Chapter 56: Escape (Part 2)

Asa didn't move. He stood watching the two Holy Warrior, listening carefully to the sounds from outside the window and in the corridor. Rather than rushing out recklessly, it seemed wiser to catch his breath. He gently touched the bracer on his wrist, and his body was instantly enveloped in a green glow.

The bracer was something he had picked up from the remains of adventurers in the Saundfest Mountains. At the time, he recognized its extraordinary value from the magical aura it emanated, but it wasn't until he consulted Theodorus that he learned it was a top-tier magical item. Intricately crafted with advanced magical materials, including mana gems, the bracer housed an exquisitely designed magic array capable of storing up to two spells for instant activation. While it generally couldn't store offensive spells due to control limitations, it could hold auxiliary or healing spells.

Asa had never used it before, partly because he wasn't accustomed to relying on magical items and partly because he didn't know what spells to imbue it with. In all of Orford, only he and Theodorus could use magic, and neither of them had much expertise in healing or auxiliary spells. On this occasion, however, during his time in the Turaleone Forest, he had wisely asked Elder Lloyd to imbue it with two restoration spells from natural magic.

That decision now seemed brilliant. The restorative power of natural magic often surpassed that of holy magic, particularly when performed by Elder Lloyd using the Leaf of the World Tree. The magic energy, vibrant and unending, flowed from the bracer and spread throughout Asa's body. His fractured ribs began to heal, and though his almost-broken arm couldn't fully recover, the excruciating pain subsided significantly, enough to no longer impede his movements.

Still, Asa remained motionless. While the two elderly Holy Warrior weren't his match in combat, their battle-hardened experience and sharp judgment made them formidable foes. He didn't panic. The magical thorns in the room were still growing, and in another two or three seconds, they would reach the Holy Warrior. Whether they retreated or hacked at the thorns with their swords, that would create the opportunity Asa needed.

But just then, the magical thorns, which had nearly filled the room, suddenly began to wither at an alarming rate, disappearing as quickly as they had appeared, revealing the doorway that had been blocked moments ago. Outside the door stood a group of priests, more than a dozen of them, who had used a combined Purification spell to dispel the magical thorns.

The commotion outside grew louder. Asa could now hear the sound of soldiers marching in formation, accompanied by the howling wind and thunder. The two veteran Holy Warrior had indeed proven to be astute strategists, and the Church's guards were impressively trained. In such a short time, they had already positioned themselves outside the window. The small, confined space of the room and corridor was filled with highly skilled individuals, while the soldiers gathering below were less exceptional but numbered in the hundreds. Jumping out of the window would be no different from jumping straight onto a bed of blades.

At the doorway, Talice stood in front of the priests, a steel longsword in her hand. Her body was clad in glory armor, glowing with the white light of Heaven's Blessing. Her once heroic and commanding eyes were now bloodshot, and the twisted expression on her face made her appear almost feral. She had clearly placed the blame for everything that had happened squarely on Asa. In fact, everyone in sight glared at him with such seething hatred that their gazes seemed sharp enough to tear pieces from his flesh.

It wasn't the glares that Asa feared—it was the chilling composure of his opponents. These were people who, despite their intense anger, maintained calm and coordination, shrinking the encirclement around him step by step with flawless precision.

This was undoubtedly due to the leadership and planning of the two veteran Holy Warrior. Their faces betrayed no emotion, and they didn't spare a single glance at the corpse of Aescher on the floor. Every ounce of their focus was on Asa because they knew exactly what kind of opponent they were dealing with.

Asa inwardly smiled bitterly, regretting not wearing a mask. With his unmistakable face, one that everyone had seen on wanted posters countless times, anyone who laid eyes on him would be struck with shock, fear, and heightened vigilance.

Looking at the dozen priests outside the door gave Asa a headache. Even if only half of them could cast offensive spells like Light Arrow or Prism of Radiance—or even if just one could cast a paralyzing spell—it would be enough to let the Holy Warrior capture him effortlessly. His necromantic magic, limited as it was, would be rendered useless in the face of their prepared Purification and Anti-Magic spells, which would descend upon him like a bucket of ice water.

Given the high status of the priests in St. Peter's Cathedral—the largest in Alrasia—their skills were undoubtedly exceptional. Alrasian priests were renowned for their battlefield prowess, and these individuals were no exception. In terms of overall combat strength, they might even surpass the Bishop Asa had encountered in Turaleone Forest. Without Theodorus's advanced spellcasting artistry, engaging in direct magical confrontation with so many priests was a losing battle.

And then there was Talice. Asa had to admit that even if it were just her alone, his current injured and unarmed state would make her a formidable challenge. His weapon lay near Aescher's corpse, but there was no chance to retrieve it, as no one would give him the time or opportunity.

The priests began chanting. White magic glowed on the Holy Warrior and Talice, enhancing their abilities.

Asa knew he couldn't wait any longer. If he allowed the priests to finish casting their preparatory spells, they would launch an overwhelming and perfectly coordinated assault.

He had to act now. But how? Where to? Would his opponents even let him move? If he waited for them to act first, it would be too late for him to make any move at all.

Outside, a thunderclap exploded. Everyone in the room felt their eardrums tremble, their skin shiver, and their spirits waver. But the sound of thunder was accompanied by something even louder—Asa's roar.

"Fine, you've forced my hand. Die!"

