"Hoo-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
The Black Witch soared through the sky, raining down spheres of pure hatred and flames upon Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie. The two legendary Rogue Deities, faced with flames fueled by centuries of agony and resentment, could do nothing but dodge frantically.
Seeing their struggle, Anna's smile grew even more twisted. The leather straps on her arms lashed out, and her rusted chains ignited with a violent, white-hot fire, extending into a pair of blazing whips.
Crack! Crack!
The flaming whips lashed toward the two gods. Having no desire for a "pain-inducing" experience, the two Rogue Deities were forced to retreat further. After all, getting struck by a weapon fueled by a witch's grudge was no laughing matter.
"Hey! This is too much! You're suppressing old Zhu!" Zhu Bajie complained, though his eyes were lecherously scanning Anna's exposed skin. "If I get hit by that, I'll turn into a roasted suckling pig!"
Disgusted by his gaze, Anna sneered: "Then hurry up and become a roasted pig! I'll throw your charred remains to the dogs!"
"Hehe, even if a beauty asks..." Zhu Bajie dodged another strike. "Old Zhu doesn't want to be dog food just yet... Junior! Now!"
Sha Wujing, who had been ignored until now, immediately began his Spirit Word incantation:
["Namo Ratna Trayaya, Namo Arya Avalokiteshvara O Dragon, destroy them!"]
Water, erupt!
The surrounding moisture condensed instantly, forming an ancient, scythe-headed Water Dragon. Sha Wujing stood atop its head as the beast roared and lunged at Anna.
"Tch. Water? Why didn't you come when I was being burned alive? Why do you only come now to attack me?" Within Anna's soul resided the collective memories of countless burned Witches. She naturally craved water, but as a Heroic Spirit who now manipulated the very flames that killed her, she despised it. "I don't need you anymore! Get lost!"
Skill Activated: [Aggravated Hatred Chant: A]
The Witches who were executed by fire or beheading carried a primal, absolute hatred. Anna could channel these negative emotions into curses to corrupt her enemies.
As she chanted, a massive wave of black grudge surged toward the water dragon and Sha Wujing. Sensing the danger, Sha Wujing leaped off the dragon just in time. The water dragon wasn't so lucky the hatred instantly coiled around its body, corrupting its essence and turning it into an Akushu (Variant) Black Water Dragon. It turned around and snapped at its original master, Sha Wujing.
"Whoa!" Sha Wujing summoned his signature Crescent Moon Spade just in time to deflect a bite from the corrupted beast. He was shocked to see the dragon moving with unnatural, surgical precision.
This wasn't the dragon's own instinct. Anna had seized control of the construct, using the high-speed reflexes she had honed from playing "Horror Action Games" at Chaldea to micromanage its movements.
Just as the dragon was about to swallow Sha Wujing, a Nine-Tooth Rake slammed into its head, shattering the construct into a spray of ordinary water.
Zhu Bajie, having saved his junior, caught him in a "princess carry" and landed steadily.
"Senior..." Sha Wujing looked at him with pure disgust. "I... I don't have those kinds of 'preferences'..."
"Shut up! Neither do I!" Zhu Bajie roared. "I like women with curves and white legs!"
"Hmph, two of them are still a bit of a hassle," Anna clicked her tongue, looking down at the two gods. "In that case, I'll just call for more help"
Noble Phantasm Release: [Hunt Them Down, O Beast of Black Grudge — BAPHOMET]!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!!"
A colossal, goat-headed demon manifested before the two gods, letting out a world-shaking roar. This was Baphomet, the burning demon summoned by the "Witch" Anna Goldi.
In reality, Baphomet was not Anna's original Noble Phantasm. It was a fusion born from a bizarre compatibility with the Grand Master of the Templars, Jacques de Molay. Although the era of the Templars and the Witch Hunts were over a century apart, their shared history of "Slander" and "Execution by Fire" allowed them to merge within Anna's [Witch Hunt] concept.
King Philip IV and the Pope had slandered the Templars, accusing them of worshipping the demon Baphomet, leading to Jacques's execution. Before dying in the flames, Jacques cursed them both. This Noble Phantasm materialized that slander into a physical, controllable demon.
