From God of Lies to Lord of All Worlds

Chapter 324: Declaration of War from the Demon God

The numerous Dew-Bearers of the Religious Tribunal—the lowest rank of Transcendents within the organization—chanted prayers and held their Bibles tight. They channeled their faith to replenish the holy light of the Divine Light Cage, ensuring Jose could not escape.

He had already ceased his struggles the moment Baron led the Transcendent warriors away to rescue the civilians, choosing instead to lock eyes with Nicky.

"The demon Gaap is the one who bestowed you with power!" Nicky stepped forward, his voice ringing with interrogation. "Why do you refuse to believe in The Lord? Why willingly associate with demons?"

Mockery flashed in Jose's eyes at those words, his weathered face twitching slightly. "The Lord? If your Lord is so worthy of faith, why are there still so many people willing to believe in my Solomon Cult?"

"Your doctrines preach strict rules and a life of austerity, yet your bishops waddle around weighing over three hundred pounds! How is anyone supposed to find that convincing?"

Nicky nodded calmly. "There are indeed some blasphemers. However, under the efforts of Cardinal Bennett, many things are changing for the better. One day, The Lord's Divine Glory will shine across the entire world!"

"Oh, yes, The Lord's Divine Glory will eventually shine across the entire world!" Jose shot back. "But by the time that day comes, I would have long since rotted away as a nameless corpse in the gutters of Miami!"

"Where was The Lord when I was starving and freezing? Where was The Lord when I was suffering through endless Humiliation? Where was The Lord when I was desperately searching for Redemption?" His voice trembled with overwhelming agitation. "I was a devoted Servant of the Lord! Yet, when His servant was enduring absolute agony, where was He?!"

Nicky remained entirely unmoved. "If you harbor resentment toward The Lord over mortal suffering, then you are unworthy of Redemption! Faith in The Lord is not about demanding His aid. It is about guiding you and me, allowing us to pray with utmost sincerity, rather than treating Him as a mere tool for our convenience. You have strayed far from the righteous path!"

'The Christian faith was never about acquiring worldly assistance; it is fundamentally about atoning for one's sins,' Nicky thought to himself. 'His entire perspective is rotten at its core, so how could his twisted words possibly sway my resolve?'Hearing this, Jose fell silent for a moment before finally speaking again. "So the rampant filth and the sudden surge of human greed... is that also what The Lord expects to see?"

"Naturally not. Such sinners will face His judgment and will never set foot in Heaven!" Nicky declared. "As for you... you are undoubtedly bound for Hell!"

"What is so wrong with Hell? Is it not far more direct than the sheer hypocrisy of your Heaven?!" Jose roared. "At least in Hell, a Price is paid, and true power is granted in return! It is nothing like your reality, where the Devout Person dies in endless hardship, the true Believer meets a tragic end, and the blaspheming sinners live in absolute luxury!"

"The Devout Person who perishes in hardship will awaken in Heaven, and the faithful Believer who meets a tragic end will be reborn as an apostle of the Heavenly Kingdom. As for the blasphemers, they are doomed to wail and turn to ash in the depths of Hell. Is that not absolute justice?" Nicky countered. "As for this Price you speak of... the cost of bargaining with a demon is astronomically higher than the scraps of power you have received!"

"He wants your Soul! He wants your everything!" Nicky raised his hand. Intricate, glowing patterns surfaced on his palm as a brilliant flame ignited. The blazing fire subjected the surrounding holy light to intense Incineration, miraculously melting it down into a glowing, ethereal liquid. With a forceful sweep of his arm, Nicky splashed the radiant fluid across the space between them. "Sacred Blood of Christ, shatter these Lies!"

Sizzle! A foul, pungent stench immediately filled the air. The sacred liquid bypassed the barrier entirely and splashed directly onto Jose. His already unstable human facade completely melted away, finally exposing his true, horrifying form to the world!

It was a grotesque Monster with the skull of a goat, the scaled torso of a crocodile, and the hind legs of a hound. The overwhelming stench of sulfur rolled off its body. The sacred liquid had scorched massive, blackened, carbonized wounds across the creature's monstrous flesh!

Looking like an abomination completely alien to the Mortal Realm, it let out a sickening, distorted bleat that sent shivers down the spines of all who bore witness.

"Hahahahaha!" Arrogant laughter suddenly echoed across the battlefield. Beside Jose, an incredibly handsome man exuding an oppressive, aristocratic aura materialized out of thin air. He leaned casually against the massive brick and stone Behemoth, a charming smile playing on his lips. "As expected, the sacred lineage of The Church has not been completely Severed. To think someone actually managed to shatter my illusion with a single strike!"

Nicky immediately tensed up. Although the man had not introduced himself, his identity was painfully obvious. What kind of Transcendent entity could casually orchestrate such a horrifying demonic pact? There was only one answer.

"Gaap!" Nicky spat out the name. The members of the Religious Tribunal quickly rallied around him, ready to face this terrifying enemy together.

Gaap merely raised a hand in a slow, placating gesture. "Relax. Hell is not quite ready for an all-out war with Heaven just yet. Besides, I have no intention of murdering a true Cardinal while under the watchful gaze of the Archangel Michael!"

"I am simply here to collect what belongs to me!"

