Chapter 229: The Malevolent Force Magic Array

Chapter 229: The Malevolent Force Magic Array



In the study of Baron Habsburg's mansion, a middle-aged man in a gray wizard's robe sat at a desk and said, "Your Excellency, aren't you going to remind Alonso?"

Baron Habsburg stood up with a hint of annoyance and replied, "Didn't I already remind him before?"

"Everyone should be responsible for their own actions. Moreover, if I do remind him, I'll likely receive a notification, and it won't just be him alone."

Baron Habsburg walked to the desk, stood beside the gray-robed man, and asked, "By the way, old friend, you must have come here today for more than just a visit, right? Is it because they're about to take action?"

The gray-robed man didn't directly answer Baron Habsburg's question. Instead, he said, "Your Excellency, do you remember that Zalar rebel Grand Knight who died in prison from a deadly poison?"

Baron Habsburg was taken aback and nodded immediately. "That incident was my oversight. I never expected that even the prison in Myester would be infiltrated by the rebels."

Recalling the scene, Baron Habsburg had conducted a thorough investigation upon returning from Rosby City, eliminating the rebel spy from the prison. However, he had missed the opportunity to extract crucial information from the rebel Grand Knight.

Moreover, not long after the incident, the rebel Grand Knight's body had disappeared without a trace. Thinking about the various departments involved, like a sieve, Baron Habsburg couldn't help but shake with anger.

However, there was little he could do about such situations, which were common throughout the empire.

"Not only did the person die from the poison, but even the body was taken," Baron Habsburg sighed, feeling helpless.

"Actually, this might not be a bad thing," the gray-robed man smiled and continued, "In fact, I placed something on that body. I'm quite certain that the body is still in the county city."

"Oh? So, you've known the location of the stolen body all this time?" Baron Habsburg furrowed his brows, looking at the man in surprise.

As the imperial observer of Myester County, the gray-robed man didn't have the authority to demand another observer's cooperation. However, as the governor of Myester, Baron Habsburg often felt displeased with the people and matters in the county city that were beyond his control.

The gray-robed man nodded and said, "Yes, this matter involves the shadows of the Black Flame Cult. I've learned that there will be a banquet tonight, attended by many nobles."

"And Alonso is there too."

Hearing this, Baron Habsburg's expression turned grave.

Apparently, these nobles had connections with the cult, and there were quite a few of them. Moreover, Alonso's presence there made the situation even more delicate.

"According to the cult's tradition of collecting offerings during rituals, a Grand Knight's body is valuable. They wouldn't easily give it up. Since the rebel Grand Knight's body disappeared, I suspected it most likely fell into the hands of a cult member."

"According to reliable information, if you don't send someone there immediately, it'll be too late by the time the Imperial Swordsmen arrive. They don't know Alonso, after all."

After a moment of silence, Baron Habsburg let out a long sigh, feeling somewhat disheartened.

"Yes, they don't know Alonso, and they won't put much weight on my status as a baron. Let's send someone to notify him that I have an urgent matter to discuss."

---

At around the same time, high in the sky, some distance away from Myester County City, a fierce creature with a lion's body and an eagle's head, measuring four to five meters long, with a muscular build and large wings, was flying at high speed.

Surprisingly, on the creature's back sat two people, protected from the high-speed flight's airflow by a circular shield emitting a faint blue light, which directed the air currents backward.

In the front saddle sat a robust man holding a shield, currently controlling the reins during the flight.

The man holding a short staff behind him spoke, "Captain, why are we in such a hurry to ride the griffin to Myester County today? What's the important task that requires your personal involvement?"

"It's a significant task," the robust man replied without hesitation. Now that the operation had begun, there was no need for secrecy. "According to the local observer's report, there's a cult in Myester County that will hold a ritual tonight, possibly communicating with a demigod during the ceremony."

"Why do we need to get involved in such a ritual? What do we want with a demigod's divinity?" The man with the short staff seemed to know the purpose of a demigod's divinity, his expression showing a mix of curiosity and fear.

"It's not us who want it, but the higher-ups!" The robust man pointed upwards with his finger, explaining.

---

At almost the same time, high in the sky, a distance away from Myester County.

A ferocious creature, four to five meters long, with a lion's body, an eagle's head, muscular build, and large wings, was flying at high speed.

Surprisingly, on its back sat two people, protected from the airflow by a circular shield emitting a faint blue light, directing the air currents backward.

