Chapter 307: Projection
Chapter 307: Projection
"Great Huntress, you are the eternal light, the rising sun, bringing dawn and hope to the world."
As Extor's incantation ended, the evil spell array erupted with a surge of powerful energy fluctuations.
The force of this energy was so immense that the Duke of Minster and Admiral Edward's faces paled in shock, and they quickly retreated outside the range of the spell array.
Just at that moment, outside the entrance of the Administrative Hall, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard.
After the recent attack, most of the knighted Barons and Viscounts who had received honors had already escorted their relatives away, but there were still numerous elite guards within the hall.
Having defeated most of the Black Flame Cultists, the guards now returned to the hall.
Upon seeing the injured Duke of Minster and Admiral Edward, the guards were shocked and rushed forward to support them.
However, as they stepped into the core area of the spell array, it was as if they had fallen into a swamp, experiencing a powerful resistance that made it almost impossible to move.
Taking a step or reaching out required all their strength and took dozens of times longer, causing the guards who had entered the array to move as if in slow motion.
But this was not the worst part.
The most terrifying aspect was the serpentine black aura that rose from the ground, coiling around their lower legs and quickly spiraling upwards.
In an instant, these elite guards, whose strength was around the level of formal knights, began to tremble uncontrollably, as if they couldn't control their bodies. Their blood seemed to have a mind of its own, drawn by some invisible force.
At this moment, the guards trapped in the spell array started bleeding from various orifices like ears, noses, mouths, and even eyes, with thin strands of blood floating in the air like tiny blood snakes, quickly converging towards Extor's position!
This horrifying scene caused everyone to cry out in shock.
"Get out of here quickly! Those below the rank of Great Knights, do not enter!" The Duke of Minster waved his hands urgently towards the guards who kept arriving, his face filled with anxiety.
The area where the Duke of Minster and Admiral Edward were standing was even closer to the core of the spell array, and the air felt heavy, as if filled with thick mud.
Although they could control the abnormal movements of their blood, it felt like thousands of hands were gripping their feet.
Despite their injuries, retreating and defending was extremely difficult and slow, even for their level of strength.
"Great Huntress, please accept this humble offering." Extor's chanting became increasingly fervent, his face filled with growing excitement and joy!
It was known that he had endured great hardships and efforts to reach the third rank of Crystal Wizardry.
But this was the limit of his natural talent.
Opportunities were beyond his control.
Without external help, he couldn't expect any significant improvement in his strength.
But the Great Huntress had given him another choice!
The next second, a surging black energy resembling a tornado enveloped Extor, slowly lifting him into the air.
Black lightning flashed around him!
An indescribable sense of terror spread through the air, as if a high-ranking being had turned its attention to this place.
Extor's aura began to surge!
"Hahaha!"
Not only did Extor's wounds heal instantly, but he also felt an unprecedented sense of well-being from the power coursing through his body.
At the same time, in the Trade District, at the site of the battle against the demonic spirits.
Two Griffin Knights who had come to provide support from the sky quickly descended after assessing the situation.
One of them was Fisher.
Getting off his griffin, Fisher looked anxious as he hurriedly approached Rain and the others, saying, "Duke Ryan, Admiral Edward, and General Minor, the situation in the Administrative Hall is critical, and your support is urgently needed."
"The three of you can ride our griffins and head there immediately."
Rain, Edward, and Vieri exchanged glances and nodded, quickly striding forward and mounting the griffins.
Minor had wanted to ask Rain about the secret of his hammer technique, but now was not the right time.
As the griffins took flight, Fisher, who was controlling the griffins from the front, spoke quickly, "Lord Rain, the situation is not good. The leader of the Black Flame Cult is extremely powerful."
"Even Duke Minster and Admiral Edward combined were defeated and heavily injured."
"Hmm? Is the situation that bad?" Rain frowned.
It was known that both Duke Minster and Admiral Edward, judging from the aura they had just displayed, were slightly stronger than him.
