Chapter 19

The battle was won, decisively.

While Ethan was hastening across vast distances to reach the capital, Nathaniel received a message from the Pope, confirming that divine intervention was imminent.

"The Divine One will act soon," the Pope's voice echoed in Nathaniel's mind.

"Don't worry," Nathaniel grinned. "Even if Ethan is strong, the technology at the disposal of the Divine One surpasses anything humanity has ever known."

Upon Ethan's arrival at the capital, he discovered that the New Church of the United Kingdom's headquarters was audaciously set within an ancient castle. Bold, but not unexpected.

As Nathaniel lounged on his throne, surrounded by beautiful women attending to his every whim, his eyes widened in shock as he spotted someone he never expected to see.

"Why are you here? Didn't the Divine One take action to deal with you?" Nathaniel blurted out, disbelief flooding his face.

"Divine One?" Ethan responded, puzzled by Nathaniel's outburst. "I haven't encountered this so-called Divine One. Since I'm here, you, as a key figure in the New Church, should know something."

Panic surged through Nathaniel. The information in his head could not be divulged.

"I can't say anything!" he exclaimed, helplessly.

"No matter," Ethan replied. "I have my ways of extracting the information. You're coming with me."

Nathaniel stared at him in shock. "You know how?"

"Indeed," Ethan said with a chilling calm. "Researchers like you refuse to speak, but I find out everything once I open your heads. The good news is you'll still be alive after the procedure."

Nathaniel shivered at Ethan's words. He had no desire to have his skull split open.

"I surrender. Take me away. Just promise to bring me back afterward," Nathaniel conceded, knowing resisting Ethan was futile. As long as he stayed alive, he still had time to enjoy his power and wealth.

Ethan nodded, smiling. "No problem. Honesty will be rewarded; resistance will be punished. If you cooperate, I'll ensure you return."

"I hope you keep your word," Nathaniel said, resigned to his fate. He didn't want to betray the Church, but the Divine One's failure to act had forced his hand.

Meanwhile, the God of Hope and Redemption observed Ethan's actions through a monitor. Despite Ethan's ordinary appearance, his speed, strength, and endurance were far beyond human capability, suggesting he was not of this world.

"This being doesn't match any known interstellar species," the God mused. "In a universe where all intelligent beings focus on technological advancement, having such physical prowess is unheard of."

The God of Hope and Redemption felt a twinge of fear. An unknown race with formidable abilities posed a significant threat.

"Perhaps we should try communicating with him first," the God decided.

Ethan's position was quickly pinpointed.

In the Central Shelter, the residents watched as Ethan returned with Nathaniel, who was dressed in opulent robes, and wondered what had transpired.

"Why is the young man messing with the clergy?" a bystander muttered.

After handing Nathaniel over to the medical team, Ethan slumped into a chair, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"Ethan, you're back already?" Lydia, a survivor, exclaimed in surprise. She had thought it would be months before she saw Ethan again, yet here he was, returning after only a few hours.

Ethan downed a glass of ice water and explained, "I caught a big fish and came back immediately. This guy is the head of the New Church of the United Kingdom, and I nabbed him straight from the castle."

Lydia looked bewildered. "You traveled over a thousand miles and brought him back already? Your strength is beyond anything I imagined."

"It seems the truth about the zombie apocalypse is closer than we thought," Ethan continued. "I can't fathom why they would spread such a virus."

Lydia's face darkened with anger. "If it weren't for them, I'd still be a wealthy and successful woman. I wouldn't have had to endure that humiliating past."

Suddenly, a massive shadow loomed over the shelter. Ethan looked up to see a disc-shaped aircraft, at least a mile wide, hovering in the sky.

A beam of light shot down from the vessel, and a robot materialized on the ground.

"Everyone, step back," Ethan commanded. The technology before them was far beyond any human creation. Clearly, the zombie virus was more than just a human-made catastrophe.

The robot scanned its surroundings until it found Ethan, at which point its head stopped moving. It began walking towards him, a screen lighting up on its face, displaying an odd, simplistic face like two eyes and a mouth drawn on a purple egg.

"Greetings. I am Costa, a Chris from the Pegasus Galaxy. What species are you? I have never encountered a biological entity as powerful as you," Costa said, wasting no time with formalities.

"Me? I'm the Messenger of the God of Destruction. If you must know my species, you could say I'm an 'angel,'" Ethan replied, crafting a story on the spot. With aliens involved, why not throw divine beings into the mix?

Costa seemed perplexed. "I've never heard of this 'angel' species, but I can't deny your strength. I came to this planet to complete my graduation thesis on the Alpha virus. I hope you refrain from destroying my research facilities again."

Costa's indifference to the suffering his experiments caused was evident.

"So, you caused the deaths of billions for a school project?" Ethan's fury was palpable. "How ridiculous!"

"Would you care about the lives of ants?" Costa retorted. "Ants have societies, emotions, and social structures, but humans don't consider them civilized. Why would I view humans differently? According to the laws of the cosmos, any biological civilization that hasn't achieved space travel is deemed a lower life form."

"To me, humans are like ants. Using them for experiments is of no consequence. Hundreds of millions, billions—they're just numbers," Costa stated calmly, as if explaining something simple to a child.

The other survivors bristled with anger at Costa's words. Some reached for their weapons, ready to fight, but Ethan stopped them.

Ethan knew that Costa's technology was far beyond theirs. The alien could probably destroy the entire planet with ease, just as humans could obliterate an ant colony by pouring molten aluminum into their tunnels. Ethan had no illusions about Costa's power.

----------------------------------------------------

Enjoying the story? Want to dive deeper into the adventure?

Unlock advanced chapters ahead on my P*tr eon ! Your support helps me keep the chapters coming. Plus, you'll get early access, exclusive content, and more! 

Join the journey today and help shape the story by becoming a patron.

patreon.com/NovelsWorld