Chapter 156: Fire and Shield
The vast dragon wings unfurled, slowly flapping to block the sunlight above the Lionheart Knights, suspending the colossal dragon body in midair, its edges glowing with a golden rim. With its golden vertical pupils, powerful frame, jagged horns, and thick, armored scales, the sheer oppressive aura of the Dragon radiated dominance. The Lionheart Knights stood frozen, breath caught in their throats—this was none other than Purgatory Cataclysm Kai Xiusu, the embodiment of arrogance and cruelty, the Red Dragon who had single-handedly annihilated thirty thousand Allied Forces, and their mission’s target.
For the first time, doubt crept into their hearts.
This… is something that cannot be defeated. How could we ever dream of slaying such a monster?
Above them, the beast in the sky opened its maw, revealing rows of jagged fangs, while scorching white smoke curled from its lips, warping the very air.
"Ah… I hear you wish to slay me?"
Sparks danced within its golden vertical pupils.
Fried gazed upward, his expression slack with dread.
"Tariq… you died at the claws of this monster, didn’t you?"
"Even a Knight as exceptional as you perished in flames… how could I possibly hope to defeat him?"
His fingers instinctively brushed the pocket watch in his hand, his voice a whisper.
"Captain… what do we do?"
The urgent voice of his subordinate snapped him back to reality. This was no time for hesitation—this was a battlefield, and they were in the midst of life or death. Years of training had forged a reflex within him. The "Black Lion Knight" raised his Oath Sword high, his voice booming across the field:
"All men, stand fast—hold the bond!"
In unison, the Lionheart Knights raised their Silver Swords, which flared with radiant light as the Holy Vow Spell activated. Glowing chains snapped into place, linking them together—twenty-two warriors bound as one. They locked their Heavy Shields high above, forming a luminous, impenetrable fortress.
They stood as one—offense and defense entwined. Any damage inflicted on a single knight was instantly distributed among all twenty-two. This made the Lionheart Knights a Mobile Fortress on the battlefield, capable of both relentless defense and devastating assault. Any commander would tremble at the sight of dozens of Lionheart Knights charging their lines—legend had long called them the "Lion Wall."
Kai Xiusu hovered high above, wings slowly swaying. He regarded the knights below with detached curiosity.
"So this is what Dolo called the turtle shell?"
"Interesting."
The forces of the Kingdom of Ashen had fully encircled the area. Kai Xiusu had no fear of escape. Instead, his interest had been piqued—this was the rare and unique subclass of the Bosk Family: Lionheart Knights. He lowered his claw toward the ground.
[Claw Strike]
A claw-shaped force field materialized before the Red Dragon, glowing faintly. With a casual flick of his massive limb, the magical energy surged downward, aimed at the knight formation below.
Fried’s eyes widened as the sky split open with a massive, descending claw mark.
"All hands—brace for defense!"
A sharp clash rang out as the Lionheart Knights raised their silver shields—each engraved with the fierce lion emblem—locking them together into a seamless, impenetrable dome overhead.
"Screeeech—!"
The sound of metal tearing through metal screamed across the field as three long, deep gashes appeared across the shield wall. The sheer force of the impact surged through the shields, rattling every knight. It felt as if a giant hand were trying to crush their formation apart.
"Hold fast!" Fried roared.
As the glowing chains pulsed and shifted, the force was evenly distributed—each knight bore the brunt, their faces twisting in agony, sweat pouring down their brows. The ground beneath them cracked, sinking into shallow pits from the pressure.
Kai Xiusu watched the tightly knit shield formation, his eyes narrowing.
"Tch… quite the sturdy turtle shell. No wonder it gave Dolo so much trouble."
Even a casual Dragon’s Trick from Kai Xiusu—enhanced by his immense spell strength and raw power—was enough to crush most high-level warriors with ease.
"Then… can you withstand fire?"
His eyes narrowed, and the corners of his jaw parted slightly. A blinding glow erupted deep within his throat.
"Boom!"
A torrent of roaring flame erupted from the Red Dragon’s maw, a tidal wave of inferno surging toward the Lionheart Knights below.
"Dragon Breath!" the Adjutant shouted in warning.
Heat. Scorching, unbearable heat—every man felt it like a physical blow.
The knights remembered the legend—the Purgatory Cataclysm, when the Red Dragon had reduced the Coalition Army to ash. But they did not know—this was only a controlled breath, a fraction of his true power.
Faced with the overwhelming fire, instinct screamed to flee. Sweat poured down their faces, hands trembling on their weapons. Yet years of discipline held them in place, frozen—until Fried’s voice cut through the chaos.
"Don’t run! Scatter, and you die faster!"
"To live, you must stand your ground!"
The Lionheart Knights held firm, their shields forming a glowing barrier that shimmered like a thin film, resisting the relentless flames.
"Spirit Lion Guardian!"
Fried unleashed a thunderous roar—the final trump card of the Lionheart Knights. With their combined will, they summoned a luminous spirit, a spectral lion forged from their unity and courage.
The colossal phantom lion emerged from the formation, roaring with terrifying power. For a fleeting moment, it held back the flames—nearly pushing them back, even hinting at a counterattack.
"Yes! That’s it!"
"We are the invincible Lionheart Knights!"
Fried’s voice rang out, echoing Tariq’s spirit in his memory. He channeled that same fire—the dream of becoming a radiant White Lion Knight, unbroken and triumphant.
"Oh?"
"Now this is interesting. A turtle that can bite back?"
Kai Xiusu, high above, watched the phantom lion with genuine intrigue. To him, the Lionheart Knights of the Bosk Family were far more formidable than the Lakanman’s Northwind Eagle Guard. Their disciplined, systemized Holy Vow Spell alone made them leagues ahead of mere aerial skirmishers.
"This kind of defense… it would be a shame not to test its limits."
"Then… let me play with you a little."
A frenzied surge of fire-elemental energy surged through his basal vessels, filling his lungs. The flames roared to life, hotter than ever before. The spectral lion, once so defiant, let out a pained wail as the fire consumed it—its form dissolving into smoke, flickering out beneath the overwhelming inferno.
(End of Chapter)
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