Ice Spears, fireballs, falling rocks... wave after wave of basic spells howled toward them. The Sanctuaries charging at the front each unleashed their abilities, managing to block the scattered attacks.
But this was only the beginning.
More and more spells, each taking longer to prepare and growing more terrifying in power, gathered over the orchard like dark clouds. Everyone knew that if even one spell landed in the orchard, it would wipe out not only the more than one hundred fruits but the entire resource site, a hundred meters across.
"Holy Light Protection!"
At the high chant of a Light Element Holy Magus on the defending side, a seven-colored curtain of light instantly enveloped the orchard. Its brilliant hues looked as fragile as a soap bubble, yet it was exceptionally resilient. Several level-eight spells cast by Sanctuaries struck it, raising only ripples before dissipating completely.
This was a Light Element Forbidden Curse!
But in the next instant, lightning flashed overhead. Countless thick bolts of lightning, like vicious whips, lashed down on the seven-colored barrier. Deafening cracks rang out as the barrier shook violently. Cracks spread across it like a spiderweb, leaving it on the verge of collapse.
Forbidden Magic—Heavenly Thunder World Destruction!
Just as the seven-colored barrier was about to crumble, another cool voice rang out. "Water Curtain Firmament!"
Ice-blue light swept across the battlefield. A sturdy Water Element shield quickly took shape before the barrier shattered, firmly catching the Heavenly Thunder World Destruction as it ran its course. The violent clash of energy made the shield's light flicker, but it held firm.
However, the crisis was far from over.
A blinding flash of green appeared without warning, materializing like a phantom before the defending Sanctuaries. A slender blade of light, infused with the power to destroy heaven and earth, slowly took shape—Dimension Blade!
Where the blade passed, space tore open like a flimsy curtain, leaving a long, narrow rift in its wake. Terrifying spatial fluctuations swept across the battlefield.
The defending Sanctuaries drew in sharp breaths at the sight of the Dimension Blade, their faces filled with despair. It was the most powerful single-target Forbidden Curse. No one below godlevel could stop it! Even a Forbidden Curse meant for defense couldn't withstand this strike!
Everyone watched helplessly as the Dimension Blade cut through the sky and easily tore a gaping hole in the Water Element Forbidden Curse, Water Curtain Firmament. Then, with unstoppable force, it headed straight for the orchard.
At that critical moment, the Earth Violent Bear Gideon shuddered, as though he had suddenly understood something. His massive body charged forward, while the earthy-yellow Earth Pulse around him grew lively in an instant, blazing with dazzling light.
"Pulse Guard!"
Gideon's roar shook the battlefield. Without an elaborate incantation or a long buildup of magical power, a small Pulsing Defense, only ten meters in diameter, appeared out of nowhere and stood firm before the Dimension Blade.
"It's no use! No matter how strong a Pulsing Defense is, it can't stop the Dimension Blade!" The surrounding Sanctuaries shook their heads. They could tell Gideon had made a breakthrough in his understanding of the arcane, but they still didn't believe that a Sanctuary who had only just reached enlightenment could stop the strongest killing move below godlevel.
Yet in the next instant, everyone froze in shock.
The terrifying Dimension Blade slammed into the inconspicuous Pulsing Defense surrounding Gideon. Instead of tearing through it or exploding as they expected, it was stopped in a bizarre fashion!
A vast surge of energy erupted, sweeping out in all directions like a tsunami. The Sanctuaries behind him hurriedly cast defensive spells, straining to withstand the shock wave. Several of the weaker Sanctuaries were blasted off their feet.
When the dust settled, the Dimension Blade had vanished without a trace. Gideon still stood tall. The light of the Pulsing Defense around him had dimmed, but ripples flowed across it, and it returned to normal in an instant.
"Vmmm—!"
A mighty, majestic law of heaven and earth descended, enveloping Gideon.
The more knowledgeable Sanctuaries cried out in disbelief. "He's broken through to godlevel!"
Barn, Julia, and the others quickly recovered from their shock. They immediately stopped trying to block the enemy and hurried over to Gideon, their faces bright with joy and concern. The moment of ascension was also the most vulnerable time, and they couldn't let the enemy take advantage of it.
As the surrounding Sanctuaries watched with complicated expressions, a Godhead radiating potent earthy-yellow Divine Power slowly formed above Gideon's head. Its light blazed, and its divine power grew ever more immense.
