Chapter 850: Lance Finally Summons a God (Part 1)

Chapter 850: Lance Finally Summons a God (Part 1)



The snow in Brillada grew heavier, blanketing the majestic Astral Heights, surrounded by an endless expanse of lush pine forests.

On the western side of the city, where the terrain undulated, stood a grand and imposing ivory citadel, the Imperial Military Headquarters and the Empire's General Command.

Deep within this citadel, the Divine Lineage Hall resembled an underground theater, encircled by twelve majestic archways. The dome above was adorned with a mural composed of countless radiant immortal crystals, reflecting a dazzling light upon the dark marble floor below, as if transforming the space into the center of a galaxy.

However, today, Brillada was in disarray, and the Divine Lineage Hall was unusually quiet.

At the center of the round table, beneath the transparent glass mirror, lay the most mysterious restricted area of the Divine Lineage Hall.

Deep within the earth, a black composite cube emitted an eerie red glow, bound by layers of chains to a stone platform. Surrounding it were flashing anti-magic steel pillars, sealing it tightly.

The six faces of the cube were covered with ancient enchantments from the Seros Empire and the Elsaya Holy Domain. The chains that bound it seemed almost alive, writhing and emanating the essence of void beasts.

The Gateway to the Illusory Realm, originally used by ancient sealers to seal the immortal bloodline with the highest magic, was recorded in the Moon Temple of the Holy Land. To cast this magic without a blessing from the Wolf Sage as a medium would result in deadly backlash. Later, it was crafted into equipment.

Unnoticed, within the mirrored surface of the cube, an infinite Illusory Realm was undergoing drastic changes.

In the exiled void world, all colors had been stripped away, leaving only endless gloom. The land was desolate, with charred ruins and the remains of void beasts.

The black desert trembled from time to time, as biting cold winds howled, stirring up dark sand and carrying a faint scent of blood.

Amidst this silent void, a figure continued to fight.

Clad in a black priest's robe, he blended seamlessly with the dark environment.

His face was filled with vigilance, his brown hair blowing in the wind, and his eyes held no hint of surrender.

At that moment, dark fog was rolling in from the horizon towards Loren, and black clouds descended from above, accompanied by a piercing roar that shook eardrums. The entire world seemed to tremble violently.

This was no ordinary fog, but an overwhelming army of void beasts.

Boom!!!

The ground before Loren suddenly shook, and grayish-black dust exploded in the air, mixed with volcanic ash. A crack snaked its way from the depths of the wasteland, twisting and turning, measuring over ten meters wide.

Gigantic spider-like void beasts emerged from the fissure, leading a horde of foul-smelling, worm-like, beast-like, and ghoul-like creatures. They crawled, roared, and devoured, exuding malevolent auras, as if they were the dregs of a hellish realm.

Just as the situation reached its climax, a thunderous waterfall-like lightning punishment suddenly swept through the lifeless void.

Loren's hands came together, and in an instant, violent air currents converged into a silver vortex in his palms.

As the vortex exploded, the natural disaster transformed into a howling hurricane, sweeping towards the army of void beasts.

Ice, fire, darkness, wind, thunder, earth, water, and wood—the forces of nature flashed within the hurricane. Sharp as blades, they sliced through the void beasts, severing giant snakes into segments, and splattering black blood.

"At least I can use this kind of magic freely here, and I'm getting more and more proficient at it," Loren thought to himself. He no longer felt any pressure from the beast waves.

Previously, he had been cautious about using unstable magic in the mortal world, even avoiding practice. Now, he could cast it without worrying about natural disasters or consequences.

Moreover, for some reason, Loren felt lighter and stronger than before.

The void beasts seemed as fragile as paper.

He wasn't sure if the void beasts had weakened or if he had grown stronger.

Logically, it should have been difficult for him to grow stronger quickly, as he had already reached the eighth-rank limit in the Illusory Realm.

The air around him shimmered with cold electric light, and the forces of nature swirled and roared.

Whenever he raised his hands, the natural disaster would gather, then surge forth with overwhelming power, booming in the air and leaving no void beast untouched.

Wind blades formed in Loren's hands, and with a single wave, he could shred the encroaching void worms. Thunderbolts fell from the sky, and amidst the booming sounds, void behemoths turned to charcoal, altering the landscape. The earth was torn apart, rivers froze, and everything in the path of the hurricane was flattened.

