"Um... is this considered a high-level awakening?" Prince asked.
Egessa was momentarily speechless, her mind consumed by a single question: Why had this happened?
The Holy City was forgotten, the Federation perished. Logically, without specialized training or guidance, a Witch's abilities should have regressed significantly. Yet what did she witness? A newly-awakened Witch had already attained two promotions—a feat beyond mere luck. Even in the Federation, a gathering of geniuses, such a Witch was a rare breed.
And if I'm not mistaken, there are three others who are just like Anna?
Aigesa stared blankly at the gray-haired man for a long moment before regaining her composure. "This... should be considered acceptable, but I don't possess the Balanced Magic Stone, nor can I measure the magnitude of power fluctuations," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "May I ask what exactly happened when Anna awakened? She appears to have just reached adulthood. Could these two transformations have occurred within just a year or two?" Only after speaking did Aigesa realize she had unconsciously used the formal term "Witch" (a term reserved for those who cannot inherit power). Even if a Witch gathers a large group of ordinary people as followers, it doesn't guarantee the birth of a powerful Witch. Thus, the upper echelons always determine rank based on power rather than lineage. Given Anna's current abilities, she already qualifies for the Federation's leadership. Compared to her, even if not a superior, she would at least be an equal.
Any high-level awakened being is worthy of respect.
"The first time was when my Magic Power ran out during the battle against the evil beast. The second time, I think it was due to learning knowledge." "Knowledge..." She paused. "What kind of knowledge?" "Well, that can be discussed later," Prince cleared his throat. "Let's return to our earlier topic. What exactly does Akali's God Punishment Army experiment refer to?" Indeed, if he hadn't deceived himself, this knowledge must contain extraordinary principles—precisely why Anna could awaken new abilities through sudden enlightenment. It was only natural that he hesitated to elaborate before gaining trust. Aigasha couldn't help but feel excited. For a Witch, boosting promotion chances held extraordinary significance. If she could grasp the underlying principles, reviving the Federation wouldn't be a difficult task.
But where did he acquire such knowledge? This was a remote and uncivilized land—how could mere villagers possibly comprehend the mysteries of Magic Power? She was utterly perplexed. Over four centuries, what had the world truly become?
Egret set aside these perplexing questions for now. "Acharis is formidable enough—after wearing the God's Stone of Punishment, she could stand against multiple Hell Lords. But there are far too few Transcenders. Or perhaps... we're at a disadvantage in terms of skill diversity." "Skill diversity?" "Exactly. No one knows a Witch's abilities before awakening. Yet Federation statistics show only 10% of all Witches are combat-ready—this ratio holds true for Transcenders as well. Among these 10%, zero can become Promoted. The Federation once faced a fifty-year drought without a single Promoted, proving Witches' combat capabilities are highly unpredictable." "So, not all mortals awaken, not all who awaken fight, and not all fighters grow stronger—that's the gist?" Prince muttered, fingers tracing his chin.
"Pretty much," Aegesa sighed. "We formed an army of mortals to compensate for the Witch's weakness, but... mortals can't defeat the Devil. Even with the God's Stone, they're no match for the Demon's overwhelming power. Under these circumstances, Akali ordered the Exploration Society to develop warriors capable of breaking human limits. Judging by this haphazard note, she seems to have succeeded..." "Seems so?" Prince asked curiously. "Didn't you say you were part of the Exploration Society?" "Exactly. But after this order, I left the Tachira Exploration Society and built my laboratory in the Forest of Concealment." She bit her lip, hesitated for a moment before continuing, "They quickly found a way to forcibly combine the Witch with mortals using the God's Stone's power. But... this process costs the Witch's life. I can't accept this experimental method. The Exploration Society should focus on exploring the God's Stone's potential instead of treating the Witch as expendable. The note is right—this approach only leads to the Witch's destruction." Prince looked shocked. "Treating people as expendables?" "Akali had no choice. Tachira was in mortal danger back then," Aegesa noticed his reluctant expression and suddenly felt a twinge of satisfaction. "But now the Federation has dissolved. This kind of thing doesn't survive, and probably won't reappear." After she finished speaking, she lowered her head, caressed the pages of the book, and crossed mountains and rivers... What a familiar slogan. But where are you all now? How can I alone restore order?
"Yet the God Punishment Army still exists." The words froze Eggar's fingers as she stared at Prince in disbelief. "What... what did you say?" "I don't know if this is a coincidence," he mused slowly, his voice hesitant. "The Church—the organization you've never heard of—established two cities in the Great Rift Valley of the Desolate Mountains, both called' Holy Cities. 'They initiated witch hunts and even hunt orphaned children, bringing them to the Holy City Monastery for adoption. Wendy escaped from there." "The Church commands its own army and territories. Their most formidable warriors are the God Punishment Army—monsters stripped of their divine will, as powerful as supernatural witches, and in no small numbers. They might even have a squad of elite witches, which is why I temporarily sealed your abilities with the God Punishment Lock," Prince shrugged. "Before you revealed this... we always believed the Church built the Tachera Holy City in the Wildlands to fight the Devil, and those ruins were their legacy." Eggar's mouth hung open, speechless. An organization of mortals had stolen the Federation's most crucial secrets, turned against witches, and created the God Punishment Army to consolidate their rule? She was suddenly struck by a splitting headache. God's punishment didn't vanish—it landed on an organization that despised witches! What on earth had those people from the Federation done?
Noticing her fatigue and discomfort, Wendy gently laid her down on the bed and whispered, "Let's call it a day. Get some rest. Don't worry, we'll figure out what's wrong." Then she felt her ankle loosen—the God's Lock had been removed by Anna. The group left the room one by one, with the gray-haired Prince being the last to depart.
Just as he closed the door, Agatha heard a calm and steady voice.
You're wrong about one thing: ordinary people can defeat the Devil.