Katherine herself charged at the Silver Knight, first immobilizing him with her spiritual pressure before passing through his body and shredding him and his warhorse into pieces of flesh.
This one moment of delay had allowed Greem to approach the city. He let out a furious warcry and pointed with his finger. A massive cloud of fire appeared above the heads of the holy knights and pressed down upon them.
Naturally, a long-ranged attack like that could not possibly hit Katherine. She simply accelerated and charged out of the cloud before heading straight into the city. The flames devoured the knights that had been scattered by the metal blades after a single cry.
A short moment later, only indistinguishable carbonized ash remained on the spot. Greem had already ravaged through the battlefield on the stone serpent, continuing his chase after Katherine.
The gate of Hakans might be tall, but it was still too small for this enhanced stone serpent.
The stone serpent’s giant body and tail swept against the city walls, causing dust to scatter everywhere and pieces of rock to collapse from the structure.
Seeing that the serpent was ill-suited for battle in the city, Greem unsummoned it and rushed into the city with the elementium magical machine.
A dozen wind spirits floated in the sky, acting as Greem’s ears and eyes while helping him track down the Blade Princess Katherine while cautiously watching for changes within the city.
If the lack of Third Grade natives he had encountered in the battles before this had been due to the enemy’s slow information system and rigid means of transmitting orders, then the chances of him running into one now would be much greater. After all, he had now broken into their city.
Greem might be confident in his power, but even he didn’t dare become surrounded by multiple Third Grade natives.
As such, Greem pursued Katherine tightly and charged into the massive city of Hakans, both nervous and expectant of the Third Grade natives.
Chapter 950 - Gold Knight
Greem didn’t have to wait long. The high-grade knights finally appeared.
Hakans was the largest city in north Zambez.
Even with his arrogance and hypercritical standards, Greem had no choice but to admit that this was a beautiful and prosperous human city.
The towering walls surrounded the city, while the wide and flat stone roads mapped out stretches of winding streets. Hakans had an excellent drainage system that kept the streets dry and clean, without any of the griminess typically seen in other cities.
There was the lively commercial area, the congested warehouse area, the elegant and grandiose noble area, as well as the Chapel of the Holy Light standing tall in the center of the city.
The architectural style of the Zambez Empire leaned toward soft and rounded features of gentle beauty. Looking down from above through the view of the wind spirits, Greem could see that every single building appeared to be so massive and beautiful. The roofs of the buildings were always round domes.
The most eye-catching landmark of the city had to be the massive chapel sitting in the center of the city. It was a strange religious building in its own right that almost every Zambez city would construct.
The Holy Light Chapel was the central area of activity for the holy knights. They did their daily training there, along with their chivalry lessons and holy light assimilations. However, the main function of the chapel was as a cemetery for holy knights that died in the line of battle.
A massive crypt lay beneath the chapel, used for the express purpose of storing the bodies of dead holy knights. The chapel would open its gates at the same time every week, allowing the believers to enter to pray and sing the praises of the Holy Light, as well as the warriors that had sacrificed themselves for the Empire’s sacred cause.
As members of the Zambez Empire, the holy knights that were trained in the Chapels often became important pillars of strength that ensured regional stability across the nation. Ordinary imperial soldiers were only the foundational force used to maintain order amongst the common folk. The holy knights that admired the Holy Light and kept to their beliefs were the real powerhouses of Henvic Plane.
That was why the first mission Greem assigned to the wind spirits upon entering Hakans was to monitor the activity of the holy knights within the city.
One had to admit that the holy knights were indeed terrifying individuals who had undergone strict training and possessed incredible discipline and combat power.
The gates of the Holy Light Chapel rumbled and swung open moments after the adepts entered the city. A group of holy knights in exquisite knight armor charged out from within. They rode on muscular and sturdy warhorses whose hooves stomped against the ground like thunder as they rushed toward the enemy like a whirlwind.
The tall knight at the forefront wore a fine suit of silver armor. His helmet covered his entire head and face, and only a pair of calm, composed, and determined eyes could be seen through the cross-shaped opening on the faceguard. The warhorse beneath him was particularly tall and strong. It almost sounded as if thunder were striking and tigers were roaring when it sprinted across the city.
Naturally, Greem didn’t judge the enemy on their size or atmosphere, but by scanning their energy aura. The holy knights were not like the adepts. They had no idea how to distort or conceal their aura. Thus, this method of obtaining data was the most reliable and direct way of doing so.
With the help of the wind spirits’ vision, Greem chanted a few words, and the holy knights storming down the streets immediately turned into red light spots of various intensities.
There were a total of three hundred and four points of light.
Most of the points were light red. Judging from the intensity of the energy, these two hundred and eighty-two knights were at First Grade. Apart from that, there were also twenty-one spots of light that glowed with a deeper red. It was evident that these were Second Grade Silver Knights. Meanwhile, the knight in silver armor at the very front was shining with blinding red light, making for a fearsome sight to behold.
