It's been a while since I have included the character status. So, here is the current Main Character Status.
[Host: Daniel Cross]
[Body Constitution: Thunder Body]
[Exorcist Level: Radiant Sovereign (Lesser Ascendant Order)]
[Skills:]
[Sanctum Blade Technique: Fourth Tier]
[Prayer Seal Crafting Art: Fifth Tier]
[Spiritual Perception Technique: Fourth Tier]
[Rite of Divine Empowerment: Fifth Tier]
[Artifact Forging Art: Fourth Tier]
[Sacred Alchemical Transmutation: Fourth Tier]
[Five Thunder Doctrine: Fifth Tier] (Celestial Thunder, Terran Thunder, Abyssal Thunder, Pyric Thunder, and Tempest Thunder)
[Doctrine of Arcane Geometry: Fifth Tier]
[Spells:]
[Divine Incantation for for Purifying Souls]
[Golden Aegis Rite]
[Inner Sanctification Rite]
[Body Absolution Rite]
[Seven Lamps of Dominion Rite]
[Merit Points: 495,700]
---
[Chapter 201: Annabelle]
Daniel calmly withdrew his arm and looked around. The temperature inside the house was several degrees cooler than outside, and a faint scent of sulfur lingered in the air.
"Take me to see it," he said.
Liv Tyler nodded nervously, trembling as she led Daniel up to the second floor, stopping at her bedroom door.
"It's... it's right inside. I don't dare go in," she whispered, shrinking back behind him.
Daniel pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The bedroom was spacious and warmly decorated, but the curtains were tightly drawn, casting the room in dim light. His gaze immediately locked onto a rocking chair in the corner.
Sitting there was a doll over one and a half a feet tall.
It wore a vintage white wedding dress, had two bright red braided pigtails, and exaggerated blush painted on its porcelain face. Its large glass eyes stared straight at the doorway. A strange, stiff smile curled at the corners of its mouth.
The moment Daniel saw the doll clearly, his pupils constricted sharply. This wasn't Chucky, nor was it Bill. This was -- Annabelle.
Damn it. How could it be this thing?
Daniel's heart tightened.
As a Transmigrater, he knew all too well just how deep the darkness behind this doll ran. This wasn't a simple case of possession by a vengeful spirit.
Behind Annabelle lurked the infamous Ram Cult. And the goat god in occultism often pointed to a terrifying existence -- Satan.
Whether this was Satan's incarnation on earth or some Devil King-level demon from Hell, this was no ordinary doll.
If it were just a common evil spirit, Daniel would have destroyed it casually. But with a Devil King or Satan himself involved, the stakes were completely different.
Though he was already a Radiant Sovereign of the Lesser Ascendant Order and a powerful figure in the mortal realm, going toe-to-toe with a true Devil King or mythic creature like Satan was pure suicide.
"Sorry, I can't help with this one," Daniel said without hesitation, turning to leave.
"Miss Liv Tyler, I suggest you move out immediately or find a Cardinal from the Vatican," he warned.
Liv Tyler was stunned. She hadn't expected this great Exorcist, who had been so calm just a moment ago, to want to run after a single glance at the doll.
"Mr. Cross, I beg you..."
Before she could finish, a raspy, low laugh -- like two fingernails scraping one another -- abruptly filled the room.
Bang!
The bedroom door slammed shut behind him.
He heard the distinct 'click' of the lock turning.
The lights flickered wildly before sputtering out with a faint sizzle.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Only the spot where the doll sat glowed with an eerie red light.
"I originally only wanted the soul of a pure woman as a sacrifice for my Great Master..." the doll's voice began slowly.
Its head turned, neck cracking with a tooth-grinding 'crack-crack.' The stiff glass eyes had turned blood-red, burning with greed and malice.
It stared fixedly at Daniel, like a starving beggar spotting a royal feast.
"But now... I've changed my mind."
The doll slowly levitated from the rocking chair, thick black energy pulsing from its form, instantly filling the room.
"What a powerful soul... such pure power..." its voice grew excited, tinged with madness. "If I sacrifice you to the master... the great Lord Aries might even descend directly into the mortal world! Your soul is an exquisite delicacy!"
Daniel froze, his back still to the doll, his expression darkening.
He hadn't intended to cause trouble.
But this thing not only refused to let him leave -- it lusted after his very body?
That was intolerable.
"You want to consume me?" Daniel asked, slowly turning around.
The wariness in his eyes shifted into cold, deadly intent.
"Just because I don't want to provoke whatever master is behind you doesn't mean I'm afraid of a lapdog like you."
"Arrogant human!" Annabelle shrieked.
The surrounding furniture exploded instantly into a storm of fragments, sharp blades wrapped in black energy, shooting at Daniel like a torrential rain.
At the same time, a powerful mental assault stabbed directly at his mind, attempting to seize control of his soul.
"Trivial tricks," Daniel snorted coldly.
He stomped his foot.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Streams of raw Earth energy surged upward, colliding with the incoming shards.
The fragments and dark energy shattered into fragments as well.
"Hmm--!" Annabelle seemed surprised. "You... how are you so strong?"
"This is only the beginning," Daniel said as he raised his right hand.
Lightning crackled within his palm.
"Five Thunder Doctrine!"
He shouted low, and muffled thunder rumbled through the enclosed room.
"No! What is this power?!" Annabelle cried out, feeling a fatal threat.
The aura of pure light energy and righteousness made it tremble instinctively.
"Strike!"
Daniel crushed his palm down.
Crack!
A blinding silver bolt of lightning, like a wild dragon, struck the floating doll.
Bang!
The fragile figure didn't last a second before exploding into dust.
A ghastly phantom wearing a tattered dress flickered into view, emanating streaks of black energy.
Covered in black smoke, its body shimmered and grew transparent under the lightning, clearly badly wounded.
"Ahh!" Liv Tyler-Taylor screamed in fear, quickly ducking behind Daniel.
"Damn you! Damn you! Just wait -- the master won't let you off!" Annabelle screamed in terror.
It had finally met an opponent beyond its power. This Exorcist was practically a walking thunderstorm!
The spirit didn't dare linger. Turning into a plume of black smoke, it fled frantically toward the window.
"Trying to escape?" Daniel's eyes froze ice-cold as he clenched his right hand once more.
"Did I say you could leave?"
Rumble!
This time, five bolts of lightning, each as thick as a child's arm, tore through the air from five directions.
They sealed every escape route, forming an electric cage.
"No! Please, have mercy!" Annabelle screamed in desperation, begging for life.
"Too late."
Daniel clenched his fist.
The five bolts crashed into the center all at once.
Boom!
Amid the deafening thunder, Annabelle didn't have time for a last curse before being utterly annihilated, its soul shattering to nothing.
Silence returned to the room.
The lights flickered twice, then stabilized.
Only a pile of powder on the floor proved the brutal battle had truly happened.
[Ding! Killed a D-class ghost soul, gained 500,000 merit points.]
Daniel withdrew his hand, adjusted his slightly rumpled collar, and looked down at the stunned Liv Tyler-Taylor.
"It's settled," he said flatly. "Remember to settle the payment."
*****
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