In the front saddle sat a robust man holding a shield, controlling the reins during the flight.

The man behind him, holding a short staff, spoke, "Captain, why the rush to ride the griffin to Myester County today? What's the task that requires your personal involvement?"

"It's a crucial task," replied the man without hesitation. Now that the operation had begun, there was no need for secrecy. "According to the observer's report, there's a cult in Myester County that might communicate with a demigod during their ritual tonight. Many nobles will be attending."

"And Alonso is there too."

Hearing this, the man's expression turned grave.

Apparently, these nobles had connections with the cult, and Alonso's presence made the situation more delicate.

"According to the cult's tradition, a Grand Knight's body is valuable. They wouldn't easily give it up. Since the rebel Grand Knight's body disappeared, I suspect it fell into the hands of a cult member."

"If we don't act soon, it'll be too late by the time the Imperial Swordsmen arrive. They don't know Alonso."

After a moment, the man sighed, feeling disheartened.

"Yes, they don't know Alonso and might not respect my status as a baron. Let's send someone to notify him."

At this moment, Rain had arrived at Baron Elliot's manor.

As he approached, a faint buzz of noise could be heard, and the entrance of the manor was bustling with carriages.

With a quick glance, Rain spotted numerous luxurious carriages parked outside the manor, most adorned with various noble crests, while a few lacked insignia, presumably belonging to wealthy merchants.

Many well-built cavalrymen or guards stood around each carriage.

Upon seeing Rain's carriage arrive, an elderly man in a tailcoat approached with a smile, greeting him, "Are you Baron Rain?"

"It's me!" Rain nodded as he stepped out of his carriage.

"Baron Rain, Lord Alonso has been waiting for you in the banquet hall for quite some time. Please follow me," the elderly man gestured with a slight bow.

Rain nodded, his expression unreadable.

As he entered the manor and approached the banquet hall, Rain noticed Alonso, who wore an elaborate noble outfit, with a prominent Cali Bird insignia embroidered with fine gold thread on his chest.

"Baron Rain, welcome. I hope you'll have a delightful evening here," Alonso said with a warm smile.

However, if Alonso's words were to be taken at face value, they would mean the opposite—'Cherish your last night in this world!'

Rain had long seen through Alonso's false smile.

In fact, as soon as Rain entered the manor and reached the banquet hall, he felt a slight vibration from the silver conch medal on his chest.

What did this signify? It was self-evident!

Although Rain didn't like to assume the worst about others, in reality, Alonso might be even more malicious than he imagined.

Fortunately, Rain had made some necessary preparations!

"Thank you for the invitation, Baron Alonso. I believe we'll all have a pleasant evening," Rain said, looking at Alonso with a meaningful glance.

Suddenly, as if struck by Rain's gaze, Alonso felt his heart tremble, as if caught doing something wrong.

"Of course!"

"Baron Rain, please come in!" Alonso's expression changed, and he coughed.

The hall became increasingly crowded and lively, with elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen in formal attire dancing together, while servants circulated with drinks and delicacies.

"Baron Rain, do these delicacies not suit your taste?"

"I'm already full, Baron Alonso. I met with the Count just a few days ago. I doubt you invited me here solely for the food," Rain replied.

After a moment's thought, Rain mentioned Count Habs, hoping that Alonso wouldn't stray further down the wrong path.

Upon hearing Rain's words, Alonso was visibly startled, and anger rose within him.

What?

Do you think you can escape by mentioning your father at this moment? Now that you're here, there's no turning back!

"Baron Rain, the master of the manor and some esteemed guests are very eager to meet a young man of your caliber," Alonso said.

"They're already waiting for you in the meeting room inside."

"Good!" Rain nodded.

Rain knew the real show was about to begin.

He wondered how they planned to deal with him.

Naturally, he didn't refuse but followed Alonso through the banquet hall and down a long, arched corridor, eventually reaching a quieter room.

Rain could sense that there were more people inside, and their breathing was steady.

Alonso pushed open the door, revealing a room with a complex glass-carved arch and walls adorned with intricate carvings. Numerous bright wall lamps illuminated the room, where a circle of well-dressed nobles of various ages sat.

The reason Rain could instantly identify them as nobles was not only their exquisite attire, often adorned with gold or silver threads, but also the distinct noble crests on their chests.

As the door opened, the people inside immediately stopped their conversation and turned their attention to Rain's tall figure.

