Chapter 83: Blood Battle and Blood Moon

The King’s five Royal Inquisitors once stood as his closest guards, each bestowed with the rank of Legion Commander. Their titles reflected their chosen weapons: the Holy Hammer, the Holy Sword, the Holy Lance, the Holy Axe, and the Holy Shield. Among them, Faliano was the mightiest, while the others varied in strength—none his equal, yet all formidable adversaries.

For Li Nanke and Reno, a direct contest spelled nearly certain defeat; only by exploiting their foes’ weaknesses could they hope for victory. As Li Nanke plunged into enemy ranks, blades flashed and swords gleamed before his eyes. High and lesser priests alike chanted incantations and prayers, unleashing waves of dusky flame.

His Power Armor’s energy reserves dwindled rapidly under the onslaught of steel and spell. With a furious shout, Li Nanke surged forward, murderous intent boiling within. His enormous, barbed warhammer tore through the air, trailed by a torrent of searing fire, unleashing a thunderous roar.

A deafening crash. Thick metal armor crumpled like an empty can; flesh and bone within shattered, crushed into pulp and blood. The brutal blow sent the soldiers of the Penitent Guard flying, lifeless by the time they struck the ground.

Like a tiger unleashed, Li Nanke charged into the ranks of the clergy. If even elite soldiers could not halt him, how could these frail priests and acolytes? Each swing of the warhammer brought a storm of blood, felling clerics like swathes of wheat. With every strike, he drew closer to the Hall of Audience.

His strategy was swift and ruthless: break through, storm the Hall, and seize the Holy King as a hostage. Once the King was in his grasp, the remaining Inquisitors would be at his mercy.

Yet the Inquisitors were formidable beyond measure. Behind him, Reno could no longer hold them at bay. Burdened by his injured sister, Reno fought with all his might but could manage only to keep the Axe Inquisitor occupied.

A heavy clang echoed; Li Nanke’s unstoppable hammer was checked by a massive tower shield. The shield was thick and solid, its edge ringed with sharp, jagged teeth. The Shield Inquisitor, clad in heavy armor and built like a fortress of steel, staggered back two steps beneath the blow.

Unnoticed, the Sword and Lance Inquisitors had flanked Li Nanke, forming a deadly triangle. They offered him no path to the Hall.

Alone, Li Nanke might overcome a single Inquisitor. Against two, he would be forced to flee. Surrounded by three, death was assured.

The remaining Penitent Guards dared not approach, holding fast to the heavy iron doors. The few surviving clergy retreated to a safe distance, faces etched with fear, yet still chanting, hurling spells at the heretic.

Flames erupted beneath Li Nanke’s feet, searing even through his armor. The Power Armor’s energy was nearly spent. All three Inquisitors attacked at once.

He spun, gripping his warhammer to parry the sword and lance assault. He could not guard against the sweeping tower shield behind him.

A crash—pain shot through his spine as he was smashed aside, spitting blood. The shield’s jagged edge tore through his armor, carving a deep, gruesome wound down his back. Without his armor and the protection of the Sea’s Scale, he would have been cleaved in two.

“Edward!” Reno roared, his wolf-headed greatsword blazing. He forced back his foe with a single strike, desperate to reach Li Nanke, but the enemy held him fast.

Now, the tables had turned: the Inquisitors pinned him down. If Li Nanke fell, Reno alone would pose no threat to the four remaining Inquisitors.

The three Inquisitors knew the last blow was not fatal. With the Lady of Eternal Pain present, Li Nanke’s wounds would transfer slowly to Anya, and though the healing was not as swift as with the Refuge Mark, their seasoned foes gave him no chance to recover.

They pounced—but a blinding light gathered beneath Li Nanke as he lay face-down. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. He sprang up, shouldering the linear laser cannon, and retreated at speed.

“Careful!” The three Inquisitors recognized this strange and fearsome relic; Faliano’s death had been caused in part by it. They halted. The Shield Inquisitor strode forward, driving his tower shield into the ground with a thud, bracing it with his body and shoulder.

“Brace for impact!” he bellowed. The Sword and Lance Inquisitors, knowing the weapon’s power, took shelter behind him. The relic was powerful but clearly limited; it could not fire repeatedly. If they could withstand this one strike, victory would be theirs.

The muzzle fixed on them, brimming with blinding energy. But Li Nanke only sneered and abruptly swung the cannon aside.

“Reno!”

Reno understood at once. His wolf-headed sword ignited, transforming into a blade of fire—his signature technique, Flame Cascade. He swept away the enemy’s axe with a single strike, then brought his blazing sword down in a furious arc.

The blow split his foe’s breastplate, leaving a ragged gash nearly cleaving the armor in two. Reno darted aside as a searing beam of light flashed past, striking the exposed chest of the Axe Inquisitor.

Flesh and bone melted, the chest and heart vaporized. The cathedral rang with the Inquisitor’s agonized scream.

With such a mortal wound, not even the Refuge Mark or the Lady of Eternal Pain could save him. The Axe Inquisitor collapsed; the laser beam, its energy nearly spent, remained for a moment longer.

Without hesitation, Li Nanke swung the cannon toward the corner where the surviving clergy huddled and chanted. The beam swept through them, slicing their bodies in half, leaving behind the stench of charred flesh.

When the light faded, Li Nanke had slain an Inquisitor and every remaining priest.

The three surviving Inquisitors were stunned, never imagining he would feint and carve a bloody path out of desperation. Reno, panting, ignored the exhaustion from Flame Cascade and raced to Li Nanke’s side.

Sword Inquisitor Jonathan saw that Reno was spent, and the heretic had used his final relic; they believed themselves still at full strength, and even with a fallen comrade, victory seemed certain.

But Li Nanke only laughed coldly, pouring the essence gathered from the slain Inquisitor, Penitent Guard, and clergy into the Blood Moon, raising it to its ultimate level.

[Substance: Blood Moon]
[Level: 9 (4%) → 10 (MAX)]

A wild, violent power surged through his body as he hefted the massive, bloodstained warhammer with one hand. His murderous gaze fell upon the three remaining Inquisitors, and for the first time, they felt a chill of foreboding.

(End of chapter)