Academic gathering with a lich

The glow of the holy light faded within the temple, and Mr. Raymond seemed to linger on the experience. All shadowy versions of Nia had dissipated, and in the empty heart of the temple, that huge mass of flesh was pulsating vigorously. The hanging tentacles transmitted the vibrations to the ceiling, dislodging some dust. Raymond looked expectantly at the mass of flesh—that was the Seed of Holy Light he had long coveted.

Lyle didn’t have the luxury of idleness; his body felt as though it was on fire. The satiation Nia experienced from consuming and digesting the Evil God’s Flesh was transferred to him. The eerie power was like insects crawling inside his body. Lyle felt the turmoil beneath his skin; every vein seemed to boil, as if something strange had been born inside him. It was destroying his body’s defenses; it was reveling, screaming, wanting to break free. Every muscle in Lyle’s face trembled as he frantically raised his arms and hammered the ground, as if by doing so he could make the earth share his agony.

Medusa crawled onto Lyle’s face, her front paws gripping his shattered hair, her eyes flashing with a faint blue light as she locked gazes with him.

"He is ascending..."

Raymond’s light fell upon Lyle, as if a hot iron landed on his skin, causing Lyle to scream in agony.

"But he can’t bear it." At the spot where the light fell, a golden chain was being formed, restraining Lyle; the anomaly lurking in his body was thus suppressed. "A human body unrefined by trials, such a rate of ascension has already exceeded its limits of endurance. What’s more, his ascension is of a special kind," Raymond glanced at the suspended globe at the center.

Nia’s ascension was also suppressed by Raymond. The woven flesh sac ruptured and Nia, stained with blood, walked out from within. The unchanged Nia was limp as she moved across the ground.

"Nia... Nia seems to have a bad stomach, it’s so uncomfortable." Nia’s tentacles rested on Lyle’s shoulder, squeezing herself into the collar of the unconscious Lyle.

Lyle awoke an hour later.

Mr. Raymond stood guard by his side, and even though he now lay among the ruins of stone slabs, there seemed to be nothing to worry about.

"Not long after that mass of Evil God’s Flesh was digested, this temple collapsed. Although you suffered a bit, your gains should be decent."

Even simply recalling the previous pain felt like needles stabbing at Lyle’s brain, and it seemed like Mr. Raymond had intervened at the end.

"Mr. Raymond, did you save me?"

"If you consider halting your ascension and sealing your power as saving you, then yes, I did do that. But actually, your ascension, to a certain extent, would not have caused you much damage."

"What do you mean?"

"Even without my intervention, you would have ascended safely, but you would have lost something trivial. Your human identity. The power that was absorbed tried to improve your frail body, to transform it into the form of the Evil God." Raymond shrugged, "In my opinion, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, you are still the Purifier, and your place in my heart remains unchanged, Lyle."

No, no, no, that is a significant loss. If Ralph finds out I turned into a tentacle monster one day, would he chop me up?

"In any case, I have placed a seal on you. Until your body can withstand that power, your tri-fold ascension will not begin. Work hard on your training, Lyle."

"Do Spirit Summoners need to train their bodies for ascension?" That’s absurd.

Facing Lyle’s question laden with intense confusion, Raymond tilted his head.

"Isn’t that a mandatory course in White Bone Spirit Summoning Studies? You do know that your mentor the dragon is the Mechanical Fighting King of Black Abyss Arena?"

"Mechanical Fighting King?" It was as if a string in Lyle’s mind snapped.

"Special events at the Black Abyss Arena, where gladiators can only use prescribed weapons for melee combat, their bodies being their formidable weapons. I remember the dragon’s bones could match enchanted materials, and he had won the championship several times because of that. White Bone Spirit Summoning Studies includes methods to cultivate bone strength."

A jolt went through Lyle’s heart.

"White Bone Spirit Summoning Studies... is that gym class?"

