Desperate Counter-Kill! Witch Goes Berserk! Seeking Follow-up Reads!

(Some readers said I shouldn't leave things on a cliffhanger here, so I'll post an extra chapter today. To celebrate reaching 1,608 followers. Nice number. Please keep following along today and tomorrow.)

A Barbarian Berserker had two branching abilities. One was Adrenaline Burst, which enhanced everything across the board. The other was Berserk, which greatly increased strength and constitution but came with the negative Fury status. Duncan had no intention of fighting the enemy in close combat, so Adrenaline Burst was the optimal choice, even if its physical enhancement was less pronounced than Berserk's.

Barbarian Berserkers charged freely across the battlefield and were basically impossible to command, but their combat power was extremely formidable. Once they activated Berserk, you could take both hands off the keyboard—they would charge and hunt down enemies on their own.

In Ancient Rome, barbarians wore no armor. As long as the Roman Legion withstood the first wave of impact, they could slowly grind them down.

Now, barbarians had armor as well. Their survivability had increased dramatically, making them much harder to deal with.

The Stamina Bar locked in place.

Under God's Eye View, Duncan seemed to possess endless stamina. For the duration of Adrenaline Burst, his Stamina Bar shot up and locked at full.

The Cross Star in the projected image did not move in the slightest.

The bow drew into a full moon!

An arrow tore through the air, aimed directly at the Monk of the Hidden Order not far away. He seemed to be preparing a spell as well, since he had remained at the very back of the enemy formation. However, he prepared his spells by holding a cross in one hand and praying. Like the witches, he clearly needed ritual tools to prepare true Magic power.

Headshot!

Duncan's arrow blew apart his head.

Every spellcaster in this world who possessed supernatural powers had to prepare in advance. If they only started casting after a warrior got close, they would have long since been hacked to death in a flurry of blades.

Even the Ascetic Order Sanctuary's expression turned grave.

They had never lost so many men while hunting witches.

Duncan had killed three people in succession. He was more dangerous than the two fleeing witches. If they did not deal with him first, everyone would be shot dead by him.

Parthian Shot.

After killing the Monk of the Hidden Order with one arrow, Duncan immediately turned and aimed at the Heretic Inquisitor. The enemy held a knight's shield and a one-handed Gladius, weapons clearly favored by the elite Roman Legion.

Clang.

The arrow was blocked by the shield. The Heretic Inquisitor's reaction speed was astonishing as well; he had already anticipated Duncan's Farron Throwing Axe earlier.

He could not kill him in one shot.

The enemy's reactions were too fast, and he had a shield. Taking him down would be quite difficult.

At the same time.

On the battlefield, the Ascetic Order Sanctuary pulled a javelin from the dead warhorse. He kept tracking Duncan's position as he looked for a way to close in. The javelin was already raised at a sixty-degree throwing angle.

This guy might once have been an elite of the Roman Legion. Otherwise, there was no way he could keep his javelin aimed so steadily.

Duncan did not dare remain in one spot, nor did he dare retreat too far. If he withdrew, Severus would basically be dead.

The Druid had given up his horse for him. Duncan could not bring himself to watch him die here.

Just then.

Severus suddenly roared. The moment he clashed with the Heretic Inquisitor, he raised his Oak Shield and slammed forward. His tremendous strength actually knocked the other man off balance, sending him staggering and exposing an obvious opening.

An opportunity!

Parthian Shot.

Duncan did not hesitate. He spun one hundred and eighty degrees and fired behind him from horseback, as though he had eyes on the back of his head. Seizing the opportunity, he nocked an arrow, drew the bowstring taut, and sent an arrow tearing through the air straight into the enemy's chest.

The bow was drawn to its limit, and the explosive force was terrifying. It pierced through the enemy's armor, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

In the projected image, a javelin came whistling through the air.

