"Unlocking new animations really had to be done step by step. Truly a long and difficult road ahead."

Phield could not help but sigh in emotion. Fortunately, he had never tried to make her become a mother, otherwise he would probably have been kicked flying with a single strike.

"Wait, Rosalia is in trouble. We need to go support her."

Phield glanced at the minimap and immediately sensed that something was wrong. Ever since the minimap upgraded, it had become much easier for him to guess what his companions were doing.

Rosalia was moving rapidly within a fixed area, and the surrounding terrain was constantly changing, yet there were no monster markers nearby. That could only mean one thing: she had encountered another Divine Chosen, and a battle had broken out.

Half an hour earlier.

Having just wiped out a small corpse tide, Rosalia stabbed her sword into the ground and leaned against the greatsword to rest. From time to time, she lazily swung her snow-white legs and kicked pebbles on the ground out of boredom.

"Oh? A high-tier corrupted Divine Chosen has appeared in the territory as well. Looks like Miss Sherry’s warning was not exaggerated after all. The strength of the corrupted corpses has been enhanced like never before."

A woman clad entirely in plate armor approached from the direction of the viscount territory, carrying a backpack as large as a yak.

"Plate armor... could she be one of Sherry’s Divine Chosen? No, she isn’t."

Rosalia calmly stood up and elegantly performed a noble salute toward the newcomer, her eyes completely tranquil.

"Human Divine Chosen, why have you stepped into the Northern Frontier?"

"The Northern Frontier originally belonged to the Empire in the first place. You are merely the occupiers. Besides, you yourselves were once subjects of the Empire."

The woman tossed down the massive backpack, stretched lazily, then lifted her visor to reveal a beautiful face with slightly dark skin.

"My name is Sinta, a Third-Tier Divine Chosen from the Empire’s Sixth Imperial Guard Legion."

"So you’re one of the Empress’s soldiers."

As a noble, Rosalia was well aware of how the Imperial military was structured.

During wartime, the Imperial army consisted of four parts: the Central Army, namely the directly controlled Imperial Guards with the strongest combat power; the Provincial Armies, formed from the combined private forces of nobles, possessing the largest numbers but wildly uneven combat capability and poor organization; the Auxiliary Armies from vassal and jointly governed states, equally disorganized and used as cannon fodder; and finally mercenaries, who were pure cannon fodder.

The order of expendability went from back to front. Mercenaries were sent in first, followed by the auxiliary troops, and their combat strength followed the same hierarchy.

As the Empire’s central military force, the Imperial Guards represented the very peak of Imperial combat power, gathering elite soldiers from every corner of the Empire.

"So the Empress intends to reclaim the Northern Frontier Province again? Apparently the lesson of one hundred thousand soldiers being buried here still was not painful enough."

Rosalia grinned, her eyes overflowing with bloodthirst.

"I hope you people send plenty more soldiers over to feed me. If you cannot do that, then disappear from this place immediately."

She needed to pretend to be a wild Divine Chosen, otherwise Phield would be dragged into endless trouble.

"You disgusting thing. I would not mind adding another beautiful prey to my collection."

Sinta was instantly enraged. The disastrous defeat from the past was a scar the Imperial military refused to mention under any circumstance.

"Spell Storm!"

She thrust out her right hand directly. Between her fingers were four different staffs, and four powerful elemental spells blasted forth simultaneously. Accompanied by chaotic roaring sounds, surging magical energy rushed forward violently.

"Staffs? Rapid-cast magic? You actually think that kind of thing can deal with a Divine Chosen?"

Divine Chosen naturally possessed magical resistance, and some were even immune to magic altogether.

Rosalia did not take it seriously at all. With a swing of her greatsword, a massive corrupted dragon claw emerged from space and firmly shielded her body.

"Heh, do not underestimate me. I have already hunted down two corrupted Divine Chosen. You will be the third."

With a flick of her right hand, over a dozen crescent-shaped weapons shot out from different angles. Just as Rosalia forcibly endured the four spells, the flying blades arrived at high speed.

Brilliant flames exploded outward. The dozen flying blades released electricity simultaneously, crackling arcs weaving into a dense electric net.

"What is this? My body feels a little stiff."

Rosalia immediately realized that her mobility had been slightly weakened.

"Although those weapons are powered by magic cores, the weapons themselves are mixed with traces of my sweat infused with tiny amounts of divine power."

Sinta spun the spatial ring on her finger, and a gigantic crimson grappling claw flew out.

The hook instantly latched onto the Greatsword of Gluttony.

"Your divine weapon has excellent collector value. I will not give it the chance to dissolve."

Smiling confidently, Sinta yanked the grappling claw, only for her expression to suddenly freeze. To her horror, the claw did not move at all.

"This is bad. Her strength is actually this terrifying?"

The moment the seriousness appeared on her face, Sinta prepared to release the hook. Yet before she could, an irresistible force suddenly surged through it. Her body abruptly became weightless as Rosalia instead dragged her flying over.

"Pathetic tricks. Explode for me."

Divine power surged violently as the dozen electrified flying blades shattered into powder instantly.

"Third-Tier Divine Skill, Endless Severance!"

At the same time, Rosalia unleashed a frenzied barrage of sword strikes toward the pulled-in Sinta. Instantly, endless sword shadows mixed with chaotic sword energy swept forward like an airtight meat grinder. Due to the effect of Incarnate Synergy Battle, the dragon claw also unleashed Endless Severance simultaneously.

The two Endless Severance attacks formed a massive crossing slash, sealing off every possible route of escape.

"Third-Tier Divine Artifact, War God’s Shield, activate!"

"Third-Tier Divine Artifact, Golden Dragon Armor!"

A golden shield appeared out of nowhere and collided violently with the Greatsword of Gluttony. Brilliant sparks exploded outward. Yet before Sinta could even sigh in relief, the far heavier dragon claw’s Endless Severance slammed ruthlessly into her armor.

Violent impacts erupted from every direction, shaking her internal organs violently.

"Wah!"

Sinta was blasted backward, a thin stream of blood flowing from the corner of her lips as shock filled her eyes.

"What kind of monstrous attack power is this?"

A smile curved across Rosalia’s lips as she attempted to press the advantage. Yet the moment she stepped forward with her right foot, her face suddenly turned pale. She coughed up blood and frowned in confusion.

"What is going on? When did I get injured? And the damage is not light either."

"It is damage reflection. Your divine skill really is impressive. I wonder whether you have ever tried experiencing it yourself."

"Heh. If my defense were not decent enough, I would have been instantly killed just now. Looks like I cannot afford to underestimate you."

Sinta crashed onto the ground, swayed slightly, then stabilized herself. Putting away the shield, she drew out an overbearing golden heavy crossbow.

"I am very experienced when it comes to dealing with berserkers like you."

"A third divine artifact?"

Rosalia pulled out a white handkerchief and wiped the blood from the corner of her lips, unable to hide her astonishment.

"The Imperial military is actually this wealthy?"

"We are not wealthy."

Sinta raised the golden crossbow and casually pulled out a quiver from her spatial ring.

"These are the wills of all my fallen comrades."

Ever since Sinta enlisted, countless companions had died across every battlefield of the Empire.

"The wills of your comrades... hahahaha."

Rosalia laughed madly, licking the corner of her lips like a yandere.

"I wonder what your companions taste like."

"Fuck! You damned corrupted monster!"

Sinta’s scalp went numb instantly as she pulled the trigger.

"Die!"

A deep blue arrow tore through the sky and shot straight toward Rosalia.