https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-851-The-Strongest-in-the-South-Continent/12937143/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-852-Loren-s-Heaven-s-Retribution-Part-2-/12937152/
Chapter 852: Loren's Heaven's Retribution (Part 1)
Chapter 852: Loren's Heaven's Retribution (Part 1)
The blizzard in Brillada continued to rage, the pure white landscape stretching endlessly.
All the snowflakes were blocked by the Saint Astral Crystal Canopy Barrier.
The barrier, like a transparent dome, enveloped several kilometers of the area, extending to the horizon, separating the sky from the earth.
At the center of this white expanse, two figures stood, like statues at the end of time.
"It seems that a small success has made you ecstatic."
Hestinos casually turned his head to listen to the voice outside the barrier.
"..."
Loren said nothing, only giving his enemy a cold stare, unwilling to engage in any conversation.
Now, within a two-kilometer radius outside the barrier, the journalists' cameras might not hear their voices, but they could clearly perceive the outside world.
"Loren, you're just a fish on the chopping block, just a little more lively than the others."
Hestinos finally turned his attention back to Loren, his casual stance with the sword suggesting he didn't consider his opponent a real threat.
As soon as he finished speaking, both of them moved, their speed so fast that it was almost impossible for the naked eye to catch.
"Let's see the sea of sword auras."
Hestinos held his sword in front of him, and the ground began to crack. Invisible sword auras surged like a tide, quickly spreading across the entire battlefield.
The primordial dividing force of the sword aura sea rose, attempting to sever any living being in its path.
L
Hestinos swung his sword, the silver light transforming into a galaxy spanning the heavens, the invincible sword aura roaring toward Loren's waist.
Loren extended his palm, and a fierce wind suddenly arose, meeting Hestinos' sword aura.
The wind carried sharp whistles, crushing everything in its path. Loren also unleashed a gale, countering Hestinos' sword aura tsunami. The Divine Era strike and the Divine Era wind intertwined, each trying to claim a domain of their own on the ground.
From the perspective of the journalists outside the barrier, the two Ninth-Stage combatants vanished in an instant and reappeared elsewhere, accompanied by the thundering of the earth and the violent air currents in the sky.
The journalists gaped at the battle within the crystal canopy barrier, their commentary halting as they stared at the screen. If not for the barrier, they would have been shredded by the residual shockwaves, feeling no pain at all.
At this moment, the Eleventh Archon Simonro's forehead was covered in sweat as he desperately concentrated all of Brillada's energy on the Saint Astral Barrier, preventing the power from spreading.
He barely opened one eye and looked toward the distant Crethi Memorial Square.
Loren and Hestinos' simple exchange was a test of strength.
It appeared to be a balanced match.
Hestinos held the Seros Spirit Sword, its blade inscribed with golden radiance like an eternal flame.
On the other side, Loren's black robe fluttered in the wind, his face clearly visible through the priest's robe.
The entire square had become their arena for dominance.
The ground beneath their feet cracked, and the remaining solid barriers within a two-kilometer radius began to crumble.
Air currents swept across the square, lifting the snow into a massive tornado. The white vortex engulfed the battlefield.
"Very strong."
Hestinos, with the sword in his hand, was surrounded by a silvery glow, praising Loren.
The crystal canopy barrier creaked under the impact, as if it might shatter at any moment.
Hestinos and Loren's environments clashed and intertwined.
"You haven't used your full strength yet."
Loren focused intently, directing the wind to neutralize Hestinos' sword auras.
"Well, it's getting boring."
Hestinos' expression grew colder, as if the praise was just a formality. His strength gradually increased, as if he had only used a fraction of his true power.
The enemy's weakness disappointed him.
The sword auras tore through Loren's gale, leaving it in tatters.
Loren's expression didn't change, but his gale domain didn't retreat. It continuously reformed and counterattacked, trying to engulf Hestinos' sword auras. The raging wind roared like an angry beast, threatening to sweep everything away.
"Hmph, why so serious?"
Hestinos' sword blade glowed with a dark golden light. When the Seros Spirit Sword was fully imbued with his aura, Hestinos released a destructive energy wave that shook the entire battlefield.
