A Powerful Martial Artist Reincarnates as a Nun Knight

As the golden luminous force rippled from Sophia’s body, the demon communicating through the deceased witch’s severed head scoffed:

{That light is certainly formidable. Though I did not witness it myself, was the Great Ascetic’s radiance akin to yours? But it matters not. I am currently in a place you cannot reach.}

“A place I cannot reach? You truly believe I cannot find you, wretch?”

{You cannot reach me! This form presently exists beyond the domain horizon.}

The demon explained that it was only after the witch who had made a pact with it finally became a demon and was slaughtered by the nun knights that it could grasp the situation.

{Wait, beyond the domain horizon? How could a fleshly being ever reach such a place?}

Until then, the silent Esras-Hermes voiced his doubt.

{Oh ho, a Silver Age presiding spirit? Your skepticism is valid. But consider – sentient beings can tread the lunar realm through dreams, only to return to this world upon waking. If nature’s principles can thus mock physical distances, could not potent spells also transcend conceptual boundaries?}

{Impossible! To enable that via spells would require an absurdly immense and pure wellspring of mana! One would have to endlessly layer spell flows originating from a singular, utterly flawless domain before even attempting such a feat!}

As Esras-Hermes grew more excited than expected, about to nitpick further, Hildegard stepped in, her luminous force stirring like Sophia’s:

“So, what business did you have in coming here? Vengeance for your slain subordinate, perhaps?”

{Hmm, your light is far more violent and keen compared to this golden radiance. Truly, the power of light is an amusing force.}

“Enough with the drivel.”

{Even so, it seems you have yet to reach a level worthy of conversing with me.}

With those words, an overwhelmingly malevolent and oppressive force erupted from the disembodied head serving as the demon’s conduit – a refined mana manifestation far surpassing the witch’s somewhat slimy and dank aura.

Though Hildegard’s flashing luminous force shielded her, the immense pressure still forced her back a few steps.

“Kugh!”

{Your mana control is unnecessarily refined. Yet you deploy it for such wasteful purposes. Conra, observe that mana utilization carefully. If nothing else, its refinement is worth studying for your own spellcasting.}

As Hildegard seethed, Esras-Hermes advised Conra to learn from the demon’s mana manipulation as an educational example. Leaving them behind, Sophia stepped forward:

“Just now, you needlessly blustered by taunting my comrade. But regarding Hilde’s earlier question, I cannot avoid reiterating – what is your reason for revealing yourself now that your subordinate has perished?”

{The reason is simple – mere curiosity.}

“What?”

As Sophia raised an incredulous eyebrow, the demon on the other side chuckled before elaborating:

{Your Church’s priests have long proclaimed vanquishing demons with the power of light, but I had no interest, never believing your supposed ‘light’ could extend to the metaphysical realm. However, the instant you manifested that golden radiance to shatter my contractor’s Dream Illusion spell, it reached all the way here beyond this domain’s horizon through our contract’s connection.}

The demon confessed that had it not been for the trajectory carved by that radiance, it would have been impossible to reveal itself from beyond the domain horizon despite their contractual bond.

{And I became convinced – the final adversary I must overcome after achieving my goals here will be none other than you. So this is both a confirmation and a declaration of war.}

“A declaration of war?”

{When I eventually set foot on the mainland, it will experience an unprecedented despair. And the only one capable of obstructing me then will surely be you. I shall defeat you and finally fulfill our demonic kin’s grievances. And beforehand, I shall send you proof of my conviction.}

A sense of foreboding arose in Sophia as the disembodied head contorted its lips to convey its intent.

Grrrruuurrr. Suddenly, the severed head burst apart as a malignant miasma like storm clouds began shrouding the sky. Witnessing this, Sophia immediately called out:

“Conra, evacuate the civilians at once!”
“Understood, Master!”
“Hilde, I think your luminous force will be needed. Please assist Conra!”
“Damn, we have no choice then.”

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Conra and Hildegard immediately moved to evacuate the civilians left in the square. Having been mentally suppressed by the witch, they remained in a dull, unresponsive state even after her death, necessitating Conra and Hildegard’s aid.

After dispatching them, Sophia extended both palms upwards towards the ceiling.

Consecutively manifesting the Immovable Bright King Heart Technique was still no easy feat for Sophia, but it had to be done. Fortunately, she could capitalize on its lingering resonance by reenacting it swiftly.

Unlike the previous instance achieved solely through luminous force and the heart technique, this time she had to employ different means.

