Chapter 390: This Is an Opportunity (4)
Lavierre rolled forward, narrowly avoiding the attack. Although a few strands of his hair were sliced off, he managed to avoid injury.
When he turned to look, a woman was spinning a dagger in her hand with a disappointed expression.
“Oh my, you dodged? Young Master, didn’t you say he’s no good at fighting?”
Belinda clicked her tongue. His movements suggested he had no formal combat training, but his reflexes were sharp.
Lavierre, his face twisting with anger, shouted.
“A sneak attack… how dare you…!”
He couldn’t even finish his sentence before another figure approached and swung a blade at him.
‘Damn it!’
Distracted in front of enemies, what a blunder. Lavierre leapt into the air to evade.
Slash!
Though he dodged in time, his clothes were nicked slightly. This time, it was a cocky-looking man wielding dual swords who had attacked.
“Ah, he dodged again. My strikes have double the power if one had landed, he’d have been done for,” Kaor remarked, clicking his tongue in regret.
When underlings not even the master Count Fenris himself dared to challenge him, Lavierre’s rage boiled over.
How lowly did they think of him to send such unskilled opponents?
“You dare…!”
Whizz!
While glaring at Kaor, Lavierre sensed an intense presence coming at him. He quickly turned his head upward.
Ghislain, with his red eyes gleaming, was swinging his sword.
This time, there was no avoiding it. Lavierre released all of his holy power to defend himself.
Boom!
“Gahhh!”
Although he managed to block the strike, the shock wasn’t entirely absorbed, and he was sent staggering far backward.
Landing on the ground, Ghislain pointed his sword at Lavierre with a mocking grin.
“See? Didn’t I say he’s terrible at fighting?”
The other two nodded in agreement.
“Seems like it. But his reaction time isn’t normal, though.”
“Doesn’t matter. One hit from my dual swords, and he’s dead. Doesn’t look like he’s got much endurance either.”
The three surrounded Lavierre, casually conversing as if discussing a strategy. Their intent to launch a coordinated attack was blatantly obvious.
Lavierre glared at Ghislain and shouted.
“You! A master resorting to such disgraceful teamwork?”
“What’s disgraceful about it?”
“What?!”
Ghislain flicked his sword nonchalantly and continued.
“Listen up, as the commander of the Ritania Northern Army and a noble of the kingdom, I proclaim this: You have conspired with a ducal family to commit treason, collaborated with heretical cults to deceive the kingdom’s citizens, and slaughtered countless innocents. Therefore, under the laws of the kingdom, I am hereby arresting you. Your crimes are severe, so surrender now and submit to the judgment of the law. Does that sound official enough?”
“Well…”
The knights, hearing Ghislain’s declaration, couldn’t help but applaud.
So he could deliver such statements if he wanted to though his usual method of punching first and asking questions later was the real issue.
However, Lavierre didn’t take Ghislain’s words at face value. To him, it was all mockery.
“You scum!”
Lavierre, who had always lived elegantly as a high-ranking member of the Salvation Church, had never suffered such humiliation.
His plans prepared in the capital had been ruined, and even his most guarded secrets were now exposed.
Even if he returned, he would face severe punishment for his failure. The church’s laws were far from forgiving.
And it was all because of him.
Fwoooosh!
Black energy erupted from Lavierre’s body, forming into jet black wings. From his remaining hand, the black energy extended like sharp claws.
This time, he wouldn’t hold back. He was prepared to sacrifice himself if it meant taking Count Fenris down with him.
Boom!
Lavierre detonated all the holy power he had left. His entire body was enveloped in searing black energy.
The sheer force made everyone around hesitate, stepping back in alarm.
“Everyone, retreat and clear the area,” Ghislain commanded.
The knights quickly moved to a safe distance, leaving only Belinda and Kaor near Lavierre, carefully watching for an opening.
Lavierre might have overwhelming power, but his lack of combat skill was evident. He wasn’t a warrior but a priest.
For this reason, Ghislain didn’t intend to fight him at full strength. It was far easier and more efficient to rely on teamwork.
With Belinda and Kaor’s assistance, there was no need to risk himself unnecessarily.