Duncan did not hesitate for a moment. He leaped from the horse and rolled as he hit the ground, letting out a muffled grunt. The warhorse gave a mournful cry as the javelin pierced straight through it with horrifying accuracy. Had Duncan not dodged, the javelin would have skewered him as well.

"Is that even human strength?"

From nearly a hundred meters away, the javelin had pierced through the warhorse's back. If it struck a person, it would pass straight through their body.

Two against one.

Severus smashed the enemy's head apart with one hammer blow, then approached Duncan with the Oak Shield in hand. He was probably the only one here who could exchange a few blows head-on with the Ascetic Order Sanctuary, but the other man's close-combat strength was simply terrifying. Even the Druid might not be able to withstand more than a few moves.

The sound of hoofbeats came from afar.

The two witches turned back, and on the map, another group of cavalry was rapidly closing in.

—Arian Monk.

—Arian Ascetic (One-Star).

—Witch Hunter Instructor (Two-Star).

—Frankish Paladins (Heavy Cavalry) (One-Star) (Three).

—Arian Temple Knight (Two-Star Silver-Gray).

[Note: Temple Knights from before the Middle Ages. They originally stemmed from the Polytheistic concept of the "Sanctuary," referring to the finest warriors who guarded a Sanctuary at the time. Among barbarians, they were retired high-ranking warriors and chieftain guards. A Sanctuary was roughly the core temple worship area of a certain Deity. Before the Common Era, temple Sanctuaries of barbarian tribes also helped train warriors. Artemis's temple in Ancient Greece, for example, could train archery.

Before the Common Era, the core principle of many civilizations was, "The affairs of state lie solely in sacrifice and war." The sacrifice referred to grand state rituals, public ceremonies held with the Sanctuary as their center.]

"Fuck!"

This time, Duncan truly could not stop himself from swearing.

Arian Monks and Roman Catholicism had always been at odds over doctrinal disputes, but when it came to the Polytheism of the old age, they stood together as allies.

The Arian sect had taken root in barbarian lands, spreading its faith among the barbarians. They were constantly embroiled in conflict with Polytheist Priests and many beings possessing supernatural powers, yet they had still steadily encroached upon Polytheism's domain of faith.

The three branches of the Visigoths, the Franks, and even the Saxons, Alamanni, Celts, and others all had Arian missionaries among them.

They were being jointly hunted down by factions from both Churches.

Duncan nocked another arrow and drew his bow, aiming at the Ascetic Order Sanctuary ahead. Only by dealing with him first could they find a chance to get Triss and Severus out. As long as they could temporarily shake off their pursuers and flee into the dense mountain forests, Duncan's God's Eye View still gave them a chance of escaping alive.

One arrow, two arrows, three arrows.

Duncan's third arrow finally struck the Ascetic Order Sanctuary in the chest, but the man wore armor. He merely grunted and charged forward at high speed.

Why was there still no reaction?!

Had the Sorceress's Magic failed?

The instant they clashed head-on, Severus's Oak Shield was knocked aside at close range. A pained groan followed, and two severed finger segments fell to the ground. The Ascetic Order Sanctuary raised his sword, changed moves midway, and slashed diagonally with a backhand stroke, cutting off the Druid's ring finger and little finger.

Severus then smashed the man's head with his shield, but his head merely swayed. There was not even a stun indicator.

With only three fingers left, the Druid still gripped his one-handed hammer tightly. Their figures tangled in combat, making it impossible for Duncan to lock onto a target accurately. Without hesitation, he drew his long blade and lunged forward, flanking the enemy from the right in a surprise attack.

He had overestimated the Druid's close-combat ability. Severus could hold out for at most two or three exchanges against the Ascetic Order Sanctuary.

Combat Stance—Decapitation.

Clang.

Sparks burst.

The Ascetic Order Sanctuary gripped his sword with both hands and blocked Duncan's attack. The forceful blow left both their palms numb. A chip broke from Duncan's long blade, while the enemy's longsword suffered only minor damage.

Even after activating Adrenaline Burst, his physical abilities still could not compare to the enemy before him.

