Priest Martin deflected the incoming barrage of light arrows with masterful precision.Then he scoffed mockingly.
"Is that all?"
That single sentence was enough to drive Priest Chris into a frenzy.
Martin was well aware of his former colleague's true power. He knew that surviving this battle would require nothing short of a miracle yet not a trace of fear showed on his face. Chris, on the other hand, roared with hatred filling his voice.
"I'll kill you! You interfered in everything!"
Martin's calm, observant expression never changed.
Chris held a far higher rank than Martin within the Holy Temple. He was not only a stronger priest, but also an influential figure known for his close relationship with the Pope himself. Martin clearly understood that luck was not on his side. Still, even against Chris's overwhelming strength, he retained a few cards left to play.
He took a deep breath.
He sensed it Chris was about to unleash a massive explosion.
Without hesitation, Martin activated his strongest defensive spell.
"Holy Wall."
At that very moment, Chris converted his mana into destructive energy and shouted:
"Apollo's Wrath!"
A blinding yellow light engulfed everything. The explosion did not completely destroy the building, but deep cracks spread across the walls as a deafening roar echoed throughout the structure. Thanks to his shield, Martin survived but even his strongest defense shattered into pieces.
As the smoke cleared, a horrifying scene revealed itself.
Every Paladin standing behind Chris had been annihilated.
Grinding his teeth, Martin spoke through fury.
"You bastard! You killed your own men"
Chris cut him off coldly.
"They were nothing but dead weight."
Hearing him discard his own subordinates so casually sent a chill down Martin's spine. He had known this man for years, yet never imagined he could be so utterly merciless.
Chris smiled slyly.
"Hey, Martin. Let's play a game."
Chris could have defeated him in seconds but he didn't want to. He wanted Martin to suffer. The children Chris had spent months gathering had been freed by Martin in mere minutes. That humiliation, especially in front of the Pope, was unforgivable.
Martin, meanwhile, knew he stood no chance in a one on one fight. He was certain Chris would use every dirty trick available. Still, rather than flee, he chose to fight to the very end.
"Holy Eyes."
The ability allowed him to glimpse four to five seconds into the future an invaluable
advantage in combat. Immediately after, he activated his next technique.
"Holy Gloves."
A mass of purple mana, resembling a lion's mane, enveloped his hands.
In the next instant, he appeared behind Chris.
Chris was muttering something to himself, completely off guard.
Martin struck with all his strength, slamming Chris into the ground by the neck.
Caught off guard, Chris stood up as if nothing had happened. A deranged smile spread across his face.
"Magnificent."
Then his tone hardened.
"Shall we begin… for real?"
Chris released his mana in the form of crushing pressure. The weight forced Martin down onto his knees but he clenched his teeth and stood back up.
Suddenly, Chris appeared right in front of him.
A mana charged flick struck Martin's forehead.
The impact sent Martin flying all the way into the church's rear courtyard. His skull cracked, blood streaming from his nose and eyes.
He tried to stand, but lost his balance and collapsed again.
He knew he was going to die.
Driven by desperation, he prepared one final move.
He would force all three mana circles surrounding his heart at once. Doing so meant his heart would explode but since death was inevitable, he accepted this final dance with pride.
Chris was momentarily stunned by Martin's smile.
Martin struggled to his feet.
"Perhaps my death… will change something," he murmured.
He needed to stall Chris long enough for the children he had saved to reach their families.
He flooded all three mana circles with excessive mana. Dense clouds of mana and smoke spilled from his body. Burning mana circles was a lethal process one that pushed the human body beyond its absolute limits.
Seeing that the man before him had nothing left to lose, Chris felt fear for the first time.
Martin moved at an impossible speed and appeared before him, delivering a hammer like blow to Chris's head.
Chris was sent sliding backward. Holding his head, he muttered:
"That hurt."
Yet he had suffered no serious damage.
He laughed.
"Shall we raise the gear a bit?"
Martin's time was running out.
He chose his final technique.
"The Sun Impact."
He filled his palm with every ounce of mana he had left and waited for Chris to approach.
Meanwhile, Chris drew a seal on the ground and poured mana into it. From the earth rose a magnificent sword, half gold and half emerald, intricately decorated. Chris grasped the blade his intention clear: to sever Martin's head in a single strike.
He lunged forward at tremendous speed.
He had entered the range Martin was waiting for.
Martin opened his hand.
All the mana he had gathered erupted in a colossal explosion, aimed directly at Chris's right arm.
The blast tore Chris's arm clean off. The ornate sword flew through the air and clattered far away.
As Chris stared at his severed limb in shock, Martin smiled through blood stained lips.
"I won."