A Villain's Journey Begins in the Type-Moon World

Sharp-edged war instincts also caught Arcueid's peculiarities, and he spoke frankly about them.

Ace's calm voice came through the communicator, accompanied by the dull thud of him blocking a heavy blow:

"Indeed. We thought that the people gathered at Rhodes Island were already diverse and had rich experiences. Now it seems that the Reunion Movement is just as good in this respect. They might even be better than us."

Ace made a similar assessment, since from his perspective, Arcueid's group was indeed advancing faster than theirs.

"The last lady who summoned the fire giant was also extraordinary."

Sharp-edged eyes swept over the towering lava giant at the other end of the battlefield, and he couldn't help but sigh:

"Although it may not be as sophisticated as Logos or the Spell Remnant, its power and destructive force are already astonishing."

Then, the blade paused, squinted slightly, filtering out some of the glare through the tactical goggles, and said:

"This firelight is really blinding. After being in the dark for so long, this sudden brightness is really... eh?"

He abruptly changed the subject, as if remembering something, and asked into the communicator, "By the way, speaking of light, why didn't you use your signature Originium Arts today, Nearl? No wonder I felt like something was missing."

"Yeah! I felt like something familiar was missing during today's battle..."

Ace's tone was teasing as he subconsciously touched his tactical goggles: "My lenses are all dimmed. Nearl, where's your brilliance?"

"No wonder my archery skills were exceptionally good today...it turns out there was no glaring light source to interfere." Storm Eye's calm voice chimed in, carrying a hint of barely perceptible amusement.

After a brief silence on the communication channel, Lin Guang's slightly helpless voice rang out:

"So, in your minds, my Originium Arts are usually this bothersome?"

Nearl swung her warhammer, cleanly and efficiently dispatching an enemy who attempted a sneak attack, then said, "The reason I didn't use it is because Amiya specifically instructed me to..."

Next, Nearl succinctly reiterated Amiya's considerations regarding avoiding the use of strong light sources in the dark fog environment to prevent the overall deployment from being exposed.

"Hmm... to coordinate with the Black Mist surprise attack and avoid alerting the enemy? That makes sense." Sharp Blade pondered for a moment, then offered a different perspective, "But now that we've already broken out of the Black Mist and are engaged in close combat with the enemy, the battle situation is completely clear, turning into a fair fight. Hiding any longer seems... pointless?"

After considering the current battlefield situation, Blade's tone became serious as he said, "Moreover, I truly believe that if you were to use your Originium Arts, which can unleash a powerful light in the darkness, it would actually dazzle the enemy and become an advantage for us!"

“Look at those Ursus soldiers fleeing near the fire giant. They’re staggering and panicking, much more pathetic than we are. I think it’s not just the fear from the giant itself, but also the fact that they’re disoriented by the bright light, causing them to collide and trample each other.”

"..." Lin Guang pondered for a moment, the firelight from the battlefield illuminating her resolute profile. "It seems... to make sense. Alright, let's give it a try!"

Before he finished speaking, Nearl suddenly pushed his shield forward, knocking an enemy away. Then he took a deep breath, and his aura changed abruptly.

The warhammer she gripped tightly first emitted a faint, molten gold-like red light, as if it were gathering power.

Immediately afterwards, the sharp blades on both sides of the hammerhead suddenly opened as if they were alive! Streamlined, dazzling golden light surged out along the opened side blades, instantly transforming the cold metal into two magnificent wings of light, which spread outwards elegantly and majestically.

At the same time, the shield on her left arm erupted with an even more intense and pure golden light. Several rhomboid light shield phantoms formed from pure light energy appeared out of thin air, like loyal guardians, slowly rotating around her.

Sparkling golden crosses appeared and danced around her, making her appear like a Valkyrie descending upon the battlefield, radiant and instantly becoming the focus of the entire battlefield!

The sudden burst of dazzling light, almost piercing the night sky, caught all the Ursus soldiers who were trying to besiege Nearl completely off guard.

Most of them didn't even have time to put on any protective gear. Their eyes were stung by the bright light, and they were instantly plunged into a white blur, completely losing their sense of the surrounding environment and the enemy's location.

