In front of the dark, damp forest cave, the Witch Cult's temporary stronghold exuded a decaying aura. Suddenly, a maniacal laugh echoed from the shadows of the cave. A green-haired man slowly emerged, walking with exaggerated strides. His thin figure was wrapped in a tattered robe, and a grotesque smile stretched across his pale face. He took a deep, intoxicated breath.
"Ah~ What a rich favor! What an intoxicating fragrance!" His voice fluctuated, like the jarring sound of a broken instrument.
His gaze fixed on the solitary figure not far ahead. The black-haired girl stood quietly, her pupils shimmering with a strange light in the sun.
"Welcome! Favored believer!" He suddenly spread his arms, his robe unfurling like bat wings. "I am the Witch Cult's Archbishop of Sin in charge of Sloth, Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti..."
"Desu!"
Subaru stepped forward expressionlessly, her voice calm. "Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you for the first time, esteemed Archbishop of Sin." She curtsied slightly, her black hair falling to cover half her face. "If my body and soul pass this Trial, will I be qualified to become one of the Archbishop's Fingers?"
A smile tugged at her lips. "If so... that would be my highest honor."
Sloth's body suddenly arched backward, almost breaking his spine at an exaggerated angle. He covered his mouth, letting out choked sobs. "Ugh... ugh ugh..." Suddenly, he maniacally grabbed his hair, tearing at it forcefully. "How... how wonderful! What sublime faith!"
Tears streamed down his contorted face. "For a devout believer like you... I actually let you come to me! What an... what an act of Sloth!"
With that, he suddenly turned and slammed himself with all his might against the stone wall beside the cave. "Bang!" Amidst the dull thud, blood immediately gushed from his forehead. But he seemed to feel no pain, continuing to strike madly.
"Please forgive me! Please forgive my Sloth! Please forgive me! Please forgive me! Please forgive me! Please forgive me! Please forgive me! Please forgive me! Please forgive me! Please forgive me!"
Crushed stones and dust fell with his movements, and blood left shocking marks on the rock face.
A 'understanding' smile appeared on Subaru's face. "It's alright, Archbishop of Sin." Her voice was as gentle as a mother coaxing a child. "We are equally bathed in the favor of the Witch, and today's encounter... must be the arrangement of fate."
Sloth's body trembled violently. His withered fingers dug deep into his messy green hair, tearing at it frantically.
"No! No no no!" His voice was so sharp it almost cracked, and his eyeballs protruded unnaturally. "I cannot forgive my Sloth! I cannot forgive this foolishness! Oh, Witch, please punish this unworthy servant!"
Subaru leaned forward slightly, her voice suddenly becoming soft and seductive. "I understand the Archbishop of Sin's feelings, but... instead of punishing yourself, how about completing the Trial properly? If the benevolent Witch saw her beloved believer injured... she would surely be very sad."
"The Witch... would be sad?" Sloth's movements suddenly froze. His expression was twisted as if struck by lightning. A moment later, an exaggerated look of ecstasy bloomed on his face. "That's right! You are absolutely right! That's right! The Trial! The most important thing now is to complete the Trial!" He danced around, waving his arms and legs.
He dashed within two meters of Subaru, then abruptly stopped and bowed deeply. "Thank you for your guidance! Devout believer!" His forehead almost touched the ground. "After hearing your words, I am completely sober! Thank you! Thank you! This must be the Witch's guidance!"
A faint, cold smile played on Subaru's lips. In the previous loop, she had fully understood this madman's true nature; they were here for Emilia. Now, it was time to reel them in.
"By the way, Archbishop of Sin, please look at this." She slowly took out the hidden magic device. As she operated it, the device revealed a small mirror embedded inside, a trophy she had taken from a Witch Cult spy.
Sloth approached confusedly, his cloudy eyes rolling. "This is..."
The mirror surface suddenly lit up, and Felix's smiling face with cat ears clearly appeared. "Oh! We have a picture! We have a picture!" His lively voice came through the magic device. "Is this the Archbishop of Sin? He really is just like the rumors..." The cat-eared boy made a face, "...a scary face."
Sloth's body stiffened abruptly. He staggered back two steps, the confusion on his face gradually replaced by ferocity. "You... you all..." His voice began to tremble. "Who exactly are you?! What do you want to do?!"
"This." Subaru's crisp snap cut through the air.
In an instant, the unique cry of a Earth dragon echoed through the forest. Patrasche burst out of the bushes like an arrow, her strong hind legs unleashing astonishing power. Sloth didn't even have time to turn before he was violently knocked flying by the enraged Earth dragon.
"Boom!" His body slammed heavily against the cave's stone wall, raising a cloud of dust. Patrasche raised her head, letting out a triumphant roar.
"Excellent work, Patrasche! The surprise attack plan is a great success!" Subaru excitedly patted the Earth dragon's sturdy neck, and Patrasche let out a pleased rumble.
The knocked-flying Sloth staggered up from the pile of rubble, blood seeping from his green hair, staining half of his twisted face. When he finally realized he had been completely tricked, his entire face contorted with rage.
"What?! A surprise attack?!" His voice was so sharp it almost cracked. "You dare... you dare to fool my devout heart of faith! Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable!"
As he shrieked hysterically, several pitch-black giant hands suddenly extended from the void behind him. These terrifying limbs, formed from shadows, clawed and lunged at Subaru.
Subaru nimbly flipped onto Patrasche, who instinctively made a side leap, perfectly dodging the incoming giant hands. The black limbs slammed heavily onto the ground, kicking up dust and rubble.
