"Oh, is that so?"
"Vina, in that case, why not send someone to investigate?"
Alan spoke, his aura scattering divine light, emanating an irresistible might.
At this moment, even with his power restrained to the lord-tier, he remained the strongest among the paladins.
He was a figure of reverence for the other paladins of Beaconburg.
"Yes, my god Alan above!"
Upon hearing this, Vina bowed repeatedly before rising to instruct the surrounding paladins to investigate the matter Alan had mentioned — the corruption of a paladin's offspring by demonic mist.
...
Elsewhere, a hundred kilometers from the Stin Empire border, in the Holy Academy of Beaconburg.
In a prayer room, a boy in the choir was singing along, praising divine grace, when he suddenly felt something amiss. His singing briefly faltered.
Then, before his eyes, a virtual panel appeared.
[Sensing the presence of an antagonist. Spend points to view the antagonist's specific direction and level?]
The boy hesitated for a moment, his eyes revealing a maturity uncharacteristic of his age, calm and collected.
"Spend!"
[Ding! 1 point successfully deducted.]
[Antagonist's location: East! 100 kilometers away!]
[Antagonist level: 1]
Seeing this, the young protagonist pondered.
An antagonist of only level 1? Does this mean it's possible to try and resolve this? Seems... not so easy though?
After all, I'm also just at level 1, not yet fully developed. If I were to encounter the antagonist, I'd probably be crushed instantly!
With these thoughts, he was eager to leave immediately.
Little Robert: "Aunt Marry, Grandfather Lawrence, may I go to the city?"
The level 1 protagonist, his eyes shining with innocence, looked towards the female organist and the elderly male bishop.
Little Robert continued: "I feel like I might have caught a cold. Can we go to Maidenheim in the west?"
"My body feels really uncomfortable, it must be a sign."
"I also feel that there might be some sorrow happening there!"
"Maybe only after going there and resolving it, my health might improve."
The boy said, lowering his head.
Upon seeing this, Sister Marry, the female organist, showed a look of compassion towards the boy.
"Little Robert, what's wrong?"
"Is it that same issue again?"
"You're carrying too much for someone your age."
"Yes, I feel that only by going to the city, I might feel better," said the level 1 protagonist Robert.
Hearing this, Sister Marry, the organist, and Lawrence, the head of the choir, exchanged glances.
Lawrence also looked at Little Robert with a benevolent gaze.
"Alright."
"In fact, ever since you were driven out of Beaconburg and sent to us, we have seen how you've been over the years."
"Your heart is pure and kind, not corrupted by the demonic mist!"
"You are a descendant of a hero, and should not be treated this way."
"Those paladins, perhaps they are a bit too extreme!"
Lawrence, with his white hair and eyes gleaming with wisdom, gently patted the boy's head and said kindly, "Alright, Little Robert, you can go to the city, but you'll need to be accompanied by someone from our Holy Academy."
"Moreover, according to the interpretation of our Archbishop's teachings, you are very likely to become the 'Holy Child' of our Stin Empire Holy Academy!"
"The future Archbishop!"
"Even a Cardinal!"
"Therefore, your safety is of utmost importance. We will send a squad of the Holy Army to escort you."
Lawrence declared.
"Thank you, Grandfather Lawrence."
Little Robert replied with an innocent look.
Soon after, a squad of knights clad in fine steel armor, adorned with the symbol of the holy sword Leos on their chests, approached from behind.
After Marry helped Little Robert onto a horse, they followed, escorting him towards Maidenheim.
As a level 1 protagonist, Little Robert watched the distance between himself and the level 1 antagonist, Alan, grow larger, and heaved a sigh of relief.
Then, he looked down at the necklace around his neck.
This was a keepsake left by Little Robert's mother, and also his "cheat code".
Its specific ability was to absorb all disasters, pain, and demonic substances within a certain range, then transform them into pure energy to infuse into Little Robert.
Of course.
This necklace also had a downside.
Apart from separating the demonic mist energy from Little Robert, it also stripped away another dark persona from him.
At this moment, the necklace gained its own consciousness.
Additionally, by chance, Little Robert discovered another ability of his necklace.
It could release Demonic Power to create disasters, which he would then quell by absorbing the ensuing calamity.
This process not only brought an end to disasters but also earned him people's praises and adoration, accumulating fame.
Moreover, it allowed him to absorb some of the energy from his admirers' accolades, making him stronger.
Using this power, he had performed numerous "miracles," such as reviving dead birds and even humans, and eradicating plagues from villages.
Thus, he naturally came to be known as the "Holy Child," the "Son of God."
Both his positive and negative selves grew stronger this way.
Later, once he became powerful enough, he planned to release the negative self within the necklace into a separate vessel, creating another negative version of himself.
By merging with this negative self, the protagonist him could achieve even greater power, almost godlike.
At present, the negative "Little Robert" persona within the necklace spoke to the pure Little Robert outside in a grave tone: "I sense something isn't quite right, as if danger hasn't completely left us."
"You know, besides being able to devour negative, Demonic Power to grow stronger, I also have a strong sense of impending disasters."
"Also, you can crush the necklace at any time, letting me die before I have a body of my own. I won't harm you!"
"Negative persona," Little Robert said.
"Mm."
Hearing this, Little Robert became somewhat uneasy.
He knew that as a level 1 protagonist, he was still somewhat weak.
Some protagonists might arrive at level 2, endowed with a more potent background, abilities, and "cheats."
While he was slightly inferior in background, he was fortunate to have developed this far, now treasured by the Holy Academy of the Stin Empire.
Protected by the Holy Army, Little Robert felt somewhat more secure.
Otherwise, he would be an easy target for any antagonist.
While pondering this, he urged Aunt Marry to quicken the pace of her white steed.
"If I can develop further, pass the 'Holy Child' selection, bathe in holy water, and become the true Holy Child of the church, receiving its blessings, then I should be able to confidently crush a level 1 antagonist!" Little Robert thought to himself.
At that moment, while Marry, Little Robert, and a squadron of Holy Army knights were heading towards Maidenheim, another event was unfolding.
Behind them, a troop of paladins was making their way towards the Holy Academy of the Stin Empire.
Nearby the Holy Academy, within the Stin Empire, in Maidenheim, paladins were using "Light Revelation" to communicate with other paladins.
Alan: "What, this fellow named Little Robert, suddenly left with a squad of Holy Army knights towards the western city?"
Upon receiving this news, Alan, a paladin and the lord of Beaconburg, paused in surprise.
He was well aware of the strength of paladins.
Their light often made others willingly submissive and eager to share any information they had.
Being touched by a paladin was considered a great honor in many eyes and indeed, it was a blessing.
However, paladins were a unique force.
They were watchers of the Abyss of the Demon World, not the private soldiers of any kingdom.
Moreover, they were guardians of humanity and peace, not oppressors.
Therefore, their actions should not have the appearance of invading another country.
At this moment, outside Maidenheim, Little Robert received a warning from his necklace.
"I sense the presence of danger increasing!" it said. "If it's not the antagonist approaching, then it's likely the forces under the antagonist getting closer!"
Hearing this, Little Robert froze momentarily, his heart racing with a mix of alarm and anxiety.
"How could this be?!" he wondered. How could they be approaching so quickly?
He then checked his system interface.