But Nearl was far more than just a beacon providing illumination. She moved! More than twice as fast as before! Her golden figure darted through the enemy ranks like lightning, leaving behind trails of dazzling yet deadly light.

The light shield in her hand became indestructible. Several scattered beams of Originium Arts that shot towards her struck it, but they disappeared without a trace, like mud sinking into the sea, only creating a few ripples.

The warhammer's side blades, which had transformed into wings of light, now became merciless scythes reaping lives. Each swing tore through the air with unparalleled precision, severing enemies blinded and confused in half. Where the golden light swept past, only a brief silence remained, which was then replaced by screams and the sound of metal shattering.

At this moment, Wang Chong stood on high ground, looking down at the most dazzling golden figure on the battlefield below, a hint of admiration curving his lips. (The rest of the text appears to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated gibberish.)

He communicated with Amiya in his mind: "Yes, this is the true style of a Radiant Knight. Radiant and unstoppable. However..."

He paused slightly, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes:

"Personally, I feel that if she were wielding a lance or longsword, a weapon more suited to a knight's charge, she might unleash even greater power than this warhammer. That would be the signature weapon of the Nearl family's heritage, wouldn't it?"

Amiya sighed inwardly as she watched Nearl ultimately resort to Originium Arts. Since her teacher had already witnessed it, there was no point in trying to stop her; she could only let things take their course.

Upon hearing Wang Chong's assessment, she responded:

“Yes, the teacher is right… but because of her family’s past experiences and her complicated relationship with Kazimierz, Miss Margaret is currently… reluctant to use a spear in public.”

"Ha, she's quite a stubborn and proud girl..."

Wang Chong chuckled, stopping short of dwelling on the issue of Lin Guang. He changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over the largely cleared battlefield, and issued his order:

"Now, both sides have unleashed their most formidable abilities. After this night raid and the heavy casualties, the morale of the Ursus army has completely collapsed, and defeat is inevitable. Amiya, prepare for the next phase of the mission: clean up the battlefield and take stock of the spoils. Tonight's battle can be declared over."

"Understood, teacher."

Amiya nodded and immediately began to systematically direct the various combat teams to carry out the final clearing, guarding, and material recovery work through the communication system.

……

An hour has passed since the chaotic battle completely ended. In this final hour of pursuit and mopping-up, Rhodes Island and Reunion cooperated closely and successfully crushed the remaining Ursus forces, scattering them into pieces.

This once-aggressive pursuing force paid a heavy price, completely losing its ability to pursue Rhodes Island and Reunion, let alone come to the aid of Chernobog.

"Hmm...that's about it."

Wang Chong personally inspected the battlefield, which was filled with smoke and littered with corpses, his sharp gaze sweeping over every corner.

"The remaining enemy soldiers who couldn't escape on the battlefield have all been cleared out. The rest of the routed soldiers have already scattered and fled into the wilderness; let's try to bring back as many as we can. Order the main force to retreat!"

After issuing the orders, Wang Chong did not linger. His figure disappeared into the still-lingering night as he personally searched the battlefield for usable equipment and weapons left behind by the Ursus army—invaluable resources for the ordinary citizens of Armed Chern.

Amiya also issued the retreat order at the same time. Looking at the victorious Rhodes Island elite operators, although everyone's face was tired, their expressions were much more relaxed and cheerful than when they were waiting for orders in the afternoon. Many of them even exchanged their combat experiences with a bit of excitement.

Sensing the positive changes in the team atmosphere, Amiya finally relaxed. What pleased her even more was that, after this baptism of fighting side by side, the barriers between Rhodes Island and Reunion had clearly melted away, and a preliminary trust and understanding had begun to emerge between them.

"Next, all we need to do is notify Kal'tsit, and then we can set off for Chernobog," Amiya thought to herself, turning and walking towards the troop transport vehicle.

However, just as she approached the troop carrier, an unusually clear and intensely wary emotional fluctuation, like a stone thrown into calm water, clearly entered her senses:

“That man is too dangerous… Although he doesn’t seem to have noticed me, as soon as I get close to him, an instinctive sense of impending death, as if I were being targeted by a apex predator, lingers.”

"If he catches even the slightest flaw... we will surely die."

