The hunter's agile figure darted and leaped through the forest, nimble as a leopard.
She stepped onto a treetop, nodded toward Claudia.
The holy knight rose from the ground, signaled the team to continue forward. The clumsy priestess carrying the shrine and clutching scriptures stumbled forward and bumped into the female warrior's back.
Claudia sighed helplessly, turned around, and helped the priestess who had fallen and was now rubbing her forehead with reddened eyes.
"Elia, I told you to leave those things to me."
"No, no, it's not allowed. The high matriarch said the Goddess's shrine cannot be touched by others…" The young priestess crawled on all fours, laboriously picking up the scattered scriptures.
The holy knight squatted down to help her gather them. Soon the team continued moving forward.
"The, the high matriarch told me…" Perhaps embarrassed by her earlier clumsiness, the young nun blushed and changed the subject. "As long as we complete this mission, I can become a qualified high priestess and open the first church in the entire kingdom dedicated to Myrmidia, Protector of Family and Love, in Bilbali."
Despite panting, the nun's delicate, pretty face was filled with expectation for the future, as if she could already see the church opening with crowds of worshippers.
Claudia smiled, stroked the nun's short silver hair, and walked ahead. The group disappeared into the dense forest.
"Damn it!"
The holy knight yanked her silver longsword from the corpse, eyes blazing with fury as she watched the female hunter being dragged down from the tree by beastmen using nets.
"Fiona!"
But there were too many enemies. She could only watch helplessly as the female hunter was pinned by spears while rolling, then captured. A group of wolfmen stuffed her into a large net woven from branches and vines, carrying the captive away and vanishing into the dense forest.
A horn sounded deep in the woods. Though the savage beastmen were filled with battle lust, they seemed bound by some restraint and reluctantly withdrew from the fight, leaving the battlefield.
The witch hunter band, which had suffered heavy losses in the ambush, could not pursue. They could only regroup, stay vigilant against the enemy, and silently watch the foes disappear into the forest.
"What do we do now?"
The red-haired female swordsman — the only one in the team whose direct combat ability could match Holy Knight Claudia's — had taken part in several overseas expeditions and slain several greenskin warlords.
She was the first to react during the ambush and the one who charged out when morale plummeted, cutting down five rage-tainted beasts in a row to stabilize the troops.
Red-haired Ann wiped the blood from her sword, frowning at the tiny nick that had appeared on the blade.
These creatures were harder to deal with in the woods than greenskin brutes. Moreover, Ann could sense that the enemy's true powerhouse and leader had not yet appeared.
Claudia fell silent. She turned around. The ground was littered with the dead and wounded — nearly half the team was injured.
Duty, mission, mercy, and human lives weighed on the scales in her heart, and the expectant gazes from her comrades forced the holy knight to consider the feasibility of this mission.
"I feel it!"
The priestess carrying the shrine suddenly stepped out from the crowd, her pretty little face flushed with excitement.
"The Goddess — it is the Goddess's power!"
The shrine on her back was glowing!
Claudia's heart jolted. Sensing the majesty and wisdom within that light, she had no doubt — this was Myrmidia's radiance. She immediately thrust her sword into the ground and knelt on one knee.
The remaining warriors followed suit.
"By Your glory… we press onward!"
Feeling the encouragement and inspiration within the Goddess's light, Claudia understood the Goddess's will: they must continue forward!
"…"
Rising and looking around, she had no choice but to frown. "Send some people to carry the wounded back to camp and immediately call for reinforcements from nearby temples and cities. The rest of you, continue with me to carry out the Goddess's will!"
"By Her glory!"
It was as if a primordial beast had awakened and stepped out of the dense forest to examine these intruders in its domain.
A dangerous, massive figure slowly emerged from the shadows, bringing with it a terrifying aura that spread across the entire battlefield.
The Bloodmother's Chosen — Centaur Alina!
Red-haired swordsman Ann scanned the surroundings. The beastmen army's morale soared, while her own warriors fell into panic, intimidated by the dreadful presence.
Gritting her teeth, she leaped several times out of formation and charged into the open space behind the rage-tainted beasts, raising her longsword toward the centaur.
A champion's duel!
A playful smile appeared on the centaur girl's seductive face. She tossed aside her warhammer and drew a curved blade from her waist.
"Ann!"
The holy knight shouted sharply, but she could not stop the female swordsman's defeat.
