There are clearly only two people on the other side, and both are women.
Why do you all possess such blazing fighting spirit?
Why do your hearts harbor such incomparable righteousness?
Though the numbers are great, the battle spirit of the Royal City’s knight army is actually quite hollow; most of them are mere rabble, scattering at a single charge, dispersing at a single clash.
Even the Holy Knight Order couldn’t handle Niubao and me—how could you ordinary mixed-up knights hope to withstand my Dual Goddess Statue and Sun Gold Sutra?
“Retreat! Withdraw from the river!” Samimi shouted in a commanding voice.
“[Forge]!” Niubao unleashed the most basic of knight techniques, yet that was enough to barrel straight through the defensive lines, charging like a wild beast, sending countless Royal City knights and Rescue Court knights flying.
This is another world, not the real world. Here, a single person taking on an entire army is completely feasible.
“Everyone stand down!” In the end, it still fell to the steadfast Sage Knight Order Second Company Commander Ophika to put a stop to everything.
At her command, both the Rescue Court and Royal City knights retreated behind her. Some were even dragging their comrades who had been sent flying by Niubao—upholding brotherhood to the last.
After a few rounds, both the Holy Knight and Royal Kingdom knights realized that these two renegade nuns were invincible. One after another, they withdrew behind the Holy Knight, refusing to challenge them again.
They had now collectively become the atmosphere group—like those extras set up to make the grand scene more majestic.
But one couldn’t deny that they still played an important role; everyone’s presence turned what was originally just a church-centered riot into a legend fit to be recorded in the kingdom’s history.
Yet it was obvious the two rebellious nuns were holding back; they’d knocked down hundreds, but the wounds inflicted were mostly superficial.
“[Healing Technique].”
“Apply healing!”
Even as she fought like a demon lord incarnate, the villainous nun would heal her opponents mid-battle, ensuring no one suffered serious injuries.
Such considerate actions only further diluted everyone’s resentment towards the rebel nuns—there hadn’t been much to begin with, and now there was even less, their sword arms growing heavier and heavier.
This made everyone suspect whether there was some great injustice behind all this.
After all, it’s more reliable to believe in these two oddball nuns than that fat Grand Archbishop, isn’t it? After all, we’re all men here—men understand these things best.
Of course, Samimi’s healing prowess was rather ordinary, but that’s only in comparison to the rare prodigy Saint Healer Miss Gebe. At least her mana reserves were far greater than an ordinary priest—she was strong through sheer endurance.
“Given how things are now, do you still have faith in the church?” Samimi asked, her tone sharp.
By now, she was burning her own mana, having activated two rounds of Magic Domain, and her magic was nearly depleted.
Samimi could not advance anymore, unable to force herself out of her own Magic Domain, nor could she muster the mana to activate a third round of Dual Goddess Statue.
Her final goal was still to meet Sword Slope Girl Ophika in a death match.
I may lose, but I want to lose at the hands of someone worthy.
Last time I was completely defeated by the Gun Saintess, but what matters is whether the defeat is meaningful.
“You all together aren’t her match. Everyone, stand aside, lest you get hurt by stray blades.” Kun Knight Ophika said in a deep voice.
At her words, all the kingdom and church knights quickly scattered to the sides, giving the former Saint and the two rebel nuns ample space for their duel.
Of course, it was worth watching even if one might be accidentally injured; a battle like this is worth regretting for a lifetime if missed.
Not only knights but also nobles pushed forward to watch, and the high-ranking Saint Healers crowded in as well—all eager onlookers, none willing to leave.
Because everyone knew that these two rebel nuns would not kill, neither righteous nor evil; surely, there must be some deeper injustice?
Yet they refused to explain themselves, keeping everyone in suspense and making the crowd all the more curious about their true motives.
What really happened beneath the lair of the Female Vampire Queen?
What became of the Pope’s Grandson? Was the Pope’s death really an accident?
Where did such formidable outlaw nuns and former nuns come from? Was the Rescue Court conducting some kind of forbidden human research?
“I’ll give you one last chance. Surrender.” Ophika, commander of the Second Company, looked at Samimi with a face full of regret.
“I’ll give you all one last chance as well—hand over the Grand Archbishop. I want to tear out his tongue and sever his throat. If you refuse, I swear I will not rest.” Samimi refused flatly.
“You’ve exhausted too much of your strength. You can’t defeat all of us, and you won’t kill—so why persist?” Ophika advised, frowning in concern.
“Church grudges—do not involve the innocent.” Samimi replied, enunciating each word.
“You…” Ophika was left speechless, not knowing how to respond.
“If I must die, I will fight to the very end, never regret, never bow my head.” Samimi’s words were full of conviction.
“….”
Ophika’s eyes were full of admiration, impressed by her unyielding spirit, but in front of so many witnesses, she had no choice but to fight her.
I truly don’t want to fight, but circumstances force my hand—if I don’t, her fate will be even worse.
