The Necromancer's Servant

For a mage, magic power is as important as life itself, especially in battle. Without it, a mage is as vulnerable as a fish on the chopping block. Every mage must think carefully and be cautious when using magic, ensuring that it causes maximum damage. Unless in extreme circumstances, they would never deplete all their magic power in a single attack.

Theodorus's recent magical assault was indeed brilliant and complex, perfectly coordinated. With incredible instant-casting and control techniques, he used a series of mid- and low-level spells to slow down and impede the three temple knights, whose resistance to magic was so high that they were almost immune to such spells. This was nearly the limit of what a mage could achieve.

However, no one could have anticipated that this magnificent display, consuming all of Theodorus's magical power, was not meant to delay his enemies, but to set the stage. Every step had been a prelude, meticulously designed to draw the three knights into a trap. Not a single spell was wasted—each one carefully timed, like a flawless piece of art. Without the fire wall, the knights would not have stepped onto the quicksand, and without the hesitation when they leaped out of the fire wall, they would not have been unable to dodge the three Thunder Frost Ice.

The magical resistance of the Glory Armor and the fighting spirit of the temple knights were so formidable that only very high-level attack magic or powerful incantations could cause them harm. But any high-level incantation would require time, and at such a close distance, even a sneeze would be enough to kill them a hundred times over. Moreover, with their skills, they could easily dodge anything, even a powerful crossbow bolt.

But when they leaped out of the quicksand fire and their bodies were not fully adjusted, the three Thunder Frost Ice blocked their sight. The situation changed entirely. Christian and Ederick each had one bolt to deal with, while Lancelote faced two. Furthermore, the effect of the thunder frost ice was not just to block their vision—it also froze Ederick, although only for a brief moment. This half-blink was enough to make a difference.

The Thunderclap Bomb was powerful enough to shatter an iron statue into pieces. Although the temple knights in Glory Armor were much sturdier than an iron statue, even if they didn't die from this magic, they would certainly be heavily injured. At this point, activating the Sacred Guard Shield could block the magic, but the shockwave from the explosion would still send them flying far away, causing them to lose the perfect opportunity to deal with Grutt.

So only Ederick activated the Sacred Guard Shield shield on his Glory Armor, a huge white magical shield that protected him completely. Christian's Silverlight Greatsword suddenly blazed with light as he moved and swung the sword at the Thunderclap Bomb in front of him.

Mages' magic is not something that can be casually cut with a sword, like chopping apples. Even a small external force can cause the chaotic magical elements within the spell to deviate, potentially causing an explosion. Only with perfect balance of speed, power, and control could a sword slash through the magic without triggering any unintended effects. Only three people in the continent could casually slash through magic like this in combat.

After delivering the strike, Christian didn't pause or hesitate at all. He quickly slashed again, his sword glowing with silver light. This was the Ironwing Sword, a magic weapon that blended white and electrical magic, perfect for resisting and destroying magic.

Lancelote's sword was not a magic weapon like Christian's, but he was one of the three who could achieve such feats, and possibly the highest of them all. So he wasn't concerned about facing two Thunderclap Bombs. His face grew serious, and he too swung his sword.

Theodorus clearly understood the situation. Since he had risked using all his magic power and sacrificed his highest-level magic staff, he would go all-out, aiming for a kill. If it were just to delay, he could have used other, more efficient methods. But now, with both he and Grutt at a disadvantage, he had no choice but to gamble everything.

Though exhausted from using his magic, Theodorus still swiftly discarded his broken staff and pulled out a scroll, unraveling it. A bolt of lightning, as thick as a bucket, shot from his hand.

This was no ordinary lightning; it was a chain lightning spell of the same advanced level as the Thunderclap Bomb. Theodorus's target wasn't any of the three knights, but the mist and water droplets surrounding them, created by the collision of the ice and the blazing fire wall. This final step in his setup was the most unexpected and dangerous.

The lightning struck the mist and water, and the air was filled with deafening crackling as the bolts connected. A sea of tiny lightning bolts completely engulfed the three temple knights.

While the scattered chain lightning wasn't very powerful, it was inescapable. Ederick and Christian could feel the numbing pain and sharp stabs from every exposed part of their bodies. It was like the lightning was crawling through every nerve, blood vessel, and muscle fiber, reaching their brains.

