Chapter 350: Stopping at a Touch

Ron took a wary step back. He saw an eagerness to fight in their eyes.

They were serious about this—ready for a real test of strength!

"Ron!" Victoria retreated to Ron’s side, whispering, "Don’t agree to it. We can’t possibly win!"

"Have you forgotten how we won all those other times? This is a head-on confrontation! A direct clash!"

"Miss Victoria, you needn’t have so little faith. Just surviving in the Delusional Land is no easy feat, so I think you have a chance," Priest Pergrande said, casually loosening her grip on her Magic Staff. "Alright, how about this? Since Judge Aron doesn’t intend to draw his sword, we won’t go all out either. Pointy-Ears, you can’t use your sword. Big Beard, you’re forbidden from using ’that thing.’ How’s that?"

Ron and his companions watched in shock as the three people behind Aron each stepped forward, forming a small formation with him. The Half-Elf was empty-handed, wrapping bandages around his hands. The Big-bearded Dwarf took the shield from his back but drew no weapon. As for Pergrande, she merely took out her Holy Emblem, which was engraved with a set of scales on a warhammer—she was a follower of Tyr.

"Hey, aren’t you underestimating us a little!" Before Ron could even speak, Sera grew angry. She took off her Grip of the Vast Wave and glared at the Priests from the Molten Iron Barrier, who weren’t even bothering to draw their weapons. "What do you take this place for, some common bandit hideout? We fought to conquer this land, and—"

"A Beastman-made weapon," Aron exchanged a look with his colleagues. He and the Half-Elf were composed, but the other two showed undisguised disdain on their faces. "And here I thought it was something special..."

"From the looks of things, this probably is just a bandit hideout, isn’t it?" Pergrande let out a soft laugh. "You won’t let us go any deeper, so you can’t blame us for not reaching any other conclusion."

"Pergrande!" Since their main mission was already complete, Aron no longer bothered with titles. "How many times have I told you not to let assumptions interfere with your judgment!"

"Old Lei, our mission is already..."

"Official business is concluded, but training is for life!" Aron said with a serious expression. "Mr. Ron, what do you say—"

"Even if we wanted to fight, we can’t," Aive said, placing a hand on Sera’s shoulder. She could clearly see that the others didn’t really want to clash with these Priests from the Order Camp. "My shield was destroyed on our last mission, and a new one hasn’t been forged yet."

"That’s simple!" Pergrande gave the Big-bearded Dwarf a look, and he immediately produced another Leather Round Shield. "I don’t know what kind of shield you use, but this one should do in a pinch!"

"Since you’re all so enthusiastic..." Ron sighed. With a gesture, the Weaving Introduction appeared behind him, and an oaken shortbow materialized in his hand. "In that case, please be gentle."

’They can’t underestimate us anymore. Our patience has reached its limit. Any more of this, and they’ll be walking all over us!’

"Hooray for Ron!" Sera cheered, brandishing the Grip of the Vast Wave as she charged. "Here I fucking come!"

"Acceleration Technique!" Ron didn’t reveal his Gemstone. Instead, he raised his hand and fired a probing shot at Pergrande, the only woman among the four, to test her capabilities. "Strong Acid Arrow!"

"Molded Stone!" Pergrande waved her hand, and a section of the ground rose up. At her will, the massive chunk of rock formed a barrier, easily blocking Ron’s attack. "I never thought a Lord could be proficient in both Magic and Martial Arts."

"He is the brilliant young man who conquered the Delusional Land, after all," Aron said, parrying Sera’s attacks with his scabbard. They exchanged three or four blows in mere seconds. "Such strength!"

"You haven’t seen anything yet!" Sera let out a low growl. The Grip of the Vast Wave also emitted a wild roar, its furious red glow kicking up a storm across the flat ground.

"Heh. A barbarian, all brute force," the Half-Elf said, shaking his head. He’d already spotted an opening in Sera’s form and was about to step in and end the fight quickly. But then, a fiery red, twin-horned figure flashed before him, a fist flying straight for his face.

"And where might you be going, brother?" Quest asked, shadows trailing his every step. If it weren’t high noon, his power would be even greater.

"I was waiting for you!" the Half-Elf laughed. He dodged the shadow of Quest’s fist, then countered with a knife-hand strike of his own. The two Martial Monks clashed, sending sand and stones flying with their every move. Shouts echoed as they fought, and for a time, they seemed evenly matched.

On the other side, Victoria and Aive flanked the Dwarf, cutting off all his escape routes. Andre stood ready with his short spear, waiting for an opening. The moment their opponent showed the slightest weakness, he could launch a deadly strike with his companions’ cover. It looked as though Ron’s side had this spar in the bag.

However, after the four on Aron’s side exchanged a brief look, Pergrande suddenly raised her Holy Emblem high. "Command of Order—drop your weapons!"

In Ron’s eyes, the female Priest’s figure instantly became tall and fearsome. Her words held an irresistible power, making him subconsciously want to obey—as if her command *was* order itself.

The shortbow in Ron’s hand trembled, but he immediately tightened his grip. ’If I hadn’t previously fought a Vampire far more skilled in Charm,’ he thought, ’this Priest would have disarmed me right then and there!’

But not everyone here could resist the Priest’s power. With a clatter of metal on the ground, Andre’s eyes went blank as he dropped his short spear and shield. That single moment of hesitation was all the Dwarf needed to counterattack.

"Annihilation Wave!" The Dwarf slammed his shield into the ground. A burst of holy energy erupted from him, like a sudden clap of thunder across the plains! Victoria and Aive were instantly thrown backward. Andre, still in a daze, was sent flying and crashed hard onto the ground at Ron’s feet.

"Andre?!"

Ron rushed to help him up, but the Dwarf who had just knocked back Aive and Victoria gave him no such chance. Snatching up Andre’s short spear, the Dwarf charged toward Ron, shield raised.

"Lord, don’t mind me, I’m not... COUGH COUGH!" The young man from the countryside gave a bitter smile, then collapsed on the ground after a violent coughing fit. "I’m sorry, I... I can’t fight them..."

"Idiot!" Seeing this, Pergrande grew angry instead of pleased and shouted, "Aren’t you a Paladin of Tyr?! How can you be so pathetic! Big Beard, give him back his weapon—get up and keep fighting!"

"Lord, is this the kind of team you brought to pioneer the Delusional Land?" The Dwarf showed no intention of stopping his charge, but a spell from Ron made him stagger, deflecting his momentum to the side. "It seems the so-called Delusional Land isn’t as dangerous as the legends say!"

"You’ll find out soon enough whether it’s dangerous or not!" Having regained her footing after being thrown back by the Annihilation Wave, Aive tossed aside the round shield. An ill-suited piece of equipment was worse than nothing. The Flaming Hand Armor on her hands flared up, forming a blade of fire that she brought down on the back of the Dwarf’s head!

"Andre! Get up and keep fighting!" Victoria raised her warhammer, bringing vitality and hope to every one of her companions. "Don’t let her Magic sway your mind! Let your oath guide your path!"

"Now that’s more like it!" Pergrande watched with satisfaction as the kid—who was more of a farmer than a Paladin—leapt to his feet, drew the more decorative than practical Longsword from his hip, and rejoined the battle. "Old Lei! Start the second round!"