Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: Primal (7)
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Originally, Galen and Lilia had been spending their time like it was a vacation, so once they decided to leave, preparations were done in no time.
After receiving the report from Anton—sealed meticulously with the High Priest's stamp—
They also bid farewell to Michael, who, while not as idle as the two of them, had still been fairly free as an outsider.
"I see. You've had a hard time of it."
"Hard time? We just lounged around the whole time."
"Even just that one day covered everything. The real slacker was me. I feel sorry for putting Anton through all the work."
"Come on, you're still on about that? It was an unavoidable mess because of their sneaky ambush."
Honestly, their first meeting at the Papal Court hadn't been all that pleasant.
But even then, they hadn't truly disliked each other. Michael had just grumbled a bit from his inner discomfort, and Galen had snapped back because he hated hearing Lilia belittled.
The core of Michael's distrust boiled down to a prejudice: for Gem rankers, they seemed too young, so they had to be lacking somewhere.
In truth, it wasn't fair to blindly bash it as prejudice—younger folks generally were greener.
If he'd stuck to that attitude to the end, he'd be someone not worth dealing with, but after witnessing their feats firsthand, Michael cleanly admitted his mistake and sincerely thanked them for saving his life.
With the other side acting like that, Galen had no reason to keep bickering. Mutual respect had formed, so naturally, their relationship bounced back quickly.
"Anyway... Sir Michael, you'll be heading out soon too?"
"I've got a bit more business left. More precisely, this is where the real work begins."
"Oh, really?"
"Spireus is more or less wrapped up, but that doesn't mean all the loose ends are tied."
Why else would Sly-Eyes have roped in the Spireus family?
Because the Demonic Order lacked the capacity on their own.
Operate secretly enough to evade the Church's eyes while boasting a worldwide scale? Absolutely impossible. Their small size let them stay hidden.
So, scattering magic soldiers everywhere—a labor-intensive task—was something they couldn't handle alone, hence recruiting collaborators.
Thus, the Spireus family might not be the head, but at least an arm or leg. Losing them was no small blow to the Demonic Order.
"We've secured the list of those who received magic soldiers from Spireus. Fortunately, their selection was cautious, so the numbers aren't huge, but we can't just let them be, right?"
"Gotta smash them all. Once they hear Spireus is done for, they'll go into deep hiding, though."
"Well, Anton will handle that part. My role is just lending muscle."
Unlike Spireus with warehouses full, these folks probably got just one or two, so hiding them would make them nearly impossible to find, honestly.
As Michael said, that was Anton's headache. He could strike like lightning and sweep them away, or set traps while playing dumb.
Considering the fallout's reach made it no easy task. Politics really was a no-go zone.
"Um... Brother Michael?"
At that moment, Lilia hesitantly spoke up.
"This might be sudden, but..."
"Speak your mind."
"Could you spar with me once before we part ways?"
"Spar?"
Michael echoed in surprise.
"Out of the blue like this?"
"I rarely get chances to cross blades with warriors. Not even with ordinary ones, let alone Gems."
"Well, doesn't bother me."
"Thank you!"
Lilia beamed.
Back when they were both Silver—practically begging Galen daily for spars—she'd spent the whole vacation eyeing Michael warily, only mustering the courage at the very end.
If that meant she was comfy with Galen, it made sense.
Anyway, as the saying goes, rip the bandage off quick—they hit the road right away.
Destination: the Spireus main estate.
Heading straight into someone else's house for a spar was a bit funny, but with it half-turned into a ghost mansion already, no one from the Church side stopped them.
The training grounds weren't properly maintained, but a couple weeks idle wouldn't ruin them.
The three picked a suitably spacious one and entered.
"But, High Priest Lilia. You're serious?"
"Huh? About what?"
"About never having chances to clash with warriors. It's a bit surprising. You're the High Priest who's been most active lately."
"Oh, that. Warriors just never crossed my path much? I tangled a bit with Silvers... and I think only once with a Gold."
"That little? For real?"
Surprisingly, it was true.
In a world with far more warriors than clerics and mages combined, it was bizarre.
Her foes always ended up demons, magic soldier wielders, mages, or fiends—no proper warriors.
Even that "proper" Gold warrior was more assassin than frontal fighter: Ilwol, the Crescent Moon leader skilled in ambushes. Hardly a true warrior...
Of course, a Church cleric slacking off to brawl warriors daily would've been a problem too.
Still, for a High Priest's experience, it was sorely lacking.
"Rising to High Priest too fast creates issues like this. Or maybe it's scarier that you did despite it."
Michael shook his head, pondered briefly, then asked.
"So, do you know warriors' traits by rank? Bronze is basically entry-level, nothing special. Silver and up."
"Um... Silver from Bronze jumps hugely in strength... Gold can reinforce weapons... Gem gets way stronger...?"
Lilia mumbled vaguely. A pitiful explanation, but Galen stayed quiet. He knew about that much himself.
"...Not wrong, but you don't really know."
"Sorry..."
"No need to apologize. Not from a warrior family, you wouldn't have learned systematically. It's not that complex anyway."
Chuckling, Michael explained clearly.
"A warrior's goal in one word: strength. More refined: pursuing the ultimate."
"Ultimate?"
"Silver: start pursuing body's ultimate. Gold: weapon's ultimate. Gem: martial arts' ultimate."
Silver vastly outstrips Bronze because vital energy massively boosts physical performance, and they can focus it momentarily for far greater efficiency.
Gold outstrips Silver because, atop that, they treat weapons as body extensions, hugely enhancing them with vital energy too.