Moreover, there was also the Ascetic, who was even more powerful, assisting them.
In this situation, the three of them combined had been defeated?
This made Rain feel a sense of unease.
"Yes, Lord Rain, it was him who reactivated the Evil Spell Array," Fisher quickly nodded.
Rain was someone Fisher greatly admired. Although younger, his strength far surpassed Fisher's.
Ever since seeing Rain confront the ancient hero Mong, Fisher had switched his idol from Viscount Filk to Rain.
Administrative Hall.
At this moment, the reinforcements from the Swordbearer Division arrived and rushed into the hall.
Leading them was Rain's old acquaintance, Captain Batista of the Rock Squad, along with Remir and others.
In fact, this was currently the highest-ranked squad on break within the Swordbearer Division, as most of the squads had already been dispatched due to the ongoing conflict between Rosby County, Mayorst City, and the Sea Clan.
On the other side of the hall, another door suddenly opened, and a Punishing Knight, who looked similar to Brandul, led the way. He also held a silver two-handed warhammer.
Behind him followed more than five Bishops and dozens of Temple Knights.
This meant that the support from the Church of the Goddess had also arrived!
Upon seeing this, Duke Minster, struggling to support himself, shouted, "Quickly, disrupt their promotion!"
The two groups of reinforcements immediately noticed Extor, who was floating in mid-air with his aura constantly rising. They quickly realized the situation and unleashed various spells and divine techniques like fireworks, bombarding Extor, who was enveloped in dark aura.
However, these colorful energy attacks were blocked by the rapidly swirling mass of dark aura surrounding Extor, just a few meters away from his body.
Close-range attacks were almost impossible.
Seven or eight Temple Knights and Swordsmen, holding swords and shields, had just stepped into the Evil Spell Array when they became trapped, unable to move like flies caught in flypaper.
Fortunately, their teammates quickly pulled them out.
In the core area of the Evil Spell Array, combat personnel below the Great Knight level were unable to control their blood and bodily fluids.
They were basically sacrificed one by one, becoming resources for Extor's promotion ceremony!
Batista and the Punishing Knight were the only ones who could charge into the array and not be heavily affected.
"Batista, don't worry about us, quickly disrupt his promotion!"
"Otherwise, once he completes his promotion, no one in Minster might be able to stop him," Admiral Edward struggled to say to Batista, who was planning to rescue him.
"That's right! Once he succeeds, he will become an epic powerhouse, and no one in Minster will be able to stop him!" Duke Minster also said gravely.
Batista nodded, took out a replica of the Imperial Staff from behind, and threw it towards the massive black cyclone floating in mid-air with lightning speed!
Instantly, the replica of the Imperial Staff unleashed a mighty aura that violently collided with Extor's black energy flow.
But as a third-rank Crystal Wizard, Extor was much stronger than the high priests of the county-level cities.
Even the replica of the Imperial Staff couldn't break through the defense of the black whirlwind, only creating a dent before its energy was exhausted and it fell to the ground.
However, Batista's attack also attracted Extor, who had originally planned to attack Duke Minster.
Extor raised his palm, aiming it at Batista, and suddenly, a large, bowl-sized black pillar of light shot towards Batista!
"Boom!"
Batista was knocked back over a dozen meters, and his shield was shattered with just one clash. At the same time, his entire left hand was almost completely shattered.
In one strike, a peak Great Knight was disabled!
This kind of power was almost despairing.
Suddenly, Extor's originally joyful expression changed drastically.
"Not good!
"This power... No! Great Huntress, you can't..."
"Ahhh!"
Extor let out a painful cry, and his body suddenly spun out of control in mid-air, the suction force rapidly increasing!
Originally, Extor had been able to control the dark energy, but suddenly, it became chaotic.
It seemed as if some force had been projected onto the Evil Spell Array, affecting Extor.
And even if Extor was a third-rank Crystal Wizard, he was unable to withstand the empowerment of such a towering force.
Of course, perhaps he overestimated his willpower. Under the influence of the delirium and powerful energy, he lost his sense of self and overdrew.
