Chapter 690: Lady Silvia, the Hundred-Beast Maiden

On the opposite side of the chamber from the Divine Beast Ice-Fire Howling Wolf, a slender woman sat huddled on the cold stone floor, her body weakened by exhaustion. She wore a light purple Summoner’s outfit consisting of a simple top and a pair of practical trousers, the understated design doing little to conceal her graceful figure.

Her smooth legs, slender waist, and perfectly proportioned curves gave her an elegance that was difficult to put into words. Even Marcus, who had seen his fair share of beautiful women, found himself momentarily captivated. She seemed almost too beautiful to belong in the mortal world, like a masterpiece that had somehow come to life.

He hadn’t even seen her face yet, but her figure alone was enough to leave a lasting impression. There was something almost otherworldly about the way she sat, her delicate frame appearing fragile beneath the weight of her exhaustion. She looked like an Angel who had fallen from the heavens, her beauty untouched despite the predicament she found herself in.

A fluffy white fur shoulder guard rested over her light purple top, while a wide red cape resembling fox fur flowed behind her. A pair of deerskin boots completed the ensemble, adding a touch of rugged practicality to an otherwise delicate appearance. The combination suited her surprisingly well, balancing her graceful bearing with a hint of spirited vitality.

The outfit seemed to bring out the best in her, lending her an air of quiet dignity even as she struggled to maintain her strength. Rather than diminishing her presence, her current predicament made the determination she was fighting to preserve all the more striking. Marcus couldn’t help admiring her.

He finally raised his gaze toward her face, eager to see whether it matched the beauty of her figure.

The moment he did, his heart gave an unexpected lurch.

’Beautiful.’

That was the only word that came to mind.

Beneath an ethereal, fairy-like aura was a face that seemed almost impossibly refined. Her willow-shaped eyes were clear and expressive, her nose delicate, her lips soft, and her chin perfectly formed. Her skin was as smooth and pale as white jade, lending her an almost translucent beauty beneath the faint light of the chamber. Every feature complemented the others, creating a face that was elegant without appearing cold and gentle without seeming weak.

She was a fairy in every sense of the word.

Marcus found himself momentarily stunned. There was little doubt in his mind that this was Lady Silvia, the woman known as the Hundred-Beast Maiden. The title suited her perfectly. Even in her weakened state, she possessed an air of natural grace that was difficult to imitate, and the calm, gentle beauty of her face left an impression that lingered long after he had looked at her.

If anything, seeing her in person only made the title seem more fitting. She had the appearance of an elegant fairy descended from the heavens, yet there was something distinctly human about the exhaustion in her eyes and the strain she was struggling to conceal.

Marcus reluctantly tore his gaze away from her face and turned his attention to the situation at hand. Admiring her could wait. Right now, she was in danger, and he needed to understand exactly what he was dealing with.

Like the Divine Beast Ice-Fire Howling Wolf, Lady Silvia was caught in a desperate stalemate. Her opponent, however, was a bizarre spider composed entirely of spectral energy.

The ghostly creature was roughly the size of a grown man, its strangely bright, flower-like body suspended about three meters above the ground. Eight long legs crawled through the air as though the laws of gravity meant nothing to it, while a seductive woman’s face occupied the center of its body. Its eyes remained fixed on Lady Silvia, and the expression on its face carried an unmistakable hunger, as if it were already imagining the moment it would swallow her whole.

Judging by the creature’s appearance and the nature of its attack, Marcus quickly realized that this was no ordinary monster. It was the lingering soul fragment of the Spider Demoness from the Ancient Divine Era, and it was attempting to possess Lady Silvia’s body.

’Damn it.’

The thought of that hideous creature devouring someone like Lady Silvia made Marcus’s blood boil. Whatever the circumstances, he wasn’t about to stand by and watch a woman in such a vulnerable position fall victim to something so vile. More importantly, if the Spider Demoness succeeded in taking her body, the consequences could extend far beyond the fate of one person.

Marcus clenched his fists and focused on the struggle unfolding before him, determined to find a way to intervene without making the situation worse.

Suspended three meters above the ground, the Spider Demoness’s soul continued to emit strands of spectral energy as it forced a black iron rod, more than two meters long, down toward Lady Silvia’s head. The rod blazed with an intense red light, its surface radiating a dangerous aura that made it clear this was no ordinary weapon.