“I’ll go first.”
Whoosh!
Ghislain surged forward, his mana exploding as he charged. Lavierre countered immediately, unleashing a wave of black energy.
Boom!
The attack didn’t land. Kaor had swiftly leapt into the fray, forcing Lavierre to adjust his stance to evade the dual swords. His posture faltered slightly.
Lavierre stumbled momentarily, then shifted backward.
“Damn it!”
Unlike Lavierre, who could freely maneuver in the air, Kaor clicked his tongue and was forced to retreat back to the ground.
However, dodging Kaor wasn’t the end of it.
Belinda appeared out of nowhere, slashing a dagger towards Lavierre’s neck.
“Urgh!”
Clang!
At a perfectly timed moment, Lavierre raised his hand to block the dagger.
Although the black energy enveloping his body prevented serious harm, he could feel a large chunk of his holy power draining away. Protecting his fragile body required that much energy.
Before Lavierre could even think about counterattacking, Belinda’s cloak fluttered.
Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!
Dozens of daggers swirled like snakes, flying toward Lavierre’s body.
“You wretch!”
Boom!
Lavierre unleashed a surge of black energy, scattering all the daggers. But in the brief gap, Ghislain surged forward.
Ghislain’s sword was imbued with an aura blade. While Lavierre’s power was sufficient to endure it, getting struck would deplete his holy power significantly.
Lavierre created a shield made of holy power as he stepped back.
Boom!
He narrowly evaded the attack, but no sooner had he dodged, Kaor launched another strike.
If he avoided Kaor, Belinda attacked; if he tried to counter, Ghislain would step in.
“Ugh… you despicable cowards…”
Individually, each was weaker than him. Yet, he was so occupied with blocking and dodging that he couldn’t catch his breath.
Lavierre had dedicated his life to studying scriptures and practicing the doctrines of the church. Never had he regretted neglecting combat skills as much as he did today.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The four of them moved at a speed no outsider could intervene in.
Still, Lavierre occasionally managed to counterattack with his immense power and reflexes.
Boom!
“Gah!”
Kaor was struck in the stomach by Lavierre’s black energy and was sent flying. Belinda was also knocked back, unable to fully block a sudden attack.
Fortunately for them, Lavierre was too distracted to put full strength into his blows, allowing them to avoid fatal injuries and recover.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ghislain, however, remained untouched. He dodged everything or deflected with his sword.
As time passed, Lavierre grew increasingly anxious. While he was effectively defending against their attacks, he could feel his holy power draining.
‘This won’t work.’
If he continued to be dragged along by their coordinated attacks, he would eventually tire out and die.
He needed to launch an overwhelming assault. There was no point in holding back his strength now.
Whoosh!
As Lavierre began burning his very life force, his hair turned white.
Soaring higher into the air, he glared down at the three and declared.
“Die, you insignificant insects.”
The purple glow in his eyes darkened further, and thousands of tendrils of black energy erupted from his body.
Like countless stars filling the sky, the black energy quickly dominated the space around him.
The tendrils of energy shot toward the three below. Aware of his lack of skill, Lavierre relied on sheer force to overpower them.
Boom!
The attack was so powerful it scorched the surrounding area, leaving no room for escape.
The three braced themselves, channeling their mana as they prepared to endure the onslaught. There was nowhere to run.
But they weren’t alone. Among those in the vicinity was someone waiting for this moment under Ghislain’s orders.
“Fire Shield.”
A flaming barrier formed above the three. It was so powerful that it consumed nearly half of Vanessa’s mana.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The black energy collided with the flaming shield but couldn’t penetrate it. Despite the relentless barrage of thousands of strikes, the shield infused with immense magical power held firm.
The shield had been casted by a 7th-circle mage who had partially absorbed the power of a Dragon Heart. While the sheer volume of black energy rivaled that, its widespread dispersion made it ineffective against the concentrated barrier.
Rumble!
When the shield finally dissipated, the black energy had weakened enough for the three to endure with their own mana.
“What?!”
Lavierre turned his enraged gaze toward the source of the interference.
He had poured almost all of his holy power into that attack. It was an assault he couldn’t do again, and it had failed.