Gaap flicked his finger. Jose, whose demonic form had merely been scorched rather than lethally injured, suddenly reverted to his human guise. He glanced around in sheer bewilderment, only for Gaap's jaw to unhinge, swallowing the cult leader whole in a single, terrifying gulp.

"A mortal so highly regarded by Lucifer and the other great lords cannot be allowed to perish to the treacherous whims of humanity!" Gaap declared pointedly. Back in the White House, Golden Hair, who was watching the live broadcast, felt his face darken completely at the blatant accusation.

Their actions today had undeniably been far too hasty. Not only had they severely strained their diplomatic relationship with The Church, but they had also earned the absolute, undying hatred of a demonic fanatic.

How were they supposed to clean up this mess?

While Golden Hair was Extremely Troubled, the demon on the screen showed no signs of leaving. Gaap swept his gaze across the ruined streets with a mocking smile. "The Church has certainly grown rapidly... Why, your influence almost surpasses the power of this nation itself! Otherwise, why have I not seen a single shred of power belonging to America?"

He truly was a demon. With a single, venomous sentence, he ruthlessly struck at their vulnerabilities, backing both America and The Church into a political corner. If this was not resolved perfectly, his words would become a toxic, festering Spike lodged firmly in the hearts of both factions!

However, despite this world often operating like a completely Makeshift Organization, there were still genuinely brilliant minds at work—such as Austin.

Seizing the perfect moment, Austin led a squad of imposing Dragon-Blood Warriors to the front lines. "Who says America's power is absent? It is simply a matter of division of duty! The Church focuses its holy might on combating demons, while America pours its strength into fighting disasters and saving its beloved citizens!"

The moment those words were spoken, Golden Hair's face split into a massive, triumphant grin. "Record that! Record it right now! Now that is America's true sense of responsibility! That is what an official of this great nation should look like!"

The scattered morale of the public and their wavering faith in the government—which had been on the verge of total collapse during this apocalyptic crisis—were instantaneously salvaged and restored by that single, brilliant declaration!

For Golden Hair, this was an absolute godsend!

Moreover, Austin had flawlessly delineated the authority and responsibilities of both sides. He firmly established that The Church was in charge of gods and demons, while the secular government remained the absolute authority over human affairs.

"For that one sentence alone, he deserves to be the Director!" Golden Hair declared, shooting a meaningful glance at Qian Si.

Qian Si caught on immediately. "Of course, Your Excellency, Mr. President! I have been entirely too busy lately anyway. I was just thinking that it is high time I stepped down from my concurrent role as the Director of the American Special Affairs Bureau!"

Golden Hair nodded in profound satisfaction. He turned his attention back to the monitor, closely watching this bloodless, invisible war—a conflict with no physical blows exchanged, yet one that remained incredibly tense and At Daggers Drawn.

"Is this how a demon operates? Foregoing the destruction of life in favor of corrupting the human heart?" Nicky muttered, his voice laced with suspicion. "What is your ultimate goal here, demon?!"

"Did I not already tell you? We want Souls!" Gaap replied with infuriating calm. "Is that not exactly what your holy faction desires as well? What makes you so different from us?"

"The Souls you claim are subjected to eternal torment in Hell! Our Believers, however, are granted eternal life in the glory of Heaven!" Nicky roared in response.

"Eternal life? Heh! Perhaps!" Gaap shook his head dismissively. "But no matter how hard you try, you can never eradicate Hell. Because as long as there is mortal desire in this world—as long as the Seven Deadly Sins continue to exist—Hell itself will enjoy true eternal life!"

"Those whose hearts fester with Hatred... those consumed by bitter dissatisfaction... those who utterly despise everything about their pitiful lives—they will flock to our banner! They will worship demons, and in return, they will be granted absolute power!"

A wicked, enchanting smile flashed across his flawlessly handsome face. The sheer magnetism of his demonic charm left countless young women watching the live broadcasts swooning in a daze.

"So, cast aside your blind faith in that utterly useless Church! They do nothing but feed you empty promises of heavenly bliss! Come and embrace the demons! No matter the Price, as long as you are willing to pay it, we will always accept your bargain!"

"Your prayers will finally be answered! Your deepest wishes will be granted!"

"Our apostles shall spread across every corner of this nation! Our demonic power shall blanket the entire world!"

Staring directly into the surrounding camera lenses, he boldly declared his insidious intentions without a shred of hesitation or concealment. "Offer up your Souls! Surrender everything you have to entertain us! This is the greatest gift the world has to offer you!"

Hearing those sinister words, Nicky on the battlefield, Angus in his private jet, and Mario back in the Vatican all felt an overwhelming, suffocating tide of Darkness wash over them!

The sheer audacity was terrifying. A demon was openly preaching demonic doctrine on a global broadcast, tempting the entire human race! What kind of pitch-black future were they barreling toward?

No wonder the angels had continuously warned that true Darkness would soon descend. This was not merely a descent—it was a tidal wave threatening to drown them all!

"The classic dilemma of the Middle Ages has once again been placed before your very eyes. Oh, humanity... make your choice! I will be waiting in eager anticipation!" Gaap spun on his heel and vanished into thin air, leaving behind a horrifying moral ultimatum that would forever haunt the world!