Nolan finally had a moment to catch his breath. He downed a red potion and a blue potion in quick succession, and almost instantly felt his condition recover significantly, his stamina surging back.
He lifted the greatsword in his hand, ready to throw himself back into the fight.
Just then, the red-haired figure shot him a glance sharp as a blade, the kind of look exchanged when bitter enemies meet.
"What an ungrateful bastard. If it weren't for me, do you think you'd still have those big eyes and long legs?"
Nolan muttered inwardly, but kept his face carefully neutral, deliberately avoiding her gaze.
There was no helping it. This woman was not someone to provoke lightly. She really would beat him half to death.
The grudge between the two of them needed no explanation. Naturally, it all traced back to a certain Saintess.
If he could actually beat her, Nolan would never have backed down so easily. He would have made her understand the dignity of a Lord of Cinder.
"A swarm of witless gnats, scurrying into the Haligtree's domain. You court oblivion."
Malenia's voice was cold to the bone, brimming with killing intent.
When she realized that the Golden Needle Knight behind her was deliberately ignoring her, her eyes narrowed and she shot him a fierce glare.
What, does this woman have no sense of reason at all? Isn't avoiding you enough?
Nolan's heart tightened. He immediately chose not to meet her head-on, gripping his longsword and retreating swiftly.
This time, no one chased after him.
Footsteps echoed. In the darkness nearby, the assassins finally made out who was approaching and instinctively stepped back.
The Valkyrie's reputation was known to all.
They cast Nolan one last murderous glance, secretly regretting their mistake. They should never have wasted so much time on a minor figure like him. Otherwise, how would Malenia have arrived so quickly?
Come to think of it, hadn't Malenia been asleep all this time?
A sense of foreboding flashed through their minds. The Church Confessors immediately realized this might be a trap.
"Argh!!"
A miserable scream rang out as a war spear shot in from dozens of meters away at terrifying speed.
In the distance, a Cleanrot Knight was still in the act of throwing. In the blink of an eye, the spear pierced straight through two Church Confessors, pinning them to the wall.
Even among heroes, there were vast differences. Finlay unquestionably belonged to the very top tier. In front of her, these Church Confessors were utterly powerless.
The Child of Rot of the Lands Between was no empty title.
"Nolan, are you alright?"
For an instant, it was as if the air itself froze as Finlay let out a sharp shout.
"Church Confessors, who gave you the nerve to come here? Don't forget, you have no way to return to the Erdtree."
Heavy footsteps followed, booming like muffled thunder. Each step seemed to shake the ground.
A knight in white robes approached slowly, carrying a petite girl in his arms.
The moment the girl's bare feet lightly touched the ground, the knight's longsword flashed. Nolan did not even see the swing before a Church Confessor beside him was cut down.
"You were prepared for this all along?"
Nolan turned in shock, eyes wide with disbelief.
"I made some preparations," she replied calmly. "But I didn't expect you to discover them, let alone fight them."
Trina's delicate face showed no expression at all, making it impossible to tell whether her mood was good or bad.
If her sister and Finlay had arrived just a moment later, the plan would have been halfway complete. Yet the thought of watching Nolan die right in front of her made the Saintess realize she still could not do it.
"Damn it, Miquella. Why do you always hide away at the crucial moment? Shouldn't you be the one doing something this ruthless?"
Trina cursed silently in her heart.
"Because he chose you. You must learn to harden your heart. Otherwise, our plan cannot move forward."
At that moment, a voice echoed from deep within Trina's mind.
The Saintess planted her hands on her hips and puffed out her cheeks, her expression tinged with both annoyance and helplessness.
It was all Nolan's fault. If he hadn't put her in danger, this Saintess would never have been forced to make such a choice.
"Nolan, you put yourself in danger. Shouldn't you be apologizing to this Saintess?"
What are you even angry about?!
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you worry."
Nolan lowered his head helplessly, having no idea that the Saintess was venting her anger at a certain Empyrean on him instead.
The girl nodded slightly, apparently satisfied with his apology. She then held out one hand, signaling for Nolan to take it, a gesture that meant she had forgiven him.
Just then, the Confessor leader suddenly let out a low shout.
"Watch out!"
Clearly, only four reinforcements had arrived from the Haligtree's side. Their numbers were few, yet the pressure they brought felt heavier than facing an army of ten thousand.
Whoosh!!
Finlay swung her battle scythe. One golden halo after another shot out like flying discs, massive and blindingly fast. One Church Confessor failed to dodge in time and was instantly sliced apart, limbs scattering across the ground.
Miquella's Discus of Light!
Thud! Thud!!
Seizing the opening, the two Cleanrot Knights struck. Spears and scythes flashed as they pierced and cleaved straight through two distracted Church Confessors.
The Confessor leader, the fastest among them, threw himself forward in a desperate dive, narrowly avoiding a full volley of the halos.
Before him stood the Valkyrie, blade in hand. Behind him, the Cleanrot Knight Captain crossed dozens of meters in a heartbeat. The savage wind of their attacks tore through the air, filling him with a violent sense of being ripped apart.
With great difficulty, he turned his head.
He saw the scythe that seemed capable of cutting through anything, the Golden Needle Knight standing nearby and watching coldly, and the Saintess whose eyes held a trace of pity, yet who remained completely unmoved.
"Miquella, don't think your schemes are unknown. To be chosen by the Two Fingers is the highest honor. Betrayal will bring only destruction!"
The furious roar echoed through the night sky, only to be cut short along with his life by the unstoppable crescent-shaped scythe.
A flash of cold light followed.
The rushing, icy wind carved a clear gash across both the Confessor's body and the ground itself. Nolan narrowed his eyes, feeling the earth beneath his feet tremble.
Before such mountain-splitting power, all skill seemed utterly insignificant. At least the girl's small, gentle hand offered the knight a bit of comfort.
The raging gale finally died down. After that single swing, the Empyrean's dwelling would likely need to be rebuilt from the ground up. Nolan blinked at the Cleanrot Knight Captain, sending over an openly envious look.
Finlay lifted her chin proudly, her expression practically saying that this was nothing worth mentioning.
"Finlay is pretty amazing, isn't she?" Trina said suddenly, looking at the slightly dazed Nolan. "Do you want that kind of power, Nolan?"
"That kind of power isn't enough. One day, I'll surpass her."
Nolan made no effort to hide his hunger for strength. And in truth, Finlay's power still wasn't enough. On the path to becoming a Lord, there were many enemies far stronger than her.
"Believe me. That goal will be achieved one day." Trina nodded, then lowered her voice. "Leave this to them. Go find yourself some clothes. I want to introduce you to someone."
The Saintess looked at the knight, her gaze lingering on him for a moment, before turning toward the loyal Golden Needle Knight Captain behind her.
"Leda, let's go."