Blood Assimilation

Alternatively, if Holy Knight Randy were to respond by advocating for Cardinal Juke's excommunication or execution, he would be perceived as vindictive and petty, solely driven by a desire for revenge against a fellow Church member, rather than genuinely caring about the Church's reputation.

With that consideration in mind, Holy Knight Randy swiftly devised a plan that would not only highlight his commitment as a Holy Knight of the Holy Church of Light but also serve his long-term objectives.

After taking a moment to contemplate and finalize his decision, Holy Knight Randy adjusted his posture and looked up at the Pope, who gazed down at him from his throne, scrutinizing him intensely.

Feigning a momentary sense of intimidation by the Pope's gaze, Holy Knight Randy responded: "Your Holiness, in light of preserving the Church's reputation, I believe it would be prudent to avoid excommunicating Cardinal Juke, even if he has committed blasphemy by disregarding the Church's principles. Instead, it would greatly benefit the Church's standing to offer him an opportunity for redemption. I propose temporarily demoting him from his position as Head of Cardinals to the rank of the lowest Cardinal. In the meantime, Cardinal Zaul, the second-ranking Cardinal, could assume the role of Head of Cardinals."

"…"

The Pope was pleasantly surprised by Holy Knight Randy's astute response, devoid of any ill-intent or personal grudge toward Cardinal Juke, who had blackmailed him and attempted to tarnish his reputation as an honorable Holy Knight.

Naturally, as Holy Knight Randy was not Zolat Grant, he harbored no grudge or enmity toward Cardinal Juke, who had orchestrated Zolat Grant's excommunication from the Holy Church of Light, as well as besmirch his reputation irreparably.

However, the Pope remained unaware of this fact and could only interpret Holy Knight Randy's solemn words as those of a compassionate and selfless individual, willing to set aside personal grievances to uphold the principles of the Holy Church of Light.

After a brief moment of silence, the Pope finally spoke, wearing an amicable smile. 

"As expected of the one I chose as my son. Your words are well spoken. To willingly forgo an opportunity for revenge against Cardinal Juke for the greater good of the Church is precisely what I would expect from my son and the Captain of the Holy Knight Crusaders."

Satisfied with Holy Knight Randy's stance, the Pope explained further: "Prematurely eliminating the Head of Cardinals from the Holy Church of Light at this juncture would not only draw the attention of the masses but also prompt intervention from the Royal Family, who typically do not involve themselves in Church affairs. After all, the Holy Church of Light is the sole institution in the Kingdom capable of countering the enigmatic powers of the demons in their transformed state. Consequently, losing such a distinguished member of the Holy Church of Light at this crucial time would only prove detrimental to future conflicts against the demons."

"Indeed, Your Holiness." 

Holy Knight Randy readily agreed with the Pope. The casual and friendly manner in which the Pope spoke to him made Holy Knight Randy realize that he had already passed the Pope's test. Now, all that remained was to conclude their meeting with a few pleasantries.

Upon hearing Holy Knight Randy's words of agreement, the Pope was further pleased with his demeanor and his attitude as a knight of the Church. Previously, he had heard rumors about Zolat Grant's questionable reputation among the masses. However, after speaking with him today, the Pope realized that most of these rumors were either fabricated or that the current Zolat Grant had indeed changed for the better.

If that were the case, it would be advantageous for the Church, and the Pope was willing to invest in Zolat Grant's potential for the future. He believed that the current performance of Zolat Grant was more befitting of his position as Captain of the Holy Knight Crusaders, unlike his questionable tenure as a Holy Knight Captain in the past.

During Zolat Grant's previous tenure as a Holy Knight Captain, the disturbing rumors surrounding him had caused the Pope to doubt the judgment of the Cardinals who had selected him as the new Captain of the Holy Knight Crusaders following the ascension of the previous Captain.

