Agnes could hardly believe her eyes.
In her several years in the profession, Agnes had experienced many things.
She had seen good people, and truly good people, but never a saint!
This young man had already done something unbelievable when he risked himself to save Calvin.
And what he did now left Agnes even more astonished, even unable to understand.
He had actually stepped forward on his own, drawing the attention of the two Void Moths away.
Did he not understand how strange and terrifying Void creatures were? He clearly did, yet he still chose to approach.
What was he doing this for?
Through layers of Holy Light Barriers, Agnes watched Ansu's face. Beneath that plain hood was an equally plain face, yet there was a faint air of righteousness between his brows.
Just looking at that face made one feel he had to be a good person—a very good one, at that.
The two Void Moths had already swooped down to kill him, yet his expression remained calm.
Anyone daring to court death like this was either insane or a master.
Agnes suddenly recalled how this young man had blocked Calvin's Spear of Light—she had not even seen how he had performed that series of movements.
Could it be that this young man was a Master of the Orthodox Path?
Or rather, was he really a "young man"? Could a youth possess such skill?
She had heard that certain Saints especially favored by the Goddess remained forever young.
Agnes could not help but cling to a faint hope—
But what she had not expected was this nameless young man's next move.
What was he doing?
He walked up to Calvin's corpse and completely ignored the Void Moths about to attack him.
The young man lowered his eyes slightly. His gaze was compassionate and gentle, like a spring pool of water, shimmering with fragmented light.
Was he—was he mourning Calvin and sending his soul onward?
Sending off the wronged soul of an evildoer who had tried to kill him?
Agnes could hardly believe her eyes.
Ansu knelt on one knee and gently brushed his hand across Calvin's bloodied, mangled chest, carefully straightening his collar.
Then flames surged into the air and covered the latter's body, swiftly reducing it to ash, allowing him to leave this world with dignity and peace.
"May your soul find peace. Return in glory to the Goddess's heavenly kingdom."
A gentle, satisfied smile rested at the corner of Ansu's lips.
Calvin's flesh had been filthy beyond measure, but when he departed, his soul was clean and pure white. Surely, he would be able to leave in peace.
—Yeah, right.
Ansu had just discovered that Calvin still had one last breath in him!
If he received treatment in time, the Holy Knights might even be able to save him.
If he woke up, there was no telling whether he would reveal Ansu's affairs!
Besides, Ansu had come to Calvin for another reason.
He watched the two Void Moths right in front of him.
Four seconds left.
Just how confident was this man in his own strength, to ignore two fourth-rank creatures so completely?
No.
Perhaps, compared to Void creatures, guiding souls onward was more important in this man's eyes.
Agnes's expression turned grave. She had truly never met a man with such a pure heart. During her years in the church, she had seen too much darkness. She understood the filth hidden beneath the church's glamorous exterior, but she had no power to change it.
She could only adapt and accept it, gradually turning herself into a "socially intelligent person," a "socially intelligent captain."
Protecting her teammates was the only duty she could fulfill.
But Agnes had never met anyone as noble and selfless as Ansu.
He could even treat an enemy who had tried to kill him with compassion and kindness—this was surely the kind of saint recorded in the "Holy Canon."
Agnes stared intently at Ansu, waiting for his next move.
"Three seconds left."
Ansu murmured inwardly. It looked like he had to stall a little longer.
Ansu's plan was actually quite simple. Since there was no way to explain why the Void Moths had suddenly died, he just had to make it look like he had "killed" them.
He would draw their attention and make them attack him.
Then he would time it precisely.
At the exact moment they died naturally, he would unleash a powerful spell against them.
That way, it could be explained as Brother Xian Zong using extraordinary means to kill them both in one strike.
And the credit would go to him!
Having saved the church's Holy Knights, Ansu could already imagine how much he would gain from it.
He had summoned the Void Moths, Calvin would take the blame, and he would take the credit.
Another day of three-way victory.
But there was one prerequisite: he had to look sufficiently impressive.
Ansu's earlier performance, along with his image as a compassionate Master of the Orthodox Path who hid his true strength, had been carried out with considerable style.
Next—
He needed to come up with an impressive finishing move.
An idea suddenly struck Brother Xian Zong. Yet he still maintained his calm, unfathomable bearing, his eyes clear as ever. Facing the two Void Moths rushing in to kill him, he softly chanted:
"All things are born—"
"Of all creation."
"To nourish man."
Was this... Chant Magic?
Agnes's heart stirred.
Chant Magic differed from ordinary magic. Before it could be cast, one first had to recite an incantation of spoken spirit words. At the same time, Chant Magic was far more powerful than ordinary magic.
Any cleric capable of using Chant Magic had to be at least fourth-rank.
All things are born to nourish man.
Did the gods in heaven create all things to sustain humanity's existence? This prayer should have expounded on the first chapter of the "Holy Records," "Genesis."
The reason Ansu recited it was simple. Of course he did not know any Chant Magic. He was merely stalling for time.
Two seconds left.
But the Void Moths had already reached him. Their mouthparts, filled with sharp teeth, were about to touch Ansu's skin.
Could he complete the chant in time? Agnes could not help worrying.
The other Saints were equally tense. They swallowed hard and stared fixedly at Ansu—they knew their lives were in this man's hands.
"Mankind—
Still resents—"
One second left.
It was already too late.
The two Void Moths slammed into Ansu at once. Their strange, evil power instantly exploded. This was the combined strike of a fourth-rank Void Beast and a third-rank Void Beast—no one could stop it!
The surrounding earth began to Shatter, cracks spreading outward in ring after ring like a spiderweb as dust rose into the air.
No human could withstand such a blow.
Agnes fell into despair.
But when the smoke cleared, a calm face was revealed.
Along with the serene smile at the corner of his lips.
No one could believe their eyes. After taking such an attack head-on, the man in front of them was completely unharmed.
How powerful and confident was he?
What no one realized was that beneath the thick winter school uniform covering Ansu's chest, an Amulet Necklace was slowly dimming. Before it could be used again, it would need to be recharged with mana.
Mid-tier High-Quality Amulet Can resist attacks or curses below high-tier (0/2)
The original owner of this Amulet Necklace was Calvin.
It had been a birthday gift from his priest father.
When he had been on the verge of death and bitten, he had lacked the strength to use the amulet, so it still had two chances to resist attacks remaining.
Ansu had seen all of this.
This amulet was what Ansu had secretly swiped from Calvin's neck while straightening his collar and mercifully guiding his soul onward!
But it was not stealing. Ansu had picked it up; he figured no one wanted it.
And at this very moment, the Void Moths' duration of existence had run out.
Ansu softly instructed Miss Enya, who was hiding nearby, "Release mana outward without restraint. It does not need power, only visual effects."
Enya would never hesitate over an order from her master.
When a fourth-rank being went all out merely to create special effects with mana, the spectacle was terrifying beyond measure.
Even the blood moon in the sky dimmed somewhat. The air trembled without cease as terrifying pressure spread from beneath Ansu's feet and burst outward in an instant. Dazzling light filled the world!
"Heaven is not benevolent."
Before everyone's eyes, Ansu gently extended his hand and placed it upon the two Void Moths.
One fourth-rank Void Beast and one third-rank Void Beast.
Just like that—
They vanished into ashes.
Killed in one strike!
This had already surpassed High-tier Magic. Only Saint-tier Magic could accomplish such a feat!
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