The "Nightwatcher" Saint Antonio, who was battling the "Hand of Annihilation" Oliver, was a third-tier Holy Knight of the "Light" bloodline. With the amplification of the "Earthly Paradise," he discovered that this Grand Archanist's legendary spells — the "Annihilation Orbs," the "Destruction Cages," and the like — were steadily diminishing in power, and the suppression upon his body seemed to be accumulating as well. Antonio therefore crept closer to Heather, the "Element Dominator," who was pinning down the two Saints, hoping to seek her support.
"If they converge, with Heather at the peak of the Legendary realm bolstering them, my advantage might be wiped out entirely." Through the feedback of the "Earthly Paradise," Antonio understood that Heather had forced Saint Anastas and Saint Augustas into a severe disadvantage. Aside from their "divine artifacts," every item, enchantment, and inch of their bodies had been ravaged or destroyed under the "Grand Disjunction" and "Elemental Disintegration." The battle was agonizing in both body and spirit — were it not for the Holy Light still shielding their flesh, they would have been practically flaunting the naked bodies bestowed upon them by the Lord before the faithful of Luntat.
Imagining the wretched fate that would befall him — taking a Grand Disjunction and an Elemental Disintegration one after the other — Antonio decided he should prevent Oliver from closing in. True, this would bring the Grand Archanists into the same area, making them vulnerable to a mass kill by His Holiness the Pope, but only a handful of spells and Divine Arts could counter or weaken the Grand Disjunction, such as the legendary Divine Art "Sanctum of Protection." And he was a Holy Knight — how could he possibly wield a Divine Art of that caliber?
By comparison, Oliver, who could not cast Grand Disjunction, was far more "agreeable." The ninth-rank Disjunction could be weathered through sheer magical resistance alone.
The thought had barely flickered through his mind when he noticed that Helen, the "Ice Witch," on the other side was in the same situation as Oliver — she too was drifting toward Heather. And Saint Mermos, the "Holy Avenger," seeing this, was driving the Storm Sovereign toward Heather as well, attempting to merge the battlefield into a single chaotic front.
"Mermos has been at the peak of the Legendary realm for many years. Though still below Douglas, it's only a matter of time before he defeats Fernando. If they converge, he'll certainly have the power to help us end the battle early. And with so many mixed together, Heather may not dare to use the Grand Disjunction again — it's an area-of-effect spell that makes no distinction between friend and foe. Even if we still can't win quickly, it should be enough to suppress them until His Holiness the Pope returns to deliver the killing blow."
Antonio reversed his earlier decision and quietly eased off his attack, which had manifested as a spreading expanse of radiance, allowing Oliver to reposition freely near Heather, the "Element Dominator."
The chaotic melee between the four Grand Archanists and the five Saints erupted in earnest. Antonio received divine blessings channeled through the gaps by Saint Anastas and Saint Maria, boosting his strength, speed, attack power, and defensive capability once more.
While not as bizarre or unpredictable as Arcane Magic, which offered endless methods of self-preservation, Divine Arts were unquestionably superior when it came to buffing effects. The larger the battle, the more devastating the side with a Holy Spirit Priest became. Whether it was Antonio himself or Mermos, they pushed "Light" and "Dawn" to their absolute peak, flooding an entire area with radiance and pressing the four Grand Archanists firmly down. It seemed like victory would be theirs before long.
This was one of the reasons Antonio ultimately decided to let Oliver close in. With Heather's support, however, both the Hand of Annihilation and the Ice Witch were no longer suffering the accumulated weakening. For them, the situation might actually be better than before. The "Storm Sovereign" Fernando and the "Element Dominator" Heather, meanwhile, had fallen into a desperate position, barely holding on.
Suddenly, lightning crackled and storms surged within Fernando's eyes. He growled in a low voice:
"Storm Barrier."
The descending "Thunder Hell" expanded in an instant. Black storms that could destroy the world, serpent-like bolts of lightning, searing heat that fused everything together, and cold approaching absolute zero engulfed all five Saints — Mermos, Antonio, and the rest.