A surge of white combat energy and black magical waves erupted from Asa's body like a raging tide, instantly filling every inch of the room.

Talice, the two holy warriors, the priests at the door—everyone's eyes narrowed. Whether it was the visible combat energy or the overflowing magical aura, both were hallmarks of a top-tier warrior or grand mage. But this young man, who appeared to be in his early twenties, was exuding both simultaneously.

More than that, there was an oppressive killing intent—feral and untamed—that filled the air. It was the kind of killing intent that came from someone who killed without hesitation and stopped only when there was nothing left to kill.

What truly unnerved them, however, was Asa's reputation. From the moment they saw him, they were struck with shock. Aescher, their great leader, was now headless on the ground, a sight that should have sent them into chaos. Yet, instead of panicking, they found themselves unable to look away from the man before them. This was Asa, the most wanted criminal on the continent, the infamous assassin, and the dark legend whispered in fear.

So when they saw this overwhelming display of power, their nerves tightened to the breaking point, as though facing an erupting volcano or an incoming hurricane.

"Everyone, be careful! He's going all out!" Talice shouted, activating her Scred Guard Shield. For a Temple Knight to preemptively use what was meant to be a last-resort defensive ability was unprecedented.

The two holy warriors crouched slightly, swords at the ready. The priests continued chanting, casting defensive magic on everyone, while two or three of them worked together to prepare an Anti-Magic spell. Their calm and methodical actions in such a tense moment spoke volumes about their extraordinary battlefield experience and psychological resilience.

Asa raised his fist, glowing with combat energy. Every eye in the room fixated on that fist. He suddenly struck downward.

His target wasn't anyone in the room—it was the floor beneath his feet. With a resounding crash, the floor shattered, and Asa dropped through.

The floor, made of the most durable treated hardwood, as strong and resilient as rock, crumbled under Asa's punch as if it were brittle crackers. Remarkably, only the section directly under him broke, leaving the rest of the room unaffected. The others didn't even feel a tremor.

Talice and the priests at the door froze, unable to comprehend why what should have been a cataclysmic counterattack had resulted in this. It was only a moment later that they realized what was happening.

The two veteran holy warriors were the first to react. They hesitated for only a split second before simultaneously lunging toward the gaping hole in the floor. But just as they reached it, a dark green fireball shot up from the hole with a violent whoosh, filling the air with the pungent stench of rotting corpses.

"Watch out!" Talice's voice, usually commanding, now rose to a shrill scream of panic, sounding like any ordinary woman gripped by fear. She vividly remembered how a similar fireball in the Turaleone Forest had nearly wiped out their entire force.

The fireball's speed wasn't particularly fast, but the two seasoned holy warriors moved with the agility of their youth, dodging it nimbly. Their reaction was so swift that Talice's warning proved unnecessary. At the very sight of the strange fireball, the two leaped out of the window like startled rabbits.

This fireball was clearly much smaller than the one in Turaleone Forest, and the magical energy contained within was far less dense and potent. It continued upward, colliding with the ceiling before exploding. The blast wasn't particularly powerful, but the poisonous, corrosive flames that erupted from it spread across the room, reaching into every corner like an all-consuming wave.

At the same time, the purification spells that several priests had been preparing were unleashed, their holy white light extinguishing the blue-green flames like boiling water poured over snow. Although much of the fire was neutralized, the remaining flames still possessed deadly destructive power. Fortunately, Talice, standing in the doorway, activated her Saint Guard Shield just in time to protect herself and the priests behind her.

The remaining blue-green flames burned throughout the room, sizzling like molten iron dripping onto ice. Blue-green smoke rose as the flames devoured everything they touched, even reducing Bishop Aescher's corpse on the floor to an unrecognizable, shapeless mess.

The priests cast purification spells one after another, trying to cleanse the room, which had become a decaying wreck in the blink of an eye. Talice dismissed her Saint Guard Shield and leapt into the hole in the floor. But there was no sign of Asa below.

The cathedral's bell tower began to ring. The loud, urgent chimes echoed through the stormy night, spreading across the entire royal city. At the same moment, a figure staggered out of the cathedral's front door, collapsing face-first into the rain-soaked ground. Struggling to his feet, the figure swayed unsteadily but quickly broke into a run, disappearing into the storm.

As the bells tolled behind him, Asa dimly realized he had escaped the cathedral. All he could do now was run in what he guessed was the direction furthest from the cathedral. His thoughts were too muddled to consider an escape route or strategy. His mind could only focus on not slamming into walls as he fled, leaving him feeling no better than a blind, frantic fly.

Using his meditation technique, Asa had forced out every last bit of his combat energy and magical power in one desperate surge. The resulting display had been impressive, but it left his body utterly drained. Punching through the floor and casting that fireball had completely depleted him.

Directly beneath Aescher's chamber was a small side hall of the cathedral. Almost all the personnel had been drawn upstairs or to the rear of the cathedral, leaving this area oddly empty. Asa had turned and sprinted for the cathedral's front doors immediately after launching the fireball.

Just as he dashed out the front doors, a sudden explosion seemed to go off in his head. The blast of pain obliterated all coherent thought, leaving his mind in a dazed fog. In the last fleeting moment of clarity, Asa realized that this was the residual magic Aescher had implanted in his mind, now detonating as a final, vengeful act.