"Go ahead, Enri," Kael said softly from behind her, encouraging her with a faint yet hopeful smile.
In his mind, Kael wondered if he and Enri were considered a team in this invisible system. If not, then every enemy he defeated would not grant Enri experience points, and the purpose of his experiment would not be achieved. That was why he decided to let Enri face this battle alone, at least for the time being.
Enri's current combat abilities were still very weak. It was impossible for her to fight effectively by relying solely on her own strength. Utilizing external power was the only realistic way.
During his time playing Yggdrasil, players could also gain experience points by summoning creatures to kill wild monsters. These "summoned creatures" were not limited to those summoned by the player using active skills, but also included creatures summoned through the use of items.
However, in general, consumable items like short wands and magic scrolls had usage restrictions corresponding to the user's level. Enri's still low level prevented her from using consumable items that stored high-tier magic, but there was one interesting exception.
Magic sealing crystals and magic books were also consumable items like magic scrolls, but they did not have level restrictions for their users, making their prices much higher than ordinary magic scrolls in the game.
What Kael handed to Enri now was a high-tier magic sealing crystal capable of storing magic up to the eighth tier, an extraordinary power for a beginner.
"Yes, my Lord!" Enri replied in a nervous yet determined tone when she heard the instructions from behind her. She tightly gripped the magic sealing crystal in her slightly trembling hand and carefully activated it.
For a moment, a dazzling light erupted from the crystal, as if a hidden sun had suddenly appeared on earth. The entire village and the surrounding grasslands were dyed in a blinding white light. A faint scent of ozone filled the air, and the air quality even felt fresher.
As the light slowly dimmed, a tall and majestic figure appeared before Enri, standing calmly on the ground.
The figure resembled a pair of brilliantly shining wings, radiating a soft, holy light. Between the two wings, a pair of hands could be seen grasping a seemingly ancient inscription that symbolized royal authority. Strangely, the figure had no clearly visible head or feet.
Despite its unusual form, anyone who saw it would feel the immense holy aura and power emanating from the creature.
"How... how is this possible!?" exclaimed Nigun, who was standing not far away, watching the appearance of the mysteriously summoned creature with wide eyes full of shock. His face instantly filled with panic, and he unconsciously took a step back, away from this unexpected threat.
He clutched the magic item pouch at his waist tightly, his emotions surging violently.
There was no mistake. The angel standing before him was the highest-ranking angel that could be summoned according to the Church's magic records, the seventh-tier Archangel of Majesty!
The Church's secret treasure given to him by the chief priest indeed had the ability to summon the same angel, but why! Why did these two mysterious people who suddenly appeared in the border village of the Re-Estize Kingdom possess such a precious item! Moreover, they used it without hesitation, showing not the slightest appreciation for this treasure whose value had reached the godly level!
Nigun was not only shocked and confused, but also felt as if a delicious white bread he was reluctant to eat had been given to a stray dog. The disparity in power and resources felt so vast and unfair!
While Nigun was still reeling from the mental blow, Enri, spurred by courage and determination, began the battle without the slightest hesitation.
Relying on the special connection between the summoner and the summoned creature, she gave her first command to the Archangel of Majesty in a slightly trembling yet confident voice, "My Lord... Archangel, please destroy those evil people who attacked our village!"
Swoosh!
Driven by the command, the Archangel of Majesty showed not the slightest hesitation. It flapped its luminous wings and approached the members of the Sunlight Scripture standing before it with astonishing speed.
"Block... block that creature!" one of the Sunlight Scripture members shouted in panic upon seeing the archangel's action. They immediately commanded the Flame Angels they had summoned earlier to turn around and intercept the light creature's attack, trying to withstand its unexpected power.
Two Flame Archangels with bodies enveloped in raging flames approached from the left and right sides of the Archangel of Majesty and Light. However, the holy creature calmly waved the royal scepter it held and swung it fiercely like a deadly long mace.
Bang! Bang!
With two terrifyingly dull sounds, the heads of the two Flame Angels, which should have been protected by thick armor made of energy, were horribly dented inwards. Their bodies lost control and fell to the ground powerlessly, then slowly turned into spots of glowing light and simply disappeared.
The two Sunlight Scripture members who witnessed the terrifying scene took a step back in sudden fear that gripped their hearts.
Although angels were also a type of monster like demons and dragons, they were known to possess the strongest abilities among summoned monsters of the same level, and had extraordinary resistance to physical attacks that did not contain magic.
In the past, the members of the Sunlight Scripture had been almost invincible by relying on summoning angels to fight, but they never expected that their powerful Flame Angels would be so vulnerable and easily destroyed in the face of this highest-ranking angel.
The glorious Angel of the Lord is truly terrifying! they thought in horror.
As the enemy's highest-ranking angel drew closer with an intimidating aura, two other Sunlight Scripture members retreated hastily, preparing to launch magic attacks that might be able to counter it.