At this moment, the trickling blood-sucking suddenly increased at least tenfold, and the bodies that had not yet been dealt with all around suddenly became the resources for the ceremony.
The next second, not only the blood, but also those who were not strong enough in the evil spell array, their entire bodies, even their skin, were all absorbed by 'Extor'.
This terrifying scene caused the Black Flame Cultists on the side to be afraid, and they kept retreating!
"Not enough!!!"
"All of you, come into my embrace!!!"
With Extor's incredibly high-pitched roar, like that of a non-human.
Instantly, the red light of the ceremony abruptly expanded and enveloped the Black Flame Cultists, and the next second, these cultists screamed as their flesh and skin were sucked away, leaving only bloodstained skeletons on the ground!
It seemed to have reached some critical point.
The red light no longer spread but rapidly contracted.
Extor, who was originally spinning, now hovered in mid-air, motionless. A deep and strangely terrifying voice came from Extor's mouth, sounding odd.
"What a disgusting aura."
With a light flick of his finger, a thick, bowl-sized black light pillar shot straight into the defense array of the Church of the Goddess, and the leading Avenger Knight roared, but his hammer-blocking speed was a fraction too slow.
The highly concentrated black light pillar instantly pierced through his chest armor and went through his back, also impaling several Temple Knights behind him!
"Pfft!"
The Avenger Knight, who resembled Brandul, vomited blood and knelt on the ground, but he still managed to support himself with his double-handed warhammer, preventing himself from falling!
In mid-air.
"Lord Ryan, be careful, I'm landing!" Fischer shouted as he controlled the griffin to dive down quickly.
Suddenly, Ryan and his group, who were preparing to land, noticed that the five black light pillars surrounding the Administrative Hall seemed to be drawn by some force, rapidly converging towards the center.
The next second, they merged into a massive black light pillar several times thicker than before.
The light pillar instantly pierced through the top of the Administrative Hall, soaring into the sky.
At the same time, the overwhelming energy and the terrifying aura that made one shudder, even those in mid-air, could clearly feel it.
Several Griffin Knights struggled to control their mounts, preventing the terrified griffins from losing control.
"Not good! Faster!" Another Avenger Knight on a griffin, Brandul, seemed to realize something and urged.
From the broken top of the hall, Ryan could clearly see the interior, where his side was at a clear disadvantage.
"Brandnar!" Brandul's eyes narrowed suddenly!
Because he saw his brother, the Avenger Knight Brandnar, kneeling on both knees, with a basin-sized hole in his chest, his body standing upright, supported by the double-handed warhammer he had been holding all along.
Brandul, without hesitation, leaped down from mid-air, a dozen meters high, his face filled with grief and anger.
The Duke's advisor interjected at the right moment, confirming Ryan's guess.
"That's Brandul's younger brother, his only living relative."
Ryan's expression turned solemn, nodding.
The two fell silent for a moment, then quickly caught up with Brandul.
Seeing his own relative, even his only living relative, die before his eyes, this feeling...
"Lord Brandul!" The surviving members of the Church of the Goddess rushed forward excitedly upon seeing Brandul.
"Everyone, the Goddess is watching over everything here."
"Now, it's time to test your courage."
"Fear no enemy!"
"., worthy of the Goddess's grace!"
As Brandul chanted loudly, the Temple Knights became emotional, and they also began to chant.
With each chant, Brandul's aura grew stronger.
The five bishops glanced at each other, nodded, their faces solemn.
Immediately, they began to chant and cast their spells.
Their palms faced outward, and a dense blue energy gathered half a meter in front of them.
The next second, five blue energy pillars simultaneously shone upon Brandul!
Instantly, Brandul's aura surged, rising from Near-Legendary to Legendary Rank!
This immediately attracted the high-ranking entity that had taken over Extor's body.
The entity glanced at Brandul and said coldly:
"Merely a stronger ant."
"You're asking for death!"