This time, Loren finally looked up towards the purple-red eyes in the sky, like a celestial canopy.

Even with divine art analysis, Loren couldn't fully comprehend the echo of foreign divine thoughts resonating in his ears and enveloping the world. Deep within the dark clouds, the celestial canopy-like purple-red eyes would occasionally open, their pupils shimmering with an unusual light.

Loren was aware of several powerful void creatures in the Illusory Realm, immortal and indestructible within this space, or perhaps even the space itself. Even he struggled to confront them directly, only managing to evade them.

But if this continued, he might even be able to defeat them.

The ground exploded once more, and a several-kilometer-long fissure appeared before Loren, from which a tide of void beasts surged. They flapped, roared, and launched a new wave of attacks.

At that moment, Loren's eyes narrowed, and his pupils glowed with electric light. Thunderbolts descended from the sky, striking the center of the hurricane with pinpoint accuracy.

The battle erupted anew.

In an instant, icy crystals fell from the sky, leaving no trace of the void beasts' remains, not even ashes.

"Strange, where did all this faith power come from...?" Loren stood on the icy plain, his body unwavering, and muttered to himself in confusion.

Finally, he understood why he had grown stronger.

It wasn't that the void creatures had inexplicably weakened.

It was that he had genuinely become stronger.

Even through the illusory realm's separate space, Loren felt as if a surge of faith power, almost at the point of bursting, was trying to penetrate the walls of the separate space and bestow itself upon him. It gave him the premonition that he was about to transcend into the realm of ninth-rank divine beings.

Long ago, he had possessed a significant amount of faith power that had felt inexplicable. Now, the faith power that surged within him was of an unprecedented magnitude.

Unless it was just an illusion.

If this level of faith power were to truly empower him, he might instantly break through to the ninth rank.

"That's impossible."

Reaching the eighth-rank limit and completing the most challenging step of gathering faith power to directly reach the ninth rank? Loren was baffled.

There was so much he didn't understand.

However, according to history, such a massive gathering of faith power usually occurred when countless helpless people were in peril, praying for a savior.

Compared to figuring out the reason behind the Faith Power's choice of him, he was more anxious about what had happened in the past two months, which required someone like him, who had gone missing, to come to the rescue.

...

Meanwhile, on the ground, the snow grew heavier.

"The Brillada Black Hand Gang has mobilized all their forces, targeting several key energy hubs in Brillada with premeditation, completely bypassing the defenses of the Capital Defense First Gendarmerie and the Imperial Special Operations Unit."

The reporter's voice from the news broadcast echoed throughout Brillada, wherever there was a giant screen.

In both large kingdoms and the southern giant, the Seros Empire, most combat magic with destructive power is prohibited by law in the core city-states. The use of life magic is slightly broader. Once in combat mode, it triggers safety alerts and suppression.

Only in some special areas can high-level magic be used freely, and the capital Brillada also has such areas.

These areas are divided into Legal Combat Zones and Gray Zones.

For example, the Midnight Parliament Silver Moon Reformation, which has been frequently circulating among Brillada citizens, the Mist Sentinel, a long-standing urban legend, the Dawn Order responsible for maintaining the order of the temples, including Simon Roland Prefect, the news media company Truth Voice Corporation that controls Brillada's most authoritative channel, and the old-guard Harbor of Defense Brillada Black Hand Gang. They either have permits for the Legal Combat Zone or occupy a Gray Zone.

"But now the situation has completely changed."

"Let's not talk about the Brillada Black Hand Gang taking advantage of the chaos to start a riot. With so many Eighth-Rankers fighting, the city's defensive barrier can no longer suppress them."

"It's like a group of Eighth-Rank heroes pushing a tower in a battlefield. Even without minions, the defense facilities can't hold them back."

Experts in the broadcast room were discussing with solemn expressions.

The main battlefield at Crethia Memorial Square, where Loren and Hestinos were located, remained relatively static, but the other Eighth-Rank battlefields that could be captured were causing the filming screens to shake from time to time.

Southeast of the city-state.

In the winter, the Brillada port area was filled with biting cold winds and fine snow.

The vast port was only filled with the sound of the wind echoing through the empty containers.

Snow covered the scattered containers, softening their edges.

In the air above this steel maze of containers and narrow alleys, several figures appeared and engaged in combat.

"I said I only want to stop you from interfering with our companions' attack on the Eastern Power Station. I don't want to fight you to the death."

