It seems like we're going to start fighting.
Lorne pulled Helena and Aze together, smartly retreating to the wall, creating space for them to fight.
Although Lorne didn't know what the "Trial of the Path" was exactly, based on their conversation just now, it seemed that Arnold was very cautious about it... even afraid.
Evidently, Arianne's actions had violated some sort of taboo.
"Are we really going to draw swords against each other?" Arnold gritted his teeth, clearly going through intense internal struggle. "Please give me a reasonable explanation... Otherwise, I can only..."
"No comment," Arianne replied indifferently.
"It seems that you have made up your mind, to stand with these dirty, vile creatures and be enemies of humanity..." Arnold's face pained, and he continued, "Your mind has been corrupted and poisoned... Indeed, His Holiness' concern was justified."
Arianne formed a sphere of golden light in her palm and snorted coldly. "Humph, His Holiness? So you were sent here by that old fox to monitor me... What do you plan to do next, Arnold? Execute me on the spot or escort me back to the Holy City? Either way, with your strength, it's impossible."
Arnold nodded in agreement. "I am indeed weaker than you. But as a holy knight of the Church, I must choose the right path. Besides, I am not without a chance..."
Before he finished speaking, Arnold charged forward.
In the blink of an eye, he was closing in on Arianne.
The white flames enveloping the sword suddenly brightened, and the surging light was blinding. Arnold wielded his sword with both hands, raising it high above his head and aimed for Arianne's shoulder, executing a downward strike!
But Arianne reacted swiftly too.
She took a small step back and tilted her upper body backward. At the same time, she extended her hand, which was shimmering with golden light, directly meeting Arnold's sword!
Bang!
With a fierce collision, the force behind the longsword was deflected. Pale flames scattered like splashing water. Arnold had to retreat several steps before regaining his stance.
A small trace of blood emerged from the corner of his mouth.
"To think you easily deflected my attack... Truly worthy of the Holy Lady," Arnold wiped away the blood, readjusting his posture.
"I told you, you can't do it," Arianne said calmly.
...
"Hey, if you guys want to fight, go ahead, but don't destroy my furniture!" Lorne peeked out from behind a large rock, protesting. "They may be old, but they are still antiques! You'll have to pay for them!"
The white flames that Arianne had deflected earlier had already filled the entire room.
Lorne's broken bed and broken cabinet were all burning.
"Pay? What dream are you talking about, slave?" Arianne smirked at Lorne and said, "Don't forget your place. Your things are my things, and my things are still my things!"
Lorne's face was filled with black lines.
...The battle continued.
It was now Arianne's turn to attack.
She reached out and made a grasping motion in mid-air. In an instant, a sword formed by golden flowing light appeared in her hand as if materializing out of thin air!
This sword had no physical form and existed purely as energy.
Arnold gasped, "Nassir the Holy Sword, one of the Church's seven sacred artifacts... It seems you have made up your mind to kill me here and now."
"Whether or not to kill you, I haven't decided yet. But I definitely can't let you go back and inform that old fox," Arianne's mouth curled into a cruel smile. "Maybe I'll just cut off your feet and spare your life... After all, I am the 'Merciful Saint.'"
While speaking, Arianne turned the holy sword around, gripping it with her backhand. With the motion of throwing a javelin, she threw the golden flowing sword!
Whoosh!
Accompanied by a sharp sound of breaking through the air, the holy sword flew straight toward Arnold's heart!
"Tsk!" Arnold quickly rolled aside, narrowly avoiding the attack. The holy sword grazed his right shoulder, shattering his steel shoulder guard in the process!The holy sword plunged deep into the stone wall, leaving several deep cracks. After a few seconds, it dissipated into golden dust and reappeared in Arianne's hand.
Lorne, who was observing the battle, was amazed. "Is this the power of one of the Church's seven holy maidens, the 'Mercy Maiden'? She really knows how to fight!"
"But she doesn't have a hint of 'mercy' in her! She clearly wants to strike a fatal blow!" Lorne exclaimed.
It seemed that the outcome of the battle was no longer in question, as Arianne had a crushing advantage. This was good news for Lorne. If he had to choose a side, he would naturally side with Arianne. After all, the holy knight really wanted to kill him, while the holy maiden at least wouldn't take his life.
"Our lady seems very strong," Helena commented. "Lord of the castle, I suggest you try to capture this holy maiden. Reverse discipline her and make her your wife! Then, we will be invincible."
