Chapter 103
Chapter 103: Is It Open Just Because It’s Open?
“Hmph! Human child!”
Just as Semira was about to touch the Holy Sword, Iris slapped her back to the ground.
Not even the Holy Knight could hope to contest with her.
Struggling to rise from the swirling dust, Semira grit her teeth and looked up at the red-haired dragon as she reached for the Holy Sword.
“No!!!”
Suddenly, the Holy Sword emitted a powerful repulsive force, pushing Iris’s hand away.
Semira’s expression shifted from despair to joy.
A notification echoed in her mind.
[A world-class leyline sacred object requires a key to unlock and then must undergo a soul binding to be truly obtained.]
“I’m coming!”
Another silver figure leaped forward and grasped the Holy Sword.
Semira’s expression quickly reversed again.
“How could this be? How can a dragon have a system?”
Naya held the golden Holy Sword, her eyes filled with admiration.
“Dragon, put down the Holy Sword!”
As Naya grasped the sword, Semira dashed to Illya’s side, drawing her wooden sword and pointing it at Illya.
“Otherwise, I’ll kill your daughter!”
Naya landed lightly on the ground.
Holding the Holy Sword, she looked at Semira, who had the wooden sword, and couldn’t help but wonder if this little girl was joking.
Illya stood frozen in place, her pink eyes glistening with a hint of pleading.
“Semira, let me explain. My mother needs the sacred object, my sister needs it. My mother needs it to save my sister. Please, just let us have it!”
“Let? Do you know what you’re saying? Illya, this is the spoils my mother fought hard to obtain, it shouldn’t be taken by you thieves!”
“But… this… my mother could also kill that Black Knight. This isn’t stealing. It’s a strategy. The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. How can a strategy be considered stealing? It’s called contention. Besides, the Black Knight was originally letting your mother win.”
“It’s still stealing. You’ve disappointed me, Illya. I thought you were an honest person.”
Tears shimmered in Semira’s eyes.
She didn’t want to become enemies with Illya, but she needed this Holy Sword.
She needed to take her mother’s place as the Holy Knight and restore the knightly glory of the Cassimir family.
Illya took a deep breath, raised her hand, and pointed her index finger at Semira.
“Then, Semira, let’s duel! If you can defeat me, I’ll give you the Holy Sword!”
“Illya!” Naya called out anxiously.
But Illya’s gaze was resolute.
“Mother, I will definitely convince Semira! I want this group of weak humans to see the difference between humans and dragons!”
“Then come!”
Semira gripped her wooden sword tightly, the knightly radiance enchanting her Holy Sword.
“Wrath of the Evil Dragon! Awooo!!!”
Illya spread her arms and instantly transformed into a nearly two-meter-tall pink dragon, flapping her wings and swooping down towards Semira.
“Ha!”
The light sword struck Illya’s foreleg, and Illya grasped the blade.
The sword light didn’t injure her in the slightest.
“Semira, you can’t possibly defeat us! I am a Dragon Princess!”
“Dragon Princess?!”
As Semira was taken aback, Illya flapped her wings and sent Semira flying.
Having learned some human combat techniques from reading manga, Illya was no longer as timid as she had been when facing Leo for the first time.
Semira rolled on the ground for several laps but stood up again with determination.
“Damn…”
Semira felt pain all over her body.
But she couldn’t back down.
“The Holy Sword is mine!”
She swung the light sword again at Illya.
“Dragon’s Tail Swipe!”
Once again, Semira was swept away by Illya’s tail.
“Dragon Breath!”
Roar!!!
Pink flames erupted from Illya’s open mouth, hitting Semira, who had been flung into the air.
“Ah!!!”
The youthful scream echoed, but Illya showed no mercy, continuing to bombard Semira with her breath attack.
“Knight’s Radiance Slash!”
Enduring the burning pain, Semira emulated her mother and unleashed a beam of sword light that broke through Illya’s dragon breath.
However, in the next moment, she felt a gust of wind approaching. Looking up, Illya was already above her.
Semira could only raise her wooden sword to defend herself in panic.
“Bang!”
Semira was blasted away by Illya’s pressure, rolling several meters before landing in the dirt, her silver skirt armor now covered in grime.
From beginning to end, it was a one-sided beating from Illya.
Semira stood up once more, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Illya didn’t immediately pursue her but softly called Semira’s name.
