Chapter 17

(Some people reacted that I shouldn't end the chapter here, so I'll add a bonus chapter today. Celebrating 1,680 followers. A good number. Please give me your follow-reads today and tomorrow.)

The barbarian berserker has two branch abilities: one is Adrenaline Burst, a comprehensive enhancement; the second is Rage, which significantly boosts strength and constitution but carries the negative status of fury. Deng Ken didn't plan to engage the enemy in melee, so Adrenaline Burst was the optimal solution, even though the enhancement to physical fitness wasn't as obvious as Rage.

Barbarian berserkers will charge at will on the battlefield and are basically impossible to command, but their combat power is very formidable. Once they activate Rage, you can take your hands off the keyboard; they will charge and hunt down the enemy on their own.

In the ancient Roman era, barbarians were unarmored, and the Roman legions could slowly grind them down if they withstood the first wave of impact.

Nowadays, barbarians also have armor, significantly increasing their survivability, making them much harder to deal with.

Stamina bar locked.

Under the God's-eye view, Deng Ken seemed to possess endless stamina; during the duration of this Adrenaline Burst, the stamina bar soared and locked at full capacity.

The crosshair aiming in the projection screen remained motionless.

Bow like a full moon!

A sharp arrow pierced the air, aiming directly at the Hermetic Order monk not far away. He was likely also preparing to cast a spell, as he had been trailing at the very back of the enemy. It was just that his method of casting was to hold a cross in one hand and pray; clearly, like the witches, he had to prepare true magical power through ritual items.

Headshot!

Deng Ken blew his head off with one arrow.

In this world, all spellcasters possessing supernatural power must prepare in advance; if they only cast spells after being approached by warriors, they would likely have been hacked to death by random blades long ago.

At this, even that Hermetic Order Temple Guard's expression turned solemn.

They hadn't lost this many people even when hunting down witches.

Deng Ken had now shot and killed three people in a row; he was more dangerous than the two fleeing witches. If they didn't take him out first, everyone would be shot dead by him.

—Resting Horse-Turning Arrow.

Deng Ken fired in rapid succession; after killing the Hermetic Order monk with one arrow, he immediately turned his direction and aimed at the inquisitor. The enemy held a knight's shield and a single-handed heavy short sword; these were clearly weapons that elite Roman legions were skilled at using.

Clang.

The arrow was blocked by the shield; this inquisitor's reaction speed was also quite astonishing. He had previously predicted Deng Ken's Frankish throwing axe.

Can't kill him with one shot.

The enemy's reaction speed was too fast, and he held a shield; it was quite difficult to take him down.

Meanwhile.

On the battlefield, that Hermetic Order Temple Guard also pulled a javelin from his dead warhorse. He kept locking onto Deng Ken's position, trying to find a way to get close; the javelin was already at a sixty-degree throwing angle.

This guy might have also been an elite of the Roman legions in the past, otherwise, the javelin couldn't have been locked on so steadily.

Deng Ken didn't dare to stay in one position, nor did he dare to retreat too far, because if he retreated, Severus would basically be dead for sure.

The druid had given up his horse; Deng Ken couldn't bear to watch him die here.

Just at this moment.

Severus suddenly roared. In the moment he clashed with the inquisitor, he raised his oak shield and slammed it violently; the powerful force actually knocked the opponent over, causing him to stumble and reveal a clear opening.

Opportunity!

—Resting Horse-Turning Arrow.

Deng Ken didn't hesitate, twisting his body 180 degrees to shoot behind him while on horseback, as if he had eyes on the back of his head. Grasping this opportunity, he nocked an arrow, the bowstring taut, and a sharp arrow pierced the air, striking the enemy's chest directly.

Drawing the bow to the full, the explosive power was astonishing; the armor on the enemy's body was pierced, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

In the projection screen, a javelin swept through the air.

Deng Ken didn't hesitate in the slightest, leaping off his horse and rolling upon landing. He let out a muffled grunt as his warhorse whinnied in agony; the javelin had pierced through the warhorse with astonishing accuracy. If Deng Ken hadn't dodged, that javelin would have pierced straight through him.

"Is this even human strength?"

From a distance of nearly one hundred meters, the javelin pierced through the warhorse's spine; if this had landed on a person, it would have gone straight through the body.

Two against one.

Severus smashed the enemy's head with a mace and approached Deng Ken's position with his oak shield. He was likely the only one here who could trade a few blows with the Hermetic Order Temple Guard, but the opponent's melee strength was truly astonishing; even the druid might not be able to block many moves.

A sound of hoofbeats came from afar.

The two witches returned, and not far away on the map, another troop of cavalry was approaching rapidly.

—Arian monk.

—Arian hermit (one-star).

—Witch hunter instructor (two-star).

—Frankish paladin (heavy cavalry) (one-star) (three people).

—Arian Temple Warrior (two-star silver-gray). 【Note: Temple knights before the Middle Ages. Originally derived from the concept of the polytheistic "Sanctuary," they were the top warriors guarding the "Sanctuary" at the time. Among the barbarians, they were served by retired high-ranking warriors and chieftain guards. The Sanctuary was roughly the core temple sacrificial area of a certain deity. In the BC era, the temple sanctuaries of barbarian tribes also helped train warriors; the Temple of Artemis in ancient Greece could train archery.

