They are all characters I control.

It must be said that the female knight's body is more useful than the mage's.

It was entirely possible for Claire to make the desired movements with her body, allowing her to wield the cross-knight sword with the same smoothness and fluidity as when she had killed the archbishop.

After moving only a few meters, five or six heretics lay dead behind Claire; the clean and swift attack had prevented them from making any unnecessary noise.

"Damn it! Where did that damn female knight go?!"

"Who are you! Ah! Who are you and why are you standing behind me!"

"Who! Who stabbed me? I'm hurt! Help!"

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhh! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

"Quick, get down on the ground so you won't get hacked... *splat*!"

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

"..."

The cellar was in complete chaos, with everyone screaming and terrified.

However, there are some clever people among them.

For example, Mel, this seemingly unremarkable "girl," is standing by the stairs in the cellar.

She didn't rush up the stairs, because that would only make her a target for Claire's (Eleanor's) magic. Instead, she controlled the people around her and let them leave first.

This wasn't because she was kind-hearted, but because she was trying to mislead Claire (Eleanor), who was hiding in the crowd.

After four infidels successfully climbed out, Mel slowly squatted down, and then she disappeared from the spot without ever standing up again.

Instead, an overweight cook in an apron climbed the stairs, brandishing a cleaver and attacking those blocking his way.

The stairs weren't very sturdy, and the chef was too big and clumsy to climb them quickly.

Finally, he reached the entrance to the cellar. The fat chef's hand had already touched the edge of the entrance when a lightsaber formed from holy magic pierced his body.

"Ugh..." The fat chef screamed as his body, pierced by the lightsaber, crashed down the stairs onto the cellar floor, crushing several unfortunate heretics in the process.

Just then, Mel, who had disappeared, emerged from under a woman's skirt and shouted in the direction the lightsaber had flown out: "Over there!"

"You all go over there! That guy's in that corner, grab him!"

"Whoever captures this church knight, I will bestow upon her the Philosopher's Stone!"

"For eternal life! Everything is for becoming God's chosen one! Do not kill her, spare her life to offer to our God."

Hearing Mel's call, the chaotic heretics finally found their way.

They swarmed toward the spot Mel had just pointed out, their sheer numbers blocking almost all the surrounding roads.

Mel, on the other hand, stood at the back, not looking at the spot where the lightsaber had appeared, but instead scanning the surroundings.

Rather than hoping that Claire (Eleanor) was a fool who stood still after the attack and exposed her position, Mel was more convinced that she would blend into the infidel crowd at that moment.

Once everyone around rushes in that direction, our defenses will obviously become weaker.

That would be the perfect opportunity for Claire (Eleanor) to attack him.

Now, at this moment, Mel has completely abandoned the role of an innocent little girl, and in the face of being killed by Claire (Eleanor) at any time, she has completely revealed her other side.

However, even though Mel was already so well prepared.

Instead of acting as she expected, Claire (Eleanor) unleashed an unimaginable seismic wave that spread across the ground.

Chapter 117 The Philosopher's Stone

In a closed space like a cellar, a sudden earthquake caused the surrounding walls to crack.

Large amounts of soil fell from overhead.

At this point, the heretics standing in the cellar could barely stand, and they stumbled and fell in a chaotic mass.

Some screamed and fell, knocking over their companions; others tried desperately to steady themselves, only to step into suddenly sinking or rising pits.

However, most people were gripped by complete panic; they were not knights or magicians.

The vast majority of these heretics were just ordinary villagers.

Faced with such a sudden magical attack, most people instinctively covered their heads and lay on the ground, even the villagers standing next to Mel did the same.

In this way, all the human walls became ineffective at that moment.

Without the protection of those around him, Mel's figure was now completely exposed.

At that moment, an arc of electricity formed a tentacle that wrapped around Mel's body and dragged her in one direction.

Even Mel's expression changed drastically at this moment, not only because the electric current on her tentacles distorted her face, but also because her attendants were desperately pulling at her hands and feet to prevent her from being dragged away.

What truly terrified Mel at this moment was that he had anticipated Claire's infiltration into the crowd, her sneak attack, and even her forceful assault.

But to their utter surprise, the other party would use such a "bizarre" and unheard-of method.

This was neither holy magic nor any kind of elemental magic as she knew it.

This is more like a rare rune inscription spell, but as far as Mel knows, she doesn't recall Eleanor using this kind of magic.

Even with runic magic, I've never heard of anything that can release black smoke, cause earthquakes, or have these strange tentacles.

Why is Eleanor using these strange and bizarre runic magics now?

However, these issues are not the most important at the moment.

At this time, the black smoke did not spread over a large area, but remained concentrated in a small region.

"What are you doing? Look at this!" Amidst the pulling of the electric tentacles and his minions, Mel, whose body was almost torn apart, took out a red magic stone from his pocket and held it high.

Although the cellar was still shaking, the moment they heard the words "Philosopher's Stone," the villagers who had been lying on the ground in fear and timidity all raised their heads.

They stared with fascination and fervor at the pebble-like object in Mel's hand.

The bright red, round object attracted the attention of everyone present. Without prior arrangement, the cultists all got up from the ground and stared intently at the "Philosopher's Stone".

"Now, we can get this by capturing that female knight..."

Before Mel could finish speaking, she saw the crowd in front of her moving and converging on her.

"With this, I will never die."

"Yes, as long as I get this 'Philosopher's Stone,' I can survive..."

"The Philosopher's Stone, that's mine, mine!"

"If you swallow that, you'll be safe even if you're buried in this cellar."

"Please give it to me, give it to me, give it to me now!"

