imbued within the scroll would be more than enough to make even a powerful fiend suffer!
Ultimately, as Leon witnessed the sheer bewilderment on Gabriel's face and the interplay of black and white light radiating from his body, he slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed his solitary Brotherhood was finally going to gain a new member!
With that settled, he manifested another spear of light in his hand and hurled it viciously. The radiant javelin impaled a bat lurking in the trees overhead, pinning it firmly to the ground.
"Still spying on us? Hmph!"
Witnessing this divine miracle unfold before his very eyes, Albert of the Coppola family was left in a state of absolute shock. He hurriedly pleaded, "Mr. Leon, every single member of our family is a devout believer! There is absolutely no one among us who worships the darkness, you must believe me!"
He had to immediately clarify his stance, terrified that this Holy Knight might decide to purge them all on a whim.
Given the man's ruthless combat style and sheer power, such a massacre was entirely within the realm of possibility. Albert had to play it safe.
Leon, however, paid him no mind. After scanning their surroundings, he shifted his focus back to Gabriel.
The shadow power radiating from the man had grown intensely thick, but even more overwhelming was the holy light that flared up alongside those shadows.
A peculiar voice slowly echoed in the ears of everyone present: "Nothing is true, everything is permitted..."
The next second, Gabriel's eyes snapped open. The instant they did, pure shadow power erupted around him like a raging tempest. It manifested as volatile currents of air that violently whipped past everyone in the vicinity!
"Mr. Albert, there is a spy among your guards!" Gabriel declared, locking eyes with one of the men dressed in black.
The moment Gabriel spoke, the targeted guard's expression contorted. His arm snapped upward, revealing a fully loaded Glock G18 with the safety already disengaged!
The weapon was infamous for its absurd rate of fire. The moment the trigger was held down, it practically functioned as a rapid-fire submachine gun!
However, he never got the chance to fire. Gabriel's blade was already buried deep in his throat.
Nobody had even seen him move. No one had seen him draw his weapon. It was as if he had simply teleported, his blade already resting inside the traitor's neck!
"Mr. Gabriel, I did not give you permission to kill—" Albert bellowed in outrage. These men were his most trusted confidants; he couldn't just let an outsider execute them over a single accusation!
But before he could finish his sentence, the supposedly dead corpse suddenly snapped its eyes open and lunged forward to counterattack Gabriel.
This time, however, the creature wasn't met with a simple hidden blade, but a glowing blade forged of pure shadow!
An ash-gray blade materialized in Gabriel's grip, effortlessly piercing through the skull of the attacker. The monster, exhibiting the horrific traits of a blood thrall, collapsed into true death!
Albert instantly fell silent. Pure terror filled his eyes. If his elite personal security detail had been infiltrated, he dreaded to think just how many of these monsters were hiding within his family!
Leon watched Gabriel with deep interest. "Is this the power you inherited from your ancestors?" "Yes," Gabriel nodded firmly. "This is the shadow power of the assassins. It is an art that only our lineage can cultivate. It is the legacy I have received."
"Long ago, before my ancestors ever joined the Inquisition, we were known by another name—the Shadow Guard!"
"The Shadow Guard?" Leon paused for a moment, finding the title quite fitting. "Perhaps you should hold onto that name for the future..."
"After all, both the angels and the Saint have warned us of the impending dangers facing the mortal realm. Pope Mario is leading us to gather our strength so we may stand against the approaching darkness!"
"The vampires we face today are only the beginning. Demon Gods, demons, fallen angels, werewolves... all these mythical monsters are slowly bleeding into our reality and invading our world!"
"I understand..." Gabriel gave a solemn nod. "The memories have shown me that I am the last surviving member of my family, the final inheritor of the Shadow Guard. But I will pass this power on. I will fight for those who cannot protect themselves!"
Leon was taken aback. He was the sole surviving heir of the Knights Templar, and it turned out Gabriel shared the exact same tragic fate?
Just what kind of cataclysm had struck the ancient Church to cause such powerful, transcendent organizations to nearly fade into extinction over the centuries?
A heavy silence settled between the two men, turning the atmosphere slightly melancholic.
Eventually, Albert hesitantly broke the silence to reiterate his invitation. "Sirs... would you be willing to accompany me back to my family's estate? The presence of these dark creatures and the infiltration of my personal guard have me deeply concerned for my family's safety!"
"Of course!" both men replied in unison. "Lead the way. If the darkness has truly taken root there, we will purge it for you!"
......
As the group's silhouettes vanished down the street, Bai Yang slowly rose from his seat.
He watched as the local authorities finally rushed onto the scene to clean up the corpses, arriving only after the two Transcendent Beings and the Mafia members had safely departed.
The casualties consisted primarily of the four dead blood thralls. Such corpses were incredibly common in Ameri, all thanks to the handiwork of the Impaling Duke. Because of this, Leon hadn't paid them much mind.
Aside from the monsters, very few lives had been lost. Aside from a few bystanders caught in the chaotic mass incident, the vast majority of the crowd had survived unscathed. More importantly, they had recorded the entire supernatural spectacle on their phones.
Without a doubt, a brand-new storm was already brewing across the global internet!
Italy was poised to usurp Northern Europe's spotlight, becoming the internet's newest obsession. Very soon, swarms of intelligence agents and paranormal investigators would descend upon the region.
And this was exactly the outcome Bai Yang had orchestrated.
"The lore of the Thirteen Clans will spread across the globe following this grand spectacle. It will lay the perfect foundation for vampires to organically emerge across the rest of Europe!" Alvin noted.
Bai Yang smiled warmly as he watched his reserves of Wish Power steadily surge. He gave a gentle nod. "Indeed. Furthermore, the name 'Shadow Guard' is perfectly tailored for Mario's current needs!"
The primary reason the Pope's internal reforms were facing such fierce resistance was his lack of a true, terrifying deterrent force.
The Bishop's Disciplinary Group fell short, as did the future Knights Templar. At the end of the day, these were organizations that operated in the light. Even when delivering judgment, they couldn't act on immediate executive orders; they were bound by strict procedural rules.
An official organization had to uphold procedural justice above all else, which severely crippled its ability to strike true fear into the hearts of dissenters.
The only way to achieve such intimidation was through a faction that existed purely in the shadows—an entity that everyone whispered about, and everyone feared.
The assassins—the Shadow Guard—fit this exact criteria perfectly.
"Well, our tale here has reached its conclusion. Let's head back to Milan. I'm sure our two devout clergymen are more than capable of handling the mop-up operations on this island!"