Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 6] Chapter 140

[Vol. 6] Chapter 140: A Creation Bestowed with Miracles

The moment Violet spoke, the other three, seasoned in battle and exploration, immediately reacted. They stopped in their tracks, concealed themselves behind nearby stone walls and cover, and carefully peered out from the edges of the corridor to observe the situation ahead.

In no time, the target Violet had sensed with her exceptional perception appeared in the distance.

“Uh… what is that? An evil spirit?”

“No,” Xiao Kong quickly offered a reasonable assessment. “I’ve never seen records of demons with that kind of form. Besides, while this is a tomb, the balance of yin and yang energy here is stable. In such an environment, demons couldn’t possibly be spawned.”

“Hmm… it feels more like some kind of puppet soldier,” Murong Yun mused. “Could it be a guardian left behind by the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden?”

A guardian… well, that might fit, though its appearance was far from elegant.

What was slowly approaching them, step by step, was a tall, armored warrior.

However, it was not a living creature nor was it one of the skeletons or elemental constructs commonly found in tombs.

Aside from some parts of its body that were covered by rust-stained chainmail, the majority of the “warrior’s” body was bizarrely made of bundles of straw tied together.

Yes, it was essentially a scarecrow.

Despite being nothing more than dried grass, unlike the rusted armor, it showed no signs of decay from the passage of time. Even stranger, it moved autonomously, carrying a weapon and performing its duties as though it were a living being. The sheer absurdity of it was undeniable.

Yet there it was, an uncanny sight unfolding before the four of them.

The straw soldier appeared oblivious to the presence of intruders as it continued to shuffle forward, drawing closer to their position.

*Tap… tap… tap…*

The worn armor clattered with a harsh, metallic *clang* as the straw soldier shuffled forward, its joints trembling as if they might give out at any moment, scattering pieces across the floor. The spear in its hand was similarly corroded, covered in rust and stripped of its former sharpness, making it appear relatively harmless.

Yet, despite its seemingly decrepit state, Murong Yun held his breath, his expression tense, and his fists subtly clenched.

“That’s the equipment of a warrior, a warrior who’s reached the [Seeker of Immortality], capable of posing a threat to its enemies,” he murmured in a low voice.

“What should we do, everyone? It doesn’t seem like we can avoid it,” he continued.

The corridor wasn’t a single straight path, but for a long stretch, there were no side chambers or hiding spots. The area was open and exposed, making it nearly impossible to evade detection unless the group retreated a considerable distance. Once the patrolling straw soldier reached their current position, it would undoubtedly notice them.

Xiao Kong added quietly, “Puppet soldiers rely solely on their cores to operate. Don’t let its tattered appearance fool you. Its actual abilities are likely still intact. If we want to avoid being discovered and potentially surrounded, we need to take it out before it raises an alarm.”

“Preferably in one decisive strike. If this truly is one of her guards, there are bound to be hidden traps or mechanisms triggered if we let it alert others,” Murong Yun agreed.

“Take it out in one blow, huh…” Violet nodded, scanning their surroundings again.

She shared their reasoning but knew they had to carefully select the right person for the job. Taking down the straw soldier in one swift, silent strike without causing too much noise wasn’t going to be easy.

“Murong Yun, can you handle it?”

“…I can try, but I’ve never fought an enemy like this before, so I can’t guarantee success.”

“Hmm, tricky,” Xiao Kong muttered, looking reluctant. Despite her earlier suggestion, she didn’t seem eager to take on the task herself. Violet, as a peace-loving priestess, wasn’t inclined to casually use her staff to smash things either.

This left only one viable candidate.

And no, it wasn’t going to be the silver-haired “Spirit Maiden.”

“All right, come out, Little Fang.”

“Rawr~”

With a flash of light, the compact form of a golden-haired giant dog appeared within the summoning circle, hidden from the straw soldier’s view around the corner.

Hmm… so while spatial sealing was in effect, simple summoning skills still seemed to work. Was it because the summon came directly from a divine realm? But what about Xiao Guang, who wasn’t in a pet space, would it work differently? It felt complex, better to study it later.

