"For now, we still have no leads on what's happening inside the cave, so let's not worry about that. Our immediate task is to deal with that phoenix!"
After furrowing his brow in thought for a while, Brennan could only make this decision. He didn't want to turn back and ask for more help, as that would waste several more days, by which time it might be too late.
"But this phoenix is really stubborn! It's been so long and it's still guarding outside, with no intention of leaving," I said with a sigh of regret as I stared at the female phoenix in the distance.
"I thought if it couldn't stand it any longer and flew away, we could save some effort..."
"I'm sorry, the previous teammates ransacked its nest, so the phoenix probably thought Vivianne did it, hence the deep resentment that makes it unwilling to leave," Yulanda answered apologetically. Although a divine beast, its lack of intelligence made it stubbornly single-minded. Of course, later when Adrian drove away the male phoenix and snuck back into the cave, successfully drawing more resentment, that was another important reason.
"So it's up to you now?" Cyra asked, turning her gaze to Cysper.
With our current team's strength, dealing with a phoenix shouldn't be too difficult, not even requiring the two guardian knights secretly tasked with protection. But according to last night's pre-battle meeting, Cysper, as the Pope and monarch of the Cresthaven Papal Dominion, naturally hoped to preserve the phoenix's life as much as possible, making this rescue mission more challenging.
There was no choice - we were currently in the Cresthaven Papal Dominion's territory, and the phoenix was one of the rare divine beasts on the continent, considered an auspicious symbol by the residents of Makalan City. If a country could attract a phoenix to nest and settle in its territory, it would undoubtedly be something worth boasting about, its status far exceeding that of the giant pandas on Earth. So if the issue could be resolved through expulsion or appeasement rather than outright slaughter, that would be far better.
"Feliciana, you just stay back and protect everyone!"
No sooner had he spoken than Cysper took the lead and charged toward the phoenix. Since he had demanded not to kill it, it naturally fell to him to take on the main attack.
"Tch, I'm an angel too, why wasn't I mentioned?" Cyra muttered discontentedly, seeming unsatisfied with this arrangement.
"Do you have any idea how capable you are?" I retorted. "At most, you're about on par with Brennan right now." Cysper not mentioning her was already quite considerate.
Still, I was equally curious - I had witnessed Cysper's combat style against the mountain lizards before, but how would he deal with a higher-level opponent like the phoenix? Moreover, without wings and the ability to fly, the pressure must be immense.
Sure enough, the phoenix lying on the ground noticed Cysper's approach, immediately raising its head to glare at him with hostility and resentment, letting out shrill screeches.
Then the battle began, as inevitable as can be.
Not harming the phoenix's life didn't mean weapons couldn't be used. Cysper still gripped his dagger, mainly to fend off the phoenix's hard beak and claws. His speed was remarkable, his figure almost impossible to track.
Most of the phoenix's attacks missed their mark, whether diving from above or creating gales with its wings laced with searing flames - none could inflict any damage on him.
After all, both their bodies were composed of light elements, granting them immunity to any energy attacks.
From what I could tell, Cysper's combat skills far surpassed the sixth rank, even exceeding Wozwal Hus who had tested me before!
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"So cool! I never expected the Pope, despite his lofty position for so many years, to possess such formidable skills!" Yulanda marveled from her hiding spot. "Considering he's had virtually no records of battle, just being able to witness this is extremely fortunate!"
According to intelligence, apart from being revered as the Pope of the True Church, Cysper also had a large female fan base across the continent due to his perpetually youthful appearance!
"Of course, with that dashing and handsome face, how could he not be cool?" Cyra nodded vigorously in agreement upon hearing this.
"Don't tell me your angel friend has taken a liking to him too?" Brennan whispered to me. It was common knowledge that angels and the True Church didn't get along, so Cyra's evident good relationship with the Pope naturally raised questions.
"You're overthinking it..." I rolled my eyes, well aware of Cyra's intentions. She was just being vain as usual! In my opinion, Cysper's looks were at most elevated by his aristocratic bearing and lavish attire - nothing out of the ordinary.
