Chapter 58: The Power of Freedom
The pillar of order did not last long. After about three minutes, as Joshua ceased to infuse it with the force of order, the sky-piercing white pillar slowly dissolved into countless specks of light, scattering between heaven and earth.
But three minutes was more than enough. Within those brief moments, visible cyclones and whirlpools formed over the sea not far away. Gale-force winds and torrential rain once again descended upon the Abyss of Anos. Driven by the surging tides, waves nearly ten meters high crashed relentlessly against the hull of the Time Vessel Ark, as if trying to capsize it completely.
If the Time Vessel were merely an ordinary giant ship, without any magic to withstand such impacts, it would have long been shattered into countless fragments and sunk into the Black Sea. But fortunately, it was indeed a magical vessel. So even as the massive ark tossed and tumbled with the waves, it suffered no serious consequences.
Of course, the people aboard the ark had to endure a bit of hardship.
As the giant waves struck and the Time Vessel shuddered violently, Joshua walked calmly out of the Flame Seed Formation, ignoring the weary, reproachful gazes of the others.
"Joshua..."
Seeing the warrior emerge, Loranda instinctively took a step closer. He looked at the warrior's utterly calm expression, as if nothing had happened, and wanted to rebuke him for his recklessness. But when the words reached his lips, only a sense of powerlessness remained. "Why did you..."
"Everyone, the enemy is coming." Joshua did not let him finish. Gazing into the distance, he spoke in a grave tone. "The pillar of order I just unleashed seems to have attracted quite a few monsters from this sea area. There's a big one among them."
"You're changing the subject—"
Boom!
As the warrior issued this warning, the entire Time Vessel shook violently once more. Cries of surprise came from within the cabins. Robzek, steadying himself, frowned and nodded. "No, Loranda, I can sense the surrounding monsters gathering—prepare for battle!"
"Yes!" Hearing the order, Loranda, though somewhat resigned, responded along with Saya. They moved to the very front of the ark, each preparing for combat.
Before Joshua arrived at the Abyss of Anos, the paladin had been resting, so he was wearing casual clothes. But as a prayer rang out, Loranda's entire body was enveloped in holy light. Seconds later, accompanied by a minor spatial fluctuation, he was clad in a full set of Starfall Steel armor. The silvery-white plates bore not a single scratch, their flawless surface easily capable of reflecting beam-type attacks.
The weapon in the paladin's hand was also different from the cross-hammer he usually used. He now held a crimson longbow surrounded by an aura resembling a solar corona. This bow, named Dawnlight, was a famous Transcendent-rank magical weapon collected by the church. It had once been wielded by a renowned Gray Knight, who had slain thousands of demons with it. Loranda focused, drawing the bowstring, sensing the aura of the distant enemy. There was no arrow on the string, but holy light gathered spontaneously, condensing into a luminous arrow in the paladin's hand.
Robzek was also a paladin, naturally proficient in the divine art of Soul Armament, which allowed him to instantly equip weapons and armor. With a flash of holy light, he donned a set of plain silver-gray armor. Though it looked unremarkable, it was forged from rare Styx Iron. Equipment made from this seemingly evil material was incredibly inert, like a dead thing that reacted with no element. Even acid corrosion was useless. Its powerful magic resistance allowed the wearer to withstand all spells below Gold-rank.
The weapon in the knight-captain's hand was also different. He held a golden javelin, upon which the power of sunlight was condensed. Clearly, this was an enchanted weapon with the 'Sunlight Spear' spell fixed upon it.
Joshua glanced sideways at the two paladins. He understood that they had switched from their usual heavy hammers to ranged weapons precisely to protect the Time Vessel while striking at the distant monsters. Although the Temple Ark had powerful divine protection, it had its limits. Loranda and Robzek couldn't leave the Time Vessel with their hammers, abandoning the giant ship to engage in melee combat with the monsters in the sea.
Then, the warrior shifted his gaze to the High Sister. He hadn't expected much from Saya's preparations, but reality surprised him greatly.
