Nolan snorted irritably.
Most girls would say his eyes were bright and striking, all right? This little brat simply had no taste.
Sigh. When this was over, he was definitely going to find Nepheli and soothe his wounded heart.
A woman warrior like her always knew how to say the right thing openly and generously. With a straightforward personality like that, being around her was an absolute mood boost.
Then he looked at Melina in front of him. She quickly turned her head aside and muttered, "Whatever happens, don't look at me like that."
Come on, just look at her. She was obviously shy. Did this little brat not even realize it herself?
Nolan felt he had already seen through everything. Under normal circumstances, he would have taken the chance to tease this innocent, adorable girl properly.
But the fighting was at its fiercest now. This was no time to fool around. He could only wave a hand helplessly and say, "All right, all right, you win. But this is a war. If you've got time to pay attention to me, you'd be better off watching the enemy."
The moment he finished speaking, he did not even wait for Melina's reply. He jerked the reins hard and sent Torrent racing along the winding mountain path.
The Dynasty Spirit Temple had been built against perilous mountains, in terrain so narrow and cramped that a large army simply could not advance in any normal formation. In the end, they could only squeeze upward in a crooked, snaking column.
Nolan rode at the very front and took command personally. Given his status, he should have been stationed at the rear, directing the flow of battle and the pace of the assault from afar.
But if he wanted to see Mohg sooner, there was no better way.
Besides, this so-called army of Those Who Live in Death was actually fairly limited in real combat strength.
Anyone truly powerful would never have been captured in the first place. Even if a few exceptional individuals had fallen into the hands of the Dynasty of Blood, they would not have died in that bizarre ritual and been buried underground.
Nolan calmly looked into the distance, watching the charging knights and the hideous Omen as his thoughts raced.
He had absolute confidence in dealing with Mohg. And with Melina now possessing strength close to the Demigod level, there was little need to worry about any unforeseen danger.
On top of the power of the Lord's Soul, he had more than enough Sacred Tears in reserve, so there was no concern about running dry. Since that was the case, there was no reason to hold anything back. He could fight with everything he had.
As that thought passed through his mind, a sharp thunder of hooves suddenly tore through the air. A cavalry squad burst out of the dense blood mist.
They moved quickly and with a clear target, charging straight toward Nolan.
The mist was so thick it seemed capable of swallowing everything, with shadows flickering faintly inside it.
But after a single glance, Nolan turned his attention back to the girl at his side.
Their eyes met. His voice was warm, low, and magnetic as he asked softly, "Melina, the real opponent is here. Are you ready?"
Not the slightest trace of tension showed on her beautiful face. Her red lips parted, and her voice was as calm as ever. "I've been ready."
With that, she lightly pressed her horse forward and rode shoulder to shoulder with Nolan.
Together, leading an icy legion and a band of fervent Graceless Ones, they advanced onto a road forged in blood.
This underground world was dark and damp, with so little light that it was almost impossible to see clearly.
And yet, atop the distant mountain peak, a magnificent palace stood like a brilliant beacon, drawing every eye.
It was not only the holy land of the bloodborn, but also the dwelling place of the Omen Lord. More than that, it was a marker on the road ahead, pointing the way for another Lord.
The Lord was handsome, the maiden graceful. Mounted on warhorses, the two rode forward beneath the gaze of the crowd, their presence burning with a heat far beyond that of ordinary people.
"So this is that Lord?" White Mask Varré thought to himself from not far away.
Following the crowd's gaze, his eyes instantly locked onto that figure in the darkness, radiant as a lamp.
As a high-ranking member of the Pureblood Knights, he naturally knew the intelligence on his lord's great enemy. And that silver-clad Lord was dazzling beyond words.
"Could it be that His Highness Miquella never took a liking to Lord Mohg because of his appearance?" Varré paused in mild surprise.
After all, when it came to strength, the monarch of their dynasty was by no means weak among the Demigods.
If one had to name a flaw, it could probably only be his less-than-impressive looks.
"Come with me!"
Varré swung his hammer-spear, gorgeous as a bouquet of roses, and drove his heels into his mount as he charged the pair ahead.
"So that's Varré. Charging in just like this. Beneath that elegant, rational exterior, he's completely mad."
Nolan gripped the Dark Moon Greatsword and held it at his side, ready to meet the attack. The stance was full of openings, but it was more than enough.
Torrent, sharing his master's will, seemed to sense his battle intent as well. Wind gathered under his four hooves as he surged forward even faster.
This was the greeting Nolan offered.
Death to the enemy.
"And there's another one. Ansbach?"
Nolan narrowed his eyes and studied the dark figure drawing closer in the distance.
There were plenty of knights in black robes, but an old man wielding a great scythe was unmistakable.
"Lord Nolan, it has been a long time. I trust you have been well."
Even in the middle of a fight to the death, Ansbach still carried the respect born of knightly virtue, offering a sincere greeting in a courteous, steady voice.
He tightened his grip on the great scythe, while Varré swung his hammer-spear without the slightest hesitation. Advancing side by side, the two of them smashed forward with all their might.
The force contained in that strike instantly kicked up a violent blast of air that surged outward in every direction.
Faced with such a fierce assault, Nolan simply raised his greatsword and let the impact crash against the blade. He himself did not budge an inch.
At that very moment, more than twenty knights in white robes and black armor, along with over a dozen priests and nobles, caught up from behind.
But only five of them stayed, moving cautiously around the edges and watching the battle closely.
The rest did not spare a second glance for the clash between the three men. They rushed straight toward Melina in the distance.
"Varré is probably second-rate. Ansbach is a little stronger than Leda, but weaker than Finlay."
After that direct exchange, Nolan had already judged the general level of the two opponents before him.
He had learned everything about the battle at the Haligtree from Lansseax. Outside the Lord's battlefield, it had been this old man and Leda keeping each other pinned down.
If their evenly matched struggle had not left both of them unable to intervene, the outcome of that battle would have been completely different.