Chapter 48: The Moonlight Secret Sword’s Judgment

“Ahhh! You! You bastard!”

A voice filled with resentment and agony echoed from afar.

Noah followed the sound, only to see Ariana, her footsteps faltering, her body gushing profusely with blood, clawing through shattered remnants of walls and ruins, limping towards them.

Though not directly hit, she had been flung hundreds of meters away by the impact wave of the fall. Even with a body toughened by ritualistic modifications, her bones felt as if they might crumble at any moment.

Her morning wounds had barely recovered, and now she was battered and broken once more. For a moment, Ariana felt her body was like a ragged, patched-up doll—utterly worn to shreds.

The bitter frustration and pain of being just one step away transformed into a raging torment directed at the perpetrator.

When she spotted Noah, of bewitching beauty, in the center of the massive crater, she paused, stunned, before the hatred in her eyes intensified even further.

She simply could not believe she had been… ‘vehicle-wrecked’ by such an excessively beautiful, seemingly innocent, and adorable individual!

From some unknown point, Ariana’s anger began to veer off course.

“Die, you hateful bastard cow!”

As if rage had solidified, deep violet-black flames ignited around Ariana, resembling a burning abyss.

Bridging the distance, they rushed towards Noah, who was protected by her Sanctuary.

This was the Abyssal Fire, condensed from the darkest and most potent desires deep within the human heart; no defense, regardless of its nature, could fully withstand its power.

One could only be slowly consumed, step by agonizing step, under its relentless burning.

“Sanctuary, expand.”

Yet, in response, Noah merely murmured a spell, and her reversed Sanctuary expanded dramatically, enveloping the entire crater along with a surrounding area.

“What!”

The Abyssal Fire, drawing life force and feeding on desires, vanished instantly.

Before Ariana could even register her shock, she discovered that the Defiled Great Axe in her hands was being stripped of its corrupted power, transforming into an ordinary, grotesque great axe.

The magic markings etched upon her body were also rapidly fading, leaving only the robust physique granted by the ritualistic modifications.

“What have you done to me!”

Ariana demanded of Noah, almost roaring, but Noah merely glanced at her before disappointedly averting her gaze.

‘Sanctuary Reversal: Anti-Magic Domain’ meant that the interior of the Sanctuary was sacred ground, thus forbidding the existence of any mystical or demonic energies.

If Ariana were to attempt to cast a spell here, she would find herself utterly unable to summon even a wisp of magic to her fingertips.

Initially, Noah’s Sanctuary was outward-facing, offering a perfect defense against physical attacks, but it struggled to defend against high-level mysticism and magic.

Therefore, Noah had reversed it, establishing her own laws within the Sanctuary. The only flaw in this technique, perhaps, was exposing her physical body directly to the enemy.

However, the reversed Sanctuary was generally used against magic-reliant opponents, and Noah believed her draconic physique would still allow her to easily overpower a host of lesser foes.

“I heard you were an Abyssal Bishop, and thought you might be an interesting opponent, but you’re nothing more than a tedious vessel. How disappointing~.”

“If Clennina lost to an opponent of this caliber, then her skill is indeed subpar~.”

Noah puffed out her cheeks in displeasure, her fluffy white dragon tail twitching involuntarily.

“What… what did you say!?”

Despite her confusion regarding the term ‘tedious vessel’, Noah’s dismissive attitude fueled Ariana’s rage even further.

She gripped her great axe, ready to charge forward recklessly and fight to the death.

“Hm? But you truly are nothing but a tedious vessel. Your hollow rage and constant modifications have caused you to lose yourself.”

“You are merely a lost wandering soul now. To be my opponent, you should at least know what you truly desire, shouldn’t you?”

“Silence! All I have to do is offer myself to the Lord; nothing else matters!”

Noah’s accusations sent a tremor through Ariana, who, blinded by rage, dragged her broken body and charged at Noah.

Noah sighed, saying nothing more.

In truth, ‘Defiled’ Ariana and Silvya, the Dragonfeeder, were of the same caliber of strength, yet Noah did not believe Ariana measured up to Silvya, not even having the urge to toy with her as she might with Silvya.

To fight, one should at least understand what they are fighting for, shouldn’t they?

***

Clear moonlight parted the clouds, and a brilliant moon hung high in a cloudless sky, its vast white orb, like a birthing sphere, accentuated by the stars adorning the night.

‘The moon? But it’s three in the afternoon!’

Gazing at the full moon’s pure radiance, Ariana’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She stared incredulously at Noah, who stood before her with arms raised aloft, her azure eyes holding only a steadfast divinity, as if surveying all creation.

Bright cyan moonlight cascaded down like a waterfall, a vast and pristine energy, anchored by Noah, pouring into this land etched with wickedness.

This torrent of moonlight cleansed the ley lines polluted by the ritual, while simultaneously replenishing Noah with energy.

A bright cyan light sword, dozens of meters long, coalesced in Noah’s hand, slowly solidifying as Ariana’s eyes widened in stunned silence once more.

It was as if it were a truly tangible weapon.

“Well then~, let’s finish this quickly and go back to the Demon Lord for my reward~.”

Noah reverted from her god-like state, transforming back into the charmingly adorable, large-chested girl.

She winked mischievously, and the light sword, dozens of meters long, cleaved down from the air towards Ariana’s face.

“Ancient Magic: Moonlight Secret Sword!”

A wave of pure magical power majestically sliced forth, an irresistible tide that swept across half the town.

It collided with the opposite mountain peak, leaving a deep scar, before finally halting.

The cult ritual, which had already been a dying ember, now fell completely silent.

Noah’s light sword had struck the main conduit of the magic circle; Ariana had merely been in its path.

Why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken? Dealing with an opponent of Ariana’s caliber certainly didn’t warrant such a nuclear-weapon-level spell.

As the smoke cleared, the town resembled a clock face, with a deep, radiating scar spreading outwards from its center.

The dilapidated, deserted houses were utterly annihilated like sacrificial altars beneath the Moonlight Secret Sword, reduced to nothingness.