Chapter 279: Showdown

Chapter 279: Showdown



He never expected Ren to be such a tough opponent!

Whether it was the informant from his own church or the Black Snake Messenger from the Serpent Sect's Holland, the reports indicated that Ren possessed some kind of physical talent, excelled in close combat, and was also a rare Metal Mage.

But now, not only is he skilled in close combat, but judging from the power of the sound-based Advanced Technique he just used, he seems equally formidable in long-range combat.

Additionally, there's the effect of extracting souls, which could be either a Sorcery he has mastered or some peculiarity of the hammer he wields. The four Black Flame Guardians are all formidable, comparable to Great Knights, yet they haven't even fully grasped the extent of his abilities.

All in all, this is a bit troublesome.

Of course, it's just a minor inconvenience.

His combat power has already surpassed that of a typical peak Great Knight or an ordinary Wizard, and he's only a small step away from becoming a Title Knight.

"Does he intend to capture Earl Habus alive?"

At this moment, a powerful gust of wind, akin to a tornado, carries with it a large amount of dirt, instantly extinguishing the rain of Corrupting Blood!

Raksool takes a look at the situation and smiles, pulling out a black-red bottle from his pocket.

That's the effect of killing an enemy capable of providing Soul Fragments in the tenth layer, and the buff can be refreshed by doing so again.

Having two negative effects from Sorcery, he calmly adds an Attribute Point to his agility while facing the onslaught of the four Black Flame Guardians.

"Annihilate them all?" Flay's question makes Roland startle. When Roland first saw the enemy, his thoughts were solely on how to withstand their attacks for a little longer.

Even in front of Raksool, there are six Four-Pronged Darts spinning rapidly a meter away from his body.

After killing the first Black Flame Guardian, Ren quickly glances at his Attribute Panel. His strength is 46 (+4), just as he expected, the boost varies depending on the enemy killed.

Ren immediately understands the Sorcery being used, narrowing his eyes and checking his Attribute Panel.

At this moment, Olena and Head Maid Shadiya arrive at Clara's side, both out of breath.

Ren's previous move was not only cool but also greatly boosted morale.

"Yes, the one controlling the Earth Serpent is the Serpent Sect's High Priest Cannon, and his primary goal is to rescue Holland, who is also from the Serpent Sect. This is the most likely scenario," Alex reveals.

Suddenly, a powerful aura locks onto Ren.

Raksool, seeing this, smiles and quickly mutters an incantation, then points at Ren again.

Ren's body is now filled with power, and he feels a sense of satisfaction from the impact.

"Eight fragments," Ren whispers.

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"

"No, haven't you seen Earl Habus's injuries? They want his life," Alex shakes his head.

Of course, Raksool's gaze is less intimidating than Ren's.

"Galina must have died by your hand," Raksool says with a smile, seeing Ren's reaction.

Ren, with his Advanced Technique combining Metal Morphurgy and Swordsmanship, the Ultimate Technique 'Improved Blade Storm', turns defense into offense.

Even his own subordinates would be awestruck, charisma, and skill, boosting his reputation!

"What, do you have family there?" Raksool asks, seeing Ren's reaction.

This type of Sorcery, though belonging to the Shadow category, is rarely specialized in.

It's worth noting that the buff from killing Holland was +5.

But they also fear Ren's previous Sonic Sorcery, so they don't get too close. They stop about 20-30 meters away, then start controlling Black Flame instead.

Inside the villa's main building, High Priest Cannon stands at the door of the confinement room, while Roland and Flay are in a dire situation.

Roland's feet barely touch the ground before the earth shatters, propelling him like an arrow toward Raksool.

This time, a cloud of blood-red mist rushes toward Ren. In an instant, it hits its target!

"It's not that I don't want to help, but our presence here is more valuable."

In a flash, three kite-shaped shields made of hardened Mythril block a blood-red prism! "Boom!"

The next second, three baby-head-sized Black Flame orbs appear out of thin air!

Meanwhile, inside the villa's main building, Flay excitedly says to Captain Roland, "Captain, do you think we can annihilate the enemies here?"

"Yes! Miss Clara, you take care of yourself. This Cannon is a tough opponent, and we might not be able to protect you!" Roland says with a grim expression.

At this moment, the remaining Black Flame Guardians exchange glances, their faces lighting up with joy. They see this as a perfect opportunity to surround and attack, which they do immediately.

Now, the real battle begins.

As Ren tightly gripped the three-meter-long Skull Warhammer, he swung it with force! "Pop! Pop!"