In the era before Christ, the core of many civilizations was "the great affairs of the state are sacrifice and war," and the sacrifice among them was the large-scale national sacrificial ceremony, held with the Sanctuary as the core.】

Fuck!

Deng Ken really couldn't help but curse this time.

The Arian monks and Roman Catholicism had always been at odds due to doctrinal disputes, but when dealing with the polytheism of the old era, they were allies on a unified front.

The Arian sect took root in barbarian territory, spreading their faith among the barbarians, and had constant disputes with polytheistic priests and many existences possessing supernatural powers, but they still nibbled away at the polytheistic faith map step by step.

The Visigoths, the three branches of the Franks, and even the Saxons, Alemanni, Celts, etc., all had Arian missionaries.

They were being besieged by two church factions at once.

Deng Ken nocked another arrow, aiming at the Hermetic Order Temple Guard in front. Only by solving him first could he find a chance to take Triss and Severus and break out. As long as they could temporarily shake off their pursuit and escape into the dense, deep mountains and old forests, with Deng Ken's God's-eye view, there was still a chance to escape alive.

One arrow, two arrows, three arrows.

Deng Ken's third arrow finally struck the Hermetic Order Temple Guard's chest, but the opponent was wearing armor and only let out a muffled grunt before charging up rapidly.

Why is there still no movement?!

Could the witch's magic have failed?

At the moment of the head-on clash, Severus's oak shield was knocked aside, followed by his painful muffled grunt; two half-fingers fell to the ground. The Hermetic Order Temple Guard swung his sword, changing his move on the fly, and backhanded a diagonal slash, directly slicing off the druid's ring finger and little finger.

He was subsequently struck in the head by Severus's shield, but his head only swayed, and there wasn't even a sign of dizziness.

The druid's remaining three fingers still gripped the mace tightly. The two figures clashing made it impossible for Deng Ken to lock onto the target accurately, so he pulled out his long saber without hesitation and lunged, directly flanking and ambushing the enemy from the right.

He had overestimated the druid's melee ability; Severus could hold out for at most two or three moves in the hands of the Hermetic Order Temple Guard.

—Combat Style: Decapitation.

Clang.

Sparks burst.

The Hermetic Order Temple Guard parried Deng Ken's attack with both hands on his sword. This powerful and fierce strike made both their palms numb; Deng Ken's long saber chipped, while the enemy's longsword was only slightly damaged.

Even with Adrenaline Burst activated, his physical fitness was still inferior to the enemy before him.

At this moment, Severus swung his mace and smashed it into the opponent's chin; blood splattered, and the enemy's skull even shook.

If he hadn't lost two fingers earlier, this heavy blow might have decided the outcome.

There's a chance.

Deng Ken swung his saber at the enemy's neck, while Severus swung his shield heavily toward the opponent's head with his left hand.

This is truly two fists being no match for four hands!

The Hermetic Order Temple Guard stabbed back with his sword, the blade piercing through Severus's abdomen. He leaned slightly to the side, taking Deng Ken's slash with his shoulder; the long saber slashed down, sparks flying, and although blood spilled, the armor blocked most of the damage.

Too strong!

This guy was armored under his habit, and his physical fitness was not like a mortal's at all; he was tougher than supernatural monsters.

There were still enemies approaching in the distance.

If the witch's magic still couldn't be cast, their group would likely all be finished here.

"Aren't you the witch with the skull mark? Where is your magic?!"

Deng Ken slashed straight down, forcing back the Hermetic Order Temple Guard before him. If Severus died, he would have no chance of turning the tables.

Escaping wouldn't even be certain.

But just at this moment.

A gust of wind blew up on the flat ground, and in an instant, sand and stones flew.

Under the God's-eye view.

The Raven Queen Triss's mark flashed and then changed.

—Witch Triss 【Blood Skull Mark】!!!

A tangible supernatural power descended into reality. In the rising gale, Witch Triss hovered several meters above the ground, and Anya beside her also widened her eyes in shock.

She had clearly never seen another witch display such terrifying power.

Holy crap!

So you can fly!

The gale raged.

Triss's long hair danced wildly in the sky full of sand and dust; her eyes turned into a silver shimmer like the moon, and her appearance also changed—bewitching and evil, not like a human, but more like a banshee from ancient Greek legends.

She gently raised her hand and clenched it toward Deng Ken's direction.

Crack!

The sound of bones breaking rang out, and the Hermetic Order Temple Guard showed a look of terror, screaming out, "Witch Triss!"

They had been tracking Anya the whole way and hadn't recognized the Raven Queen Triss at all.

They had thought she was a member of another witch coven.

On the Inquisition's list, only a very few existences named after "Saint" could deal with this high priestess left over from the old era.

Blood gushed!

The Hermetic Order Temple Guard's limb bones collapsed, and the armor on his body seemed as if it didn't exist; the whole person was squeezed into a human stick, and large amounts of blood surged out, dyeing the ground a scarlet red.

"Lord!"