Her inner ki surged from her meridians as kundalini erupted from her chakras. Her full-body Geas covenant to ‘never abandon the innocent’ and ‘never ignore evil’ activated, as the anointed mark on her crown blazed.

Through the ‘Martial’ legacy etched in her soul, the holy lineage of saints who vanquished demons and heathens manifested. Likewise, the ‘Heroic Ordeal’ legacy invoked the heritage of ‘those who saved cities’ and ‘those who conquered monsters’ to lend her strength.

Her muscles, tempered through Reverse Muscle Cultivation, slowly bulked up as her Reverse Brain Cultivation heightened her astral mind’s awareness, gradually emanating a wondrous radiance. The spells previously stored in her sockets were none other than ‘Searing Light’ and ‘Mystic Palm’.

As the Immovable Bright King Heart Technique brought her mind’s state back to the true emptiness home, the golden light radiating from her body intensified. Soon, the holy spirit Jibreel flew in to embrace Sophia from behind.

[…!!]

With that single, short mantra, the golden radiance extending from Sophia’s palms coalesced into a massive golden palm manifestation. The palm slowly extended outwards, consuming the malignant miasma filling the sky – a sublime sight reminiscent of a divine hand sweeping away heavenly darkness and evil.

However……

‘It’s not quite enough. I cannot fully contain it.’

While utterly serene thanks to the heart technique’s influence, Sophia realized this. Though the golden palm was devouring the ominous, malign energies per her will, it still lacked the breadth to fully eliminate the miasma saturating the sky.

To be precise, its power was more than sufficient, but its range fell short. Detonating the palm might expand its area of effect, yet that could also cause instability, allowing some miasma to slip through.

The energies Sophia failed to neutralize dispersed aimlessly across the continent, while the remainder blanketed the entire Aghno region. Fortunately, thanks to the barrier Conra and Hildegard had completed, the civilians were shielded, but Sophia could not be relieved.

For an alarming phenomenon soon occurred.

The corpses of slain monsters and living ones that had been incapacitated began transforming like liquid jelly, stirring to life.

Having expended considerable energy moments ago, Sophia could not immediately react. Though her current state would normally allow her to recover in mere breaths, those very breaths now obstructed her movements like shackles.

And within that brief window while Sophia was bound, the jellylike monsters began converging into a singular mass.

Like clay being kneaded, the surreal process rapidly unfolded. By the time Sophia regained her strength, drew her longsword and prepared for battle, the amassed form had already solidified into a sizeable, distinct entity.

“Another colossal monstrosity, is it?”

Observing the scene from within the barrier, Hildegard muttered wearily. Conra unconsciously nodded, having already faced the Bronze Giant in a dungeon not even a month prior – now a second titanic adversary.

Though they had prior experience, Conra initially thought it might help, but upon comparing the newly manifested behemoth to the Bronze Giant, the latter clearly paled in sheer scale.

The fully revealed form resembled a colossal dragon. With twin pairs of membranous wings, its body was clad in armor-like scales, while the crevices of its split, furnace-like skin oozed alternating waves of subterranean chill and molten heat. Twisted braces, chains and rivets held this grotesque flesh together, and its three heads each bore a hundred eyes apiece.

Tentacles like a squid’s or octopus’ beard writhed from its jaws, while bulbous protrusions and a crested carapace like a triceratops adorned its craniums, sporting a total of eight horns in the shapes of rhinoceros, aurochs, impala, and ibex. Mammoth-like tusks protruded from the mandibles framing its dragonfly-esque maws.

Sulfurous gases leaked from its jaws while corrosive drool dribbled freely, further accentuating its repulsive visage.

Its upper torso vaguely resembled a human form, albeit with three pairs of arms – each one gripping an elemental entity suffused with profane demonic power, the captive elementals squirming as if about to burst with their scintillating radiance. Poised to hurl them like bombs at any moment.

The lower body matched a dragon’s hindquarters, supported by four short yet powerfully muscled forelegs and a pair of robust, elastic hind limbs.

As lightning crackled above its heads, storms gathered beneath its wings, and tremors shook underfoot, Sophia remarked upon beholding this manifestation:

[My apologies, but you two should focus on evacuating the survivors first. This area is about to become an extremely hazardous battlefield.]

“Then what will you do!?”
“That’s right, please evacuate with us too, Master!”

To Hildegard and Conra’s alarmed responses, Sophia calmly smiled:

[I must pin down that creature first. Once the evacuation is complete, come assist me immediately. We must hurry – if you’re late, I may defeat this beast beforehand.]

Sophia’s lips curved with uncharacteristic confidence despite facing such a formidable foe, for this was a battle she had longed for across incarnations.