Greem narrowed his eyes as a vicious expression appeared on his face.
Third Grade. He’d finally run into a Third Grade of Henvic Plane!
Much like how imperial armies often looked down upon militias and local armies, Greem, who came from the World of Adepts, looked down upon this man of the same grade who came from a low-magic plane.
Holy knight? No more than a group of warriors trained in both the mystic and martial arts!
Weaker than the body-refining adepts when it came to physical force, and inferior to the elementium adepts when it came to the mastery of elementium magic. They had only barely made it to the higher ranks due to the blessing of the mysterious Holy Light. How could they ever possibly hope to compare to a proper adept like himself!?
Fully confident and disdainful of the knights, Greem did not choose to avoid their charge. Instead, he rushed toward them.
Meanwhile, Blade Princess Katherine had oddly vanished without a trace after charging into Hakans.
The complexity of life auras in the city and the geography itself provided her with far too many places to hide. Even Greem had no ability to continue pursuing her.
Thunder rumbled along the streets as horse hooves smashed against the earth.
The formerly peaceful and quiet street broke out into panic as the terrified civilians scattered and hid within their shops and houses. When Greem and the elementium magical machine arrived at the broad avenue leading straight to the Chapel of Holy Light, the roaring legion of holy knights had also just appeared at the other end of the street.
“In the name of the Holy Light! Knights, charge!”
“Charge!”
Deafening warcries and roars reached the skies as the holy knights charged forward in formation. They raised their double-edged longsword and yelled out short holy prayers.
“Valor!”
“Resilience!”
“Glory!”
“Bles
sing!”
“……”
As the short prayers filled the air, beams of blinding holy light started to gather upon their bodies. Layer after layer, layer upon layer, the prayers stacked atop each other and merged. It made every knight radiate with such majesty and holiness that it was hard to look straight at them.
Greem couldn’t help but frown as he watched with a cold eye.
He wouldn’t have been worried if it was only an illusory light effect. However, the Chip’s scans and analysis revealed that the holy light around the knights contained high magical energy.
Valor gave them protection over their souls.
Resilience provided them with intermediate magical resistance.
Glory increased all of their attributes: Strength, Physique, Agility, and Spirit.
Blessing even shielded the holy knights from certain mortal strikes.
……
The mundane First Grade Iron Knights were nothing in Greem’s eyes. However, with the layers of holy blessings piled upon them, their power rose exponentially, so much so that Greem couldn’t help but brood in silence.
Meanwhile, the Second Grade Silver Knights had been enhanced to a level where they were a threat to Greem.
However, that wasn’t the end of it!
Apart from their single-target holy blessings, the holy knights were also capable of fearsome group blessings.
The leading Third Grade Gold Knight shouted as he raised his longsword above his head. A milky white sacred halo appeared beneath his feet and instantly provided all the holy knights with a brilliant Aegis of Light.
Divine Protection!
A Third Grade holy knight ability!
It provided all holy knights within sixty meters of the scared halo with an Aegis of Light with a defensive power of four hundred points.
Apart from that, the Third Grade Gold Knight was also chanting even more holy prayers as he charged forward. Almost every combat technique he was unleashing was a group blessing.
Holy Strike, an increase to Physique and critical hit chance!
Holy Shock, a boost to Strength and physical damage!
Dawn’s Light, a reduction to elemental damage!
……
In all honesty, when the hundreds of holy knights applied their various divine protections to themselves and their allies, the glorious light that pierced the heavens was so bright it could blind the enemy before them.
These holy knights had been no more than weak sheep in Greem’s eyes when they first started charging. However, now halfway across the street, they had transformed into ferocious tigers armed to the teeth.
Greem’s expression finally couldn’t help but change!
That was because, at this moment, the berserk aura that the Third Grade Gold Knight gave off had far surpassed his own.
Name: Unknown
Gender: Male
Profession: Gold Knight
Bodily attributes: Strength 34 | Agility 16 | Physique 35 Spirit 28
Greem felt his head swell when he saw the attributes being fed back from the Chip.
Two of the Third Grade’s attributes had exceeded thirty points after receiving the myriad of holy blessings. Greem’s surprise was immense.
It was important to note that even a proper elementium adept like Greem, who came from a higher plane, only had one attribute that exceeded thirty points. Moreover, this was his attribute after transforming into the Flame Fiend of Terror. His usual attributes were only weaker than the Gold Knight.
Dammit! I can’t fight this fellow head on!
The thought had just appeared in Greem’s mind, and he immediately slowed down in his path. The elementium magical machine charging alongside him rushed forward. Even more terrifying magical energy surged out of the gaps in its metal body.
The magical machine roared as both parties drew to a close. It launched a rapid charge under the propulsion of powerful magic energy, and its blinding red metal fist smashed down upon the Gold Knight, howling with violent winds.
The opponent let out a battlecry. His entire body was encased in blinding holy light as he raised his longsword and bucked his horse, slashing wickedly at the magical machine’s fist.
Dong!