"Corrupting Blood!"

Suddenly, Ren felt as if his blood was affected by some strange influence, causing it to flow erratically, faster and slower. Although the change wasn't significant, it was extremely uncomfortable, prompting him to halt his actions.

The shockwave further weakened, causing Ren's muscles to knot up. The ground, beneath the Plate Boots, was plowed with two trenches nearly a meter deep! "Iron Wall!"

This was something Raksool couldn't tolerate.

Raksool, sensing something amiss, immediately pointed his completed spell at Ren.

This time, Ren didn't respond to Raksool's inquiry.

"It's already at the level of an Advanced Technique," Raksool muttered, narrowing his eyes.

Ren's gaze sharpened, and the Hardened Fine Gold attached to the Knight's Vambraces instantly transformed into a tower shield! "Iron Wall!"

"Indeed!"

Raksool's pupils constricted, and his lips pressed together. When Ren was about four to five meters away, a crimson mist materialized out of thin air and rushed towards him.

"Weakening Spell!"

And if they couldn't hold them off, they would use that route to quickly retreat with the squad and Earl Habus.

Ren's attention focused on Raksool.

Although he was surprised, his actions didn't slow down.

Ren immediately realized the situation!

At that moment, both of them were drawn to Kraya's focus. Following her gaze, they looked towards the center of the ravaged garden.

Just as Ren was about to intercept the Serpent Sect Cannoneer, suddenly, Raksool stepped forward, blocking his path.

The Hardened Fine Gold in Ren's hand swiftly transformed into a kite-shaped shield, but the shield's surface quickly bulged, forming a cylindrical protrusion. Like a blooming sesame flower, it morphed into another kite-shaped shield, and then yet another.

The second shield shattered upon impact.

The white, miniature skull broke through two layers of protection, only stopping at the third crimson shield.

How was this possible? Ren, having added a bit of agility, immediately calmed the agitation in his blood, and his speed subtly increased.

"I heard the tragedy in Flash Gold Town was your doing?" Ren nodded in acknowledgment and asked in return.

But in the next moment, Raksool's expression froze.

Ren glanced at the Skull Warhammer in his hand and silently recited, "Four soul fragments."

The three Black Flame Guardians had already transformed into headless corpses, lying in a pool of blood. Ren, having finished off the guardians, quickly glanced at his Attribute Panel: Strength: 46 (+27)



"The Warhammer Technique, the Sound Technique, and now the Swordsmanship Technique..."

Such intense energy fluctuations immediately drew the attention of everyone present.

However, the crimson shield was also on the verge of breaking, almost unable to withstand the impact.

He now understood that his three subordinates had fallen victim to the enemy. Using the Four-Pronged Darts as cover, Ren swiftly advanced and finished them off one by one.

Finally, as Raksool waved his hand, vine-like black flames encircled him.

Facing Ren's attack, Raksool remained calm. His expression serene, he swiftly raised his finger and began to chant.

A figure holding a white Skull Warhammer emerged, surrounded by three semi-transparent, elongated human-shaped auras. Each figure wore an expression of pain and ferocity.

"Hmm? Why?" Raksool smiled and asked cooperatively.

Only when the black mist was about to reach him did he raise his shield to block it.

At that moment, the figure was still holding a long-handled scythe, its face contorted in shock as it looked at Ren.

"Damn it!"

But it wasn't over yet. As he muttered, a black film appeared on his body the next moment.

This was why Raksool, despite witnessing Ren's formidable power, believed he could handle the situation.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

As his face paled, a gush of vermilion blood erupted from his wrist wound, forming a rhombic spike that emanated a misty blood glow. A surging wave of energy followed.

"I'm already a Great Knight, so protecting my father won't be an issue. Moreover, the later they discover Hollan's death, the safer we'll be!" Kraya said, addressing the hesitant Roland.

In other words, enemies attempting to engage in close combat would be at a disadvantage. Not only would they be affected by Weakening Spells and Slowing Spells, but they would also face blood-related spells during the fight.

The Title Knight was another term for a Legendary Warrior.

At this moment, the man's forehead, above his crown, had been completely shattered by Ren's hammer. Raksool's lips twitched! Not only had his ambush failed, but the Black Flame Guardians he brought were now almost all dead.

"Blood Boiling Spell!"

Just as the group was discussing, the situation on the field changed once more.

However, the black mist dissipated upon contact with the shield, and a chill enveloped the area, making Ren feel weak and powerless.

Another crucial point was that Ren had just discovered a little trick to extend the buff effect of 'Soulshatter Warhammer'.