"ROOOOAAAAAARRRR!" Baphomet swung its obsidian claws, wreathed in nuclear-like flames, aiming to turn the two gods into roasted fish and pork.
"I'M NOT A FISH!" Sha Wujing roared, leaping away. Zhu Bajie, however, was too slow. He took a direct hit from the claws, and the flames sent him screaming in pain.
"Baphomet, handle the lazy one. This filthy pig is mine!" Anna commanded, her flaming whip glowing with a lethal light. "Ready to be barbecued, you disgusting pig? Don't bother answering!"
Crack! The whip slammed into Zhu Bajie.
"GYAAAAAAHHH!"
The Martial Arts Duel
"Ora Ora Ora Ora Ora Ora!" Yan Qing's strikes fell like a hurricane upon Sect Leader Luo Hao.
"Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda!" Luo Hao's defense was absolute, every strike parried with flawless elegance.
(Seriously, Yan Qing, you've watched too much JoJo... and Sect Leader, why are you even playing along with the dialogue?!)
"Truly... impressive martial arts," Yan Qing paused his assault, panting slightly as he praised her. "You truly deserve the title of The Pinnacle of Martial Arts."
"You are not bad yourself," Luo Hao replied, her breathing steady. "It has been long since I met someone who could match me in pure skill. Come, Hero of Liangshan!"
"You are the 'She,' I am the 'He'—there's no need for a 'match' to decide that," Yan Qing teased, lunging forward with a heavy punch.
"Hmph, you only have a sharp tongue!" Luo Hao countered with her own fist.
The two fought with pure martial skill. Every ordinary punch and kick carried enough force to pulverize boulders and shatter the surrounding forest. The shockwaves were so intense it was hard to believe they were just using bare hands.
"Are we even?" Luo Hao stepped back, feeling a slight fatigue even with a Campione's unnatural stamina. Yan Qing, however, still looked relaxed. "Then try to take this next move!"
Luo Hao shifted into a palm-strike stance, chanting her technique:
[Twelve Divine Palms of the Flying Phoenix]
It was a flawless combination of twelve strikes—from the Phoenix's Descent to the Great Phoenix's Heaven-Severing Strike. Each move flowed between hard and soft, embodying the laws of Yin and Yang.
Yan Qing's expression sharpened. He dropped his playful air and took a simple palm stance.
Just as the twelve palms were about to land, Yan Qing's skill [Heavenly Skill Star: A+] activated. His agility reached a conceptual level, allowing him to effortlessly weave through the "flawless" palms and land a single, decisive strike on Luo Hao's back, sending her flying.
Cough, cough.
Luo Hao stood up, her eyes burning with a mix of frustration and fanatical excitement. "In a contest of Martial Arts, I have lost. I never imagined that Yan Qing, the Heavenly Skill Star, would possess such terrifying mastery. I, Cui Lian, admit defeat."
Yan Qing was about to offer a humble reply, but Luo Hao continued: "Since I am no longer the 'Pinnacle of Martial Arts,' you shall take that title. From now on, I will seek you out frequently for duels. I expect you to accept."
Yan Qing nearly tripped. I think I just attracted a super-troublesome stalker... He could only offer a bitter, silent smile.
Luo Hao took a deep breath, shifting into a new stance. "Martial arts is finished. Next... is the clash of Authorities. Please, show me your best!"
"I don't actually have an Authority..." Yan Qing thought to himself, though he prepared his Noble Phantasm. "But I have something much better."
["The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, practicing deep Prajna Paramita, perceived that all five skandhas are empty..."]
Luo Hao began to chant the Heart Sutra.
Her voice, reaching the realm of Nirvana, activated her Authority: [Dragon Voice] (Witenagemot). A violent, demonic shockwave of wind roared toward Yan Qing.
(Note: The English name is Witenagemot. Whatever you do, don't let the Sect Leader know someone gave her Authority a weird name!)
Facing the shockwave, Yan Qing moved like a swallow (or a petrel!), weaving through the wind with impossible grace. When the [Dragon Voice] ended, he was completely unharmed.
"Hey, who said I was fine? My hair is a mess now!" Yan Qing complained, fixing his ponytail while smiling at the battle-hungry Luo Hao.
"Come on then, Luo Cui Lian... or should I just call you 'Little Girl'?"