Under the merciless battering of turbulent air surging like a raging tide, Nolan allowed himself a single second of clear thought.
Then he pulled off his heavy helmet and straightened his back in one sharp motion.
The battlefield where the Haligtree stood was just ahead. There was no way he would stay here as a spectator, standing idly by.
If that was the case, then forward it was.
With almost no hesitation, Nolan strode straight into the howling wind and the fleeting bursts of blinding sparks.
Each step landed with explosive force, stamping deep impressions into the solid stone pavement beneath his feet.
If someone had looked down from above at that moment, they would have seen several steel-clad knights charging headlong into one another.
Their dense, oppressive footfalls merged into a single sound, like low thunder rolling endlessly through the space.
Through the narrow slits of their heavy helmets, their eyes showed nothing but icy, unrestrained killing intent, devoid of any other emotion.
On this brutal, blood-soaked battlefield, hearts were already filled to the brim with the heat of combat, leaving no room for stray thoughts.
This was a pure confrontation. The only things one could rely on were courage, and the spear and shield in one's hands.
And yet, amid this street, there was an outlier named Sellen.
Despite the deafening chaos around her, the Witch remained unnervingly calm.
Through the limited view allowed by her hood, Sellen clearly saw the Godrick knight in heavy armor raise his gleaming spear.
What would happen next was obvious without a second thought.
The greatshield would block the longsword, the spear would drive into the apprentice's chest, blood would spray everywhere, staining the stone road red.
With both sides sprinting at full speed, a hundred meters vanished in less than a second. Yet Sellen lifted her hand, her expression unruffled.
Just follow the apprentice. No need to think too much.
Her pale, delicate hand clenched tightly, the knuckles paling from the force.
She raised the staff glowing in her grasp. A flash of brilliant light erupted, and the intricate Carian Crest bloomed into view.
A mass of descending magic formed high overhead and detonated in an instant.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
Countless pearl-sized magic crystal spheres poured down like a violent rainstorm, surging toward the two knights ahead in an overwhelming tide.
They were ready, snapping their greatshields up at once.
A rapid series of sharp impacts rang out, like raindrops hammering against lotus leaves.
The magic crystals smashed into the shields, bursting into showers of dazzling sparks and dust.
The attack looked ferocious, but against heavily armored knights behind solid shields, it caused no real damage.
But the instant they were struck, instinct made them reveal openings, and Nolan drove himself straight between the two.
Thud!!!
A rapid chain of metal clashing echoed across the battlefield as blood sprayed and bodies were thrown into the air.
Nolan had no time to look around. He only felt a slight numbness in his wrist as his blade rang out sharply.
The greatsword had cleaved through an enemy's body before carrying through and slamming into a shield.
The tremendous force sent the shield-bearing Banished Knight staggering back several steps before he barely managed to steady himself.
Nolan twisted his waist smoothly, and as he passed the retreating knight, he swept his blade in a horizontal arc.
Sacred Blade!
Clang!!
Brilliant holy sword energy crashed down like a bolt of lightning, striking the spear squarely at its midpoint.
Golden light crashed head-on into the raging storm. The tremendous force of the impact sent the lance spinning away, flung several meters through the air.
Its wielder was thrown into a miserable roll across the ground. The deep crimson cloak on his back was torn to shreds by the collision, scattering across the stone like withered petals.
But the Banished Knight was no Cuckoo. Skidding several meters along the ground, he saw the handsome knight closing in and slammed his right foot down hard.
A violent storm erupted at once.
Storm Stomp!
A razor-sharp whirlwind forced Nolan's blade slightly off course. Fortunately, he wasn't fighting alone. A magic glint shot out from the side, streaking straight toward the knight's back.
Bang!!
Caught completely off guard, the knight cried out in pain.
Armor and body were shoved violently forward, and the storm vanished in an instant without a trace.
Nolan stepped into the knight's path, gripping his Claymore with both hands and raising it high as he roared,
"Die!"
Shk!
The blade tore cleanly through the knight's body. At the same time, another Godrick knight rushed in with his war spear raised.
Before he could even thrust, a winged spear struck him squarely and sent him flying.
A Cleanrot Knight rushed past. When he caught sight of Nolan, he froze for a split second. There was no time to say anything, only stunned disbelief.
How did this kid get this strong?
Nolan broke into a sprint. Arl had already surged ahead, while the sound of pursuing footsteps closed in rapidly from behind.
He didn't even bother to look back. Lowering his head, he tightened his grip on the sword hilt and spun sharply, swinging in a wide arc.
Carian Slicer!
The blade expanded severalfold in an instant, carving a deep blue arc across the night sky.
Boom!
A Godrick knight failed to evade in time and slammed heavily into the ground beside Nolan, rolling in a heap.
The knight reacted quickly, bracing himself with his shield and struggling to rise.
But in the next instant, the young man five or six meters away vanished.
When he reappeared, he was already right in front of him.
Bloodhound's Step.
Before the knight could regain his footing, Nolan's Carian Greatsword shifted once more, transforming into a massive azure blade.
Carian Piercer!
The motion was slightly slower than the Swiftblade before it, but the magic packed into the strike was far greater.
A shrill crash rang out as showers of brilliant sparks exploded across the Greatshield.
The razor-sharp tip punched straight through the gap at the neck of the armor.
With a powerful swing, Nolan severed the head in one clean motion. It hit the ground and rolled away, soaked in blood.
The headless body swayed a few times, then collapsed with a heavy thud, utterly still.
The disturbance rippled outward like an invisible thread of killing intent, tugging at the instincts of nearby enemies.
Those golden eyes that had locked onto him earlier shifted away as a Cleanrot Knight was sent flying past his side.
The enraged Lord halted abruptly and raised his hand. The golden Greataxe swept forward like a crescent tearing through the night.
A golden arc lingered in the air, the sheer weight of the blow leaving arms numb on impact.
So this is a Demigod.
Only by facing that strike head-on could one truly feel the terrifying power behind it.
The speed was overwhelming, the force crushing, enough to make one's breath catch instinctively.