The third shield twisted and deformed, but ultimately blocked the attack! However, what Raksool didn't expect was that due to the explosion's proximity, he endured an impact almost as powerful as Ren's!

"Ah! Ah!"

This was a familiar technique to Ren, the unique sorcery of the Black Flame Cult known as 'Black Flame Shelter'.

In an instant, a two-handed greatsword with a Skull Warhammer as its hilt appeared before everyone's eyes.

But it wasn't over yet.

Ren's face broke into a slight smile.

"Actually, I'm quite happy to see you today."

This shocked Raksool to the core!

Suddenly, the surface of the smooth greatsword's blade bulged with Four-Pronged Darts, a sight that left the Black Flame Guardians slightly stunned. What was this move? They had never seen such a technique before.

In other words, Raksool could be considered Near-Legendary! Additionally, he specialized in both shadow-based sorceries like Weakening Spell and Slowing Spell, as well as unconventional blood manipulation sorceries like Boiling Blood Spell and Blood Siphon Spell.

Just as he finished killing his seventh opponent, the buff effect of +27 to Strength began its countdown, or in other words, refreshed for another minute.

Raksool looked towards the dust-filled area with a solemn expression.

With four Black Flame Guardians slain before him, if he couldn't turn the tide now, he would have to rely on the Serpent Sect for assistance, not to mention how the Cannons would react.

"After rescuing Lord Holand, this mansion will no longer be necessary. At that time, I'll trouble you to use the Earth Serpent to destroy it," Raksool said.

Although they tried to defend themselves, the sheer number and power of the Four-Pronged Darts were overwhelming. Many darts pierced through the defense of Black Flame Shelter and directly injured their bodies.

A clump of blood with a putrid stench suddenly rushed towards Ren, and just ten meters away from him, it exploded and splattered, the blood droplets dense like raindrops.

"Looks like there was a fake among them, an impostor."

A black mist rapidly formed at his fingertips and shot straight towards Ren. Ren knew that the opponent had a unique sorcery similar to mental force guidance, so simply dodging wouldn't work. Thus, he maintained his speed and charged forward.

Roland glanced at the excited Flay and, after some thought, decided not to dampen the young man's fighting spirit. "Then it's up to Ren's performance."

Raksool, who was facing off against Ren, suddenly manifested a Crimson Shield enveloping his body with a crimson glow. Judging from its instant activation, this was likely one of his innate sorceries.

Some darts hit their eyes, while others struck their necks, but their robust vitality kept them alive despite the injuries.

Roland's expression turned hesitant.

Three Black Flame Balls hit Ren almost simultaneously, exploding in quick succession, and smoke rose. But in less than half a second, a figure emerged from the smoke, unharmed, and continued charging towards Raksool.

This was a bit too much!

Ren's speed faltered as his agility was reduced.

His strength had reached an astonishing 73 points! "Huh, shouldn't 47 be 28?"

Read the correct version at 69shu8.com! 6=9+shu8_ba.

As expected, this type of abnormality affecting the body's condition could be directly eliminated through skill point allocation.

The first shield shattered instantly, and although the crimson energy storm weakened, it still rushed towards Ren.

Suddenly, within the smoke, a crisp cracking sound echoed repeatedly.

"Here they come. You and Miss Clara stay here. Alex and I will block them."

Additionally, Ren currently had a +16 Strength buff from 'Soulshatter Warhammer', and he wasn't going to waste time.

Black Flame Balls rushed towards Ren. He sidestepped, but the three balls, like bone-eating ulcers, pursued him, quickly turning and continuing their assault.

But now, was it time to consider wiping out the enemy?

In the center of the arena.

Raksool witnessed a simultaneous weakening of about 20% in Strength, Agility, and Constitution.

Raksool couldn't help but twitch at the sight.

As the invisibility effect rapidly dissipated, a Black Flame Guardian who had been preparing to attack from behind was revealed.

"You don't understand," Ren shook his head.

Alex was the only one still standing, gasping for breath, his face filled with fear as he stared at the Cannons.

As expected, when the smoke cleared.

The three eager Black Flame Guardians were now howling in agony, clutching the wounds inflicted by the Four-Pronged Darts.

"Why only 27?"

"Think about it. Why didn't the Legendary Breed 'Earth Serpent' directly destroy the villa building?" Alex interjected at this point.

This was why Ren had asked him to keep this information secret, to make the enemy hesitate.

A transparent figure suddenly appeared in the empty space, and the figure began to ripple like water.

