Chapter 587: Weak
The Holy City of Latina is a water city. Originally just a huge port, but with the headquarters of the [Healing Church] moving here, it gradually developed into a massive city on water.
The people of the church inserted huge wooden stakes into the mud and sand, then laid a thick and large layer of Istrian stone. This kind of stone possesses exceptionally superior waterproof performance. Thus, this city began to be built up bit by bit.
The residents in the city use boats instead of walking, forming a unique water city landscape.
Moreover, this special structure, during the earliest years when the Healing Church fought most fiercely with those dangerous Hybrids, served as a natural barrier, helping the church repel wave after wave of ferocious Hybrids.
At this time, a faint blood color lingered on the water surface within the city of Latina. Strands of scarlet luster constantly emanated from every corner of the city, ultimately converging towards the tallest Healing Church Grand Cathedral.
Inside the cathedral, a huge man over three meters tall stood with his back facing the tall Old God statue at the entrance of the Healing Church, looking at the mottled stained glass that seemed like a wall.
Sunlight passing through the stained glass presented colorful lusters, dazzling Laurence to the point of recalling many scenes from the past after a long time.
Dragons stood high above, and humans were kept like livestock. The status of humans was not much different from hounds and poultry kept by humans in the world today.
Humans could be used to test novel abilities, humans could be enslaved, humans could be killed, and humans were also pretty good food.
Laurence closed his eyes, his breathing long and drawn out. Scarlet luster loomed faintly beneath his skin.
But that tragic history ultimately saw a turning point.
A group of humans, at the peak of the Alps, saw a glowing lifeform. He was called the [Old God · The Old One].
How long the Old God had existed was unknown, possessing knowledge and abilities completely incomprehensible to humans. The Old God began to enlighten humans, and humans began to acquire knowledge completely different from the Dragon civilization.
Ultimately, guided by that wisdom and the knowledge of the starry sky, humans began to continuously offer young virgins to the powerful Dragons, thereby reproducing Hybrids possessing Dragon bloodlines.
More importantly, this action ultimately led to the division between male and female Dragons. The proud Dragons finally started a civil war because of this ugly trick.
After long slaughter and brutal wars, humans gained dominion over the world...
"His Holiness, Her Excellency Seraphina has been found by the Choir. We encountered some beasts and... resistance from the Ashen Hunters."
A muffled voice sounded from the cathedral entrance. The one walking in was a man wearing a top hat and exquisite aristocratic formal attire. Beneath the black formal wear was a white lining, and the collar on his chest was complex and elegant. It could be seen he was a human with an aristocratic identity.
But now, his face was completely wrapped in white gauze, the position of his mouth was blood-red, and black smoke lingered above his head.
Rather than human, he looked more like... a [Beast]!
Hearing the report, Laurence wasn't surprised. He opened his eyes, and through that huge stained glass, his gaze was instantly cast hundreds of kilometers away.
He clearly saw that those Ashen Knights, who originally fought continuously with the knights of his own church, were now blocking in front of that red-haired young girl without hesitation.
Fighting to the death to repel wave after wave of attacks from the Choir.
Of course, those Ashen Knights were constantly suffering casualties. This group of humans, whose willpower was strong enough to resist the Old Gods' infection multiple times, were rapidly dying...
Laurence lowered his eyelids, a look of compassion revealing in his eyes.
Clearly... everyone could evolve with me, ascend into that endless starry sky, yet they bleed their noble blood dry in vain in such a place.
"Truly... ignorant."
Crimson Pope · Laurence turned around and opened his eyes. Beneath his eyelids, there were dozens of pupils crowded in one eyeball on each side.
"Gilbert, I saw Aetoris got to know two strange humans. Go kill them, and by the way... bring Seraphina back."
"You know, we need her. Her precious fresh blood shouldn't flow in the bodies of those ignorant creatures."
The man called Gilbert nodded slightly. A rapier in his right hand was held vertically in front of his chest. That was his symbol of swearing an oath.
Gilbert subsequently turned around, bent his knees, and in the next moment, with a bang, stirred up blazing white cloud debris and flew directly out of the cathedral. Then he stepped twice on the sea surface and disappeared.
Laurence, however, raised his hands, and countless roars instantly sounded in the city.
The illusory blood color in the water seemingly congealed like steps at this moment, converging towards the location of the cathedral.
Those blood colors, accompanied by the flow of the seawater, flowed rapidly while contracting slightly like blood vessels on a huge invisible heart.
Looking from high above, the Holy City · Latina was also in the sea, radiating scarlet luster and continuously twisting.
"Ms. Seraphina, we can still hold on for about five minutes. Please leave immediately now."
The man wearing a gray cloak held a short sword in one hand and a crossbow in the other. He wiped the blood off his face with his arm, his expression calm.
The formation of the Choir knights opposite them was also destroyed at this time. Two people even revealed beast postures.
The head of the leading person had disappeared, replaced by several pitch-black long snakes constantly winding their bodies.
The red-haired young girl frowned. Looking at the Choir knights revealing beast postures, she scolded angrily:
"Ailis, quickly take your people and retreat. Once I investigate clearly the large-scale beastification phenomenon in the surrounding towns, I will naturally return to the Holy City to meet His Holiness Laurence!"
The young girl's red long hair trembled, her face flushed red. She vaguely understood that the Choir wasn't here at all because of her so-called defiance of His Holiness Laurence's orders.
A matter of that level wasn't enough to cause bloodshed of this scale.
Moreover...
Who could have thought that the ones standing in front of her at a time like this would be that group of hunters hiding in the shadows continuously hunting the knights of the Healing Church?
