Hill’s hands glowed with a faint golden light. She flung the Dagger of Sealing from her waist, embedding it about a meter in front of Rein. But Rein knew this dagger wasn’t meant to attack her. The Holy See’s strategy for Sorceresses was to capture them alive whenever possible. Public burnings boosted their prestige among the populace.

A closer look revealed a thin golden thread attached to the dagger’s hilt. The clatter of mechanical gears followed. Hill used the thread to pull herself straight to Rein. With a heel kick, she dislodged the dagger and retracted it into her hand.

“Surrender now, Sorceress!”

Before leaving her room, Rein had covered her face with a rag. Under the night’s cover, Hill failed to recognize the small figure before her as Rein.

Hill extended her hands, two Daggers of Sealing crossed and aimed at Rein.

Generally, Vindictive Knights and Combat Nuns trained in martial arts. Holy Light wasn’t like Arcane Magic, which only required Arcane Power. Holy Light demanded faith, timing, and conditions—making it demanding. Martial arts, being more accessible, became mandatory training.

Martial techniques needed no incantations like magic. A simple stance, like Hill’s now, activated them automatically. They granted speed, strength, or defense boosts—no flashy effects.

Rein didn’t bother speaking. With a flick of her wrist, she sent solidified Mental Force flying. Unprepared, Hill was slapped away, crashing through a rooftop into a room below. Chaos erupted inside.

She hadn’t controlled her strength well.

This wasn’t Rein’s intent to humiliate Hill. Her current body lacked proper training; controlling Arcane Power output remained a serious issue. But Rein couldn’t dwell on it. After glancing at the hole in the house, she sprinted toward the barn.

Before she’d run a hundred meters, glass shattered behind her. Instinctively, Rein concentrated solidified Mental Force around her body. A blade flash followed. She felt a sharp sting on her cheek—as if sliced by a knife.

Amidst mechanical whirring, Hill shot through the air. Rein ducked low, sensing the air above her head split apart.

A surge of Mental Force blasted back along the cut’s path. It struck an innocent house instead, blasting a huge hole in the wall.

Rein looked up but couldn’t spot Hill. Only two thin metal wires were visible. In the dim night, they were hard to see. A careless, fast-moving person could lose their neck to them.

Gears whirred. Rein turned to see Hill flick her wrist. A golden Dagger of Sealing flew like an arrow toward her. Rein instantly shaped Mental Force into a shield before her, barely deflecting it.

Rein couldn’t cast Arcane Magic now. Spells required incantations, and Hill’s speed gave no chance to chant. She had to rely on solidified Mental Force. Its semi-transparent form was hard to detect in the dark.

“The metal wires…”

Rein realized her younger mind was thinking too simplistically. If Hill relied on these wires for mobility, why not cut them?

Her Mental Force morphed into blades and slashed at the threads. But it had no effect.

“These specially enchanted wires, blessed by His Holiness the Pope, aren’t breakable by a mere Sorceress like you.”

“The Pope…”

What background did Hill have to get that old bastard to enchant her wires?

Looks like she’d met her match.

Rein’s Mental Force instantly became daggers, thrusting toward Hill. But high speed exposed her position. Hill flung another Dagger of Sealing. It flew faster than Rein’s Mental Force. Rein dodged into a corner, losing control of her blades. Hill easily evaded them and threw another dagger toward Rein’s path.

“She’s compressing my movement space…”

“I advise you not to resist. It might be less painful that way!”

…

Hill saw the Sorceress raise her hands in surrender.

So easily? Hill stared in surprise. Rein offered no resistance, standing still with hands raised.

“Remove your face covering yourself!”

…

Rein pulled the rag from her face. Before Hill’s eyes, she dissolved into a puff of white smoke.

“Illusion!”

A branch of Arcane Magic created lifelike illusions. Normally, it couldn’t cast spells. But with Rein’s modifications and this body’s high output, she could cast simple spells through an illusion.

Countless strands of Mental Force pressed down, pinning Hill to the ground. She couldn’t move a finger.

From the corner of her eye, Hill saw a dark figure leap from a rooftop and approach.

“Kill me!” Hill snarled.

Sorceresses were notoriously cruel to humans. Many cursed captives or implanted parasitic beasts—acts of extreme cruelty.

Once caught by a Sorceress, even death became a luxury.