Gem outstrips Gold because, atop that, their mastered martial techniques multiply in power several-fold.
"Martial techniques get stronger?"
Lilia, listening attentively, tilted her head.
"Isn't that independent? Power rises when you swing harder, faster, more accurately, right?"
Galen wondered the same inwardly.
Real martial arts weren't game skills with fixed damage. Did Gems evolve F-rank basic swordsmanship into SSS-rank Heavenly Demon Divine Art?
"Hm... You'll get it experiencing it."
Michael said ambiguously.
"Shall we start?"
"Sure!"
Lilia and Michael took some distance; Galen stepped back as referee and spectator.
Taking the spar seriously, Lilia drew her Radiant Sword instead of her mace; Michael unsheathed his new blade.
"I'll yield first strike."
"Here I go then!"
Lilia lunged without hesitation.
Clang!
Steel sword met Radiant Sword in a dull ring.
Shick shick shick shick shick shick shick!
In one breath, dozens of light trails targeted Michael's body; his steel sword, starting late, split into dozens of afterimages, blocking each precisely.
With thought acceleration slowing time, Galen—body unable to keep up—eagerly memorized their movements mentally.
'Hm.'
He knew zilch about swordplay, but...
Judging by offense-defense exchanges... Lilia was on the back foot.
Even as she poured attacks and he only defended, she couldn't break through.
His steel sword, reading and chasing her Radiant Sword's paths, moved faster.
Lilia and Michael felt it too.
"Try your Blessing."
"Guess I should."
Pausing to reply, Lilia gathered holy power.
Pah pah pah pah!
Platinum flames enveloped her.
The Seventh Miracle: Blessing.
A buff consuming holy power to amplify all miracles' effects.
With Body Fortification and Radiance amplified, her body and weapon finally matched Michael's specs.
She could amp more at greater cost temporarily, but no need in a spar.
Clang clang clang clang clang!
Exchanges grew fiercer, deadly strikes sparing only vitals like throat and heart.
Now Michael couldn't just take her sharpened attacks; he had to get serious.
The fierce deadlock continued awhile.
"Seems we're nearing the end."
"Yeah?"
A short exchange confirmed their shared judgment.
They'd traded all safe combos possible.
To go further meant risking injury or death.
"Then I'll show what I meant to and wrap it."
"Oh, that. Got it."
"Watch yourself."
Their ongoing exchange, briefly slowed by talk—
Kwachik!
—ended abruptly as Michael's warning rang, the Radiant Sword snapping in half.
"Ack?!"
Startled, Lilia twisted reflexively.
The steel sword that shattered it grazed past with a slight delay. Not paper-thin—Michael had deliberately twisted its path.
"Hoo."
Exhaling long, Michael sheathed his sword.
Lilia, wide-eyed at her broken Radiant Sword, snapped out of it. Blessing flames faded, radiance dispersed.
To her still-dazed expression, Michael said calmly.
"Not what you'd say to a High Priest, but you'd excel as a warrior too. Church swordsmanship is familiar from seeing it often... nearly flawless. Impressive even ignoring age."
"Th-thank you?"
"But even with matched sword mastery, Gem warriors and High Priests differ in power. Like just now."
"What happened? No shock to break the sword."
"What's the ultimate of cutting? Slicing anything, right?"
"Uh... yeah?"
"I embodied that ultimate as much as possible. Far from truly slicing anything, but sharp enough for the Radiant Sword."
"......"
"Simply put, like an enhancement."
As Lilia gaped, Galen approached.
"Even swinging identical force and speed, Michael's cuts far superior."
"Good way to put it. Not unique like mages or versatile like clerics, but warriors master what they can to extremes. Varies by individual Gem warrior, of course."
"...So clerics can never win head-on?"
Lilia asked glumly.
"If equal power and speed still loses, how?"
"You've got Selection miracle. Can counter."
"Oh, dispel with that?"
"If every basic move oozed ultimate martial essence, it'd be invincible. This is a 'technique' demanding peak focus instantly, and vital energy cost is hefty."
But theory aside, countering in practice was no easy feat, Michael added.
Gem vs. High Priest fights—like theirs—traded dozens of blows in a blink.
Warriors could weave ultimate into any of dozens of swings at will. One hit, and cleric takes fatal damage.
Cleric-side, matching instant Selection to that instant ultimate was near-impossible stunt.
Thus, keep Selection always on—but that guzzled holy power.
"Still hard to win..."
"Versatility crushes us; we'd be too pitiful without fight edge."
Michael grumbled. Fair point; Lilia shut up meekly.
"Anyway... Heard you'll join the demon purge later."
"Yes. You too, Sir Michael?"
"Gotta redeem that Atma fiasco. Staying sharp."
"We'll prep hard too."
"You two can slack off. Take it easy."
Chuckling, Michael gave a light bow.
"Not sure when in a few months... See you then. Off I go."
"Yes. Thanks for your efforts."
"Learned tons today! See you!"
Michael left the training ground amid their farewells.
Lilia stared at his empty spot, sighing softly.
"Never knew clerics' weakness to warriors applied like this. Before effort, it's matchup hell..."
"You're different, though? With that stamina bracelet, even heavy drain's fine—drag to long fight."
"Gotta test it. Feels like cheating with tools, though."
"Win however; a win's a win. You're only twenty anyway. If you'd dominated spar, it'd weird Michael out—separate from acknowledging our strength."
"Y-you think?"
"Just learned Gem warriors; research might find counters. Let's brainstorm."
"Yeah!"
Yeah, plenty of time. Galen might figure it out like always.
Her brief gloom lifted; Lilia smiled brightly.