In Joshua's impression, most priests and sisters—like Bishop Artemis—were skilled in holy light and divine arts, excelling in healing and buffs. For instance, back in the Imperial Capital, Saya had instantly bestowed multiple powerful divine blessings upon Joshua.
Although those buffs ultimately went unused, the power they provided was undeniable. The warrior had assumed Saya would do the same this time, bestowing some buffs on Robzek and Loranda to help them shoot down the monsters in the sea.
But the truth was the exact opposite.
"My prayer shall become the radiance of victory—"
With a soft yet firm prayer, divine power manifested upon the ark. Saya's voice grew softer and softer until it finally faded away completely. The warrior paid no attention to the others' words. Instead, he looked up at the gloomy sky and revealed an enigmatic smile.
No weapon? Indeed.
Joshua stared at the heavens, where torrential rain was falling. Thunder and lightning wove through the darkness. There was not a trace of unease in his heart at being unarmed; instead, there was a faint sense of carefree abandon.
No weapon, so what? Not bound by the sword, nor deliberately wielding an axe. No need to worry about a weapon breaking, nor to overly restrain one's own strength. Free combat, without any constraints.
He simply stepped over the edge of the ark, letting his body fall toward the churning waves. At that moment, there was no tension or excitement in the warrior's heart, only a faint sense of reflection.
This is enough.
"Plop!"
As the sound of something hitting the water echoed, the three members of the church looked at each other. They quickly moved to the very edge of the ark, looking down at where the warrior had fallen. But what they saw was not Joshua's figure, but a mass of black-red battle qi.
Treading on battle qi, walking upon the waves, the warrior transformed into a streak of black-red light, racing towards the distant gathering place of the whirlpools. The sea surface heaved with waves and surging swells, but they could not cause the slightest deviation in his pace or trajectory.
The surrounding sea beasts roared and lunged at this arrogant streak of light that seemed to ignore all monsters, trying to block its path. But Joshua casually raised his hand and chopped down into the empty air. One by one, enormous sea beasts, tens of meters long, were torn apart, scattering into scattered bones and flesh. At that moment, the warrior was like a Sword Saint wielding a holy sword. All obstacles were easily torn asunder, and nothing could hinder his advance.
Ultimate Essence.
The limit of the mortal world.
Skills that would astonish even the gods. A body with no limits, powerful beyond measure. An undying soul comparable to a deity.
The Three Great Ultimate Essences—Joshua already possessed two of them. This was a realm never before reached in history. Each Ultimate Essence required a talented expert to spend a lifetime comprehending and sublimating. No one had ever dared to dream of possessing two.
But the warrior had them. It was a matter that defied all reason. At this moment, due to the bloodshed along the way, more and more sea beasts were charging at Joshua. Even the number of monsters attacking the Time Vessel had decreased considerably. Yet he still casually swung his hand, neither fast nor slow, and still no monster could get close to his body.
But this slaughter seemed to be growing tiresome. A gleam of light flashed in the warrior's crimson eyes. As if impatient, he waved his hand, and a violent gale of battle qi erupted wildly from him, centered on his position. All the sea beasts within several hundred meters were struck by this terrifying gale, their bones broken, and they were blasted far away.
This was still not enough. Joshua let out a soft shout, and his speed increased even further. The air was torn apart by him, the resulting sonic booms unable to keep up with the warrior's speed. A highly visible vacuum corridor was carved out by him, creating a long track through the hazy curtain of rain and the giant waves.
In just a few seconds, Joshua's figure vanished into the storm and gale of the Abyss of Anos. The three church members could only see a point of black-red light rapidly approaching the distant, deep-blue water vortex. Around that point of light, giant waves collapsed, sea beasts fled, and even the wind and thunder seemed to fear it, not daring to draw near.
And at that moment, within that black-red flash of light, the warrior's gaze seemed to pierce the black seawater, seeing the true form of the massive shadow lurking just beneath the surface not far away. There was no expectation, no fear in his crimson pupils—only a pure, unadulterated light.
To make one's will manifest as one desires. Whether it be the Abyss or Chaos, as long as it is an enemy, crush it. As long as it is a target, slay it.
The foundation of a true strongman.
That is, the power of freedom.