Chapter 138: Lances Unknown Combat Capabilities

Chapter 138: Lance's Unknown Combat Capabilities

Inside the sanctuary, the soaring ceilings, stone pillars, stained glass, and frescoes trembled incessantly. Amid a series of thunderous crashes, even the combined, desperate efforts of the executioner and the paladin could do little more than slow the Saintess of Destruction's advance.

On the flank of the battlefield, the male bodyguard from the Petras Trading Company lurked amid the shifting interplay of light and shadow. He was observing the fray with a calm, piercing gaze.

At a glance, the Saintess was equipped with at least three items that were Divine grade. Her combat style also revealed that she could maintain a high rate of self-healing without the aid of a cleric, keeping her physical condition locked in a state of perfect equilibrium.

Beyond possessing strength and magical power that utterly eclipsed everyone else's, the Saintess was willing to trade blow for blow when necessary. This was a tactic that only made her stronger and made it increasingly difficult for the executioner and paladin to parry her attacks.

Furthermore, because many key utility cards—such as Forced Dispel, which removed all status effects, and Targeted Purification, which granted temporary immunity to specific status ailments—were Tier 6 cards, the group's crowd-control measures had little effect on her. They could only hope to hinder her briefly by leveraging superior numbers and exploiting cooldown windows.

Going head-to-head with her was a losing proposition, yet his younger sister, his young master, the priest from the Northern Continent, the Lawyer, and the Lawyer's companion were all positioned in the rear. He could not allow the Saintess to break through their line.

A cold glint flashed along the short blade in the male bodyguard's hand. Moving with a ghostly, almost imperceptible gait, he melted into the silent air, preparing to deliver a lethal strike. At that moment, a pillar of fire erupted from the sanctuary floor. It was a triggered trap set by the bodyguard's sister. The Saintess nimbly leapt aside to evade it, her black-armored figure descending gracefully to a different spot.

She raised her sword and slashed backward without even turning her head while muttering to herself, "Where did you go, you rat?"

As she unleashed her sword strike, the air across the entire area suddenly began to boil. A wave of searing energy radiated outward at an indescribable speed. In that instant, it looked as though any material would be instantly set ablaze.

At the same moment, the male bodyguard materialized, driving his short blade fiercely toward the Saintess' back. However, the Saintess had impeccable combat instincts and had already anticipated his move.

The scorching longsword and the frigid short blade clashed in mid-air, erupting with the thunderous clang of metal striking metal. The air was instantly filled with the acrid, smoky stench of an iron foundry.

***

In Gela Memorial Plaza, the flickering visuals and the thunderous, unrelenting sounds of furious combat made the students watching the giant open-air screen feel as though they were right there on the veritable meat grinder of a battlefield. Such a fight usually appeared only at the very end of a Shadow Realm challenge, when all challengers had solved the puzzles, reached the final formidable foe, and commenced the ultimate team battle.

Unfortunately, the Saintess of Destruction was single-handedly exerting a level of pressure that far surpassed the typical final boss of a Level 5 Shadow Realm dungeon. Even though the footage made it look like she was being held back, she was clearly not using her full strength.

One student commented, "The Saintess of Destruction... Uncovering her as a Traitor feels like they made a turn for the worse."

Another worriedly said, "If she stalls them until nightfall and unleashes her vampiric powers, it'll likely mean a total party wipe. Timing is critical."

In daylight, there would still be time for a protracted battle against the Saintess. Now, however, a countdown was hanging over the heads of every challenger. In less than an hour, the sun would set, and a vampire count who was located somewhere unknown would awaken. At that moment, the Saintess would be able to activate an unknown power from her vampire lord!

Regardless of what it actually was, such a power would be equivalent to the effect of an incredibly powerful Orange spell card. In a situation like this, it would completely tip the scales of victory.

An emergency notice from the Southern Continent Shadow Realm Management Association soon appeared on the screen. It simultaneously displayed the effects of a key enchanted card being used by the Saintess.

[The true identity of the Church of Resurrection's Saintess of Destruction has been confirmed as Adelise, a Silver Licensed Challenger from the Krati Empire. Threat Level: SS. All residents of the Southern Continent are advised to take note of her characteristics.]

[Blood Oath Pendant]

Category: Equipment Card

Grade: Pink (Divine)

Attribute: Enhancement/Regeneration

Tier: 1

Upon equipping, continuously consumes Vitality to grant a boost to all attributes and bestows a minor Life Steal ability.

In the silence of the dark night, the blood-red pact shall never be broken.

