Severing the Lavante Bloodline
Idilrock Seraha and the priests vomited blood once more. The shock that struck them now was incomparable to the assault from the high-grade erosion beast earlier on the Earthen Citadel.
"Kuhk!"
She had no idea how many times she'd spat blood today alone. Her once pristine holy robes were now thoroughly soaked in red.
Idilrock realized something had gone terribly wrong outside once again. And judging by the magnitude of this shock, it was far graver than anything before.
A profound despair surged through her mind. She no longer had the strength to maintain the sacred law, and the priests were collapsing one by one.
"Ugh...!"
"Lord God..."
Archbishop Harmata Tehner crumpled to the ground, and finally, even Idilrock dropped to her knees with a thud.
If even a saintess and archbishop of immense divine power were like this, ordinary priests stood no chance. Maintaining the Earthen Citadel any longer would endanger their lives.
In the end, Idilrock had no choice but to let it fall.
Kwarung!
The roar of the Earthen Citadel crumbling. It meant hope had shattered.
But rather than slump in defeat, Idilrock chose to rise. Step by step, she walked toward the knights and students holding back the erosion beasts.
What was a saintess, if not the voice of the gods? She could never utter surrender lightly.
At the very least, Idilrock knew that much.
"S-Saintess, it's dangerous!"
Archbishop Harmata, still collapsed, grabbed her ankle.
"I have to go. How can one who became a saintess sit idle while the faithful risk their lives in battle?"
In the face of her resolve, Harmata had no choice but to release her.
"Please... take care of yourself."
"Yes."
Blood streamed from her mouth, yet Idilrock's will remained unbroken. Her body was a wreck, making even walking a struggle, but with each step forward, she felt an inexplicable surge of strength.
Her dragging feet gradually steadied into normal strides.
Go. Fear not.
One step.
Think of Solemnute Adem's students. Weaker than me, yet they fought the erosion beasts to protect others.
Another step.
So... I must fight too. As Terra commanded.
Fear not. The steadfast earth rejects none who tread upon it. Walk with conviction, and the earth shall part paths for your steps.
The first words of Terra inscribed in the Terra Church's holy scriptures.
Yes. I tread the earth. So... I walk.
At last, another step. The scene outside the church etched into Idilrock's eyes.
Dark, murky energies enveloped the church grounds. At their center stood a man of imposing build, who at a glance seemed ordinary.
Erosion beasts swarmed around him, while the knights—exhausted beyond fighting—hung their heads in despair, swords dangling limply. Terror gripped the people.
But in that moment, a bizarre vitality welled up in Idilrock—a force beyond words.
She knew what she had to do.
Stop him.
The benevolent whisper of the earth echoed in her ears.
"Oh."
As everyone despaired amid their desperate struggle against the erosion beasts, a sudden exclamation escaped Jepita's lips.
"What an honor. For Terra's saintess to grace us like this."
At his words, all eyes turned to the church, widening in shock.
"Saintess!"
The knights cried out, unable to hide their bewilderment. Why had she come out here?
"You're with the Salvation Cult."
"Call me Jepita, noble and beautiful Saintess of Terra. You've come to protect your flock despite your battered state, haven't you?"
"Yes. Because I am the saintess."
"I see."
"What is your purpose here?"
"Purpose? We have one, of course. But I'm not fool enough to reveal it."
"As expected."
"How do you intend to challenge me in that broken body?"
"Because it's what I must do."
Idilrock shed her gentle demeanor, clasping her hands and cloaking herself in hostility toward Jepita.
"Very well. Those with will and conviction deserve proper respect. Edga."
"Yes, Lord Jepita."
"Lead the erosion beasts and hold off the knights. And..."
Sever the Lavante bloodline.
Edga understood Jepita's subtle glance perfectly.
"Worry not."
With Edga's response, Jepita flicked his wrist. The dark energies blanketing the church grounds coalesced into a massive greatsword.
"Come, Saintess of Terra."
The moment he spoke, Idilrock touched the ground. A ferocious earthen tsunami crashed toward Jepita.
But with one swing of his greatsword, the wave of soil and rock dissolved into the dark aura.
Idilrock's earthen sacred laws pressed Jepita relentlessly—crumbling the ground beneath him, hurling volleys of stone spears, erecting walls around him riddled with countless spikes.
Yet...
