Our Family Has Fallen

William had also vomited, a reaction that normal people could hardly suppress, revealing his weakness.

The only one who remained normal was Paracelsus, fully equipped and wearing her Beak Mask.

Who would have thought that this gear would actually work!

To say she was bold was an understatement. When there was trouble, she charged head-first, drawing her Short Sword and rushing towards the old witch. Meanwhile, her other hand was rummaging through her waist pouch for something.

At that moment, the Corrupt Giant had already lifted a tree trunk and was striding over.

The old witch hiding behind let out a strange laugh. They're just a bunch of mercenaries, most of whom were incapacitated with a single move—it'll be a piece of cake to capture them. Not to mention my precious child.

The stench that was poison to Lance and the others acted like a stimulant to the Corrupt Giant; its movements became noticeably faster, and it directly targeted Paracelsus, swinging the tree trunk.

Crushing Trunk Blow!

The three-meter-long trunk swept through, even stirring up a gale that whirled the stinking yellow smoke. The consequences of being hit were self-evident.

But the giant had long been targeted…

Lance, holding his greatsword, charged forward. He wasn't panicked at all facing the Corrupt Giant.

What giant? My weapon is specially made for cutting down giants!

His muscles bulged as he swung the 'Giant Slayer' in his hand at the Corrupt Giant. Let's see who's tougher!

BOOM!

The greatsword collided with the tree trunk, causing a muffled sound. The blast of air that erupted dispersed the visible stench.

The greatsword cut into the trunk. Unlike Boudica, Lance took the hit without staggering back a single step. However, he knew the giant's strength was terrifying. Both his arms were numbed by the rebounding force; for the first time, he encountered a monster stronger than him purely in terms of physical power.

But he was human, and humans rely on their brains.

Lance was anything but polite. He loosened his grip on the sword hilt, and in the next second, shoved a musket into the giant's face.

BANG!

Gunpowder smoke rose. At that moment, the very same foul smell he found so offensive actually saved Lance from asphyxiation.

With a flick of his wrist, he switched guns, and another shot boomed out. The only sound echoing through the field was the agonized scream of the giant, who had just taken a musket to the face.

That sound made the old witch anxious.

That was my precious child, into whom I had poured my life's work!

Without hesitation, she made an odd gesture with her other hand toward Lance, muttering words that were inaudible.

Lance only saw a blood-red, complex pattern emerge with her hand movements. His knowledge of Mysticism was insufficient to determine its specific effects, but he knew it was nothing good.

But Lance paid her petty maneuvers no mind. He merely glanced at her once before continuing his fight with the frenzied Corrupt Giant, swinging his greatsword.

Each clash of their heavy, powerful weapons produced a massive sound.

Feeble Curse—she knew that once this Curse was cast on a person, it would cause their muscles to relax, blur their perception, and render them weak and powerless.

This mercenary is indeed very strong to be able to confront my child, but physical strength can never stop the power of Mysticism. She even thought, I should instruct my child to hold back, not to smash him too badly. Perhaps I can keep him and cultivate him into a new child.

With this thought, an ugly smile crept onto the old witch's face...

But when the Feeble Curse was completed, the battling Lance showed no effect whatsoever.

"Impossible… How is this possible…"

The old witch knew the Feeble Curse had failed. But why was there no reaction at all? I've encountered Transcendents before. Even if they use abilities or equipment to resist, there should still be a process. I should be able to feel the Curse's power struggling. How could it just disappear?

The old witch suddenly began to doubt her entire life spent roaming the wilderness...

But before she could ponder further, someone dressed even more bizarrely than herself burst through the stinking yellow smoke and charged toward her.

As soon as they confronted each other, Paracelsus raised her hand and threw the substance she was holding.

Previously, her simple stinking Incense Burner had thrown the small squad into disarray and driven away wild beasts, so the old witch hadn't paid much attention to these mercenaries. Moreover, her attention had then been drawn by Lance, the only one capable of facing her child head-on, which had somewhat piqued her interest.

She hadn't expected that the yellow smoke, while protecting her from wild beasts, had also clouded her own vision.

Facing this sudden attack, she instinctively raised her hand to block it.

But this time, what Paracelsus splashed was not Giant Spider gland fluid, but her highly prized corrosive acid.

When the concentrated acid splashed onto her, the inevitable happened: it corroded her clothes, then seeped into her skin, Flesh, and bones…

AH!

Sheer agony made the old witch drop her Incense Burner. Seizing the opportunity, Paracelsus rushed forward and kicked it away, sending it flying out of the battleground.

However, before Paracelsus could do more, she discovered the old witch had managed to stop her injuries. The cost, however, was evident: tiny mushrooms began to sprout from the corroded Flesh where the acid had burned.

The old witch, her mind now completely overtaken by madness, unhesitatingly reached for her enemy, muttering incomprehensible words.

But Paracelsus heard the last sentence clearly.

"Embrace the darkness~"

Paracelsus sensed danger, but that strange power had already latched onto her.

Whether it was because the mask blurred her vision or not, she felt darkness swallow the surrounding light, as the noisy clamor of battle began to fade away.

Damn it! What kind of Evil Curse is this?

Paracelsus realized something was wrong and tried to break free, but at the same time, her bodily sensations blurred. She couldn't see or hear. Nothing was around her; she felt as if she had fallen into the Void.

That emptiness overtook her soul, and an inexplicable pressure emerged, threatening to suffocate her…

The old witch, looking at her dazed enemy, couldn't help but let an ugly, vengeful smile spread across her face.

My methods aren't limited to just those. Sink into the darkness and die!

But in her triumph, the old witch overlooked one thing: after the Incense Burner had been kicked away, the yellow smoke lingering around her had already dissipated.

Wang Cai and Fergus, who had been waiting for an opportunity, seized this moment to strike.

The dogs that don't bark are the ones that bite. Wang Cai, as if naturally skilled at hunting, stalked stealthily, springing into action when the prey was most relaxed.

Savage Wolf Bite!

Wang Cai lunged forward and clamped his jaws onto her wrist.

It was important to remember that Wang Cai wasn't just any ordinary wolf; he was an Extraordinary creature. Furthermore, with the Wolf Spirit's empowerment, his terrifying bite force made the old witch's wrist break with a distinct crack of bone.

AHHHH!!!

Attacked repeatedly and now with a mangled hand, the old witch completely lost her senses and instinctively tried to shake Wang Cai off.

As Wang Cai ferociously shook his head and tore at her, he didn't just bite her hand—he ripped it clean off, which sent him tumbling away from the force.

He initially wanted to swallow it, but then, perhaps having second thoughts, Wang Cai recoiled and spat out the severed hand.

AWOO~

With a howl, an ethereal wolf's head manifested around Wang Cai. The howl carried a wave of special power that shattered the Curse binding Paracelsus.

Even though she was freed, she still stood there stunned, cautiously surveying her surroundings as if she couldn't believe she had returned.

What just happened?

She only remembered being engulfed in darkness until a familiar howl snapped her back to reality.

If this had happened before, such a bizarre event would likely have overwhelmed her. But now, having been thoroughly filled with knowledge of Mysticism by the Lord, she was much calmer. This knowledge made her aware that there were powers in the world known as Extraordinary.

But Wang Cai and the others did not cease their assault, continuing their attack on the old witch.

Fergus joined in as well, clearly holding a grudge against this crone for using the stench on him earlier.

Together, the wolf and the dog hunted the old witch like prey. She might have known some witchcraft but was weak in close combat. With one hand torn off, she had very few ways to fight back and could only let out miserable screams.