Our Family Has Fallen

As the battle progressed, they did not morph into the large tumors from before.

Instead, they were constantly injured in battle, and then devoured and evolved to become more perfected. Although their number was reduced from a hundred to only four, each had grown taller than two meters.

With even taller bodies, their muscles ridiculously exaggerated and deformed, spines-like bone blades sprouting from their arms, or bone spurs growing from various parts of their bodies, some growing uncountable arms, some growing two heads.

The remaining heretical witch had already lost any feminine characteristics, her thin fabric long since torn apart, replaced instead by black eyeballs scattered randomly across her body, and twisted tentacles clutching multiple magic wands instead of arms.

The terrifying sorcery cast casually by her was so powerful that even members of the Honor Guard found it difficult to withstand.

Even Grendel, the Champion Spellcaster, could only barely entangle, feeling that these Flesh Monsters’ power was no less than her own.

This was——an Ascended Champion!

The heroes and Honor Guard of Hamlet often needed several people together to entangle those champions, even Barin couldn’t overpower them; the enemy’s bulk was even more exaggerated than him after donning armor.

The clash between the great axe and bone blade emitted a metal shriek that made one’s teeth ache, along with solid feedback vibrations, causing his hand to tremble uncontrollably.

The Gunner’s shots inflicted negligible damage, akin to a mosquito bite, unable even to disrupt slightly.

Reynard wielded his longsword against one, striking vigorously to sever the outstretched arm, but the monster was covered densely in them, hardly bothered, its giant hand reaching towards him, attempting to embrace him as well.

This was a rather unequal battle, with the gap in power between Master and Champion not something numbers alone could bridge.

Unless some even more potent means were employed.

Junia continuously smote judgments, finally restoring some strength to the torch, but now she no longer expanded into the Sanctuary’s range, instead condensing power into a single divine art.

"The Holy Light will smite you!"

With a loud shout, Junia raised the torch emitting a blinding light, but even more exaggerated was a lightning-like flash tearing through the air to penetrate the heretic’s head.

Holy Punishment!

In the next moment, the heretic’s head inexplicably exploded, remnants of gradually rising smoke remaining from the cracked head. It seemed even a heretic found it hard to withstand such terrifying divine art.

But the situation showed a problem, as Junia’s whole body also caught aflame with white fire.

Junia usually sensed the divine power feedback with the sacred force existing until the limit, excess escaping absorbed by the torch, since her body couldn’t receive so much.

But now the divine arts’ power had been poured into her all at once, completely beyond her ability to control, feeling engulfed by scorching agony, unable to help but cry out in pain.

"Ah!"

From outsiders’ perspective, it seemed Junia had suddenly self-ignited, emitting painful lamentations and frenzied actions.

This unexpected development left most people bewildered, questioning the occurrence.

Only a few with sufficiently high inspiration could see Junia’s frantic spiritual essence had spun out of control, shouldering it alone or becoming more terrifying than these heretics.

But Hamlet was a place filled with miracles.

Because "hope" had arrived.

A rapid steed raced along the road, ridden by none other than Lance.

His inspiration didn’t need mentioning, noticing Junia’s anomaly from afar, appearing in his eyes like a bonfire lit in the night.

Without hesitation, he rushed up on horseback intending to bless, refreshing to quell her tumultuous spiritual essence.

Even Alhazred’s void corrosion could be easily eliminated, so Lance didn’t pay it much heed.

He just didn’t anticipate those frantic holy powers were already uncontrolled.

Approaching, he inadvertently triggered the force, a strong flash exploding without warning, as instantaneous as light speed, leaving no time to avoid.

In that instant, Lance became light...

This scene terrified everyone, as the champion heretic previously had its head exploded with this move, if the Lord were similarly affected, could he be saved?

In battle, one cannot afford distractions, let alone when facing stronger foes; in an instant, the attempted pull failed, some directly heavily injured.

But their concern for the Lord’s safety outweighed personal injury.

"Hiss!"

Almost instantly, a neigh broke from the light, from the startled horse, kicking Lance off, instinctively fleeing blindly ahead.

Only Lance buffered it, now in its chaotic flight instantly becoming a target for spiritual essence rampage.

Another flash struck...

As light faded, Lance was unharmed, albeit momentarily dazed from being tossed off horseback, slightly disheveled.

Once he regained focus, the scene before him caused him to cry out in anguish.

"My horse!"

The flash hadn’t killed Lance but left him incensed.

For his mount was caught in it.

It was merely an ordinary horse, without spiritual opposition hence no explosion occurred, yet couldn’t withstand such powerful force, essentially roasted.

No, perhaps it was scorched. Seeing its fallen, charred exterior, with rising black smoke, confirmed it.

But Lance couldn’t dwell on that, not posturing either, raising his hand directly to [Bless] everyone, refreshing statuses, simultaneously activating [Flesh Reconstruction].

Those critically injured earlier felt the Lord’s sanctuary within breaths, their intense wounds a moment ago, the next stood immediately.

What death? It was not part of their options, directly winning resurrection matches.

Yet the brief blessing hadn’t suppressed Junia’s chaotic force.

Lance instantly discerned the reason, the Iron Torch was problematic.

Reaching out to seize it, Junia’s flames, seemingly possessing consciousness, protected their master, burning onto Lance’s hand. But he didn’t retreat in the slightest, enduring scorching fire to wrench the torch free and discard it.

The moment it left his hand, Lance keenly sensed the condensed force dissipating swiftly, as if losing its guide.

The situation didn’t allow him much contemplation, as beneath the flames, Junia’s aura grew increasingly feeble, threatening to collapse.

Lance hurriedly supported her, blessing Junia, subduing the strange force.

This time, it indeed quelled the eerie flames consuming her, but now revealed her body covered in scorch marks.

Skin ulcerated, flesh adhering to the underlying armor, were it not for her clad iron plate concealing most, surely there wasn’t a single unblemished part.

These injuries were remarkably frightening, simultaneously highlighting the uncanny supernatural power, even when termed "sacred power" in divine arts, equally fraught with danger.

Stability compared only to more outlandish cases.

Yet who let it encounter Lance who had just boosted his power of flesh and blood, effortlessly soothing her unsightly skin and newly inflicted damages.

"I..." Junia appeared finally liberated from pain, consciousness gradually returning.

"You’re okay, dizziness is normal." Lance reassured her while supporting.

Only through the process did Lance notice her anomaly. The earlier power appeared to be transforming her, requiring steps to accommodate it.

Was that the Ascension Ceremony?

Lance couldn’t help recalling the mendicant monk’s burned, disfigured face, could that be the clergy’s path secret?

But earlier he interrupted it, realizing his fault.

Simply going with the flow to bless and strengthen, completing the ceremony’s final segment.

Junia stepped into the realm of a Master!