Ann's longsword was flicked away. Losing her weapon, she tried to rush forward to retrieve it, but Alina, already bored, reached out with lightning speed and precision, clamping her hand around the female swordsman's throat.
She watched Ann grab her arm, pounding and struggling until her strength faded.
The centaur girl turned her appraising gaze toward the holy knight.
Claudia yanked a beastman spear from the ground and hurled it at her!
"Bang!"
The centaur girl spun around and caught the spear shaft with her other hand, fast as lightning.
The corner of her mouth curved into a mocking arc. She casually threw the spear back into the formation. The massive impact instantly impaled an unlucky human warrior, and the spear shattered into pieces.
"Release her!"
The holy knight hacked through obstacles with her greatsword and charged out.
The centaur girl punched the back of the female swordsman's skull, knocking her unconscious, then slung her over her shoulder and turned to walk into the forest.
Claudia could only watch helplessly as more and more beastmen poured out of the forest, surrounding her formation like a lone boat in a vast sea.
She had no choice but to turn back. Even if she died in battle, she would die with her comrades!
"Take, take the shrine with you! You must take it!"
The young priestess, clutching her injured thigh, forcefully pushed away the holy knight's hands trying to bandage her. Her pretty little face was pale from pain, tear tracks still visible. She looked at Claudia seriously and said:
"At the last moment, open it. The Goddess's power will purify the darkness…"
Her voice broke with sobs. Accidentally touching the wound on her leg, she cried out in pain again. The nun tried hard to suppress her voice so it wouldn't carry too far.
Claudia's mind was in chaos. Her comrades lay on the road — either captured or dead — while the Goddess's mission was so close, yet felt impossibly far away.
She mechanically and futilely tried again and again to stop the nun's bleeding, only to be firmly pushed away by the latter's small hands.
"You should keep going, Claudia! Keep going!"
"Don't, don't worry about me!"
The little nun wiped her tears and forced a weak smile at the holy knight.
"Help, help me tell the high matriarch… please give the church to someone else. I'm not coming back…"
The holy knight's hands froze in the air.
The Goddess's light still radiated from the shrine, growing more and more urgent, as if urging her to pursue the target.
Claudia's heart skipped a beat. She lacked the courage to meet the little nun's encouraging gaze. She gently placed a longsword beside her feet, shouldered the shrine, and resolutely turned to charge into the forest.
The little nun breathed a sigh of relief, placed the dagger on her leg, and closed her eyes to rest.
Before long, a voice suddenly sounded in front of her.
The little nun's eyes flew open in terror!
"By Your glory!"
A dense holy light burst from Claudia's body, blasting the surrounding beastmen away. She seized the chance, broke through the gap, and reached the altar.
"You! Die, darkness!"
She raised her longsword, pointing it at the mysterious boy riding on the centaur girl's back, panting heavily but filled with boundless joy and calm in her heart.
A familiar figure stood before the altar, as if waiting for Claudia for a long time.
"You, you are Kalien!"
This person's appearance shattered Claudia's composure. After entering the forest, she had left the group, claiming she had found a weakness in the dark power and would clear the path for them — the White Tower female mage!
"Why, why are you here!" Claudia shook her head in disbelief. A terrible possibility flashed through her mind, but she violently cast it aside. She could not accept that cruel truth.
"Kill him quickly! Have you forgotten the Goddess's faith?!" the holy knight shouted desperately. She still clung to the illusion that this companion was still on the side of justice and Order.
Hiding was pointless. The female mage pulled back her hood, revealing the cold, beautiful face familiar to the holy knight.
"I have always worshipped the Goddess, Myrmidia… An arrogant fool was never my true faith."
"Nor was that fake thing on your back."
The female mage's words sent a shock through Claudia's heart. The unease that had lingered in the holy knight's mind for so long finally found its source. Yet sentimentality prevented her from believing this horrifying possibility.
"Blasphemy! Seduction!"
Gritting her teeth, she lifted the shrine.
"By Your glory! Goddess of the South, Queen of All Armies on Earth! Protector of the People, Guardian of Two Kingdoms! Myrmidia!"
The holy knight cried out devoutly. In the next moment, the invincible divine might of the War Goddess would descend upon this place and purify all corruption and darkness.
Claudia could also complete the divine command and search for any surviving comrades.
