Chapter 172: The Battlefield That Can’t Be Late (Part 2)
East of town, on several narrow paths leading to the mountain foothills, rows of thorny barricades were set up. Hundreds of knights stood behind their stakes, shields held high and spears at the ready, eyes sharp and expressions serious.
In the middle of one of the paths, Captain Selamus, Archbishop Anseier, and Pope Knight Lord Tarlasya rode their horned horses side by side. The first two wore relaxed expressions and chatted softly, while Tarlasya seemed distracted, like she was daydreaming about… cake or something.
“It’s about time, isn’t it?”
Captain Selamus chuckled. “Skarlij is planning to escape from town and join up with the Northern Army stationed farther east. He’ll have to pass through these paths, for sure. My scouts, who I’ve affectionately named ‘the white birds of doom,’ say he’s likely to skulk around the west side of town, since we’ve pretty much turned the other exits into a chaotic mess.”
“Lord Anseier, I’d like to congratulate you in advance—we’re pretty much guaranteed a victory in this battle. Your position is practically safe now.”
“Eh~”
Archbishop Anseier waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t jinx it. The fall of Baihao City was unexpected. Even if we take down Skarlij, we still have to tread carefully in our next moves. One misstep could mean heavier losses. We’d both owe the Temple some serious groveling.”
“Bah, you worry too much, Bishop! Once Skarlij is out of the picture, what’s left? Just a bunch of wild Northern rabble running around like headless chickens. They can’t do anything! Even if we lose the city, we’ve got Sister Kaimilante and thousands of elite knights at our disposal. We can snatch it back in a heartbeat… and let’s be honest, they’re running low on supplies anyway; we’ve basically cleaned them out!”
Captain Selamus felt a wave of relief wash over him. After hearing his subordinate’s report about the battle in town, he was convinced the outcome was all but sealed. Skarlij was heavily injured, and he wouldn’t stand a chance against the impassable blocking lines he had set up. Once Tarlasya and Sister Kaimilante closed in, there would only be one path left for the rebel leader—right into the afterlife.
Once he was gone, the entire Northern Army would spiral into chaos. The temporary coalition, comprised of lazy nobles isolated by the royal city, would turn on itself the moment they sensed defeat. The glue of their temporary alliances would stick less than a wet tissue!
Captain Selamus believed that, even if he was a bit off on his assumptions, winning was merely a matter of time with their overwhelming force.
“However, I truly didn’t see this coming,” he continued, gazing at the smoke rising from the town and hearing vague explosions in the distance. He felt increasingly cheerful and couldn’t help but prattle on. Seeing that Anseier had gone silent for a while, he added, “That Sister Kaimilante… The Holy City really sent us a golden gift! I had no idea that the Pope was hiding such powerful aces next to Cardinal Iliena…”
“With that level of divine miracle, I doubt even St. George himself would come out unscathed.”
“The Holy City is really valuing our success here.”
Anseier did not comment on Selamus’ overly optimistic attitude. He had heard that the young man was smart and adept at warfare, albeit sometimes a bit overeager, but as long as he kept his cool while analyzing the situation, the old man didn’t care about any drawbacks.
“I talked to the eldest son of the Rossius family before. Although he was tight-lipped about specifics, there’s no doubt that the new Council is desperate for cash and even more so for the central workshop, the largest smelter on the Western Continent.”
The Archbishop’s tone grew serious. “I must remind you, Captain, the Temple Church is currently facing a huge and difficult challenge. An enemy we absolutely must not lose to. The Church is struggling, and if we mess up, it’s not just going to be anyone who suffers. The Pope can’t, and neither can we.”
“What do you mean?” Selamus asked, narrowing his eyes. “Challenge? Enemy?”
He didn’t quite understand the hidden meaning in Anseier’s words.
“Stay vigilant at all times.”
The Archbishop didn’t elaborate, his expression turning grave. “We can’t afford to lose this fight.”
“We won’t lose,” Selamus replied confidently. After reassuring the old man, he glanced at Tarlasya, smirking a little. “I just hope Lord Tarlasya pulls her weight this time and doesn’t lose us the fight over some ‘too many enemies’ excuse. She’s been officially recognized by the Temple! Let’s not tarnish the name of the Pope Knight… otherwise, when I report back to the Holy City, I won’t have a single good word to say for you.”
“…”
Tarlasya’s expression remained calm, as if she hadn’t heard the hint of insult.
She said nothing about the sudden appearance of “Silvya,” her overwhelming affinity for order, or the fact that she could very well be rallying troops to support them shortly.
Caw—
In a direction no one had noticed, a large-looking crow darted swiftly towards the outskirts of town.
…………
In the town, explosions were still echoing.
