Bear School Astartes

Lann looked at the elegant and noble long blade in his right hand with a strange expression.

[Aron Dite], the Sword of the Lady of the Lake.

This blade had been adjusted and strengthened by Lady Galadriel during Lann’s adventures in the Ardan World.

The original design plan of this blade was given by Auri, the God of Forging, to Lady Galadriel as a teaching tool, and it was incidentally learned by the Lady of the Lake.

Lady Galadriel’s adjustments had smoothed out even the slightest design dissonance, making the term [Divine-made Armament] truly deserved.

More importantly, during this process, the blade was infused with the [Light of the Dual Holy Trees] preserved in the Elven Gems.

The three Elven Gems are the most precious treasures of the Ardan World, so pure and flawless that even the fourteen Villas and Vilyas were amazed by them.

Even Morgoth, the initial Great Dark Enemy of the Ardan World, was burned by this light just by touching it, suffering immensely.

It can be said that this light is the nemesis of all evil.

Moments ago, with the [Secret Technique: Yixin], Lann originally planned to invoke the [Light of the Dual Holy Trees] on the Sword of the Lady of the Lake, imbuing every Qi Blade with this holy and evil-breaking light.

But now...

Aron Dite’s exterior remained elegant and noble, its curve still beautiful and smooth, and its blade sharp and silver-bright.

However, the blade no longer bore that faint, hazy glow that resembled the reflected light of dawn —

——The [Light of the Dual Holy Trees] had vanished.

Lann clearly did not understand what was happening, but he did not feel anxious or at a loss inside.

After failing to invoke the [Light of the Dual Holy Trees], he immediately assumed a defensive posture.

Within the brief moment that Ludwig’s counterattack sent him flying, Lann felt the strange emotional change in himself and the inner power of the Divine-made Armament in his hand.

Inside, he felt very calm, and Aron Dite still contained sacred and pure power... In summary, it was not that I ’couldn’t’ invoke the [Light of the Dual Holy Trees], but that I subconsciously didn’t want to?

As soon as this strange thought was born, Lann immediately sought confirmation from Mentos.

”Hormone levels are normal, [Genetic Seed] regulation capability is online, [Holy Chant Gland] shows no abnormalities, proceeding with psychological state assessment... no abnormalities.”

While being sent flying into mid-air and before landing, the bio-mind already completed the physical and psychological examination for the host.

And stored the monitoring data for future reference and self-analysis by the host.

”Sir, according to my analysis,” Mentos stated methodically in his mind, ”this may still be related to that small segment of memory of yours that went missing and I have stored away.”

The heavy-armored boots scraped blood-washed rocks under a blood pool, kicking up a splash of blood before coming to a stop.

Lann casually spun the long blade in his hand, creating a brilliant display of swordsmanship.

’I don’t want to use the [Light of the Dual Holy Trees]... or rather, I don’t want to use it now.’

He thought to himself, especially emphasizing the word ’now’.

The brief amnesia he experienced earlier, and the data stored by Mentos, indicated that this was his own decision.

Did he also decide back then to temporarily conceal this ability of the [Light of the Dual Holy Trees]?

If that’s the case... Lann had a faint guess about the decision hidden in his briefly lost memory.

”So troublesome.”

Maria, using her cold and calm voice, said this despite not understanding the complex expression of the foreign outsider next to her.

”The extent of Ludwig’s beast transformation... I’ve never seen such severe beast transformation disease!”

”Is this why Church Hunters have to use their distinctive weapons?”

In the Healing Church of Yan’an, Church Hunters developed a slightly different equipment route than ordinary Hunters.

Though they still adhered to the high-speed combat style pioneered by the [First Hunter] Gremman, their weapons were heavier and more massive.

Mark’s Church Stone Hammer, weighing at least a ton, and the transformed greatsword on Ludwig’s back, are products of this equipment route.

And it was this fundamental difference that allowed Ludwig, as the pioneer of this equipment route, to be called the [Church’s First Hunter].

Heavier weapons brought greater lethality, clearly a measure against more terrifying beasts.

And Ludwig, who had succumbed to beastification before their eyes, was evidently one of those ’more terrifying beasts’!

”Roar... ng! Ha~ha~”

Like a frenzied donkey, Ludwig’s long face was propped on the ground as he tried to stand up, making various odd noises with his wild cries.

On one side, beneath the chaotic and dense wounds carved by the [Secret Technique: Yixin], his body revealed numerous tiny eyeballs that rolled around, peeking out from under the black fur and flesh.

But, shortly after, they were covered once again by his rapidly regenerating body.

