“But didn’t Sister Sylvia say she didn’t want to go back? Why are you all insisting she return? She’s not a servant; she has the freedom to choose for herself.”
Caili couldn’t stand the situation. Besides, they had agreed to travel together. If Sylvia was forced to return now, her plans would be ruined.
“This is the Royal Command.”
Leon replied abruptly.
At this moment, Sylvia finally spoke up. After all, it was her choice, and she couldn’t let Caili decide for her.
“I’m not listening to those vermin’s orders. They’ve treated me like cattle for hundreds of years, only looking out for themselves. And it’s not just you three this time, right? There must be others too.”
At the same time, Sylvia reached out, and the Holy Sword materialized in her hand.
Caili sensed a fight was about to break out, so she summoned her Rainbow Sword as well.
“Yes.”
Seeing Sylvia and Caili ready to fight, Leon understood the situation and prepared for battle alongside Vidal and Margaret.
“There’s also a large force from the capital led by Chancellor Barrios — that old man, you know who I mean.”
“That old man’s still alive?”
Upon hearing that name, Sylvia showed a look of disgust.
“Well, that old man’s luck never runs out. He’s crafty and knows how to navigate the winds of politics to stay in power. We all hate him too.”
Listening to Sylvia and the others talk, Caili could guess they had once been good friends. Unfortunately, the capital was full of villains, making their lives miserable. Barrios was probably one of the worst.
“So, you really won’t come back with us?”
Leon’s tone shifted, faltering as he spread his hands out in front of Sylvia and asked sincerely.
“I know those bastards are scheming, but with us here, it’ll be fine. This is an absolute order from above, just like before.”
“No.”
Sylvia still stood firm in her choice. “You three are enough to defend the capital. I understand your good intentions, but my mind is made up.”
“Alright.”
Leon said, gripping his spear and aiming it at Sylvia and Caili. “I really don’t want to fight.”
Caili understood the situation clearly now. Former friends were about to become enemies because of differing choices—this plot was truly dramatic.
Sylvia held the Holy Sword glowing with platinum light, her gaze resolute as she stood in front of Caili. Her black hair whipped wildly in the wind.
Leon’s golden hair shone brilliantly as always, but the cheerful smile was gone, replaced by the weight of responsibility and a faint, almost hidden pain.
Blue-haired knight Vidal’s expression was cold and unreadable. He carried a massive golden Greatsword on his broad shoulders, emanating a heavy, oppressive aura.
Sister Margaret stood a little behind them, her simple black-and-white nun’s habit motionless in the breeze.
She tightly gripped the Holy Staff Devotion’s Guide, embedded with a pure crystal emitting soft holy light—a source of healing and binding power.
“Wait, Sylvia, you really won’t come back with us? How can friends fight each other like this?”
Margaret continued to plead with Sylvia.
“I stand firm in my choice. Come on then!”
Sylvia cut off Margaret.
Leon struck first! The Holy Spear became a golden streak of lightning, tearing through the air with a sharp whistle as it thrust toward Sylvia’s sword-wielding wrist!
This was the standard Temple Knight Spearmanship technique, designed to disarm rather than kill, but still incredibly fierce.
Sylvia spun to block, the Holy Sword tracing a perfect arc.
“Clang!”
A deafening clash of metal rang out, sparks flying. She took the momentum to sidestep lightly, creating distance.
“Sister Sylvia!”
In an unnoticed moment, Caili transformed—her glassy golden hair shifted to pure pink, and she infused power into the Rainbow Sword, slashing toward Leon.
Suddenly, Vidal moved, foregoing flashy techniques for pure strength and speed.
His massive Greatsword clashed against Caili’s Rainbow Sword, neither giving an inch. Vidal was stunned by Caili’s immense power.
“Hah. Such strength—you can spar with me?”
“Of course! How else could I be Sylvia’s good friend!”
“A good friend, huh…”
Vidal kicked at Caili, who swiftly dodged and countered with a kick to his body, pushing him back to regain distance.
Sylvia gritted her teeth and unleashed her power. The Holy Sword flared fiercely. She gripped it with both hands and channeled the Holy Light to its limit, swinging it upward with great force!
Boom—!!!
The sound was ten times louder than before! The Holy Sword fell vertically, leaving a huge crack in the ground, kicking up dust and debris.
When the dust settled, the three remained unharmed. Margaret’s Devotion’s Guide glowed, forming a giant protective shield enveloping them.
Around the shield, the ground cracked from the violent energy and shockwave, dry grass and stones scattering.
The next moment, Margaret’s holy light descended as she swung her staff.
“Chains of Holy Light!”
Soft but incredibly strong holy light shot from the crystal atop her staff. It wasn’t an attack but transformed into several shimmering chains inscribed with runes, darting toward Sylvia like snakes!
Sylvia spun the glowing Holy Sword, slashing a golden arc that shattered the chains.
She was now on the defensive. Ahead, Leon’s spear attacks pressed like a mountain. From afar, Margaret continued her ranged assaults, also blessing Leon and Vidal to enhance their abilities.
***
Meanwhile, Vidal gripped his Greatsword tightly and swiftly moved behind Caili, swinging from below upward, only to be met with a fierce collision from the Rainbow Sword.