The camera zoomed in on a specific detail corresponding to the attributes of the enchanted card. It was an irregularly shaped accessory embedded in the Saintess of Destruction’s chest. Veined with spreading streaks of crimson and resembling hardened blood, it glimmered in the light with a mesmerizing, dark red hue.

Clearly, this was the very piece of equipment that allowed her to steadily gain the upper hand during her battles against the executioner and the paladin. She only grew stronger the longer the fight dragged on.

The Saintess of Destruction had once appeared in the real world, but her true identity had remained a mystery. Now, she was finally revealed. Simultaneously, the attributes of her core equipment, previously analyzed and recorded during her past rampages, were beginning to be displayed one by one.

The camera quickly shifted focus, locking onto the pitch-black armor enveloping the Saintess.

[Armor of Reversing Death]

Category: Equipment Card

Grade: Pink (Divine)

Attribute: Regeneration/Enhancement

Tier: 6

The lower the user's health, the greater the boost to regeneration. Grants immunity to fatal damage (Cooldown: 30 days). Cannot stack with other effects that grant immunity to fatal damage.

The shadow of death dances, while the shell of life breaks free from its cocoon.

The screen simultaneously focused on the blood-stained longsword wielded by the Saintess, displaying a split-screen view.

[Blazing Envoy]

Category: Equipment Card

Grade: Orange (Epic)

Attribute: Fire/Regeneration

Tier: 4

Grants a Life Steal effect upon attacking. Inflicts Burn and Healing Reduction. Damage dealt by this weapon does not trigger the effects of enemy enchanted cards.

An irresistible death that scorches the heavens and earth.

The other cards Adelise had used were Purple and Blue. They were general purpose cards well-known to Ikerite's students. Most were used to block spells or cleanse crowd-control effects. They were staples that almost any Rank 6 combatant would carry.

One student said seriously, "That Saintess of Destruction looks practically invincible. Even if a Rank 6 vampire fought her all night, they might struggle to actually kill her."

Another sighed. "If the fight drags on like this, the priest will run out of mana and be done for."

A young freshman shouted, "Hang in there Sir Priest!"

The students watching from the steps couldn't help but break into a cold sweat. Their throats had gone dry from the constant, anxious chatter. The Traitor they had finally managed to corner was terrifyingly powerful, and the setting sun acted like a countdown timer, offering only a little more protection to the brave challengers before nightfall.

Suddenly someone remembered, "Wait, isn't there another healer?"

Lance was, in fact, a white mage. However, he was such an outrageous character that everyone had nearly forgotten his combat role was that of a healer.

In the rear lines, Hyperion had finished securely binding the unconscious female priestess. Meanwhile, Lance had cast a mysterious spell on the female mage, who had lost the will to fight but whose motives remained unclear. He silenced even her sobs, before Hyperion proceeded to knock her unconscious as well.

With these two unpredictable captives dealt with and handed over to the young master of the Petras Trading Company to guard, Lance and Hyperion should be free to join the fray without worry.

A senior exclaimed, "Even if two healers could balance the scales, the challengers simply can't afford to drag this out!"

Logically speaking, the challengers had a well-balanced team composition: two tanks, two healers, and three damage dealers. The problem, however, was the impending darkness. The challengers were the ones who needed a quick victory. If they couldn't break this stalemate, the situation would become a dead end!

Someone asked a question, leaving everyone stunned, "Wait a minute. Has anyone ever actually seen Lance fight?"

The surrounding students stared blankly, then shook their heads.

"Right? How on earth did this guy end up being a white mage?" asked one student. "I mean, I could totally see him as an Evil God Shaman or some sinister warlock. That would make perfect sense."

The students gathered near the steps suddenly realized that this team battle might not be as simple as it seemed. There was something truly terrifying about Lance. In fact, to this day, no one had ever seen him go all out.

The biggest point of contention regarding Lance's true strength stemmed from the third round of the entrance exam: the practical combat test. The records of that match had been personally sealed by the dean of the Sages' College. The most widely circulated rumor was that Lance and Hyperion had merely lucked into a victory during their duo battle because the examiner, Ferrat, had suffered from a sudden medical incident.

However, looking back on it now, something felt increasingly off. It was highly likely that Examiner Ferrat's sudden brain hemorrhage was actually the handiwork of Lance and the Poet of Boundless Love!

Could it be that, aside from his knack for messing with people's heads and provoking them outside of combat, Lance also possessed a way to make an enemy's blood pressure skyrocket right in the middle of a fight?

At that moment, everyone turned their eyes nervously toward the screen. Lance was smiling, holding several healing enchanted cards in his hand.