Episode 317
Rumble!
Any ordinary knight would have been knocked down by the fierce attacks of the barbarians, but the black knights stood their ground, meeting force with force.
“Raaah!”
The barbarians roared, exerting all their might, but with three black knights for every one of them, they were not easily overpowered.
Just then, another black knight charged from behind, swinging a sword imbued with an aura blade.
Slash!
The crimson aura blade sliced clean through a barbarian’s arm.
“Pain!”
The barbarian, now missing an arm, let out a beastly roar but quickly regained his balance. He bit down on his severed arm and swung his remaining one wildly at the black knights.
The concentrated aura blades wielded by the black knights easily tore through the barbarians’ formidable bodies.
Slash!
As the number of cuts on the barbarians’ bodies increased, blood flowed from what once seemed like impenetrable walls of flesh.
“Very painful!”
Boom!
At that moment, a black knight on the earthen wall was thrown to the ground, limbs twisted.
Simultaneously, Zeke unleashed a holy light attack on the black knights battling the barbarians.
Crash!
The radiant mace struck the black knights with force. Yet, unlike ordinary demons, the black knights’ dark energy did not dissipate under the holy light.
‘What’s going on? Is it the power of the demon’s mark?’
Realizing the holy light was ineffective, Zeke donned Agamemnon’s mask and summoned the Blade of Purification.
A golden aura radiated from Roland’s sword, enveloping the barbarians.
With the power of purification coursing through them, the black knights’ aura blades lost their previous potency.
Zeke boosted the injured barbarians with healing and infinite stamina, allowing them to recover their strength.
“Raaah! No more pain!”
The barbarians roared and charged at the black knights with renewed vigor, their powerful bodies now more than a match.
Zeke, wielding Roland with the Blade of Purification, slowly approached the black knights.
But just then, something flew towards Zeke.
Thwip!
A bullet from a Night Killer aimed for Zeke’s forehead.
Ping!
The bullet failed to penetrate Hershion’s helmet and fell to the ground, dented.
Zeke quickly calculated the trajectory and speed, pinpointing the Night Killer’s location.
‘Take them out.’
He commanded the ghost soldiers he had stationed to eliminate the Night Killers as soon as he identified their positions, preventing further casualties among his knights.
After scanning the surroundings, Zeke once again advanced towards the black knights with Roland in hand.
The golden aura emanating from him instinctively made the black knights hesitate and step back.
But then, black smoke began to seep out around the black knights.
Ssssss—
The smoke, filled with potent dark energy, blocked Zeke’s golden aura and shielded the black knights.
Zeke attempted to burn away the encroaching smoke with his holy light.
Whoosh!
However, the smoke, though it seemed to disperse, quickly reformed.
Then, something emerged from among the black knights.
‘What is that…?’
A sorcerer, face obscured by a bizarre black mask, clad in black leather, stepped forward.
The sorcerer wielded a staff exuding dark energy. As he waved it, the black smoke infused the black knights, making their aura blades surge with renewed strength.
The masked sorcerer looked at Zeke and spoke.
“Target confirmed. Commencing elimination.”
Zeke realized the staff held by the sorcerer was imbued with the power of the Herald of Blood and Madness.
‘It seems similar to the power that tainted Hydra and the Giant Mountains with dark energy.’
As Zeke recalled past events, the black knights, following the sorcerer’s command, charged at him.
At that moment, the black smoke spread to Zeke’s vicinity.
Rumble—
Zeke understood that the dark energy-laden smoke acted as a kind of barrier.
‘It weakens the enemy while strengthening the black knights.’
Zeke once again wielded the Blade of Purification, releasing a golden aura.
The approaching black knights instinctively retreated, avoiding the purifying power.
He directed the purifying energy towards the expanding black smoke.
Whoooom!
The black smoke disintegrated upon contact with the golden aura.
The sorcerer, seeing this, waved his staff again, continuously generating dark energy-laden smoke as if creating a rift in dimensions.