Gideon was initially overjoyed, feeling the Divine Power coursing through him. But soon his brows drew together. He had long since learned the full process of ascension from Fukaloss. External Godhood was faster, but it was also exceptionally dangerous, and the situation at hand clearly gave him no time to stabilize his realm in peace.
"Don't get distracted. Just focus on completing your External Godhood. We'll protect you!" Julia stepped forward with her bow in hand, her sharp gaze sweeping the surroundings as she spoke in a firm voice.
Then the female dragonkin turned to the Sanctuaries from the other two squads. Her voice rang out, clear and forceful, brimming with confidence. "Everyone, I'm Julia, daughter of the deputy commander of the Heavenly River Legion in the Royal City. Gideon is my friend. I ask you to help us get through this final hurdle. You'll be well rewarded afterward!"
Julia's words made the Sanctuaries from the other two squads exchange uncertain glances. The temptation of a Godhead was enough to drive any Sanctuary mad, but they also knew that antagonizing the daughter of a powerful figure from the Royal City over one Godhead simply wasn't worth it—especially for the squad from the fallen noble family of the Royal City. They already knew Julia and didn't dare act rashly.
But the hostile Sanctuaries in the distance didn't care about any of that.
A Godhead! It could free them from Gobada's torment and let them rise to the heavens in a single leap! They didn't care if the path ahead was a mountain of blades or if they had to face a newly ascended god. They were willing to risk everything!
"Charge! Seize the Godhead! Kill them, and the Godhead is ours!"
A frenzied roar rang out. The more than thirty remaining hostile Sanctuaries charged toward Gideon like starving beasts, reckless with desperation. Magic and arrows flew together as they surged forward.
Just then, Barn stepped forward and planted his spear hard into the ground. His voice was steady and firm. "Water Curtain Firmament!"
Ice-blue light surged, and a Water Element shield, even thicker and more solid than before, once again covered the entire orchard. Barn was a Water Element Holy Magus, and with the powerful mental strength granted by Soul Mutation, completing a Forbidden Curse quickly, even at the cost of backlash, wasn't impossible.
The hostile Sanctuaries' attacks crashed against the curtain of water like a rising tide, sending up ripples and booming against it, but they couldn't break through. The hastily cast defensive Forbidden Curse might be destroyed in moments, but everyone knew Gideon's ascension wouldn't take much longer.
"Roar—!"
A bear's roar that shook heaven and earth rang out. Gideon no longer hesitated. His soul slowly emerged from the magic core inside him, then split in two in midair. One half returned to his original body, while the other slowly fused with the earthy-yellow Godhead above him.
Under the blessing of the laws of heaven and earth, a vast amount of Divine Power poured out of the Godhead, nourishing his soul and body like sweet rain. A burly human figure quickly took shape under the molding power of the Divine Power. He wore heavy earthy-yellow metal armor, with a resolute face and sharp eyes. Rich Earth Divine Power swirled around him. He still had a trace of the Earth Violent Bear's honest simplicity, but the majesty of a god now overshadowed it.
When the human-form Gideon slowly opened his eyes, a glint flashed in them. He raised a hand, and his enormous Earth Violent Bear body was gently drawn into him, turning into a streak of light that merged into his Soul Space.
"Crash—!"
At that moment, Barn's hastily cast Water Curtain Firmament finally reached its limit and shattered with a roar. The frenzied hostile Sanctuaries rushed in, greed flashing in their eyes as they charged toward Gideon.
But in the next instant, greed gave way to terror. Their bodies stiffened, and they couldn't move. An invisible domain power suddenly enveloped the battlefield, heavy and majestic, pressing down on everyone like a mountain.
Even the domain cast by a newly ascended god of the lowest rank was far beyond what Sanctuaries could resist. Though Gideon had only just broken through, he was still far stronger than the Dark Element god who had once been frozen by Fukaloss, his soul frozen along with him.
Barn's fist shot out, and a Pulse Impact imbued with Earth Divine Power spread through the area.
The more than thirty hostile Sanctuaries at the front didn't even have time to cry out. Their souls were instantly extinguished by the Pulse Impact, and their bodies crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
The remaining defending Sanctuaries drew in sharp breaths. The awe in their eyes as they looked at Gideon and Barn left no trace of greed.
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