"Everyone, eyes on me. I have an announcement!"

A broad grin spread across Phield’s face.

"Welcome to the boss stage. Anyone who dares lay a finger on my loot will die."

"Rosalia, do it!"

With a single swing of her greatsword, Rosalia tore open space itself.

Two colossal dragon arms wrapped in heavy chains burst from the rift and slammed violently onto the ground.

Tattered, monstrous wings unfurled, covering nearly the entire underground ruin.

A long dragon tail lashed through the air, producing deafening sonic booms.

The Incarnate Synergy Battle had nearly taken shape.

Only the torso and head remained incomplete.

Previously, both had existed only as ghostly silhouettes.

Now they had been replaced by an enormous mass of crimson-gray flesh intertwined with black chains, gradually forming something even more horrifying than any monster.

"W... What the hell is that thing?"

Marianne’s usual cheerful smile froze on her face.

"A m... monster!"

Contily’s legs trembled uncontrollably.

"I’ve only ever felt pressure like this from the Deep Sea Demon Whale."

Every member of the Twilight Knights instinctively retreated several steps.

Their formation collapsed completely.

Despite all their experience hunting demons, none of them had any idea what terrifying creature stood before them.

"So I was right..."

Farlo clenched his teeth as his pupils contracted violently from both anger and fear.

"That aura belongs to a Calamity Creature. Damn it. A human manipulated by a Calamity Divine Chosen. I should have realized it much sooner."

Phield offered no explanation.

He had no intention of correcting such a wonderfully convenient misunderstanding.

"C... Could he be the trial’s final challenge?"

Riemann nearly wet himself.

"Hah. More likely it’s simply a monster sent to slaughter us all. It probably has nothing to do with the trial."

Farlo sneered.

"How despicable. We exhausted far too much Divine Power during the earlier floors."

Throughout the previous levels of the underground palace, most of the monsters had been killed by their forces.

Their Divine Power reserves had been heavily depleted.

Had they been at full strength, Farlo feared no one.

"All right, ladies and gentlemen."

Phield smiled calmly.

"Our little adventure ends here."

"Please behave like proper ladies and gentlemen and hand over all your valuables."

"If you surrender, I’ll spare your lives."

"I keep my word."

"Save it, servant of demons."

Farlo steadied himself and raised his greatsword across his chest.

"Our strength still far surpasses yours."

"Exactly!"

Shelley refused to back down.

"You’re just bluffing. Isn’t she only a Tier Three Divine Chosen?"

Farlo turned toward Riemann.

"Mr. Riemann, we have to deal with her first. If we don’t destroy this Calamity, every one of us will die."

Riemann’s expression grew grave.

Merely looking at the gigantic creature before him and Rosalia’s faint smile was enough to make him tremble.

Yet he still nodded firmly.

"No storm lasts forever."

"As long as we stand together."

"This isn’t just my problem anymore."

"The existence of a Calamity Divine Chosen must be reported to every nation."

"Let’s fight!"

The alliance was formed in an instant.

Phield now faced six Tier Three Divine Chosen at once.

Fortunately, all of them had expended tremendous amounts of Divine Power during the earlier battles, while Rosalia remained at her peak.

"Tier Three Divine Skill, Blessing of the Water God!"

Contily clasped her hands together in prayer and began chanting a beautiful yet profound hymn.

Flowing water gathered around every Divine Chosen, forming powerful aquatic barriers.

"Divine Artifact, Guardian’s Radiant Barrier."

Farlo activated a single-use Divine Artifact, strengthening everyone’s defenses.

Immediately afterward, all of them unleashed their Divine Skills simultaneously.

"Lotus Endless Severance!"

Rosalia gripped her greatsword with both hands.

Countless star-like particles of Divine Power surged together.

The next instant, crimson light exploded across the battlefield.

The smell of blood in the air instantly reached an overwhelming intensity.

A colossal black-and-crimson wave of sword energy burst forward, nearly swallowing everyone’s field of vision.

"Incarnate Synergy Battle, Lotus Endless Severance!"