"Aze, Aze, Aze, Aze!" Aze praised. Meaning: Good idea, you are really clever!
"Enough, you two. Stop daydreaming," Lorne sighed.
Helena was surprised. "What? Isn't she your type? I think this holy maiden is quite cute. She's an impeccable beauty from every angle."
"Well, except for the 'Holy Star' emblem on her clothes, which is quite intimidating... So if she took off her clothes, she might be even cuter," Lorne replied.
"The problem is her personality," Lorne ignored Helena's joking and answered seriously. "I don't like strong-willed girls."
Yes, this holy maiden definitely has some issues with her personality!
Although I'm grateful that she helped me unlock my potential, it's undeniable that she's a weird person. Suddenly barging into someone's house and wanting me to be her slave? It's just too self-centered and bizarre. I wonder what kind of environment she grew up in.
Lorne crossed his arms and shook his head repeatedly.
What's more, I like gentle and lovely girls, not this kind of outwardly dignified and inwardly wild violent girl! And her... well, she's really flat.
Capture her? No way.
Even if I starve to death and die outside, I won't go after such a weirdo!
...
Arianne's attacks continued relentlessly, showing no mercy.
Arnold, being a knight of the Church, was already considered one of the strongest. But at this moment, he could only evade in a sorry state, without any chance to counterattack. Getting close to Arianne was completely impossible.
Just then, in the midst of evading her attacks, Arnold suddenly looked up at the roof. He then pulled out a round stone from his waist pouch, engraved with glowing runes.
Lorne immediately realized his intention and hurriedly shouted, "Watch out, Arianne! He wants to collapse the ceiling and bury all of us alive!"
Arianne finally realized and slowly tilted her head upwards.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
Arnold had already thrown the stone up. As soon as it made contact with the roof, the runes emitted a bright light and caused a violent explosion!
The arched roof made of solid rock collapsed with a loud crash!
... But strangely, the shattered stones didn't fall down. Instead, they floated in mid-air, emitting a faint light. Then, they rose up and returned to their original positions, seamlessly piecing themselves back together.
The entire roof was restored to its original state!
Lorne was speechless, momentarily dumbfounded. Then he realized that Arianne was manipulating all these stones, just like when she cleared the "altar"...
"Come on, why are you panicking? Couldn't you trust your master a little bit more?" Arianne glanced at Lorne with a hint of pride.
But before she finished speaking, Arnold appeared by her side. Yes... he had paused Arianne's attack, which was his true intention!"It's over, Your Ladyship," Arnold said coolly.
He held another stone in his hand, pure black in color, completely different from the one before. The runic inscriptions on the surface of the stone were emitting a bright light.
In an instant...
Several black chains appeared out of thin air, tightly binding Arianne!
She couldn't move, and even the "Nassir the Holy Sword" in her hand dissipated.
"Heh, I didn't expect you to have prepared something like this, how cunning," Arianne shook her head wryly. "Did the Pope give it to you? It seems that old fox really doesn't like me, pulling out even the 'Lock of God'..."
"That's right, it can seal all of your divine power."
After a fierce struggle, Arnold was already gasping for breath.
"I've said it before, I'm not without a chance... Stop struggling, Your Ladyship. Just obediently come back to Holy City with me and accept the Pope's judgement."
With that, he slowly turned around and cast a cold glance at Lorne and the others nearby.
"Next, it's your turn. I will purify those two undead creatures and completely annihilate the soul of your 'higher demon' lineage. The seeds of evil must be removed early... Although you all look weak on the surface, I speculate that it's not that simple, right?"
Arnold cautiously tightened his grip on the sword hilt.
...At this moment, Lorne was covered in cold sweat.
Sorry, but I really am that simple.
Although I have unlocked the System, given time, I might actually become a powerful Dungeon Lord... But for now, my strength, as well as that of my subordinates, is still at an F-level!
Becoming stronger also takes time!
Lorne had initially thought that since Arianne was so strong, she would undoubtedly win in the end. So he had been leisurely watching from the sidelines. But he never expected that the one to emerge victorious would be the Paladin Arnold!
This is messed up...
Lorne began to plan his escape route in his mind.
"Hey, slave."
Suddenly, Arianne spoke up. There was a hint of a smile in her violet eyes.
"Master, I'm in a crisis right now. Don't you want to take this opportunity to show off? Hm, if you can defeat this Arnold..."
"I'll reward you handsomely."