Only just leaping out of the flames, two points of light in Caine's eyes—wearing a golden glove on his left hand—grew brighter, expanding from small to vast, from dim to radiant, as if a sudden lightning bolt had pierced the sky. After successfully drawing the attention of the "Steel" faction led by McVitt through his "paper man" stand-in, Caine had already activated his "craving pulse" and switched into the soul of the "Inquisitor," preparing to unleash his extraordinary ability, "spirit piercing." "Ah!" McVitt gasped suddenly, as though a slender knife had been driven deep into his head, stirring his pale gray brain. The pain surged from the depths of his soul, instantly flooding every thought. At the same time, his extraordinary strength erupted in response, forming a hurricane that surged outward. Instantly, delicate, dreamlike snow began to drift through the air; transparent, crystalline ice spread outward from the ground, and trees along the roads quickly draped themselves in white lace, only to wilt rapidly, revealing clear signs of decay. The lingering spirits of resentment, one after another, were awakened, wailing, weeping, shrieking, casting a grayish, oppressive hue over the surrounding area. Cain naturally descended from the half-sky, his left glove radiating a brilliant light as if bathed in direct sunlight. He spread his arms and arched his body, as though embracing something. As his heels touched the ground, already chilled by the atmosphere, a pure, intense, massive beam of light descended above. This sacred radiance enveloped "Steel" Mavith, illuminating his dark skin, his well-defined muscles, and his wavy hair, resembling polished steel beads. The Light Priest, the Radiant Light! In silence, Mavith's expression grew increasingly strained, and clear signs of his skin beginning to melt emerged. At this moment, he seemed like a candle plunged into a blazing fireplace. Unlike the uncontrollable Bishop Miller, whose essence had merely been corrupted, Mavith, as a living corpse, was more effectively restrained and suffered more severe damage when facing such attacks. The drifting snow ceased, and the ground ice melted swiftly, revealing the brown trunks of trees now adorned with slender white spires. This resplendent beam of light undoubtedly caught the attention of Hunterly and Skall, the "Bloodthorn" pair. Hunterly's face paled instantly, and he reached into his dark pouch, preparing to summon spell materials to rescue "Steel" Mavith from his elevated position of advantage. At that very moment, a pure flame-formed raven suddenly emerged in his gaze. One, two, three—countless fire ravens like crimson stars filled his field of vision, approaching from all directions, flapping their wings densely and intensely, radiating searing heat. Hunterly's heart skipped a beat; his eyes nearly froze, and his hand immediately changed direction, drawing out a different material. With a swift motion, he scattered a fine, pale blue powder upward toward himself, and in a low, ancient Hermes tongue, murmured: "Wave of the sea!" The powders instantly expanded, transforming into cascades of deep blue waves that surged outward. They met the fire ravens, emitting hissing sounds and generating thick plumes of white mist. The initial waves of fire had somewhat subsided, and through the lingering crimson glow, Skjold saw the "steel" Mavithi—his skin melting like wax, his flesh crumbling inch by inch—alongside a stranger standing beside him, draped in a black cloak. The stranger remained calm, as if a cold-blooded, emotionless venomous serpent, lifting his arms steadily and then pressing his palms down with sudden force. In an instant, Skjold observed the young man with gaunt features and stern expression grow heavier, his movements slow and deliberate, as though his wings of flight had been broken; meanwhile, Mavithi began to struggle and roll sideways, attempting to evade the second wave of "Divine Light." Then, Skjold noticed the stranger lose both weight and substance, once again thinning into a mere sheet of paper, pressed down by an invisible force and sinking into the muddy terrain left behind as the ice melted. Klein emerged from a different vantage point, continuously rubbing his right thumb and middle finger as he surged forward, producing three sharp snaps. Tap! Tap! Tap! The sunbird-shaped, dark golden brooch in front of him shimmered with continuous light, infusing the air bullets with purifying power. Thump! Thump! Thump! These three bullets connected tightly and moved with exceptional speed, striking the still somewhat sluggish "Steel" McVitt in the right chest, piercing through the semi-melted skin and flesh and creating a dramatic, jagged wound, with golden flames spreading outward. