NovelSearch Chapter 1178: Endless
Chapter 1178: Endless
The clearing was filled with the shrieks coming from the demons.
Hundreds of imps moved in every direction... As they flapped their wings at the same time, it felt as if they were beating like a storm.
Their glowing eyes burned in the dark, a sea of red pinpricks that made the forest itself feel alive with malice.
Shane’s team tightened their formation instantly.
Shields raised, blades drawn, and they also prepared various Skills in their arsenal.
Soon, Tundra started throwing out stones with Graviton Imploder!
[ Graviton Imploder: Generates a sudden gravitational pull that draws nearby enemies inward before collapsing with a heavy implosion.
Cost: 50 Spirit Points ]
Whom~ Whom~
Several waves of Imps were immediately cleared out!
[ You have eliminated an Imp. ]
[ You have eliminated an Imp. ]
...
[ You have eliminated an Imp. ]
Just like that, Tundra was flooded with notifications.
"Whoa... That’s really strong, Tundra." Travis muttered after seeing Tundra’s numerous Graviton Imploder... It was quite terrifying if seen in close range.
After all, there was a strange feeling that they would also get caught up in the strange phenomenon.
Yet for every imp that fell, more poured out of the shadows, crawling from cracks in the earth, swooping down from branches, or clawing their way out of ruined walls.
"They’re appearing out of nowhere. What the heck?" Layla shouted while hurling debris with her telekinesis to smash clusters of imps.
Shinja also swung his Stormblade in wide arcs, cutting through wings and horns, but the swarm pressed harder.
Tundra, on the other hand, hurled more bombs that detonated with explosive fire! Each explosion scattered bodies, yet the gaps filled instantly.
"Maybe this is only an illusion? But no... They’re giving experience points. What the hell is this? Maybe there’s a gate somewhere where they’re coming out?"
Elsa and Lily unleashed torrents of water and slicing winds...
Their elements combined into a storm that shredded dozens of Imps.
Then, Travis’ Clone fought like a vanguard, his aura cutting through the swarm, while Chaloem’s calm strikes kept their line steady.
But the imps kept coming...
Spirit Points drained with every strike, every skill, and every defense.
Of course, the team’s solid lineup held, but Shane knew that sooner or later, they would be consumed. And if they tried to retreat, the swarm would follow them back to the ships, putting Mystra and the defenders in danger...
Shane frowned...
"We can’t let them reach the dockyard. If they follow us, the ships are finished."
Tundra cursed, pulling another bomb from his belt. "Then we burn everything here. Let’s use our trump cards, all of them."
Travis’ Clone nodded grimly. "Agreed. Better to spend everything now than risk the others."
Shane raised his hand, and soon, lightning sparked across his fingers. He was ready to unleash his strongest surge, even if it drained him completely.
But before he could, Natalie stepped forward. Her eyes gleamed with confidence...
"Wait. This is my time."
The others turned, startled.
Natalie’s smile was calm, commanding.
She raised a staff... It was long, silver, etched with some unknown marks that glowed faintly in the darkness.
It was no ordinary weapon.
This was one of the sacred artifacts of the New Haven Clan, forged under the Archbishop’s blessing!
Though Natalie herself was not a priest or bishop, as Clan Leader, she had access to the resources of her people.
She had obtained numerous relics, scrolls, and items that allowed her to wield holy spells. And now, she held one of the most powerful among them.
The staff pulsed with light as she lifted it high.
"Holy Smite!"
A burst of radiant energy exploded outward, incinerating dozens of imps in a single flash!
Their shrieks filled the clearing as their bodies turned to ash almost immediately!
[ You have eliminated an Imp. ]
[ You have eliminated an Imp. ]
...
[ You have eliminated an Imp. ]
"Whoa!"
"Holy smite?"
"Priestess Natalie? Is that you?"
"Hoho! That is super cool! Wait..."
The team cheered, but the relief was short‑lived. Lysandra and the others noticed it again!
More imps just poured in, wings beating, claws slashing, their numbers unbroken.
Layla gritted her teeth. "Even that isn’t enough. They’re endless!"
Natalie’s expression hardened. "I know. That’s why I brought this."
From her inventory, she drew forth a chalice... It was golden, ornate, and it was glowing with divine light.
Shane was impressed as he saw it. As expected, this Clan Leader also had a Mythic Grade Artifact!
Furthermore, it was an artifact perfect against Demons!
Unlike his Mythic Grade Weapons that were perfect against Zombies and other mystical creatures, Natalie’s artifact was perfect for the situation!
