Jason had rarely fought with all his strength since breaking through to the Saint level. Back in the Rhine Empire, he had only sparred, and after setting out to travel, Steller was the only Saint-level expert he had encountered. Only when facing a few peak Saint-level experts like Edward did Jason dare attack without holding anything back.
This time, Jason held nothing back either.
Accelerating to his maximum speed, Jason relied on his powerful defenses and charged straight into his opponent.
The fire-element Saint Magus seemed to be preparing some powerful spell and made no attempt to dodge.
Jason slammed straight into the Ring of Fire surrounding him, setting off a violent explosion.
The blast sent Jason flying off to the side, while the Saint Magus completed his spell, "Meteor Shower," at the last moment.
Flaming meteors struck the water-element shield with a hiss.
"Fire Element," Jason concluded.
"Fire Element" was a lesser fire-attribute Profound Mystery, common among fire mages. By controlling the fire elements around them, they could cast fire-element spells more quickly and rapidly gather fire elements to speed up their casting. They could also direct fire elements away from their bodies, greatly reducing the damage flames dealt to them.
The spell Jason had been preparing also lit up. It was the "Lightning Movement Technique." Because Jason had gained insight into the "Lightning Flash" Profound Mystery, he could cast the Lightning Movement Technique, a spell that only required the eighth rank to learn, quickly and to great effect.
Empowered by the spell, Jason's speed soared, and he charged at his opponent again.
The Saint Magus seemed to have regained some clarity. Rather than meet him head-on, he flew straight backward.
With the Saint Magus in front and Jason behind, Jason rapidly closed the distance. Yet his opponent was clearly casting faster than Jason had expected.
A terrifying wave of scorching air spread out from the Saint Magus, and countless points of light gathered above him.
A loud cry rang out.
Red wings tinged with gold, crown-like feathers, cold and proud eyes... The terrifying creature was even larger than a dragon, and Jason looked like an ant before the fire phoenix.
Jason didn't stop. He continued his charge.
A Saint Magus's summons would be enhanced by the Profound Mysteries the Saint Magus had comprehended. The speed his opponent had just shown was among the best of the Saint Magi, and this fire phoenix would certainly be faster.
A tremendous surge of the Power of Death erupted from Jason. Though its strength quickly diminished over the considerable distance, it briefly plunged his opponent's already somewhat abnormal mind into a stupor.
Without the Saint Magus directing it, the fire phoenix charged straight at Jason.
In one sustained effort, Jason sent his Battle-qi surging out of his body like water bursting through a dam. He thrust his blade, unexpectedly unleashing the "Profound Mysteries of Ice" that he had long been unable to comprehend. The flames on the fire phoenix's chest rapidly dimmed.
Jason plunged into the fire phoenix. After a momentary pause, his figure burst through the obstruction, wreathed in firelight and steaming with mist, and charged relentlessly toward the Saint Magus.
The fire phoenix did not dissipate, but it was too late for it to stop him.
The Saint Magus had just recovered from the soul attack. When he saw the fiendish figure, he seemed to recall something and, like an ordinary person, screamed and raised his arms over his head to shield himself.
Seeing this, Jason shifted his blade slightly.
Just then, several beams of light moved faster than Jason and barred his way to the Saint Magus.
His straight blade, imbued with Battle-qi, struck the beams, unleashing a violent shock wave that sent the Saint Magus behind them flying.
"Stop." The beams came from a refined-looking middle-aged man.
Another woman appeared beside him, a beautiful woman with a cool, aloof air. She pointed a slender finger at the fire phoenix, and powerful water elements gathered around it, rapidly draining the energy from the fire phoenix, which no longer had anyone directing it.
It was the ninth-rank Water Element spell "Icebound," also a prerequisite for the forbidden spell "Absolute Zero."
"My apologies. My friend Hayward suffered the loss of his contracted partner in the Necropolis of the Gods some time ago. The killer was a demon, so he lost his composure somewhat upon seeing you," the refined middle-aged man explained.
A burly Saint Warrior caught the Saint Magus called Hayward.
Jason was a little angry, but when he thought the man might be Desri, he had no choice but to swallow his anger. "It's all right. Let's just call it a spar."
Jason looked for Veronica and confirmed that she was unhurt.
Noticing Jason's gaze, Desri said, "Please come with us to Hermit Village, so that we can receive you properly."
They landed with the others leading the way, and Veronica had already come over to meet them.
Seeing Veronica, Desri smiled. "A Dragonblood Warrior of the Baruch Clan. I haven't seen one in over a thousand years, not since I went into seclusion."
Veronica frowned. "Sorry, I'm not a member of the Baruch Clan."
"Oh?" Desri raised an eyebrow. "I'm Desri, and this is my wife, Cecily. The man from before is Hayward."
"I'm Jason Rhine. This is my wife, Veronica, and our companion, Linda. We were traveling through the area and had heard of Hermit Village, so we came to pay a visit."
Cecily's expression had been icy moments before, but it softened somewhat as she faced Veronica. "My husband and I fought alongside a Dragonblood Warrior of the Baruch Clan in our younger days. Oh, Desri was once a leader of the Radiant Church."
Veronica had been anxiously checking Jason for injuries, but at Cecily's words, her expression instantly darkened.
"Heh." Veronica gave a cold laugh. "First, I have nothing to do with the Baruch Clan anymore. Second, the Radiant Church certainly doesn't hesitate to kill the descendants of its allies."
For the first time, Desri's ever-composed expression changed. "May I ask what happened between the Baruch Clan and the Radiant Church?"
"Hmph. The Baruch Clan was nearly wiped out."
With that, Veronica turned and walked out of the village, leaving Desri staring after her in bewilderment.
Jason followed behind his wife.
Veronica's current state could not be affected by any outside factors, and Linda had tactfully flown off into the distance.
Veronica suddenly stopped. Jason silently stopped as well, waiting for the red-haired girl to erupt.
Veronica suddenly turned and threw herself into Jason's arms.
She crashed into him with all her strength, making his chest ache, but he gently stroked his beloved's back.
"I didn't cry."
"I know."
"I wasn't worried about you."
"You were worried about me."
After a moment of silence, she said, "I have nothing to do with the Baruch Clan."
"I know."
"You're the only family I have left. Don't leave me."
"I won't leave."
A longer silence followed. "I really don't want to have children."
After a brief silence, he said, "All right."
Veronica quickly added, "You can find other women. I don't mind."
"I do."
They fell silent again.
The damp patch on Jason's chest no longer seemed to be growing.
"I'm all right now." Veronica still didn't get up.
Jason stroked her hair. "If I had, during the fight just now-ah, never mind."
Jason dropped the subject. He felt it wasn't right to make that kind of joke.
"If you had died then, I would have fled, permanently transformed into a Dragonblood Warrior, and completely abandoned my human identity. I would have trained until my human form reached the Saint level too, and then killed everyone in Hermit Village." Veronica's voice was resolute.