Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 2106, Chapter 2078: The Alluring Turn of Events
The reason why Lann and Mentos were able to establish Marlene's movement model so quickly was primarily because the Witcher's senses were sharp enough to collect a large amount of data.

Secondly, Lann's experience and perception allowed him to analyze and reconstruct the various interactions between Marlenia and him during the attack.

Then, these data are digitized and integrated by Mentos' computing power to derive a motion model.

However, it wasn't until Malenia unleashed the crimson corruption within her and both Messermo and Melina left that Lann officially launched this motion model, precisely to control the variables.

The more influencing factors a model has, the more complex it becomes.

With only Lann and Marlenia remaining, plus Michaela who doesn't actively participate in combat except to provide power, this is the most ideal situation Lann can be certain of.

But now, besides Malenia in mid-air, there are three more of her phantoms!

This sudden increase in variables caused Mentos's computing power and Lan's brain to go overclock in an instant!
In a moment of mental blankness, the Witcher, his forehead beaded with cold sweat, calmly looked at Marlenia in mid-air and Michaela leaning on her shoulder.

Is this her response after realizing the current situation?

Or was it Michaela's reminder?

In the blink of an eye, Lan En couldn't think too much; his current mental capacity simply didn't allow him to continue thinking.

"Whoo~"

Lan En exhaled and closed his eyes. With that exhalation, the remaining light and shadow effects instantly activated!
"Bah!"

The three phantoms, which had already materialized and been cut down, turned into light again from their original positions!

And it stabbed straight at the Witcher!

The three remaining phantoms each drew out three trails of light. The trails of light they left in the space had not even disappeared or weakened.

At this point, all seven trails of light, a mixture of gold and crimson, had appeared!
Facing the remaining three phantom thrusts, Lan En, who had already closed his eyes... the layer of battle aura on his body first weakened suddenly, as if it had been suppressed, and then!

"Oh!"

Battle aura erupts!

"Ding!"

The burst of light red battle aura flames made Lan En look almost like a small torch!
Three afterimages, transformed into light, simultaneously thrust forward with [Light Speed ​​Slash], while Lan En had already lost the ability to predict motion models.

But it's like a video frame dropping.

Three phantom prosthetic knives, intertwined in gold and red, were stabbed together in a cross pattern.

The target who should have been at the point where the blades crossed, the Witcher who should have been completely unable to react... was now like a fallen leaf drifting to the side under the pressure of the wind.

With a sudden and unpredictable speed, he dodged the three stabs!
[See the cut and slash!]
Relying on external pressure to control the body with fighting spirit techniques for immediate evasion.

The three phantoms of Marlenia, after turning into light, reverted to their physical forms and launched a stabbing attack. If one could seize that fleeting moment, it was certainly possible to dodge it.

Even after successfully escaping, Lan En showed no sign of relaxation.

【See-through Slash】 sounds powerful, even allowing hunters skilled in it to easily face those natural monsters in the New World with their human bodies.

But Marlene was not comparable to a beast.

The use of 【见切斩】 requires an extreme grasp of timing and one's own state.

This is based on the premise that the user must be able to outperform the enemy in terms of reaction speed, combat experience, and combat skills when facing the enemy.

However, it's hard to say whether Lann is stronger than Marlenia in these three aspects right now.

The opponent is a demigod whose fighting style is based on agility. She has been fighting for hundreds of years, and her swordsmanship, which is as smooth as water, can even be used to suppress the crimson corruption on her own body.

None of these qualities are comparable to those of ordinary strong individuals.

Therefore, in Lan En's assessment of the current battlefield, the [Seeing Cut] technique is a move that can only be used once to take advantage of the initial encounter.

Marlenia wouldn't give him a second chance after seeing it once!
really!

After all seven figures of light and shadow had made their moves, the posture of the corrupt goddess floating in the sky, with her long sword in front of her, had changed at some point.

The long, golden prosthetic knife hung down naturally, and the corroded and decaying face remained cold and silent.

The figure in mid-air vanished in an instant!

"bass!"

Only a new trail of light remained in the original spot in mid-air!
Meanwhile, Marlenia herself had already appeared right in front of the Witcher!

It was truly intimate; Marlenia now had wings and no longer knelt on the ground, but instead hovered at her familiar height.

At this height, the naked Valkyrie suddenly opened her arms and hugged Lan En, who had lost his ability to perform motion model deduction and had no time to react!
Their red and silver hair thus became intertwined.

Marlenia's body had already begun to decay extensively due to the crimson corruption she had released.

Even though Malenia's body was so mutilated and sickly, she still had good muscle definition and body lines.

His tall and slender body was covered with fair and delicate skin that was still intact.

Her excellent bloodline, entirely inherited from Queen Marika herself, has made her beautiful even now, and even given a cruel beauty due to the crimson corruption.