”Our blades are too short and too small. We can’t cleanly slice through its body, and for its regenerative power, not cutting it away is basically not a loss.”

Maria, with a furrowed brow, still spoke steadily.

”We need more explosive attacks.”

Standing upright as tall as a New Continent Barbarian Dragon, it was a colossal creature for the normal human build.

Only church weapons, which are specifically designed for heavy destructive power, are suitable for this type of combat.

”Indeed.” Lann agreed with Maria’s statement, but then the Demon Hunter blinked in surprise, staring at the Blood Nobility beside him.

”Wait, what are you doing?”

It’s not surprising that Lann didn’t immediately understand, given Maria’s posture was quite unusual.

After saying ’need a more explosive attack’, [Fallen Leaves], segmented into two varying lengths of blade, was held in Maria’s hand with the blade facing inward, poised against herself.

It looked like she was about to stab it into her own chest and abdomen!

But Maria remained calm.

”A secret technique. My blood will extend and strengthen the blade. A large amount of blood will also make the blade...”

”And then you would use a blood vial to heal yourself?” Lann interrupted her impatiently. ”At this moment? Are you kidding me?”

While speaking, Lann lightly kicked a small splash of blood from the pool of blood beneath his feet.

The message was clear: during this outbreak of beast plague that was destroying all of Yan’an, you still plan to use a blood vial?

Thanks to her previous experiences traveling with Lann, Maria had already lost trust in the Healing Church.

Both in terms of the clergy within the Healing Church, and their preached maxims and doctrines.

The most important and fundamental doctrine of the Healing Church is the sanctity of [Blood Healing], with its powerful effects akin to a Universal Remedy.

Maria frowned but did not ultimately plunge the segmented [Fallen Leaves] into her chest.

And Lann shook his head.

Preventing Maria from recklessly using her blood to enhance her blades, but there needed to be a solution.

”Let me do it.”

Saying this, the Demon Hunter sheathed the Lady of the Lake’s Sword at his waist, yet reached back into his Alchemy Pouch.

”You?”

Underneath the triangular hat adorned with swan feathers, the Blood Nobility glanced at the Demon Hunter beside him in surprise.

Though clad in heavy armor, which was already strange in itself, where on him could he hide a ’more explosive’ weapon... huh?!

As Maria wondered, a sword hilt slowly emerged from the back of Lann’s Alchemy Pouch.

For weapons to deal with gigantic creatures, among Lann’s arsenal, that spot undoubtedly belonged to [Muddy Stream·Destruction].

However, since Lann now dared not let that gluttonous greatsword consume anything unclean in Yan’an, that option was naturally off the table.

But after countless adventures across many worlds, the Demon Hunter wasn’t without other stock.

”Though seldom used, judging by its design alone... hmm, I can still manage it.”

Lann mumbled quietly as he watched Maria’s eyes widen and become entranced while he drew out a greatsword.

A handle ornate yet somber, simple sword grip.

Yet beneath the guard was a scallion leaf-like form, a gigantic azure blue blade with a crystalline texture!

[Moonlight Greatsword]!

Once, in the Flame World within the Fire Transmission Holy City Losric, Lann had slain the crazy Demon King Ausloes, driven insane by dragon transformation experiments.

He obtained his Great Soul.

Later at the Fire Transmission Altar, the Ember King Rudus used that Great Soul as a material to obtain this sword using soul forging techniques.

Rumor has it, the sword is connected with the knowledge of Heath, the treacherous White Dragon among the Immortal Ancient Dragons during the Ancient Dragon War in the Flame World.

It’s a weapon whose power rises with the holder’s knowledge and intellect.

Logically, a Warlock or Mage would be more suited to this weapon.

Yet firstly, Lann has some confidence in his own knowledge and lacks any Warlocks or Mages around him who can wield it.

Secondly... Heath’s knowledge is too dangerous.

Ausloes, being the Saint King of Losric in the Flame World, his power, prestige, and experience unparalleled.

He presided over the Fire Transmission Ceremony for tens of thousands of years.

Even in the Flame World’s White Sect faith, he nearly became the Main God within the Divine Race.

Yet he still became a madman due to deep research into Heath’s knowledge.

This dangerous knowledge, among those Lann knows, none are qualified to touch it and remain sane.

Neither Tishaya nor Henry Gemitis, nor Margaret or Triss could handle it.

So Lann was left with no choice but to use it himself.

The dark, azure greatsword rested on Lann’s shoulder after being retrieved from the Alchemy Pouch.

The heavy blade pressed against the shoulder armor, creating layers of overlapping sounds and transmitting pressure that made the Warrior feel a sense of comfort.