“Semira.”
“Don’t pity me!” Semira tightened her grip on the broken wooden sword, light radiating from her hand. “I must obtain the sacred object!”
Watching the two children entangled in battle again, Naya looked down at the golden Holy Sword.
[Host, don’t bind the Holy Sword. Otherwise, it will become yours. We need the energy of the sacred object, not the object itself.]
[Then what should I do?]
[Wait a moment.]
“Iris, keep an eye on Illya, don’t let her get counterattacked.”
In the area, there were not just Semira and Illya, there was also the exhausted Holy Knight and the trio of heroes eyeing the Holy Sword hungrily.
“Okay.”
Even though Illya was overwhelming Semira throughout, Semira was still a human with a system.
There might still be some secret move she hadn’t revealed.
It could serve as training for Illya, they needed to be cautious to avoid any mishaps during training.
[Host, please close your eyes.]
[What are you going to do?]
[I want to deconstruct the Holy Sword.]
[Okay.]
Naya closed her eyes, and faint white light particles began to emerge from her body.
This time, the Earth Vein Sacred Artifact would belong to no one.
Gradually, the Holy Sword returned to its original form, a brown fruit, which began to float up from the palm of Naya’s hand.
Suddenly, the brown fruit began to spin violently.
Everyone present could clearly feel the surge of Earth Vein energy.
The brown fruit was absorbing the Earth Vein energy.
Above Naya’s head, it resembled a black hole, continuously accumulating the surrounding energy.
Although the Earth Vein energy had no physical form, a fierce wind was swirling around, with dust and leaves swirling within a ten-meter radius.
Demi, who dared not act recklessly, stared dumbfounded at the changes taking place.
Where did the Holy Sword go? The Holy Sword… reverted?
The Paladin struggled to sit up, looking up at the brown fruit above Naya’s head, momentarily confused.
Semira and Illya also temporarily ceased fighting, watching as the brown fruit absorbed the surrounding energy.
If one were to fly high above and look down upon this land, they would surely see that the mist surrounding the forest was steadily shrinking.
“Ugh! Ugh!!!”
The figure of the Black Knight suddenly charged through the sky.
The Black Knight was not dead!
The unicorn had sprouted black wings, circling the vortex of energy in the air, yet it was still being gradually pulled in closer by the brown fruit.
Semira heard the Black Knight’s mournful cry.
“Semira, stop her! She wants to absorb all the Earth Vein energy!”
Semiya stood up and shouted at Semira.
“Mother… I…”
Semira clutched her wooden sword, tears welling up in her eyes.
“I am too weak, I have no power…”
“Paladin, I finally found you! What is this?!!”
The other Casimir knights who had lost their way, like Flanna and Bella, finally found their way back as the brown fruit absorbed the Earth Vein energy and destroyed the distorted Earth Vein space.
As they burst into this area, they witnessed this scene, where both the dragon race and the Paladin were present.
“Knights, reclaim the glory that belongs to us humans! Don’t let the dragon race steal the Earth Vein Sacred Artifact!”
Semiya stood up and commanded the three Casimir knights.
“Yes! Paladin!”
The three knights drew their swords and charged toward Naya.
“Hmph! You must get past me first!”
Iris did not hold back, transforming directly into a giant red dragon, flapping her wings to blow them away.
“Roar!!!”
Iris spewed her breath, creating a defensive wall around her.
The airwaves surged outward, repeatedly sweeping the Casimir knights away, protecting Naya and allowing her to gather the surrounding Earth Vein energy.
On the other side, Demi was also attacked by the residual breath from Iris, she no longer wanted to watch the battle of gods, as it was impossible for her to claim the Sacred Artifact.
She might as well slip away quietly.
“Lansani, let’s go.”
She turned to Lansani and helped the severely injured Wolrit, the scorching gusts from the dragon’s breath occasionally hitting them.
Demi took slow steps away from the conflict.
She glanced back reluctantly at the brown Earth Vein fruit.
“Goodbye…”
The fierce winds continued to swirl as Demi and her two teammates walked against the wind.
Suddenly, Demi saw the Black Knight in the sky, riding the unicorn, speeding up the rotation.
In the end, he raised the black spear in his hand high and, before being sucked into the brown fruit, threw the black spear, piercing Semira’s body directly.
“Wait!”
