Book 9: Chapter 57: Decisive Battle (Four)

“Lilith, let’s get out of here!” Father Jack had taken off the heavy radio on his back. With Lili’s help, he struggled to his feet. His expression grave, he spoke softly.

Him and Lili’s extended stay in such peril had been unavoidable. After they entered the manor and saw Integra’s body, the Knight of the Round Table understood a major battle was imminent and had ordered them to leave.

But back then, Sister Lili adamantly refused to leave Lancelot’s side. Father Jack had no choice but to stay too. Seeing their unwillingness to depart, the Knight of the Round Table didn’t force them. He, a devout monk whose life was dedicated to asceticism, didn’t overly concern himself with matters of life and death, whether his own or others’.

Moreover, Lancelot was confident in himself. He didn’t believe he could lose to a vampire and hadn’t realized so many powerful figures would gather here in the end. When they became surrounded by necros, Jack and Lili alone couldn’t escape anymore, hence their continued presence.

Still, at that time, their side had two blessed by holy relics, controlling the battlefield’s advantage. There was no need for rash actions. As for Father Jack’s injury at his ribs, that was caused by Seras.

The priest hadn’t accurately judged Seras’s power after becoming a true vampire. She caught him off guard right after waking, inflicting serious damage. Fortunately, Seras still possessed some inherent kindness and knew Integra’s death had nothing to do with them, so she showed mercy and didn’t deliver a killing blow.

Now, Jack knew staying offered Lancelot no help. It was better to seize this chance to leave so the Knight of the Round Table didn’t have to divide his attention. Only, he failed to notice the strange light flickering in the eyes of the sister beside him since earlier.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Just as Lili supported Father Jack, moving him back towards the rear of the manor, a low voice sounded from behind.

“Lili, go first!” Jack’s expression changed. He pushed Lili away and warily turned around to look. Behind them stood a tall figure wearing a ragged mask.

The figure wore a grey German army uniform, now riddled with tears and splotches of dried blood, making it look fierce. The mask only covered down to the lips and was comprised of fingernail-sized shards. Jack couldn’t tell the material. Just a glance made his heart inexplicably pound with sudden alarm.

Strangest of all, the burly soldier’s right hand clutched a small, elderly woman whose head hung limply—her condition unknown, alive or dead.

“Sir, we are only medical personnel of the Church. We haven’t engaged in any fighting,” said the priest. He glanced at the figure’s shoulders and spotted the white background, twin-star insignia. His eyelids twitched involuntarily.

As a priest of the Papal Chamber, even though Jack handled communications, he understood the rank structure of Nazi superhumans. White with twin stars meant Captain’s insignia. Within Nazi’s three major organizations, officers ranked this highly were powerful superhumans, fundamentally different from enhanced individuals like them.

Jack kept his eyes nervously fixed on Grant while subtly signaling to Lili with his hands. He held no illusions of his own escape now, only hoping his sister companion behind him might survive.

“She might be medical personnel. You, not so much!” Grant bared his teeth in a smile. His figure blurred as he lunged straight at Jack. Still in the air, his aura surged powerfully; he had activated “Joker’s Gift” from the Human Skin Mask.

Conditions from the earlier battles had long been met, and now he could finally use the skill directly.

“Run!” Jack snarled, thrusting Lily violently away. Instead of retreating, he threw himself forward at Grant, arms wide open.

“Brave, but overestimating yourself!” Grant’s eyes flashed. He sidestepped neatly, avoiding the priest’s attack.

Activating “Joker’s Gift” granted Grant power enough to instantly kill Father Jack. Yet, he didn’t do so. Instead, he toyed effortlessly with the priest, deliberately allowing the other sister to flee.

“That silly girl!” Father Jack was already seriously wounded. After a few desperate lunges, he was spent. Glancing hastily behind him, he saw where Lili was fleeing towards and almost choked on a mouthful of blood in despair.

Lili wasn’t running towards the manor exit. Instead, in a panic, she had turned and was running back towards where Lancelot was. Just then, the Knight of the Round Table’s fierce battle with Alucard was at its peak; getting near was far more likely to get her killed.

“No…” The priest felt fury and anxiety overwhelm him. He shouted at Lili, hoping the flustered sister would notice him.

“That’s about far enough!” Grant watched Lili run some distance away. A strange smile spread across his face. Now, without holding back, his figure blurred again. He ghosted silently behind Jack, his speed almost doubled from before.

“Thud!” With a gentle sound, Father Jack froze entirely. The words he was about to shout choked in his throat. Great gouts of blood surged from his mouth. The light faded rapidly from his eyes.

Grant withdrew his blood-soaked hand from Jack’s body. He plucked the small cube that had materialized above the priest’s head, looking slightly surprised but clearly pleased. Grinning widely, he started unhurriedly pursuing Lili.