Our Kun Knight Order does not have to follow the Red Robe Grand Archbishop’s orders.
I cannot allow Samimi to fall into the Red Robe Grand Archbishop’s hands—she must be brought in by the Holy Knight Order.
That way, I can lock Samimi in our own cell, which is, ironically, the safest place in the entire church.
For the future of the Kunyan Society, for the protection of a genius from a tragic fate, Samimi must be fiercely guarded and, if needed, re-educated with care.
No tragedy of the sect can surpass this.
“Then I won’t hold back any longer.” Ophika, unwavering, raised her head toward the sky.
“Niubao, stand back! Let me and her duel one-on-one, I won’t take advantage.” Samimi smiled, “This arena should finally allow us to use our full strength.”
“Hmph.” Ophika couldn’t help but smile, but her face quickly turned serious, entering full combat mode.
The sword in her hand shimmered with a golden aura, its intricate runes glowing. It was, astonishingly, a silent sword inscribed with sacred symbols.
The Second Company Commander of the Holy Knight Order, the church’s Sword Saint, Sword Slope Girl, was finally about to unleash her full power.
Last time, in the sewers, she held back and let Samimi pass due to the terrain, and ended up being ambushed by Niubao.
They hadn’t witnessed the full might of the Black Mist Ritual before, but that would not happen this time.
“Ha! Hah! Hah!”
Sword Slope Girl Ophika activated her unique magical power, brilliant lightning sparking and crackling out, blanketing the battlefield.
Her sword shimmered and twisted in her grasp until it vanished completely—unseeable, invisible, unspeakably menacing.
Ophika’s unique gift was truly a sight to behold.
But in contrast, Ophika could only infuse this power into her weapon, which was somewhat mysterious—what use did it have? Was it just for show?
And last time, neither Sword Slope Girl nor I fought at full strength.
When I fought Sword Slope Girl last time, I hadn’t even activated Magic Domain. Now, I want to see how you’ll shatter my Dual Goddess Statue, and I still have the Sun Gold Sutra to chant!
“Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!”
Suddenly, one black vortex of magical energy after another formed behind Holy Knight Ophika, as if devouring all things—a black abyss, filled with unknown terror.
The spectators were bewildered at first—so this is the power of the Sword Saint? It’s truly terrifying!
But soon, they could no longer see anything, as a black barrier rose up, covering the entire arena, blocking any view of the duel inside.
They could only watch the shadows swirling rapidly, and blades of light flashing like storms, making their hearts race in terror.
Those black vortices might be unfamiliar to most, but Samimi recognized them immediately—each one was a massive source of magic power.
Every black vortex could generate a [Sword of Unseen Gaze].
This was a technique similar to magical projectiles, but fundamentally different—a special formula whose mechanism was closer to magical branding and magic rays.
Its power source could be externalized, whereas magical branding and rays are powered by the magician’s own body.
Indeed!
This technique could not be used in multiples—there was simply no reason to split one’s magic power into external sources.
If one could only summon a single black vortex, then splitting the power externally would be pointless—apart from showing off, it had no practical use, much like Samimi’s own assortment of seemingly flashy tricks—it was all for style.
Samimi realized this rather late, only now seeing the truth.
If she’d realized earlier, she wouldn’t have talked so tough—she could have been a little more polite, perhaps even let her opponent hold back.
“Orchid Chrysanthemum Domain Wall!”
Samimi could only use barrier spells and thick brambles to shield herself, resisting the Swords of Unseen Gaze slashing from the darkness.
But this time, with the wide-open arena, those Swords of Unseen Gaze could accelerate and decelerate at will, drifting and dodging left and right.
Even without this chessboard arena, she couldn’t possibly track the trajectory of her opponent’s swordplay.
“Ha! Hah! Hah!”
Even with the Dual Goddess Domain to help make up the gap in pure strength, the Orchid Chrysanthemum Towers were being pierced one after another.
Samimi was instantly exposed to the effective range of the Swords of Unseen Gaze, in extreme peril.
“You call this swordsmanship? Don’t try to fool me—I haven’t read many books, but I know that much!”
At this moment, Samimi recalled her earlier bragging in the sewers and felt a little embarrassed.
Although the overall strength of Sword Slope Girl was a bit below Gun Saintess, the real difference was in the power of their Magic Domain—still, she wasn’t someone Samimi could trifle with right now.
Sword Slope Girl’s Black Mist Ritual combination may lack the aggression of a Magic Domain, but it was its own mini-domain.
And the principle behind the Black Mist Ritual’s set of moves was simple: black mist wraps around your neck, wild sword slashes you down.
The simpler the technique, the harder it is to break.
For Sword Slope Girl Ophika, unleashing her full Magic Domain was only a matter of time.
Who wasn’t a magical genius at eighteen?
Little Powderbug is only seventeen, not even eighteen, and already causing a stir everywhere—such a poetic life!
No…
It’s not over yet…
No matter how wild, proud, or tough I am, I still have my divine artifact!