### Chapter Seventy-Seven: Through the Flames (Part Nine)
“Ah ha ha ha ha!”
That laughter erupted from the western sky behind them, raspy like a crow’s call, and in an instant, it was right overhead. Captain of Knights Lawrence squinted against the blazing sun, a bl**d-red halo illuminating a massive, rotund shadow dripping with water, descending from the heavens like a meaty cannonball.
“That’s—”
Lawrence recognized her at a glance.
Apheir Sherry Tranks.
In her younger days, she traveled the Western Continent under the moniker “Butterfly of the Azure Waves,” slaying abyssal creatures, punishing the wicked, often at the side of the now-late Lady Bersha. Together with the Sword Saint, their combined Power of Order—water and thunder—was said to be unstoppable. Legend has it that even the Old Man would avoid their fury. She was revered as the most shining female Pope Knight of her time, a legendary hero of the old guard, her strength and integrity etched deep into the hearts of many elders.
In her shining era, most of the current First Knights Order, including Lawrence and many young knights and clerics, probably hadn’t even been born yet.
The one responsible for this encirclement was officially the young Bishop Aresta, but anyone in the knight order could tell you it was a mere guise. Aresta was the darling little brother of Commander Seattle and a direct descendant of the Holy City Rossius, a true heir to the sacred legacy. The Pope had dispatched him under the pretense of leading the operation, but in reality, it was just a name-based training exercise.
The real leaders of this brawl were none other than the Sword Saint Old Man and Apheir, both seasoned and overwhelmingly powerful Pope Knights.
Only they could inspire the fierce warriors of the First Knights Order to respect and follow them wholeheartedly.
Even if they were both old …
But—
Under the scarlet sun, Lawrence lifted his head.
The knights racing about the roads all halted their movements, instinctively looking up.
At that moment, every eye sparkled with the eager thrill of anticipation.
This was…
A legendary hero whom even their fathers revered!
“Heretic!”
In their line of sight, that plump figure descending from the sky clutched a war hammer in one hand and appeared to be chugging from a wine pouch with the other. With a roar, amidst the howling gale, she swung that hefty hammer—probably heavier than a person—firing up everyone’s spirits like a wheel whirring through their emotions.
Not far away, the Fire-Enveloped Heretic noticed and gasped. Chains wrapped around her were melting one by one, transforming into twinkling golden specks, dissipating into the flames. However, even with this, she wasn’t in the clear yet, still tightly bound by the crucifix.
Trying to escape…
Was far too late.
In the next instant, the figure shot through the town like a falling star, landing right in front of the Heretic, the raised hammer heralding a terrifying wind. The gust parted the air like a kn*fe, and that swing was akin to divine judgment, sending flames spiraling back as it smashed into the Heretic’s chest!
“Eat it, old man!”
Clang!
Boom—!!!
The moment the hammer struck her chest, the enthusiastic old hero let loose an ear-piercing curse. A deluge of water surged from the hammer’s base, reminiscent of a depth charge exploding. In seconds, flames were doused, and the golden crucifix shattered like paper under such brute force. Chains broke apart inch by inch, and the terrifying tidal wave carried the impact away, demolishing the burning earthen houses beneath them. As dirt and ashes exploded, the Heretic’s body shot out like a cannonball from above!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
An unparalleled tremor and roaring, her flying form became a plowing machine, crushing everything from the west of the town to the east, smashing through tall walls and collapsing wooden huts. Hay and dirt flew into the air as doors sailed upward like paper, countless debris whizzing in every direction, dust erupted, leaving a long trail of gray vapor across the center of the town while water rained down like droplets from the sky, splattering on the astonished faces of the knights.
“Oh my deity…”
“This is just…”
Crash!
Another dull thud echoed as her hefty figure plummeted earthward, sending up clouds of dust among the ruins. She stared at the crumbling walls in the distance and laughed heartily, “Hahaha! You’ve got quite the lucky life, little girl! It’s almost like you’re a hundred-legged bug or something!”
Bang!
The giant hammer slammed into the ground, raising more ash. Nearby, Captain of Knights Lawrence dismounted his beast, feeling the earth tremble beneath his feet, his own heart racing in rhythm.
What immense power, truly worthy of…
He intended to approach and greet her, looking to coordinate their next steps, but as soon as he took a few steps, a roaring flame erupted where the Heretic had flown out, lighting up the town like a second sun. The blinding light and searing heat bore down on him in an instant!
Lawrence instinctively raised a hand to shield his face, and in the next moment, he saw that massive figure in the ruins suddenly lift an arm, tilting her head back to chug several big gulps of wine before tossing the pouch aside. Water began swirling in her palm, and Lawrence felt the ground shake even more ferociously, the countless pebbles along the roadside starting to dance.
He reflexively stepped back.
Boom—
A colossal water column shot up from a narrow passage beside the ruins, as thick as a few people embracing. The flood crashed through the crumbling walls, cascading in all directions, only to be sucked back into the air the next second, merging into a massive wave reaching thirty meters high above the town.
Amidst the ruins, the hero known as Apheir waved her hand with glee.
Boom!
The torrent thundered forth like a dragon’s roar, sweeping away debris in an instant and diving down onto the fiery mayhem several dozen meters away!
Splash, splash, splash…
Hiss, hiss, hiss…
A massive cloud of steam erupted as the water quickly quenched the inferno, creeping over short, crumbled walls and, despite the turbulence, Lawrence was stunned. His eyes were wide open as the old Pope Knight Apheir’s plump figure sprang up again, soaring dozens of meters into the air, chasing after the Heretic.
God bless…
If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, Lawrence wouldn’t have believed that a rotund, beefy old woman with a red nose could leap so high while wielding a hammer possibly heavier than himself…
It was almost like she was flying…
He stood there, dumbstruck.
“Since you’re still alive, let’s have a real brawl! Hahaha—”
Boom!
The old woman’s raucous laughter echoed like thunder from afar as her hefty frame dove into the churning mist, followed by a world-shattering explosion. What exactly happened next left a blast wave rippling through the air, the fog dispersing in seconds, a violent wind whipping past his ears, making his hair dance wildly.
What a terrifying but reliable person she was.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom—
The cacophony of battle rolled from the east of the town, sounding like the dismantling of the place. Flames and water swirled, scattering all sorts of debris into the sky. Lawrence stood, awestruck by the scene for what felt like an eternity until someone beside him asked, “Captain… what should we do? Should we retreat?”
“… Retreat?”
Lawrence jolted, his mind finally snapping back into focus: “Retreat? We’ve got no business with the Heretic anymore! Isn’t there still a bl**d ball-like monster at the town center? Ianlot, Ianlot! You lead the way; everyone else, follow me to check it out.”
