Episode 145
Zeke wasted no time in waking Boris.
“Are they enemies?”
“Yes.”
The two of them slipped out of the cave, moving stealthily toward the signal from the Dragon Fang soldiers.
They navigated the ridge of the canyon with caution, their movements precise and deliberate.
After covering some distance, Zeke signaled Boris to halt.
He scanned the area ahead with his keen eyes.
Silhouettes appeared within his field of vision.
As the dawn light crept in, he could make out the strangers more clearly.
Zeke noted their distinctive attire.
“Green coats.”
All five of them wore deep green coats that seemed to belong to a fashion from 300 years ago, paired with green tricorn hats reminiscent of old military uniforms.
Zeke recalled what he had learned from interrogating a Scorpion Clan mage.
“They said the ones dispatched from the Abyss always wear green.”
Even from afar, the aura emanating from them was unsettling.
Zeke turned to Boris.
“Boris, stay here. If things go south, detonate the magic bombs we’ve set up. If you see anyone from the Holy Kingdom, fire the signal flare.”
“Understood, boss.”
Leaving Boris behind, Zeke pursued the group in green.
Their movements were as disciplined as their military-like attire suggested.
They advanced into the depths of Death Valley’s canyon with unwavering precision.
Zeke checked his map, identifying a spot within the canyon ideal for an ambush.
He quickly retreated, making his way into the canyon.
With a thorough understanding of the terrain, Zeke planned to lure them to a location advantageous for him.
He positioned himself at a higher vantage point within the canyon and summoned his Dragon Fang soldiers.
“Take your positions.”
Twenty Dragon Fang soldiers spread out, each finding a spot to aim their bows.
Zeke equipped his Hershion, preparing for the unknown capabilities of the green-clad group.
He sent one Dragon Fang soldier to draw them in.
Whoosh!
An arrow shot from above, catching the attention of the green-clad figures.
Ping!
They deflected the arrows with their shields, then began to pursue the Dragon Fang soldier.
Through the soldier’s eyes, Zeke observed their movements.
The green-clad figures closed in rapidly, surprisingly not using magic but running on foot.
“Not mages, then?”
They were unlike any Abyss mages he had encountered before.
Soon, the green-clad figures entered the canyon Zeke had chosen.
Surrounded by cliffs, the open space was disadvantageous for mages.
Zeke hid behind a rock, observing the figures.
“They’re walking right into it, so boldly.”
If it were him, he would have split the group, sending some around the back. But they marched straight ahead, more like knights than mages.
Then, the green-clad figures extended their hands, conjuring something.
“What is that?”
Wooden swords emerged from their hands.
One of them turned, looking directly at Zeke’s hiding spot.
“Could they have walked into the trap on purpose?”
As Zeke pondered this, the one in the center stepped forward.
“Zeke Draker, I am a loyal servant and warrior of the ‘Clear Green Wish.’”
To Zeke’s surprise, they openly declared the name of the demon they served.
“What peculiar people.”
The leader called out to Zeke.
“I have heard that Draker is a knight among knights. As a warrior of the green, I challenge you to an honorable duel.”
It was an unexpected proposal.
Zeke surveyed the area through his Dragon Fang soldiers.
He was wary of a trap.
But neither the soldiers’ eyes nor his own revealed any signs of deceit.
“If it’s not a trap, they truly intend to face me head-on.”
These were unlike any Abyss mages he had encountered.
Zeke slowly rose, calling out to the green warriors.
“Warriors of the green! I wish to accept your honorable challenge. But the servants of ‘The Rider of Blood and Madness’ and ‘The Lord of the Lowest Place’ have never shown me honor. Can you swear you are different from them?”
Zeke mimicked their archaic speech, testing them.
The leader of the green warriors nodded.
“Indeed, those servants know nothing of honor. But we, the warriors of the green, swear to engage in this duel with honor.”
Zeke grinned.
As he suspected, they were more akin to knights or warriors than mages.
“Perfect. Such single-minded individuals are the easiest to manipulate.”
Zeke intended to deceive these demon servants.
He leaped down from the canyon ledge.
Up close, the green warriors were an odd sight.
Their wooden swords seemed to grow from their hands, and their faces were covered in bark, resembling masks.
Zeke addressed them.
“Warriors of the green, what is the purpose of this duel?”
One of them spoke from the back.
“If you lose, reveal the location of the holy relic and die with honor.”
“And if I win?”
“We will grant you what you desire.”
“What I desire…”
Zeke slowly raised his sword.
The green warriors pointed their swords at him in response.
Zeke remarked on their stance.
“You spoke of an honorable duel. Yet five warriors against one knight hardly seems honorable.”
Suddenly, the green warriors spoke in unison.
“We are separate, yet one.”
Zeke chuckled inwardly.
Despite their talk of honor, they were still demon servants.
