Ancient God's Blessing

"This guy," Kuro muttered under his breath.

Could it be that this brat hadn't realized he was being suppressed?

This woman might have reached the Middle Rank of magic power!

Kuro gritted his teeth, his expression turning grave, though his heart remained filled with extreme astonishment.

It was his first time seeing someone reach the Middle Rank at such a young age.

Even if her magic rank is higher than mine, her combat experience certainly isn't as strong as mine. It's not impossible to win!

Filled with a surging desire for battle, Kuro thought to himself.

He pushed his internal magic to the limit, causing his aura to skyrocket. His hair stood on end, and with his greatsword held in one hand, he curled his lips into a grin.

"Fight me!"

With a wild roar, he swung his greatsword, whipping up a gale as he charged toward Jeanne with unstoppable momentum.

Jeanne remained expressionless, as if she were a veteran of countless battlefields, long accustomed to such scenes.

She did not move, watching quietly as the greatsword and its accompanying gale swept toward her.

Kuro's eyes were filled with ecstasy, his expression ferocious.

Just like this, just like this.

Even if you are Middle Rank, you will die!

Behind them, Master remained motionless, a hint of pity even appearing in his eyes. The scene was so similar to the one just moments ago; he felt as if he had already seen the future.

Squelch!

Kuro's eyes widened, and all the barbarians stared in shock, as if they had witnessed something impossible that shattered their understanding of the world.

"This..."

Crimson blood dripped from the corner of Kuro's mouth. His voice dropped to a whisper, and before he could finish his sentence, he fell silent.

A silver-white long blade was thrust deep into his chest, piercing him through, while the strike he had launched hit nothing but empty air.

"A fatal blow, leaving no room for error," Master said in a low voice.

"So fast."

Behind him, Dark's eyes widened in disbelief; he hadn't even been able to see what happened.

"Master, it seems we should leave this place. This woman is not simple; she might be a descendant of some Star noble house."

The person with blue eyes, who spoke in the Star language, said from behind.

"No, the Child of God has not been found yet. We cannot go back now," Dark flatly refused. He had paid a heavy price to come here; how could he return empty-handed?

"The show is only just beginning. I happen to know that when members of the Winter Tribe reach the Lower Rank, they receive the grace of the Ancient Gods. When they are on the verge of death, it is triggered, and they reappear in a different form. I am quite curious."

Dark turned his head to look at the motionless Kuro, filled with anticipation.

Jeanne's expression was cold, then she frowned; she sensed something unusual.

In the distance, Aurelian, who had not blinked once, felt his pupils dilate. He sensed a powerful fluctuation of magic.

It was strange, yet carried a certain familiarity, as if the sensation were etched into his very blood.

A fire of hatred surged in his heart.

It was as if he had encountered a long-lost nemesis; the blood in his body was roaring and surging, urging him to strike back!

Aurelian suppressed the heat in his heart. He knew well that his current state was poor; going up there would be suicide. Moreover, the barbarians on the periphery, mounted on their warhorses, were eyeing him covetously, testing him.

Though he was fearless, dealing with so many would inevitably be troublesome.

"Awoo~"

A low, guttural roar erupted from the head-bowed Kuro, sounding like the howl of a beast.

An aura of wild antiquity permeated the air, as if the gaze of some existence had been cast down, influencing the lifeless Kuro.

Jeanne frowned, and the Atonement blade still embedded in Kuro's chest began to tremble violently.

"This is..."

She murmured, her expression shifting uncertainly.

"It's here—His grace. It carries the blessing of the Old Gods. Even if His glory is no more, it is equally terrifying. Today, someone must die to appease it."

Dark's eyes were filled with fanaticism and longing.

The blue-eyed man behind him had flickering eyes, his expression hidden behind his mask.

"Ah!"

Accompanied by Kuro's agonizing wail, dense clusters of flesh buds sprouted from his body, beginning to grow wildly and uncontrollably.

A powerful wave of magic erupted, and Jeanne blocked it with her fair hands, only to be sent flying!

Master, standing behind, did not escape unscathed; he too was swept away by the powerful magic fluctuation, looking utterly disheveled.

The invisible shockwave radiated from the wailing Kuro, causing all the warhorses to neigh and tremble incessantly. Had the barbarians not possessed excellent horsemanship, the scene would have been one of total chaos.

Aurelian suddenly clutched his chest, his heart trembling violently and uncontrollably.

A powerful will surged into his mind, vast and mighty, beyond anything he could have imagined.

His instincts told him that if he dared to offer even the slightest resistance, he would be instantly reduced to a spray of blood.

The hairs on his body stood on end, and layers of cold sweat seeped out continuously.

Instinctive fear slowly occupied his heart, leaving him cowering and shivering.

"A... ku... mo... ye..."

Strange murmurs echoed intermittently in his ears, incoherent and garbled; Aurelian could not make out what they were whispering at all.

Aurelian felt his thoughts beginning to descend into chaos and disorder.

He could not think, nor could he judge.

Everything before his eyes began to distort, and he felt himself sinking into an infinite darkness.

Countless red eyes opened within this darkness, their pupils rotating to gaze upon the newly arrived Aurelian.

"Ya, ya, ya..."

Piercing sounds rang out from the darkness, one after another, then in countless numbers.

It was as if they were welcoming Aurelian's arrival, conveying their excitement.

Chaotic and twisted, Aurelian felt himself infinitely close to the edge of madness.

He was being watched; these eyes that filled his vision seemed to see right through him, intending to twist him and devour him.

In the gloom, Aurelian saw a massive shadow emerge from within the darkness.

As the surrounding darkness surged, he saw a colossal black figure appear, wearing a pale, horned goat mask—a mask very similar to those worn by the barbarians, perhaps suggesting that the barbarians' masks were merely imitations of the one on this massive shadow's face.

"Sacrifice."

The black shadow's sharp claws emerged, reaching out to grab him.

Aurelian's thoughts were in turmoil, yet his survival instinct drove him to want to escape.

"No!"

There was nowhere to retreat, and no one could protect him; he screamed in despair, refusing to accept this ending.

But it was useless; this place existed beyond the material world, and no one could come to his aid.

He had become a sacrifice for some existence, left only to be slaughtered.

But suddenly, an angry roar erupted!

Aurelian found himself suddenly clear-headed, his consciousness leaping back rapidly.

A Stone Book emitting a bright, fluorescent white light appeared before his eyes, then sped away into the distance.

His vision blurred, and when he could see clearly again, he saw the flesh buds still growing wildly in the distance.

He could not help but ask himself: "What was that just now?"

It seemed he had escaped a catastrophe, saved by the mysterious Stone Book from becoming food for some powerful entity.

Ting Ge thanks you here.

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