Chapter 11: Arcane Knight Adelaide
The battlefield erupted into chaos.
Broken buildings crumbled beneath relentless explosions as steel clashed against steel. Flames, lightning, and waves of dark energy illuminated the crimson sky.
Shen burst forward like a storm.
A powerful vortex spiraled around his body, pulling nearby Arcane Knights into its crushing current.
"Tornado Slash!"
The whirlwind exploded outward.
Several Arcane Knights were launched into the air before being shredded by countless razor-sharp blades of wind.
BOOM!
Fragments of black armor scattered across the battlefield.
But Shen didn't celebrate.
His glowing blue irises reflected something far more dangerous than the enemies surrounding him.
A power he could barely control.
He tightened his grip on his sword.
"Stay under control..."
His voice was barely a whisper.
"If I lose myself..."
Blue energy surged violently around his body.
"...no human leaves this battlefield alive."
He forced the energy back down, breathing steadily until the glow around his eyes stabilized.
Not far away—
Kenya smiled as crimson flames engulfed her arms.
"Let's turn up the heat!"
She slammed both palms into the ground.
"Fire Demon—Inferno Bloom!"
A sea of scarlet fire erupted across the battlefield.
Arcane Knights disappeared beneath the blazing inferno, their armor melting before turning into ash.
Kenya brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"Too easy."
Across the ruined street, Ruke lazily stretched his shoulders.
Lightning danced around his fingertips.
"Guess it's my turn."
Without even looking directly at his targets, he snapped his fingers.
CRACK!
Bolts of lightning rained from above.
One...
Two...
Five Arcane Knights collapsed instantly.
Ruke examined his fingernails.
"Hm."
He shrugged.
"Amateur hour."
Kenya rolled her eyes.
"You practiced that line, didn't you?"
"...Maybe."
Meanwhile, Eliz sprinted between collapsing buildings.
A glowing magic circle formed beneath her feet.
"Devil Ring!"
Several spinning rings of enchanted energy shot toward an approaching Arcane Knight.
The enemy twisted away at the last moment.
The attack barely missed.
Eliz clicked her tongue.
"Damn..."
"Off by an inch."
The Arcane Knight lunged.
Before its blade could strike—
CLANG!
Shen intercepted the attack effortlessly.
Their swords locked.
The Arcane Knight poured enormous strength into its strike.
Shen didn't move an inch.
"You call this a fight?"
With a single twist of his wrist—
CRACK!
The knight's sword shattered.
A swift slash followed.
The enemy dissolved into black mist.
Behind them, the Commander wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
His injuries still slowed him, but the emblem pinned to his uniform suddenly began to glow with brilliant golden light.
Energy surged through his body.
His aura exploded across the battlefield.
"So..."
A smile appeared on his face.
"Now we're talking."
His sword became a streak of golden light.
Every swing felled another elite Arcane Knight.
The veterans watching from a distance could hardly believe their eyes.
"The Commander..."
"He's fighting like he's in his prime."
Then—
The smile vanished from his face.
Far beyond the battlefield...
Nestled among shattered stone stood a massive object wrapped in layers of crimson energy.
It resembled an enormous egg.
Dark veins pulsed across its shell.
Every heartbeat sent waves of pressure rolling through the battlefield.
The Commander's breathing stopped.
"No..."
His sword lowered.
His hands trembled.
"That's impossible..."
Even the Arcane Knights instinctively avoided approaching it.
The Commander took one slow step forward.
"The General's Egg..."
"...Why is it here?"
A chill spread through everyone nearby.
Even Shen felt it.
He turned toward the strange object for only a second—
—and paid for it immediately.
CLANG!
A powerful strike forced him backward.
He slid several meters before regaining his footing.
Standing before him was a lone Arcane Knight.
Unlike the others, this one wore elegant silver-black armor etched with crimson markings.
A long crimson blade rested calmly in one hand.
Most surprising of all—
She smiled.
Shen blinked.
"You're different."
The knight inclined her head.
"I suppose you could say that."
Shen pointed his sword toward her.
"Got a name?"
"Adelaide."
His eyebrows shot upward.
"You can talk?"
Adelaide tilted her head.
"We always could."
A faint smile appeared beneath her helmet.
"You humans simply never lived long enough to notice."
Shen laughed.
"Fair point."
Blue energy crackled around his blade.
"I'm Shen."
He settled into a fighting stance.
"Let's see what you've got."
Adelaide answered by raising her sword.
Crimson energy wrapped around its edge.
Without warning—
She vanished.
CLANG!
Their swords collided in midair.
A violent shockwave blasted away dust and rubble.
Both warriors landed several meters apart.
Adelaide attacked again.
Her speed exceeded every Arcane Knight Shen had fought before.
Slash!
Slash!
Slash!
Shen dodged each strike by the narrowest margin.
"You're fast."
Adelaide remained expressionless.
"So are you."
The exchange continued.
Steel rang endlessly through the battlefield.
Neither side gained an advantage.
Finally, Shen smiled.
"I figured it out."
Adelaide stopped.
"Oh?"
"You've got incredible power."
He pointed toward her sword.
"But your technique is sloppy."
She narrowed her eyes.
"You rely too much on strength."
Silence.
Then—
Adelaide smiled for the first time.
"Interesting."
Dark crimson energy erupted from her body.
The ground cracked beneath her feet.
The sky dimmed.
Every Arcane Knight immediately retreated.
Even the Commander turned toward the duel.
Shen's smile slowly faded.
"...That can't be good."
Adelaide slowly lifted her blade.
"You wished to see my true strength."
The crimson aura condensed into a blinding pillar of light.
"Then witness it."
The battlefield disappeared beneath an overwhelming flash.
Shen instinctively raised his sword to shield his eyes.
"What the—?!"
The light swallowed everything.
To be continued...