Hero of Darkness

Chapter 971  Psychological Warfare

With Kaaldrumʼs downfall at the hands of Kahnʼs unexpected and well-executed strategy, the tides of the battle had abruptly shifted.

The enigmatic and veiled assassin, whose true identity remained shrouded in mystery, had been taken down by a series of moves that he hadnʼt foreseen amidst the chaos of combat.

Atreus, the Water/Ice elemental brawler, emerged as the pivotal force behind Kaaldrumʼs defeat. His precise timing and powerful manipulation of ice had caused the once formidable guardian to crumble like a fragile sandcastle.

The shock of the sudden turn of events was evident on Kaaldrumʼs masked face, his hood unable to hide his surprise and torment as his body was rapidly encased in ice.

Struggling to find his voice amidst the freezing grip of Atreusʼ attack, Kaaldrum managed to rasp out a question filled with disbelief...

”You... How?” The pain and confusion in his words were palpable, a testament to the unexpectedness of his defeat.

”Itʼs simple.” Atreus responded calmly, his icy powers still swirling around Kaaldrum. ”Melisandre, although unwillingly, revealed your weakness to us. And we used that knowledge to our advantage.” explained Atreus as he squatted down and looked at Kaaldrum with a gaze filled with pity.

”What do you mean?” he asked with bated breath.

In response, Atreus maintained a calm demeanor, his icy powers still enveloping Kaaldrumʼs immobilized form. ”What I mean…” he began, his voice steady, ”Is that we understand the limitations of your abilities.”

”We know that you are a master at controlling anything made of metal.

However, we also know that because of your class as an Archer, there are plenty of restrictions on your abilities.” said Atreus.

”At the core of it...” Kahn chimed in, his tone analytical.

”You can only manipulate metal in a linear fashion, moving it in a single direction at a time. Additionally, you can exert enough force to break objects apart, but this requires intense concentration and significant mana expenditure, particularly over long distances.”

Step!

Step!

Maximus, now standing on the same metallic surface as Kaaldrum, began to elucidate the intricacies of their well-executed strategy.

He cut straight to the core of their approach, highlighting the factors that played into their victory.

”The attacks you effectively defended against were all launched from a distance of around 20 meters.” Maximus clarified, emphasizing the significance of this distance.

The explanation laid bare the foundation of their tactical advantage.

Spekiʼs explanation followed seamlessly, adding another layer to their understanding of Kaaldrumʼs limitations.

”While attacking you from multiple directions, we exploited the fact that your powers donʼt extend to transforming the metal you control into various shapes or using it as projectiles to attack your enemies.” Speki explained, his smirk underscoring their satisfaction at cracking the puzzle.

Rolakanʼs voice joined the conversation, further revealing their comprehensive analysis of their opponent.

”And as you faced attacks from multiple sources simultaneously, your consciousness was increasingly affected by the cumulative targeting.” he elucidated.

This revelation showcased their grasp of the mental aspect of their adversaryʼs abilities.

The Heroʼs Party had demonstrated not only their combat prowess but also their strategic intelligence in dismantling Kaaldrumʼs defenses.

”Did you really think that members of a Heroʼs Party, that are some of the best fighters in the empire... Would be so incompetent that they canʼt ambush one enemy and break past his defenses for more than 10 minutes?

My my, talk about being overconfident.” spoke Atreus with a mocking tone.

”So you werenʼt aiming to physically harm me in the first place?” asked Kaaldrum with a puzzled voice.

”Bingo!” Kahn took his turn to explain the final pieces of their puzzle, revealing the intricacies that had allowed them to take advantage of Kaaldrumʼs overconfidence.

”Throughout the battle, we purposefully diverted your attention and occupied your thoughts.” Kahn reiterated, stressing how they had exploited Kaaldrumʼs focus to their advantage.

”Your sensory abilities, which should have been able to detect my presence as I hid and methodically moved closer to you using the metallic surroundings, were strained to the point of ineffectiveness.”

Kahnʼs explanation continued, revealing the last step of their ingenious strategy.

”Once I had positioned myself beneath you, I temporarily transformed black ice and floated across this metallic terrain.

The entire surrounding itself is black, aiding my stealth by preventing your eyesight from detecting my movement.” he stated with a triumphant smirk.

”You bastards… Donʼt think thatʼs the end of me!” bellowed Kaaldrum and raised his aura.

”Shh!! Donʼt even think about it.

I made sure that once I get to you, the frost made with my mana wonʼt allow your body to use your own mana reserves or world energy at all.” said Kahn as he kept gloating.

And next, it was Maximus who spoke…

”We used the loopholes and limitations of your own powers that you are so proud of.

But you know what made it easier for us to execute this plan?” he said and looked at Kaaldrum with a disappointed gaze.

”What… What was that?” asked Kaaldrum with great pain as his lungs were now affected by the frost as well.

”Your own Arrogance.” admonished Maximus.

”Had you chosen to use your abilities at the extreme and turned into a Saint from the very beginning of the battle, none of it would have been possible.” he stated with a stern voice.

”We allowed you to think that you could handle all of us easily from the very beginning.

We used your overconfidence to wear your mana and mind out till you failed to notice Atreus.

We gave you an illusion of supremacy where you felt like you were nigh invincible against us as we struggled to even land a hit on you.

In the end, this false sense of superiority and ignorance is what got you into this situation.” spoke Maximus, his tone filled with pity for Kaaldrum.

”Man, you have to give it to him when he creates battle strategies, donʼt you think?

Thatʼs a befitting quality to be called a Hero.” said Kahn as he gave a playful smile. Their explanation now painted a clear picture of their victory over Kaaldrum, illustrating how their multifaceted strategy, including misdirection, psychological warfare, and strategic use of their unique abilities, had brought down the seemingly invincible guardian. Kaaldrum then gazed at Maximus with a sense of defeat but also acknowledgment as he concluded with his last breath...

”So you didnʼt play the game, instead… You played the player.”