Nothing happened. It was as if Myrmidia had lost connection. The divine light that had been radiating all along vanished without a trace.
The air fell silent for several seconds. There was no sign of divine power descending.
A mocking smile appeared on the female mage's face.
Alina looked somewhat bored. She had still hoped to witness something stronger — how the power of a god would manifest.
The holy knight refused to believe it. She raised the shrine higher, holding it above her head with both hands, as if desperately trying to reach the heavens.
"By, by Your glory!"
No response.
"Your glory!"
No response.
"Your glory!"
The sky remained dim. There was still no reaction around them. The rage-tainted legion left a semicircle of empty space around the holy knight's position.
Claudia finally collapsed weakly to the ground.
The fighting along the way had left her exhausted. Only sheer willpower and obsession had kept her going this far.
The shrine rolled onto the ground, covered in dirt. On the verge of breakdown, the holy knight made one final desperate effort. She turned sideways, lay on her stomach, and reached out to hook the base of the shrine and pull it back.
This time the Goddess did not disappoint her. Tiny points of light began to glow from the statue.
Hope lit up in Claudia's eyes.
My Goddess! My Goddess!
My Godde…
Claudia's pupils suddenly dilated!
In an instant, the light before her eyes turned into purple mist!
Armor became silk and satin. The valiant goddess transformed into a seductive dancing figure. The far-seeing eagle was replaced by a serpent of temptation. The round shield at her feet became a wine jar. The spear became a harp!
Mistress of the Garden of Delights!
Queen of the Elysian Palace!
The Great Reveler!
The Fourth Chaos God!
One of Al's four dark mothers!
The counterpart to Slaanesh, the controllable incarnation of desire.
The Reveler!
The statue of the evil god let out a mocking, coquettish laugh that echoed through the air, ridiculing the holy knight's persistence, her faith, and everything she had defended. A speck of black light sank into Claudia's forehead, and she fainted.
The Reveler's statue also rolled onto the ground.
Al, riding on Alina's back: "…"
"Sigh."
The boy sighed.
The female mage stepped forward, picked up the statue respectfully, and presented it at the edge of the altar.
Al dismounted, picked it up.
A statue full of beauty and mysterious allure.
"My mother, what interesting game are you playing again?"
[It hurt when I fell… Quick, kiss me. Hurry, give Mommy a kiss.]
Al grimaced.
"Phew!"
He blew on the statue perfunctorily.
[Come on~ Be good. Just once! Just once!]
Al turned his head and glanced at Goat Mom and the centaur girl. Helplessly, he pressed his lips to it.
[Use your tongue, lick it…]
"Enough already!"
Al waved his hand. A minotaur woman carried the unconscious holy knight away to the captive tent, locking her up with the previous prisoners. Some female beastmen were already waiting there to strip the female captives of their armor and weapons.
[You little brat, when you were (censored) with the goat girl and (censored) water (censored) and then turned around and (censored) like that… Mommy saw everything! You're shy about using your tongue, huh?]
Al's face flushed with shock and anger. This time he actually felt a bit embarrassed.
"You were peeping on me!"
[We know exactly how many hairs you have down there, and how many times you kicked that woman's belly while you were still an embryo!]
"I!"
Al was speechless. In pure spite, he opened his mouth wide, took the statue's head into his mouth, swirled his tongue around it with wet slurping sounds, then pulled it out with strands of saliva stretching.
"Is this enough?!"
[Ah~ Very! Very good! Do it again, good boy, do it again!]
"Are you Slaanesh or the Reveler?!"
"I came here to fight for you, not to be your fucking sex toy!"
Al was furious.
Letting him do it with real people was one thing, but doing this and that to a statue felt like being treated as an onahole and AV material.
His blood-red eyes glowed at the right moment. In the world within his pupils, the Bloodmother sat upon her high black iron throne, gripping a throwing axe tightly.
[Wuu, you're rejecting Mommy, you bad child…]
[Even so, Mommy doesn't mind her bad child's coldness. Let me tell you something: it's time to leave the forest.]
Al held the statue, with the centaur girl and Goat Mom following behind as he walked toward the tent. It felt strangely like talking on the phone.
This statue seemed to be a miraculous medium. This was the first time since the All-Knowing One that Al could communicate so smoothly and clearly with the New Four Gods.
"Now? There are still countless beasts and monsters in the Pina Forest waiting for me to tame. In one year the tribe's population will double. In two years it can quadruple!"