Expecting them to uphold a knight’s honor was a mistake.
The five green warriors charged at Zeke.
Their movements were not unlike those of blue knights.
As they rushed forward, their wooden swords extended into long spears.
Whoosh!
Five long wooden spears thrust toward Zeke.
He parried them with Bahamut.
Crash!
Bahamut’s power not only deflected the spears but sliced through them. Yet Zeke’s expression was grim. The weight felt nothing like ordinary wood.
“It felt like cutting through metal.”
Even though the spears were severed, it was no problem for them.
The green warriors conjured new weapons from their other hands.
One formed an axe, another a curved blade.
They moved as one, attacking Zeke in unison.
Whoosh!
Zeke dodged the incoming spears, swords, and axes, leaping away.
Thud!
A wooden spear he couldn’t avoid pierced his side.
But Hershion blocked it, activating a shield that repelled the warrior.
“Ugh!”
The repelled warrior regained his stance, creating another spear.
As one swung a spear, another circled behind Zeke, targeting his blind spot.
Their attacks flowed seamlessly, as if they could read each other’s minds.
Zeke swung his sword, deflecting the spear and axe, then retreated.
There, a warrior with a thorny wooden sword awaited him.
Slash!
Dodging, a thorn grazed his unhelmeted cheek.
[A deadly poison from the demonic realm’s thorn vine has been detected.]
[Your immunity neutralizes the poison.]
The immunity Zeke gained from devouring Hydra neutralized even demonic poisons.
“These are troublesome foes.”
Zeke evaded their attacks, analyzing the green warriors’ movements.
They moved as one, their weapons aimed at him.
For five to move as one requires immense training.
Coordinated attacks are far more challenging than they seem.
Zeke was puzzled by their seamless coordination.
He addressed the green warriors.
“How can you move like this?”
In his past life, Zeke had tried to train the relatively weak northern mercenaries to use such coordination against knights.
It was a partial success.
The formation alone wasn’t enough for mercenaries to defeat knights.
But it did improve their survival rates.
The green warriors’ movements were the ideal form of the coordination Zeke had envisioned.
The green warriors spoke.
“We are many.”
“Yet one.”
“Through the power of the ‘Clear Green Wish.’”
“We transcend human limits.”
“Fear the master’s power.”
They spoke as if they were one being.
Zeke realized their coordination was due to their master’s power.
“So, demonic power can be used like this, not just for dark magic.”
This meant even knights could receive such power.
Zeke thought of Cain, whom he had devoured.
“Was Cain also contracted with a demon?”
If the power of the demonic forces could make them stronger, it was clear that many knights would find it hard to resist such temptation.
Zeke tightened his grip on Bahamut and glared at the green warriors.
“If I can capture them, I might be able to uncover more about the abyss.”
With that thought, Zeke launched himself forward.
Swoosh!
Even a perfect formation couldn’t completely bridge the gap in power.
Each of them possessed the strength of a blue knight, and considering the power of their formation, they could easily overpower a red knight.
But Zeke was no ordinary red knight.
“The Will of Strength.”
Encased in his armor, Zeke fortified his body with all his might and charged forward without hesitation.
Clang!
The force of his will infused into his armor deflected every weapon the green warriors swung at him.
The green warriors were taken aback when their attacks failed to land.
Zeke seized the opportunity.
Having grasped the flow of their formation, Zeke began to engage the green warriors in earnest.
Whoosh!
As Zeke swung Bahamut wide, the sheer force of the wind disrupted the balance of the green warriors.
He summoned the field of gravity, adding weight to his sword.
Rumble!
Zeke swung his sword at the warrior in front.
Crack!
The wooden weapon shattered under the blow.
“Ugh!”
Not only did the weapon break, but the warrior was also knocked back by the impact.
“Haaah!”
The field of gravity intensified with each strike, so Zeke didn’t stop, delivering even stronger blows.
Crash!
The warrior who took the brunt of the attack had his axe shattered to pieces.
Rumble!
One warrior was sent flying, crashing into the canyon wall.
As the green warriors faltered under Zeke’s assault, their eyes changed.
No longer calm and composed, their eyes glowed with a fierce green light.
“We are many.”
“And yet one.”
Like zealots, they chanted in unison and charged at Zeke together.
“Come.”
Zeke transformed Bahamut, extending the blade’s length.
Swoosh!
He waited for the right moment, then swung the now three-meter-long Bahamut in a wide arc.
Whoosh!
With the extended blade, the force of gravity within it grew even stronger.
Boom!
The warriors struck by Bahamut were all sent flying into the canyon wall.
Watching them crash into the wall, Zeke shouted, “Is this all the honorable green warriors have to offer?”
Slowly, the green warriors began to crawl out from the wall.
Their eyes, visible through their wooden masks, glowed with an eerie green light.
Simultaneously, a sinister chant began to spill from their lips.
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