Zeke realized that the sorcerer with the staff was far more threatening than the black knights alone.
‘If the Empire produces hundreds or thousands of these and deploys them on the battlefield…’
Most kingdoms on the continent would quickly surrender.
The dark energy-laden smoke was as good as poison to the barbarians.
Zeke instructed the barbarians to retreat and erected a massive barrier of golden aura to prevent the smoke from reaching the western gate.
‘It seems the mask’s power has grown stronger since meeting the Fairy King.’
The range of his purifying power had expanded significantly.
Fortunately, the black smoke could not breach the golden aura barrier.
Zeke raised Roland, pointing at the masked sorcerer.
“You, I’ll unmask you and find out exactly who you are.”
In response, the sorcerer moved his staff, and the black knights blocked Zeke’s path, raising their aura blades.
In that instant, Zeke closed the distance with a phantom step, leaping into the air.
He launched a dragon’s claw attack at the black knights.
Crash!
Caught off guard by the invisible assault, the black knights stumbled back.
Seizing the opportunity, Zeke swung his sword.
Whoooom!
The Blade of Purification unleashed a golden aura, raining down strikes on the black knights.
Crash!
Following the golden aura, a radiant mace descended upon the black knights.
The intense purifying power caused the black smoke to disintegrate and scatter.
With the smoke gone, the black knights were directly exposed to the light magic’s impact.
The sorcerer, however, waved his staff, healing the injured black knights.
Infused with dark energy, the black knights rose again, their bodies restored.
The rapid turn of events left Zeke momentarily stunned.
‘Can they recover so easily with just dark energy?’
Zeke, possessing a healing factor, understood the terrifying nature of such power.
He realized the need for a different approach.
Retreating, he summoned Richmond and Bane.
Richmond and Bane, who had been holding back the beasts on the outskirts, responded to Zeke’s call, visibly exhausted.
“Huff… You called, Master?”
“Ugh, I should have frozen all those beasts!”
Zeke quickly addressed Richmond, who had rushed over.
“Richmond, create a horseshoe-shaped bone wall between them and me.”
“Ugh, I’ve worked too hard… I’m out of strength…”
Zeke absorbed the corpses of beasts and monsters, then summoned Bahamut to convert that power and transfer it to Richmond and Bane.
Whoooom!
Reinvigorated by Zeke’s power, Richmond and Bane responded with enthusiasm.
“Thank you, Master!”
“What should I freeze first? Just give the order!”
Following Zeke’s command, Richmond constructed a horseshoe-shaped bone wall encircling the black knights and the sorcerer, while Bane layered it with ice.
The barbarians marveled at the sudden appearance of the barriers.
Recalling his battle with the Snow Queen, Zeke activated Defense Mode.
[Confirming defense area.]
[Updating area information.]
[Detecting contaminated energy within the area.]
[Integrating user’s skill Holy Light and title Fairy’s Blessing to defend against contaminated energy.]
As a halo of light enveloped the bone and ice walls, the black smoke could not penetrate.
Trapped within the horseshoe-shaped barrier, the black knights and sorcerer had no escape.
Zeke had adapted Defense Mode for both defense and offense.
Though activating Defense Mode consumed a lot of mana, the battlefield was littered with monster and beast corpses, providing ample resources for replenishment.
Zeke deployed guardians atop the barrier, as he had against the Snow Queen.
Rumble!
Horus, Idas, and Lynceus took their positions, launching attacks at the black knights attempting to breach the barrier.
Swish!
Idas and Lynceus fired arrows of light at the black knights, while beams of red light shot from Horus’s eyes.
Crash!
Yet, the black knights, struck by the guardians, were restored by the power of the black smoke and rose again.
Zeke felt the rapid depletion of mana as he deployed the guardians.
‘I need to take down the sorcerer quickly.’