At this moment, Cannon, confident in victory, couldn't help but look out the window in astonishment. "Such a strong energy fluctuation?

As the remaining attribute points decreased from 9 to 8, Agility also increased from 36 to 37, and a warm surge pumped from his heart throughout his body.

"Of course, then I'll go check on Holand first." Cannon nodded, took out something, looked at it, then curved around Ren, heading towards the side of the main building.

Ren tossed his skull warhammer, the hammerhead facing down and the handle pointing upwards. The tempered mithril covering his gauntlet rapidly extended upwards along the handle.

"Hmm? This is a sorcery attack exceeding thirty degrees, and it was blocked so easily!" Raksool's eyes widened in astonishment.

The white skull warhammer was only a few centimeters away from Raksool's eyes, and at this moment, he could clearly see the intricate patterns on the shrunken skull.

Simultaneously, Raksool sliced his wrist with a short dagger and began chanting a spell.

"Triple Shields, together they can withstand at least 50 degrees of attack. They're almost broken by Ren's hammer strike!"

"Whoosh!"

Ren gripped the bizarre greatsword and spun rapidly like a top, causing the surrounding air currents to surge and a sharp hissing sound to fill the air. Nearly a hundred four-pronged darts shot out in various directions.

"Captain, shouldn't we rush out to help Lord Ren?" Flay asked eagerly.

"Captain Roland, let Lord Flay join us. We're a squad, and together we can maximize our combat power." Clara, however, had a different opinion.

In an instant, Ren's surging blood calmed down.

He quickly removed the cork, chanted a spell, and the corruption-like blood inside the bottle began to flow out, constantly changing shape in mid-air, spreading a strong stench. Seizing the opportunity, Raksool began to cast a more potent sorcery - 'Corrupting Blood'.

Ren instantly thought of the best way to utilize the 'Soulshatter Warhammer's' enhancement effect.

Roland's thick metal shield was already cracked, his wrist was broken, and on his chest, the thick knight plate armor had a noticeable dent.

The four-pronged darts had broken through his outermost layer of vine-like black flames and were now fiercely rubbing against the black membrane.

"Thank you, Lord Cannon. I think I can handle it. By the way, you should go check on Lord Holand."

The next moment, Raksool rapidly retreated, and at the same time, he quickly took out a crimson crystal ball and crushed it. As the massive blood from the crystal ball poured into the crimson shield, the crimson light, which had dimmed significantly after Ren's hammer strike, became thick and heavy.

This was the second time Ren had encountered a gaze as substantial as a physical force. The first time was when he faced 'Tide Piercer' Rulgar.

"I understand, they want to rescue Lord Holand?" Flay's eyes lit up as he spoke.

Ren swiftly turned, his warhammer striking the empty space behind him.

"Eight pieces? What eight pieces?" Raksool asked, puzzled.

"Yes, Alex's analysis is correct." Roland nodded in agreement.

But the next moment, his expression changed. At such close range, the Boiling Blood Spell had no effect?

Now, these four soul fragments had granted Ren a total of 16 points of strength enhancement.

Knowing the identity of the culprit, it was time to take action.

Alex followed the other's gaze.

The Serpent Sect's Grand High Priest, Cannon, smiled slightly. "Lord Raksool, does your church need my help to deal with this Ren?"

Before he finished speaking, Ren charged towards Raksool, gripping the skull warhammer and leaving a silver shadow in his wake.

This Corrupting Blood had strong corrosive and toxic properties. In Raksool's view, even if Ren could transform metal to block it, he would still suffer some damage.

"Such power..."

Flay's body twitched involuntarily, his head tilting to one side, his neck broken. His powerful vitality kept him alive, but he had clearly lost all combat ability.

Ren gripped the skull warhammer, his muscles swelling. The tempered mithril on his gauntlet rapidly gathered, extending and transforming into the hammer handle.

"Snap!"

Inside the main building, Roland's gaze locked onto the calm Serpent Sect's Grand High Priest, Cannon, his expression grave.

"Yes!"

"You're talking about the woman with the Phantom Illusion, right? She did die by my hands."

Clearly, Raksool was still wary of Ren's technique's power. The surface of his body alone had three layers of sorcery or sorcery defenses.

At this moment, the crimson shield, which had just been infused with energy, seemed to flicker like a tree in the wind and rain, its light dimming. "Pop!"

The crimson shield burst like a bubble.

Raksool's eyes widened, staring fixedly at the white bone hammerhead pressing against his forehead.

"The ninth!" A familiar voice exclaimed.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end