The moment it appeared, the imps shrieked louder!
Suddenly, their frenzy doubled in intensity as if they recognized the artifact.
Tundra’s eyes widened. "Is that some kind of Holy Grail?"
Natalie nodded. "One of the Archbishop’s greatest treasures. It can channel every blessing, every prayer, every ounce of holy power the New Haven Clan has ever stored. With this, I can clear them all."
Indeed, perhaps the trick to win against the imps was to eliminate them all at the same time!
Just like that, the imps went wild, their shrieks became deafening.
They swarmed harder, clawing at the humans’ defenses, desperate to reach Natalie before she could act.
"Protect her!" Shane shouted as he realized the severity of the situation.
The team tightened its line around Natalie.
Shield Talismans, Protective Skills, bomb suppression, and others were used to stop their advance!
Shane also used his Lightning Surge, Aura Suppression, Telekinetic Storm, and lastly, he activated his Warden’s Talisman!
[ Warden’s Talisman ( Mythic ): An ancient talisman forged by the Centaur Warlords during the Great Wars. This talisman boosts physical resilience, reducing damage taken by up to 50%, and grants temporary invulnerability when the wearer’s health drops below a critical threshold. Additionally, it summons spectral centaurs to aid the wearer in battle during moments of need, depending on infused Spirit Energy. ]
This Talisman had limited durability, so he wasn’t wearing it most of the time. Only in specific situations like now!
"Spectral Centaurs... Come out!"
Shane muttered as he used over 20,000 Spirit Points!
Soon, a battalion of Spectral Centaurs appeared!
"What?"
"Shane? You have that skill?"
"Why is this my first time seeing this?"
"Ha! He used it before in New Genesis Shelter..."
"Seriously? This is too strong!"
"No! They have a limited duration! Stay focused!" Shane ordered.
Thanks to the time he bought with these skills, Natalie finally raised the Grail high.
Holy light poured from it, illuminating the clearing like dawn breaking through night.
The imps recoiled, shrieking in agony, but they did not retreat. They hurled themselves forward, desperate to smother the light.
"Hold them!" Natalie shouted, her voice ringing with authority. "Almost there! Just a few more seconds!"
"Don’t worry... My Spectral Centaurs can still hold on."
Shane said as he also unleashed Lightning Surge...
Tundra also hurled bomb after bomb with explosions shaking the ground.
However, the hundreds became thousands, pouring from every shadow, every crack, every branch. The forest itself seemed alive with their malice.
Natalie closed her eyes, focusing.
The Grail pulsed brighter with light spilling across the battlefield.
At last, she began to pray...
"By the blessings of the Sacred Power... by the prayers of the Archbishop... by the faith of every survivor who has stood against the darkness... I call upon the light!"
Shane wasn’t sure if it was a made-up prayer or legit, but still, they had to take this matter seriously.
The Grail flared, a beam of holy radiance shooting skyward.
Whom~
Suddenly, the imps shrieked as their wings started burning and their horns also began to crack!
The light spread outward! It was a wave of divine energy sweeping across the clearing.
Dozens fell. Then hundreds... then thousands.
Their bodies turned to ash, and just like that, they could no longer sense any Imps in the surroundings!
However, a few of them started spawning once again.
This time, however, it was slow, and they were no longer being overwhelmed.
Shane and the others held the line, cutting down the stragglers.
Soon, Natalie’s eyes opened...
"I think I found the source. No wonder they kept spawning."
Soon, she raised the staff again, channeling the Grail’s power through it.
"I’ll take care of them...Holy Judgment!"
A second wave of radiance exploded outward, obliterating the remaining imps in a blinding flash. The clearing shook, the ruins trembled, and when the light faded, silence returned.
The ground was littered with ash and the swarm was gone.
Natalie lowered the Grail, as she looked at Shane.
"The gate has been closed... They won’t be coming back for sure."
Shane exhaled slowly as he finally lowered his hand. "You saved us. And the ships."
Tundra agreed as he looked at Natalie cautiously. "Remind me never to underestimate the New Haven Clan again."
Layla smirked faintly. "Or Natalie herself."
Shane couldn’t help but smile after hearing that...
Still, he recalled Natalie’s words.
"Gates?! Wait... There are gate stones here?" Shane’s eyes lit up as soon as he realized this.
However, as he looked around, it was just filled with rubble.
"Natalie... Can you locate the Gate Stones you mentioned? It’s okay even if they’re heavily damaged.