He swung the heavy Seros Spirit Sword, creating a golden lightning-like linear strike.
The air was torn apart by the strike, emitting a piercing screech.
Loren quickly dodged, his figure becoming like a phantom in the wind, but he could feel death at his side.
He had to give it his all to survive the destructive power of the linear strike.
Even as the pressure increased, Loren knew such strikes shouldn't be used casually. As long as he dodged and stabilized himself, he would be fine.
"Let's do it again."
Hestinos saw that Loren treated his ordinary attack as a serious move. The Seros Spirit Sword glowed with a dark golden light as he swung it again, releasing another linear strike.
Loren's gale domain began to show cracks.
The wind became intermittent, sometimes strong, sometimes weak, unable to fully block Hestinos' attacks.
Loren's expression grew more serious, as if under immense pressure.
Finally, in this collision,
Hestinos' sword aura broke through Loren's gale barrier.
Loren's pupils dilated as a sharp sword aura grazed his neck, leaving a deep wound.
Bright red blood gushed out, like a red ribbon blooming in the air.
...
On the north side of Brillada.
In the bustling commercial district of the northern area, towering skyscrapers stood in the downtown area, their tops emitting beams of light that declared the city's media giant in the snowy curtain.
This was the famous broadcasting building of the Brillada Empire, the birthplace of Crethi Truth Voice Broadcasting Company's programs and the largest media headquarters in the empire.
The building's exterior featured a cold, dark glass facade that reflected the sky's glow, serving as a massive projection screen displaying the station's logo and the current program.
The current broadcast was undoubtedly the Ninth-Stage battle that had erupted in the center of Brillada.
Even though the ground-level entrance was less bustling today, it still appeared somewhat chaotic. The area had been attacked earlier, and the Imperial Special Operations Department had sent additional elite units to maintain order at the broadcasting building and evacuate the guests and staff.
"That's great, the Imperial Special Operations Department helped us repel the Silver Moon Reform Society's bandits."
"Director Nikolas, thank you."
The administrative staff who left the building thanked the leading agent.
"It's my duty," Red Falcon Nikolas said, pressing his hat brim in acknowledgment.
He glanced at the giant screen between the buildings, where Loren was at a disadvantage, and a flicker of emotion crossed his eyes.
Then, he led his team into the broadcasting building.
Nikolas took the elevator directly to the top floor, circled around the corridor, and entered the central control room of the building.
Abigail was sitting inside, operating the Truth Voice Broadcasting Company to transmit live footage to the Kreith Empire.
"This building has been taken over by the Imperial Special Operations Department, and the First Gendarmerie Brigade is also nearby. You can just focus on the operation," Nikolas said to Abigail.
"They probably didn't expect that we are on the same side," Abigail said, having seen through the surveillance cameras the crowd that had been evacuated, feeling relieved to see the Imperial Special Operations Department.
The earlier feint attack by the Silver Moon Reform Society was only to allow the Imperial Special Operations Department to take over the area smoothly.
"Abigail, it's up to you now," Lance contacted Abigail, and her earpiece echoed.
"It seems like you've gotten out of trouble too," Nikolas said, standing next to Abigail.
"I've escaped with my life, and I'm sorry to trouble you, Nikolas," Lance said with a smile.
"We've already put everything on the line, so let's just go all out today," Nikolas said.
Red Falcon Nikolas had done everything he could to reverse the situation today.
The Imperial Special Operations Department's actions towards the Kreith Empire's army today couldn't be said to be completely ineffective, but they had definitely caused more trouble than help.
"It's done," Abigail said, concentrating on her operation. All the live footage broadcast by the Truth Voice Broadcasting Company now had a split screen in the upper right corner, showing their battle in Blood Moon City, as well as their communication records with Violet, and the White Robed Pope leading the broadcast, explaining the cause of the bloodline turmoil in the Kreith Empire and the many doubts about Hestinos.
"I'll go downstairs to stall them," Nikolas said, hearing the commotion downstairs. It seemed that the military had started to order them to immediately stop the broadcast that was disturbing the people's minds, and they had realized that there were still members of the Silver Moon Reform Society inside controlling the central room. Even from the higher-level Brillada City's central control, they couldn't cut off the Truth Voice Company's footage.
