Volume 1 Chapter 538

Chapter 538: You Might Die if This Light Orb Hits You

A soft female voice accompanied the sudden appearance of a figure standing very close by.

She materialized three meters away from Lolth, clad in a stealth suit that accentuated her curves.

Lolth observed her stance and narrowed her eyes slightly.

Three meters is a rather ambiguous distance.

For most Superoperators, this is nearly the range within which most attack techniques and skills can be effective.

Whether a Fighter or a Mage, three meters signifies the boundary for the "optimal starting position" before a battle.

Although the other party was being polite during the negotiation, Lolth fully understood.

This person was prepared to engage in combat with her.

Given the circumstances, Lolth saw no need to extend any courtesy.

After all, Lolth harbored little affection for those from the Golden Peacock Kingdom.

Though Dorothy seldom spoke of her king, Lolth could easily infer that Dorothy held no fondness for her "hometown" or "relatives."

Based on her investigations and the rumors she had heard, Lolth quickly reached a conclusion.

That is, the royal family and nobles of the Golden Peacock Kingdom treated Dorothy in a manner that could hardly be described as friendly.

And at times, Lolth could be quite straightforward.

If you mistreat my disciple, then I naturally won’t show you any kindness.

So, as she listened to the other party’s questioning, Lolth adopted a haughty posture.

"What, does The Church of Light need to seek permission from you, the Golden Peacock, to handle its affairs?"

As Lolth spoke, she tightened her grip on the Rod of Eden.

She regarded the woman before her with a gaze as if she were looking at trash.

The other party, however, was not angered; instead, she shook her head with utmost seriousness.

"No, Your Excellency… We have no intention of meddling in the internal affairs of The Church of Light."

"But similarly, the young girl you have with you… is a royal member of the Golden Peacock, the sole descendant of Her Majesty the Queen, Princess Dorothy."

"Is it not somewhat overreaching to keep her by your side without consent?"

"I am aware that Your Excellency holds a significant position within The Church of Light, but is The Church of Light truly prepared to bear the consequences of antagonizing us, the Golden Peacock?"

The woman in the stealth suit spoke with measured calm, yet her words were laced with threats.

Even though The Church of Light is the most powerful church on the continent and one of the foremost powers, it must tread carefully when confronting another top-tier power like the Golden Peacock Kingdom!

After all, this is a realm founded by those who bear the blood of heroes. Even disregarding their amicable relations with the elves and the Wizard Association, the mere fact that they seized their territory from South Sotua speaks volumes.

This is certainly not a force to be trifled with.

Especially since, in some respects, Lolth is at a disadvantage.

No matter how harshly they treat Dorothy, this is indeed an internal matter for the Golden Peacock, even a family affair.

Regardless, it is not Lolth’s place to interfere as an outsider.

Even if the Director of the Heretic Tribunal were standing here, they would have to think carefully about whether to truly confront the Golden Peacock Kingdom.

But…

Lolth is not.

She isn’t even a member of The Church of Light.

So, after a brief consideration, Lolth reached a conclusion.

Even if The Church of Light were to clash with Golden Peacock, what concern is it of hers?

She neither likes The Church of Light nor the Golden Peacock Kingdom.

Thus, Lolth’s stance grew even more resolute.

"Holy Light guides me; I believe she has a connection with The Church of Light," Lolth used the typical excuse of a charlatan, beginning her argument and turning the blame back on the other party, "Moreover… I don’t believe you in the Golden Peacock Kingdom treated her well."

"Otherwise, I wouldn’t have found her near the demon race’s territory, on the brink of death."

Lolth spoke lightly, her tone tinged with a hint of dissatisfaction.

And this was the actual state in which she had found Dorothy.

"This is a matter for our Golden Peacock…"

The woman across reiterated, but her tone had noticeably weakened.

"Really? I beg to differ."

Lolth suddenly stepped forward, closing the distance to within three meters of her opponent.

"In my view, Dorothy has suffered betrayal and abandonment, abuse and attempted murder."

"Our supreme scripture records this."

