“How is this possible?”
The knight’s face turned pale as he widened his eyes, utterly shocked by the scene before him.
In his memory, even Saintess Elia’s original Lightbinding Art couldn’t absorb another person’s power.
Yet this unknown brat was using what he considered a counterfeit Lightbinding Art—and actually pulling it off.
As time passed, he felt the strength within him draining away bit by bit.
He was certain that if the Divine Sword continued to make contact with those Chains, it wouldn’t be long before he was sucked dry and left a mere husk.
In a panic, he tried to pull the Divine Sword away from the Chains.
But at that exact moment, Silver-haired Lilian sneered coldly and lightly curled her finger.
“Do you think you can escape?”
With Silver-haired Lilian’s voice, the black Chains suddenly surged to life, actively wrapping around the Divine Sword in the knight’s hands as if they had their own will.
The knight watched in horror as his Divine Sword slowly disintegrated, eventually turning into specks of white light that were completely swallowed by the black Chains.
“Th-this can’t be.”
Now suspended in midair by the Chains wielded by Silver-haired Lilian, the knight’s face was etched with fear and despair.
At last, he realized he had provoked someone he absolutely could not afford to.
His pride as a knight, cultivated over many years, shattered completely in that moment, replaced only by the humiliation of failure and the guilt of being unable to protect the people.
His strength was already considerable—at least within the Holy City, fewer than ten people could surpass him, and only Saintess Elia herself could suppress him as effortlessly as Silver-haired Lilian was doing now.
Yet the Holy City was currently in an extremely perilous state; many infected beasts were attacking continuously, hour by hour.
Before receiving intel that there were infected inside the city, he had been clearing beasts outside the city gates.
In other words, all capable members of the Holy Knights Order were currently outside the city fighting beasts, while the Saintess should be inside the cathedral tending to wounded knights.
This meant no one would be able to come to his rescue anytime soon.
***
“Which hand were you holding the torch with earlier?”
“Left or right?”
Silver-haired Lilian’s voice carried a hint of wickedness, mixed with curiosity and puzzlement, as if this detail was crucial to her.
“Forget it. Since you can’t remember, I’ll just cut them both off.”
Her voice swept past the knight’s ear like a cold winter wind.
She lightly raised her pale, slender hand, and the black Chains that had devoured the Divine Sword coiled around the knight’s arms like venomous snakes.
The knight’s silver-white armor was as fragile as paper before the black Chains.
Within moments, several metallic cracks sounded, as the armor broke under the unbearable pressure.
“Is this really where it ends?”
Closing his eyes tightly, the knight struggled weakly in his heart.
At this moment, he didn’t have even the slightest chance to resist.
He finally realized the gap between himself and a true powerhouse—it was not something that could be bridged with mere passion.
In her eyes, he was probably just a fragile and useless person.
No, a more fitting description would be “toy.”
“At least… I have to get this information to the Saintess.”
A flicker of determination crossed his face, as if he was voicing his final decision.
He suddenly opened his eyes, gritting his teeth.
The remaining blood power within him surged wildly, converging at the Holy Knights Order Emblem on his chest.
“By my blood, ignite the light!”
The knight roared, and the emblem burst forth with blinding white light.
Silver-haired Lilian’s pupils contracted sharply.
She sensed danger from this move—but not directly from the technique itself, but from the possibility it might attract someone.
She immediately tightened the black Chains, but it was already too late.
A dazzling pillar of white light shot up into the sky, exploding into a massive cross of light.
At the center of the cross, the word “Elia” glowed brilliantly in sacred script.
“Trash, insect. I was only going to cripple your hands, but now you’re courting death. Fine, then die.”
A huge black Chain shot from Silver-haired Lilian’s hand like an arrow released from a bow, moving at incredible speed toward the knight’s chest.
Facing the black Chain, the knight closed his eyes tightly.
He felt the overwhelming power radiating from it, knowing that if the Chain touched him, it would pierce his body through and through.
But he was already at peace.
As long as he could pass the information on in his last moments, that was enough.
He didn’t even need to think about what would happen next—he was sure Saintess Elia would arrive in time and slay the infected.
This belief came from his absolute trust in Elia’s strength, for within the Holy Knights Order, a saying had long circulated:
“Where the holy light shines, Saintess Elia is invincible.”
Though no one had truly witnessed Elia’s power, no one dared to question this truth.
Just as the knight closed his eyes to await death, a golden curtain of light suddenly appeared before him, blocking the black Chain’s attack.
“That ends here.”
A sacred and noble voice echoed around them as a stunning woman with peach-pink hair, clad in snow-white holy robes like a lotus flower, appeared before the knight.
Silver-haired Lilian showed no surprise upon seeing her.
She knew Elia’s power well enough to understand the other’s ability to teleport instantly.
Elia’s arrival instantly silenced the once noisy street.
Standing there, a soft and divine glow radiated from her, as if even the surrounding air had been purified.
Silver-haired Lilian narrowed her eyes and curled a playful smile, as if she was not afraid of Elia at all.
“You’re here, Elia.”
Elia’s gaze was calm and profound.
She stared at Silver-haired Lilian and spoke slowly, “You’re not Lilian. Who are you?”
Silver-haired Lilian merely chuckled lightly, controlling the black Chains to drift back, writhing like living creatures around her.
“Who am I? That’s an interesting question.”
“Perhaps you could say I am another ‘her’—one who has inherited all her memories and feelings.”
“Another ‘her’… but why do I feel my own presence in you?” Elia seemed to realize something, and her expression softened gradually.
“It seems I was wrong back then. Lilian’s change was not just a matter of personality.”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.