Following the flow of mana, he looked toward the distance, where a woman floated above the retreating knights.
“A mage?”
Another one. Lavierre hadn’t anticipated this.
Before he could collect his thoughts, Vanessa began casting her next spell.
“Fire Lance.”
Ziiiing―! Ziiiing―! Ziiiing―!
Surrounding Vanessa, dozens of magic circles appeared in an instant, unleashing a barrage of fiery lances.
This wasn’t a series of spells cast in quick succession like before; it was simultaneous multi-casting in the truest sense.
“What… what is this?!”
Lavierre, witnessing multi-casting for the first time, panicked and tried to evade. But Ghislain acted faster, extending his hand.
Fwoosh!
Magic spears, which he hadn’t used until now, shot towards Lavierre.
The fiery lances and magic spears filled the space, leaving Lavierre with no room to escape.
Boom!
Lavierre poured out the remaining holy power from his body like a torrent, forming a black, dome-shaped shield.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Urghhh!”
The relentless strikes battered the shield until it shattered. Lavierre’s earlier attack had already consumed the majority of his holy power.
Though he had barely managed to defend himself, his exhaustion was evident.
Focused solely on religious doctrine and scripture, Lavierre lacked proper combat training. He had been recklessly relying on brute force and speed.
Amidst his faltering defense, Belinda’s voice echoed nearby.
“Your trump card failed, it’s time to die.”
Slash!
“Urgh!”
Belinda’s sudden attack slashed Lavierre’s neck. While it wasn’t fatal, a deep wound bled profusely, black energy seeping from the gash.
Boom!
Lavierre, summoning the last of his strength, pushed Belinda away, but Kaor immediately followed up by slashing his chest.
“Gah!”
Lavierre’s black wings quivered a few times before beginning to fade.
As he tried to counterattack, Vanessa’s magic struck first.
Flash!
Lightning streaked down from the heavens, striking Lavierre’s body.
Boom!
“Aaargh!”
Even after being slashed in the neck, cut across the chest, and struck by lightning, Lavierre did not die.
With bloodshot eyes, he desperately tried to draw on more strength for another attack. His vitality was nothing short of astounding.
“How dare you… How dare you defy me! Someone blessed with the power of the gods!”
Though he strained to summon power, the force he exhibited was far weaker than before.
Ghislain smirked as he observed Lavierre’s deteriorating state.
“Looks like you’re almost out of steam. Time to finish this.”
Boom!
Ghislain activated his Third Core, and crimson energy enveloped his body.
The sight of Ghislain wreathed in dark red energy was eerily similar to Lavierre, minus the wings.
In fact, Ghislain’s aura was denser and more refined than Lavierre’s holy power, which was why he had been nicknamed a demon on the battlefield.
Whoosh!
As Ghislain, his crimson eyes glowing, charged forward, Lavierre froze.
He needed to block or dodge, but neither thought even crossed his mind. It wasn’t fear it was pure shock.
‘That power!’
Lavierre’s trembling eyes remained fixed on Ghislain.
The energy surrounding him was similar to Lavierre’s holy power. The sudden surge of mana resembled the mana cultivation techniques his cult had been researching.
Ghislain was effortlessly using two types of power Lavierre recognized as their own field of study.
‘This… this can’t be….’
His sect had scoured the continent for anything remotely resembling their power, analyzing and researching every variation.
But Ghislain’s energy wasn’t some offshoot it was frighteningly close to their own.
As Ghislain’s power erupted even more forcefully, Lavierre’s researcher instincts overshadowed his combat focus.
“W-wait!”
He frantically extended his hand, shouting. But Ghislain ignored him without hesitation.
Succumbing to an enemy’s trickery in the midst of battle was the mark of an amateur. Once Ghislain decides to go for the kill, he will focus on that goal. This is Ghislain’s style of combat.
“It’s over.”
Slash!
Ghislain’s extended aura blade cleaved Lavierre’s neck in one swift stroke.
Exhausted and defenseless, Lavierre couldn’t avoid the strike.
Even as his severed head fell, his face remained frozen in confusion.
“You… how…”
The barely-formed question, devoid of context, became Lavierre’s final words.