Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 5] Chapter 292

[Vol. 5] Chapter 292: The Guardian

Almost the very moment the alloy door shattered like fragile crystal and collapsed, a blazing beam tore through the air, scorching and twisting as it aimed straight at Violet’s face!

“Bang!”

A black gemstone appeared immediately in front of Miss White Fox, unfolding a magical barrier to block the attack. The resulting spray of sparks raised the surrounding air temperature slightly.

Unfazed by the sudden assault, Miss White Fox looked up, her gaze settling on the neatly arranged formation before her.

They were identical girls clad in silver-gray combat uniforms, their faces uniform as well. They held weapons completely out of place in this world, guns or collectively operated strange contraptions like cannons and laser synthesizers. Without any expression, they adopted combat stances.

Behind them, the massive cannon that had just fired the crimson beam still emitted a faint white smoke from its barrel, a result of the high temperature.

“Well… quite the warm welcome, isn’t it?”

Shaking her head helplessly, the White Fox girl continued to step forward.

“Warning, warning. No access authorization detected. Cease your intrusion immediately, prove your identity within ten seconds, or surrender. Otherwise, we will initiate a full-scale attack, regardless of the cost.”

“Whirr, whirr, whirr, whirr, whirr…!”

Hundreds of guns simultaneously aimed at the unarmed White Fox girl who had just stepped over the door debris and into what seemed to be a spacious hall purposefully designed to intercept intruders. The lead girl, wearing an especially refined combat suit, issued a series of emotionless warnings in an icy tone.

Amid the relentless sound of guns loading, the atmosphere reached a peak of tension.

“Hey, hey… wasn’t that earlier shot considered an attack? If I didn’t have some ability to protect myself, I’d already be blown to bits. Your warning seems a bit delayed, don’t you think?”

But the girls… or rather, the dolls, didn’t respond to Violet’s neutral stance of neither agreeing nor opposing. They simply followed what seemed to be commands deeply embedded in their operational logic, moving at the cue of the lead doll’s cold voice.

“Identity verification not detected within protocol. Final warning, countdown 5… 4… 3…”

…Looks like a fight is inevitable.

Violet thought to herself.

She wondered if these dolls had any self-awareness. If they were sentient beings like the people of the Spirit Puppet Tribe, would dismantling them all be too excessive…?

But, noticing once again the void in their eyes, utterly empty, unlike the lively expressions of Eilush and the others. Violet suddenly realized she’d been worrying about something pointless.

Ha…

She’d become a bit too soft and complacent, pondering mercy and whether to hold back even in a situation like this. If this were a true formidable enemy, the consequences could be disastrous.

This was… a life-and-death battle laced with killing intent.

“…1…0… All units, open fire!”

“Ratatatatatatata…!!!”

Without a moment’s pause or hesitation, the sounds of relentless gunfire burst forth like torrential rain, with fiery streaks of bullets expanding rapidly in front of the White Fox girl.

“Buzz~”

A radiant light formed by magic expanded as an invisible shield around her, with the [Demon God’s Gem] at its core.

Countless bullets, propelled by magic and specialized firearms, struck the semi-transparent barrier with far greater ferocity than in any other world, creating ripple-like patterns as they collided.

Accompanied by the clinking sound of spent shells hitting the ground, a pile of twisted, shattered bullet casings quickly gathered at the White Fox girl’s feet.

It was clear that this level of attack was still far from posing any threat to her.

Then, a thunderous roar erupted from a greater distance.

“Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!!!!”

At least ten massive metal weapons, monstrous in diameter, extended from the inner walls of the hall. These were the kind of cannons that, on Earth, would only be mounted on warships as main artillery. They unleashed explosive roars and intense bursts of fire.

The beams of light, dazzlingly colorful like a rainbow, spanned across the hall, descending from above through twisting, chaotic elements.

This was a weapon far beyond the so-called [Dragon Bone Cannons] of [Demon Suppression City], exceeding any standard weapon in this world, with a power capable of threatening even true transcendent beings.

No… considering that this was a barrage rather than a single strike, the intended foe for these weapons likely exceeded even the level of transcendents.

But it still wasn’t enough.

This level still wasn’t enough to be a match for [Dawn].

“[Magic Storm]”

The brilliance of the gemstone flared up once more.

No longer just passively defending, it surged like a massive tidal wave, forming a visible vortex of magic that devoured the dozen or so beams of multicolored light as they surged forward.

Then, the light reversed, spreading out like a massive, sky-covering net, or a prehistoric beast baring its fangs, trapping the hundreds of dolls that were still firing in vain but couldn’t penetrate an inch of the magic storm!

Yet, even faced with this terrifying scene, the voice of the lead doll girl remained devoid of any emotion.

“Detected energy levels exceeding maximum threshold. Activating defensive shield, adjusting to maximum output.”

A white glow radiated from the gem at the center of her combat uniform’s chest. Not only her, but all the dolls present moved in perfect synchrony, activating the same response. A pale white halo connected each doll, forming a semi-circular shield that temporarily resisted the onslaught of the [Magic Storm] unleashed by the [Demon God’s Gem].

Though the shield emitted a grating “zzzzt zzzzt” sound, as if straining under immense external pressure, and the gems on the dolls’ chests, which their apparent power sources, began to dim rapidly…

But for now, they held their ground.

Violet was somewhat surprised by this.

The offensive and defensive capabilities these dolls displayed, especially when working together, were, to be honest, quite astonishing.

Even if they relied heavily on external aids, the fact that they could withstand an attack from the [Demon God’s Gem], a sacred tier artifact, indicated they possessed at least the strength to rival demigods. If the Light Elemental Spirit tasked with protecting Ayla were to face this army…

It might truly struggle.

No wonder this could be a closely guarded secret of the Holy Empire. There was indeed something formidable here.

Of course, Violet’s recognition of their power didn’t mean she would hold back.

Judging from their stance, they seemed to have been given extreme orders like “hold at all costs.” If she wished to advance, she’d have to eliminate this entire force. Holding back would only result in a temporary defeat, and they might even resort to self-destructive measures, escalating the situation.

After all, Violet had already experienced a similar situation in the [Holy Spirit Trail].

With this in mind, the White Fox girl placed her hand lightly on the floating black gemstone before her, which had been attacking autonomously, and infused it with her magic.