Their gazes towards Rain carried various emotions: scrutiny, curiosity, and even pity. Some whispered among themselves.

Rain noticed that among the nobles, there were also a few individuals in Black Flame Cult robes, seemingly familiar with the situation.

It seemed they believed victory was within their grasp and no longer needed to hide anything.

At that moment, an older noble stood up and spoke to Rain in a deep voice, "Young man, you are quite bold."

Rain replied, "I've always been bold."

"Moreover, isn't courage one of the requirements to become a knight?"

The older noble was taken aback and nodded, his expressionless assessment revealing, "Not bad. It seems our Baron Rain is a knight with considerable courage."

Upon hearing the elderly man's words, the crowd in the room couldn't help but chuckle.

Courage?

(End)

What a fool! Courage is nothing compared to the will to live!

At this moment, no matter how strong Rain's strength was, even if he was a Great Knight, the initiative had been taken away from him the moment he stepped into this place.

This included life and death!

"Baron Rayne, we didn't need to come to this point today. For example, if you were to sign a contract and swear to serve the Black Flame Church, I think..." The elderly noble continued after the laughter gradually subsided.

At this moment, Alonso's butler, Michel, rushed in and said to Baron Alonso, who was watching with great interest, "My lord, Baron Habsburg's messenger is waiting for you outside, saying that the Baron has an urgent matter to discuss with you."

Upon hearing the butler's words, Alonso couldn't help but be taken aback.

"Father is looking for me?"

Just thinking about his father's dignified face made him shudder.

But soon, he muttered, "It's not like he's going to scold me again, is it?"

Alonso looked at the scene before him, not wanting to leave just yet.

He would be scolded if he returned early, and scolded if he returned late, but at least he could witness the grand spectacle he had been eagerly anticipating.

He still wanted to see Rain's expression of despair and wailing.

So, as Alonso watched the rapidly escalating situation, he calculated the time and said, "Tell the messenger that I'll be back soon. Half an hour, at most half an hour, and I'll be back!"

"Yes, my lord," Michel glanced at the slightly familiar figure in the meeting room and hurried away again.

In the center of the meeting room.

"Enough!" A rebuke rang out.

"Huh? What did you say?" The elderly noble looked at Rain in surprise.

Could the young man before him not see the situation clearly? How dare he speak like that?

Was he stupid, or did he truly have courage?

"I said enough!" Rain said calmly.

"If you have any tricks up your sleeve, use them all. My time is precious."

Although Rain's expression was calm as he spoke, everyone present could sense the determination and strength in his words.

It was as if, at this moment, they were insects gathered in the shadows, while Rain was the knight bathed in the sunlight.

Immediately, the elderly noble showed a regretful expression and shook his head, saying, "Is that so? It's truly a pity."

"Then we'll have to make you the sacrifice of our prayer."

The elderly noble turned his head and nodded slightly at Lamar, who was standing in the crowd.

Lamar had been entrusted by Lamar to be the leader, and according to Lamar's wishes, he was trying to persuade Rain.

Lamar crushed a key-like object in his hand.

Suddenly, the brightness of the wall lamps dimmed, and the entire room darkened. The ground and walls underwent some kind of strange transformation.

The silver conch medal on Rain's chest vibrated violently.

The ground and walls were covered in dense, dark red lines. These lines, as thick as a little finger, suddenly grew larger and thicker, like invisible creatures, bypassing the nobles and Black Flame Adepts, and rushing towards Rain.

At the same time, a mixed scent of decay and blood filled the air.

But what surprised Rain was that everyone present seemed completely unaware.

These black mists, like living creatures, continuously rushed towards Rain's position. Soon, Rain's body was covered in this black mist.

Seeing this, everyone, including Lamar, had a victorious expression.

As the person in charge of setting up this Malevolent Force Magic Array, Lamar was well aware of its purpose.

This Malevolent Force Magic Array had two effects.

First, its malevolent energy would erode anyone without a special mark within the array's range. Once affected, they would gradually be restrained and weakened by this malevolent energy.

At the same time, this effect would become stronger over time.

Second, the other effect was a buff, enhancing those with special marks. The malevolent energy would strengthen them to a certain degree.

This was why everyone present believed that Rain was doomed this time.

Even a Great Knight, under the influence of this Malevolent Force Magic Array, would not be much stronger than a veteran knight. On the contrary, those within the array would have their strength further enhanced.

With this decrease and increase in strength, they couldn't imagine how Rain could win!