At that moment, Severus swung his one-handed hammer and smashed it into the man's jaw. Blood sprayed, and even the enemy's skull jolted.

If he had not lost two fingers earlier, that heavy strike might have decided the battle.

There was a chance.

Duncan swung his blade at the enemy's neck, while Severus raised his shield in his left hand and smashed it hard toward the enemy's head.

This was truly a case of two fists being no match for four hands!

The Ascetic Order Sanctuary thrust his sword backhandedly, the blade piercing through Severus's abdomen. He shifted slightly and took Duncan's chop head-on with his shoulder. The long blade came down, sparks flying. Blood seeped out, but the armor absorbed most of the damage.

Too strong!

The man wore a full suit of armor beneath his robe, and his physical constitution was nothing like that of an ordinary human. He was tougher than even supernatural monsters.

More enemies were closing in from afar.

If the Sorceress's Magic still could not be cast, their entire group would likely die here.

"Aren't you a Sorceress with the Skull Mark? Where's your Magic?!"

Duncan slashed straight down, forcing back the Ascetic Order Sanctuary before him. If Severus died, he would have no chance whatsoever of turning this around.

They might not even be able to escape.

But at that moment.

A fierce wind swept across the open ground, kicking up sand and stones in an instant.

Under God's Eye View.

Raven Queen—Triss's mark flashed, then changed.

Sorceress—Triss [Blood-Red Skull Mark]!!!

A tangible supernatural force descended upon reality. Amid the howling gale, Sorceress—Triss floated several meters above the ground. Beside her, Anya widened her eyes in shock.

She had clearly never seen another Sorceress wield such terrifying power.

Holy shit!

So you could fly!

The gale raged.

Triss's long hair whipped wildly through the wind and sand. Her eyes turned into silver glimmers like a bright moon, and her appearance changed as well—seductive and wickedly beautiful, no longer human, more like a Banshee from ancient Greek legends.

She gently raised a hand and clenched it toward Duncan's direction.

Crack!

The sound of bones breaking rang out. Terror appeared on the Ascetic Order Sanctuary's face as he cried out, "Sorceress—Triss!"

They had tracked Anya all this way, never recognizing Raven Queen—Triss.

They had thought she was another member of the Witch Coven.

On the Inquisition's list, only a very small number of beings bearing the name of saint could deal with this High Priest left behind from the old age.

Blood gushed out!

The Ascetic Order Sanctuary's limb bones collapsed. His armor seemed not to exist at all as his entire body was crushed into a human stump. Great quantities of blood poured forth, dyeing the ground crimson.

"Lord!"

"Save us!"

The approaching Arian Priests were also swept into the raging sandstorm. The Monk of the Hidden Order knelt in prayer, clutching a wooden cross fragment. Within the projected image, a faint, unusual white glow emerged—but it was swiftly crushed by the near-tangible Magic radiating from the Raven Queen—Triss.

The Monk of the Hidden Order's chest caved in as though struck by immense force. Blood sprayed from his mouth, and he collapsed to the ground with only his last breath remaining.

An eerie, brilliant radiance flashed through the gale.

The Arian Temple Knight's arms suddenly flew into the air, followed immediately by his legs, severed from his body by an invisible force. Blood sprayed several meters away.

A flock of crows appeared out of nowhere.

Like black smoke and dark clouds, they descended upon the Frankish Paladins, instantly pecking out their eyes. Amid terrified, shrill screams, every enemy fell from their horses. The crows swept through the air, turning into black smoke and vanishing. Triss appeared as if blinking into existence, slicing the Witch Hunter Instructor in half with a wave of her hand. The next second, severed limbs rained from the sky.

Across the entire battlefield, there were almost no enemies left who could still stand.

Duncan was stunned as well.

But the Raven Queen—Triss's slightly eerie, hoarse voice soon rang out. "Don't just stand there. My Magic won't last much longer."

"Finish them!"

The gale gradually died down.