A direct hit would likely leave Lady Silvia dead or grievously injured.

Yet despite her exhaustion, she had managed to hold her ground. Two white jade rings floated half a meter above her head, revolving beneath her control as they released a brilliant white glow. The light spread outward to form a protective barrier around her body, shielding her from the black iron rod’s relentless assault.

The two sides were evenly matched in terms of the power they could bring to bear, but neither had managed to overcome the other. The white jade rings were attempting to bind the black iron rod and prevent it from descending any farther, while the rod struggled to smash through the rings and crush the barrier protecting Lady Silvia.

Both were clearly extraordinary treasures. Otherwise, the white jade rings would have been shattered long ago under the rod’s repeated attacks, while the rod itself would have been restrained by now. Their opposing forces had locked them in place, leaving neither side able to gain a decisive advantage.

As a result, Lady Silvia and the Spider Demoness remained trapped in a stalemate. Neither could break through the other’s defenses, and neither could afford to let up. The only sign of movement came from the red light gathering around the black iron rod. Every few moments, the light would flare, condensing into a concentrated burst of energy before crashing against the white barrier.

Bang!

The impact sent ripples racing across the barrier, making the white light flicker violently. The two jade rings, still locked in their struggle with the black iron rod, trembled under the force of the collision.

Marcus’s expression grew serious as he watched. The balance was already beginning to shift.

Although the white jade rings had managed to hold their opponent back, they were now being forced into a purely defensive position. The black iron rod, by contrast, continued to unleash one powerful strike after another, each impact bringing it a little closer to breaking through.

Inside the barrier, Lady Silvia’s delicate features tightened with pain. Each time the red light struck, she struggled to suppress the strain showing on her face, but even her composure could not completely hide how badly the battle was wearing her down. Her once-calm expression had grown pale and weary, and her hunched posture reflected the effort required to keep the barrier intact.

She wasn’t simply enduring the attacks. She was paying a heavy price for every second she managed to hold on.

The red light’s repeated impacts consumed enormous amounts of her energy, and the longer the stalemate continued, the more her strength dwindled. Her white jade rings might still be holding the black iron rod at bay, but maintaining that fragile balance was becoming increasingly difficult.

Marcus quickly understood what would happen if nothing changed. Eventually, Lady Silvia would exhaust the last of her strength. The white jade rings would lose their ability to resist, allowing the black iron rod to smash through their defenses. With the barrier gone and Lady Silvia unable to fight back, the Spider Demoness’s soul would seize the opportunity to devour her and complete its possession.

In other words, the stalemate was only delaying the inevitable.

And Marcus had arrived just in time to prevent that outcome.

Unfortunately, the Spider Demoness had noticed his approach as well. As he drew closer, the spectral creature let out a sinister hiss and abruptly increased the pressure on the black iron rod, driving it harder against the white jade rings.

The red light surged, growing brighter and more violent with every passing moment.

"Damn it!"

Marcus immediately recognized what the creature was doing. It had realized that another combatant was approaching and was trying to finish Lady Silvia off before he could interfere.

Fortunately, Lady Silvia had noticed him, too.

Her gaze shifted briefly toward Marcus, and she studied him with what little attention she could spare from the struggle. Through Blackie and the Seven-Colored Divine Eagle, she had already learned that his abilities were extraordinary. Although she was clearly nearing her limit, the moment she confirmed his arrival, a faint trace of determination returned to her face.

She had no intention of giving up while there was still a chance.

Lady Silvia softly chanted an incantation, channeling what remained of her strength into the two white jade rings. Their light intensified, and the barrier surrounding her brightened in response, holding back the black iron rod’s increasingly ferocious red glow. At the same time, she forced the rings to tighten their hold on the weapon, desperately attempting to restrain it before its next strike could overwhelm her defenses.

The effort was visibly taxing, but she refused to let her concentration falter.

Lady Silvia knew she couldn’t defeat the Spider Demoness alone, not in her current condition. She had already pushed herself to the brink simply to survive this long, and she had little strength left to withstand another prolonged exchange. If Marcus failed to turn the situation around, her defeat was only a matter of time.

For now, all she could do was hold on a little longer and trust that the man approaching her could deliver the breakthrough she desperately needed.