"Charge!" At Vera’s command, the soldiers surged forward. Leading the charge was a burly warrior, his battle axe gleaming under the pale moonlight as he stormed toward Luo Wenkai with immense momentum.

"Ah, am I truly that underestimated?" Luo Wenkai mused with a faint smile, his demeanor calm and unhurried. With a flick of his fingers, a radiant glow of Holy Light descended—a simple healing spell.

Vera's brows furrowed. Had he gone mad? Casting a healing spell on the enemy mid-battle?

Her confusion was quickly replaced with shock. The warrior charging at full speed suddenly staggered, losing balance entirely, and crashed into a nearby tree with a resounding thud.

“He... tripped?” Vera stared, incredulous. The man wasn’t just any warrior; he was a Silver Rank 5 combatant, a renowned elite in the kingdom of Astoria. To see him sprawled out like a novice was absurd.

“Remarkable…” muttered Havel, the old mage, his raspy voice cutting through the tension. “He just used a highly precise variation of a healing spell to overload the strength in Johnson's left leg. That imbalance caused him to lose control.”

Vera gasped. She knew the basic mechanics of healing magic—imbuing light energy to stimulate the body’s natural vitality for recovery. But to use it with surgical precision to disrupt an opponent’s movements? That bordered on the unthinkable.

Luo Wenkai chuckled at their astonishment. “Ah, it seems we have an observer who recognizes fine craftsmanship. You see, years ago when I first studied healing magic, I noticed how most clergy adopted the ‘flood the field’ approach to ensure broad-spectrum recovery.

"I refined that into what I call Localized Holy Healing. But during testing, I discovered that if applied excessively to a single area… well, let me demonstrate."

With another nonchalant wave of his hand, Holy Light landed on one of the soldiers. Immediately, the man let out a strangled cry, clutching his leg.

"My calf! It’s cramping! I can’t move!"

Before the cries subsided, more soldiers were struck.

"My eyelids won’t stop twitching!"

"My heartbeat—it’s racing! It feels like my chest is going to explode!"

"My throat! I—I can’t breathe!"

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Within moments, the once-organized guards were reduced to a stumbling, wailing mess. Vera stood frozen, her face drained of color. Was this really healing magic? This felt more like a sinister curse.

"Why does a Holy Knight wield something so… twisted?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

From Luo Wenkai’s shoulder, Lilith peeked out, her mocking laughter breaking the silence. "Oh, how amusing! Did you all think he was just some charming charlatan? You underestimated him because of his lazy demeanor and outrageous antics, didn’t you?"

Her tone turned icy, dripping with condescension. "Let me remind you—every tale the Church spins about him, every accusation of blasphemy and scandal, not one dares to question his power. That’s because they can’t."

A chill swept through the soldiers. The weight of Lilith's words crushed their bravado, leaving only dread in its wake.

Breaking the oppressive silence, Havel raised his staff, summoning an onslaught of wind blades that hurled themselves toward Luo Wenkai. Without missing a beat, Luo Wenkai conjured a shimmering Holy Shield, deflecting the attacks. Yet the relentless barrage forced him to focus solely on defense.

"Now!" shouted Vera, snapping out of her trance. She joined her mentor, casting supportive magic while the soldiers regrouped and charged anew.

"You all," Luo Wenkai sneered, his voice echoing through the clearing, "are woefully ignorant of what true power is."

Golden light erupted from his body, forming an immense radiant domain—a ten-meter-wide Holy Sanctuary. The moment the soldiers entered the field, their faces contorted in discomfort, and one by one, they fell to their knees clutching their stomachs.

"W-What did you do?!" Vera demanded, her voice trembling.

"Oh, nothing much," Luo Wenkai replied, his tone maddeningly casual. "This is my own creation—a Holy Domain. Those who step into it are blessed by accelerated metabolism and intestinal activity. In simpler terms…" He smirked, savoring the horror dawning on their faces. "It’s diarrhea. Extreme diarrhea."

The foul stench that followed was enough to send even the untouched soldiers staggering back in fear. The unlucky victims writhed on the ground, their dignity obliterated.

“I call it… Social Death Domain!” Luo Wenkai declared with a flourish.

The combination of the name and its grotesque effects sent a wave of revulsion through the remaining soldiers. Even Vera, whose pride as a noblewoman kept her rooted, backed away instinctively. If that happens to me… death would be a mercy.

"Damn you!" growled Havel, his face twisted in both anger and resolve. Reaching into his sleeve, he pulled out an ancient scroll, its edges frayed with age. Without hesitation, he ignited it, releasing a brilliant surge of light.

Chains of radiance materialized in the air, writhing like serpents before lashing out at Luo Wenkai.

"Holy Shackles?" Luo Wenkai’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected them to bring out such a potent divine artifact. The glowing chains wrapped around him, burning through his armor and branding his skin with intricate markings.

In desperation, he hurled Lilith forward. "Handle this for me!"

But it was too late. The Holy Shackles tightened, suppressing the radiant energy emanating from Luo Wenkai. His shield shattered, and the golden domain flickered out of existence.

The clearing fell silent, save for the faint rattling of chains. Luo Wenkai stood bound, his mischievous grin replaced by an unreadable expression.

For the first time, his enemies felt they might have the upper hand.