“I guess you found our Deusis faith quite laughable.”

Cardinal Vincenzo’s bent back straightened.

He hadn’t noticed because of his thin, hunched frame but he was quite tall.

He appeared to be well over 180cm.

His wrinkled skin was suddenly filled with muscles.

“Damn, the old man is quite fit.”

Choi Hyun-seok smiled bitterly.

Red blood was flowing from his mouth.

‘What kind of religion chooses positions based on fighting order?’

Cardinal Vincenzo, whom he thought would have no strength.

He was more powerful than imagined.

At least semi-legendary level strong.

Could all Cardinals be hiding such power?

Choi Hyun-seok shook his head at the dizzying thought.

‘Focus. First, I need to figure out his capabilities.’

His eyes gleamed as he observed Cardinal Vincenzo.

‘Where does such power come from? It doesn’t seem to be just magic.’

There are many spells or techniques that temporarily enhance physical abilities.

Some of the holy knights he fought before used such powers.

It wouldn’t be strange if Cardinal Vincenzo used enhancement magic.

But it’s impossible to gain such power through simple magic alone.

‘Enhancement magic needs a decent base to be effective.’

No physical enhancement magic can turn 0 into 100.

Synergy only comes when enhancement magic is used on an already capable body.

In other words, it was right to assume this old man, Cardinal Vincenzo, had powerful abilities from the start.

“You seem lost in thought.”

“Oh my, I guess the sound of my brain working reached you.”

“It’s fine. I too have many questions for you.”

Cardinal Vincenzo’s muscles swelled even more ferociously.

His muscles, now larger than most bodybuilders’, felt bizarre.

“Shall we enjoy the victor’s rights?”

Cardinal Vincenzo spoke as if he had already won.

“Victor’s rights? Fine. Don’t make excuses after you lose.”

Choi Hyun-seok also had no intention of losing.

“Come.”

“I’m coming whether you want me to or not!”

The two men clashed in earnest.

Nobilrace

Form 5 – Usurpation of the Throne

Choi Hyun-seok kicked off the ground.

At the same time, Cardinal Vincenzo frowned.

He lost track of the movement due to its extreme speed.

Whoosh!

Choi Hyun-seok suddenly reached Cardinal Vincenzo’s side.

He spun once in the air and delivered a kick.

Cardinal Vincenzo hurriedly raised his arms to protect his head.

KWANG!

The impact was much stronger than expected.

Unable to withstand the force despite blocking, Cardinal Vincenzo was smashed into the corridor.

‘Not yet.’

He could feel the hit definitely landed.

However, this wasn’t enough to take him down.

Choi Hyun-seok continued his attacks, riding the momentum.

Kwajik, Kwang! Kung!

His fists and feet alternated, striking all over Cardinal Vincenzo’s body.

Cardinal Vincenzo was struggling just to block the barrage of attacks.

“Die!”

This time a roundhouse kick exploded against Cardinal Vincenzo’s abdomen.

KUWUNG!

Cardinal Vincenzo crashed through the wall and into a room.

‘Tch, I have to admit his endurance.’

Choi Hyun-seok clicked his tongue internally.

Despite already taking dozens of hits, the guy’s eyes were still alive.

It was truly fearsome endurance.

“Let’s see how long you can hold out!”

Choi Hyun-seok jumped through the broken wall and launched another kick.

At that moment.

Tuk!

A thick hand grabbed his ankle.

Choi Hyun-seok instinctively realized something had gone wrong.

“Ah, shit.”

Then Cardinal Vincenzo began swinging Choi Hyun-seok around indiscriminately.

KWANG KWANG KWANG KWANG KWANG KWANG!

There was no technique.

Only overwhelming power.

Cardinal Vincenzo repeatedly slammed Choi Hyun-seok into the floor.

‘What a brute…!’

Choi Hyun-seok forcefully held onto his fading consciousness.

If his mind is clouded here, that would be the moment of defeat.

‘Now!’

Watching for the timing, he twisted his body in the air.

KWAJIK!

Another kick landed on the opponent’s temple.

“Kughk!”

This time even Cardinal Vincenzo seemed affected by the impact, staggering backward.

Meanwhile, Choi Hyun-seok got up and assessed his condition.