"’We must not turn a blind eye to the innocent in peril, nor remain idle in the face of unforgivable crimes.’"

"You claim this individual is your princess, so the current ruler of the Golden Peacock must be her closest kin."

"Regrettably, according to the ‘Judgment Scripture,’ betraying and framing one’s own family are unforgivable crimes."

"What can you, who are steeped in sin, possibly say about right and wrong?!"

As Lolth spoke, it was almost a direct indictment of the other party!

And after these words were uttered, they seemed to have struck a nerve with the woman across.

"Enough… you hypocrites from The Church of Light!"

"Your Holy Maiden is also implicated in this matter!"

She exclaimed angrily, then immediately fell silent.

For the woman clad in dark attire had realized her blunder.

To speak ill of the Lady of Light in the presence of The Church of Light members, especially right after the Lady of Light had been captured by the demon race…

It was, without a doubt, a highly imprudent act.

It was akin to insulting the queen in front of the British.

Whether it was a formal occasion or not, this could be considered a significant diplomatic incident.

Of course, Lolth harbored little loyalty toward the Lady of Light, who, despite being somewhat communicative, had brought her a great deal of trouble.

The other party’s words did not anger her.

Yet Lolth was well aware that she "ought" to be angry.

So she gave a gentle shake of her head.

"Oh dear, now the Golden Peacock will have to add the crime of slandering the Holy Maiden to their list."

"But then again, it is rather peculiar that our Her Holiness was captured by the demon race…"

As Lolth spoke, she raised the Rod of Eden in her hand.

"Therefore, it is not unreasonable to regard you as heretics who betrayed the Holy Maiden."

Upon hearing Lolth’s words, the other party could no longer contain herself.

"Unreasonable zealot…"

The resentment that had been building within her during the conversation with Lolth finally erupted at this moment.

Her aura surged abruptly, growing even more formidable, reaching the level of a Legend High Level.

Lolth remained unperturbed.

She had just encountered a Legend High Level Sneaker, one who stood at the pinnacle of Legend Level Sneakers.

Qiong Thorn.

Thus, whether the other party was an assassin, ranger, thief, or something else entirely, Lolth was confident she could handle it.

No one could surpass Qiong in strength.

The residual impact of their battle would not be too severe.

After being weakened by the barrier of the "Sacred Land," the effect on Dorothy would be minimal.

However, Lolth had ultimately underestimated the woman shrouded in stealth attire.

For the other party swiftly drew her weapon.

It was no ordinary weapon but an extraordinary alchemical creation, an enchanted blade.

It emerged slowly from the void behind her, likely stored within some invisible magical storage device.

And this was certainly not a weapon a Sneaker would wield.

A crimson, broad, and heavy sword, taller than a person, resembling a door plank…

A two-handed greatsword.

To be precise, a giant two-handed greatsword.

In that instant, Lolth realized that the other party was no ranger!

Though clad in stealth attire, she was a warrior in disguise!

"Boom!"

As the greatsword was fully drawn, a deafening explosion resounded. The wide, thick blade, adorned with crimson patterns, surged with magical energy, as though invisible flames were blazing upon it.

Even Lolth felt a shiver run down her spine.

This was absolutely, unequivocally not a level where fighting could be allowed to happen here.

The domain constructed by the divine spell "Sacred Land" might withstand the shockwaves from attacks, but if one got too close or the strike was slightly off, and if one wasn’t careful, the outcome could be uncertain.

Because the opponent was a greatsword wielder.

Among warriors, the most devastating kind!

Especially since the opponent’s weapon itself emitted waves of Sacred Tool level.

Without any hesitation, the moment the opponent’s weapon was drawn, Lolth cast a divine spell.

"Holy Blessing!"

But this blessing wasn’t for Dorothy or the Sacred Land; it was for herself.

With a flash of golden light, Lolth didn’t hesitate and immediately emulated Miss Witch Yelixi Flavesima from Black Lake Marsh.

Though she appeared to be a priestess, at her core, she was a spellcaster, and with Holy Blessing, she could also function as a Paladin.