Making little noise, the beast, already in sync with Violet through their contract, understood her intent. It nodded slightly, moved silently to the edge of the wall, and set its sharp gaze on the approaching straw soldier. Lowering its body like a predator ready to pounce, it watched silently, poised to strike.

*Tap… tap… tap…*

The heavy steel boots of the straw soldier echoed as it stepped forward.

Thirty meters. Fifteen meters. Ten meters…

In an instant, the giant dog became a streak of golden lightning, closing the ten-meter gap in a flash with a sharp sound of air being split.

“Awoo!!”

But just as the golden blur closed in, the straw soldier, which had been moving sluggishly, suddenly shifted. Its movements transformed, as though it had gone from a frail elder to a battle-hardened warrior in a split second. With precise and ferocious intent, it turned its spear towards the giant dog’s underbelly, aiming to counterattack with a decisive, life-or-death strike to force the assault back.

At the same time, a massive, blurry shadow, almost ten feet tall, rose behind the straw soldier, as if preparing to let out a deafening roar.

But—

*Bang!*

The spear tip shattered as it struck the beast’s body. The golden blur passed cleanly through the straw soldier, silencing the looming shadow before it could make a sound. A large hole gaped in the straw soldier’s chest as its body staggered, sending straw flying everywhere, before it collapsed in a heap.

With the battle concluded, Violet and the others stepped out from behind the corner and approached the fallen guard’s remains. The giant dog turned towards them, holding a pale red, diamond-shaped crystal in its claws, which it then handed to the black-haired girl.

Though the straw soldier had been dispatched with ease, the dog’s expression wasn’t its usual cheerful and satisfied one. This time, it seemed unusually serious.

[What an incredible creation. To drive such agile movements with such a minimalist design. Whoever created it was truly a genius. I wonder which powerful figure crafted this?]

“Indeed,” Murong Yun agreed. “If it had been equipped with a better weapon, this soldier could’ve easily displayed strength equivalent to the [Seeker of Immortality]. Before my breakthrough, I likely would’ve struggled against it… truly astonishing.”

The giant dog nodded slightly.

[My lord, this is the core of that puppet.]

“Good job, Little Fang! You’re as reliable as ever~” Violet said with a smile, taking the small crystal from its claws. It was no larger than half her palm, but it emitted a rhythmic glow, almost like a heartbeat.

She examined the crystal carefully.

There was no doubt in her mind that these puppet soldiers in the tomb were creations left behind by the [Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden]. She couldn’t think of any other possibility.

This crystal had likely once rested in the palm of another girl, just as it was now in hers. That girl, like a creator, must have placed it inside what was once an ordinary scarecrow, giving it a purpose and power it was never meant to have.

As Violet reflected on the extraordinary battle they had just witnessed, she couldn’t help but feel curious.

Who exactly was [Dawn]? What kind of person could create something like this?

[Information Detection]

—– —– —– —– —– —– —– —–

[Type-72 Guard Core Energy Source]

[Grade: Spirit Artifact]

[Created by the [Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden] “????” through her divine authority after 71 experiments and improvements. This composite magic crystal can create a pseudo-soul for a suitable host, granting it combat abilities and the power to absorb energy from the air.

The pseudo-soul cannot grow, and its innate limitations are fixed. A flaw of this model.

Puppet soldiers created with this core are rated at Level 40 to Level 50 in overall strength.]

—– —– —– —– —– —– —– —–

Level 40 to Level 50, huh…

While this level might seem insignificant to Violet, to ordinary people, it would be an extraordinary achievement. Perhaps the highest limit one could reach under normal circumstances. Only one in tens of thousands of prodigies, through relentless training, could achieve such power, a level worthy of being called legendary or belonging to the [Seeker of Immortality].

Yet, with just a single crystal, the [Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden] had given a hastily bundled scarecrow this kind of strength. If such a thing could be mass-produced…

Heh. The thought of such a reality was almost surreal.

In some ways, it was even more terrifying than the so-called Abyssal Beasts.