A nun, who looked suspiciously like a farmwoman, slashed downward with her hand, aiming for the head of the hunter Bella, who sat on the ground. An astonishing holy light enveloped her entire forearm, shimmering ominously, as if it were about to slice Bella in half any second.
In a split second, Bella twisted her body, dodging the attack with a slick slide, circling around to the side of the nun. With one hand, she planted her sword tip into the ground and used it to leap high into the air, her body nearly horizontal as she aimed a powerful kick at the nun’s head, igniting flames across her foot!
Bang—
But the nun didn’t flinch. Murmuring softly, a faint golden Sin Barrier surrounded her instantly. Bella’s fiery kick struck the barrier with a resounding boom, sending flames erupting, but it only stirred a ripple on the barrier. The nun remained motionless, her eyes not even flicking in Bella’s direction. With a casual flick of her finger, one of the small suns floating above her head came crashing down onto the ground beneath Bella.
Bella’s pupils dilated.
Boom—!!!!
The earth-rumbling explosion reverberated throughout the town, golden light and flames bursting into the sky, annihilating everything within a hundred-meter radius in the blink of an eye. The gusting winds howled and heat waves surged forward as the ground quaked violently, making it hard for knights and hunters in the distance to stay standing. Some seized the moment to stab at their enemies, while others began to retreat when they felt the danger escalating.
Once the smoke and flames dissipated, the nun’s sturdy silhouette, shielded by her barrier, re-emerged at the center of the explosion. She blinked, staring unwaveringly at the hunter who had miraculously dodged the blast at the last second.
“Phew, phew…”
Bella’s hair was a mess, her face coated with soot, and her triangular hat had turned to ash in the explosion. Puffs of smoke rose from her as she struggled to catch her breath, gripping her sword and dagger tighter.
“What’s that footwork of yours called?”
From a distance, she heard the nun’s voice call out.
Bella didn’t respond.
The nun, undeterred, continued walking toward her. “It’s a bit troublesome…”
Staring at the last little sun still floating above the nun’s head, Bella’s eyes flickered as sweat trickled down her forehead.
Having faced the nun’s terrifying powers once before, she knew all too well that, in close-quarters combat, this nun was practically leagues ahead of her—be it agility, footwork, muscle response, or combat awareness. In short, Bella would be completely outmatched.
The nun had brute strength, but with skills like that, she probably couldn’t even wield a weapon properly.
However, the overwhelming force of her faith and that reckless area-wide attack made it impossible for Bella to even get close. She’d have to pick her moments cautiously and muster all her courage every time. She was nothing but a punching bag, barely able to retaliate.
And if she ever slipped up, that divine miracle would shut her down instantly.
Those two Pope Knights from earlier met their ends just like that.
They hadn’t understood their opponent at all; thinking it was a race against time, they rushed forward to eliminate a key asset. But the moment they got close, they were swallowed by the explosion of that holy orb, with nowhere to hide—one died on the spot, and the other got gravely injured, dying not long after. They hadn’t even had the chance to show off their skills.
And Bella, thanks to her Moon Step, could barely keep up with the nun for even a moment…
Where did she even come from?
Why had she never heard of her before?
Thoughts whirled in her head, but just then, the nun suddenly blinked, appearing right in front of Bella. She reached out, and several sturdy chains erupted from the ground, attempting to wrap around Bella’s ankles and hold her in place!
If she got caught, it would be game over…
Bella’s heart raced, and she used her Moon Step to dart away, leaping several meters back. Once steadied, she slashed forward with her dagger and sword, sending countless fiery blades flying toward the nun’s barrier, but they barely made a dent.
Seeing this, the nun waved her hand, charging forward through the flames, her advance relentless. Nearly ten golden chains twisted and coiled around her, shooting out from the outer barrier towards Bella. She deftly dodged, slashing back with her flames as the two clashed, the noise of their duel escalating to a crescendo, explosions ringing out with every blow.
Suddenly, another little sun hurtled towards her. The searing light expanded in Bella’s eyes; she quickly performed an extreme Moon Step to dodge, retreating to a distance of a hundred meters just in time as the massive explosion erupted, kicking up dust and sending Bella tumbling back several yards.
In that instant, the nun’s imposing figure burst through the cloud of dust, reaching out, and the chains rattled as they wrapped around Bella’s waist.
“Still want to hide?”
The nun’s voice dripped with smugness as she looked down at Bella, who was sprawled against the wall, seemingly broken as if all her bones had fallen apart. She coldly warned, “You sinners will never see your own filth, never realize just how many bloody crimes you’ve committed. You’ll never know until your last breath.”
Lifting Bella’s jammed and slightly warped weapon above her head, the nun’s eyes narrowed in disdain as she prepared to thrust it down fiercely.
Crack, crack, crack!
Suddenly, thin sheets of ice erupted beneath the nun’s feet!