"Redeem us!"

The Arian priests approaching not far away were also swept into the sky full of sand and dust. The Hermetic Order monk knelt on the ground praying, holding fragments of a wooden cross. In the projection screen, a faint, different white light vaguely appeared, but it was quickly crushed by the tangible magic power spread by the Raven Queen Triss.

The Hermetic Order monk's chest caved in as if struck by a giant force; blood sprayed out, and he lay on the ground with only his last breath remaining.

Bewitching, brilliant light flashed in the gale.

The Arian Temple Warrior's arms suddenly flew off, followed by his feet being severed out of thin air, blood spraying several meters away.

A flock of crows appeared out of thin air.

They were like black smoke and black clouds, attacking those Frankish paladins, instantly pecking out their eyes. Amidst the shrill, terrified wails, all the enemies fell from their horses. The crows swept through the air and dissipated into black smoke. Triss's figure appeared as if flashing, waving her hand to cut the witch hunter instructor in half; the next second, limbs and broken arms rained down from the sky.

Across the entire battlefield, one could hardly see any enemies still able to stand.

Deng Ken was stunned at this moment.

But the Raven Queen Triss's slightly bewitching, hoarse voice soon rang out: "Don't be dazed, my magic can't last long."

"You come and execute them!"

The gale gradually died down.

Deng Ken immediately came to his senses, his gaze sweeping past Triss, who was hovering in mid-air not far away, and he finished off these enemies one by one with his saber.

Crack!

In mid-air, the rune sacrificial stone held by the Raven Queen Triss shattered; her complexion turned incomparably pale in an instant, and she quickly fell from mid-air.

Anya hurried forward to support her, her gaze sweeping over the shattered sacrificial stone, and she said in shock, "Trivia?!"

After the Olympian sacrificial fire was extinguished, this was the first time she had seen a rune sacrificial stone from the age of the gods. In the ancient Roman era, the public often had to sacrifice to various gods, and some unique symbols engraved on stones represented one of them.

The Raven Queen Triss's mark changed back from "Witch" to "Witch."

Deng Ken hurried forward to check on the witch's condition.

How is this any different from a divine descent?

Two-star silver-gray elites were already so powerful; with the Raven Queen Triss bearing a skull-headed leader BOSS mark, Deng Ken had guessed that her magic might be very terrifying.

Anya beside her was also full of awe; in her view, her own magic was simply as ridiculous as a trick compared to Triss's.

"Where did her magic come from exactly?"

"Did she unlock some kind of restriction in the real world through that sacrificial stone?"

Too strong.

The power Triss had just displayed made Deng Ken almost think he had entered the age of myth.

"Go!"

Deng Ken looked at the extremely weak Triss, prepared to carry her onto the horse, but soon realized and looked at Anya beside him, saying, "You take her."

After saying this, he rushed straight toward Severus, picked up the severely wounded druid lying on the ground, and said in a low voice, "Brother."

"Hold on!"

"We'll find a safe place to treat your wounds immediately."

He had Triss instruct them on how to simply bandage and stop the bleeding for the druid, then prepared for him to ride the horse carrying the druid, while Anya carried Triss, and the four survivors would first find a place to catch their breath.

By now, his Adrenaline Burst had ended, and Deng Ken felt as if all the bones in his body were falling apart.

Anya walked quickly to the dead Praetorian knight, her gaze devoid of any emotion, and rummaged through his body to find a bag full of gold. After taking it, she said in a low voice, "I know where there are Celtic priests."

After saying this, she casually closed the Praetorian knight's eyes, which were wide open in death, and picked up his longsword.

It looks like it really was unrequited love.

That witch Anya didn't even look at the corpse on the ground twice, took the weapon and the gold, and helped the weak Triss onto the horse.

—"Oathkeeper 【Curio】 【Longsword】: Forged from Damascus steel, a knight's sword brought back from the Holy Land of Jerusalem, blessed by high-ranking monks of the Hermetic Order, soaked in the water of the Holy Grail, and possessing incredible power. Characteristics: Armor-piercing, Magic-breaking, Sharpness."

Deng Ken took the Hermetic Order Temple Guard's weapon; he couldn't take anything else, so he supported the severely wounded Severus and retreated from here.

Of the entire group, only Anya currently had any combat capability.

That witch, who looked like a Roman noblewoman, gritted her teeth and held the extremely weak Triss, tucked the knight's longsword into her waist, rode the horse while holding the reins with one hand, and had to look back from time to time at Deng Ken, who was in a state of fatigue and sharing a horse with Severus.

At this time, Severus had already fainted, and blood was constantly seeping from the wound on his abdomen, staining all the bandages red.

Deng Ken was no better off.

Although he had no surface wounds, he had fallen from his horse twice and felt as if his ribs were broken; his health bar had also dropped by a large chunk, likely all from bruising.

If Severus hadn't given up his horse first and guarded him left and right, he might not have survived until now.

"Hold on! Brother!"

Deng Ken rode with one hand, barely stabilizing the unconscious druid, glanced at the pale-faced Triss, and said to Anya, "Into the mountains first!"

In this situation, the deep mountains and old forests were actually safer.

………………