Amid the raging tempest, the surroundings plunged into absolute darkness. A terrifyingly powerful magnetic field warped space itself, and the howling wind carried a deafening roar of destruction, preventing the five Saints from leaving — while freely allowing Oliver, Helen, and Heather to fly upward and escape.
This was his Legendary spell based upon his demi-plane, one of the two foundational spells of his Legendary class!
"What are they doing? Does Fernando want to die?" Mermos was slightly stunned. Five Saints fighting together, with himself at the peak of Legendary — in less than a dozen seconds, Fernando could be slain, and in the end they could surely finish him off with the "Light of Judgment," making his complete annihilation certain!
Oliver and Helen, having flown out, each took up a position on one side, chanting a short incantation:
"Spatial Shackle."
In silence, beyond the darkness warped by the magnetic field, space began to solidify, like transparent crystal.
Heather flew a little higher before stopping, her silver-gray eyes gazing down at Fernando and the five Saints with cold, emotionless detachment.
"You force your way through the Storm Barrier, and Anastas and I will kill Fernando!" Mermos sensed that something was wrong and made a split-second decision.
…………
Nexon Palace, inside the House of Nobles.
Every noble fell silent, ready to hear the Queen's address.
Natasha's clear, ringing voice dropped low, radiating the majesty of a sovereign:
"I, Natasha Vaorite, Queen of the Holm Kingdom, Lord of the Order of the Sword of Truth, Lord of the Order of Judgment, and Lord of the Order of the Holy Cross, have resolved to join forces with the Arcane Council to expel the radical faction of the Church and establish the moderate sect as the state religion."
This resolute declaration, without a shred of hesitation, gave many noble council members pause. They were accustomed to following the crown, and siding with the Arcane Council would entail no real loss of material interests — a new balance would simply emerge. The progressive-minded nobles, in particular, quickly unified their thinking and reached their decision after Natasha's words.
Natasha continued her impassioned address:
"I will not allow my subjects to lie awake at night, constantly fearing assassination by the radical faction's Night Watch!"
"I will not allow my subjects to be robbed of their wealth and vitality, their minds shackled by the Church! Every one of us has the right to interpret the Holy Scriptures, and every one of us, when we pray, should be able to feel the Lord who dwells eternally in the depths of our hearts!"
"I will not allow the Holm Kingdom to slide back into a state of darkness and ignorance. We humans have every reason — indeed, every obligation — to enjoy a better life. Whether it is the arcane crystal lamps that bring light, or the telephones, telegraphs, and radios that have shrunk the kingdom and made communication effortless — these are all unquestionably products of alchemy. Our path forward is inextricably bound to the Arcane Council!"
"My subjects — what is your choice?"
In the great hall of the House of Nobles, every noble was silent, as if locked in fierce inner struggle.
Meanwhile, in the noble assemblies of the Colet Kingdom, the Brianna Kingdom, the Galais Duchy, and elsewhere, those listening to the live broadcast barely stirred. Having grown accustomed to the refined and elegant lifestyle that alchemical items provided, returning to the old ways seemed rather unpalatable. As for the authority of the crown, they had their own kings and lords. The threat of assassination by the radical Night Watch was something none of them had personally experienced, so they could not generate any feeling of empathy or urgency. They remained unable to reach a decision.
Bedrenka, the "Void Hammer," and Basol, the "Calamity Knight," exchanged a glance and shook their heads slightly at Natasha's speech. Still, nothing had been said that could move the two of them or the overwhelming majority of the nobles.
Inside Nexon Palace, the Speaker of the House, Duke Rex, stood once more and declared in a loud voice: "I oppose!"
"Before every noble has stated their position and a resolution has been formed, Her Majesty should not make any decision!"
"Especially at a critical moment like this — one involving the lives of us all. Anyone who acts against the wishes of the vast majority of nobles is a traitor to the aristocratic class and is no longer fit to serve as a lord!"
His words effectively denied the Queen's right to decide at a time like this. He then continued:
"His Holiness the Pope may be about to return — should we truly be making such a hasty decision?"
"Would you all truly wish to fall into Hell upon death, unable to ascend to Heavenly Mountain?"
His words earned the approval of at least one-third of the nobles. Another portion, led by Duke Solunfin, maintained their silence — there simply was not enough profit at stake to justify the risk.