Chapter 200: Ashina Advances to Tier 2

At the same time, the soldiers’ awe toward Phield only deepened.

The stronger their forces became, the greater their sense of security.

“As expected, this skill has an incredibly high ceiling.” Phield was delighted.

After three consecutive attacks, Gogris began to run out of strength. Her body swayed, yet she stubbornly endured without saying a word.

Phield saw through it instantly. “Don’t push yourself. Look how pale your face is.”

The divine power of a Divine Chosen was not infinite. A weapon of such destructive force could not be used endlessly.

“If we switch to physical bolts, I can keep going,” Gogris insisted.

“It’s fine. You’ve already done more than enough. Leave the rest to the soldiers.”

As the corrupted corpses approached within range—

Phield raised his hand. “Fire!”

At his command, the soldiers atop the walls unleashed a torrent of arrows. In an instant, projectiles filled the sky like a swarm of locusts. The newly crafted repeating crossbows were especially devastating, mowing down the corrupted like harvesting wheat. Unfortunately, there were too few of them—Gogris had only produced three as prototypes.

Full deployment would take time.

Under the dense rain of arrows, the bodies of the corrupted creatures paved a gruesome path forward.

The horde pressed against the walls, clawing and scrambling in a frenzy, attempting to climb up.

Holding the high ground made things simple. Soldiers lifted stones stacked along the walls and hurled them down, followed by the sickening sounds of bones shattering on impact.

The howling corpses leapt upward like mad beasts, only to be met with cold spears, halberds, and falling rocks.

Before long, corpses piled into a mountain beneath the walls, releasing a nauseating stench.

“A high-tier corrupted is approaching!”

Ever vigilant, Phield spotted a massive red alert on the mini-map rapidly closing in. He immediately shouted to Ashina as a warning.

“Roar!”

From the gray mist burst a towering figure—over two meters tall, clad in tattered knight’s plate armor. It radiated the overwhelming aura of a third-tier corrupted.

The knight-corrupted leapt high into the air, descending like a crushing shadow toward Ashina.

Ashina showed no fear. She didn’t even bother tracking its trajectory—she simply thrust her spear forward.

Clang!

The explosive clash of metal rang out. Frost divine power collided violently with the corrupted’s deathly aura, instantly gaining the upper hand. A layer of frost spread across the surrounding ground.

Ashina’s spear trembled slightly, while the knight-corrupted staggered backward several steps.

Its rusted armor split open, and its steel-like body was pierced with a grotesque, gaping wound.

“It’s not over yet.”

Without giving it a moment to recover, Ashina commanded Drakewolf, sending it crashing forward like a cannonball.

A violent surge of energy erupted—

The corrupted was smashed to the ground without any chance to resist.

“Finish it.”

Ashina had no interest in prolonging the fight.

“Awwooo!”

A series of harsh, metallic impacts echoed. Moments later, the corrupted was reduced to a mangled heap.

“So their behavior really is predictable.”

In the past, dealing with a third-tier corrupted required extreme caution or the use of divine skills. Now, it was as effortless as drinking water.

Ashina casually thrust out a dozen spear strikes, not even using her full strength, all while remaining wary of Violet, who might be lurking in the corrupted forest.

Even so, defeating the knight-corrupted had been effortless.

“She’s gotten stronger too… how? Experience? That shouldn’t be it.”

Hidden in the shadows, Violet watched in shock as Ashina cut down the remaining corrupted, confusion clouding her thoughts.

“Forget it. Thinking hurts.”

She clutched her head—every attempt at thought felt like nails being driven into her skull.

“This is only the beginning of the tide. Can you really hold out?”

From the darkness, Violet lowered her gaze. These thousand-odd corrupted were merely scouts sent by Agnes. Individually, they might not be strong—but their numbers were overwhelming.

She was certain of it—Nightfall Domain’s destruction was only a matter of time, even if Phield’s forces showed remarkable strength.

There were simply too many corrupted. Not to mention corrupted Divine Chosen—high-tier corrupted creatures alone were beyond count.

At that moment—

Ashina suddenly felt a release deep within her being. The mark of winter on her hand transformed into a streak of light and sank into the depths of the manor.

Immediately after, countless streams of radiant energy surged into her body.

Her aura skyrocketed. Divine power flooded through her like a bursting dam—then gradually stabilized, drawing back into her core.

A cold yet tangible energy spread steadily within her, replacing the previously faint first-tier divine power.

“I advanced naturally?” Ashina’s face lit up with joy as she felt the overwhelming energy coursing through her. “So this is what second-tier feels like… it’s even stronger than I imagined.”

“Excellent!”

Phield was overjoyed. Though the lord panel had already hinted at it, Ashina’s advancement came faster than expected.

At the same time, Drakewolf transformed as well. Dark crystalline structures formed across its body, gleaming with a mesmerizing brilliance. The invisible pressure it emitted was so intense that those nearby struggled to breathe.

Ashina ran over happily and threw herself into Phield’s arms.

“Impressive.” Phield ruffled her hair in praise.

At once, information about her advancement flooded into his mind.

Beyond the massive boost in attributes, a series of advancement options appeared:

1. New divine skill

2. New army buff

3. New territory bonus

4. New trait

5. Existing skill evolution

After a quick glance, Phield didn’t hesitate this time—he chose a new divine skill.

The moment he made the selection, a mysterious connection formed between them, and the details of the new ability appeared in his mind.

Divine Skill: Armor-Piercing Frost (Active. Consumes divine power to grant 50% magic shield penetration and 25% physical shield penetration. Due to Phield’s soul influence, gains an additional 5% divine shield penetration.)

“…Huh?”

Phield read it over several times, his gaze finally locking onto the 5% divine shield penetration, utterly dumbfounded.

“Holy shit… it really is affected by me.”

This was divine shielding—he had never even heard of an attack that could bypass it.

Divine Chosen were nearly impossible to kill as long as their divine power held, precisely because it formed an absolute defense. Even just 5% penetration was a terrifying qualitative leap.

“So divine power really is a tangible, dominant form of energy—not some abstract concept.”

Phield puffed up with pride, hands on his hips. “Looks like our territory finally has its own armor-breaker.”

After automatically mastering the new skill, Ashina froze for a moment. The knowledge she received focused on usage rather than exact values—but she could clearly tell that Phield had granted her something absurdly powerful.

Her eyes sparkled as she stared at him.

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