Chapter 176: The Storm Approaches(3)

"So that means the enemy should be hiding there, continuously summoning monsters. There’s no doubt the enemy is a Divine Chosen. If things get dangerous, retreat to the city immediately," Phield said seriously. "Our army will support you as well."

Phield wasn’t the type to dance on a blade’s edge, but if he didn’t take the initiative now, he likely wouldn’t even make it out of Mountain Ape Territory. Even if he did by sheer luck, it would only bring endless trouble later.

"My guess is the enemy hasn’t fully recovered from her injuries, which is why she’s acting cautiously. If she were fully healed, that’s when we’d truly be in trouble. So now—we hit her hard."

"No problem!"

Rosalia lifted her skirt in a salute, hoisted her greatsword, and turned to leave.

Inside a cave somewhere on the mountain—

Grolova and her younger brother lay unconscious on the ground.

Mai paid no attention to her unconscious children and shouted, "Miss Hannah, why did you stop me? I was this close to seducing Phield. I’ve seen countless men—I could tell at a glance he’s a lustful one."

A voice echoed from deep within the cave. "Because his territory is in Nightfall Domain, you idiot."

"That place has nothing but corpses and monsters. How am I supposed to provide pure offerings to the cult leader? How would I even use living humans to heal myself? I doubt he even stays in Nightfall Domain."

"Ah... that..."

Mai fell silent in embarrassment.

"He must be killed. We need to muddy the waters and conceal my existence. I need to move to a different territory."

"What about me?" Mai let out a strange laugh, her face twisted with madness. "I’ve given you nearly everyone in this territory. I deserve something in return. Don’t tell me you plan to leave alone."

"Don’t worry. I am a kind person. I’ve already given you a beautiful new body. I won’t go back on my other promises."

Mai touched her face, nodding thoughtfully.

She was far more beautiful than before.

When Baron Bull came to the territory back then, he hadn’t only met her husband.

"So when can I become a Divine Chosen?"

Mai placed her hands on her hips. "I should be a countess, not living in some backwater."

"You can begin now. Becoming beautiful was only the first step. Now we proceed to the second—open your mind and repeat the incantation after me."

A seductive, bewitching voice echoed through the cave.

"Really? So soon? That’s great—I’ve been waiting forever."

Mai eagerly began chanting along with Hannah.

After a series of strange, mysterious incantations, something dormant seemed to awaken. The cave began to rumble violently as countless tentacles extended from the depths.

"Mai, embrace your rebirth."

A flood of tentacles surged forward. Before Mai could react, they forced their way into every opening of her body.

"Mmm—mmph—!"

"Crack... crack..."

The sound of flesh being chewed followed, enough to make one’s scalp crawl.

"Aaaah! It hurts—stop! Stop!"

"I don’t want to be a Divine Chosen anymore!"

"Please—ahhh!"

In an instant, Mai could no longer endure the agony that tore through both body and soul. It felt as though countless worms were devouring her heart, as if every part of her was being ripped apart.

"Too late, you fool. This body was made for me."

After the chewing ceased, all the tentacles withdrew into Mai’s body. Her convulsing form gradually stilled.

Her eyes opened—revealing a completely different gaze.

She raised a hand, examining her palm. This body was Mai’s—but more precisely, it now belonged to Hannah.

Hannah let out a cold laugh. "If becoming a Divine Chosen were that easy, they’d be everywhere."

Suddenly, a violent pain twisted through her chest. Hannah dropped to one knee.

"Cough—"

She vomited a large pool of blood before finally feeling slightly better. Wiping the corner of her mouth, she stood again. "My injuries are still severe. Damn that war-type Divine Chosen. Does the Sacred Griffin Empire have nothing but muscle-brained idiots? Is there no elegance at all?"

"But first, I’ll kill that little brat from the Ross family. Let’s see how long his army can last. His Divine Chosen should be second-tier—I’ll take her artifact first."

Casually tearing open her sleeve, revealing a flawless pale arm, Hannah bit down hard.

With a flick of her hand, blood splattered onto the ground, forming a grotesque magic circle—its center like an abyss, glowing crimson.

"Third-tier Divine Technique—Gate of Crimson Demons!"

Hannah extended both hands, forming a strange gesture.

"Rooaaar—"

The earth trembled. A massive flesh monstrosity, with bull horns and an octopus-like head, slowly crawled out from the circle. Its crimson eyes, filled with grotesque desire, darted around as the aura of a third-tier being spread outward.

"Take the city below the mountain," Hannah commanded.

"As you wish, Mother."

The crimson demon strode forward and charged down the mountain.

Then a second. A third. More third-tier crimson demons emerged, one after another, moving swiftly downhill.

"Before absolute power—tremble."

Hannah gazed toward Mountain Ape City, shrouded in mist, and sneered.

"...Wait. Mist?" She frowned, rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn’t mistaken. "Why is there fog on a rainy day?"

"Boom!"

A sudden, heart-stopping explosion erupted nearby. The horned crimson demon that had just descended was instantly cleaved in half by an overwhelming force. A black-and-crimson arc of sword energy tore through it, blasting it into pieces.

Hannah’s expression darkened. She licked her blood-red lips in irritation. "So you came to me instead? I let the children casually say I was second-tier, and you actually dared to charge up here. Seeking death."

"Divine Artifact—Ring of Flesh."

Her eyes half-closed as a glowing ring appeared beneath her feet. A crimson mantle of divine power rose like flames, swirling around her body.

The surrounding crimson demons were also strengthened—their skin darkened to a purplish red, their defense visibly enhanced.

"I may not be a combat-type Divine Chosen, but third-tier versus second-tier—the advantage is mine."

Clenching her fist confidently, Hannah waved her hand. A defensive cocoon of writhing tentacles wrapped around the two children before she burst down the mountain.

Near the mountainside—

A graceful figure was slaughtering monsters in a frenzy.

"Endless Severance!"

Rosalia swung her sword with overwhelming force. With each explosive burst of energy, another third-tier crimson demon was obliterated. Streams of bloodlines surged into her body, replenishing her vitality.

"Hah... where are all these sweet treats coming from?"

Rosalia rested her greatsword on her shoulder, eyeing the massive creatures charging down from afar, preparing to strike again.

"Watch out! Something’s coming down fast!"

The black crow in the sky caught only a blurred afterimage. Startled, it shouted a warning.

From long-honed combat instinct, Rosalia reacted the instant Phield’s warning echoed in her mind, gripping the Greatsword of Gluttony and bracing it across her chest.

"Boom!"

A dazzling shockwave erupted, followed by a chain of explosive air bursts.

Hannah’s flaming crimson punch slammed into the Greatsword of Gluttony. The instant the impact rang out, Rosalia spat a stream of blood and was blasted away like a falling star, crashing deep into the forest.