Chapter 178: Chapter 143: You’re Fit to Test My Strength?
Compared to the landing ship, the Vengeful Angels’ Punisher Ship was clearly more ancient, yet more advanced.
According to Technician Soldier Agate, once its stealth mode was active, it was virtually undetectable by any instruments unless it drew near individuals who wielded Mighty Power.
This operation was also the first time the Technician Soldier had disembarked.
Although he would not be entering the ruins, still tasked with providing support and planning their withdrawal route, what in this world could possibly be more fascinating to a Technician Soldier than the Saint’s Remains and the ruins of a Wizard Civilization?
Agate was a man of few words and hadn’t said a thing, but his eagerness was plain to see.
Even the ancient, colossal structure beneath their feet—of which a mere fragment loomed like a small mountain range—had piqued his immense interest.
Florant looked up at the warship descending toward them, his expression darkening. "More people are here. Isaac, try to contact the personnel on that ship. Confirm their identities."
Times like these were often an opportunity for the great powers’ Vanguard Teams to display their strength and capabilities to onlookers.
After speaking, the Tier Two Mage shot a deliberate glance at Reinhardt and Raphael. The provocation couldn’t have been clearer, as if to say, ’If you can’t even handle something like this, perhaps I should consider working with a Vanguard Team from a different power.’
Raphael glanced at Reinhardt. After getting a nod, white arcs of Mental Power began to crackle across the surface of his body as he attempted to contact the people on the ship.
But the Master Level Tier One Mage named Isaac, seeing Raphael’s actions, gave a disdainful snort. He suddenly thrust out his right hand, and brutal, dark violet Spiritual Lightning merged violently with Raphael’s Mental Power, compressing his senses and blocking him from probing the descending warship.
The terrifying Spiritual Storm overflowed, and even its mere embers were enough to instantly annihilate a Mortal’s mind!
Florant was prepared. He gently rubbed an inconspicuous metal Ring on his right hand, and as the overflowing Spiritual Storm neared him, it was completely blocked by an invisible Witchcraft Force Field.
The six Wizards standing behind him stared at the Vengeance Angel Squad and Raphael, their gazes filled with cruel, mocking disdain.
Although they were only Tier One Mages, all but Irenia belonged to Lord Anatol’s faction. They were the absolute elites from countless worlds, geniuses among geniuses, truly one in a billion.
The hands of every member were soaked in the blood of their enemies.
Single-handedly slaughtering an elite five-man Knight Battle Group was merely the entry requirement to be worthy of speaking with them.
Aside from Reinhardt, they paid the other Imperial Knights of the Vengeful Angels no mind; they weren’t even qualified to discuss cooperation.
Compared to these Wizards, Irenia seemed utterly out of place.
Though Raphael had been warned by both Reinhardt and Matthias, he never expected that the group of Wizards—even Florant, with whom he’d had such a pleasant and seemingly friendly conversation—would make a move on them so suddenly.
Caught completely off guard, his Mind Barrier nearly collapsed.
He staggered back two steps, his face contorted in a snarl as he desperately resisted the terrifying Spiritual Energy trying to breach his Mind Barrier.
Only then did Raphael realize that every Wizard behind Florant was his equal in power, if not stronger!
Unwavering conviction was his greatest strength; it allowed him to maintain his pure faith through years of torment from a Demon’s whispers.
But it was also his greatest weakness.
No matter the circumstances, Raphael always chose to see the best in the world.
Matthias’s brow furrowed. The looks from the Wizards behind Florant infuriated him. His right hand gripped the hilt of his Knight’s Broadsword as he stepped forward, ready to help Raphael fend off the interference.
However, Reinhardt stopped him.
Any member of the Vengeance Angel Squad could have easily stopped the Spiritual Energy interference. But to become a worthy Think Tank and defend his own faith and ideals, Raphael had to face this himself.
As his Battle Brothers, they had to respect his struggle and trust that he could overcome it.
Seventy-Six was a flippant character, but he never joked when it came to killing. His hoarse voice chimed in over the Telepathy link.
’I’m waiting for the order, Captain.’
But Reinhardt simply replied, ’This level of power isn’t even one percent of a Great Demon’s, Seventy-Six.’
’Whoa. Does that mean Raphael has dealt with a Great Demon before?’
Reinhardt didn’t answer.
He simply let the embers of the Spiritual Storm wash over his Power Armor, causing ripples to spread across a deep blue shield, and watched Florant and his Wizards with cold indifference.
Finally, after a moment of struggle, an ecstatic look appeared on the face of the Wizard, Isaac, only to be replaced by sheer horror.
Cold sweat drenched him in an instant. With a muffled grunt, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to his knees with a THUD!
His pupils shrank to pinpricks, his previous arrogance and disdain completely gone, replaced by the pure terror of one who has come face-to-face with death.
When he had used his insidious and underhanded techniques to forcibly bypass Raphael’s Mind Barrier, attempting to steal the transcendent knowledge hidden behind it, he had instead experienced Raphael’s mind firsthand—the immense, agonizing pain it endured, year after year, day after day.
The instant he touched the profane power hidden within that knowledge, his soul felt as if it had lived a thousand years. He saw the infinity of the Void Realm, and he felt it... the gaze of a terrible, indescribable presence.
It was a terrifying existence whose mere gaze could annihilate his soul!
"Lord Florant! Save me—!"
Terrifying white electricity erupted from Raphael’s eyes as his body began to levitate. He fixed his gaze on the fallen Wizard, his expression ferocious, but his voice was as solemn and dignified as a sacred echo in a cathedral.
"Face your judgment, heretic."
A Pain Suppression woven from the Mind Storm howled toward Isaac!
Florant’s face darkened. Cursing the useless fool under his breath, his eyes erupted with dark purple Spiritual Lightning just as the Pain Suppression was about to engulf Isaac, preparing to forcibly intervene and end the conflict.
At the same time, two of the Master Level Tier One Mages behind him, no longer able to restrain their lust for power, suddenly attacked. Without permission, they shot forward, one from the left and one from the right, lunging for Raphael in an attempt to steal the transcendent knowledge behind his Mind Barrier.
And at that very moment...
Reinhardt moved.
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