Though it didn't cause substantial physical harm, the numbness and pain were enough to throw them off balance.

Christian's movements faltered, and the strike of his sword went off course. Even though his sword was perfectly suited to combat magic, it still couldn't deal with the disorientation caused by the lightning.

Ederick's Sacred Guard Shield dissipated. This shield required the knight's own control to maintain, and since Ederick had used it to defend against the previous Thunderclap Bomb, he had no choice but to let it go.

But the expected explosion of the Thunderclap Bomb didn't happen, because Lancelote was there.

At the same moment Theodorus used the scroll, Lancelote's white aura flared. Only Lancelote had the speed to activate the Sacred Guard Shield in time. The white light formed a solid barrier, remaining unwavering even as countless golden snakes of lightning crashed against it. Lancelote's form also accelerated, rushing toward Ederick and Christian.

Before this, Lancelote's speed seemed to be on par with the other knights. But now, with this sudden burst of speed, his form became a white streak, narrowly avoiding the two Thunderclap Bombs aimed at him.

Theodorus fired the Thunderclap Bombs in succession, first toward Lancelote, then toward Ederick and Christian. The bolts aimed at the latter two were a fraction slower.

The white streak sped through the lightning storm, leaving a bright white trail behind it, like a stroke of dark ink on a golden canvas.

The electric sea dispersed, and in the space where Lancelote had been, only a deep trench in the ground remained as evidence of his incredible speed.

The shattered Thunderclap Bombs faded into pure magical energy, and a few even struck the knights. Lancelote, now back in his human form, stopped beside Ederick.

Breathing heavily, Lancelote's white aura dissipated, and a fatigued expression crossed his face.

The two Thunderclap Bombs that missed Lancelote continued their path, flying toward the back, where the bishop's group stood.

At this point, Adra finally looked away from the injured Talice and Jarvis. His battle experience was far inferior to that of the others, and it was only now that he realized he should have joined the fight earlier. But the blazing fire wall had blocked his line of sight, and he hesitated over whether to dispel it. He saw two Thunderclap Bombs coming from the fire wall toward him.

"By the glory of the Lord, return to your origin." Adra raised his hand, and a white light shot out, striking one of the Thunderclap Bombs. The ball of lightning instantly evaporated in the white light. Although his response time wasn't fast enough, as a bishop, his magical prowess was beyond the reach of most mages. This high-level dispelling spell was executed perfectly.

But that was only one Thunderclap Bomb. The last one was still flying toward him.

Welleskay, meanwhile, had drawn his bow again, this time using a crystal-enchanted arrow. As he loosed it, the arrow shattered the final Thunderclap Bomb, which disintegrated with a burst of crystal shards.

On the other side of the fire wall, Christian and Ederick, having regained their footing, continued charging forward. Christian's Ironwing Greatsword became a blur of silver light as he swung it toward Theodorus.

Theodorus was already retreating, but his speed couldn't compare to the temple knights'. Christian's sword light was closing in.

Ederick, however, did not move toward Theodorus. He went straight for Grutt. Despite being unarmed, he remembered just how terrifying Grutt was, and he knew he had to hold him off to give Christian time to finish off Theodorus. Grutt had to be eliminated—his power was too great.

"Get lost!" Grutt barely glanced at Ederick as he swung a punch at him. Ederick met the blow with his own fist.

The clash echoed loudly, and Grutt staggered back a couple of steps.

Ederick, on the other hand, staggered back three steps, his fist misshapen. But he didn't pause for a moment, charging back toward Grutt. Despite being severely injured and unarmed, as a temple knight, he could still hold his ground against Grutt.

The silver sword light reached Theodorus, and there was nowhere left for him to retreat. Theodorus, despite being a powerful mage, was still just an old man without his magic. Though surrounded by dozens of supportive spells, he was nothing more than a chicken in front of a knight's sword.

Killing such a brilliant mage gave Christian a rush of excitement. He could almost feel the sensation of the frail old body shattering under his strike. He had no doubt about the lethality of this sword. Back in Nigen, this blade had effortlessly split countless massive minotaurs in two. He could clearly see Theodorus's once-vibrant face now twisted slightly in fear of death.

