Rumble!
Any ordinary knight would have been knocked flying by the barbarians' powerful attacks, but the Black Knights instead thrust their shoulders forward to clash head-on.
"Graaah!"
The barbarians bellowed their battle cries and pushed with all their might, but with three Black Knights swarming each one, they weren't pushed back even in terms of raw strength.
At that moment, another Black Knight charged from behind and swung a sword infused with an Aura Blade.
Slash!
The blood-crimson Aura Blade severed the barbarian's arm clean off.
"Ouch!"
The barbarian whose arm had been cut off roared like an enraged beast but quickly regained his balance.
He clamped the severed arm in his mouth and swung his remaining arm wildly at the Black Knights.
The Aura Blades of the Black Knights, condensed with demonic energy, tore through even the barbarians' sturdy flesh with ease.
Slash!
As wounds from the blades multiplied across the barbarians' bodies, blood began to flow from what had seemed like an impenetrable wall of muscle.
"Really hurts!"
Boom!
Just then, one Black Knight tumbled from the earthen wall, limbs twisted, rolling across the ground.
At the same time, Zeke unleashed Sacred Radiance Technique toward the Black Knights attacking the barbarians.
Boom boom boom!
The Mace of Light hammered down fiercely on the Black Knights.
But unlike ordinary demonoids, the Black Knights' demonic energy did not dissipate even under the power of Sacred Radiance Technique.
'What the hell? Is it the power from the demon's token?'
When Sacred Radiance Technique failed to work, Zeke donned Agamemnonʼs Mask and summoned the Blade of Purification.
A golden aura spread from the blade of Roland.
The expanding golden aura enveloped the barbarians.
As the power of purification settled into their bodies, the black Aura Blades from the Black Knights lost their previous potency.
Zeke reapplied his healing and Infinite Stamina buffs, restoring strength to the wounded barbarians.
"Graaah! Doesn't hurt anymore!"
The barbarians roared and charged at the Black Knights.
They seemed much easier to handle now, pressing the foes back with their resilient bodies.
Zeke advanced slowly toward the Black Knights, Roland gripped in hand with the Blade of Purification.
But at that moment, something flew toward Zeke.
Whoosh!
A bullet from a Knight Killer far away targeted his forehead.
Clang!
The bullet couldn't pierce Hercion's helmet and crumpled, rolling to the ground.
Zeke instantly calculated the bullet's trajectory and direction, pinpointing the Knight Killer's position.
'Go take them out.'
Whenever he located the Knight Killers, he commanded the ghost troopers he had on standby, eliminating them immediately.
Dealing with them was essential to preventing more knight casualties on the battlefield.
Zeke scanned his surroundings once more, then advanced again with Roland at the ready toward the Black Knights.
The Black Knights instinctively recoiled and stepped back from the golden aura emanating from his body.
But then, black smoke began to seep from around the Black Knights.
Sizzle—
The black smoke, laden with potent demonic energy, blocked Zeke's golden aura and shielded the Black Knights.
Zeke directed Sacred Radiance Technique at the encroaching black smoke to burn it away.
Whoosh!
But the smoke scattered only to reform as before.
At that moment, something emerged from among the Black Knights.
'What is that...?'
It was a mage clad in black leather from head to toe, face completely obscured by a grotesque black mask.
The black-masked mage held a staff emitting black energy.
As the mage swung the staff, the black smoke seeped into the Black Knights.
At the same time, even stronger black Aura Blades surged from the Black Knights' swords.
The black-masked mage looked at Zeke and said,
"Target confirmed. Commence elimination."
Zeke realized the staff in the mage's hand was a token imbued with the power of the Harbinger of Blood and Madness.
'The power that corrupted the Hydra and Giant Mountains with demonic energy felt similar to this.'
While Zeke recalled that, the Black Knights charged at him on the mage's command.
And in that instant, the black smoke spread toward Zeke's position.
Rumble—
Zeke realized the black currents infused with demonic energy acted as a kind of barrier.