'After this meeting, I should devise a way to further test his mettle as a warrior and evaluate his commitment as a Holy Knight. If he successfully passes all of my tests, then I can recommend him to the Royal Family as a potential candidate for the Trial of Challengers with confidence.' The Pope contemplated.

At this critical juncture in the centuries-long war, the Pope believed that they needed a warrior who possessed not only a compassionate heart but also the potential to be a selfless hero in the face of adversity, in order to bring an end to the conflict before humanity faced extinction in Acruxia.

Although Zolat Grant had been plagued by a tarnished reputation in the past, the current version of him displayed a noble heart filled with compassion. As for his selflessness, the Pope believed that he had demonstrated enough of it during their meeting.

'However, that alone is not sufficient. To partake in the Trial of Challengers, he needs extraordinary strength to surpass those of equal power, as well as unwavering determination in the face of formidable enemies. Otherwise, he would perish in the trial, accomplishing nothing.' The Pope mused.

In the past, many exceptional warriors hailed as geniuses had perished in their attempts to challenge the tightly supervised and secretive Trial of Challengers, overseen by the Royal Family. Despite warnings from others who barely managed to survive the trial with only their lives, these geniuses, confident in their overpowering strength compared to their peers, recklessly believed they could easily pass the trial with minimal effort.

Due to their recklessness and arrogance, fueled by their success in clearing a few dungeons on their own, these self-proclaimed geniuses ventured into the Trial of Challengers without adequate preparation. The outcome was tragic, with most of them perishing and those who survived left with severe injuries that traumatized or disabled them.

As a consequence of these incidents, prior to their ascension, apostle candidates no longer had any interest in challenging the Trial of Challengers, despite receiving the esteemed "Challenger" title. Why risk their lives for a mere trial when they could easily ascend through their talents alone?

Moreover, the nature of the trial and reward for passing the trial remained unknown. What if the reward did not outweigh the inherent danger? Would they not have risked their lives in vain?

After all, different survivals stated different accounts regarding the events and challenges in the trial. In other words, the trial was not fixed. Instead, it was random and unpredictable. With these considerations in mind, the apostles abandoned the trials. As a result, only those warriors identified as having potential through compulsory selection were approached to volunteer for the trial.

At some point, the Pope snapped out of his wandering thoughts and realized that he had drifted away from the present situation, neglecting Holy Knight Randy who patiently awaited his attention. Despite his prolonged contemplation, only a few moments had elapsed in his mind, so little time had passed in reality. 

When the Pope redirected his gaze downwards, he observed Holy Knight Randy still standing resolute before him. It was at this critical juncture in their discussion that the Pope resolved to be frank and open with Holy Knight Randy. 

"My son, I deeply apologize for the unjust treatment you have endured at the hands of Cardinal Juke. Your unwavering faith and loyalty to the Church are truly commendable. There was no need for me to test you." The Pope abruptly stated. 

He continued: "Your stance on how to handle Cardinal Juke's blasphemous acts has earned my trust and my sympathy. A warrior of faith like yourself should not be subjected to such injustice. Therefore, I would completely understand if you decided to seek your own form of retribution for the wrongful blackmail."

"Your Holiness, as a warrior and a Holy Knight, revenge is not in my nature. I do not wish to stoop to the level of Cardinal Juke." 

Holy Knight Randy responded solemnly. He sensed that the Pope was trying to ascertain the authenticity of his previous response. Therefore, he chose to remain consistent with his stance.

As expected, the Pope smiled approvingly and remarked: "Your compassion is truly admirable, my son. Your actions embody the true teachings of the Church. You are a shining exemplar of righteousness."

Holy Knight Randy bowed his head gratefully and replied: "Thank you, Your Holiness. Your words hold great significance to me."

Once again, the Pope rose from his seat and approached Holy Knight Randy, placing a projected hand of light on his shoulder. With a solemn voice, he declared: "From this moment onward, I shall treat you as my own son and as a loyal and compassionate knight of the Holy Church of Light. If you ever need anything in the future, do not hesitate to come to me."