The knight called Ailis wore a heavy helmet. At this time, he didn't say a word, drew the greatsword from his back, and swung it forward.
The Choir launched a charge once again. Moreover, this time these people all sank their bodies, and blood mist erupted from within their bodies.
In the next moment, accompanied by beastly roars, this group of knights all underwent changes.
One person's figure abruptly became incomparably huge. Amidst flesh and blood expanding, his height crossed eight meters, and his armor was completely burst open.
And another person's head rapidly expanded, his skull turning inside out. Above the brain was also covered by muscle and fascia. On the staff held in his hand, scarlet light shone.
The Choir knights activated beastification one by one. The few surviving Ashen Hunters also gathered close together.
"Your Excellency Seraphina, go quickly!"
"Many people rumor you are the hope of the mortal world. Please let our deaths gain value!"
After the newcomer finished saying this, he gave a low shout and fired the crossbow continuously. Every arrow accurately shot and exploded a long snake on the head of the snake-headed person. At the same time, his figure stepped forward quickly.
Raising his short sword, he severed the other party's neck with one strike.
But in the next moment, scarlet light lit up from under his feet. He only had time to leap forward, one foot already corroded and festering. Before he had time to struggle, a huge arm smashed down from the air.
Boom!
The terrifying impact vibrated the ground, and the smell of blood rapidly spread.
Seraphina gritted her teeth and cut her own wrist. She raised her arm high, and the flowing blood turned into blood beads, flying out towards the surroundings.
A huge twisted Choir knight was penetrated by a drop of blood and immediately roared in pain. In the next moment, his figure began to shrink. His beastification process was actually completely reversed, beginning to change towards a human direction.
Several others were hit at the same time.
In the very back, the man called Ailis took off his helmet. Below it was already completely a beast face full of scales. His whole body's muscles were knotted, covered with gray-brown scales. His hands were like sharp claws, and his whole person radiated a robust aura like a dragon-man.
Slightly tilting his head, he dodged the flying blood beads, and then walked step by step towards Seraphina.
"Your Excellency Seraphina, your noble blood should not flow in our filthy bodies, and even less should it flow in the bodies of those lowly beasts..."
He stepped forward step by step. An Ashen Hunter quickly stepped forward, holding a blood-red tachi with both hands, and slashed tragically. But Ailis merely raised his hand and easily pinched the sword blade.
Crack~ Pfft!
Ailis walked past in one step. The snapped sword blade pierced out from the hunter's neck. As blood soared into the sky, he had already arrived in front of Seraphina.
Reaching out his hand, he was about to grab Seraphina.
Whoosh!
Intense sounds of piercing the air struck at this time. Ailis slightly turned his head and saw a greatsword twirling and flying over.
He raised his hand, about to grab this sword, but suddenly his aura changed, and his figure sank abruptly.
Hum!
A figure abruptly appeared from behind the greatsword. Utilizing the Kotodama: Meian to approach invisibly, Aetoris grabbed the greatsword and fiercely slashed horizontally.
Amidst the whistling air, silver-white sword light exploded.
But Ailis dodged this strike. In the next moment, he abruptly smashed a punch onto Aetoris's chest. The air caved in as if liquefied, and in the next moment abruptly shattered.
Bang!
Aetoris's figure twisted, his four limbs hanging in front of him. That irresolvable tremendous force directly sent him flying out. After bouncing a few times on the ground, he finally stopped nearly a hundred meters away.
He clutched his chest. Amidst the intense pain of broken ribs, the Ripple Breathing Technique naturally began to operate. His injuries rapidly began to heal, and at the same time, his muscles also tensed closer.
Truly worthy of being the commander of the Choir, this strength far exceeds my imagination.
"Aetoris, you ultimately joined us too~"
Ailis saw that Aetoris actually didn't die after taking a punch from him, and subsequently noticed the obvious signs of beastification on the other party's body.
The red-haired Seraphina also saw this point. She covered her wrist, about to treat her knight, but Aetoris raised his hand to stop her.
"Don't do that kind of thing, Your Excellency Seraphina. Right now, I still need this power..."
His tone was low, constantly trying to agitate that restless blood in his body, praying in his heart that those few people could spare some manpower to come and support in time.
But recalling that the one who intercepted them from the air was that Gilbert, that famous French swordsman. He didn't expect that kind of figure had also joined His Holiness Laurence's faction.
Even that person called Your Excellency Mercenary Tao might find it hard to get rid of Gilbert quickly...
Sizzle~ Bang!
A pitch-black figure fell from the sky like a cannonball. The speed was so fast it actually let out terrifying screeches in the air.
After smashing into the ground, it made everyone feel the earth shake.
Whether it was the beastified Choir, or the heavily injured and dying Ashen Knights, or Seraphina and Ailis and the others.
Their gazes instantly turned towards that huge crater on the ground.
Ailis came to the side of the crater. Scorched black marks still remained in the crater, seeming that the other party's falling speed was too fast and the body combusted.
Inside the crater, a twisted humanoid creature spasmed slightly. The exquisite formal attire was completely shattered, and the flesh and blood were already somewhat loose.
"Gilbert..."
Ailis murmured like opening his mouth, then abruptly turned to look behind him.
In the sky, a long-haired man completely ignored gravity, floating down slowly. His black long hair danced in the wind. The other party tilted his head back slightly, only looking at him and the others with his lower eyelids, and the voice he spoke with was also full of mockery.
"Tsk, is this the upper echelon of the Healing Church?"
"So weak."
Thump!
Thump!
Aetoris's heart began to beat violently uncontrollably, the fire of hope kindling again.
(End of Chapter)
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