Miwei City was a small city near the central region of the Land of Rain, one the Holy Church had only recently occupied. Now its streets teemed with people, bustling with life. Countless vendors hawked their wares along the roads, while young children laughed and played, showing none of the poverty and desolation left by war.
Madara walked through the crowd. "Black Zetsu, are you sure this is a city in the Land of Rain?"
"Yes, Lord Madara."
Looking at the cheerful faces along the street, even the wealthy cities of the Land of Fire could not compare. After all, however prosperous a city was, that prosperity had little to do with ordinary people. It usually just meant there were more wealthy officials and nobles.
"This place is ruled by the Evil Cult. Why are its people so happy?" Madara asked, still puzzled.
"Perhaps the Evil Cult has bewitched them," Black Zetsu said indifferently. He did not care how these insignificant people lived. Aside from rescuing his mother, nothing concerned him.
Madara nodded calmly. It seemed these cultists did have some ability.
As Madara and Black Zetsu strolled onward, a group of children holding pinwheels ran past them, laughing happily.
A group of samurai in gleaming armor suddenly appeared around the street corner. Seeing that the children could not stop in time and were about to collide with them, Madara instinctively moved to intervene.
"These children have gotten carried away again!" Ertai said helplessly.
"We'll have to give them a proper talking-to. Luckily, they ran into us. What if they'd run into a passing cart and gotten hurt?" a knight behind him added.
"Stop them! Be gentle. Don't let our armor hurt them!"
"Yes, Captain!"
The knights quickly reached out, catching the children rushing toward them and gently gathering them into their arms.
Ertai and his teammates set the children down and lifted their helmet visors. With a stern expression, he demanded, "Tell me, why aren't you at school today? Are you skipping classes again?"
Completely ignoring Ertai's stern expression, the children exclaimed excitedly, "Wow! It's the Holy Light Cleric big brothers! You look so cool!"
"You lot, I'm asking you a question," Ertai scolded helplessly.
"Cleric big brother, don't you know it's the weekend? We have the day off!"
Faced with the children's innocent expressions, Ertai felt a little embarrassed. "Hmph, I was just testing you."
"Cleric big brother, did you forget what day it was? Haha!" The children burst out laughing.
"All right, children. Remember, you mustn't run around in the streets anymore. You could get hurt! Go play in the square instead, understood?" a female knight stepped forward and said gently, casting an amused glance at her captain.
Ertai suddenly wished the ground would swallow him. He had only his own absentmindedness to blame. He was always losing track of the days.
"Yes, Cleric big sister!" The children clumsily performed a Holy Light Salute.
Qina smiled and gently patted the little one's head in front of her. "Go on and play. Remember, not in the street. Go to the square."
"Yes! Cleric big sister!"
With that, the children ran toward the square, laughing.
Watching the Holy Knights interact with the children, Madara could not help asking Black Zetsu, "These are the cultists?"
"Yes, Lord Madara."
"Hmph, they certainly know how to win people over. I'll test their strength."
Ertai suddenly sensed a surge of malice and turned toward Madara. "Who are you?" By the very nature of their calling, Holy Knights were especially sensitive to the hostility of others.
Madara strolled toward Ertai and the others. As he advanced, the killing intent rising from him grew stronger and stronger.
"You followers of the Evil God, let me see what you're made of!"
Feeling the overwhelming killing intent, Ertai forced down his discomfort. "Evacuate the civilians immediately! He's an enemy!"
He immediately drew the sword at his waist and took a fighting stance.
"Everyone, run toward the Holy Church! There's an enemy!" Qina shouted.
Only then did the bewildered civilians realize what was happening. They quickly dropped what they were doing and ran toward the Holy Church.
Madara ignored the fleeing civilians and waited calmly for everyone nearby to leave. As the Asura of the Ninja World, he disdained killing the weak.
Once the surrounding civilians had been evacuated, Ertai's squad instantly surrounded Madara and Black Zetsu.
"Are you a ninja?" Ertai asked gravely.
"Enough talk. Prepare to dance!"
With that, Madara charged at the Holy Knights.
"Hmph, wicked ninja! We won't let you hurt the people of this city! Holy Knights, ten-man alternating charge!"
As the command rang out, the Holy Knights instantly became ten streaks of light like glowing arrows. They flashed across one another with Madara at their center, then wheeled back to sweep through again.
Madara nimbly evaded the streaks rushing toward him, then spun around and delivered a powerful kick at one Holy Knight.
"Shield of Courage!"
Crack!
Madara's kick instantly shattered the light shield. The tremendous impact sent the Holy Knight flying into another knight, and both tumbled more than two meters away.
Ignoring the Holy Knight he had sent flying, Madara continued with a series of elegant dodges, flying kicks, borrowed momentum, and spinning punches. He flashed past the Holy Knights one after another, sending the entire squad flying in an instant.
Looking at his teammates, who had been gravely injured in a single exchange, Ertai struggled to his feet. "You truly are a powerful enemy. But even so, we Holy Knights will never abandon our honor!"
As soon as Ertai finished speaking, his teammates lying on the ground began rising to their feet.
"Oh, it seems you cultists do have some backbone. Then I'll finish you all at once," Madara said flatly.
Madara launched a ferocious assault on Ertai and the others. Each time they were knocked down, they rose again to continue fighting. Their armor became battered and broken, and barely a patch of flesh on their bodies remained uninjured.
Madara felt a faint stir within him. "I acknowledge that you do have some mettle!"
Barely conscious, Ertai endured the pain and looked at Madara. "We don't need your acknowledgment. As for this mettle you speak of... heh. What we protect will always be what we cherish."
"Oh, so what you cherish is the people of this city? What do their lives have to do with you?" Madara asked coldly, watching Ertai tremble merely trying to stand.
Ertai could not hold back a mouthful of blood. He glanced at his companions, who wanted to rise but could no longer move, then turned his bloodstained eyes toward Madara.
"I was born among ordinary people. I believe that among the people of this city are the parents of other Holy Light Clerics. Today, I risk my life to protect them. I believe that my fellow Holy Light Warriors would protect my parents just as fearlessly in the face of the same danger. Even if I fall today, there will be thousands upon thousands like me in the future!
"Ninja, you may be powerful, but when countless lights gather together, an individual's strength becomes insignificant! The tide of history will eventually bury you machines who know nothing but slaughter."
"Heh, is this the lament of the weak? Face reality! Every moment, this world plays out the same tragedy of weakness and helplessness as yours. Listen well: wherever there is light, there will be darkness. What you hope for is nothing but wishful thinking!" Madara declared arrogantly.
"That is not wishful thinking. It is the future every Holy Light Warrior hopes for at every moment!" A cool, clear voice suddenly rang out from the sky.
"B-Bishop Ria!" Seeing the point of light that had suddenly appeared in the sky, Ertai finally succumbed to his injuries and lost consciousness.
"Thank you for all your efforts, Ertai!" Ria said, hurriedly appearing beside him and catching him.
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