Jepita emerged unscathed from every assault.
Her dire condition prevented her sacred laws from reaching full power. And aid from the knights was impossible; Edga was no pushover, and they were overwhelmed blocking the erosion beasts he led.
In the ensuing chaos, Solemnute Adem's students found their roles. They intercepted attacks aimed at the knights to buy them time or squeezed every drop of their divine power to restore the knights' vigor.
Ludenberg Lavante and Ashytara Solenute wielded their jet-black sword and flaming greatsword against the erosion beasts.
Still, their overwhelming disadvantage in numbers persisted. The exhausted knights struggled even against low- and mid-grade erosion beasts.
And then.
"Kuhk!"
Idilrock, blocking Jepita, suddenly buckled. Blood sprayed from her mouth onto the earth.
Pushed to her absolute limit, her body teetered on collapse, and the power of her sacred laws waned.
But Jepita remained untouched. His heavy greatsword swings were threatening enough alone, amplified by the dark aura—likely the evil god Prisper's divine power. For Idilrock in her state, even defending was a Herculean task. This was the result.
I can't fall like this.
Idilrock gritted her teeth, forcing her buckled knee upright, deploying sacred laws as best she could. Another earthen tsunami rose, followed by a barrage of massive boulders.
Jepita shattered them all, closing in on her.
Even as his greatsword loomed, Idilrock kept her eyes wide, invoking sacred laws—but they shattered pitifully against his blade.
"Impressive, Saintess of Terra. Had you been whole, even I couldn't guarantee victory."
His words like a death sentence. Idilrock glared at Jepita in frustration.
"..."
"Now, it's over."
Jepita swung his greatsword down at Idilrock.
But.
His blade veered off course, deflected by a sudden jet-black sword.
"Hm?"
Jepita eyed the interrupter and nodded in understanding. Dark ash-gray hair, deep green eyes. And the jet-black sword, Liberra, in his grasp.
It was Ludenberg Lavante who had blocked Jepita's strike.
Liberra trembled violently after parrying the greatsword. Immense force transmitted through it into Ludenberg.
"Worthy of Lavante blood indeed. Skill beyond your years."
"You know me?"
Ludenberg snapped fiercely at Jepita's feigned familiarity.
"How could I not? Your father routed us so brutally in the east."
"I see. The massive eastern erosion eight years ago... Remnants from that?"
"Remnants... Not wrong. But things seem reversed this time."
"We'll see about that."
Ludenberg sneered, though he knew the truth. From Jepita's appearance, every instinct screamed danger.
He'd kept Jepita in his sights while fighting erosion beasts, spotting Idilrock's peril and rushing to her without hesitation. He knew she'd risked her life for them.
But... the situation was hopeless. Everyone here would die at this rate.
This guy... strong. Stronger than Sir Martin? No, far more. Can I even hold?
The strongest sword strike he'd faced lately. Even Martin Taylor of the Imperial Knights hadn't pressured him like this.
The strange vitality from before had long faded. Blocking that last blow was a miracle.
"Lude!"
Ashytara screamed from afar, watching Ludenberg face Jepita. She knew his strength too.
A thud behind him—Idilrock collapsed, limits exceeded.
"Stay back!"
Ludenberg shouted, focusing all senses on Jepita. As he took stance, Jepita stepped forward, swinging.
Fierce strikes poured down. Ludenberg read their paths but couldn't fully evade.
Simple reason: even without divine power, Jepita's skill vastly outmatched his.
The dark-aura-clad greatsword carved deep wounds into Ludenberg. Anyone else would have been pierced through the heart in that onslaught.
He parried desperately with Liberra, but each block shoved him back relentlessly.
He wouldn't last long. No counter. Jepita dominated utterly, and dark aura seeped into his wounds, the evil god Prisper's power sapping his strength.
A massive greatsword loomed. Ludenberg swung Liberra, but Jepita's blade was faster.
Too late.
Instinct told him it would impale him; all he could do was twist slightly aside.
And...
Kwajik!
Flesh tore. Jepita's greatsword plunged straight into Ludenberg's right chest.
"Kuhk!"
"With this... the Lavante bloodline ends."
Blood from the pierced chest flowed down Jepita's greatsword.
"A-aaahhh! Lude!"
Ashytara, witnessing from afar, screamed as if beholding the world's most horrific sight.