Grutt and Ederick exchanged another two punches. Their clash had devolved into a brutal slugfest, void of any defense. Grutt staggered back two steps, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

Ederick, however, did not retreat. The blood from his mouth and nose didn't merely seep or flow—it sprayed. Even his eyes and nostrils were streaked with blood. His once-brilliant, shining Glory Armor was now a battered, blood-stained shell. The chestplate had two massive dents, and anyone, even without any knowledge of anatomy, could tell that at least ten of his ribs were broken, with half of them likely piercing his internal organs. Yet, somehow, he remained standing, his gaze filled with an unyielding determination that could crush ten bulls. He adopted a combat stance, ready to continue fighting Grutt. But his appearance was far from the noble, holy, and majestic image of a temple knight—he looked more like a freshly created undead creature.

"Stop!" A small voice shouted from the outskirts of the battlefield. But such a plea had no chance of halting Christian's deadly sword, which was just inches away from its target. The situation seemed irreversible: Grutt was being held off, and Theodorus appeared doomed.

But then, the tide turned in a way no one could have foreseen.

Christian's sword did not strike Theodorus. Instead, a deafening clash of steel echoed, and Christian's body was suddenly sent flying backward. When he landed, he staggered, clutching his nose in visible pain. His once-handsome nose appeared broken, with blood streaming down profusely.

Such an injury to a temple knight could not have come from Theodorus, who stood unarmed and powerless. Instead, it was caused by the man now standing beside Theodorus. But it wasn't just Christian—Lancelote, too, wore an expression of disbelief as he stared at this man. Even Theodorus himself looked astonished. This man was none other than Asa, who had been lying on the ground like a heap of garbage, motionless until now.

"Sorry, I was a bit late," Asa said apologetically, glancing at the still-shaken Theodorus. He reached up and pulled a tooth out of his own forehead, one that had belonged to the temple knight.

Theodorus let out a long breath and touched his own forehead, where his hair had been singed by Christian's near-lethal sword. The feeling of narrowly escaping death left him strangely elated. He gave Asa a peculiar look and said, "Better late than never."

Christian's eyes were filled not just with shock but with rage as he stared at Asa.

The constraints Lancelote had placed on Asa weren't just magical—they were reinforced with combat energy. Even the current Pope would have struggled to break them, which was why Christian had been so assured. To him, the man lying on the ground had been no different from a rock or a dead branch, not even worth a glance. But when that "rock" suddenly sprang to life and deflected his killing blow, anyone in his place would be shocked and thrown off balance. Taking advantage of that moment, Asa had used his forehead to deliver a crude but effective headbutt to the temple knight's face.

The attack, while painful, was not lethal or even seriously damaging—a far cry from Asa's true intent. He had wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to decapitate the temple knight in one swift strike. Unfortunately, the gap in their power was too great. Lying there and playing dead, Asa had struggled to find a good opening. No matter how he approached it, that silver greatsword seemed ready to counter and strike back. In the end, he had been forced to block the fatal sword blow and resort to a street-brawler-style headbutt.

With a dull thud, Ederick's body was finally sent flying by one of Grutt's kicks, trailing a spray of blood. He soared over the flaming magical wall before crashing heavily onto the ground. Blood gushed from his mouth, nose, and the gaps in his armor, staining the grass beneath him a deep crimson. His body seemed like a sponge saturated with blood, leaking profusely. Yet even then, he struggled on the ground, attempting to stand. But no matter how strong his will was, his shattered bones and torn muscles could no longer support him. He opened his mouth to speak but only coughed up a small chunk of his internal organs.

Bishop Adra and several holy warriors with higher magical prowess quickly rushed to his side. A series of mid-level healing spells, combined with Adra's top-tier healing magic, managed to stabilize Ederick's near-fatal injuries. At the very least, his life was no longer in immediate danger.

The fire wall had extinguished, and the intense but brief skirmish came to a temporary halt. Both sides stared at each other with wary hostility, the tension palpable.

"Everyone, stop!" came the same voice from the outskirts of the battlefield—a voice belonging to one of the elves. But no one paid any attention. No one on the battlefield had any intention of stopping.