Dust cascaded down as the entrance’s stone arch collapsed under the sheer force of a tremendous impact.
From the curtain of debris, dozens of soldiers emerged, clad in heavy battle armor, bearing notched shields and the crests of holy fire.
At the head of the column walked a man of majestic stature, his blonde hair neatly cropped, a scar splitting his upper lip.
He wore a red cloak embroidered with gold thread and held a greatsword whose blade burned with a golden flame so intense it warped the surrounding air.
Commander Gerald of the Third Division.
“So this is where the little anomalies were hiding,” Gerald said, his deep voice echoing off the chamber walls.
He cast a sideways glance at the inert body of the Abyss Guardian, then looked at the two teenagers.
“To slay a beast from the pre-System era…
I must admit, your abilities exceed the average summoned hero.
But your rebellion ends today.” Haruto stepped forward half a pace, keeping his short sword in a low, relaxed guard.
Aoi remained at his right, shifting her weight backward, ready to spring like a coiled trap.
“You came in person, Commander,” Haruto replied, using the common tongue of this world to ensure every soldier heard him clearly.
“It seems the Vatican is quite terrified of two ‘kids’ discovering the truth.” Gerald narrowed his eyes, and the flame on his greatsword doubled in size, bathing the chamber’s shadows in a suffocating golden glow.
“Truth is a privilege reserved for saints, not tools,” Gerald declared.
“Purge Formation!
Circle of Divine Flames!” At their leader’s command, twelve paladins rushed forward, slamming their shields into the stone floor to trap Haruto and Aoi within a Tier 4 barrier of Holy Fire.
Wall-like flames surged upward, sealing off all avenues of escape.
“Haruto,” Aoi whispered in Japanese, her eyes glowing a progressively deeper crimson.
“This guy’s divine magic feels a thousand times heavier than the patrols’.” “Because it’s fueled by the Vatican’s seals,” Haruto answered, channeling the newly acquired Ancient Way mana through his internal circuits.
“But the marks etched into our skin do something crucial: they render our energy completely ‘invisible’ and unabsorbable to their spells.” “Which means?” “Which means their divine barriers are nothing more than hot air to us,” Haruto smirked.
“Tactic Four,” Aoi said.
Without waiting for the paladins to close the ring, Aoi charged straight into the wall of golden fire.
The soldiers cheered in victory, expecting the girl to incinerate on contact, but the crimson energy of her soul wove a helical shroud around her body.
ZUUUM!
Aoi crashed through the wall of flames without suffering a single burn.
Her greatsword descended upon the central paladin’s shield with crushing force.
The blessed steel shield split in two, and the sheer impact hurled the soldier back into three of his comrades, instantly shattering their defensive line.
“What?!” Gerald gasped, incredulous as he watched his sacred barrier get brushed aside like nothing.
Capitalizing on the chaos, Haruto moved like a blue shadow through the breach.
His short sword didn’t clash against enemy armor; instead, he executed precise strikes imbued with the Ancient Way directly into the paladins’ joints and mana flow points.
With three surgical strokes, three knights collapsed to the floor, their mana circuits completely severed, unable to move a single muscle.
“Insolent fools!” Gerald roared, crossing the chamber at staggering speed while raising his flaming greatsword for a downward strike aimed straight at Haruto’s head.
CLAAANG!
Aoi intercepted Gerald’s path, catching the massive sword on the flat of her own blade.
The metallic shockwave tore up the surrounding stone and dust.
The ground beneath Aoi’s boots cracked under the immense pressure, but she didn’t yield a single millimeter.
“Your fire doesn’t burn a thing, Commander,” Aoi said, locking eyes with him in ruthless coldness.
Haruto emerged from behind Aoi’s shoulder, pointing the tip of his short sword directly at Gerald’s heart.
Their first major showdown against a high commander of the Inquisition had officially erupted.