"I'm counting on you. I've set up an alternate dimension here. Even if they bring people in, they'll enter another identical central control room, and it will only look like a ghost is controlling the footage," Abigail said, leaning back in her chair, pinching her tired eyebrows.
Negotiations required military support; otherwise, showing more content would be useless and might even be cut off by the Empire.
It was only at this moment of chaos that they could control the Truth Voice Group of Kreith.
And it was with the help of Abigail, a well-known director from Kreith, who had infiltrated in advance, and the cooperation of the Imperial Special Operations Department.
"The top director is relying on you, Abigail," Lance said, apparently rushing to meet up with his companions.
His heart couldn't help but worry about Loren, but at this moment, his job was not to worry about Loren but to help his other companions end the battle.
Ever since the Blood Moon City siege, Lance had discovered that Abigail had unintentionally provided support for the entire field, also serving as a war director, and not a single scene was poorly cut.
"Now you're talking," Abigail said.
Abigail always felt tired when manipulating spatial barriers as a magus engineer, but as a director, she had endless energy.
Now, she had to show her top-level directing skills to Brillada and even the Southern Continent, taking over the main and sub-battlefield screens.
...
On the frozen street, the giant screen between the buildings was covered in frost, but it still displayed the footage through the white mist.
The frost here was not caused by a blizzard but by the artificial environmental impact of the battle.
The Ice Maiden and the Fifth Archon, Lugayed, were in a fierce battle, and the extreme cold air blew the glass on the buildings on both sides, creating a loud clattering sound.
On the screen, Loren's neck was injured by Hestinos' sword aura, and blood continued to flow from the wound. However, there was not a trace of panic or fear in his eyes.
Instead, a Divine Era Wind rose from Loren's body, illuminating his face.
Under the holy healing wind, Loren's wound healed at a visible speed.
The blood stopped flowing, and his skin returned to its original flawless state, leaving not even a scar.
It was as if time had reversed, and Loren was restored to his peak state.
"Great," the Ice Maiden sighed in relief.
Loren received the blessing of the Wind God, and his reaction speed became even sharper and more agile, increasing his critical attack power and speed while granting him high damage reduction.
Although Almira was reluctant to admit it, she knew that Loren's healing abilities were superior to hers before he ascended to the ninth rank.
She fought against the Fifth Archon, Lugayed of the Mother of Pearl Throne, while also worrying about Loren's situation.
The footage on the frosted giant screen was almost synchronized with the battle on the street. Loren's wind blade carried the force of a million pounds, counterattacking Hestinos.
In the instant the wind blade appeared, Hestinos dodged, and once again threw out a linear slash.
This time, Loren didn't choose to take the risk of dodging. Instead, black gale winds surrounded him, forming a protective vortex that blocked Hestinos' attack.
For a moment, the situation on the battlefield became strange.
Loren no longer attacked head-on but started to use a roundabout strategy.
He appeared and disappeared, becoming a ghost on the battlefield. Whenever he struck, it carried destructive wind and thunder, but he never lingered, always retreating before Hestinos could counter.
Loren seemed to be waiting and delaying, looking for Hestinos' weakness.
The Ice Maiden turned her gaze from the screen, and at this moment, she obviously didn't intend to hold back.
Suddenly, the snowflakes in the sky gathered and transformed into a giant ice beast, roaring as it circled in the air.
Then, it dove down, attempting to devour Lugayed.
Lugayed tried to dodge but found the ground instantly frozen, as hard as iron and covered in hideous ice spikes.
Wherever the giant ice beast passed, buildings crumbled into dust, and Lugayed dared not be careless. He waved his left hand, and an orange-red potion exploded in front of the ice beast.
In an instant, dazzling golden flames burst forth, incinerating the ice beast.
A piercing explosion echoed through the street, and fire and ice shards flew in all directions, crashing into the buildings on both sides and creating charred pits.
Lugayed's eyebrows furrowed at this moment.
It wasn't the Ice Maiden that made him feel overwhelmed, but various factors were slowing his steps.