Duncan immediately came to his senses. His gaze swept past Triss, hovering in midair nearby, and he stepped forward, ending the enemies one by one with a single slash each.

Crack!

The Runic Sacrificial Stone in the Raven Queen—Triss's hands shattered in midair. Her face instantly turned deathly pale, and she soon fell from the air.

Anya hurried forward to support her. Her gaze passed over the shattered sacrificial stone, and she said in shock, "Trivia?!"

This was the first time she had seen a Runic Sacrificial Stone from the Age of Gods since the Olympus Sacrificial Fire had gone out. During Ancient Rome, people often made sacrifices to various Deities, and certain stones were engraved with unique symbols representing one of them.

The Raven Queen—Triss's label changed from "Sorceress" back to "Witch."

Duncan hurried over to check on the Witch.

How was this any different from a divine descent?

Even Two-Star Silver-Gray elites were this powerful. Since the Raven Queen—Triss bore the skull-marked leader BOSS label, Duncan had guessed that her Magic might be terrifyingly powerful.

Anya, standing nearby, was also filled with awe. In her eyes, her own Magic was laughable compared to Triss's, nothing more than a parlor trick.

"Where exactly does her Magic come from?"

"Did that sacrificial stone remove some kind of restriction from the real world?"

Too powerful.

The power Triss had displayed just now had nearly made Duncan think he had entered the Mythological Era.

"Let's go!"

Duncan looked at the utterly weakened Triss. He had initially planned to carry her onto a horse, but quickly realized something and turned to Anya. "You take her."

With that, he rushed toward Severus, lifted the badly wounded Druid from the ground, and said in a low voice, "Brother."

"Hang on!"

"We'll find somewhere safe to treat your wounds right away."

He had Triss guide him in giving the Druid some simple bandaging to stop the bleeding. Then he prepared to ride with the Druid, while Anya took Triss, and the four survivors would find somewhere to catch their breath first.

His Adrenaline Burst had ended by now, and Duncan felt as though every bone in his body was about to fall apart.

Anya strode over to the dead Imperial Guard Knight. With no emotion in her eyes, she searched his body and found a pouch filled with gold. After taking it, she said coldly, "I know where to find a Celtic Priest."

After speaking, she casually closed the Imperial Guard Knight's unblinking eyes and picked up his longsword.

So it really had been unrequited love.

The Witch—Anya did not spare the corpse another glance. Taking the weapon and gold, she helped the weakened Triss onto a horse.

—"Oathkeeper [Wonder][Longsword]: A knight's sword forged from Damascus crucible steel and brought back from the holy land of Jerusalem. Blessed by a high-ranking Monk of the Hidden Order from the Ascetic Order Sanctuary and soaked in Holy Grail water, it possesses incredible power. Traits: Armor-Piercing, Magic-Breaking, Sharp."

Duncan took only the weapon from the Ascetic Order Sanctuary; he could not carry anything else. Supporting the badly wounded Severus, he withdrew from the area.

Of the entire group, only Anya still had any fighting strength.

The Witch, who looked like a Roman noblewoman, gritted her teeth as she held the utterly weakened Triss. With the knight's longsword strapped at her waist, she rode one-handed with the reins in her grip, occasionally turning back to check on Duncan, who was exhaustedly sharing a horse with Severus.

Severus had already fallen unconscious. Blood continually seeped from the wound in his abdomen, soaking the bandages completely red.

Duncan was not doing much better.

Though he had no obvious external wounds, he had fallen from his horse twice and felt as though his ribs were broken. His Health Bar had also dropped by a large amount; they were probably all bruising injuries.

If Severus had not ordered the mounted guards to protect him from both sides earlier, he might not have survived until now.

"Hang on, brother!"

Riding one-handed, Duncan barely steadied the unconscious Druid. He glanced at the pale-faced Triss and said to Anya, "Into the mountains first!"

Under these circumstances, the deep mountains and dense forests were safer instead.