“Ha, I almost became minced meat.”

Fortunately, there were no major injuries thanks to protecting his body with mana.

However, he couldn’t feel at ease.

If he had been held just a bit longer, his mana would have dispersed and every bone in his body would have been crushed instantly.

“Nngh… I must be getting old too. Can’t quite get used to this.”

Cardinal Vincenzo shook his head and adjusted his stance.

“Are all the other Cardinals as brutal as you?”

“Insolent fool. How dare you speak such nonsense to God’s apostle.”

“God’s apostle? Is your god perhaps the god of gym rats? Otherwise, this makes no sense.”

At Choi Hyun-seok’s words, Cardinal Vincenzo’s body trembled.

“You… Dare to insult God…!”

His already massive muscles began to swell even further.

“Uh… You’re getting even bigger…?”

Ultra-massive Cardinal Vincenzo.

Now he barely looked human anymore.

Is this what seeing the Hulk from movies would feel like in real life?

Somehow he had grown even taller, now at eye level with Choi Hyun-seok.

“Huu…”

Cardinal Vincenzo’s eyes gleamed menacingly.

“I’ll fold your spine backward.”

“Hmm…”

Choi Hyun-seok’s expression darkened.

The thought that he might actually be able to do it with that body grew stronger.

“Your Majesty!”

“Hurry! We must save His Majesty!”

That’s when urgent footsteps and shouts were heard.

“Royal Knights, all units! Surround those two!”

The royal knights who belatedly appeared surrounded Cardinal Vincenzo and Choi Hyun-seok.

“You fools! How dare you cause such chaos in the royal palace!”

The knight who appeared to be the captain stepped forward and shouted.

However, far from being intimidated, Cardinal Vincenzo shouted even louder.

“Shut up!”

“Ca-Cardinal Vincenzo…?”

The knight blinked.

He hadn’t recognized him because he was too massive, but the voice is familiar.

Looking at his face, it was identical to Cardinal Vincenzo’s.

“Yes. I am Cardinal Vincenzo.”

Cardinal Vincenzo pointed at Choi Hyun-seok.

“Royal Knights, deal with that villain immediately.”

***

At the same time.

Abelson entered the secret storage room by manipulating the bathroom mirror.

“Hurry!”

“Yes!”

Rachel had come along to help with the search.

The two rummaged through the storage room looking for records left by Reis Mariette.

“Where is it? Where could it be!?”

This was nothing but a gamble.

Whether Reis actually left records.

Even if he did, no one knew if they were stored in this warehouse.

‘They must be here…’

However, Abelson was certain.

Reis would surely have left records.

And they would be here.

“Here! Come look at this!”

That’s when Rachel’s urgent voice was heard.

“This box. Doesn’t it look suspicious?”

“This is…”

The royal family’s private storage contained precious items rarely seen elsewhere.

Most were precious metals or magical tools, and important documents filled one wall.

But this box was somehow different.

An old box with no magical energy emanating from it.

Though quite ornately decorated, its faded colors made it look worthless.

It was an item that didn’t fit this place at all.

“This is the box Reis and I used to play with when we were young.”

One day, Reis Mariette received this box after asking the king.

Then he gathered all his siblings.

Reis. What’s this?’

‘We’re going to write down how each of us plans to lead the kingdom!’

‘Huh?’

‘When someone becomes king, let’s open it together! So we can all remember our feelings from this time.’

Reis was unusually mature from a young age.

The siblings nodded with warm smiles, touched by their youngest brother’s suggestion.

‘To think a mere seven-year-old child said such things…’

Abelson bit her lips tightly.

She remembered her brother’s desperate expression in his final moments.

“…”

She wasn’t regretting it now.

Though she killed her brother with her own hands, it was necessary.

No, it was something she had to do.

“What are you doing! Open it quickly!”

“Ah, sorry.”

Snapping out of her thoughts, Abelson opened the box.

The first things visible were several crumpled pieces of paper.

They were the resolutions written by the four siblings.

“It’s here…”

Below the papers were the evidence they had been searching for.

Along with Reis’s diary, all records of transactions with Cardinal Vincenzo.

Some appeared to be magical storage devices.

Probably magical tools containing video or audio recordings.

“Let’s move right away.”

