Chapter 250 - Chapter 250

"Holy Light Punishment—o>_

Dolori murmured softly, then hurriedly shook her head. No way—she absolutely did not want to be punished by holy light!

Wait… what was Holy Light Punishment, anyway?

Was it that sacred radiance the Church of Light used to smite demons and heretics?

That kind of power was meant to eradicate evil beings—demons, undead, corrupt entities. It shouldn't have any effect on clergy… right? Or maybe—

Just as Dolori sank into thought, a deafening explosion reverberated through the demon lair.

On the battlefield ahead, tens of thousands of demonkind had emerged in disciplined ranks from the icy mountains, staring hungrily at the few hundred adventurers stationed several kilometers away.

These demons varied wildly in form, but most were undead and demons. Without exception, however, their eyes burned with an eerie, dark crimson glow.

"ROAR!"

With a thunderous howl from one demon, the rest responded in unison. The cavern shook as countless roars overlapped. Twisted faces contorted with savagery, claws and fangs gleaming as the demon army surged forward in a violent charge toward the adventurers' defensive line.

"Something's… not right."

Loserine stepped forward, a sharp glint flashing through her eyes. An indefinable sense of unease crawled up her spine.

But before she could pinpoint what felt wrong, the surrounding adventurers were already brimming with excitement, barely able to restrain themselves.

"It's finally starting!"

"I've been waiting forever for this fight!"

"So many demons just begging to be slaughtered—my blood's on fire!"

"Enough talk, let's go already!"

"If you're all hesitating, I'll charge first!"

"Let's show these demons what we're made of!"

"Move out!"

"..."

Amid the clamor, a group of adventurers stepped forward. Weapons drawn, they prepared to meet the oncoming demon horde head-on.

Their levels were impressively high—most above level forty, with over twenty adventurers surpassing level fifty. Facing an army of tens of thousands of demons, not a trace of fear showed on their faces.

"Kill!"

At the command, the adventurers charged.

In an instant, the two surging forces collided like raging floods. The clash echoed across the battlefield as combat erupted on all sides.

"We move too," Xu Feiyan ordered calmly. "Stick to the plan. Spread the battlefield, maintain distance, and harvest them with large-scale magic."

"Understood!"

The guild members responded in unison and plunged into battle.

Kurose Akira immediately turned to Lucia and the others. "Follow the plan as well. Stay sharp."

"Mm."

Lucia nodded gently, then looked at him with a soft smile. "With me here, there's nothing to worry about. Just focus on keeping yourself safe."

"I'm fine," Akira replied evenly.

His tone was steady—but his heart was anything but.

Deep within his mind, a voice continued to echo.

'You're fine? No—you're not.'

'Human, you're far too weak.'

'Your blood is utterly insufficient to satisfy my thirst.'

'You must become stronger. Do you understand? Only the blood of the strong carries true flavor—like the blood of the Demon Mother.'

'The blood of gods is always intoxicating… but she was incomparable.'

'Just a single drop was enough to drown me in endless ecstasy.'

'As for you, brat—you're nowhere close.'

'And worse, you reek of maleness. If it weren't for the fact that your blood carries her aura, I wouldn't even spare you a glance.'

'But since you share her origin… you belong to me.'

'Did you hear me, little one?'

The voice of the Vampire Progenitor reverberated inside Akira's skull. That eerie, delighted laughter sent a shiver through his body, as though icy wind were slicing through his bones.

"..."

Akira fell silent.

The information hidden in those words shook him to his core.

First—The Demon Mother's power clearly surpassed that of a demigod. She might even stand on the level of a true god.

Second—The Vampire Progenitor had once challenged her… and succeeded in injuring her, tasting a drop of her blood.

And finally—Most unsettling of all—

Akira's blood carried the same origin as the Demon Mother's.

What did that mean?

His thoughts raced. Could it be because of the corrupted lust-attribute demonic power Idess had given him?

If that were the case…

Did that mean Idess herself was somehow connected to the Demon Mother?

Before he could reach an answer, the war inside the demon lair erupted in full force.

Tens of thousands of demons surged forward like a black tide, hooves pounding, shrieks and roars merging into a terrifying cacophony.

Yet the adventurers did not retreat.

Instead, their fighting spirit exploded.

"Charge! Break through them!"

Under player command, several courageous adventurer guilds surged forward as the vanguard. They formed solid triangular formations and crashed into the demon army with overwhelming momentum.

At the same time, another group launched a ferocious assault from a different direction, engaging the demons in brutal close combat.

Steel clashed, blades flashed, and the battlefield descended into chaotic slaughter.

Among the adventurers, one figure stood out starkly.

A beastman warrior towering five to six meters tall strode through the battlefield like a living mountain. His massive frame was unshakable, his presence overwhelming.

In his hands, a colossal battle axe gleamed with cold light. Every swing carried crushing force, capable of splitting demons apart in a single blow.

This beastman warrior was precisely the B-rank guild member Shen Siqi had mentioned earlier to Xu Feiyan.

"Kill!"

"Drive these demons back!"

"..."

Roars shook the air as the curtain of battle fully rose.

In mere moments, dozens of demons fell beneath the adventurers' blades.

Xu Feiyan raised her hand. "Fairy Concubine Guild—advance."

"Understood."

Honglian nodded, her eyes blazing with anticipation. She glanced toward Dolori—who was already prepared.

Dolori stood calmly on the battlefield, hands clasped together as she began chanting a spell under her breath.

Golden light bloomed around her, wrapping her entire body in radiant brilliance.

Then—

High above, a massive golden magic circle manifested in the sky.

It rotated slowly, pouring out dazzling holy radiance. Complex, interwoven runes formed a magnificent and mysterious pattern that instantly drew every eye on the battlefield.

"What is that?!"

"A Church of Light magic array—super-tier level!"

"There's actually a holy caster here?!"

"This spell is insanely powerful—everyone, get out of the casting range!"

"Damn it! I was counting on this high-risk demon lair to rack up contribution points!"

"That must be the Fairy Concubine Guild—only her guild has light casters at that level!"

Shock rippled through the crowd as fear and awe spread in equal measure.

But before they could even recover—

Another wave of astonishment struck.

A second magic circle appeared in the sky.

This one was two full sizes larger than Dolori's.

And the holy aura radiating from it was several times denser—several times more oppressive.

...…

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