Chapter 399: The Appearance of Ascalon

"This voice... could it be Ascalon?!" Amiya's heart tightened suddenly, as if she had been pricked by an invisible ice needle.

Amidst the chaotic noise of the battlefield, a crystal-clear wave of thought, imbued with a strong sense of vigilance and alienation, stirred ripples in her keen perception, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.

When did she arrive?

In Amiya's memory, Kal'tsit clearly told her that Ascalon had gone on a field mission, so why was she here now?

“She’s coming. Although she’s still some distance away, her senses are sharp enough to pick up on my thoughts right now. You can explain it to her yourself later. I’m going back to keeping an eye on that man.”

That cold, unspoken voice came again immediately afterward. As soon as the words fell, the mental fluctuations receded like the tide, quickly fading away and disappearing completely from Amiya's perception range.

Amiya's expression changed slightly, and she immediately quickened her pace, almost rushing to the troop carrier and pulling open the door.

Sure enough, Kal'tsit was the only one sitting in the carriage, her expression as calm as ever, as if nothing had happened.

"She's gone?" Amiya asked directly, her tone tinged with urgency.

"Yes. She's off on her mission. That's how she always is, coming and going without a trace, only following the path she deems appropriate."

Kal'tsit raised her eyes, her gaze falling on Amiya like a scalpel, as if she had already seen through her thoughts, and said:

"She actually came back quite a while ago, after learning that you had gone to look for the Doctor. After you had that inexplicable accident, she has been following us closely ever since."

"So, you sensed her thoughts just now?"

“Dr. Kal'tsit!” Amiya frowned, leaned forward slightly, and said in a voice filled with earnestness and anxiety, “You should know best how high the risk is of such close-range spying in front of truly unfathomable powerhouses, even though Ascalon’s stealth skills are top-notch! Sending her to monitor His Majesty the Führer carries a huge risk of exposure!”

Amiya took a deep breath, trying to suppress her unease, and continued to emphasize:

"Once discovered, this would be tantamount to a provocation, instantly shattering the cooperation and trust we've painstakingly built, and possibly even... escalating into complete hostility! Kal'tsit, we've come this far; Rhodes Island and Reunion should never become enemies..."

“Ascalon’s mission to monitor that person was not an order I gave,” Kal’tsit interrupted Amiya, slowly shaking her head. A rare, indescribable weariness and helplessness flashed across her deep eyes. “It was an action she decided on her own, based on her own judgment and concerns.”

Then, Kal'tsit looked directly at Amiya, her expression complex:

"Do you remember what he mentioned about W before? That Sarkaz mercenary, W, was one of the staunch 'revenge faction' members after the disbandment of Babel. Her target is still the person who killed His Highness."

"What Ascalon fears most are those avengers; they are extreme and irrational, and will only drag Rhodes Island into the abyss."

"Not only that, he even suddenly brought up Theresis... This greatly provoked Ascalon. She was afraid that history would repeat itself..."

Kal'tsit's voice lowered, carrying a hint of barely perceptible weariness:

“Amiya, even if I have a lot of doubts and prejudices about that person, after experiencing such a conflict and being forced to back down, I would never be foolish enough to provoke him again and give him a handle to use against me.”

She sighed, gazing out the car window at the deep night, as if recalling something:

“I tried to persuade Ascalon. But you know her, when she’s made up her mind about something, especially to protect something… nothing but death can make her turn back.”

"The only advice I could give her was to make sure she maintained the furthest effective surveillance distance, and... she had to come back to report her whereabouts to me every hour to ensure her safety."

Kal'tsit's gaze refocused on Amiya, carrying a heavy reminder:

“Amiya, don’t forget what happened inside Rhodes Island during those darkest days when Theresa had just left and the Tower of Babel was falling apart… how your former ‘comrades’ viewed you and how they tried to take advantage of you.”

"Ascalon doesn't want to see you repeat the same mistakes, doesn't want to see you taken back to Kazdel or Victoria, becoming a pawn on someone else's revenge chessboard."

Amiya fell silent after hearing Kal'tsit's explanation. She certainly remembered that period clearly.

The doctor had just been placed under observation, and was surrounded almost entirely by Sarkaz people who were both familiar and unfamiliar to him.

