What appeared before Laine and Amelia was a fierce duel.

Julius was fully armed, clad in meteorite iron rune plate armor forged by Dwarfs, both hands gripping a gorgeously shaped two-handed knight sword blessed by the Lake God Prophet. He held the longsword, radiating Pure Light, across his chest, straining to withstand his enemy’s ferocious onslaught.

Because his opponent’s attacks were simply too violent.

"Purify! Purify! Purify!!!" The Primarch of the Word Bearers was in rags, wearing a coarse robe like that of an Ascetic Monk, torn and tattered, reeking of earth and ink. Lorgar’s entire body was plastered with all kinds of scriptures. He was clearly sinking into a state known as religious frenzy: "Purify! Purify everything!"

The weapon in Lorgar’s hand was a most ordinary Iron Staff, carved with the pattern of a two-headed eagle. This staff was cast from common iron, not something particularly suited for battle, yet in Lorgar’s grip it bore the might of a Divine Artifact. From the only eagle eye of the two-headed eagle spewed golden radiance, and golden feathers flickered upon its spread wings.

"Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang~" In just a few seconds, under such extremity of frenzy, Lorgar had pressed Julius hard with dozens of wild blows. Every one of his strikes carried incomparable savagery and power. Julius had no chance to counterattack at all. Laine’s brother‑in‑law was awkwardly parrying left and right, barely holding out against Lorgar’s ferocious assault.

Lorgar’s arms were like phantoms, splitting into four, into eight. The onlookers could see only afterimages, while the air was thick with the scorched smell of friction.

Julius was forced into continual retreat. In the simple arena, the Expedition Knight’s face was grave; he already seemed to be in utter disadvantage.

"Your brother is amazing, Laine." Little Maid Amelia’s golden long hair was piled high into a princess updo. She held onto Laine’s arm. "But I feel like he’s always missing something."

"This brother of mine... believe it or not, if I went up there it would only take me five rounds to put him down." Laine watched the state of the battle, murmuring, "Have you noticed, Amelia—Lorgar’s offensive looks ferocious, but in truth he’s in a state lacking reason. The tempo of the fight is still firmly in Julius’s hands."

"I am a Word Bearer! I shall burn away all that is unclean!" Lorgar attacked madly, his reason long since replaced by frenzy. The staff and the longsword collided, bursting out showers of sparks. The surface of the ordinary Two-headed Eagle Staff was already covered in countless cracks, yet Lorgar’s brutal onslaught did not halt for a single instant.

Julius was different. The crazier Lorgar became, the slower he grew in contrast. Although the chain of frenzied strikes had repeatedly hammered Julius’s arms, leaving them numb and aching, Julius remained calm throughout. Since childhood he had received the finest instruction; he knew exactly what he should do.

The two-handed greatsword traced a strange arc as it spun in place, parrying all of Lorgar’s savage attacks. Julius’s expression was ice-cold as he carefully gathered all of Lorgar’s violent force, drawing it into himself.

After three full minutes of continuous assault, Lorgar’s movements suddenly stiffened for a moment. The Primarch of the Word Bearers felt his frenzied emotions gradually ebbing; his reason was returning.

Accordingly, his strikes slowed.

Now! Julius moved. The immense power that had accumulated in his arms erupted. The Expedition Knight roared, "For the Lady’s love! Fall!"

White light flashed in a burst upon the two-handed knight sword. Julius unleashed the most standard of his family’s Swordsmanship: three fierce blows aimed respectively at Lorgar’s head, arm, and wrist, then a final strike that carried overwhelming force, driving straight toward Lorgar’s scripture-covered head.

Lorgar drew a deep breath and viciously brought up his staff to block the Knight’s Sword’s fierce assault. He tried to force himself back into that frenzied state from moments before, for only complete frenzy was the source of his power.

However, waves of weakness suddenly welled up from within the Word Bearer’s body. When Lorgar tried to rage, to guide himself through fanaticism, his feeble body and exhausted soul stopped him.

Dammit! This is the weakness period after transformation! Lorgar felt a crushing frailty.

The Primarch of the Word Bearers was driven back. Facing Julius’s sharp offensive, Lorgar was forced to retreat. Filled with fervor, he shouted, "Praise all things!" Golden flames burst from the staff in his hand, and Julius instantly twisted aside to dodge.

The golden flames blasted a small pit in the ground, but that was not enough to defeat Julius. The brother‑in‑law gripped his Knight’s Sword in both hands. The two of them opened up some distance and stared each other down.

After that brief period of weakness, Lorgar immediately felt his strength returning. He once more submerged himself in that frenzied spiritual world. "For the Emperor! For Holy Terra!"

The lost golden radiance once again erupted from Lorgar’s body. His reason vanished yet again, replaced entirely by fanaticism. It was hard to say whether the expression on Lorgar’s face now was utter madness or devout faith. Laine saw only the muscles of his face twisted into a knot, his eyes bulging, his mouth yawning wide, his whole body bathed in golden Holy Light.

"In the name of the Divine Emperor! Judgment! Trial! And then purification!!!"