Fortunately, the power of Vlov's true name release was a 180-degree semicircular attack centered on the demonic sword. If it had been a super-long-range beam attack like King Arthur's Excalibur, Ryougi Raku in his current state would likely have been reduced to dust…
'...Holy hell, that's insane!'
Cursing inwardly, Ryougi Raku poured immense power into the longsword in his hand. Though not as terrifyingly vast as Sturlhoute's, it was still not to be underestimated!
And right before Ryougi Raku was his target! The Ancient Crimson, the Black Princess of the Eclipse—Arcueid Brunestud!
Facing Ryougi Raku's aggressive charge, Arcueid remained utterly calm. She gently raised her delicate hand, her crimson eyes like a lover's gaze, and her alluring lips parted slightly, "…Do you think I cannot exert my power because I am injured? It seems the world has forgotten the fear I once inspired…"
As she murmured softly, a captivating crimson light began to emanate from her slender hand—like a sea of blood, yet carrying a strange divinity within! This perfect fusion of allure and sanctity, with strands of blood-red chains intertwining, seemed to weave together into a colossal, astonishing net!
True Ancestors are creations of nature, beings close to elemental spirits. They are noble and beautiful, not evil entities, and their power naturally carries a sense of divinity. However, a fallen True Ancestor is a terrifying demon!
As a hybrid of True Ancestor and Dead Apostle, Arcueid perfectly inherited the powers of both sanctity and demonic nature!
In Ryougi Raku's eyes, the girl who appeared to be a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old loli seemed to break through the barrier of time, transforming instantaneously from a child into a young woman in her twenties!
However, Ryougi Raku had no time to marvel. With earth-shattering power and an indomitable momentum, he did the unexpected in that instant… changed direction… and fled…
Arcueid felt as though a fully wound-up punch had landed on cotton, the awkward and uncomfortable sensation nearly making her want to vomit. Her face darkened as she suppressed the urge to destroy, dispersing the power she had gathered… Now was not the time to waste energy recklessly…
At that moment, the Black and White Knights and Bremet quickly arrived beside her. Together, they watched Ryougi Raku's retreating figure, then turned to look at Arcueid, awaiting her decision.
"Princess…" Brad spoke first. He was unwilling to let the delicious prey he had nearly secured escape just like that!
"That guy… that guy… Damn it!" she cursed under her breath. Arcueid clenched her fist tightly. This feeling of being toyed with infuriated her.
Gritting her teeth, she spat out a single word: "Pursue!"
"Yes!" The three responded simultaneously, though their tones were entirely different—Brad excited, Sturlhoute angry, and Bremet indifferent with a hint of delight… It had been a long time since she had seen such an expression on the Princess's face.
Those with the power to tease the Princess never had such a playful mindset; they all treated her with a strictly business-like attitude. As for those without power who dared to tease her… their very existence was erased from this world before they could even act.
Lorelei was leading her clone squad toward the battlefield when suddenly, a gigantic, grotesque purple figure appeared in the distance. She gestured, halting the entire squad.
"What is that?" she asked her adjutant. There were certain things that, as a noble, she did not need to know personally—others would handle them for her.
The adjutant perfectly understood her intent and replied respectfully, "Lady Barthomeloi, according to intelligence, that monster should be a summon of Ryougi Raku, the individual who previously fought Merem Solomon…"
"Ryougi Raku?" she asked, puzzled. Lorelei was somewhat unfamiliar with the name—not just anyone could have their name remembered by her.
"Yes! He is the one who killed a Clock Tower lecturer some time ago, survived the Holy Grail War, and, according to the latest intelligence, even Merem Solomon was unable to defeat him in a fight several years prior…" The adjutant flawlessly performed his duty.
"Oh? Interesting." As if suddenly intrigued, Lorelei watched until the Origin of Pain was scattered by the Black Knight's Vlov attack.
"That is the power of the Sixth Ancestor. It seems the one fighting Arcueid is this Ryougi Raku…" Lorelei pondered for a moment, then abruptly said to her adjutant, "The plan has changed. Contact the Holy Church and inform them we will cooperate!"
Her adjutant looked at her in surprise, not understanding why the great Barthomeloi would agree to cooperate with the Holy Church, but he still flawlessly executed the task.
"Yes, my lady!" He bowed and withdrew, then turned to instruct his subordinates to contact the Holy Church.
"The humiliation the Clock Tower has suffered cannot be forgotten so easily…" Barthomeloi Lorelei took another deep look in the direction of the battlefield before turning and leaving.
Ryougi Raku moved rapidly through the forest, with several figures swiftly pursuing him from a distance.
Although these figures were not as fast as Ryougi Raku overall, they were slowly closing in. Ryougi Raku had no choice but to change direction constantly, using the trees and his stealth skills to buy more time.
