Chapter 198: Death Knight

A black Spiritual Light, so dense it seemed tangible, radiated outward. As if meeting their bane, the Ghost Witch’s swarm of poisonous bees dropped to the ground. Within moments, they were all on their backs, legs curled toward the sky, completely still.

But it wasn’t only the living that were affected; the less powerful Undead Creatures were as well. The Undead scattered wherever the Spiritual Light touched. A few Crawling Claws that were too slow were instantly crushed into a bloody pulp.

"What in the hell!"

Standing on the hillside, Mazarino’s hand trembled, and he tore two hairs from his messy beard.

’I’m absolutely certain I haven’t seen this thing before! Where did it come from?!’

With a heavy, rasping breath, a large, black-plated hand swatted aside the last of the bees. Its owner stepped forward, crushing the flagstones before Ron and the others and revealing its true form for all to see.

This humanoid Undead Creature stood well over seven feet tall, clad in armor even heavier than Aive’s. Its head was completely encased in a helmet that had only a single, narrow slit, from which an unnerving red light emanated. Its left hand was empty, but its right gripped a greatsword far larger than the Grip of the Vast Wave. The blade dragged on the ground, kicking up a trail of sparks.

"Hnngh..." A cloud of black mist seeped from beneath the helmet, carrying the creature’s deep, powerful voice. Its speech, however, sounded like the roaring of a Ghoul; Ron couldn’t understand a single word.

"He’s speaking the Abyssal Language: ’Why have you woken me?’" the Ghost Witch’s expression shifted rapidly before settling into a furious scowl. "Dammit! Why the hell is a Death Knight guarding this place?!"

"Ron, you brat! I’ve led you to the path. Our deal is done!"

"Po—" Ron started, trying to reason with her, but the Ghost Witch gave him no such opportunity. She smashed a goblet filled with murky wastewater onto the ground, and with a flash of dark green light, Ghost Witch Polly vanished without a trace.

’She actually ran!’

With the Ghost Witch gone, the Death Knight’s gaze fell back upon Ron and the others. He lifted his greatsword, switching to a two-handed grip as words in the Abyssal Language, like demonic whispers, echoed in everyone’s ears.

Though no one could understand the true meaning of his words, his intent was perfectly clear: he was taunting them all.

A Death Knight normally has the ability to command other Undead Creatures, yet upon his arrival, all the Undead fled from him. The implication was self-evident: he could take them all on by himself.

"Can’t trust a Ghost Witch, figures!" Sera spat on the ground. "Good thing we weren’t counting on her—cover me!"

"I was careless before! Let’s go again!"

"Death Knights are the product of fallen Paladins, so they have an innate resistance to magical effects!" Silvia warned, as she cast Giant Transformation Magic and other enhancing spells on Sera and the others. "Yelena, if you’re scared, then leave like that Ghost Witch! Standing here, you’ll just be in the way!"

"What are you talking about?!" The Shadow Spirit retracted her Thorn Chain, shooting Silvia a dark glare. "Have you all forgotten? I’m a Caster, too!"

"Victoria, let me borrow some silver powder—Defense Array, Undead Creatures!"

Now enlarged, Sera could barely match the Death Knight’s strength. But to her complete surprise, upon facing an opponent of equal power, the Death Knight began to rely on skill!

The Death Knight’s greatsword deflected the Grip of the Vast Wave, sliding it aside. Before Sera could regain her footing, the Death Knight kicked her to the ground. The massive blade swung through the air in an arc of red and black flame, cleaving down toward her chest!

"Sera!" At the critical moment, a tower shield slammed down between the barbarian and the Death Knight. A terrifying force traveled from the shield’s face to her shoulder. Aive was thrown backward as if struck by a Siege Hammer, crashing violently into the flagstones and shattering them.

If not for the Defense Array that Yelena had raised in the nick of time, that single strike from the Death Knight would have likely claimed two lives!

"Water Manipulation! Scorching Beam! Lightning Bolt! Fireball!" As the Death Knight relentlessly hammered the Defense Array’s barrier with its greatsword, Ron unleashed a volley of Magic at it as if they were free. However, its suit of armor was clearly extraordinary. A black mist constantly seeped from the gaps in the plates, and whether Ron’s Magic was a direct hit or an area-of-effect spell, it vanished into the armor like a stone into the sea, having no effect at all.

"Fear Slash!" Having been bought some time by the Shadow Spirit’s intervention, Sera leaped back to her feet. A wave of pink flames erupted along the blade of her greatsword—an effect granted by the Mind Gem.

"I’m not a fan of the color," Sera said with a savage grin as she swung her sword, "but to take you down, it’s worth it!"

TZZZ— The Death Knight seemed wary of this attack that could pierce both body and mind, immediately switching from offense to defense. But Sera, having already lost to it twice, played a trick of her own. Just as the Grip of the Vast Wave, imbued with Fear Slash, was about to swing past the Death Knight, the light on the blade abruptly died. A pink Gemstone dropped from it, landing "coincidentally" in the hand of Constance, who had slid into position beneath the Death Knight.

"Fear Slash!"

The Half-Elf’s Swift Sword flared with a deadly light as she thrust it upward through a gap in the Death Knight’s plate armor, burying it to the hilt.

"UUUNGH—" A pained groan buzzed from within the heavy plate armor. It seemed that even a Death Knight couldn’t withstand such a fatal blow below the belt—not that he had anything left to lose down there.

"It’s working!" The Traveling Mage watching from the distant hillside grew excited. "You have a Paladin with you?! Quick, hit him a few more times! He can’t take it!"

"This Death Knight isn’t at its full strength! You have a chance to defeat him!"

"Easy for you to—"

Constance gripped the Mind Gem again, but before she could get back to her feet, she was sent flying by a sweep of the Death Knight’s greatsword. Countless bones in her body shattered, and she lost consciousness before she even hit the ground.

"What in the world is that armor?!" The Shadow Spirit’s brow furrowed. She saw that the Death Knight had temporarily stopped its assault. It planted its greatsword on the ground, and a pale blue light began to glow in its free hand.

"Stop him! He’s Casting!" Mazarino could no longer stand by and watch. He leaped up from the hillside, ripping his Magic Robe to shreds.

"Sorry about this, old friend!"

"Mazarino’s Arcane Echo!"