“Jack…” The Knight of the Round Table, locked in fierce combat with Alucard, frowned slightly. Lightly tapping his toe, he used the force from his opponent’s last blow to glide backward.

“Hmph!” Alucard’s expression darkened. A tendril of blood soul extended from his arm, lashing towards Lancelot like an octopus’ tentacle.

“Jack and Lilith weren’t combatants. They shouldn’t have died!” Lancelot blocked the blood soul claw with an ugly expression, murmuring low.

“And what of it? Tonight in London, the millions of civilians slain by the Crusaders weren’t combatants either. Did they all deserve to die?” Alucard replied expressionlessly. “Seras became my descendant months ago. Yet until this battle, she had never tasted human blood. Did she deserve to die? Had she mastered blood soul combat earlier, how could she have died by your hand just moments ago?”

A flicker of shame crossed Lancelot’s face, leaving him speechless. As a Knight of the Round Table, he deeply disapproved of the Church’s war tonight. Yet, as a Catholic Ascetic Monk, his position meant he could not oppose this Crusade.

“I won’t be left with regrets like yours!” Lancelot’s expression went blank for an instant, then hardened like ice.

The next instant, countless slender, shadowy thorns shot violently out from within his body, surging towards Alucard like a raging ocean wave. Part of this mass simultaneously lashed backwards at Grant, who was chasing Lili.

“So you finally show your true power? I thought you planned to keep it concealed till the fight’s end!” Alucard’s face twisted in a cruel smirk. He hopped lightly back two steps, evading the massive wave of shadows descending upon him.

These shadows were thick vines. Lancelot’s monk robe was torn to shreds by the thorns bursting out, revealing a body composed entirely of countless dark-green brambles. Every inch of skin below his head was entwined with these vines. He looked like a vine-man covered in sharp spines.

Upon revealing this form, a white crucifixion-like holy mark, like a brand, appeared in the exact center of Lancelot’s forehead. As it surfaced, sacred white light shone around his entire brow. A slightly smaller circle of holy marks emerged, encircling his scalp like a thorny crown.

The vines danced around Lancelot like countless loyal guards separating Alucard. Those behind drove Grant away, shielding the panting Lili within their embrace.

“So that’s what it is!” Seeing this spectacle, even Qin Lun and Captain America paused their fight fractionally.

Qin Lun smiled. Finally, this revealed which holy relic Lancelot carried: the Holy Crown of Thorns!

The Prophecy had foretold Jesus would become the King of Jerusalem, unfulfilled. During the Passion, to mock him, a soldier fashioned a “crown” from thorns, pressing it onto Jesus’ head and saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

The crown of thorns subjected Jesus to ruthless torture and agony. Because of this story, some Catholic Ascetic Monks would lash themselves with vines to steel their faith and discipline.

Lancelot, in his time as a Knight of the Round Table, had committed an unforgivable crime. His later life became one of asceticism and penance. From this perspective, he truly could bear the Holy Crown of Thorns. Touched by holy blood, his continual cycle of reincarnation found its logical explanation.

“Bosses, do we move now?” A low inquiry came over Qin Lun and Grant’s Team Channel.

“No, not yet,” Qin Lun replied, and Grant echoed silently. Neither showed any overt reaction, not even glancing back at Lili who had just reached Lancelot’s side.

“Gerthard!” Just as everyone in the field momentarily eased the fighting pace due to Lancelot’s transformation, an angry shout rang out from afar. Two figures shot like arrows into the manor.

The lead figure was petite. The moment she entered, she bolted straight for Grant. The trailing figure, imposing and large, charged towards the clash between Qin Lun and Captain America with violent momentum.

Little Red Riding Hood Liv and White Giant Leo had finally arrived! Hundreds of meters behind them, a swirling column of yellow desert sand roared forward—Monica, Queen of Sandstorm, slower but closing the distance.

“Finally, everyone’s here!” Qin Lun’s eyes narrowed. Crystal mirrors flickered at his feet as he instantly widened the gap between himself and Captain America. Simultaneously, Grant cautiously retreated, running in Qin Lun’s direction.

Captain America’s eyes, gleaming with resolve, suddenly sharpened. His vast combat experience allowed him to seize a critical opening.

Currently, Qin Lun’s side counted three superhumans on the field, matching the combined strength of the Avengers and the Green Hunter. The three were close, and once united, judging by their displayed might, likely a stalemate would form. Any chance Steve Rogers had of killing Qin Lun would vanish.

Of course, Qin Lun’s side would also lose nearly all opportunity to kill members of the Avengers or the Green Hunter.

However, neither group had yet merged. Between Qin Lun and Grant stood Little Red Riding Hood Liv; between Qin Lun and the Queen of Sandstorm stood White Giant Leo. The same went for the Avengers and the Green Hunter – each group had an enemy positioned centrally.

Given their combat prowess, this situation was fleeting. Yet, before reunion, anyone could potentially find themselves caught between two opponents…

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