Outside the barrier, the Barbarians held their ground, while the Guardians stood vigilant at the entrance. Zeke leaped into the air, his sword blazing with a golden aura of purification.
Whoosh!
The blade shimmered with a radiant light, ready to sweep away the dark knights and their sorcerer ally in one fell swoop.
Sensing Zeke’s intent, the sorcerer in the black mask raised his staff, pointing it directly at him.
A deep hum resonated as dark, smoke-like tendrils, brimming with malevolent energy, surged toward Zeke.
Unfazed, Zeke unleashed the power of purification, his golden aura flaring brilliantly. The dark tendrils disintegrated into ash upon contact with his light.
The divine aura emanating from Zeke was so intense that it was visible even from the autonomous district behind him.
He poised his sword, assuming the stance for the Infinite Sword Technique.
Descending from the sky, Zeke plunged downward, his sword leading the way.
A powerful hum echoed as the golden aura from his sword spread in all directions.
“Haah!”
With a fierce battle cry, Zeke unleashed the ultimate move of the Infinite Sword Technique.
Infinite Sword Technique: Triple Convergence
Great Roc Emerges from the Water
Zeke’s form transformed into a massive golden bird, soaring toward the sorcerer in the black mask.
Boom!
The sorcerer, overwhelmed by the purifying force, staggered back, desperately seeking an escape but finding none as the barrier blocked his retreat.
Rumble!
With no other option, the sorcerer raised his staff, attempting to resist the purifying power.
Zeke’s golden aura clashed fiercely with the dark aura emanating from the staff.
At that moment, a message appeared before Zeke’s eyes.
[The Rider of Blood and Madness gazes upon the Immortal.]
[The Rider is enraged by the Immortal’s constant interference with his minions.]
[The Rider of Blood and Madness is willing to risk a fundamental strike to directly attack the Immortal.]
[The Rider’s power, ‘Dominion of Blood,’ is activated.]
[The Immortal’s blood ceases to flow for one minute.]
“The Rider of Blood and Madness used his power directly?”
In the instant of surprise, Zeke felt the Rider’s power take hold, halting the flow of blood in his body.
“Ugh.”
Zeke’s face flushed red. With no blood circulating, his heart and organs began to fail. Any ordinary knight would have perished instantly.
But Zeke was no ordinary knight; he was an Immortal.
The titles he had earned began to exert their influence.
[The title ‘Glory of the Sea God’ rejects the Rider’s power.]
[The title ‘Knight of Radiant Light’ protects the bearer from malevolent forces.]
[The title ‘Blessing of the Faeries’ shields the bearer from corrupt energies.]
[The title ‘Grace of the Divine Beast’ safeguards the bearer’s body.]
“Gasp!”
Even before the minute was up, Zeke broke free from the Rider’s power, and his blood began to flow once more.
The failure of the Rider’s power backfired, striking him instead.
[The Rider’s ‘Dominion of Blood’ has failed to activate.]
[The Rider cannot believe his power failed against a mortal.]
[A direct strike hits the Rider’s essence.]
[A crack forms in the Rider’s essence.]
Rumble!
Cracks began to appear on the sorcerer’s staff.
Crack!
Suddenly, a dark crimson energy seeped from the staff.
[Unable to contain his fury, the Rider of Blood and Madness attempts to suppress his wounds and directly manipulate the energy to destroy the Immortal’s soul.]
In that instant, Zeke’s eyes gleamed.
He retrieved Solomon’s Ring from his inventory and swiftly put it on.
A deep hum resonated as Zeke activated Solomon’s Ring against the dark crimson energy.
[The unique power of Solomon’s Ring, ‘Seal,’ is activated.]
As the message appeared, the dark crimson energy from the staff was absorbed into Solomon’s Ring.
Boom!
With the energy fully absorbed, a new symbol etched itself onto Solomon’s Ring, accompanied by a message.
[A portion of the essence of the Fallen Constellation, the Rider of Blood and Madness, is sealed within Solomon’s Ring.]