Chapter 744: Grinding EXP Like Crazy

After Barbarossa disappears, its remains slowly turn translucent and vanish as well.

The Lady of Calamity and her companions notice none of this. They are gathered at the foot of the gradually forming idol.

Henwell has no interest in approaching it. After searching the area, he finds his pack.

He takes out the medical supplies and begins bandaging his wounds.

The idol forms slowly. Half an hour passes, and even after Henwell finishes treating his injuries, it has only reached the neck.

Then Henwell notices movement near the Lady of Calamity.

Steve steps forward and takes his place on the opposite side of the idol from her.

Barely perceptible threads of light connect the two of them, and the idol slowly begins forming a head.

After a while, Henwell frowns at the faceless statue.

This is not what he expected. It does not bear the Lady of Calamity's face.

After a moment's thought, Henwell begins to understand her intention.

As the idol continues to form, Steve and the Lady of Calamity stand motionless with their eyes closed. Blood begins seeping from their mouths and noses.

Henwell is about to step forward and check on them when he abruptly turns toward the field of bones.

The bones there begin to move, slowly floating into the air and rotating.

The mass of bones eventually forms a disturbing pattern more than thirty meters across.

Before Henwell can examine it closely, the suspended pattern slams into the ground.

Eerie blue light erupts, and all of Fendicasa trembles.

Then a torrent of shapes shoots out of the formation.

Henwell realizes they are monsters of every shape and size.

There are orcs covered in bone spikes, elves with bestial bodies, dwarves fused with bizarre creatures, and many more.

All manner of twisted creatures pour from the spell formation. The instant they rise, they charge toward the idol.

Alex drops from above and crashes into the horde, bringing both warhammers down on the ground.

Every monster within dozens of meters is blasted to pieces.

Henwell arches an eyebrow as Alex swings her warhammers and tears through the horde.

So this is Alex's task: hold back the horde.

The Anti-Magic Formation has been weakening ever since the idol began to take shape.

It still remains, but with Secondary Law Defense Skin reducing its effect, it now suppresses Henwell by only ten or twenty percent.

The Gene Lock's powerful regeneration is already closing many of Henwell's external wounds.

Although he is capable of fighting, he clearly has no intention of joining in.

Still pretending to be at death's door, he struggles over to the edge of the idol grounds.

His job is done. Now he can finally sit back and watch.

As he observes Alex fighting, Henwell has to admit that she is the strongest Iron Knight he has ever seen.

It probably will not be long before Alex enters the Glory Rank as well.

Henwell glances at Steve beneath the idol and sighs.

It seems his plan to kill the assassin couple here will come to nothing.

It is not that he cannot defeat them. Judging by the situation, the Lady of Calamity will remain occupied for some time.

By the time she finishes, at least half of Henwell's injuries should have healed.

Forget the assassin couple. Henwell is confident that he could kill all three of them, including the Lady of Calamity.

Killing them would be easy. Dealing with the consequences would not.

Henwell is about to enter the Glory Rank and come into contact with the high-ranking professionals lying low across the continent, especially the Lady of Calamity's teacher.

That man is an old schemer.

Henwell has never met him, but he is certain the man will be extremely difficult to handle.

The man's strength is not Henwell's only concern. He also knows how to manipulate people.

To avoid inviting even more trouble, Henwell can only cast a regretful glance at Steve and Alex.

Half an hour later, the Lady of Calamity opens her eyes. "Henwell, if you have any strength left, go help Alex."

"We still need more time. Until we're finished, those Abyss-corrupted creatures cannot be allowed into the temple grounds!"

Henwell rolls his eyes. "I'm dying! I can't move!"

The Lady of Calamity does not press him. She simply closes her eyes again.

Another half hour passes, and a mountain of corpses has accumulated around Alex.

The Abyss-corrupted creatures seem able to move only in a straight line, mindlessly charging toward a single point.

More than an hour of intense combat is beginning to wear on Alex.

Even so, she does not ask Henwell for help. She grits her teeth and continues fighting.

The Abyss-corrupted creatures vary in strength. Most are at the Knight Rank, with a smaller number at the Battle Knight Rank mixed among them.

Every so often, a Grand Knight-level elite appears. Iron Rank corrupted creatures emerge as well, but they are exceedingly rare.

Only two have appeared so far.

Once the Abyss-corrupted creatures enter the idol's light, both their physical strength and speed noticeably decline.

The closer they get to the idol, the more severe the weakening becomes.

That weakening is what allows Alex to hold the line.

After watching for a while longer, however, Henwell finally decides to join the battle.

Something in the horde catches his eye.

When Henwell spots a towering, horned monster carrying an executioner's greatsword and wreathed in dark green flames, a smile tugs at his lips.

Isn't that an EXP pack... no, an Abyssal Berserker Demon?

Killing one will give the power of both locks an extra boost. Henwell can no longer sit still.

Henwell picks up his swords and shouts, "Leave these Abyssal demons to me!"

He leaps more than a hundred meters and crashes into the horde of Abyssal creatures. As his blades scrape together, bloodred flames ignite along them.

He opens with Blade Frenzy, clearing every enemy within a dozen meters.

After killing dozens of Abyssal creatures, Henwell feels the power inside him grow and immediately breaks into a delighted grin.

With both swords blazing, he charges into the mass of Abyssal creatures, ready to make them share in his delight.

Alex does not understand why Henwell has joined the fight, but she finally breathes a sigh of relief.

Henwell focuses on hunting the Abyssal EXP packs and largely ignores the Abyss-corrupted creatures, yet his presence still relieves much of the pressure on Alex.

She may not want to admit it, but she knows that Henwell's combat power far exceeds her own.

Henwell also kills much more efficiently than she does. Barely ten minutes pass.

The Bone Teleportation Formation can no longer deliver Abyssal creatures as quickly as Henwell slaughters them.

Growing more excited with every kill, Henwell eventually plants himself beside the Bone Teleportation Formation and cuts the monsters down the instant they emerge.

Before long, the Bone Teleportation Formation stops producing new Abyssal demons altogether.

That will not do at all.

Henwell intends to grind as much EXP as he can while the opportunity lasts.

After all, killing a single Abyssal creature strengthens him more than killing ten humans at the same level.

Henwell leans over the Bone Teleportation Formation, trying to determine why it has stopped sending demons through.

Without warning, a pair of enormous claws reaches out of the spell formation and drags him inside.