Lujayed was more concerned with the battle in Blood Moon City, which was displayed on the split screen, than with any suspicions about his companions.
"Miss Almis, what exactly is going on here?"
During the battle, Lujayed found that the only way to understand his confusion was to question the enemy.
"As you can see, Violet is our companion, and the blood clan was defeated by us. However, someone stole the fruits of our victory and staged a grand spectacle."
As the smoke cleared, the ice dragon had disappeared without a trace, turning into ice crystals that dissipated in the air. The Ice Maiden, Sigra, responded to Lujayed,
"Based on what you've seen, you should be able to figure out the cause and effect of the entire situation."
"..."
Lujayed stood in mid-air, unharmed.
He looked troubled, gazing at the battle of Blood Moon City on the screen.
The Ice Maiden also paused, refraining from taking advantage of Lujayed's distraction to launch a sneak attack.
"However, the account given by Hestinos is also reasonable. This is just one side of the story, and I can't determine its authenticity."
Lujayed shook his head, speaking to himself.
The Sixth Archon, Violet, who could have proven the truth, was now dead, leaving no one to verify the claims.
It was also possible that the enemy had deliberately created a false image to confuse their troops and the people, and to disrupt their tactics.
Both sides held firm to their own versions of the story, leaving it up to personal belief.
However, for the Archons, Loren the Great Priest was a comrade on the battlefield, while Hestinos was a long-time comrade-in-arms. Both emotionally and rationally, they had no reason to believe the enemy's words and betray Hestinos.
"Then let's continue the fight."
The Ice Maiden was also prepared to continue blocking Lujayed.
During the brief pause, she witnessed the main battlefield where Loren faced Hestinos in the Crethia Memorial Square area.
On the frosty giant screen, Hestinos seemed to quickly realize Loren's strategy.
"Are you the only one who can use wind?"
Before the words had even left his mouth, Hestinos' figure vanished from his original position.
A storm surge rose in response.
This was Hestinos' true speed.
Hestinos summoned countless clones, transforming into a gale that ravaged the battlefield.
The clone whirlwinds moved along fixed routes, while the main body pursued relentlessly.
Loren weaved through the surging currents, dodging deadly attacks while searching for an opportunity to counterattack.
Hestinos unleashed his killing move, and the clones simultaneously performed various attacks—horizontal slashes, vertical slashes, and planar slashes alternated, dividing the entire battlefield into a stage of death, with even the screen about to be sliced by the cutting lines.
If Loren failed to dodge any of the cutting lines, he would likely be defeated and die.
The clones moved like ghosts on the battlefield, their blades emitting a piercing shriek.
Guided by the wind, Loren gritted his teeth, dodging these lethal attacks.
At this moment, Hestinos and his clones appeared like phantoms on the battlefield, dismantling Loren's defenses one by one and launching even more fierce counterattacks.
Hestinos' speed was so fast that Loren could barely react, only managing to defend himself with great difficulty.
Even with the protection of the Divine Era Wind, Loren couldn't completely evade Hestinos' splitting slashes.
Cutting lines appeared on Loren's body, and blood flowed again, staining his black robe red.
His wounds healed at full speed, but the process was getting slower, and the scars on his body became more prominent.
Loren's face turned haggard, his breathing became rapid, his movements slowed, and even his dodges seemed labored.
"At the moment of your end, you will be torn apart—"
Hestinos burst forth.
His speed reached unprecedented heights, and countless blade auras surged towards Loren from all directions.
These blade auras severed the wind and snow outside the screen, dividing and cutting the entire scene with the center as the intersection point.
Loren barely held his ground, and with each defense, more blade auras broke through his defenses, leaving deep scars on his body.
Divine Era Radiance flickered continuously, and the healing wind exerted all its strength to repair these wounds, but the healing speed could no longer keep up with the rate of injury.
Blood rained down like a shower, turning the motionless Loren into a bloodied figure, and the snowy ground turned red.
The Ice Maiden, Sigra, clenched her teeth, unable to bear looking at the clearly divided screen, focusing all her mental strength on the battle before her.