A deafening blast rang out as an energy shockwave spread from the point of impact, engulfing all living creatures in the street and around it.
The elementium magical machine’s body sunk down as its two giant metal legs were hammered into the stone road. The sound of splashing blood rang out from beneath the Gold Knight’s armor as he and his horse slid backward from the impact.
The tough hooves left sparks in the air as they rubbed against the ground, leaving four clear ditch marks in the road.
Chapter 951 - City Battlefield
It was obvious that the first exchange of blows between the elementium magical machine and the Gold Knight had ended in a stalemate!
However, unlike the holy knight, the elementium magical machine wasn’t backed by an army of subordinates.
While the machine was struggling to extract its legs from the ground, the holy knights had already surrounded it. They were slashing rapidly against its metal body with their longswords, causing sparks and energy to spill everywhere.
Meanwhile, the Gold Knight readjusted himself within seven seconds. The few Second Grade Silver Knights that gathered around him pressed their longswords against their heads and chanted some incantations. Beams of Holy Recovery and Light’s Illumination were cast upon the Gold Knight.
The beams of holy light instantly negated the small bit of damage that he had sustained, and the Gold Knight completely recovered.
Even more holy knights wrapped around the elementium magical machine and lunged at Greem as they shouted the name of the Holy Knight.
Goddammit! As expected of the peak fighting force that rules over the Henvic Plane! They have their moments of brilliance!
Greem coldly assessed their abilities as he grunted and started his own transformation.
Vicious and violent magical flames surged out of his orifices, instantly engulfing him and turning him into a terrifying flame humanoid. His originally two-meter-tall body started to swell like a balloon. The stone path beneath his feet rapidly softened and melted from the intense heat of the flames, turning into red lava that flowed upward along Greem’s thick legs.
In the blink of an eye, Greem had turned into a six-meter-tall Flame Fiend of Terror wrapped in dark-red magma. Crimson lava surged within his body, along with fires of extreme temperatures.
Greem was a giant after his transformation. The shops and buildings beside him only reached up to his shoulder, while the holy knights could only barely reach his waist.
A massive Burning Domain extended outward and enveloped most of the street and the buildings at his sides.
Fearsome fires ignited without a single sound!
The ordinary people hiding in the houses nearby did not even have the time to scream. They were instantly turned into human torches and collapsed into piles of ashes. The wooden homes and everything within them burned, transforming the entire street into a sea of fire.
The holy knights were wrapped by fires that had abruptly kindled on them before they could even get close to Greem. A brilliant Aegis of Light emerged from their bodies and kept the magical flames away from them, but there was no stopping the raging sea of fire from crackling and burning away at the shield.
Still, the courageous holy knights remained unfazed by this scene of terror. They bravely charged the Flame Fiend and slashed at its magma legs with their longswords coated in holy power.
The retaliatory fire damage from the magma caused the Aegis of Light to tremble with every slash. Lava flowed out of the cracks in the magma, adding yet another constant source of damage against the sacred blessing protecting them.
It was difficult for Greem to bend down and fight these tin cans with his transformed size. As such, he stomped his feet and waved his hands, summoning pillars of blazing flames fr
om the ground around him.
The First Grade Iron Knights could not endure such powerful fire magic regardless of how many holy blessings they had been empowered with. When the flame pillars engulfed them, they were blown into the air along with their warhorses. By the time they landed, they would have become a pile of black ashes and smoldering bones.
“A contest of numbers is it? Haha, I’ll let you see what I can do!”
Greem laughed arrogantly and summoned a massive Flamegate while under the attack of two dozen holy knights. A short moment later, intense flames spewed forth from the Flamegate as strange creatures formed purely of elementium flames charged out from within in all shapes and sizes.
“Go, citizens of fire, turn this place into a sea of flames!”
Under Greem’s summoning and manipulation, a massive horde of fire creatures broke into the Henvic Plane, charged down the street, and clashed with the charging holy knights. A portion of them had their own wills and intentions. They left the battlefield and swarmed toward the surrounding streets and alleys.
As pure fire creatures, the greatest joy in their life was turning everything in the world into their personal playground. Even without intent, flames rose as fires spread where they went. Surging flames quickly devoured the city buildings outside of the battlefield.
Of the four basic elemental creatures, the earth elementals were known for their sturdy defenses and ferocious attacks, the wind elementals for their agile movements and vicious assaults, and the water elementals for their gentle flexibility and permeating ability. Meanwhile, the fire elementals were known for their pure destructive ability.
When such a horde of fire elementium creatures invaded a city, it was practically a declaration of that city’s death sentence!
Of course, struggling was a necessary process before anything truly approached death.
The holy knights formed two distinct groups, surrounding the elementium magical machine and the transformed Greem as they fought with all they had.
The elementium magical machine, now Greem’s strongest helper, had finally sustained visible damage beneath the repeated attacks of the holy knights. It was the first time it had sustained such severe damage since its activation. However, it had also kept the Gold Knight occupied and incapable of approaching Greem.
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