The Exiled Lord: My Maid is a Battle Goddess-Chapter 116: The Path to Advancement for Divine Chosen

"Hold formation! Shield wall steady—crossbowmen, ready!"

The rebels surged up the stairways in chaotic waves, clutching a mishmash of crude weapons. Mixed among them were devotees of the Shadow World Sect, chanting slogans at the top of their lungs. Each resounding chant drove the rebels into greater frenzy.

"Rapid fire!"

The Nightfall Domain soldiers pulled their triggers at once. There was no need to aim—the wall was broad, but the enemy packed every inch of space. Even shooting blind would hit something.

The front ranks of rebels convulsed as if struck by lightning and collapsed in swathes, yet more poured forward like marching ants.

Only then did Phield fully appreciate the difference between bows and crossbows. Bows could fire far more rapidly, especially in bursts, but crossbows suffered from painfully slow reload times.

After just two volleys, the two sides slammed together atop the wall.

Rebels pressed tightly against the shield formation. Nightfall Domain soldiers thrust their spears through the gaps, cutting down enemies like harvesting wheat. In return, the rebels jabbed with long spears and poles through cracks in shields and plate armor, stabbing at Nightfall Domain troops.

Spears thrust and withdrew in a chaotic forest of steel. Amid howls and screams, bodies dropped in clusters.

Some frenzied rebels leapt directly onto the shield wall, hacking wildly with farm tools and machetes. But with a violent shake of the shields, the unstable attackers lost their footing and tumbled from the battlements.

"Dragon’s Roar—Invisible Impact!"

As pressure mounted, Arlya unleashed her dragon-language magic once more.

The overwhelming shockwave roared like a tempest, blasting sixty or seventy rebels straight off the wall. Their screams trailed behind them as they plunged helplessly from the heights.

Phield pivoted a defensive ballista and aimed at the densest cluster of rebels.

This fortress ballista could fire five massive bolts side by side. Powered by a windlass and reinforced with magical runes, its destructive force was unimaginable.

Buzz—

The bolts tore through the air with explosive resonance, skewering rebels in succession like candied hawthorns on a stick and pinning them dead against the stone wall.

"I need to reach the inner city," Rosalia murmured. Then, in a grave tone, she added, "I think I understand my path to advancement. I must find the city’s Life Interweaving Nodes... and then—"

"And then destroy them. Bring despair and death to the lives within the city, right?"

Phield suddenly grasped it.

"Yes." Rosalia’s voice softened, almost hesitant, as if afraid he might recoil. "I can control the urge to slaughter. Don’t worry."

Phield replied lightly, "It’s fine. I won’t guard myself against you."

"Then the advancement method for normal Divine Chosen can be deduced as well," Phield continued, piecing things together. "Rumor isn’t far off. Ordinary Divine Chosen are closely tied to a city’s prosperity. The more flourishing the city, the larger its population, the higher its happiness—the more vibrant life energy or faith it provides."

Rosalia, representing an evil divine lineage, advanced by destroying cities and breaking the fabric of life itself.

"This is war. The enemy deserves death. The rebels are merely puppets of the Shadow World Sect. Don’t burden yourself—we’ll cover you."

Rosalia hadn’t expected Phield to comfort her instead. The gesture moved her deeply.

Phield was no saint. Against enemies, you struck hard. Many Nightfall Domain soldiers had fallen here—he hadn’t come to offer charity.

After blasting apart another swath of rebels with the ballista, Phield roared, "Push toward the inner city!"

Seeing more Allied troops scaling the walls, Phield knew decisiveness was crucial. Reaching the inner city swiftly was his true objective. If he missed this window, there might not be another. Though the Allies had suffered grievous losses, endless reinforcements were on the way. The vast Empire was not something a mere sect could withstand.

Advancing deep into enemy territory was terrifying. Phield steeled himself and pressed forward.

Fortunately, luck favored them. His two-hundred-man force failed to attract the attention of the enemy’s upper-tier combatants, who were locked in fierce combat with the Allied Divine Chosen. Slipping beneath the notice of two titanic forces to seize his own opportunity sent a thrill through him.

They fought their way to the high walls of the inner city.

"From here on, you’re on your own. Retreat if you face danger."

"I won’t disappoint you."

Phield thrust the Greatsword of Gluttony into an arrow slit in the inner wall. Then he led his troops to a concealed position, bracing against the wall in defensive formation.

As the Greatsword of Gluttony pierced through, the rebels inside stared in confusion. They had expected continued assault, not a weapon thrown into their midst.

"What is he doing?" one sect follower muttered, stepping closer. "What is this thing?"

Suddenly, countless bloodlines surged from the blade. Rosalia manifested instantly, chains coiling around her, murderous intent pouring forth without restraint.

"You all seem... somewhat delicious."

She smiled coldly.

At the same time, the mark of the Corrupted Goddess dissolved into a stream of black-gray light and sank into the earth beneath her feet. Like an invisible web, it spread throughout the city, marking every Life Interweaving Node.

One by one, magnificent orbs of light appeared—normally unseen and untouchable, now revealed by the Divine Chosen’s mark.

In the distant East, ancient traditions had systematized these nodes: they were formed by the convergence of earth veins, geomancy, fortune, and the vitality of a race itself. In simple terms, heaven, earth, and humanity combined—the fundamental source of Divine Chosen power.

For benevolent divine lineages, at least. For evil ones, the path was the opposite.

"Divine Art—Endless Severance!"

Rosalia’s greatsword cleaved outward. A colossal wave of sword energy erupted, accompanied by hundreds of dull concussive booms. Rebels nearby were swept away in an instant. The land itself was tainted by corrupted blade aura, and a haze of death slowly rose.

Panic spread among the surrounding rebels as they tried to call for reinforcements—but death overtook them swiftly.

As the environment was corrupted and rebels slaughtered in droves, the nearby Life Interweaving Nodes seemed grievously wounded. Streams of radiant energy burst forth and poured into Rosalia’s body. Unlike the energy granted by the Greatsword of Gluttony, power drawn from the nodes brought permanent enhancement.

"So this is why corrupted beings tirelessly seek to destroy human settlements."

Feeling her strength surge wildly, Rosalia tightened her grip on her sword and cast aside distractions. She charged into the residential district, where the nodes were most concentrated.

Under the control of the Eye of Ancient Vows, the residents toiled endlessly, forging weapons in manic devotion. When they saw the enemy descend upon them, they could only scream in despair—their bodies unable to move even an inch.

"I’ll grant you release."

Rosalia smiled coldly and unleashed her blade in a storm of overwhelming sword energy.