Mikaya, the leader, was surrounded by profound dark-colored mana, transforming into countless threads that stretched and moved behind him, pulling numerous black dolls.

He raised his hands and spoke to those chasing him.

The pure black sky began to take on an eerie blood-red hue, as if the air had solidified.

Having been forced into the Gray Zone, they could indeed fight without restraint.

In response, the War Gods also intended to fight them to the death.

In Brillada's Black Hand Gang territory, the War Gods could unleash their full destructive power without worrying about harming Brillada's residents.

"I knew you'd help High Priest Loren. So it's you, Duke Mikaya."

Jasper, the leader of the opposing side, spoke with a mocking tone.

"It's unnecessary. Can we call a ceasefire here? If you don't attack, we won't either."

Mikaya looked at the Brillada Black Hand Gang's territory with a pained expression.

This was a legal industry of the Empire, and his wife was a shareholder. Fighting here was like tearing down their own home.

"What do you think?"

The Fourth Archangel Jasper's body shone with blue light, and her blue mechanical eye flashed with a cold glint.

She had no intention of believing this man.

Moreover, with three of them against three on the other side, there was no need to adopt an evasive strategy.

"Duke Mikaya, I'm sorry, but we must arrest you and then go to support our companions elsewhere. Of course, you can also choose to surrender."

Beside Jasper was the Eighth Archangel, Conzale, whose massive physique was accentuated by his black plate armor. His modified mechanical body radiated a cold metallic luster.

Just then, a blood-red comet streaked across the sky, trailing a long tail like the fangs of a vicious dog, tearing open the sky and emitting a deafening roar.

"Stop the chatter! Let's fight!"

Accompanying this roar filled with anger, the Blood Jade Bone Philip's figure descended from the sky, landing steadily beside Mikaya, who was avoided by Mikaya's gaze.

He wore dark red battle armor, his black hair flying like flames, and his eyes were bloodshot, radiating a fierce gaze that made one's heart tremble.

He was surrounded by waves of scorching air, distorting and deforming the atmosphere.

Suddenly, an intense battle erupted.

The original battle was between Mikaya and the Fourth Archangel Jasper, and Efatia against the Eighth Archangel Conzale, with both sides evenly matched at two-on-two.

However, nearby, Talia was facing the Seventh Archangel, and it seemed challenging to handle a one-on-one fight. At the same time, Talia had to conserve her mana, so she could only merge her battlefield with Mikaya and Efatia, allowing her sister and brother-in-law to withstand more pressure.

"Sorry! I can't stop this warmonger!"

Talia was chased by the Seventh Archangel Philip, and she apologized to Mikaya and Efatia.

Under her control, countless gray cracks appeared and spread in the air, like spider webs, enveloping the enemies and tearing everything apart.

Jasper and Conzale also attacked simultaneously, their figures soaring through the air with the force of wind and thunder, rushing straight towards their targets!

The containers were torn into fragments by the impact of mana, creating large craters on the ground, and the steel bars melted into powder under the high temperature.

"It's okay, sister. Protect yourself and hide behind me!"

Efatia knew her sister couldn't use too much of Lance's mana.

"If you dare to attack my husband and sister, I'll get angry too."

The silver-haired girl, Efatia, looked at the three Archangels opposite her with a chilling tone in her voice.

She seized an opportunity to create distance, and with a backhand wave, cursed black snakes entwined towards Jasper and Conzale.

"Well done!"

Blood Jade Bone Philip had completely entered a battle-crazed state.

He roared to the sky, his blood surging, and blood-red magic patterns appeared on his skin.

With his angry roar, the ground beneath him exploded, and hundreds of pillars of fire rose into the sky, pressing towards Mikaya, Efatia, and Talia.

The black curse was like the hellish flames of the underworld, distorting and tearing the air wherever it passed.

The containers melted and deformed under the high temperature of both sides, and the scorching heat of the scorched earth evaporated the snowflakes.

"Fortunately, I can be a healer, so I'll just stall them."

"Mikaya showed no signs of backing down, instead, he waved his hand, and dark-colored silk threads wove a large net in front of him, blocking the surging pillars of fire and simultaneously healing the Efatia sisters, providing them with continuous attribute enhancements through dark incantations.

The terrifying impact stirred up a raging wind, causing the entire harbor to churn.

...

Near the southern Saint Crethia Monastery.