'It weakens enemies and strengthens the Black Knights.'
Zeke raised the Blade of Purification again, emitting a golden aura.
The approaching Black Knights recoiled instinctively from the purifying power.
He then directed the purification toward the spreading black smoke.
Hummm!
The black smoke touching the emitted aura disintegrated into ash.
The black-masked mage swung the staff once more.
As if tearing open a dimensional rift, the demon's staff endlessly produced smoke laden with demonic energy.
Zeke felt that the mage's presence with the staff made the threat several times greater than the Black Knights alone.
'If the Empire deploys hundreds or thousands of these to the battlefield...?' Most kingdoms on the continent would surrender in no time.
The smoke infused with demonic energy was as toxic to the barbarians as any poison.
Zeke ordered the barbarians to fall back and erected a massive wall of golden aura to prevent the smoke from reaching the west gate.
'Since meeting the Fairy King, the mask's power seems stronger.' The range over which he could wield purification had widened.
Fortunately, the black smoke couldn't breach the golden aura wall.
Zeke raised Roland, aiming at the black-masked mage, and said,
"You—I'll rip off that mask and find out who you are right now."
At Zeke's words, the mage moved the staff, and the Black Knights blocked his path, raising black Aura Blades.
In that instant, Zeke closed the distance with Illusion Step and leaped into the air.
He unleashed Dragonʼs Claw toward the Black Knights.
Crunch!
The invisible attack threw the Black Knights into disarray as they retreated.
Zeke seized the opening and swung his sword.
Hummm!
The Blade of Purification, glowing with golden aura, unleashed a barrage of strikes at the Black Knights.
Boom boom boom!
Following the golden aura, the Mace of Light rained down on them.
The black smoke disintegrated under the intense purifying power.
With the smoke gone, the Black Knights were directly exposed to the light magic.
The mage swung the staff to heal the struck Black Knights.
Infused with demonic energy, the Black Knights rose again, fully restored.
Zeke felt a pang of dismay at the rapid turn of events.
'Can they recover easily as long as there's demonic energy?'
Zeke, with his Healing Factor, knew all too well how terrifying such power was.
He sensed the need to change his approach.
He fell back and summoned Richmond and Bane, who had been holding off beasts on the outskirts.
Exhausted, they responded to Zeke's call.
"Huff huff... You called for us, Master?"
"Ugh, I should've frozen all those beasts solid—such a shame!"
Zeke said urgently to the arriving Richmond,
"Richmond, erect a horseshoe-shaped bone wall between me and them."
"Ugh, I've worked too hard and I'm out of energy..."
Zeke immediately absorbed corpses of beasts and monsters, then drew out Bahamut's power, converting and transferring it to Richmond and Bane.
Hummm!
Empowered by Zeke, Richmond and Bane quickly regained their vigor and responded eagerly.
"Thank you, Master!"
"What should I freeze first? Just give the order!"
On Zeke's command, Richmond formed a horseshoe-shaped bone wall encircling the Black Knights and mage, and Bane coated it with ice.
The barbarians marveled at the sudden barriers.
Recalling his battle with the Snow Queen, Zeke activated Defense Mode.
[Defense Zone confirmed.]
[Zone information updated.]
[Contaminated energy detected within the zone.]
[User's skill Sacred Radiance Technique and title Blessing of the Fairies linked to defend against contaminated energy.]
A halo of light coated the bone and ice walls, repelling the black smoke.
Trapped inside the horseshoe barrier, the Black Knights and mage couldn't escape.
Zeke applied Defense Mode not just for defense, but offensively as well.
Though it consumed a lot of mana, with monster and beast corpses everywhere, he could replenish his energy through absorption.
Like against the Snow Queen, Zeke deployed his Guardians atop the walls.
Rumble!
Horus, Idas, and Lynceus positioned themselves, attacking the Black Knights trying to breach the horseshoe wall outward.
Whoosh!
Idas and Lynceus fired arrows of light at the Black Knights, while red beams poured from Horus's eyes.
