Like a warrior wielding a plague-infested blade, she was an unstoppable force.
Serafina, her blades now coated in the Forbidden Fire, swung her weapons with fierce intensity. Together with her teammates, she actually managed to suppress Caiman for a moment.
Caiman did not dare to parry those fire-slicked blades, fearing even the slightest contact with the Forbidden Fire.
He was forced to shroud his entire body in Sword Qi, desperately blocking every single spark of the Forbidden Fire that splashed toward him.
"Stop right there!"
Caiman gripped the Forgotten Hero tightly, unleashing a flurry of Sword Qi that prioritised hitting his targets over dealing actual damage.
In an instant, the several people struck by the Sword Qi were forced back. Simultaneously, each of them forgot one of their abilities.
Serafina tried to speak, but she found that no words would come out, and her companions' voices had turned into complete gibberish.
She had forgotten her language.
Isolde simply stopped in his tracks, holding his shield like a fool.
He had forgotten how to walk.
However, this was a stroke of luck, as it allowed him to activate the heavy warrior's ultimate defense, the Immovable Fortress.
Caspar did not seem to have forgotten anything, but as a priest, he had no way of pinning Caiman down alone.
It seemed Caiman's luck had finally turned for the better.
Using his superior speed to shake off Serafina and her fire-coated blades, he lunged toward the Candelabra.
Remel did not have the Forbidden Fire Blessing, so he didn't dare let his blade touch that 'filth.'
As a first-rank swordsman facing the menacing charge of a third-rank swordsman like Caiman, he didn't hesitate.
He threw the Candelabra he had just grabbed into the air and retreated without looking back.
"You bastard!!"
Caiman didn't dare give chase, fearing the Candelabra would break if it hit the ground. He reached out to catch it.
Serafina's fire had already gone out, leaving her powerless at that moment.
She quickly grabbed other clumps of the Forbidden Fire still burning on the ground and hurled them at Caiman with all her might.
"Got it!"
Caiman was just about to catch the Candelabra when he saw several balls of the Forbidden Fire flying toward him.
His fear of the fire made him reflexively swing his sword, using Sword Qi to block the projectiles. At the same time, he split his focus, using more Sword Qi to catch and swirl the Candelabra into the air.
Serafina's palms were already covered in scorched marks.
Being able to touch the Forbidden Fire did not mean she was immune to its extreme heat.
Caspar, the priest, quickly began healing her hands.
Serafina, meanwhile, immediately reloaded and threw more 'ammunition.'
Following the explosion of the Forbidden Fire, the ground was littered with remnants that had yet to extinguish. Serafina had an endless supply of ammo.
"You bunch of bastards!"
Caiman let out an angry roar.
Where was his knight order? Had they not regained their sanity yet? Why weren't they coming to his aid!
Those useless fools!
Caiman reached out desperately and finally caught the Candelabra, but Serafina was already charging again with a blade coated in the Forbidden Fire.
By now, Serafina's mana-infused broadsword was pitted and scarred from the intense heat of the fire.
Caiman was forced to abandon the Candelabra and raise his sword to meet her.
Then, Caiman's good luck seemed to strike again.
Before the broadsword could even land, it shattered completely.
This sudden turn of events caught Serafina off guard and filled Caiman with a surge of ecstasy.
This woman had underestimated the temperature of the Forbidden Fire!
Even though the fire scattered across the battlefield was merely the residual embers of residual embers—fire that was on the verge of dying out—it was still hot enough to melt a mana weapon.
She had miscalculated!
Caiman swung his blade, unleashing a wave of Sword Qi. Serafina was forced to block with the hilt of her broken sword, and the impact sent her flying backward into the desert sand.
She didn't make a sound throughout the entire ordeal.
It wasn't because of her stoicism.
It was because she still hadn't regained the ability to speak.
Caiman snatched the Candelabra and looked at Serafina's group, triumphantly holding the artifact aloft.
"By the Goddess of Light, I am the final winner."
"In this game, the winner takes all."
Whoosh!
A blade of Sword Qi sliced through the air, wreathed in the Forbidden Fire. It struck with unstoppable force, aiming directly for his raised arm.
No one had expected this sudden ambush.
Someone else who could manipulate the residual embers... another person with the Forbidden Fire Blessing!
Furthermore, they had been so close, yet Caiman hadn't sensed their presence at all.
It was a magical artifact!
[Moon-spotted Cloak] A lesser magic grade item capable of concealing one's presence and appearance.
Dalun Li had previously tossed it into a treasure chest because he disliked the lingering scent of the Dark Starry Sky on it.
Caiman made a split-second decision and threw the Candelabra away. He couldn't pull his hand back in time; otherwise, the fire-coated blade would have severed his arm.
The shadowy figure seized the opportunity to snatch the Candelabra out of the air.
Caiman immediately drew his sword and slashed at the figure.
The figure didn't hesitate to use the Candelabra itself to block the incoming Sword Qi.
"You bastard!!"
Caiman hurriedly manipulated his Sword Qi to curve around the Candelabra, striking at the cloaked individual.
The figure swung his sword to deflect the attack and landed in the sand. The impact blew back the hood of the cloak, revealing the face beneath.
"Manfred!!"
Caiman roared in fury.
"You traitorous dog! Was betraying the family not enough? You're looking for death!"
Manfred quickly put distance between them. Relying on his Forbidden Fire Blessing, he grabbed a clump of fire from the ground and smeared it onto his blade to replenish the flames.
To prevent his weapon from melting, he carried two spare swords on his back.
They were all mana-infused equipment purchased from the monster merchant.
"The family forced my hand. I had no choice."
Manfred gripped his sword, ready for battle, with the Candelabra strapped firmly to his back.
Weiss and Rhine were right behind him, ready to provide support.
The members of the Red Rose team also watched, waiting for an opening.
"A massive swarm of skeletal lizardmen is already surrounding your knight order."
"How much longer do you think your maddened knights can last?"
Now that he had the most important item, Manfred's only thought was to retreat.
"Hand over the Candelabra and redeem yourself through service. The Grey family might forgive your previous crimes."
"Unless you plan to stay in this Well of Eternal Imprisonment for the rest of your lives, there will be no place for you in the entire Northern Territory."
Caiman began to threaten Manfred.
However, Manfred simply pulled his hood back up.
"Then I'll stay in the Well of Eternal Imprisonment forever."
Serafina began gesturing frantically in sign language, but she only received confused looks from her teammates.
In frustration, Serafina stomped her foot, hoisted the still-immobile Isolde onto her shoulder, and turned to run.
Her teammates instantly understood the signal. The heat was on, and it was time to scram.
Both Caiman and Manfred were now desperate for the Forbidden Fire.
One wanted power to secure a bright future within the family.
Manfred, however, knew that without power, he couldn't protect his family. He had to fight for his life in this dangerous dungeon.
While Serafina also yearned for the legendary Forbidden Fire, she valued the lives of her companions more.
Seeing that the situation had turned sour, she knew it was time to leave.
The undead lizardmen in this Desert Stratum were being led by an intelligent monster. Attracted by the Forbidden Fire, they would become extremely dangerous once they gathered in sufficient numbers.
They were halfway through their retreat when Remel caught up with the team, looking rather smug.
"Captain! While you guys were fighting over that Candelabra, I sneakily picked up the drops from the Desert Sword Attendant!"
Serafina began gesturing excitedly in sign language.
Isolde, still being carried by Serafina, couldn't actually understand her, but he provided a translation based on his own interpretation.
"Captain says you're a goddamn genius! Your IQ must be at least 160!"
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