Snowflakes danced in the howling north wind, fluttering and swirling, forming a white veil that almost covered the entire sky.

The pure white snow reflected the remaining light, casting an eerie blue-purple glow where the earth and sky met.

The Saint Crethia Grand Monastery stood alone amidst the endless snowfield, enveloped in a faint light barrier that protected this holy ground from external disturbances and ensured the students' safety.

As if both light and darkness descended simultaneously, six figures appeared in the void outside the barrier, clearly divided.

They were surrounded by an overwhelming aura and mana fluctuations that were suffocating, causing the entire Saint Crethia Monastery's barrier to tremble under their might.

Inside the Saint Crethia Monastery, the priestesses and students gazed up at the sky from their dormitories, their faces paling as they witnessed this catastrophe.

"Why would the High Priest's subordinates come here?"

"They were probably trying to cover their companions who were occupying the power station, and thus clashed with the War Gods."

"The mana fluctuations on those three guys don't seem human..."

"They're demons, and even the powerful demons that should have long disappeared are helping Loren. Did he return from hell with the help of demonic power?"

If Violet Principal were here, they wouldn't fear the attack of these Eighth Rank demons.

However, it just so happened that Violet was presumed dead during the recent Vampire Uprising, leaving the Elsaya Holy Domain without its strongest protector. Now, the monastery could only rely on the aid of other War Gods.

As discussions arose, the students and priestesses in the monastery displayed various emotions on their faces, including fear, confusion, awe, and anger.

"All students and teachers, remain calm and do not leave the protective barrier. Three War Gods are protecting us. Follow the monastery's instructions, and if anything goes wrong, I, Principal Nara, will take full responsibility."

The broadcast echoed calmly throughout the monastery grounds.

Outside the barrier, high in the sky, three powerful demons stood off against the War Gods.

At this moment, the command of the First Gendarmerie Brigade and the Imperial Special Operations Unit was in disarray.

Colonel McCrae and Major General Nikola were making blunders, and the two sides even started firing at each other.

"Those two pigs are trying to shift the blame onto each other, and they're still infighting at a time like this."

The Tenth War God, Ruby Garnet Julius, listened to the news transmitted through his earpiece and cursed.

"I've always said that the Imperial Special Operations Unit shouldn't operate independently of the Capital Defense Command. This is a hidden danger left by Saint Baldor."

The Ninth War God, Amethyst Crystal Ryan, echoed the sentiment, his expression filled with worry.

But they couldn't afford to worry about such trivial matters.

Here, multiple Eighth Rank beings were engaged in a chaotic battle.

They didn't have time to rectify the First Gendarmerie Brigade and the Imperial Special Operations Unit.

"Who the hell are you guys?"

The Twelfth War God, Jasper, pointed at the three figures and shouted sternly.

"You can call me Guardian."

Antanas' wine-red hair danced wildly in the cold wind, resembling a blazing flame, making her fair complexion exceptionally striking.

Antanas had returned to her original combat stance, her red lips slightly parted, revealing a sharp edge as if stained with blood and murderous intent.

"We have pledged allegiance to the Church of the Goddess of Fate and joined forces with our fellow demon, the Ice Maiden, to maintain the world's balance and order."

Sinora wore a black dress beneath her white robe, floating beside Antanas, her pale face with closed eyes.

In her Lawbreaker form, she slowly raised her right hand, and a pitch-black scythe appeared out of thin air, its blade gleaming with a chilling light.

"You can choose to cease fighting and stay here, and we won't take action."

Pranai's expression was indifferent, and he seemed unconcerned about everything around him.

He tilted his head slightly, exuding an aloof and detached air as if he were born to observe the world from a higher plane.

"We are far stronger than you three, so why should we agree to a ceasefire?"

The Marquis of the Ninth War God, Ryan, stared at the demons with calm yet sharp eyes, his aquamarine irises resembling an ocean, but at this moment, they were as sharp as a sword, piercingly focused on the demons, like a lion ready to pounce.

He slightly raised his right hand, forming the shape of a sword hilt, ready to summon his radiant magic sword.

Although he hesitated internally, he couldn't show weakness before his enemies.

"Don't think I'll hold back!"

At that moment, a chilling light flashed in Julius' crimson eyes, and he pointed, causing the heavy cannon to roar. Fiery energy surged through the barrel, expanding rapidly! A dazzling light pillar shot out, tearing through the void, ripping open countless tendril-like cracks, from which chaotic winds and void beasts emerged.

