The priest had already been scared out of his wits after that duel. Now that the devil from his nightmare was right in his face, how could he dare hide anything? He immediately answered everything he knew, holding nothing back.
What—betraying the Wicked God's consequences?
Didn't he just watch the Wicked God himself get beaten into retreat?
Any awe and loyalty he had toward the Wicked God had always been built on sincere conviction in its power. But now that he'd personally felt how powerless the Wicked God was against this man—and how terrifying this man was—the priest's faith in the invincible Wicked God of rumor had begun to waver.
If the Wicked God's divine power was truly as terrifying as the church claimed… then what did that make this person?
"Yes. There are three Wicked Gods," the priest nodded repeatedly.
"They are the Wicked Gods corresponding to the three Egyptian God Cards—the supreme Three Evil Gods of the dueling world—and they possess power even greater than the God Cards… or so it's said."
He added the "or so it's said" at the end for accuracy, to show he himself had only heard rumors.
In truth, he'd never doubted the Wicked God's might before—that was the foundation of a believer's loyalty. But after this battle, after experiencing the Wicked God's helplessness and the opponent's horror firsthand, he could no longer keep that certainty.
"As for that spirit of yours…"
The priest hesitated and glanced at the big eye beside Kira.
"I can't say for sure. The Wicked God only said it needed this spirit, and never clearly explained to us why. But I've been possessed by the Wicked God several times, so I think I vaguely know something…"
He paused and lowered his voice.
"This spirit likely hides the secret to unsealing the Wicked Gods."
Kira glanced at the Eye. The Eye itself looked shocked.
"Eh!? I have a secret that amazing inside me?"
Right—clueless as always.
"I don't know the specifics," the priest said. "But I do know that, like the God Cards back then, the Wicked Gods' cards were also created through the hands of Maximillion Pegasus, the father of Duel Monsters.
After that, Pegasus's adopted son, Tenma Yako, was chosen by the Wicked Gods as the first host, and fought a decisive battle against Yugi Muto, who possessed the God Cards at the time.
After that battle, somehow, the Wicked Gods were sealed. The key secret to breaking the seal is hidden within this spirit. That's why the Wicked Gods repeatedly commanded us: no matter the means, regardless of the cost, we must obtain this spirit."
"The key to unsealing…" Kira looked at the Eye again. "No wonder the Wicked God treated this guy so seriously."
Eye's eyelid drooped.
"I don't feel honored at all."
Kira thought: those events were long ago. Pharaoh Atem—the main party involved—had returned to the underworld. Yugi Muto was rarely seen now, wandering the world like a half-retired master.
So aside from them, the most convenient people to contact for information would be Pegasus, president of Industrial Illusions, and Tenma Yako, the former host.
They might know details about how the Wicked Gods were sealed. If Kira learned those details, he might be able to infer what this Eye really was and what it was for, based on the unsealing method.
Once he got back, he'd contact Industrial Illusions and call Pegasus and his son—no, this felt like something better handled in person.
With that plan set aside, Kira asked next: "Are there any spirit executives in your Advent Church?"
"Huh?"
The priest blinked, not quite understanding.
"Monster spirits," Kira clarified. "Followers of the Wicked God—surely it's not all humans, right? There should be spirits who also worship the three of them and cooperate with you on various matters."
Kira had previously encountered the Allure Queen, and there had even been an Wicked God's consciousness fragment attached within her.
But that state had been different from this time. Allure Queen had been strengthened, yes, but the darkness he sensed then was on a totally different level from today.
If he had to compare to the anime: the Wicked God's blessing on Allure Queen felt like the kind of power-up Aster received before his first duel with Jaden—like a buff bestowed upon a follower.
Whereas the priest just now had been a true projection of the Wicked God itself—personally playing the duel, even splitting off copies of its own cards.
But the priest still shook his head. "No—among the members I know, there aren't any monster spirits in the church. However…"
He hesitated, then continued.
"During some church missions, we did receive help from certain spirits. There are also rumors that in the spirit world there exists a church similar to ours, working for the Wicked Gods' resurrection.
But we each operate under revelation and never communicate with one another. So I can't be sure whether such a spirit church truly exists…"
Kira could tell he wasn't lying; he'd probably said everything he could.
So Kira stood, jumped down from the altar, and walked straight out.
A large crowd of cultists surrounded the altar. They looked numerous and menacing, but the moment Kira descended, they immediately parted to either side, hurriedly making a path for him.
Kira didn't look back—didn't even glance at them—walking out while pressing his earpiece to contact the Kaiba Corporation response team stationed nearby.
"It's finished here. I'm leaving. Come secure the scene."
The other side answered immediately.
Leaving the altar, Kira walked toward the edge of the woods. But after proceeding a short distance through the trees, he suddenly felt the atmosphere shift again.
The air had somehow become oppressive. Darkness began seeping out from the forest, gradually gathering toward Kira.
"I've got a bad feeling…" Eye said nervously.
"Mm," Kira smiled faintly.
Could those Wicked Gods really be so impatient—already showing up?
No—this was also a wave of dark power, but it felt different from the Wicked God's aura from before.
But at this point, Kira was confident enough to be called fearless: with cards in hand, there was no need to panic.
He continued forward casually, took a few more steps, and emerged from that patch of trees into open space.
And in front of him was… something that looked like—
a palace?