A distance of three meters was negligible for Lolth under the blessing; she closed the gap in an instant.

Although the opponent was a Legend High Level warrior, they were just a step away from the Holy Domain, lacking its field and rules.

Though dangerous, it was far from fatal.

Closing the distance to the opponent was something they hadn’t anticipated.

After all, no spellcaster would do this, unless they were a very special battle mage or a cultivator among priests.

Although the cultivators of The Church of Light are the most renowned, Lolth certainly didn’t seem to be that type.

The woman who had just drawn her greatsword didn’t have time to strike a pose or make her first attack before Lolth closed in on her.

This was actually not her optimal attacking distance!

Moreover, Lolth’s movements were astonishingly fast.

Before she could even block, the woman felt Lolth crash into her chest with her shoulder.

With all of Lolth’s strength and the power of Holy Light from Holy Blessing, she hit the woman in stealth clothing, sending both her and an off-balance Lolth flying backward!

Lolth knocked her down to the ground!

Feeling the tight and springy response from below, Lolth showed no hesitation and struck the back of her head with the Rod of Eden.

"Bang!"

The powerful attack, enough to knock out a Superlative Level opponent, landed hard on the girl’s head, making her let out a muffled groan.

Before the other person could react, Lolth quickly pulled away, increasing the distance between them and moving the battlefield farther from where Dorothy was.

When dealing with an opponent of this level, Lolth knew that fighting up close would not be beneficial, so she planned to catch her off guard rather than engage in a lengthy battle.

Moreover, the reason Lolth chose this risky move was simply to create more distance between her and Dorothy.

After the woman got up, she rubbed her head and stared hard at Lolth.

"With such strength and battle experience, you should not be unknown within The Church of Light, my lady?"

Clearly, the other person did not recognize Lolth’s identity and found it a bit strange.

Lolth understood that this was likely because the other person was probably the leader of the Golden Peacock intelligence agency, or at least a core member of its management.

Among the various powers on the continent, while it’s impossible to know exactly how many high-level fighters there are and who they are, most have a rough idea in their minds.

Especially those who appear battle-hardened.

After all, the more powerful the fighters, the more significant the commotion when they clash. It’s not as if two legendary-level fighters would engage in battles as stealthily as thieves.

Thus, strong fighters with extensive battle experience should generally be well-known to the intelligence personnel and organizations of various powers.

At least, they should be able to make an educated guess.

However, it’s clear that the other side did not anticipate who Lolth was.

At least her strength at the Legend High Level, her vast battle experience, her meddlesome nature, and the position that commands even a bishop to bow…

Coupled with her youthful appearance.

All these easily identifiable factors combined, yet the woman from the Golden Peacock had no clue.

This sounds a lot like the Lady of Light… But everyone knows that the Lady of Light was captured by the demon race!

If it were someone else, they might think it was just a ruse or that Her Holiness had escaped.

However, the Lady of Light has collaborated with the Golden Peacock, so she recognizes the Lady of Light’s appearance and aura!

Who is this person, and why are they helping Dorothy?

She doesn’t believe that the other person is truly motivated by some so-called "sacred texts"!

To hold a high position in the Church of Light, while their faith is unquestionable, there can’t be such rigid and conservative individuals!

Lolth, seeing the other person’s astonished expression, laughed.

"Yes, I’m not just a nobody… But who could it be?"

She whispered this softly and then unlocked the first seal of the Rod of Eden.

Waves of sacred energy burst from the staff, and holy light wrapped around her body like a glowing ribbon.

"Saying this is futile, identity and such are irrelevant, but there is one thing I can tell you…"

As Lolth spoke, a small orb of Holy Light gathered above the Rod of Eden.

"I am here to enlighten you."

She said this while waving the Rod of Eden.

The orb flew toward the woman, not swiftly, but with an unstoppable force.

As she sensed the small orb, resembling a large firefly, getting closer, the Golden Peacock woman’s face changed dramatically.

She quickly tried to dodge, even forgetting to block.

Because she felt…

This light might kill me!