Horo continued his tutelage under the pope for years, while also vanquishing devils and abyssal beast.
His abilities expanded beyond his own imagination.
Darkstar force played an integral role in boosting Horo's abilities by a large margin, but now he also knew how to use divine energy and faith power to do the same. His skills and techniques were on a level beyond his realms of power, but his unique methods plus his absolute control provided him the ability to use his arsenal perfectly.
Once he reached the sacred knight step and obtain a true domain he'll be unstoppable.
Speaking of sacred knight, his father chose to become a demigod in order to prepare for the times to come, and Horo even helped him initiate the fusion of his sacred heart and a bead of faith.
His father was slumbering in a divine pool while he attempted the transformation which is an ascension beyond mortality.
....
Somewhere in a Dark temple that's deep underground, Five figures sat around a large circle. It was no ordinary circle, this circle held other shapes and sigils within it. There was also flames the color of blood coming from the sigils.
The Five figures looked just like humans, except they each had different kinds of horns that looked devilish and majestic at the same time. They all had what looked like a stream of bloody tears coming from their closed eyes.
They spoke in an indiscernible language.
There were five other figures that looked like normal humans standing behind each of the five figures sitting around the circle. They held long blood blades straight towards the sky, as if waiting to drop the blood to perform an execution.
....
Horo was standing in front of a bright cross. The cross had a very evil looking humanoid on it. The cross was huge, but so was the humanoid being crucified. The creature red skin and long horns that was at least a foot long.
As the cross flickered with radiant light the creature let out horrendous screams from being scorched by the divinity within the light. The flickering and screams continued until Horo willed the discontinuing of it.
This creature was a devil lord, and Horo was carrying out a tortuous interrogation.
He spoke "I can tell from your screeching you must be finally willing to speak of the little plans you devils have in motion, or should I listen to your cries a little longer?"
He stared sharply into the devil's eyes, which looked as if its will was near collapse, waiting for a response. That response never came so Horo spoke again.
"So, you'd rather have your soul purified and sent to a God Kingdom, instead of me letting you off free with just the destruction of your body?"
The devil lord's eyes went wide out of fear. There was a specific reason why it reacted this way after hearing Horo's statement.
Devils souls and bodies had a complicated relationship. Unlike humans no matter how strong a devil becomes, their souls can never separate from their bodies. If that were to happen the devils in question soul would return to the abyss where it originated from.
But the exception to that is if a devil were to be purified in body and soul, their soul could be sent to a God kingdom to be enslaved.
Horo began laughing after seeing the look of fear on the devil's face, but his laugh stiffened after hearing what the devil spoke suddenly.
Laugh while you can, it won't be long before the supremes of the abyss open a gate that will allow us and our underlings to continuously leak into this puny world of yours. Hahahahahahaha.
The devil laughed hysterically after breaking the news to Horo because it knew that it would be purified regardless.
Horo did just that, but as he did he just stared with a face of complete shock because of the revelation he had just received.