The Warden of the Witches Chapter 197

 Chapter 197 - Perhaps We Can Win

    The Shadow Demon’s claws relentlessly stretched out, tearing the body of the priest who transformed into a chimera from all directions. The power of the Shadow Demon summoned by Dailey was sufficient to suppress the frenzied Veronica. However, even with a slight struggle, Father Bales could almost break free. Under his immense strength, the Shadow Demon’s claws broke off one by one.


    No wonder, this resilient body was crafted with the authority of "evolution". It could already be compared to a catastrophic level demonic beast, possessing not only immense strength but also an astonishing self-healing ability. The wounds that Father Bales had just bitten open himself had now stopped bleeding.


    Aiden controlled his guardian spirit, to attack from a relatively long distance using the necromantic spell "Ghostly Fire" while also shooting with his gun.


    Informed about the dangers of engaging Father Bales in close combat, Veronica had completely abandoned the idea of approaching him. She raised her firearm to support Aiden with covering fire.


    They came prepared this time, having replaced their guns with large-caliber firearms specifically designed to deal with demonic beasts.


    However, Aiden felt somewhat helpless because the firearm technology in this world still had significant room for improvement compared to his previous life. The most powerful guns could at most handle large animals like cattle and horses. Although they had a certain killing power against catastrophic level large demonic beasts, it was still insufficient to be lethal.


    Based on the memories retained in his mind as an Inquisitor, dealing a fatal blow to a demonic beast as massive and resilient as the transformed Father Bales usually required something akin to a cannon.


    Several consecutive shots merely made the priest's body shudder slightly. Subsequently, Father Bales, enduring the Shadow Demon’s power, gathered his wings to shield his body.


    Meanwhile, Father Bales began to recite divine words.


    With the authority of "reproduction," the priest's back rapidly swelled, subsequently splitting off an identical entity.


    Simultaneously, Aiden and the others felt a sudden, intense disruption in their minds, as if their brains were being scrambled. The priest, while using his authority, had "taught" them the divine words, subjecting them to mental contamination.


    Veronica immediately clutched her head, feeling as though her brain was about to explode from the incomprehensible language. This was her first experience with the mental suppression caused by divine words.


    “【This is an autumn afternoon, the lake as calm as a mirror.】” Priscilla began to chant a spell.


    In an instant, the mental contamination affecting everyone was dispelled. Priscilla mastery of mental magic was more than sufficient to counteract the mental pollution caused by the divine words.


    By this time, the priest had completed his splitting. Both chimera exerted their full strength, completely breaking free from the Shadow Demon’s claws.


    The offspring, directly split from the priest, roared and charged towards them like a raging bull, simultaneously tearing open a wound on its hand, attempting to splash blood at close range.


    Aiden quickly directed his thoughts, causing the blood to adhere firmly to his own wounds. His divine words were still in effect, ensuring that within his domain, the priest's blood could not harm them.


    “【Hearing is deceiving, seeing is not believing.】” Priscilla chanted another spell.


    This move was the "sensory distortion" that had once driven Aiden to the brink of despair. All of Priscilla mental attack spells had the limitation of short attack range. Now that the enemy had voluntarily closed the distance, she wasn’t going to miss this opportunity.


    Everything in the offspring’s vision rapidly distorted, causing it to feel dizzy and lose its balance, stumbling as it moved.

  

    Dailey did not miss this opportunity and manipulated the Shadow Demon to grab the legs of the split entity, tripping it up.


  Veronica immediately raised her gun and fired twice, shooting through the split entity’s eyes. 


    Her marksmanship was quite good; at this distance, she could easily aim at the eyes of a giant beast that had been tripped to the ground.


    The split entity instantly stopped moving. No matter how resilient its body was, its brain could not withstand two bullets. The power of the split entity was nowhere near comparable to that of the main body.


    Aiden ignored the split entity and turned his gaze further afield. He noticed that after breaking free from the restraints, Father Bales did not charge forward with the split entity. Instead, he remained standing in place—no, the priest even took a few steps back.


    Aiden narrowed his eyes. The priest's behavior was overly cautious, almost excessively so. Ever since Aiden used the authority of "order," this saint with the authority of "reproduction" had suddenly become more hesitant than even Aiden himself.


    The authority of "reproduction" might not be well-suited for direct combat, but the priest’s beast-like body possessed significant combat power.


    If the priest had been willing to take a risk, using his split offspring as a shield and charging together, he might have created an opportunity to close the distance and wipe them out.


    Was it necessary for a saint with the authority of "inheritance" to be so cautious?


    Perhaps Father Bales, having witnessed Aiden using divine words, suspected that Aiden was also a saint possessing some form of authority. And frequently utilizing his authority to create the Order’s "worker bees," Father Bales might not be confident in securing a victory…


    But this was also contradictory. If he did not want to fight a battle he was not confident of winning, he could simply leave now. Aiden and his companions would not be able to stop him… nor did they actually intend to.


    This contradiction made Aiden faintly realize that Father Bales might not be as powerful as they had estimated; he seemed to have an undeserved reputation. This was the conclusion Aiden reached from his recent probing.


    Perhaps they could win...


    Thinking this, Aiden took out a police whistle from his pocket, blew it, and then drew his sword, slowly walking towards the priest.


    "Sir?" 


    Veronica was somewhat surprised. Aiden had been the one warning her not to approach the priest, yet now he seemed intent on engaging in close combat himself.


    "Stay here and support me," Aiden ordered without looking back, his eyes fixed on Father Bales in the distance, trying to keep any hint of hesitation from showing.


    This was a skill he was very familiar with. When confronting uncooperative and vicious criminals, one must never show weakness in their demeanor.


    The priest, clearly wary of Aiden’s unexpected move, he watched Aiden’s every action closely. And Aiden keenly sensed the priest's focus... and his anxiety.


    At this moment, Veronica and the others saw it too: from a distance, behind the priest, a pool of silver liquid was rapidly flowing across the ground.


    The mercury alloy golem.


    When Aiden and his group had retreated earlier, they had left the mercury alloy golem at their hiding place. Originally, Aiden had commanded it to ambush Father Bales if he pursued them, intending to buy some time. However, the priest had flown up into the sky instead.


    The whistle Aiden had just blown was the signal to summon the mercury sphere.


    Aiden walked slowly with his sword, as if engaging in a duel. Father Bales's full attention was on him, both sides waiting for the perfect moment to strike. After a tense standoff, the priest finally couldn't hold back any longer.


    Just as Father Bales was about to make his move, he suddenly felt a strong push from behind. Something heavy and cold wrapped around his back, adhering tightly to him.