Yet it was the reaction of the Church's warriors that left Jody utterly astounded.
The eight warriors flanking the carriage erupted in a shimmering veil of Sacred Martial Qi, instantly enveloping their bodies. Unlike the assassins, the Church's Sacred Qi radiated a milky luminescence, its presence both more imposing and denser than the assassins' own energy.
Jody immediately recognized the significance, and of course, so did the Church warriors and the assassins. But their sole objective remained the occupant of the carriage. Everything else was merely a distraction, intended to buy precious seconds for the two aiming to breach the carriage.
Clang!
The two attackers lunging at the carriage were halted mid-strike by a broad sword, crashing to the ground with searing pain in their hands, their grips faltering. The strike had come from one of the mounted knights—the same knight who had locked eyes with Jody and Ellie.
That single strike rendered the assassins desperate. They had not even witnessed the knight's Sacred Qi flare; mere technique and raw strength had sufficed to repel two Level Six warriors' combined assault in an instant.
"High-level combatants!" the thought surged in their minds. There was no doubt—they were facing a formidable adversary. This mission was already slipping from their grasp.
As they gasped for breath, the surrounding onlookers began to react, scattering in shrieks, leaving only Jody and Ellie standing conspicuously aside.
The two assassins at the center exchanged a glance, their fleeting advantage gone, yet steeling themselves for one final desperate strike.
The knight remained unruffled, vaulting from his mount with a fluid motion, wielding his broad sword single-handedly with commanding force. The assassins, despite grasping their smaller swords with both hands, were powerless against the knight's onslaught. Within moments, one was driven to the ground, the sword slashing diagonally through his shoulder and chest.
The knight pressed down with his boot, withdrawing his blade as the assassin convulsed violently, then fell still.
By now, the skirmishes on all sides had largely concluded. Not a single Church warrior had fallen. The eight warriors, clad in silver and red, encircled the final assassin. Throughout, the second mounted knight had not once drawn his sword.
Just as the last assassin prepared a suicidal charge, a melodious, commanding voice rang out from the carriage:
"Spare him."
The descending knight nodded subtly and strode forward with measured authority.
The assassin feigned an upward strike, intending to exploit any opening during the knight's block. Yet the disparity in strength was insurmountable. With a clean, unembellished horizontal slash, the knight severed the assassin's weapon. By coincidence or design, the detached blade flew straight toward Jody, who stood observing.
A mage's mind and perception exceeded ordinary limits; Jody had ample time to react, intending to alter the air density to deflect the blade. But Ellie was faster.
A bolt of lightning, sinuous as a living serpent, shot from Ellie's hand, striking the airborne sword and shattering it mid-flight.
Her hand remained clasped behind her back, her smile unwavering, yet Jody glimpsed the simmering anger in her eyes.
The mounted knight, seemingly unperturbed by the consequences of his earlier strike, had simply broken the assassin's arms and pinned him beneath his boot.
"The Church's knights are truly formidable," Ellie remarked, stepping forward, her tone calm but resolute.
The knight responded in kind, raising his broad sword and bellowing, "The Holy Maiden is under attack! All bystanders, stand clear—or be treated as assassins!"
"Seeing the Church's Holy Maiden in person is far more impressive than any rumor," Ellie murmured, summoning a tempest overhead. Storm clouds gathered rapidly, crackling with electric tension.
The onlookers, including numerous high-ranking Church warriors, immediately recognized her strength. Any misstep could have been fatal for them had this been a true assault. No one wished to provoke a battle with such a formidable figure.
Even the knight stepped back, restrained by decorum and the recognition of her power, though retreating did little to preserve his pride.
Jody knew the first strike had been aimed at him, yet Ellie had risked herself on his behalf. He felt a subtle warmth, a mixture of gratitude and admiration.
Yet Jody was no one to be caught off guard. Surveying the scene, he recognized that a confrontation here would serve no purpose. Even if Ellie could easily prevail, antagonizing the Church was unnecessary.
Stepping forward from his half-step behind Ellie, Jody called out with casual nonchalance:
"Hey! Looks like a storm's coming! Better head home and gather your laundry!"
Both sides were momentarily thrown off by his irreverent tone. Especially Ellie—here she was, poised to defend him, building tension to a crescendo, and he cracked a joke.
Jody glanced at her, winking.
Before anyone could react further, raindrops began to fall. Remarkably, the storm touched only the Church's troops; Jody and Ellie remained dry.
Sizzling noises erupted from the soaked warriors. Their gleaming silver armor hissed, smoke rising as it corroded visibly.
The lead knight shouted, "The rain is corrosive! Shield yourselves with Qi!"
Immediately, milky-white Sacred Qi enveloped them, halting the corrosive downpour.
This was Jody's handiwork: acids—sulfuric, nitric, and hydrochloric—meticulously stored in his ring, now raining from above, combined with Ellie's storm clouds to create a deadly spectacle. Had he wished to escalate further, he could have formed aqua regia, rendering them nearly defenseless.
Their armor, however, was ruined—worth a small fortune given the world's craftsmanship. The lead knight knew without doubt the perpetrators were the two before him, and just as his temper flared, the carriage behind them resounded with shattering sounds.
The Holy Maiden!
The Church warriors, momentarily distracted by the corrosive rain, had neglected her safety.
From the carriage emerged a vision of divine beauty: pristine legs, shapely thighs, a slender waist, a commanding upper form, culminating in a face of peerless perfection. Encircled by a halo of milky-white light, she was untouched, a goddess descending from the heavens. All other warriors lowered their gazes, unwilling to meet her eyes.
Jody recalled that the Holy Maiden had awakened Sacred Magic; judging by her aura, her mastery was far from modest.