Chapter 321

Chapter 107 Light and Darkness Part Four

Scarlet flames flared up instantly, and Sophia’s hair curled. She faintly smelled something burning, but she couldn’t identify what it was or react in time, her mind still in a daze.

For Sophia, everything happening before her eyes was too sudden. The demon-like girl suddenly appeared, easily cutting off the enemy’s legs. Amidst the bloodshed, the girl stepped on the enemy’s face and spoke. Sophia looked at the small, familiar figure and heard the weak yet pitiable voice. She suddenly realized: that seemed to be Peyelo.

Sophia didn’t know what she was thinking; she barely thought it through and instinctively asked. The girl’s reaction was interesting; she denied it outright and turned away. This behavior, akin to plugging one’s ears and pretending not to hear, combined with the adorable little face she had seen in a fleeting glance, made Sophia immediately certain that the girl in front of her was Peyelo.

At the same moment this thought surfaced, she noticed for the first time the girl’s nearly black hair blending with the flame wings, and the woman she held in her arms.

It seemed like…

Her Majesty…!!!

The complex information before her made Sophia freeze. She couldn’t understand what was happening, feeling an indescribable shock. In the next moment, the black-robed person under Peyelo’s feet burst into flames.

Sophia stood there stunned, forgetting even to run.

Scalding…

“Aah!”

She couldn’t hold back her scream, half-covering her face burned by the heat wave. Her mind subconsciously pondered about Peyelo holding Her Majesty as the astonishing battle erupted right before her eyes.

The petite girl seemed to go all out, tightly hugging the blonde woman in her arms and kicking the black-robed person burning with flames, sending him flying like a cannonball, smashing through a green brick wall. As debris scattered, fierce flames shot out from the gaps in the collapsing bricks, turning the green bricks red hot. The girl in front raised her left hand over her head.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

In the instant blue light flashed, Sophia felt a cold current rush toward her after the heat wave. She couldn’t see what Peyelo had shot into the sky, and her ears were ringing from the three explosions. The sudden drop in temperature made her shiver, causing her to step back. Then she saw Peyelo turn her head, wearing a fierce expression Sophia had never seen before: “Run—”

In the next moment, the girl spread her wings and suddenly flapped backward.

Rumble—

A violent wind swept across the scene, with a tremendous force sweeping over the road. Baskets on one side of the street were instantly lifted into the air, a wooden cart nearby toppled over, and pebbles scattered at her feet flew back. If this moment could be slowed down, Sophia would have widened her eyes in shock, her hair dancing wildly behind her, her cheeks trembling like waves, her feet gradually lifting off the ground.

The astonishing wind force threw her to the ground, dust and sand entering her mouth. Sophia coughed twice, the rising dust making it impossible for her to fully open her eyes. With her peripheral vision, she saw Peyelo charge to the other side of the street in an instant. The remaining black smoke trailing in the air seemed to be drawn by some unknown force, closely following the girl’s fleeing figure and entering her body.

In the next moment, the girl’s wings retracted.

The black-robed person had just risen from the collapsed rubble. The green bricks had already been burned bright red, and he seemed to be shouting something, but Sophia couldn’t hear clearly. However, the girl had already reached his front. She turned sideways to keep the woman in her arms away from the flames while raising her other hand, aiming at the dazed black-robed person’s face.

Crack! Crack! Crack! Boom!

Countless ice spears suddenly exploded, scattering ice fragments everywhere, shooting out like giant steel needles, stabbing at everything in front of the girl. It was like a splendid ice flower blooming, freezing the person along with half of the small building behind him. Sharp ice shards pierced the walls, and the bright flames vanished, replaced by frost spreading everywhere.

Peyelo seemed afraid of hurting the woman in her arms, who resembled Her Majesty. After unleashing such a terrifying attack, she flew backward without hesitation until she exited the area covered in frost. This process actually took less than two seconds. The black flames on the girl’s back quickly retreated into her body. She anxiously glanced at the woman, muttering to herself: “Second stage… How could this happen…”

What does it mean…

What’s going on…

Sophia hugged her arms and sat on the ground, feeling her face harden and her teeth chattering. She tried to stand up, but fear and the intimidation from the girl made her legs weak and her whole body tremble. She felt her hair stiffen, and the ice shards on her dress fell off with her movements.

Immediately afterward, the girl’s gaze returned to her.

“Pey…”

Sophia’s lips turned blue, struggling to speak.

Her usual social skills, which were usually sharp and eloquent, now seemed useless. She didn’t know what to say, what to do, and couldn’t stand up. She just stared blankly at Peyelo, her shock overwhelming her fear, her mind a blank slate.

Who… who is she…

How could this be, what kind of power is that! How could Peyelo… It’s impossible… She shouldn’t be like this… But she is right in front of her…

Her thoughts were in disarray.