"Loren, you must win. I haven't even had a chance to apologize to you yet."
The Ice Maiden blessed him in her heart, also praying to the Goddess of Fate.
...
Above the Saint Kreith Monastery in the south of Brillada.
The battle between the Archons and the demons had slowed down halfway through.
On the one hand, they were questioning Gayaht, and on the other, their attention was drawn to the image of the battle between Hestinos and Loren outside Blood Moon City.
They weren't in a hurry because Loren's situation was getting worse.
"It's over. There's a gap between the ninth-tier as well. Hestinos has been at the peak of the eighth-tier for too long. He's a terrifying existence capable of defeating ninth-tier opponents. Now, after ascending to the ninth-tier and adapting for three days, he's even more formidable than Loren, who was temporarily pushed to the ninth-tier by Lance. Loren, this artificial god, can't possibly defeat Hestinos."
Antanas held her head and spoke to Pranay.
She observed Pranay, and the fact that he hadn't fled yet almost certainly meant that this Pranay was a skeletal clone.
"..."
Pranay only stared intently at the screen.
Indeed, Loren's aura had become chaotic, and each movement seemed to exhaust his strength. Cold sweat covered his forehead, and the light in his eyes gradually dimmed.
But this was also the enlightened gaze of an elder.
Loren was gradually adapting to this extremely high-intensity battle.
"Loren's recovery speed is noticeably faster, and his wounds are becoming shallower."
Pranay spoke to himself.
"Is that so?"
Antanas glanced at the screen and then at Pranay.
She couldn't see it at all.
Perhaps this was a difference in their observational abilities; some things might only seem "obvious" to Pranay.
It was likely that only when it became particularly noticeable would she truly be able to see it.
Sinora remained on guard, watching the three Archons to prevent any surprise attacks.
The Ninth Archon, Purple Crystal Ryan, held his forehead.
Ryan's only relief was that the three powerful demons in front of him had a very low intent to attack. As long as they didn't strike, the demons would immediately stop, even more so than the three Archons.
"Gayaht, are you a betrayer? Why aren't you speaking?"
The communication channel in their ears still carried the Fourth Archon Jasper's angry questioning voice. After Loren was released, the Archons had also synchronized the latest battle situation. They were also puzzled by the sudden appearance of the battle in Blood Moon City on the screen.
"..."
Unfortunately, the signal from Gayaht's side had been cut off, leaving them without an answer.
Jasper was reluctant to believe that Geart was the betrayer. Geart had always been dedicated to the Empire and was someone she considered a reliable companion. However, all the evidence pointed to Geart as the traitor.
"Geart isn't the betrayer."
A voice suddenly echoed through the communication channel and above Saint Kreith Monastery.
"?"
Ryan and Bianca turned towards Julius, who had unexpectedly spoken.
They couldn't understand why Julius was so calm at this moment and could make such an assertion.
"Julius, why do you say that? Do you know something we don't?"
Jasper immediately asked.
"Because the betrayer among the Twelve Archons is me."
Julius replied calmly.
Even Ryan and Bianca, who were standing next to him with wide eyes, couldn't react in time, let alone create some distance from him.
"Julius, are you joking? This isn't a funny joke right now."
Ryan and Bianca stared at Julius in disbelief and asked him.
They had suspected everyone but Julius.
Even hearing Julius confirm it himself, they were unwilling to believe it.
They couldn't understand why Julius, if he was a traitor, would admit it instead of ambushing them.
"Ryan, Bianca, keep your distance from Julius for now."
The rest of the communication channel fell silent, except for Jasper's commanding voice.
Ryan and Bianca had no choice but to comply, still staring at Julius in confusion, hoping for an explanation.
By now, they had to believe Julius' words.
Julius had turned to face them, exposing his back to the three powerful demons.
"I admit I'm the betrayer among the Twelve Archons, but I didn't betray the Kreitni Empire."
Julius looked at Ryan and Bianca, speaking to the other Archons through the communication channel.
"Don't you find it strange? That person seemed to know all the answers, and everything was resolved so smoothly, as if the blood clan's turmoil was just a heroic tale he had scripted.
(End of Chapter)
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