Overnight, former comrades turned against each other, betraying one another. Even though Kal'tsit and her group won, it sowed the seeds of distrust and the possibility of renewed division.

Amiya and Kal'tsit have been trying to maintain the status quo at Rhodes Island and uphold their mutual trust, but with little success. This is a major reason why Amiya wants to welcome the Doctor back.

……

Amiya didn't know how she left the somber troop transport. Kal'tsit's words and Ascalon's actions weighed heavily on her heart like two massive stones.

She knew too many secrets about Wang Chong in advance. This information was a double-edged sword. It brought an opportunity for cooperation, but it also left Amiya wondering how to handle the conflict between Kal'tsit and Wang Chong.

What's even more problematic is that these truths cannot be told to Kal'tsit and Ascalon at this moment.

Filled with worry and a touch of helplessness, Amiya could only cautiously try to convey her thoughts to Wang Chong through their telepathic link: "Teacher, about Ascalon..."

“Ascalon?” Wang Chong’s response echoed in her mind almost immediately, his calm demeanor revealing no emotion. “I know. I noticed her back when we were on the battlefield. She naively thought I hadn’t noticed her just because I hadn’t glanced at her. Ha, how naive.”

Wang Chong's voice carried a chilling insight: "Your Meimei isn't here, Lin Zaikong isn't here, and your Lin Zaizai isn't here either..."

"In fact, I don't need to rely on my eyes to see. Her presence... is as clear to me as a light in the dark on this battlefield."

Amiya's heart sank at those first words; her worst fears had come true.

"Teacher, please don't be angry! Ascalon did all this to protect me, to protect Rhodes Island, she..."

“I know, I heard your conversation with Kal'tsit in the car.”

Wang Chong interrupted her explanation directly, his voice still steady, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority:

“But that’s only from your perspective… I can understand the source of her concerns, so my ignoring her is already quite tolerant.”

Then, Wang Chong's tone became slightly more emphatic:

"Not only her, but also those Rhodes Island operators who are willing to accept reality and choose to cooperate sincerely with the Reunion Movement, whether they are elites or ordinary members, I treat them all the same, as if they were my own subordinates."

But then Wang Chong abruptly changed the subject, his voice dropping sharply in temperature:

"However, if someone insists on refusing to cooperate, or even tries to provoke my bottom line again and again, then I will no longer tolerate it out of consideration for anyone's feelings. Heh, if she thinks her hiding is flawless and she is confident that I will not find out, then let her continue to follow me."

"Don't worry, for your sake and Theresa's sake, I won't take her life. I'm not that cruel and bloodthirsty. At most... I'll give her a profound lesson, let her experience firsthand what it means to be outmatched."

"Of course, all of this is on the premise that she doesn't actually go so far as to cross the line I set."

Amiya felt a bitter taste in her mouth. She knew this was Wang Chong's final ultimatum. He had promised not to kill Ascalon, which was already out of consideration for her and Theresa.

“Then… teacher,” Amiya hesitated for a moment before asking, “when do you plan to tell Dr. Kal'tsit and the others about… what you know?”

"It will be soon. Once the Chernobog situation is resolved, it will be pretty much over. And I need to see Kal'tsit's reaction after she meets the Doctor you've been longing for before I can decide how to deal with her."

Wang Chong slowly said:

"When the time comes, once the matter with Kal'tsit is properly resolved, Amiya, you can put aside your concerns and do what you truly want to do, leading Rhodes Island towards the future you desire."

"Kal'tsit...are you reunited with the Doctor?"

Amiya uttered the words softly, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her, a mixture of anticipation, worry, and trepidation about the unknown.

Now, the biggest obstacle blocking their way to Chernobog—the Ursus pursuers—has been completely crushed. She is now only a stone's throw away from seeing the Doctor again.

Chapter 400: Ascalon's Ideas

About three hours passed, and it was already late at night. After cleaning up and clearing the battlefield, Rhodes Island and Reunion set off towards Chernobog. Looking at the gradually enlarging moving city ahead, Amiya's heart was filled with anticipation.

"Why is it so late? There seem to be flames in the moving city." Just then, Scout spotted the incongruous flames in the sky above Chernobog and said.