With the source of the Shadow Beasts resolved and Kamphusser reduced to particles of light, and the Evil God’s Flesh consumed, when Lyle and Raymond left the ruins, the looming group of Shadow Beasts in the dense forest had disappeared.

"Lord Raymond! Lord Lyle!" Karen, who shone like a miniature Raymond, rushed over to the two of them. "Running around is very dangerous. Mr. Raymond lacks strength now, and Lord Lyle is not good at combat. I was so worried just now!" Karen stomped her feet in anger, the ground cracking into a spiderweb pattern, issuing a pained wail.

"You’ve worked hard, Knight Karen!" Mr. Raymond’s voice was spirited.

"My honor, Your Excellency Raymond!" Karen responded loudly with equal vigor, "However, these Shadow Beasts seem to have suddenly vanished. Did someone else do something?"

"Oh, oh, oh, that must be because you killed the leader of the Shadow Beasts in the chaotic battle, Knight Karen! You’ve resolved this crisis! You saved Lokarot!"

Karen scratched her head awkwardly and reluctantly accepted the credit for defeating the Shadow Beast. After all, she had received the blessing of the Crusaders’ leader, so it was acceptable that she was so mighty.

Seeing that the crisis had been resolved, Raymond planned to retreat.

"The power of Lyle’s holy light is nearly exhausted, and my time of heroic summons is almost at an end," he said.

"Please wait, Your Excellency Raymond!" Karen hurried over when she realized Raymond seemed to be leaving. She pinched her fingers nervously.

Karen removed her helmet, revealing golden locks and her face with a youthful air. She knelt on one knee and bowed her head to Raymond.

"I grew up reading the legendary stories of you and other Crusader leaders. I am very honored to fight alongside you. I long to follow in the footsteps of my predecessors, to relive and even participate in parts of the legend. Your Excellency Raymond, please allow me to offer my loyalty to you, just like other Crusader warriors!"

Raymond was quite tolerant of his junior who loved the holy light. He patted his arm armor and spoke confidently from behind his helmet.

"For Little Karen, it should be fine, but this distance... A little quick shouldn’t have much of an impact..."

In the end, Raymond agreed to her request.

With joy, Karen’s expression turned serious.

"In the name of Dolanko Pembai’s daughter, I, Karen Pembai, offer my loyalty to you, Your Excellency Raymond. You shall be my only leader to follow, the guide on my path of holy light. I will carry out your justice, Your Excellency Raymond, and let the grace of the holy light spread over the land beneath my feet. Praise the holy light!"

Karen’s oath resonated with a solemn, ancient air. Perhaps she truly had the legendary vows etched in her heart, reciting them on the spot.

By contrast, Raymond’s response was much shorter.

Raymond’s armored arm touched Karen’s slender shoulder, his voice steady and calm.

"I acknowledge your loyalty, and I will share my glory with you."

"Purifier, Karen."

As soon as these words were uttered, a blazing pillar of light shattered the clouds and fell from the sky, divine radiance descending upon Karen. Her aura climbed step by step with the blessing of the holy light. The tides of the holy light surged with the pillar, completely illuminating this once darkened place. It not only illuminated but also revived every plant and tree. Lyle could feel the vibrant power of the holy light within these plants.

Karen fainted to the ground as the holy light from the high heavens poured down like a waterfall. The strength and brilliance of that power made even the Holy Cross of Lokarot dim in comparison.

"Mr. Raymond! What did you do? Why would a simple Paladin loyalty ceremony be so outrageous!" A phenomenon from heaven, rank elevation, this is not the loyalty ceremony I know!

"What’s outrageous is you, Lyle. The fact that you can offer loyalty to me yet still be a Necromancer, that’s truly outrageous! If it were any other Purifier, they would be commanding a legion by now! Cut the chatter! Let’s go! He’s coming!" Raymond opened a portal and dragged Lyle into it.

In the moment the portal closed, the wings of an angel descended upon the place where they had just been.

Raphael wore a grave expression, looking at Karen bathed in the holy light, his heart filled with a hint of excitement.

"Leader..."