Abelson closed the box and left the secret storage.

Outside, she could see Choi Hyun-seok and Cardinal Vincenzo engaged in battle.

‘Is that Cardinal Vincenzo…?’

As a princess and saint of the kingdom, Abelson was familiar with Cardinal Vincenzo.

He had been a thin, hunched old man, but now he had become a monster with balloon-like muscles.

‘Mr. Choi Hyun-seok is struggling. We need other reinforcements.’

Abelson headed straight to the second floor, passing by them.

There were more important matters now than directly joining Choi Hyun-seok’s battle.

‘We need to convince King Labrun to mobilize the Royal Knights.’

They needed to convince the current king, Labrun Mariette.

Then they could mobilize all the Royal Knights and security forces in the capital.

Even Cardinal Vincenzo couldn’t handle all of them and Choi Hyun-seok simultaneously.

The remaining forces in the capital could also be dealt with naturally.

“Labrun!”

Abelson, finally reaching the king’s chambers, shouted.

“Sister Abelson…?”

Since Abelson had currently dispelled the appearance-changing magic, he recognized her immediately.

“Come with me. There’s something we must do.”

“B-but…”

A holy knight blocked the way.

“Traitor Abelson Mariette. If you’re thinking of assassinating His Majesty…!”

Before he could finish speaking, a mace came flying.

The holy knight hurriedly raised his sword to block.

KANG-!

The impact was heavier than imagined.

The knight couldn’t help but be flustered, not expecting Abelson to possess such strength.

‘I never heard about this…!’

A moment’s hesitation in battle is fatal.

He failed to block the second incoming mace.

KWAJIK!

With a brutal impact sound, the holy knight with a crushed head was smashed into the wall.

Labrun’s jaw dropped watching his cousin’s sister instantly subdue a high-ranking holy knight.

“Follow me.”

“Yes…”

Labrun silently nodded and followed.

Without any power of his own, he couldn’t disobey Abelson.

While moving, Abelson quickly explained the situation.

“In here is evidence of Cardinal Vincenzo and Reis Mariette conspiring against the kingdom.”

“What do you mean…?”

“They are the real traitors. Everything was their plot, and I was merely framed.”

The two arrived at the battlefield on the first floor.

They could see Cardinal Vincenzo and Choi Hyun-seok facing off, along with the Royal Knights.

“Ms. Abelson!”

Choi Hyun-seok’s eyes widened upon seeing Abelson appear with the king.

“I brought the king with the evidence!”

“Well done!”

Abelson quickly pushed Labrun forward.

“Labrun. Order the Royal Knights. Tell them to capture Cardinal Vincenzo.”

“Wait, I need an explanation of what’s going on…”

That’s when a thunderous shout echoed through the palace.

“LABRUN!!!”

“Ca-Cardinal Vincenzo…?”

“Have you forgotten who put you on that throne!”

Labrun’s body trembled.

This was definitely Cardinal Vincenzo’s voice.

Though his appearance is different, the face and voice were certainly Cardinal Vincenzo’s.

Then Abelson placed a hand on Labrun Mariette’s shoulder.

“Labrun. How long will you let yourself be controlled by a mere priest? Act like the king you are.”

“But…”

“Labrun Mariette!”

“Labrun! Quickly!”

Abelson and Cardinal Vincenzo shouted from both sides.

All eyes turned to Labrun Mariette.

The Royal Knights would move according to whose side he took.

The tide of battle would turn.

Labrun Mariette gulped.

“Ro-Royal Kni-Knights…”

His trembling voice revealed his extreme tension.

“Help Cardinal Vincenzo capture the trait-“

Labrun Mariette couldn’t finish his sentence.

Because a mace was driven into the back of his head.

KWAJIK!

Labrun Mariette fell face-flat to the floor.

Red blood dripped from Abelson’s mace behind him.

“…!”

Everyone wore expressions of shock.

In the silence, Abelson spoke.

“King Labrun Mariette has passed away due to an unfortunate incident.”

Abelson declared while stepping on Labrun’s corpse.

“From now on, I, Abelson Mariette, as the rightful heir to the throne, command the Royal Knights.”

Her clear gaze turned to the Royal Knights.

“Deal with that hideous old man.”

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