"Pff—!"
The demon's claws pierced straight through Baron Noda's heart as easily as tearing through paper.
The violent pain robbed Noda of his footing. He could only brace himself with the flat of his sword, forcing his trembling body to stay upright.
"Damn it…!"
Gritting his teeth, Baron Noda slowly lifted his head—
But before his gaze could even land on the demon, he was kicked hard in the chest. His body flew several meters through the air before crashing heavily to the ground, motionless.
"Is it… over?"
Hidden in the shadows, Kurose Akira and the others silently observed everything that unfolded.
With a brief glance, the demon's status panel instantly expanded within Akira's field of vision.
[Bloodthirsty Demon (Elite)]Level: 22 (600/6600)Race: DemonStrength: 400 / Agility: 416 / Mana: 250 / Constitution: 486Growth: 8 (Gains +8 to all attributes per level)Skills: (Expand)
"A level 22 demon…"
Akira's eyes narrowed slightly. No wonder this demon had been able to defeat Baron Noda head-on—it was two full levels higher than him.
"So this is the demon that's been threatening the people of Silvermoon Town?"Ivsha stared fixedly at the demon and asked in a low voice.
"Yeah."Akira nodded.
He didn't rush to intervene. Instead, he chose to keep watching.
At that moment, a figure strolled leisurely toward the fallen Baron Noda.
"Moller?!"
The newcomer was none other than Moller. A silver bell dangled from his hand as he swaggered toward the defeated Noda, his expression brimming with smug satisfaction.
He sneered mockingly.
"A baron? A royal knight? So this is all you amount to!"
"Still lost to me, Moller the Great! Hmph!"
As he spoke, he kicked Noda's armor with his foot, a proud grin spreading across his face.
"This nuisance is dealt with. Next…"
Moller gently shook the silver bell in his hand and issued an order to the Bloodthirsty Demon.
"It's time to go scare those stupid nuns. If the church gets destroyed, I wonder how that already dirt-poor place will cope? In the end, they'll have no choice but to come crawling to me like dogs, begging for help! Hahahahaha!"
"And those two damn outsiders too! I want you all dead, without a trace!"
As Moller ranted, the dark green vein along his arm bulged grotesquely. His eyes flooded with greenish bloodshot veins, making his expression terrifying enough to chill the spine.
It was as if his mind were being controlled by something, exposing a level of cruelty far beyond that of an ordinary man.
Yet—
Just as he expected the Bloodthirsty Demon to obey and head toward the church, Moller froze in disbelief.
The demon stood where it was, completely unmoving.
"What are you staring at me for?! Get moving!"
Furious, Moller raised his foot and kicked toward the demon, trying to force it into action.
But before his foot could even land—
A flash of blood-red light erupted.
His thick thigh was severed cleanly in two.
"AAAH—!"
Moller's scream tore through the night sky.
He collapsed into a pool of blood, clutching the stump in agony. His bloodshot eyes stared at the Bloodthirsty Demon in disbelief, utterly unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Why…?
Why wasn't the demon obeying him anymore?
As confusion filled Moller's mind, a figure silently appeared beside him, calmly picking up the silver bell that had fallen into the blood.
A cold voice spoke.
"Mr. Moller. The church's holy relics are not meant to control demons."
When Moller saw that the speaker was Sister Moran, sheer terror instantly spread across his face.
"Y-you?!"
His eyes widened as he stared at her—then at the silver bell in her hand.
"You bastard! This was all your scheme!"
Everything suddenly clicked. Moller roared in rage and humiliation.
"A scheme?"Sister Moran replied indifferently."I merely sold you a holy relic—exactly as you requested."
As she spoke, her gaze shifted toward the fallen Baron Noda.
Compared to the foolish Moller, Noda was the real enemy. She had to make absolutely sure he was dead.
"Damn it! You cursed bitch!"
Moller bellowed furiously as his muscles began to swell. Having been soaked in holy water ten times, his physique was already far beyond that of an ordinary man.
But before he could take any action—
Sister Moran simply waved her hand lightly.
In the next instant, the Bloodthirsty Demon snapped both of Moller's arms like twigs, sending him into unconsciousness from the pain.
Sister Moran walked steadily toward Baron Noda.
She had to complete her master's mission. Noda could not be allowed to survive.
"Devour his body."
She issued the command to the Bloodthirsty Demon.
"ROAR!"
The demon let out an earth-shaking roar and lunged toward Noda's corpse.
Just as it opened its jaws to swallow him—
Suddenly!
A brilliant golden light erupted from the hole in Baron Noda's pierced heart.
The sudden radiance blinded both Sister Moran and the demon, obscuring their vision completely.
"This is… a royal knight's secret art?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Sister Moran's eyes.
Before she could react, golden light flared again in Noda's palm, condensing into a radiant golden blade that severed the demon's arm in a single strike.
Then—
Another slash.
The demon's wings were shredded apart.
The Bloodthirsty Demon tried to counterattack, only to realize in shock that its strength, speed, and mana were all completely inferior to its opponent.
"Die."
With a cold utterance, Baron Noda's sword pierced straight through the demon's heart, killing it instantly.
The entire reversal happened in less than five seconds.
"So it was you who was controlling the demon… Sister Moran!"
Baron Noda turned toward her, anger flashing in his eyes.
Sister Moran stared at the scene before her, her expression turning grave.
In a low voice, she said,"By using the Paladin's final whisper, your life will end before dawn."
Noda raised the golden sword formed from condensed holy power and pointed it at her.
"Before that happens, killing you will be enough!"
"…So be it."
Sister Moran showed no emotion, as if she didn't care about the outcome at all.
Besides—
Her objective had already been achieved.
Ivsha's enemies would all be wiped out before the night was over.
"Die!"
Baron Noda swung the golden blade down at Sister Moran with all his might.
At the very last moment—
A crescent moon flashed across the air, followed by the clang of steel.
Just as the sword was about to strike Sister Moran down, it was blocked by an unseen force.
"How is that possible?!"
Baron Noda's eyes widened as he recognized the newcomer.
The platinum-white armor and the white rose emblem on the chest made his brow furrow deeply.
He knew her level was lower than his—but from the very first time he encountered Loserine, he had sensed danger from her. That was why he had wanted to avoid fighting her if possible.
Now, Kurose Akira and Ivsha also stepped out of the darkness.
Their appearance made Noda's expression grow even more troubled, his brow knitting tighter.
"Good… we made it in time."
Akira let out a breath of relief. Noda's strike had been terrifyingly fast—he had almost failed Sister Kelly's request.
"Sister Moran, are you hurt?!"
Ivsha hurried to Moran's side, worry clear in her voice as she checked her condition.
"Ivsha? Why are you all here…?"
Sister Moran asked in surprise.
"Sister Kelly asked us to come look for you…"
Ivsha's gaze sharpened as she glanced toward Baron Noda, who was locked in a standoff with Loserine, then at Moller lying in a pool of blood.
Her eyes flickered.
She could tell—Sister Moran had been hiding something, something she hadn't told the other nuns at the church.
At the same time, Akira finally understood the meaning behind Idith's letter.
No wonder she had told him not to worry.
Everything had already been planned out.
What they hadn't anticipated, however, was that Baron Noda had already mastered a secret art reserved only for high-ranking royal knights.