Enemies met, but Xin didn’t say a single word.
No amount of talking could resolve the grudge between them.
She placed her katana in front of her and lunged forward in a single stride.
The Struggle Divine Power within Xin granted her innate close combat mastery, so she’d served as the vanguard of the Primordial Organization ever since she joined.
But Keerman simply raised his blade to block, and with one strike, sent Xin’s weapon flying.
His sword swung so fast it was unparalleled, to the point where even Xin couldn’t react in time.
In shock, Xin watched her own hair being sliced off by his long blade.
She immediately retreated and launched another attack with the utmost caution.
Her usual unpredictable offensive tactics proved utterly useless.
After a dozen exchanges, Xin hadn’t even managed to touch Keerman’s edge.
Meanwhile, Suo’en had led the Shagai Squad into the enemy lines.
Thanks to the success of the surprise attack from above, the Shagai Squad had instantly eliminated over a dozen New Truth Organization members.
Keerman’s personal guards were startled but quickly recovered and engaged the Shagai Squad in combat.
These personal guards were all masters of the long blade, and even the Shagai Squad couldn’t overpower them immediately.
Seeing this turn of events, the low-ranking New Truth members quickly retreated toward Zone D, intending to alert their leader.
But Naya was already prepared.
Raising his staff, he chanted:
“Cosmic Divine Power—Touch of Stars!”
Countless black tentacles erupted from the ground, blocking the New Truth members’ escape route completely.
The low-ranking members hacked desperately at the tentacles, but aside from making the tentacles wail in pain, it had no effect.
Noah tightened her grip on her long blade, leading the ground reinforcements in an assault.
She chopped down a low-ranking member with a single swing and commanded the surrounding troops:
“Follow my orders—all units, attack!”
Noah dared not shout loudly, as they were already close to the core of Zone D.
If the leader of the New Truth Organization discovered them, the rescue mission would become even more difficult.
This ambush was extremely successful.
The low-ranking New Truth members on site were nearly wiped out.
However, Keerman’s personal guards were stronger than Noah had anticipated.
Not only had they killed several Primordial members in the chaos, but they also seemed to be gaining the upper hand against the Shagai Squad.
Noah charged forward with her blade.
With the support of the Strength Card, no personal guard could stand against her.
Naya tossed aside his gentleman’s hat, gripping his staff as he joined the fray.
Though Naya didn’t seem suited for close combat, his staff was no less deadly than Noah’s long blade.
Naya raised his arm to block a guard’s attack while urging tentacles from his sleeve to entangle the guard’s weapon.
Shifting his staff to his left hand, he drove it hard into the guard’s abdomen, then followed up with a kick to the chest, sending the guard flying.
Naya’s tentacles smoothly disarmed the guard of his long blade.
Catching it, Naya immediately flung it away.
The spinning blade flew like a wheel, cleaving the guard in two midair.
Naya retracted his tentacles into his sleeve and gave a slight bow.
“Safe travels.”
Noah was astonished.
While providing support to Suo’en, she remarked to Naya,
“Awesome! I didn’t know you were so good at close combat too.”
“You flatter me, dear,” Naya said with a smile.
“Just some self-defense techniques.”
Keerman had yet to join the battle.
He didn’t pay these people any heed.
From start to finish, he toyed with Xin like a cat with a mouse.
Seeing Xin unable to gain ground, Noah quickly pulled out The Chariot card.
The Chariot could enhance weapons, playing a decisive role in close combat.
Noah tossed the card to Xin like a throwing knife and called out:
“Miss Xin! Use this!”
Xin caught the Chariot card and pressed it against her blade.
Starlight immediately burst forth.
Startled by this power, Keerman abandoned his playful attitude and turned swiftly to face Noah.
“Ah… Star Divine Power!”
Keerman recognized the source of this energy instantly.
As if suddenly going mad, he rushed toward Noah at a speed too fast for the naked eye to track.
Keerman moved so quickly he left afterimages, laughing loudly:
“It’s Star Divine Power! This is all I needed—this is all I needed!”
Noah was terrified by Keerman’s frenzied state.
Before she could react, Keerman appeared before her as if teleported.
Seeing Keerman’s long blade already raised high, Noah felt her soul fly from her body.
She pulled out The World card at lightning speed.
Star Divine Power flashed, and Noah vanished from her spot.
The end is also the beginning.
The World card possessed the authority of teleportation.
Though still shaken, Noah quickly looked back at Keerman across from her.
She drew another card and flipped it over.
On the card, a figure held a staff aloft, one hand pointing to the sky, the other to the earth.
It was Tarot card number one: The Magician!
As above, so below.
“Grand Magic!”
Noah felt surging mana envelop her, as if she had become an arcane mage.
Gathering freezing mana, she summoned a glacial hurricane that engulfed Keerman.
Howling winds mixed with blizzards pinned Keerman in place.
Following the magical instinct, Noah chanted:
“Grand Magic—Frost Wind!”
Naya returned to Noah’s side at top speed.
Keerman’s sudden assault had nearly scared the soul out of him.
Seeing Noah turn danger into safety and trap Keerman with magic, Naya immediately channeled his Cosmic Divine Power.
Sowing seeds of chaos into the wind and snow, he concentrated and chanted:
“Cosmic Divine Power—Dark Forest!”
Countless black thorns burst from the ground, gripping Keerman’s legs like monstrous claws.
With Keerman immobilized, Xin charged forward at once.
Raising her katana, she aimed a straight slash at Keerman, intent on cleaving him in two.
Though blinded by the blizzard, Keerman’s combat instincts remained sharp.
He shifted his blade to block, meeting Xin’s strike.
Seeing his movement, Xin grew excited.
With the Chariot card’s enhancement, any weapon could cut through iron like clay.
Now that Keerman couldn’t move or see and could only block her attack, cutting through his long blade here would kill him instantly!
But the sound of clashing metal shattered Xin’s illusion.
To her astonishment, Keerman’s long blade actually withstood the Chariot’s authority!
The next moment, a dense killing intent descended around Keerman, a deathly aura so fierce it even dispelled the magical blizzard.
Realizing the danger, Xin withdrew her blade and retreated.
Keerman straightened up, tracing a circular blade arc around himself.
The arc seemed to materialize, suddenly turning blood red.
Its violent momentum scattered the thorns beneath Keerman’s feet, even knocking Xin—who had been blocking—back dozens of meters.
Keerman swung his long blade, cleaving through the blood-red corona.
Amid the lingering killing intent, Keerman’s figure reappeared.
“Combat Art—Setting Sun!”
A combat art!
Struggle Divine Power!
Xin’s astonishment was beyond words.
She never imagined that Keerman also possessed Struggle Divine Power!
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