[I know what you're thinking. Mommy warns you: you'd better not put all your hopes on those huge, clumsy beasts. You'll be disappointed.]
"Why?"
Al asked in confusion. Was there some fatal flaw in his giant beast park charge strategy?
[If you were allowed to rob and kill and rape without limits, which would you choose?]
"Uh… although I don't want to choose either, if I have to… even though the latter seems more fun and unrestricted, for my own sake, I'd probably choose the former. At least I wouldn't have to worry about being murdered or raped."
Al thought for a moment and gave his answer.
[What about those brainless beasts? The Four Gods represent extreme desire and emotion… Reason can still restrain and separate itself from them, but beasts lack mortal wisdom.]
The Reveler's single sentence woke Al up.
Right. I, the Eternal Champion, can subdue hordes of monsters and beasts, but isn't Archaon the Everchosen more legitimate than me? When the two armies face each other, the opponent only needs a little trick and the monster legion will immediately defect to Chaos and charge back at me instead.
Our army suffers a crushing defeat!
A terrifying vision flashed before Al's eyes. He suddenly snapped awake from the game-influenced idea and plan.
[But using a few is still fine… Don't use too many, or Mommy and the others won't be able to control them.]
Thinking of the vast Pina Forest, the Irrana Mountains, and even farther — the Blighted Marshes, the corrupted forests of Athel Loren — the endless monster armies seemed to suddenly slip away from him. Al sighed.
[There's also one very important piece of information, concerning your future, your love, everything you have, and even the outcome of the End Times…]
The female voice gradually grew softer as she spoke.
Al realized something was wrong.
"Hm?"
Al shook the statue.
"Mom?"
"Hello? Hello?"
He tried hard to make contact.
"Are you still there? Mommy?"
He tapped the statue. Al even leaned in and gently bit it, but there was still no response.
Just as he began to worry that something had happened again in the Realm of Chaos and the Reveler was under attack,
Another surprise appeared.
The previously unconscious defeated holy knight, Claudia, suddenly woke up. She even broke free from the minotaur woman's restraint and charged forward.
She stopped not far in front of the vigilant centaur girl. Her once holy and noble face now carried an evil aura. A seductive smile appeared on her saintly beautiful features.
Al only glanced at her once and immediately felt his body react. He looked down, somewhat puzzled.
This strange feeling only happened when…
"You!"
Al stared at the holy knight with uncertainty.
Her once azure eyes, pure as the blue sky, were now filled with purple.
[It's Mommy~]
[Fuck this body. If you make me feel good, I'll tell my good baby that information.]
Myrmidia's church.
The high matriarch was still wearing that excessively erotic outfit, even more exaggerated than before.
The clothing above her abdomen was completely removed. Only two thin strips of cloth hanging from her shoulders covered her breasts, exposing large expanses of tempting flesh that swayed in the air with every breath.
Her thighs were now wrapped in white silk stockings. The side-slit robe had been shortened to only reach her knees. Below were her fair calves and jade-like feet wrapped in white silk.
The church was dim. The nuns held candlesticks, standing silently on both sides behind the high matriarch.
Throughout the entire church, only High Matriarch Themis's devout prayer echoed:
"My Lord in Heaven, my Father, my salvation."
"I call upon You in my day, and You draw near and say: 'Do not fear!'"
"My Most High; my Possessor; my Righteousness, Lord of Mysteries!"
"The healer of my flesh; the redeemer of my soul; my deliverance, my salvation, my unborn child…"
The high matriarch's prayer continued for a long time. When the time approached, she raised a dagger from the altar platform and cut open her own palm, walking toward the base of the statue.
A pure white, healthy female body lay quietly sleeping there.
Golden long hair, a beautiful face carrying a heroic and valiant air.
Celestine!
Al's mother.
"The ritual has begun…"
The high matriarch leaned down, brought her lips close to her former close friend's ear, brushed aside the short hair on the other woman's forehead, and used her own blood to draw a blood line along her brow, the tip of her nose, her lips, her throat, her chest, her navel, her lower abdomen…
A black necklace with a purple-glowing gem in the center was hung around the Grail Knight's neck. The purple crystal rested between her breasts.
The midnight bell tolled.
The high matriarch trembled all over and looked toward Celestine.
The female knight quietly opened her eyes.