But even with this bloodline, bearing the laws of [Crimson Corruption] is far too difficult. She simply cannot bear it.

The sickly, rotten, sweet scent emanating from Marlenia almost wafted into Lan En's nostrils along with the putrid butterflies!
She hugged him very tightly; Lan felt it was at least tighter than when she hugged Messermo and Melina.

Smaug creaked under the power of the demigod, while at the same time, the guardian spirit power on Lann's body was undergoing a close-range purification and erosion of Malenia's crimson corruption power.

In their embrace, the contact between their bodies almost felt like it was about to explode!
Even so, Marlenia showed no sign of letting go. "I've got you," she said in a cold, calm voice, "Lan En."

At the same time, it seems that they felt the matter had been settled.

The Valkyrie's movements, which were originally maintained at a super-fast combat speed, also slowed down to a more everyday level.

...almost gentle.

On her shoulder, Michaela raised her eyes. Those eyes, brimming with golden light and gentle and calm, drew closer to Lann.

His third hand, which had been maintaining a ritualistic posture, now fell down, wrapped around Marlenia's neck, and cupped the Witcher's face, bringing him closer to himself.

Finally, Michaela's forehead gently touched Lan's forehead.

The warm golden light instantly filled the Witcher's eyes and mind.

"Another divine being."

Michaela's gentle voice, devoid of any divine majesty, resonated directly in the Witcher's mind and heart.

“O faded one, who bears another law and possesses the proof of kingship.”

"This is not based on people or events, nor does it concern the existence of past sins."

"If you are aware of the evil in this world and are troubled by the state of the world today—please step aside."

Michaela's voice contained not only a gentleness that seemed to encompass everything, but also an indelible worry that tugged at the heartstrings... and a sense of awareness.

He pressed his forehead very close to Lan En's, and the palms that were cupping Lan En's cheeks and his forehead were emitting an increasingly dazzling golden light.

A golden pattern, unique to Michaela, appeared completely and fully on the Witcher's forehead!

Lan En could even feel the other person's gentle breath brushing against his face.

“Come together, Lann,” Michaela said, her golden eyes filled with kind encouragement and pleading. “I will embrace all living things! Come together, let us step into a gentle era, and let our minds think only of love!”

At this moment, the effects of the potion on Lan En's body had also worn off.

His skin tone returned to normal, regaining its color. His eyes, which had been completely dominated by blackened pupils, also returned to their amber cat-like appearance.

Michaela's blonde hair seemed to want to completely envelop him and Marlene.

The three women's long hair, in gold, silver, and fiery red, was intertwined, making them look luxurious and beautiful.

Lan En smiled, a gentle smile just like Michaela's.

The pattern on his forehead was now completely complete, and it seemed that Michaela had completely 'captured' his heart...

But that's only 'appearance'.

"You want me to come along?" Lann's body was in Marlenia's arms, his face was cupped by Michaela, but he still smiled and said, "Then... let's really 'get to know' me, Michaela."

After saying that, the guardian spirit power on Lan En suddenly disappeared, returning to his fate, karma, soul, and other factors, returning to his inner self in a mystical sense.

He exited the [Ninety-Nine Weapons], but the crimson corruption on Marlene's body did not immediately creep onto the Witcher's body.

Because of a layer of faint, illusory light blocking the way—[Body Light].

But then, with a 'crack' sound, the [body light] disappeared.

And it disappeared on its own initiative.

At this moment, Michaela's forehead was still pressed against Lann's.

But the instant the light disappeared... something... emerged from Lan En's body.

The sky above the Gate of God, though as oppressive and gloomy as ever in the Shadowlands, possessed a certain sacredness due to the presence of the Gate of God.

But at this moment, the clouds in the sky seemed even darker, unlike the usual appearance of Youyingdi, and more like a rare rainy day...

Furthermore, the light in this area seemed to possess a tainted quality alongside its sacredness...

The wind blowing high in the sky carried a strange, fishy smell...

"Well!"

For the first time since emerging from the Gate of God, Michaela made an unexpected sound.

Just moments ago, his forehead was pressed tightly against Lan En's, but now he looked as if he had been startled and leaned back.

But it is already late.

A dark shadow, resembling dirt or a soft-bodied marine creature, suddenly appeared on Michaela's once flawless and radiant forehead.

Furthermore, this dark shadow seemed to be alive, striving to expand the area it occupied on Michaela.

In contrast, a sense of ease suddenly appeared on Lan En's body.

It's strange. Before, Lan En didn't seem nervous at all. But after this moment, anyone who had met him before could tell he was much more relaxed.

"elder brother!"

Marlenia clearly hadn't expected this to happen and immediately exclaimed in surprise.

(End of this chapter)