On Gabriel’s side, the High Cardinal was seething, his eyes bloodshot with anger.
He spared a glance to the side and saw Aria mowing down both Church knights and adventurers indiscriminately.
The blinding light had caused utter chaos in his ranks. Knights of the Holy Church were stumbling around or on their knees; a few were already dead, courtesy of Aria’s assault or collateral damage from Jack and Scarlet’s duel.
Olympus Guild’s interference had completely disrupted the battle.
"Damn those heathens!" Alofonso spat. His cherished summon was gone, his subordinates in disarray. Now this insolent Olympus witch was killing his faithful left and right. His face contorted in hatred.
Gabriel used that moment to catch his breath and refill his mana points before engaging again, having lost a considerable amount of energy during his fight against the summon.
But he would be dammed to just stand there so he secretly activated one of his skills!
Across from him, unaware Alofonso adjusted his stance and raised his spear, golden holy energy beginning to coil around its blade.
"You will suffer for your blasphemy, boy," he snarled. "By the Light of the Pontiff, I swear it."
Without warning, he thrust his free hand into his robes and pulled out a small ivory treasure emblazoned with a sun motif. Pressing it to his forehead, he roared—
"Sanctus Extremis!"
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed. Sanctus Extremis? He hadn’t heard that skill before, but it didn’t sound friendly.
At once, golden light exploded outwards from the High Cardinal’s body in a burning halo. A wave of sanctified force blasted through the area. The blind and fallen knights nearest to him were suddenly enveloped in the light. Their agonized groans ceased, replaced by gasps of surprise as the holy energy instantly purged Aria’s blinding effect. The surviving Church knights blinked, vision restored. Wounds across their bodies began knitting closed, healed by the desperate magic.
But the wave did not discriminate between friend and foe. Adventurer Guild members caught in its radius cried out—some in relief as their blindness lifted, others in pain as the harsh holy power burned at them. Lily, the party’s healer, had been stumbling sightless near the dungeon entrance; she yelped and fell back as the wave washed over her. Though her vision cleared, the energy seared her skin like a bad sunburn, leaving her trembling.
Even Gabriel felt a sting. He raised an arm to shield himself as the golden aura passed through, a tingling sensation crawling over his skin. His interface flashed a status:
[Blessing of Valor – Resistance Up]
It seemed Alofonso’s treasure boosted allies and dispelled debuffs. Unfortunately for Gabriel, he wasn’t an ally—only the residual resistance effect applied, while the healing did not.
The knights were regaining their footing now, eyes filled with renewed fervor as their leader’s magic invigorated them. Far fewer than at the battle’s start—maybe a few dozen remained—but they roared as one, rallying behind him.
"Protect His Eminence!"
"Death to the unbelievers!"
Their battle cries rang out as they formed up again.
Gabriel’s gaze flickered to Aria, who had paused her killing spree momentarily, one eyebrow raised at Alofonso’s intervention.
"Tch, cockroaches," she muttered. She clearly hadn’t expected a field-wide counter. Still, her eyes gleamed predatory. There were fewer targets now—but they were no longer blind.
It didn’t matter. She adjusted one of the glittering bangles on her wrist, its gemstones pulsing with dangerous light as she prepared her next attack.
But before Aria could unleash another deadly skill, two figures rushed toward her through the churned-up mud and blood.
"Sophie, go left!" Alice shouted, dashing forward with daggers bared. Her red hair clung to her face, drenched in swamp water, eyes blazing with anger. Sophie nodded, circling to the right, her silver bell artifact hovering protectively by her shoulder.
Aria’s cold eyes snapped onto them, realizing she was being flanked. A faint smirk tugged at her lips.
"Oh? Two little rats who can still see...," she purred, recognizing that Sophie and Alice had resisted or recovered from her blinding flash.
"We’re not going to let you hurt anyone else!" Sophie shouted. With a wave of her hand, the ground trembled as she poured mana into it.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
From beneath, massive vines engulfed in green flames burst upward.
CRACK! CRASH!
They lashed wildly, coiling and striking toward Aria. Some slammed into the ground with explosive force, sending mud flying. Others wrapped around shattered trees, pulling them down like battering rams.
"Vine Prison!" Sophie cried, her hands trembling as the spell expanded.
Dozens of flaming green tendrils converged, attempting to cage Aria inside.
However, Aria only smirked.
"Childish tricks."
Her bangle pulsed, and light burst from her fingertips—sharp beams that sliced through the air.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
The first wave of vines fell, burned to ashes.
But Sophie gritted her teeth and channeled even more mana into the spell.
"Not done yet!"
BOOOOM!
From beneath Aria’s feet, thicker, darker flaming green vines rose up, monstrous in size, their thorns glinting. They coiled like pythons, aiming to crush her bones to dust.
Of course, she didn’t stay still to be crushed. Aria hurled herself backward, evading the attack mid-air.
She laughed under her breath. "How cute." Her hand tapped a ruby pendant at her neck. The jewel glowed, and a burning red magic circle came to life beneath Sophie’s feet.
"Move!" Alice screamed. Sophie instinctively dove aside as—FOOOM!—a column of searing flame erupted from the ground. The pillar grazed her leg, singing delicate skin and drawing a cry of pain, but she narrowly avoided being incinerated.
At the same time, Aria landed several meters away.
Suddenly, her danger senses flared. Her first instinct was to leap aside, but even before she could move, chains wrapped around her arms and legs.
Both Sophie and Alice looked past her and saw Anna standing there, panting heavily.
"Don’t waste my time! Let’s end her once and for all!" Anna shouted, tightening her grip on the binding chains.
The other two exchanged glances and nodded.
Seeing that look in their eyes, Aria’s blood ran cold. She tried to move, but the chains—previously extracted by Gabriel and strengthened—refused to budge.
"You wouldn’t dare kill me, would you? My father is Ares Durnhold!" she roared, watching the two girls prepare to unleash their strongest skills.