In the conference hall.
Leon picked up the Black and White Hand lookout and woke him up with a crisp, clean slap of "physical awakening."
“Who are you...”
The moment the lookout opened his eyes, he was met with a face that was known to everyone in Stormveil City.
His pupils shrank instantly, and he immediately understood his situation.
Without a moment's hesitation, he clenched his teeth, trying to trigger the poison capsule hidden in his mouth.
However, in the next second, a solemn and melodious string note drifted into his ears without warning.
The lookout's movements instantly froze mid-air, and his eyes grew vacant and unfocused.
“Let me hear what goes on in the mind of a cultist!”
Leon's ears twitched as he listened to the obsession emanating from the lookout's heart after the Memory-Weaving Stringed Scepter was played.
“Everyone must die... Sacrifice to the Gray Fog... Gain eternal rest... Go to the Pure Land in the next life... Rem, wait for me...”
Leon remained expressionless, unsurprised.
It was indeed the same old rhetoric of sacrificing to the Gray Fog to enjoy blessings in the Pure Land in the next life.
Judging by the obsession flowing from the lookout's heart, he seemed to have lost a loved one, which led him to be lured by the deceptive words of the Black and White Hand and fall into the cult.
Although Leon felt a trace of pity for his plight, he could never condone his joining the Black and White Hand and slaughtering countless citizens of the Heron Empire just to exchange for a hollow promise of a “better next life.”
Mental power surged from his mind and gathered at his fingertips. Leon plucked the strings of Sacred Light once more.
This time, the sound of the strings was no longer solemn and grand, but carried a melody of deep sorrow and pity.
Under the influence of the music, the lookout shuddered, his gaze becoming even more vacant, as if he had forgotten even his own identity.
“Because of certain experiences, your obsession has changed.”
Leon commanded in his heart:
“From this moment on, your obsession is no longer to sacrifice to the Gray Fog and gain eternal rest!”
“Instead, you will treat Leon's words as absolute truth, answering his inquiries without the slightest concealment!”
The strings of memory vibrated wildly, pouring a brand-new obsession into the lookout's mind.
Twang! Twang!
In the next instant, the music stopped, and the strings of memory transitioned from vibrating to completely still.
As the power of the Memory-Weaving Stringed Scepter faded, the previously vacant Black and White Hand lookout regained his clarity.
Under everyone's curious and searching gazes, the member of the Black and White Hand suddenly stood up and bowed ninety degrees to Leon:
“Priest Leon, if you have any questions, please ask!”
What? What kind of method was this?
Everyone watched as the lookout went from being filled with rage just moments ago—preferring suicide over leaking any information about the Black and White Hand—
to now having a face full of piety and sincerity, respectfully asking Leon to ask his questions.
This transformation shook everyone to their core, filling them with utter horror.
“Is this... manipulating the mind and altering thoughts?!”
The way Viscount Finn looked at Leon was as if he were looking at a monster!
“Sacred Light above!”
Even Bishop Miles could no longer maintain his usual composure.
Although Miles himself mastered Divine Arts like 【Sacred Light Conversion】, which could turn people's hearts toward the Sacred Light,
it was not a forced alteration, but rather a way to make people naturally feel favorable toward the Sacred Light.
It was like an extraordinarily good-looking person going out to make friends; they only needed to show their face to naturally make others feel close and harbor good feelings.
But if they encountered someone full of deep hostility, no matter how good-looking they were, they would still be hated by their enemy. Their inner thoughts could not be changed at all.
How could it ever compare to what Leon just did... directly and forcefully twisting a person's mind, reforming a cultist of the Black and White Hand into such a pious and reverent state!
Although Leon used mental power, and from the outside, his method was shrouded in Sacred Light and appeared exceptionally divine,
this method of “forcefully changing the heart” was far more sinister than the Black and White Hand sacrificing people!
Even Aurora, who had been incredibly arrogant earlier but had quieted down after having her legs broken,
felt her face turn pale at the sight of Leon's technique, her heart filled with a mixture of dread and terror.
If her thoughts no longer belonged to her, but were instead tampered with and altered into something else, forcing her to bow and scrape before someone she hated...
Aurora shuddered.
Apologize!
She had to find a way to apologize to Leon!
When she was defeated by Alicia in a single move, she hadn't truly been terrified. In her heart, she had believed that as long as she continued to grow stronger, she would have a chance to redeem herself and wash away her humiliation.
But facing Leon's method, which could directly target the heart and twist the will... Aurora was truly terrified.
That was no longer a matter of victory or defeat, of strength or weakness, but the horror of having one's very self silently rewritten!
She absolutely could not bear such a consequence.
Sensing the strange and fearful gazes of the crowd, Leon didn't care.
Since the tragedy of Soleneum, he had already cast aside all naivety.
Transcendent power was never divided into good and evil; it only depended on how the practitioner used it.
Leon would not use the Memory-Weaving Stringed Scepter to rewrite everyone's will, forcing them to obey his commands and become his puppets.
But neither would he bind his own hands, restricting his use of this power out of fear of its implications.
“Tell me all the information you know about the Black and White Hand,”
Leon said, staring at the lookout.
The lookout bowed his head and said respectfully, “Replying to Priest Leon, the Black and White Hand...”
A moment later.
Leon had acquired information about one of the Black and White Hand's strongholds in Stormveil City, as well as some of its personnel layout.
The middle-aged man in front of him was just an ordinary lookout and didn't know everything, only the intelligence of this single stronghold.
“But that is enough,” Leon said.
“Viscount Finn, please seal off the entirety of Stormveil City. Do not let anyone enter.”
“Bishop Miles, please remain on alert inside the city. Prevent the Black and White Hand from cornering themselves and going on a killing spree once they realize their plans have been foiled.”
“Understood!” Viscount Finn quickly suppressed his wariness of Leon and nodded solemnly.
If it were anyone else who possessed such brainwashing methods, Viscount Finn would have surely reported it to the Heron Empire and gathered everyone to eliminate them.
But since the one who possessed this power was Leon... Viscount Finn would not harbor any doubts.
“I understand. I will keep a close eye on the city's movements at all times,”
Miles also followed Leon's instructions and nodded.
Evil methods only caused immeasurable consequences when used by evil people.
But if they were used by Leon... Miles chose to believe.
He believed in this hero who saved Soleneum, and he believed in this supreme God-chosen upon whom the God of Sacred Light had bestowed His divine radiance.
In Miles's heart, if the Holy See ever issued an order to execute Leon, it would definitely be because the Pope had turned traitor, and absolutely not because of any fault on Priest Leon's part.
“Like Bishop Miles, you all will guard every crowded area in Stormveil City to prevent the Black and White Hand from causing chaos. Can you do that?”
After giving instructions to Miles and Viscount Finn, Leon turned his gaze toward the members of the magic research team and the two from the Imperial Department of Policy Implementation.
Tobias's spirits lifted, and he quickly puffed out his chest, saying, “Yes! We guarantee we will complete your task!”
He didn't even know why he was following Leon's orders.
But... even Viscount Finn and Bishop Miles complied, so he certainly didn't dare to refuse.
“Very well.”
Leon nodded and said:
“There is no time to lose. The operation to wipe out the Black and White Hand begins now!”
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