The impact sent tingling shock through both their hands, but neither was seriously harmed.
Caili quietly rejoiced—the goddess-given weapon was high quality. If this had been an ordinary blacksmith’s sword, it would have snapped in two.
In the blink of an eye, Leon charged forward, spear blazing a golden afterimage. The spear tip cleaved the air with a cracking sound as it aimed straight at Sylvia.
“Not a chance!”
Sylvia roared, her eyes glowing bright gold. The Hero’s power within her erupted under the immense pressure and her determination to protect.
The Holy Sword vibrated violently, its golden light transforming from a gentle glow into a raging, destructive blaze!
Boom!
A ring of pure holy light exploded fiercely around Sylvia!
Vidal, who had been dueling Caili one-on-one, staggered back several steps from the sudden force, his heavy Greatsword gouging a deep trench in the ground.
Leon’s spear thrust was pushed aside by the wild light, the spear humming loudly.
Margaret groaned softly as the light on her staff fluctuated violently—her spell forcibly broken, and the backlash affecting her as well.
She stared at Sylvia, radiant like a Valkyrie amid the flames, her eyes full of shock. This power… she knew it well.
The three were at a standstill.
Sylvia panted heavily, the Holy Sword’s flames swirling unpredictably around her. Her sharp gaze sliced through those temporarily pushed back by her outburst.
Her voice hoarse and exhausted, she shouted, “This power isn’t for upholding those vermin! It’s to protect those truly worth protecting! For… freedom!”
She pointed the Holy Sword at her former comrades, flames blazing fiercely.
“If you insist on stopping me… then even if it means severing the bonds of the past, I will not hesitate! Today, I will never turn back!”
The cold wind howled, kicking up dust.
Leon gripped his spear tightly, knuckles white; Vidal regained his footing, Greatsword crossed before his chest, his aura colder than ever; Margaret took a deep breath, the light from her staff stabilizing, but her eyes were filled with complex emotions.
Former friends, now clearly divided.
“Then come at me!”
Leon’s voice was resolute, spear tip aimed squarely at Sylvia and Caili.
His spear flew like a dragon, no longer holding back, transforming into countless golden meteors aimed at Sylvia’s body.
At the same time, Vidal attacked from Sylvia’s side, drawing her attention and forcing her to dodge or block his strikes, despite Caili’s assistance.
Each clash echoed thunderously, the heavy force reverberating through the sword and steadily draining Sylvia and Caili’s strength.
His ice-blue eyes showed no emotion, like a machine.
Margaret’s holy light became like a prison. The Devotion’s Guide glowed as the chains turned into heavy Holy Light Barriers and scorching Purification Barriers, continuously shrinking Sylvia’s space to evade.
The Light of Purification shot like arrows at Sylvia but was dodged, leaving burning marks that hissed and cracked.
Sylvia and Caili fought desperately, like Silver Hawks trapped in a storm resisting the tempest.
Every block of Vidal’s heavy strikes numbed Caili’s arms, every dodge of Leon’s fast spear was a narrow escape, and the burning holy attacks gave them both headaches.
At the height of the fierce stalemate, Sylvia forcefully deflected one of Leon’s powerful thrusts, her body slightly leaning back from the recoil.
At the same time, the Holy Sword’s light flared wildly as she prepared to smash through Margaret’s huge Holy Light Barrier overhead.
Suddenly, an unexpected change!
A cold, dark purple energy—completely out of sync with the temple’s holy power—shot out from the side-rear of the battlefield like a lurking serpent.
Its speed was terrifying, its aim chillingly precise—directly targeting Sylvia’s unguarded back, exposed from her full focus on countering the holy barrier.
This energy reeked of decay, treachery, and disgust!
“Sylvia! Watch out!”
Leon’s shout and Margaret’s horrified gaze came simultaneously!
But it was too late!
“Pft—!”
The dark purple energy slammed into Sylvia’s back, piercing through her body. The spot it struck was her heart.
Her holy light instantly extinguished!
“Ugh—!!!”
Sylvia screamed in agonizing pain, trembling violently as if struck by lightning!
The power sustaining her against the Holy Light Barrier collapsed instantly! The Holy Sword’s glow dimmed rapidly and went out!
She spat a mouthful of fresh blood, her body uncontrollably staggering backward, caught by Caili. The Holy Sword fell from her hand with a clatter into the dust.
“Sylvia!”
Margaret cried out, stopping her spell instinctively. The staff’s light flickered violently, full of shock and fear.
Leon’s spear halted mid-air. He whipped his head toward the source of the sneak attack, his handsome face twisted with fierce rage. “Who?!”
Even Vidal’s massive body trembled violently for the first time. He sheathed his Greatsword and locked his icy blue gaze on the attacker—this shameless fiend.
A figure dressed in an extravagantly ornate dark purple robe trimmed with gold, somewhat stout with a shiny little mustache, toyed with a Skull Orb that still emitted dark purple smoke.
Behind him, a large force of kingdom soldiers surged forward.
A disgusting smile spread across his face as he slowly strode toward Leon and the others.
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