At the same time, four other Flame Archangels quickly surrounded and blocked the path of the Archangel of Light, trying to stop its unpredictable movements.
The royal scepter in the Archangel of Light's hand swung again with tremendous force, and one of the Flame Angels quickly raised the fiery sword in its hand to parry the attack.
Although its strength was still far inferior and its fire shield was partially shattered, the Flame Angel was not killed in one blow. The thin layer of magical light protecting it managed to weaken most of the enemy's attack, and the Flame Angel's head was only slightly dented.
"Don't just stand there like fools! Those who lost their summons should immediately go to the back to resummon. The rest of you must command your Flame Angels to advance and directly confront the enemy! Also, tell the people from the other directions to gather here immediately! This is not an existence we can deal with easily!" Nigun shouted frantically from behind the ranks. The two members who almost lost their angels turned their heads and saw Captain Nigun riding his summon to provide additional power to all the remaining Flame Angels.
The Watcher Angel, an angel summoned through fourth-tier magic, had the special ability to enhance the defense of multiple allied units within its line of sight. However, if it moved, its amplification effect would disappear, so this creature was most useful for observing the course of battle and providing support from the rear.
All the Sunlight Scripture members who received Nigun's command began to move quickly and take action according to the instructions. The remaining ten Flame Archangels surrounded the Archangel of Light and tried to block its attacks temporarily, giving the others time to gather.
Nigun's hand gripped the magic item pouch at his waist tightly, with doubt churning in his heart.
If he used the secret treasure given by the chief priest, he would be able to immediately regain the advantage on the battlefield and possibly turn the tide, so he had no intention of simply retreating.
But now he hadn't even seen Gazef, their primary target, and if he used his trump card too early to deal with this unexpected creature, he wouldn't be sure if he could complete his main mission.
Annoying! This situation is completely beyond expectations! Nigun thought in frustration.
In contrast to the tense and panicked atmosphere on the Sunlight Scripture's side, the atmosphere on Kael and Enri's side was much more relaxed and controlled.
"Enri, do you feel anything special happening to you?" Kael asked in a soft tone while watching the progress of the battle.
"Ah yes, my Lord," Enri replied with a hint of surprise, "I feel something entering my body, it feels warm and comfortable, and... I also feel better than before!"
After hearing Enri's report, Kael nodded silently. It seemed that there were no issues with a follower's ability to gain experience points through battles involving their summoned creatures.
However, there was a slight confusion in his mind. When he killed the disguised soldiers in the village earlier, he didn't feel the sensation Enri described.
Was it because I have already reached the maximum level and my experience slot is full? Or are game players like me and transformed native followers like Enri actually not the same, so the changes happening to Enri don't apply to me? Those questions swirled in his mind, waiting to be investigated further.
However, now that it was confirmed that Enri had gained experience points through the battle involving the Archangel, and that summoning to kill was also effective, he decided to let this little girl absorb more experience and level up faster.
"Almost there," Kael murmured softly, looking around. He realized that all the members of the Sunlight Scripture had gathered around the village, like fish caught in a net. Thus, he immediately took the next step.
With a calm movement, he raised his right hand high towards the sky. A terrifying and unimaginable wave of magic power surged in his palm, and a shimmering white energy barrier instantly spread out at a speed that no one could react to!
Tenth-Tier Magic: Battlefield!
The effect of this high-tier magic was to block off the surrounding area with a radius of 300 meters. It was impossible for anyone to enter or exit the area through ordinary teleportation magic or physical means within half an hour. This was a very high-level battlefield blockade skill that would trap all enemies inside.
After confirming that no one in the Sunlight Scripture could escape the locked area, Kael activated [Magic Essence] and carefully observed the changes in Enri's magic points (MP).
Since the girl could gain experience points, it meant her career level would increase over time.
However, [Apprentice Priest] was just a basic profession. Generally, it only needed to be leveled up to level 10 to meet the prerequisites for the next mid-level and high-level professions. There was no need to level it up to the upper limit of level 15, as that would be a waste of time and potential.
So, what Kael had to do was help Enri acquire a new and more powerful career when she reached level 10. He had a plan for that, and it wouldn't be too difficult to implement.
Kael activated [Divinity of the God of Destiny] within his body once more, utilizing the special connection between the follower and the magic item. That connection allowed him to gain a general understanding of Enri's situation, including the prerequisites for higher jobs. As long as the high-level job icon [Priest] lit up in his mental view, it meant Enri had met the prerequisites for that basic job.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Before Kael's sharp [Magic Essence] senses, the amount of MP in Enri's body continued to increase rapidly, indicating that her level was increasing significantly along with the ongoing battle.
"Quite fast. She reached level six in a short time," Kael murmured, unable to help but raise his eyebrows slightly in surprise at Enri's development speed.
But think about it, he continued inwardly, the Flame Angels are summoned by third-tier magic, and their levels are between 15 and 20, almost 10 levels higher than Enri's current level. It's normal for Enri to gain high-level experience by killing monsters with a significant level difference.