Sloth's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?! Why?! Why can you see my authority?!" His voice trembled with shock. "This is clearly... my unique favor!"
Subaru ripped off her mask of feigned piety, revealing a bright, provocative smile. "Who knows?" She deliberately drew out her words. "Perhaps your beloved Witch allowed it? It seems... the Witch's favor for me is far greater than for you."
"You... what did you say?!" Sloth's body trembled violently, and the black giant hands writhed uneasily in the air. "You mean... the Witch's favor for me... is not as much as for you, this traitor?!"
"Shut up!" Subaru rolled her eyes impatiently. "What traitor? I was never one of you!"
With that, she sharply pulled the reins. "Go! Patrasche!" The Earth dragon immediately understood her master's intention, its powerful hind legs unleashing astonishing force as it dashed into the depths of the forest like an arrow.
"Damn it!!" Sloth let out a heart-wrenching roar. Several black giant hands quickly enveloped his thin body, lifting him into the air. He hugged his legs like an angry child, chasing in the direction Subaru had fled with astonishing speed. "Don't think... don't think you can escape!"
Subaru glanced back at the madman in hot pursuit. "Charge! Patrasche! Faster!"
Patrasche's golden eyes gleamed with reassuring calmness. Even as the constant crashing sound of trees being torn apart by the black giant hands echoed behind them, the intelligent Earth dragon showed no panic. She nimbly weaved through the dense forest, each turn precisely avoiding obstacles, gradually widening the distance from her pursuers.
"Sorry for always troubling you..." Subaru leaned close to the Earth dragon's neck. "You're the best partner, Patrasche!"
The Earth dragon seemed to understand her master's praise, letting out a joyful snort and increasing her speed.
"Too naive! It's over!!" Sloth's maniacal shriek pierced the sky. Suddenly, dozens of black-robed Witch Cultists burst out of the forest ahead, their eyes glowing with fanatical red light, their weapons glinting coldly, attacking Patrasche from all directions!
"Al Huma!"
A clear, cold female voice suddenly rang out. Dozens of crystal-clear ice lances instantly condensed in the air, refracting colorful light in the sunlight. These deadly ice crystals whistled past with astonishing precision, each one accurately piercing the heart of a Witch Cultist. Before blood could splatter, it froze into red ice crystals, and the black-robed figures fell stiffly, one after another.
Subaru turned back in surprise, only to see Rem riding a red Earth dragon, galloping from behind. The blue-haired maid's skirt fluttered in the air.
"Oh! You're a great help, Rem!"
"You're welcome!" Rem's voice was firm yet gentle. "Carlisle and the others are almost done with their work. As for the Witch Cultists here..." She tightened her grip on her Morning Star slightly. "Leave them to Rem!"
With that, she looked up at the eerie figure in the sky. The Sloth Archbishop of Sin was suspended mid-air in a ridiculous posture, his green hair wildly dancing in the wind, his face contorted beyond human recognition.
But Rem only glanced briefly before focusing her attention entirely on the Witch Cultists in the forest. She lightly kicked the Earth dragon's flank, and the Earth dragon immediately understood its rider's intention, charging quickly into the enemy crowd. The Morning Star arced gracefully through the air, leaving a trail of blood and gore in its wake.
Sloth watched the sight of his carefully cultivated cultists being unilaterally slaughtered, the madness in his eyes gradually replaced by disbelief. Further away, he could also see the Iron Fang mercenaries and Crusch's soldiers systematically clearing out his subordinates. The location of every stronghold, the arrangement of every ambush, had been precisely anticipated and broken.
"What do you want to do?! What do you want to do?!" His voice became sharp and piercing with hysteria.
Subaru ignored Sloth's hysterical roars behind her, Patrasche's powerful rhythm thudding on the forest floor. The Earth dragon nimbly avoided tangled roots and low-hanging branches, her pupils gleaming with composure.
Suddenly, the dense forest ahead opened up. A wide clearing appeared before them, ending in a steep cliff, at the bottom of which stood countless sharp stone spikes.
"This is...!" Sloth, suspended in the air, abruptly halted. Several black giant hands writhed uneasily. His cloudy eyes rolled, surveying the strange location.
Subaru nimbly leaped off Patrasche's back. She turned around, looking directly at the madman in mid-air. "The ending place I carefully chose for you, what do you think? Are you satisfied?" Her voice held a mocking laugh.
Sloth slowly descended to the ground, the black giant hands gently placing him in the center of the clearing. He tilted his head, his neck making an unnatural 'creak' sound. "Your intention... was to lure me here?" He suddenly grinned. "So, what kind of... special'surprise' have you prepared?"
A triumphant smile played on Subaru's lips.
"People you'll never like... and people you've never beaten once."
She paused deliberately. "But, I absolutely love this job, you know."
Sloth frowned in confusion, about to speak-
Suddenly, a sound of rushing air came from high above!
A figure enveloped in dazzling magical light leaped from the top of the cliff. Purple hair fluttered in the wind, and a pure white knight's uniform was spotless. The person crashed heavily onto the ground like a meteor, the impact creating a ring of dust that spread outwards.
When the dust cleared, the purple-haired knight stood tall, his long sword glinting coldly in his hand, pointing directly at Sloth's throat.
"You are...!" Sloth's pupils contracted violently.
"Julius Juukulius, of the Knights Order of the Kingdom of Lugunica. I shall be the Kingdom's sword that slays you!"
Note- This time Sloth is done for.
...
Re@d adv@nce 80 ch@pters on p@t
guilt_free_daoist
Jo!n d!sc0rd I!nk in synops!s.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.