Behind her, the Corrupted Dragon unleashed the same Divine Skill in the opposite direction.

The two gigantic slashes advanced like the black wings of an ancient dragon.

Everything in their paths was reduced to dust.

Riemann stood frozen in disbelief.

"Is... is this the kind of power the Sacred Griffin Empire deals with every day?!"

"Goddess above..."

For the first time in his life, genuine terror appeared on Farlo’s face.

"So this is the power of Calamity..."

He would be lying if he claimed he didn’t regret coming here.

But now all he could do was swing his weapon with everything he had.

A thunderous metallic clash echoed through the chamber.

The two Navy Divine Chosen vomited blood as they were blasted away, crashing violently into the stone wall.

One exchange.

Two Divine Chosen defeated.

The two members of the Twilight Knights desperately resisted the raging sword energy.

Like stubborn reefs standing against an endless tsunami, they refused to fall.

"Not bad."

Rosalia rushed forward with her sword, leaving countless afterimages behind.

Her crimson dress was now adorned with deep blood-red patterns, radiating both noble elegance and ruthless cruelty.

Farlo had barely survived the initial sword wave when Rosalia crashed into him head-on.

Blades flashed relentlessly as both sides unleashed their most savage attacks.

The Executioner wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth before swinging her massive executioner’s blade and joining the battle.

The violent currents of mixed Divine Power blasted the surrounding ruins into enormous craters.

Meanwhile, Riemann dragged his two wounded Divine Chosen into a corner.

Despair filled his eyes.

"They... couldn’t even survive a single exchange..."

"If only... we had obtained greater power..."

"I need an opportunity to kill her."

Hidden in the shadows, the Divine Chosen crossbowman slowly raised the Divine Artifact crossbow in his hands.

Suddenly...

The ground began to writhe.

"Heh."

"I’ve already been ambushed once."

"I won’t fall for the same trick twice."

The Corrupted Dragon’s tail plunged deep into the earth.

The next instant, countless razor-sharp stone spikes nearly two meters long erupted densely from the ground.

"So many attacks..."

"There’s nowhere to stand!"

The Divine Chosen immediately leaped into the air, barely avoiding being skewered.

Rosalia single-handedly suppressed every opponent before her.

The battle continued for twenty consecutive exchanges.

Although the two Twilight Knights possessed extraordinary strength, they could do nothing except struggle to survive.

Rosalia wasn’t even fighting at full strength.

She still had to protect her Lord and her companions behind her.

Just as Rosalia was about to kill them and claim their Divine Artifacts, the Executioner made a desperate decision.

She forcefully dissolved her own Divine Artifact, barely managing to halt Rosalia’s relentless assault.

"Enough!"

"Stop!"

Knowing that continuing the battle meant certain death, Farlo shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Phield! You said you’d spare us if we surrendered!"

The Twilight Knights were filled with regret.

At this point, surrender was obviously their only remaining option.

"Kill them."

Phield couldn’t even be bothered to listen.

"If you kill all of us, you won’t gain anything."

"We’ll dissolve every Divine Artifact before we die."

"And dissolving Divine Artifacts will cause you enormous trouble!"

A flash of inspiration struck Farlo.

He had discovered Phield’s greatest weakness.

"Cough..."

Phield nearly choked on his own saliva.

This was the first time someone had threatened him... using Divine Artifacts.

Grinding his teeth, Phield wanted to ignore them.

Then, without warning, the lingering soul of the Empress of the Ancient Moon Empire appeared beside him.

"All right, my dear Phield."

"I already know who the Chosen of Destiny is."

"I have waited a thousand years for you."

"And please... spare them."

"I will give you everything inside the royal treasury."

The Empress of the Ancient Moon Empire smiled gently.

"Please demonstrate your virtue."

"Humanity’s inheritance should be entrusted to one who embodies justice."

Covered in dust and dirt, Contily cried out through her tears.

"Y... yes!"

"You’re the one who’s supposed to save the world!"

"Please stop holding this against us!"

"I want to go home..."

Marianne struggled to her feet, her vision spinning as tears streamed down her face.

"Waaah..."