She stopped her teammates, unable to suppress her curiosity, and once again paused to look at the golden-haired girl pierced in the chest by the black spear.
“Semira!”
Illya shouted anxiously.
Semira felt incredulous about her ambush, but why was there no feeling of pain?
She lowered her head, wanting to touch the black spear on her chest.
At the moment her tender palm made contact with the black spear, it transformed into black mist and dissipated.
There was no wound on her body.
As the energy surged within her, Semira suddenly understood.
“Lord Radiant Knight, I understand…”
She looked up, gazing at Illya.
The whirlwind stirred by the absorption of Earth Vein energy ruffled her dust-covered golden hair.
“I am too weak. Compared to the dragon race, I truly am no match, even if I have the system to assist me. I still feel that the dragon race is an existence beyond reach for humanity. But now I understand! I understand everything! Humans should not feel ashamed of being human, they should accept their humanity, so…”
Semira paused, her eyes shining.
“Once I accept my weakness, I will become… invincible.”
She tossed aside the wooden sword.
Joining her hands together.
“Domain Unfolded!”
Chirp!!!
Jet-black rays erupted from Semira’s chest, enveloping the scenery around her like splashed ink.
“What’s happening?”
Illya looked around in a bit of a panic.
At this moment, she was in a chaotic space, with debris and ruins floating around.
In the center was a stone-bricked platform, and further out was a void of purple nothingness.
“Come forth, King!”
Semira raised her hand, and a suit of silver armor towering ten meters appeared behind her, its hand held a silver flat-headed sword.
“Is it open?”
Illya looked up at the silver armor, which was much taller than her, it was completely hollow inside but stood and moved its limbs like a person.
Semira licked the blood at the corner of her mouth, proudly explaining to Illya.
“This is the armor that the Paladin once wore. It has been remembered by the Earth Vein, and I replicated it using Earth Vein energy.”
“You’re not playing fair! This is the Black Knight giving you external support. Semira, this violates the principle of one-on-one combat! If you want to fight, fight me one-on-one! Summoning armor is no skill!”
Illya was a little anxious.
She has never encountered such a situation.
Moreover, without seeing her Mama and Mother, she suddenly felt insecure.
“This is my weapon, how is it not one-on-one? Illya, now, no one will interrupt us. And I will truly knock you down, Dragon Princess!”
Semira pointed at Illya, just like how Illya had challenged her before.
“Go! King! Defeat this dragon!”
“Dragon’s Breath!”
Illya opened her mouth to spray.
The ten-meter-high silver armor swung its great sword to cleave through the flames, cutting toward her, crashing down upon Illya and sending her flying.
Illya once again felt excruciating pain.
Moreover, she could sense that the power erupting from this armor was extraordinary, even more terrifying than Leo’s super-tier magic.
She nervously swallowed.
She could no longer be careless, if this armor hit her a few more times, Semira might really kill her.
…….
“Where is Illya?”
Naya opened her eyes, suddenly finding her daughter missing.
Iris stared blankly at the place where Illya and Semira had just been.
The large Illya, upon Semira shouting “Domain Unfolded”, was immediately engulfed by the black ink bursting from Semira, and then they both vanished into nothingness.
What on earth is happening?
[Host, I have bad news for you.]
[Say it!]
Naya frowned.
[Semira awakened a new skill after being struck by the Black Knight’s spear. Do you remember the Black Knight’s Reincarnation of Despair? Illya has been taken into it by Semira.]
[What’s going on?]
[The Black Knight is indeed biased towards his junior, going to great lengths to grant his junior a secret skill. Did you not notice? The guardians encountered along the way all had this move, bringing people into the guardians’ domain, within the space folded by Earth Vein energy. It’s just like a secret realm. Just so happens that the Earth Vein Sacred Fruit is absorbing Earth Vein energy, making the concentration of Earth Vein energy around here abnormally high, which Semira cleverly utilized.]
[Is there any solution?]
[Yes, Host. Hurry and eat it. Once the energy is consumed, the Earth Vein space will collapse without the supply of Earth Vein energy.]
[Eat this fruit?]
[Yes.]
Naya raised her hand and grabbed the brown fruit above her head.
She took a big bite.
I’m just going to eat, eat, eat!
No matter what sacred relics, sacred fruits, earth vein energy, or earth vein flowers, for the sake of my daughters, I’ll devour them all in one bite!