No One Knows Sicily Better Than Me

...

The heavy doors of the Holy Temple slowly pushed open, and a gentle yet majestic wave of light magic washed over them like a tide.

Built at the peak of the snowy mountain, the Papal Hall featured a dome hundreds of meters high, painted with stained glass murals of the Goddess of Light.

On the high platform at the far end of the hall sat an old man dressed in a pure white robe.

His hair and beard were completely white, and his face was etched with the deep trenches of time. He held a scepter inlaid with a massive crystal, which in reality contained fathomless magical power.

Rumors outside claimed he was a peak Tier 9 powerhouse, only a single step away from Tier 10.

But Ye Chuan merely glanced at him and saw right through his true foundation.

Tier 10.

A genuine Tier 10. He had simply disguised his realm under the facade of a Tier 9.

Interesting. This old Pope was hiding his strength quite well.

But it made sense. Given the current state of the world, it would be unreasonable not to hide a bit of strength. If an opponent underestimated him, they would pay a heavy price.

"Your Holiness." Kalisia quickly stepped forward and respectfully performed a noble's bow to the Pope on the high platform, her small face full of reverence.

The Pope's gentle gaze fell upon Kalisia. A faint smile appeared on his aged face, and his voice was mild yet carried a soul-piercing power:

"It has been ten years. The little girl of the Storm Duke has grown so much. When you were born, I personally went to the Storm Territory to perform the Baptism of Light for you. I didn't expect you to grow up so fast in the blink of an eye."

Kalisia thought of the tragic state of the occupied zones over the past ten years and the bitter struggle of the Storm Territory. She said softly:

"Your Holiness, if it weren't for Lord Sissi, I would never have made it to the Holy Mountain alive, and the Storm Territory... would have almost been destroyed."

"Oh?" The Pope's gaze shifted slightly. "The Holy Mountain hasn't received any news for a long time. Kassiel led the demon race to blockade the entire east. Many people thought the Storm Territory had already fallen. Is your father Samuel doing well?"

"Father is fine, and the Storm Territory is still standing." Kalisia nodded vigorously, then proudly raised her chin and pointed to Ye Chuan beside her.

"It was Lord Sissi who killed Kassiel and wiped out the demon race's army of ten thousand!"

As soon as these words came out, the Pope's originally gentle eyes suddenly sharpened, and he focused all his attention on Ye Chuan.

Killed Kassiel?

Kassiel, one of the Eight Great Demon Lords?

After freezing for a few seconds, the Pope seemed somewhat unwilling to accept reality.

Considering Kalisia's age and maturity, the Pope calmly looked at Ye Chuan. "Sir, may I ask where you are from?"

Before Ye Chuan could speak, Kalisia immediately interrupted, "Your Holiness! This is Lord Sissi Chynayega! The legendary grand mage from a thousand years ago!"

"Due to an accident while researching space-time magic, the Lord traveled from a thousand years ago to the present. He came to the Holy Mountain this time for the matter regarding the Hero's Sword and the Hero!"

Sissi Chynayega.

The moment this name was spoken, the Papal Hall plunged into dead silence.

The Pope's expression also froze, as if trying to digest this information.

The legendary grand mage from a thousand years ago traveled to this era?

Absurd.

To the human race of the Aether Continent, this name was a myth, a faith, the only existence from a thousand years ago capable of standing against the Demon King of that era.

But how could a legend from a millennium ago appear a thousand years later with such a youthful appearance?

At this moment, the Pope's mindset was like a modern person listening to a ten-year-old girl drag a young man over and claim he was the First Emperor.

Send me 50 bucks.

The Pope quickly composed himself, his face showing not a trace of gullibility.

"You claim to be the legendary mage, but do you have any proof? The secret histories of a thousand years ago are well recorded in surviving manuscripts across the continent. You cannot impersonate the legendary lord simply by throwing around a name."

"Proof?" Ye Chuan stroked his chin. "Me standing here is the proof."

"Kalisia... alas, words are no proof." The Pope slowly shook his head and asked in a deep voice,

"Let us end this absurd farce. Since you claim to be Sissi Chynayega, you must surely know Elara, right? She was the legendary lord's only direct disciple, the strongest water-attribute mage on the continent a thousand years ago, and the first-generation Holy Maiden of our Church of Light."

Elara?

Hearing this, Ye Chuan was stunned for a moment before realizing who he meant.

Little blue hair?

How did a thousand years pass and this girl become the first-generation Holy Maiden?

And the strongest water-attribute mage?

Not bad at all.

"I know her, of course I know her," Ye Chuan said.

The Pope's eyes instantly sharpened a bit. "Then tell me, sir, when did you take Elara as your disciple? And where did you discover her talent?"

Ye Chuan looked up, glanced at Kalisia beside him, pointed a finger at her, and casually said:

"I took her in when she was about her age, in the territory of Earl Kan."

As soon as he said this, the Pope's brows tightly furrowed, and he shook his head.

"You are wrong, sir. History records that Elara was born with a water-attribute holy body. When she was sixteen, while defending against the demon race at the border, the legendary lord discovered her talent. For the future of humanity, he taught her everything he knew, and even fought alongside her to repel the invading Demon King."

"You don't understand Sissi Chynayega at all." The Pope slowly raised his chin, showing a bit of smugness.

"No one understands the experiences of this legendary mage better than I do."

Ye Chuan: "..."

A question mark slowly appeared on Ye Chuan's face.

What defending against demons, what water-attribute holy body? It was completely just the little dragon person forcing her onto him, and he only agreed because they offered him gold coins.

But he couldn't be bothered to argue with this old Pope about such trivial matters from a thousand years ago. "There is nothing to argue about regarding these boring historical details."

"What is real cannot be faked, and what is fake cannot become real. If you want to prove my identity, there is a much simpler way, isn't there?"

Looking at Ye Chuan's unhurried and calm demeanor, the Pope's heart stirred slightly.

Of course he knew that the most direct way to prove it was through strength.

A thousand years ago, Sissi Chynayega was the first grand mage in the recorded history of the Aether Continent to reach Tier 10.

If the man before him was truly the legendary mage, then he must possess the strength of a Tier 10.

The Pope slowly stood up and walked toward Ye Chuan. "Indeed, strength is the best proof."

As his voice fell, the scepter in his hand lightly tapped the ground.

"Buzz—!"

A dazzling golden curtain of light instantly rose from the ground, standing between Ye Chuan and the Pope.

On the light curtain, countless runes of light flowed rapidly, forming an indestructible defensive barrier.

"Sir, as long as you can shatter this barrier with your own power..."

Before the Pope could finish his words, he came to an abrupt halt.

"Clink—"

Just as he was speaking, the radiant curtain of light shattered instantly like fragile glass, turning into countless tiny particles of light that dissipated into the air.