However, Lamar, who was standing in the crowd, felt something was amiss as he watched the scene unfold.

Why?

Because Rain's expression was too calm at this moment.

At this time, a young noble beside him seemed unable to contain his excitement. He stood up, walked to Rain with a triumphant attitude, and said mockingly, "What a pity! The so-called genius knight is about to fall!"

"I heard that Baroness Crowley is close to you. Rest assured, after you become the sacrifice of the ritual, our dear Baron Alonso will enjoy it on your behalf."

Hearing the young noble's words, the nobles who were eager to watch the show burst into laughter.

"As for me, I heard you have a ten-year-old sister. Coincidentally, I also like little sisters."

"Bang!!!"

Surrounded by black mist, Rain suddenly struck out with lightning speed, hitting the young noble's forehead with a bare fist! Rain, with the 'Basic Steel Body' talent, was like a hammer even without weapons.

Suddenly, the young noble's head exploded! His body, now headless, twitched for a moment, managing to stay upright for two seconds before collapsing like a snake with a broken spine.

The once-chattering meeting room fell silent, every noble and Black Flame Adept present gaping in shock. Their faces were etched with fear and bewilderment.

Their minds screamed in disbelief:

"How is this possible?"

"Shouldn't he be restrained?"

"The Malevolent Force Magic Array can't be ineffective!"

Even Lamar, the array's caster, stared at the headless corpse, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Rayne, who had been shrouded in black mist, now glowed faintly. The black mist, which had never penetrated his body, was dissipating under the influence of the faint blue light emanating from him. This light carried a sacred aura that everyone in the room could sense.

"The power of the Goddess?"

"Rayne, are you a member of the Goddess of Wind and Sea Church?" Alonso exclaimed.

Rayne, after shattering his opponent's skull with a punch, spoke for the first time.

"If this is all they've got, the Black Flame Cult is a bit disappointing."

The crowd grew agitated and embarrassed.

"Finish him quickly!"

"He's unarmed now!"

A chorus of curses filled the room.

Though Rayne was immune to the evil forces due to the Goddess Church's divine techniques, they still believed they had a chance.

Firstly, Rayne was currently unarmed, and a knight's combat effectiveness was significantly reduced without a weapon.

Secondly, while the Malevolent Force Magic Array had failed to restrain and weaken Rayne, it had undeniably enhanced their own abilities. This was why the crowd believed that their numerical advantage would still be sufficient to take him down.

Just then, the room's domed glass ceiling shattered with a loud "Boom!"

A massive raptor descended from above, flapping its wings. It dropped two objects before soaring back into the sky, disappearing into the black mist before it could be traced.

Rayne caught the two items—a new war bow and a quiver containing twenty steel arrows.

Those familiar with Rayne, like Lamar and Alonso, were stunned to see him with a bow.

"When did he switch to using a bow?" they wondered.

The nobles who didn't know him looked up at the gaping hole in the ceiling and then at Rayne, holding the massive war bow, bewildered.

"But he was unarmed just now!" they thought.

"And what about that big bird?"

Rayne hadn't specifically chosen these weapons; it was just that in this area, having Lynx Battlehound Cookie deliver them would likely have resulted in the weapons being entangled by the strange black mist.

The Bloodfeather Horned Eagle's incredible speed meant it could escape the black mist's attacks.

Taking advantage of their confusion, Rayne fired rapidly.

"Bang!"

The bowstring vibrated.

"Swoosh!"

A steel arrow, like lightning, pierced a Black Flame Adept's abdomen. With Rayne's Intermediate Giant Strength talent, the arrow's effect was akin to that of a heavy sniper rifle from his previous life.

"Rapid Volley!"

The bowstring vibrated again.

For a moment, it seemed as if Rayne had four arms, firing arrows in rapid succession, creating the effect of a squad of elite archers shooting together.

Within seconds, only a handful of people remained standing.

Lamar survived due to the protection of his black mist shield, which deflected Rayne's arrows.

Alonso, sensing the danger, had quickly hidden behind a nearby pillar.

Lamar was relieved that he had chosen their own lair as the location.

"Haha, Rayne, do you think you've won? I've known all along that you've repeatedly turned the tables on our assassination attempts, but it's because you've always held back. Unfortunately, this time, there's no way you can turn the tables."

The next second, the entire floor of the meeting room shattered with a loud "Crack!"

Including Rayne, Lamar, Alonso, and the other survivors all fell into the huge pit below.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end