These figures were flying…
"This wasn't part of the plan!" Ryougi Raku cursed inwardly. He had thought that once the Black Princess and her group saw him flee, they would give up! They wouldn't be here without reason, and given Arcueid's current weakness, they must have fought earlier. For safety's sake, they couldn't possibly act so recklessly over Ryougi Raku, who hadn't caused them any real loss!
However, Ryougi Raku had forgotten that Arcueid, no matter what else she was, was still a woman. A woman's way of thinking could be quite different at certain times…
Having miscalculated, Ryougi Raku could only grit his teeth and run headlong. The dense forest around him forced him to change direction frequently. While it provided some concealment, it would take time to leave this wooded area. Once he reached open ground, his speed could increase another notch…
'Hopefully, they'll lose patience soon…' Ryougi Raku smiled bitterly, trying to console himself. But he didn't truly believe it, because for beings who had lived countless years, the one thing they did not lack was patience…
"Princess…" Sturlhoute spoke with a slightly hesitant tone while flying at high speed.
Aside from Arcueid, none of them actually possessed the ability to fly, but under Arcueid's power, they too could experience humanity's earliest dream.
However, after chasing for a while, Sturlhoute's heart had long since calmed. His initial anger had dissipated, and he was now considering the bigger picture…
"Pursuing like this… might lead us into some kind of trap…" The Black Knight calmly voiced his opinion.
"I know… Sir Sturlhoute." Arcueid watched coldly, speaking with a tone that was both resolute and helpless. "Our enemies are all in hiding now. Even if we hide, the day will come when we are discovered and fall into an ambush… That man, Ryougi Raku, you should know of him, right?"
Though it was phrased as a question, Arcueid did not wait for their response and continued, "His appearance was likely unexpected by both the Holy Church and the White Wing Lord… If the other side has any arrangements, then Ryougi Raku is the only variable. Rather than continuing to hide, it's better to gamble using this variable! Besides… I'm tired of this life on the run."
Arcueid expressed her thoughts. For the noble Princess, even with three Ancestor-level guards, to be reduced to such a state of being hunted made her feel both resentful and helpless.
They were, in a sense, enemies of the world. Whether it was the Holy Church, the Mage's Association, or the Council of Dead Apostle Ancestors, they all secretly wished for their demise…
In truth, what Arcueid and her companions most feared was the Holy Church setting a trap and then summoning the White Princess, Arcueid Brunestud. Though she was deceived by Roa and needed to suppress her vampiric urges, her strength was still beyond what the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors could handle… Especially with the Black Princess currently injured…
Sometimes Arcueid was also grateful that as a hybrid of True Ancestor and Dead Apostle, though she had lost the True Ancestors' ability to communicate with nature and the world, she did not have to fear falling into the unconscious, demonic state that True Ancestors entered after consuming blood…
At Arcueid's words, the two men and beast fell silent. Who would want to live such a life? Even though they were among the most powerful beings in the world, various circumstances had forced them into such a predicament…
By then, it was already midnight. Though it was not a full moon that night, the moonlight still illuminated everything.
Ryougi Raku advanced rapidly, and at the same time, he finally managed to eliminate the time curse. Though the curse was powerful, its quantity was simply too minute…
Gradually, the trees began to thin. Ryougi Raku's speed increased further and further. In the visible distance ahead, as if a horizontal line had been drawn across the sky by a deity, the forest abruptly gave way to mountains…
Sometimes, one couldn't help but marvel at the greatness of the world. As a living being, no matter how powerful, he could not alter the climatic distribution of the entire world. Perhaps such beings existed, but they were far beyond Ryougi Raku's current comprehension…
'Once I enter the mountains, with my stealth abilities, I just need to find a place to hide!' Thinking this, Ryougi Raku's speed became even faster.
He did not believe that Arcueid and her group would flatten an entire mountain range just to find him. They could do it, but it would take time. And they would not waste their power here…
---
Rewinding time slightly. When Lorelei had her subordinate notify the Holy Church, her subordinate flawlessly executed the task.
"Lady Barthomeloi, the other party wishes to speak with you personally…" The adjutant hesitated before continuing, "The person in charge on the Holy Church's side is… Nrvnqsr…"
When he uttered that name, the adjutant's body instinctively trembled. Nrvnqsr, the coordinator of the Burial Agency… The Burial Agency, as a subordinate organization of the Holy Church, was established by the strongest Executors to combat Dead Apostles whose power surpassed that of ordinary humans.
Though nominally under the Holy Church, it was effectively an independent organization with authority exceeding that of the regular church. They even had the right to kill the Pope on the spot if he were to become a Dead Apostle!
For the Burial Agency, personality or faith took a backseat—as long as one possessed the power to slay Dead Apostles, that was enough!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶) ‹ (Advanced Chapters @patreon.com/c/Gooberilla)