The battle raged on. After grappling with Cysper for a while and seeing none of its attacks were effective, the phoenix finally lost patience and unleashed its trump card - a breath of flames.
"Oh crap!"
Cyra cried out in alarm. Ill-timed, the phoenix's breath was directed straight at us, and we had witnessed its range covering nearly half of Makalan City. At this short distance of a few dozen meters, there was no way to escape if unable to fly!
Fortunately, I had prepared countermeasures, unleashing the advanced shielding spell I had practiced.
Sanctuary of Light!
Fortunately, I had prepared countermeasures long ago. The advanced spell I had practiced for some time could finally come in handy. Compared to the complex "Paradise Shockwave", this spell was relatively simple and barely drained my energy.
The ferocious flames slammed against the light elemental barrier, erupting into a massive burst of dazzlingly bright sparks that forced everyone to raise their arms to shield their faces.
"Whew, that was a close one. We almost got roasted..."
This situation persisted for over ten seconds before gradually subsiding. After checking to confirm he had avoided accidental harm, Brennan stared at the overhead light dome with lingering trepidation and said to me.
"That was a close one, we almost got roasted..." Brennan said with lingering dread after checking to ensure he wasn't accidentally hit.
"I'm impressed, that must be an incredibly powerful spell! You've improved a lot compared to before!"
"Of course, I learned many useful things in Edenmere!" I replied with a smile, delighted that my studies had proven practical. Yulanda's situation was similar, equally relieved to have survived unscathed.
The power of the phoenix's breath exceeded expectations - apart from our area and the space behind us, the surrounding fan-shaped region within nearly a thousand meters had been reduced to scorched earth. The sturdy trees didn't even have a chance to burn, instantly carbonized into stunted stumps.
Barring angels, who could withstand such might?
Yet there was one exception...of course, referring to Cysper.
Seizing the opportunity while the phoenix was exhaling, he had nimbly leapt onto its head, the surrounding flames unable to harm him in the slightest. Then, just like against the mountain lizards, he enveloped the phoenix's head with the radiance of a sleep spell.
It worked - the raging phoenix immediately calmed down, its eyes slowly closing as it collapsed to the ground while still posed mid-flight, the flames across its body gradually dissipating into nothingness.
"Feliciana, quickly come cast a sleep spell too. My magic power alone can't keep it asleep for long!"
However, Cysper didn't let his guard down, beckoning me over urgently. Without wings, no matter how many years he had trained, his magic reserves and potency ultimately couldn't compare to an angel like me, even slightly inferior to Cyra's two wings.
"Oh, right, coming right away!"
I flew over and cast another sleep spell on the phoenix. Only then did Cysper's tension finally ease as he plopped down on the ground.
"Whew, not easy at all. Fortunate that like you angels, I too have immunity powers. Otherwise, the outcome would be hard to say! Let me rest for a bit..."
In truth, if he hadn't insisted on sparing the phoenix's life, this battle would have been quite simple, as there had been many opportunities to slay it.
"Uh, before you rest, could you put some clothes on?"
I glanced at him awkwardly. The phoenix's fiery breath had completely incinerated his clothes, leaving the Pope practically naked before me.
"...Sorry!"
Alerted by my words, Cysper finally realized his state. Unfortunately, with no cover nearby, he could only turn around while covering his lower body, quickly retrieving a fresh set of clothes from his storage space.
Well well, it didn't seem that small after all! How could it possibly be as inadequate as Cyra claimed? Glimpsing his pale rear, I couldn't help but shake my head in amusement.
As an idol among the continent's female population, Cysper's physique was far more toned and proportioned than I had imagined, his muscles well-defined without being overly bulging. Completely different from the impression Cyrus had initially given me - clearly the result of arduous training!
Alright, I was mainly concerned for the sake of Yulanda, who would be arriving soon. As a proper young lady, if she came across such a sight, she would undoubtedly be embarrassed. Besides, word getting out that the esteemed Pope of the True Church had been seen in the nude by a woman wouldn't sound very good, would it?