A cold and unfamiliar voice, devoid of any human emotion, emanated from the creature.
Upon hearing these words, Rain instantly recalled a term from his past life: the 'Uncanny Valley Effect'.
Although the creature spoke in human language, its peculiar voice and tone, as if some unknown being was imitating human speech, gave off a chilling and frightening feeling.
Rain surveyed the scene before him and glanced around at the severely wounded allied combatants, including Admiral Edward, Batista, Remir, and others.
He knew that at this very moment, he couldn't retreat!
If he didn't want to see his family lying in a pool of blood like Brandul, he had to do something.
Because if this creature, whose nature was unclear whether it was human or a demon god, successfully completed the ritual, then the entire Munster might not have many survivors.
Rain's mind stirred slightly.
As if in response to his call, the Spirit Greyhound 'Cookie', the Swift Warhorse 'Blackie', and the Bloodfeather Skybeast 'Blood Feather' in the sky, all rushed towards Rain's current position.
Rain unsheathed his double-handed warhammer, his gaze fixed on 'Extor'! The creature's attention was mostly focused on Brandul, a Legendary-ranked powerhouse.
Brandul's body was enveloped in a rich blue glow, as if it were a substantial amber substance! Facing the onslaught of black light pillars, Brandul's silver warhammer stood at the forefront, blocking the incoming black light columns.
"Boom!"
The dedication of both Legendary and ordinary warriors alike.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
With each crisp sound, a Temple Knight fell heavily!
In the face of such a fearless scene, Extor's attention was completely drawn.
"The perfect opportunity!"
In an instant, the ground beneath Rain's feet suddenly shattered, and he rushed forward.
With the blessing of Will Radiance, Rain's warhammer broke through the energy-filled evil spell array.
"Annihilation Hammer!"
Rain's black warhammer struck the black tornado, opening a small gap.
"Boom!"
Extor turned his head, his face filled with astonishment!
It seemed he hadn't anticipated that someone could break through his external defenses.
"Spirit Shattering Impact!"
Instantly, an invisible wave directly hit the opponent!
"Ahhhh!"
In an instant, the opponent let out a miserable scream, as if suffering from tremendous pain.
But the counterattack came swiftly. The opponent's hands, glowing with intense black light, struck Rain's chest.
The Enchanted Seren Silver Shield, created using the Metal Mage spell 'Metal Barrier', was shattered in an instant!
The Mithril Embellished Chestplate was also broken with a single blow! Even Rain's 'Advanced Steel Body' couldn't withstand this attack!
"Crack!"
Rain's sternum was shattered, and a bowl-sized bump protruded from his back, instantly sending him flying dozens of meters away!
After launching this attack, Extor's body also began to act strangely.
His body twitched like a sieve, and the majestic aura seemed to slowly dissipate under the impact of 'Spirit Shattering Impact'.
Although the opponent's aura weakened after Rain's attack, Extor didn't die; instead, he entered a strange state of balance.
As a Level 3 Crystal Wizard, his soul was strong, but when faced with the sudden projection of a higher-ranked entity, he couldn't resist for a while.
Rain's attack not only shattered a trace of the higher-ranked entity's projection but also severely damaged Extor's original soul.
This left Extor in a confused state.
However, Extor was still influenced by some inexplicable power.
"Flesh!" he muttered repeatedly.
"Flesh!"
His entire body swelled like a balloon, and he relied solely on instinct to grab the nearest person, a guard, who was unfortunate enough to be caught.
The guard was left with only a pile of bones, as his flesh, blood, and skin were completely devoured and absorbed.
Extor's appearance became even more bizarre; his skin bulged as if he were trying to stuff more flesh and blood into his body, but it was already filled to the brim.
After a strange transformation, a four-meter-tall and three-meter-wide obese giant stood before the crowd.
Meanwhile, in a corner of the hall.
Rain, who had been knocked away, lay in a pile of rubble.
A large hand reached out from the debris, petting the suddenly appearing giant Spirit Greyhound.
(End of Chapter)
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