Boom boom boom!
But the struck Black Knights recovered via the black smoke's power and rose again.
Zeke felt his mana depleting rapidly with the Guardians deployed.
'I need to take out the mage quickly.'
Leaving the outer wall to the barbarians and the entrance to the Guardians, Zeke leaped into the air.
Whoosh!
The Blade of Purification surged from Zeke's sword, glowing with golden aura.
He intended to sweep away the mage and Black Knights in one go.
Sensing his intent, the black-masked mage raised the staff toward Zeke.
Hummm!
A strong resonance occurred, and smoke laden with demonic energy morphed into tentacles lunging at Zeke.
Zeke unleashed his purifying power, emitting golden aura.
The black smoke touching the purification turned to ash and scattered.
The sacred aura Zeke emitted was visible even from the autonomous district behind.
He raised his sword into Rider Form of Infinite Sword Art.
Zeke descended from the air, thrusting his sword downward.
Hummm!
The golden aura on Zeke's sword spread in all directions.
"Haaah!"
With a shout, the secret art of Infinite Sword Art unfolded.
Infinite Sword Art Secret Art
Third Linked Form
Great Roc Emerges from Water
Zeke's body, sword in hand, transformed into a massive golden bird diving at the blackmasked mage.
Boom boom boom!
The mage recoiled from the powerful purifying force, seeking escape, but the barrier blocked him.
Rumble!
Unable to flee, the mage raised the staff to resist the purification.
Zeke's golden aura clashed fiercely with the black aura from the staff.
Then, a message appeared before Zeke's eyes.
[The Harbinger of Blood and Madness gazed upon the Undying.]
[It raged at the Undying for constantly interfering with its minions' work.]
[The Harbinger of Blood and Madness risked damage to its source to launch a direct attack on the Undying.]
[The Harbinger of Blood and Madness's authority 'Dominion of Blood' activated.]
[The Undying's blood ceased to flow for 1 minute.]
'The Harbinger of Blood and Madness used its authority directly?'
In his surprise at the message, Zeke's blood stopped flowing due to the activated authority.
"Urk."
Zeke's face flushed red.
With no blood circulating, his heart and all organs were deprived.
An ordinary knight would have died instantly.
But Zeke was none other than the Undying.
His accumulated titles began to take effect.
[Title Glory of the Sea God rejected the Harbinger of Blood and Madness's authority.]
[Title Knight of Radiant Light protected the user from unclean energy.]
[Title Blessing of the Fairies protected the user from unclean energy.]
[Title Grace of the Divine Beast protected the user's body.]
"Hah!"
Though less than a minute had passed, Zeke broke free from the Harbinger of Blood and Madness's authority, and blood began circulating again.
Instead, the failed authority backlashed, striking the Harbinger of Blood and Madness. [The Harbinger of Blood and Madness's authority 'Dominion of Blood' failed to activate.]
[The Harbinger of Blood and Madness could not believe its authority failed against a human of the Phenomenal World.]
[Direct damage struck the Harbinger of Blood and Madness's source.]
[A crack formed in the Harbinger of Blood and Madness's source.] Rumble!
Cracks gradually spread across the staff held by the black-masked mage.
Crack crack!
At that moment, blood-crimson energy seeped from the staff.
[The Harbinger of Blood and Madness, unable to contain its rage, suppressed the wound in its source and directly manipulated its energy to annihilate the Undying's soul.]
Zeke's eyes gleamed.
He pulled the Ring of Solomon from his inventory and equipped it immediately.
Hummm!
Zeke activated the Ring of Solomon toward the blood-crimson energy.
[The Ring of Solomon's unique authority 'Seal' activated.]
As the message appeared, the blood-crimson energy from the staff seeped into the Ring of Solomon.
Boom boom boom!
Once all the leaking blood-crimson energy was absorbed, a pattern engraved on the Ring of Solomon, and a message rose.
[A portion of the Fallen Constellation Harbinger of Blood and Madness's source was sealed into the Ring of Solomon.]