Considering the two witches were to be used as bait to draw out formidable foes, the priests did not act immediately. Instead, they eagerly turned to the priest 'Danny' on the opposite side, urgently questioning him.
"Danny, where is Priest Arden now?"
"What do you mean? Isn't Lord Arden right here with you?" The leader took a few unhurried steps forward, his tone puzzled as he asked.
"Allow me to explain," Arden began, "According to the Bishop's deduction, that devil worshipper just disguised himself as me, directing your every move…"
As Arden spoke, a withered hand suddenly blocked his path.
"Bishop?" Arden froze, confused, as he spoke.
Anselk offered no response, nor did he hesitate, raising his staff without delay.
Third-circle Divine Magic—*Light of the Holy Spirit*!
Dazzling light flared from the staff's tip, transforming into a wave of energy that expanded forward in a semicircle, engulfing Jonny, White Dove, 'Priest Danny,' and even the guards behind them.
The worn cobblestones cracked under the pressure of the immense power, and both witches felt the icy grip of death drawing ever closer.
Dozens of spells flashed through Jonny's mind, yet none seemed capable of countering this terrifying third-circle magic…
It seemed that awaiting death was their only option!
Through the haze, Jonny caught a glimpse of the young priest beside her raising his hand as well.
Suddenly, a massive hand, formed from an inferno of endless flames, erupted from the ground, its palm curving into a shield-like shape, protecting them within.
This was the improved spell—*White Phosphorus: Hand of the Inferno*!
Divine power and magic collided, and with a deafening explosion, the cobblestones shattered, and the searing blast waves uprooted nearby trees and plants.
Dust and debris soared into the air, and the blazing "hellfire" formed a solid wall of flames, forcibly separating the witches from Anselk and his entourage.
"Don't just stand there—run!"
Jonny had barely begun to process this sudden turn of events when the young priest had already slit the throats of the guards beside him, grabbed their arms, and blasted through the alley wall, dragging the two along as they sprinted away.
"What on earth is going on? Who are you really?" Jonny found herself running alongside Lynn, her mind a whirl of questions.
Why would a priest of the Church wield sorcery, and why would he save them?
Suddenly, Jonny recalled the words of those priests earlier…
Could it be a shapeshifting spell?
"What's this? Just a few days apart, and you don't recognize me anymore?" Lynn's face shifted back to its original form as he teased.
"Karl?!" White Dove's face lit up with equal parts surprise and delight, her expression adorably stunned. "But when did you learn shapeshifting magic?"
Before Lynn could respond, Jonny urgently interrupted, "Wait, weren't you captured by the Church?"
"By coincidence, until tonight, I also thought you were suffering under the Church's torture." Lynn shrugged helplessly—they all seemed to have underestimated each other's strength.
"So…we were all deceived?" Jonny finally grasped the situation. The power of the *Hand of the Inferno* Lynn had just unleashed was terrifying, and it was clear he had the ability to survive Anselk's pursuit alone.
"Where have you two been hiding all this time? Didn't you seek out Laud and the [Boat Gang]?" Lynn asked, puzzled.
After entering Harbor Town, he had racked his brains to find that old fox, not only to secure a boat for crossing the sea but also to gather information about the two witches.
Given his understanding, if they hadn't been captured by the Church, they should have sought his help.
Jonny shook her head helplessly. Harbor Town was tightly guarded, with Church priests stationed at every checkpoint. They had no way to sneak in, so they had spent the past few days in the mountains, capturing gray crows and using these inconspicuous birds to gather intelligence.
As the trio exchanged explanations, a barrage of sharp light arrows suddenly sped towards them from behind.
It was evident that in those brief seconds, Anselk had found a way to breach the wall of fire.
Lynn glanced back. With his mind enhanced by the overload mode, each light arrow's trajectory turned into data, vividly displayed in his mind.
*Spell—Barrage*.
In an instant, thirty-six pure magical missiles hovered in the air, then precisely intercepted and detonated the numerous light arrows mid-flight.
Jonny and White Dove, who had been preparing defensive spells, paused and looked at Lynn, an inexplicable sense of relief rising within them.
"Where are we headed now?" Jonny asked, her words quick.
"There's a ship at the Harbor Town docks. If we reach it, we have a chance to escape," Lynn explained briefly, glancing back again. Anselk and the others were already in pursuit.
From the outside, the Archbishop appeared nearly as frail as a man on the brink of death—his hair was white, and his eyes were sunken, yet his movements were swifter than those of the priests beside him.
When disguised as Arden, Lynn had learned one crucial piece of information: high-ranking clergy in the Church had received divine blessings that enhanced their physical abilities beyond that of ordinary people. Engaging them in direct combat was far from wise.
He had intended to use his guise as Priest Danny to see if he could deceive them once more, perhaps launching a surprise attack from behind. But the Archbishop had seen through him with a single glance.
Was it because he lacked the divine radiance of a true cleric?
Lynn wondered silently as the sound of waves crashing against the rocks grew louder. The docks were now within sight.
At that moment, White Dove suddenly clutched his wrist tightly, her lips quivering with fear, as she screamed in a near-cry, "I see soldiers in armor—there are too many of them, at least… at least thousands!"
Through the gray crows' eyes, White Dove's heart was gripped by terror. Countless armored soldiers, armed with giant shields, surged toward them like a black tide.
A chill ran down Jonny's spine. She had never expected that in addition to Archbishop Anselk, Harbor Town had also concealed a force of several thousand elite soldiers.
Yet in the face of such a dire situation, Lynn began to laugh.
"Perfect. After waiting for so long, they've finally decided to make their move!"