The Paladin stepped forward and shouted,"You wretches! What do you think you're doing!"
His voice echoed against the stone walls of the church. The sacred symbols engraved on his armor reflected the sunlight with a sharp glare. There was rage in his eyes, but beneath that rage lay something deeper: fear.
Edwick moved to the front of the church entrance. The moment he heard the Paladin's voice, he stopped, straightened his shoulders, and shouted back without hesitation."We are taking back what is rightfully ours! We do not want your twisted beliefs here!"
His words spread through the villagers like a wave. Some lifted their heads, others clenched their teeth. This was not just a rebellion; it was the eruption of years of suppression.
Lane stood a few steps back, calmly observing the situation. There was neither anger nor fear on his face. His eyes analyzed the Paladin's posture, his breathing, the tremor hidden in his voice. Without breaking his composure, he remained on the sidelines like a shadow.
At that moment, the Paladin completely lost his patience. His face turned red, veins bulged, and he roared as if he were about to lose control."Holy soldiers! Take attack positions and slaughter this village! Not a single person will be left alive!"
The words hung in the air.
Edwick, Sara, and the villagers all recoiled in disgust at once. How could a human be this cruel? What kind of faith justified the slaughter of innocents?
That was when Lane's calm finally cracked. Speaking so softly that no one else could hear, he muttered to himself,"He's angry now… From this point on, making decisions will be harder for him. I need to provoke him even more. Those who act on emotion are doomed to die."
And with that, Lane quietly disappeared among the villagers.
Edwick immediately shouted,"Take battle positions!"
The villagers quickly gathered at the entrance. Their hands trembled, but their eyes were filled with resolve. Sara drew her sword and took position behind Edwick. At the same time, she issued orders to her own unit to provide support and resupply the archers. Everyone moved into place.
The Paladin was on the verge of losing his mind from rage. Heavy breaths echoed from inside his armor as his bloodshot eyes stared forward. Without a second thought, he screamed,"CHAAAARGE!"
The holy soldiers surged forward.
At that very moment, a dense cloud of dust rose from the ground beneath their feet. Visibility vanished in an instant. It was the same dust Edwick had used before, but now it was being turned against the Paladin's soldiers.
No one understood what was happening.
The holy soldiers began to choke. Screams erupted. Armor clattered to the ground as men fell to their knees, gasping for air. They could not breathe. The Paladin's eyes widened in shock. The soldiers' screams were so horrific that they echoed throughout the entire village.
Edwick and Sara stood frozen at the sight before them. Edwick turned to Sara in horror and shouted,"When we used this dust, it wasn't this terrifying! Don't make them suffer like this, kill them!"
He immediately raised his voice and gave orders."Everyone stay as far away from the dust as possible! Kill the holy soldiers trapped inside it!"
The village archers did not hesitate. They followed the orders. Bows were drawn, arrows whistled through the air. Twenty-one holy soldiers were granted a swift, merciless death on the spot.
A brief silence fell.
Sara suddenly looked around and asked anxiously,"Where is Lane? I can't see him."
Edwick replied without taking his eyes off the dissipating dust,"I don't know either… But he won't leave us alone. He's somewhere nearby, preparing."
Sara nodded, though the unease in her chest did not fade.
The Paladin was losing his army. He had completely lost control. He was maddened. Stepping forward, he unleashed his sacred power, slashing with his holy sword and dispersing the acidic dust cloud around him. Then he shouted in fury,"You have no honor! What you've done is barbaric!"
At that moment, a sudden chill ran through the Paladin's body.
He looked up and saw a bolt of lightning descending rapidly toward his head.
It was Lane.
He had been waiting in ambush. He had patiently waited for the moment the Paladin, blinded by rage, would leave himself open. And that moment had finally arrived.
The Paladin tried to escape, raising his sword to block the strike, but he was too slow. The lightning crashed down onto his left arm. A deafening explosion followed. His arm was blown apart.
The Paladin screamed in agony,"AGHHHHHH! You bastard! Attacking from the shadows?!"
Lane answered coldly from his position,"There is no honor in war. Any path that leads to victory is permissible."
Lane immediately leapt back, creating distance, and prepared himself for the second battle.