Sub-Commander Vane’s attack was no ordinary soldier’s blow.
It was an Inquisition Rank 4 ultimate technique: Solar Judgment Slash.
The golden flame surging from his halberd burned hot enough to melt steel in seconds, leaving a trail of heat-warped air as it descended toward Haruto’s head.
Haruto didn’t shift an inch.
His eyes glowed with a dense azure pattern, analyzing the molecular density of the attack, its precise trajectory, and the distribution of holy mana throughout Vane’s body.
“Synchronization at one hundred percent,” Haruto transmitted through their mental link.
“Ready when you are,” Aoi’s voice echoed back.
At the final microsecond before the holy flame hit, Haruto and Aoi raised their left hands together.
Their runic marks merged into a single flash of deep violet light—Primordial Resonance at its absolute peak.
ZUUUM!
A dense, dome-shaped barrier of bichromatic energy manifested before them.
The halberd’s golden flame struck the violet surface dead-on, but instead of exploding or cracking the shield, the Inquisition’s holy fire began to dissolve, dismantled by the circuits of the Ancient Way.
“What?!
My holy fire is disappearing!” Vane yelled, feeling the mana of his own technique being drained and neutralized.
“System magic relies on rigid structures,” Haruto explained calmly, stepping forward and shoving the violet barrier against the Sub-Commander.
“The Ancient Way understands energy at a fundamental level.
Your holy fire is just compressed mana at a high frequency.
It’s simple to deconstruct once you apply the right equation.” With a snap of Haruto’s fingers, the violet barrier expanded violently into a shockwave.
Vane’s halberd couldn’t handle the reverse pressure and shattered into hot metal fragments, leaving the Sub-Commander disarmed and staggering from the magical backlash.
Aoi didn’t miss her window.
She closed the distance in a flash, appearing right in front of Vane’s exposed chest.
She didn’t use the edge of her blade.
Instead, she drove a direct fist—loaded with the full, raw power of her crimson aura—straight into the center of the Sub-Commander’s steel breastplate.
CRACK!
Vane’s golden armor caved inward under the strike.
The kinetic force traveled through the metal and slammed into the officer’s solar plexus, knocking the air from his lungs instantly.
Vane flew backward, tumbling across the wooden deck until he slammed into the base of the spiritual energy container.
The Sub-Commander dropped to his knees, coughing up blood while clutching his chest in agony.
He looked up to see the silhouettes of Haruto and Aoi approaching him with steady, synchronized steps.
“Cardinal…
Lucian…
will crush you…” Vane rasped, his voice broken.
“The Vatican has already deployed…
the purge divisions…
You have nowhere to run…” “We aren’t running,” Aoi said, looking down at him as her blue eyes glowed with quiet intensity.
“We’re advancing.” Haruto walked over to the spiritual energy tank’s control panel situated behind Vane.
The giant glass cylinder vibrated with an oppressive golden light, crammed full of the vitality harvested from dozens of reincarnates sacrificed by the Church.
“This port and this shipment were the main artery for Lucian’s supplies in the south,” Haruto said, placing his hand on the container’s runic seal.
“Severing this artery will send a very clear message to the Holy Capital.” Haruto funneled a pulse of analytical mana straight into the heart of the containment seal.
Designed to forcibly store energy, the Vatican’s magical matrix collapsed in seconds under the restructuring power of the Ancient Way.
CRASH!
The container’s glass cracked from top to bottom, releasing a tide of pure light that didn’t burn or destroy.
Instead, it rose into the night sky like thousands of golden fireflies.
The stolen energy of trapped souls finally found its way back to the world’s natural flow, dispersing into the river breeze.
Vane watched the display in absolute horror.
Seeing the Church’s holy fuel set free so effortlessly broke what little resolve he had left.
He collapsed face-first onto the deck, unconscious from physical damage and psychological shock.
A quiet calm settled over Valoria’s pier.
Defeated soldiers lay scattered across the vessel, and the Church’s golden light had been replaced by the soft stillness of the night.
“We did it,” Aoi said, letting out a long breath as her shoulders relaxed.
She looked up toward the ship’s helm on the upper deck.
“The ship is ours.” Haruto turned to her with a calm smile, the river wind catching his hair.
“Cut the mooring lines, Aoi.
It’s time to leave Valoria behind and head into the southern waters.”