The girl ahead hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked toward her.

Sophia was startled, suddenly jolted.

Sigh, she subconsciously dragged her body backward.

“You—”

Paillou had intended to say something to her.

But seeing such a reaction, his lively black eyes paused slightly, and he stopped in his tracks.

Ah…

I shouldn’t have done this…

Just as this thought arose, Sophia suddenly heard a sharp whistle from the side. Before she could react to what it was, the girl standing ten meters ahead suddenly turned around. In the next moment, with a loud crackling sound, a towering ice wall suddenly rose from the ground. A blue arc struck it from somewhere unknown with a splash.

Electricity…

The blue arc spread like a web along the frost mist the instant it touched the ice wall. Terrifying arcs twisted and raged in the small space ahead, striking the road and the cart, igniting with a “boom,” the air gradually becoming scorching. The terrified Sophia frantically kicked her feet backward, unaware that her dress had been torn.

In the midst of the arc light, the girl’s figure had already disappeared.

She seemed to see a petite figure flash by on the rooftop on the left side of the street. Immediately afterward, a huge ice flower exploded again. The girl on the distant rooftop engaged in combat with the two people who had suddenly appeared.

Three figures rapidly darted back and forth between the buildings and streets, moving so fast they were a blur. Sophia felt that the electric arc lighting up on this side had not yet dissipated when a soaring fireball suddenly erupted on the other side, with continuous explosions ringing out, bricks and dust flying everywhere. In an instant, the entire street seemed ready to be torn apart by these forces. Houses collapsed one after another, and many people opened their doors and fled in panic. Seeing this scene, the girl who had leaped out from the dust condensed black flames again in mid-air, transforming them into fireballs, which swiftly flew toward the direction of the ongoing battle.

Boom!

The explosion swallowed the figures.

Sophia opened her mouth wide.

She had never seen such intense fighting before. At this moment, she even forgot the cold, trembling both inside and out.

Such a powerful person…

Was easily killed by Paillou.

She suddenly recalled the famous figures of Iseumbel she had heard about from her friends or known herself. Most of them were teachers at the Royal Academy, possessing extraordinary abilities or being geniuses in order powers, having been renowned for many years. These boys in the academy would often discuss who would win in a fight and who was stronger than whom, sometimes arguing fiercely.

The male students might be immature, but those people they talked about were indeed powerful and respected figures. Sophia had witnessed the strength of some of them, such as the giant Lamb who could tear apart a fire bear with his bare hands, who often demonstrated his strength during physical training classes.

That was indeed very impressive.

But if you compared that kind of power with the battle in front of her… it was simply…

Negligible.

Like the difference between a four-eared rabbit and a lion, they were not on the same level.

Such a battle…

The only thing Sophia could think of were those “legends” at the pinnacle of humanity. But she really couldn’t associate that silly girl with a “legend.”

She is Paillou…

The temperature of the air slightly increased. Shaking, Sophia struggled to stand up and looked at the black-robed person who had been engulfed by ice spears.

It was now completely silent.

With just one blow, that person who could melt bricks was dead…

Perhaps he was stronger than many of the academy’s teachers. But against Paillou, he didn’t last even a few seconds… It seemed she was protecting Her Majesty, and these people…

Suddenly, Sophia remembered the name the girl had mentioned earlier.

The Gate of Truth.

Sophia had been in shock and awe, her mind unable to process anything at the time. Only now did she realize the significance of this term.

Heretics…

Her father had told her that they were a terrifying group of bloodthirsty madmen with great power, a scourge that the church had been unable to eradicate for centuries.

She finally realized what kind of terrible opponent Paillou was facing.

But this brought more questions.

Why were there heretics? They seemed to want to kill Her Majesty… Why did Paillou suddenly appear, fighting these madmen as if she had deep-seated hatred?

And…

Why…

That mysterious black power, and the abyss monsters that Miss Teresa had talked about, were so similar…

Who was she…

Boom!

A violent explosion far away interrupted Sophia’s thoughts.

“Hilviga!”

A shout suddenly echoed from the other side of the street. Following closely was the sound of hooves.

Sophia turned her head and saw the radiant white figure emitting a faint golden light, leading several nuns riding on horned horses, galloping from the corner of the street, passing by her in a flash, and rushing towards the other side of the ongoing battle. Behind them, at a considerable distance, was a squad of cavalry. The cavalry showed no intention of advancing, merely watching from afar, and some turned to leave.

“God above…”

One of the nuns saw her, stopped her beast, dismounted quickly, and walked over, seemingly saying something loudly, but Sophia, dazed, did not hear clearly.

All she could think about was one thing.

Hilviga…

The youngest papal knight in history…

If she remembered correctly, that was a… sixteen-year-old girl.