"..."

The moment they saw the Philosopher's Stone appear, these pagan villagers, whose nerves had been stretched to the limit by the imminent threat of death, finally broke down completely.

They all made the simplest choice without prior agreement.

Rather than risking their lives against the female knight currently shrouded in black smoke to obtain the 'Philosopher's Stone,' it would be far more worthwhile to simply snatch it from Mel's hands, since Mel's appearance is merely that of a little girl.

Even with so many followers around Mel, there were no more followers than the number of pagan villagers trapped in the cellar.

Besides, wasn't the reason they were here for the Philosopher's Stone? Now, what they've been dreaming of is right before their eyes.

Seeing the out-of-control heretic villagers, Mel knew he couldn't take the Philosopher's Stone.

"Go over there!" Mel gritted his teeth and threw the Philosopher's Stone in his hand.

At this moment, the pagan villagers' eyes were fixed on the "Philosopher's Stone" that was drawing a parabola in mid-air. Then they began to chase after it, following the "Philosopher's Stone" towards the place where the black fog was the thickest.

Looking at the crowd rushing towards her and the red magic stone rolling at her feet, Claire tried to pick it up, but it was too late.

The crowd chasing after the Philosopher's Stone had already reached us, looking at the villagers with bloodshot eyes who seemed to have lost their minds.

In that case, killing them all would be quite a task.

Faced with the swarming heretical villagers, Claire raised her hand and used the [Wind Blade Rune] on the 'Philosopher's Stone'.

The magic, which was originally supposed to unleash wind blades capable of cutting through any object, now lacks wind blades but possesses the property of levitling objects.

Then the Philosopher's Stone floated up, and the red-eyed pagan villagers followed it like wild beasts eyeing their prey.

Claire followed behind the crowd, clearing away the slow-moving or fallen heretics.

While reducing their numbers, they controlled the Philosopher's Stone to float towards Mel, leading the heretic followers to attack Mel's followers.

"What kind of strange magic is this? Eleanor, you seem so unfamiliar to me..." At this moment, Mel had already climbed the stairs to the cellar exit.

To avoid being locked by Claire's (Eleanor's) magic, she had a cultist carry her up the stairs.

However, when she saw the Philosopher's Stone floating in the air through the followers, she looked at Eleanor, who was rushing towards her with the crowd, with surprise in her eyes.

However, at this point, she couldn't care less about anything else and quickly climbed the stairs.

Just as the light from the cellar entrance shone on his face, Mel realized that he couldn't move his body.

It was as if an invisible pressure was pressing down on her shoulders, preventing her from moving forward even an inch, and the same was true for the follower who was acting as her shield.

No matter how much Mel struggled, it was as if a thousand pounds were pressing down on her, making her unable to move an inch.

Immediately afterwards, she felt a cold touch on the back of her neck, and a hoarse yet eerily calm female voice whispered in her ear: "Alright, now I've got you."

With difficulty, Mel turned his face and saw Claire (Eleanor) standing close by.

The look of panic flashed across her face only briefly, but it was followed by the same kind of fright as any ordinary girl.

Almost instantly, her eyes filled with tears.

"Sister Knight Eleanor, why did you arrest me? Did Mel do something wrong?"

"That's really interesting. Do you still think performing this is useful?"

Claire, carrying Mel, dealt with the few still-movable heretics behind her before stepping onto the stairs leading to the cellar exit.

Chapter 118 Armed Heretics

Mel's sobs and pleas were like mosquito bites to Claire's ears.

The pitiful girl, looking like a victim, was roughly grabbed by the back of her collar by Claire.

"Let go of me, Knight Sister! Why are you holding me? What did I do to make you angry, Eleanor Sister?"

“At this point, you don’t need to pretend anymore.” Claire kicked at the heretics who were trying to hold him back as she continued climbing the stairs.

Mel was still sobbing beside her, making futile attempts to explain herself.

"I didn't. It was the adults who told me to do and say those things. I didn't mean to bully Eleanor."

"Have you forgotten, sister? It was you who saved me from the wolves."

“Sister Eleanor, you are Mel’s savior. How could Mel do anything bad to you?”

Claire chuckled, and anyone with a soft heart might actually soften or waver: "I could still see outside from inside the black smoke."

"You stood there so high and mighty before, and even threw out the Philosopher's Stone."

"Back then you didn't act like this, saying I'm your savior or anything like that. Save your energy, don't waste it here."

"You'll have plenty of time to shout later. I still have a lot of questions I want to ask you."

Hearing Claire's unwavering tone, the weakness and timidity on Mel's face faded away like melting snow: "I mean, what if?"

Looking down at the cunning and mockery that only adults could see on that childlike face, Claire gave her a deep look.

Although we don't know much about these heretics, based on our current experience, they are a group of heretics who are fanatical about immortality.

The Philosopher's Stone is clearly related to the strange crimson potion she had drunk earlier. In short, Claire has a lot of things she wants to get out of Mel.

The stairs to the cellar weren't very long, but because there was one person holding on and a group of people behind them dragging their feet, it took a while.

Fortunately, Claire managed to climb out of the cellar.

Looking back down into the cellar, the frenzied chase and infighting triggered by the "Philosopher's Stone" had not yet completely subsided. Screams, roars, and the sounds of flesh colliding could be faintly heard, mixed with the smell of blood and dust.

Claire was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see them suffer.

So, upon reaching the doorway of the house above the cellar, he released the [Rock Spike Rune] into the cellar.

A more intense earthquake than before spread through the cellar. Claire stepped out of the dilapidated hut, her feet trembling on the shaking ground.