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Skoar launched a series of surgical knives, but Klein’s agile, acrobatic maneuvers deflected them all. At this point, "Steel" McVitt had regained his footing, steadied himself with a hand press, rose to his feet, and charged directly toward his opponent, ready to unleash his signature close-quarters combat prowess and his unique, impact-resistant physical traits. Even as ice began to form beneath his feet, the scent of decay had already seeped into his fists. Then, once more, he saw two bolts of lightning shoot forth from the deep brown eyes of Caine, striking directly into his own pupils. Mavith, the "Steel," instinctively lifted his head, clenched his teeth, and blood poured from his nostrils, mouth, and ears—intermingled with the skin that had melted earlier. Caine had already altered the soul of the pasture creature the moment he launched his air bullets. Still the "Inquisitor." Still the "Spirit Piercing!" Against a非凡 being whose body was as solid as steel—the "Living Dead"—injuries at the spiritual level proved far more effective. Consecutive blows left "Steel" McVitt momentarily stiff, yet his rational control shattered. Black, rigid hairs sprouted across his face. His teeth and nails lengthened continuously. His skin pulsed and contracted, gradually lightening from dark to pale—transforming into a true, frenzied, blood-thirsty living corpse! Seizing the moment, Caine closed the distance, bent low, and slipped past McVitt's right side, simultaneously inserting into the savage wound he had created a glass bottle containing several ordinary yellow-copper bullets and a generous quantity of "Sun Holy Water" he had prepared in advance. Puff! Caine's unhesitant movement once again thwarted Skoel's control efforts. He spun on his heel, now standing behind McVitt, facing him back-to-back. Tap! He raised his right hand, snapping his fingers just as "Steel" McVey reached for the glass bottle. Plink! A gentle explosion erupted, casting a vibrant crimson flame that shattered the already fragile bottle. A torrent of "Sun Holy Water" surged into "Steel" McVey's body. The renowned pirate, whose bounty stood at 6,000 pounds, instantly went rigid, emitting a series of painful, rasping sounds from his throat. He collapsed to his knees, and black-green gas continuously escaped from within him, dissipating into the air. Witnessing this, Skall's expression grew solemn. He immediately drew forth a black-iron talisman and murmured an ancient Hermes word: "Shriek!" The talisman shattered instantly, vanishing in mid-air, completing the offering. A无形 sound wave surged outward like a tidal wave, reaching every person around in a near-simultaneous rush. Klein's mind buzzed, and a cool, fresh sensation spread across his nose, with blood seeping out. The "Blood Thorns" Hunterly, on the "flying carpet," was even more devastated—his face twisted, his body convulsing as he collapsed, unable to utter a cry. In contrast, the "Flame" Daniz atop the distant roof remained unharmed, cheerfully hurling a tightly compressed sphere of blazing white fire. The fireball struck Hunterly, who offered no resistance, and exploded with a thunderous roar. Tendons, flesh, and limbs shot outward in splashes, fingers, calves, and heads caught in the flames, falling toward the ground. The "flying carpet" lost control and began to descend slowly. Skor seized the moment and turned, sprinting off without hesitation. Yet, he was stunned to see that the man who had nearly vanquished the "Steel" Mavith in just ten seconds—had not paused a moment—turned around and pursued him! How could this be? This was the Commander's "Shriek Spell"! Skor didn't pause to ponder the reason; he charged forward with all his might, racing toward At that moment, his head was suddenly and heavily struck by a "person," sending a tearing pain that caused his entire body to convulse. The lightning in Caine's eyes faded, and with his right hand raised, he snapped his fingers again. Thwip! An air bullet traveled over ten meters and precisely pierced Skål's back of the skull. Skål, lacking the non-human resilience of "Steel," went instantly blind and slowly collapsed. Caine hurried over and extended his left palm, allowing the joyful, pulsing hunger to begin its feast. I have heard the voice of the True Maker, endured the calls of the "Gate" gentleman, and thus possess strong resistance—capable of quickly calming even the sharp cries of the "ghosts." How could a single sigil be any different? Caine murmured silently, watching Skål's body transform into flesh and be swallowed whole by the opening of the pulsing hunger. A few seconds later, the "thirsty hunger" satisfied itself, and Caine hurried back to the side of "Steel" McVitt. The "undead" had been purified—though his head remained intact, he had lost his life. Caine took a few steps forward, picked up the peacock-blue tapestry that had fallen to the ground, wrapped it around McVitt's body, and lifted him. Turning back to gaze at the chaotic scene on the 15th Street of the Fragrant Tree Avenue, listening to the uncontrolled movements of the undead and the puppets, and sensing the "Agents of Punishment" approaching, Caine adjusted his cloak's hood and gave a slight bow in that direction. Crack! Caine rubbed his fingers together, and all the scattered papers around him instantly caught fire, rising into a column of crimson flame. In the glow of the flames, his form blurred, and with his belongings, he became a shadow, vanishing into the scene. As for the slowly emerging and solidifying extraordinary traits of Skall and Huntley, he paid them no attention, neither looked nor cared. Greed can drive people into unnecessary dangers—current harvests are more than sufficient! After leaving a contingent of penance-bearers to manage the unruly undead puppets, the pirates wounded by their "companions," and the extraordinary adventurers captured, Cordova Roey led the remainder swiftly to this location. Yet all they found were scattered bodies, broken surgical instruments, and withered street trees, with only the slow retreat of the sun's light and the deep-seated evil emanating from the flesh discernible.