The light pillar stirred up countless waves, sweeping up the snowstorm and engulfing the demons. It was a furious roar that shook the very foundation of the world!

"It seems you've decided to fight."

Sinora's lips curled into a cold smile, having already heard her brother's prediction.

She slowly raised her hand, and the scythe trembled in her palm, summoning a black barrier that blocked the path of the blinding white light pillar.

The bright light pillar collided with the barrier Antanas had erected for her, instantly shattering into a burst of flames.

In the blink of an eye, the two distinct energies clashed, sending scattered beams of light piercing through the clouds.

The entire Brillada sky was illuminated, and dazzling fireworks erupted from the clash, resembling a small sun burning in the sky from a distance.

The students within the monastery's barrier were shocked, staring with disbelief, some of the younger ones going weak at the knees, their faces ashen, trembling.

"Julius, calm down!"

Jasper was so scared that her tail stood on end, and she grabbed Julius, preventing him from attacking again.

Whenever she saw Julius in action, she would rather believe herself to be a traitor than doubt him.

"Julius, let's hear what they have to say first."

Ryan also stopped Julius, his palms sweating, and he warily watched the three demons.

At this moment, duty compelled them to fight the enemy, and any hesitation would easily be misunderstood by their comrades as treason within the War Gods.

But Ryan was truly unwilling to engage in battle near Saint Kreith Monastery.

His sister was still inside the monastery.

Ryan couldn't bring himself to fight as resolutely as Julius did for the Empire's merits, because at this moment, his sister's safety outweighed everything else.

...

As the time for the decisive battle at 10 o'clock approached, the entire Brillada was shrouded in chaos and tension.

In the northern part of the central district, under the protection of the Crystal Canopy Barrier, the streets were empty, with only the howling cold wind sweeping up the remaining snow on the ground, emitting a mournful wail.

On this quiet street, a figure gradually appeared in the wind and snow.

"Simonro's barrier is finally complete, so I can finally move."

The man, dressed in a simple white physician's coat, had short silver-white hair and was muttering to himself.

Just over twenty minutes ago, Ladis, the Fifth Archon and Seat of Mica, had assisted the Imperial Special Operations Unit in blocking the Silver Moon Reform Society's attack on the Energy Station in the Manho Special Zone, successfully defending the northern energy station in the city-state.

Fortunately, with his help, the battle was resolved without any casualties, and the residents were evacuated by the Imperial Special Operations Unit.

This operation seemed challenging for the Imperial Special Operations Unit, but Ladis hardly broke a sweat, still carrying his dark golden medical chest on his back, his pristine robe only dusted with snowflakes.

"Support Ryan's side? It doesn't seem necessary... Jasper's side doesn't need it either... Salom probably doesn't want my support either. Alright, let's go help Jasper turn the tide."

Ladis muttered to himself as he squinted, seemingly sensing something.

Suddenly, his expression changed, and he looked intently into the distance.

He sensed a powerful surge of mana nearby.

Ladis's heart tightened, and his feet quickened their pace involuntarily.

"Halt, Mica-Seat Ladis."

Just as he was about to leave the neighborhood, a cold voice abruptly rang out.

Ladis stopped in his tracks and looked towards the source of the voice.

At the end of the street, a slender female figure slowly approached.

She was a woman enveloped in ice and snow from head to toe, with waist-length silver-white hair that danced in the wind like frost and snow, blending seamlessly with the blizzard.

"Ice Snow Witch Armis..."

Ladis narrowed his eyes slightly and calmly spoke her name.

As a priestess of the Goddess of Fate Church in the Northern Continent, the Ice Snow Witch also had some reputation in the Southern Continent.

"Mr. Ladis, I'm sorry, but I must stop you from moving."

From the beginning, the Ice Snow Witch's target was to block the Fifth Archon, Ladis.

As healers, neither of them had strong offensive capabilities, and even though Ladis was stronger, it would be difficult for him to break through her ice attribute control and force his way through.

And a stalemate would make it difficult to determine a winner.

"If possible, I really don't want to fight you, Priestess."

Ladis's expression changed slightly, and he raised his hand to press against the medical chest on his back.

"Me too."

As the Ice Snow Witch spoke, the temperature around her dropped sharply, and the cold air condensed into circles of ice crystals around her, refracting a dim blue glow.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end