Karnak, Monarch of Death

Waves of aura rippled outward as the battle raged on.

Taking advantage of the fight, Fross steadily retreated, with Harris and Serati gradually shifting the battlefield alongside him. Both the target and the distractions were moving in the same direction, naturally leading the demonic sword to follow.

The purpose of the second line of defense was slightly different from the first. It wasn’t just about depleting the demonic sword’s power. It was also about guiding it precisely to the designated location.

Even amidst the chaos of combat, the battlefield steadily advanced. Before long, they left the campsite and arrived at the entrance to a small ravine, a bowl-shaped depression about 100 meters in diameter.

Perfect!

Fross dashed into a magic circle that had been prepared in advance. When the target abruptly disappeared, the girl with the demonic sword seemed momentarily flustered, glancing around in confusion.

The confusion didn’t last long. She sensed another target deeper within the ravine. This target carried an even higher priority. At the same time, Harris and Serati had also distanced themselves, leaving the demonic sword unimpeded in her pursuit.

”Kyahaha!”

With gleeful laughter, the girl raced straight toward the ravine.

Harris, watching her, shook his head in disbelief. ”She really never goes against our predictions.”

”That’s fortunate, I suppose,” Serati muttered, her brows furrowed as she trailed behind. ”But I still don’t get it. Why does she act this way?”

***

Ziken and Triv were waiting inside the ravine, alongside Lefan, who had just emerged from the magic circle. The girl with the demonic sword entered the basin, and her gaze immediately locked onto Lefan.

But she didn’t charge him outright. The overwhelming presence of Ziken and Triv gave her pause. Both were radiating intense mana and aura. She would have to deal with them first to achieve her goal.

”Ahahaha!” With a burst of laughter, the girl launched herself forward.

Triv countered with a swing of his blue aura blade. The demonic sword lashed out like a whip, scattering waves of dark energy. Crimson-black light clashed violently with Triv’s blue aura, intertwining chaotically. Grass was scattered, and the air itself seemed to tear apart as the sounds of destruction echoed.

Boom!Boom!

Ziken calmly supported the fight with spells, unleashing fire and lightning that targeted the demonic sword from behind. It was the combined efforts of a seventh circle mage and a blue-tier aura user. Moreover, they were veterans who had fought together in the King’s Order for years. Their coordinated attacks gradually pushed the girl onto the defensive.

Even so, she didn’t fall. The more cornered she became, the more fiercely her dark energy surged, slashing wildly in all directions with frenzied strikes.

”Kyahahaha!”

Her manic laughter grew louder as her attacks intensified.

”Unbelievable. How does she still have this much energy left?” Triv clicked his tongue in frustration.

Ziken shook his head. ”This is her running out of strength. Do you think the two of us could hold our own against a purple-tier aura user otherwise?”

”Fair enough.”

Meanwhile, Lefan circled the battlefield, keeping his sword raised and maintaining a safe distance. He couldn’t let his guard down. There was no telling when the demonic sword might target him. But neither was there any need for him to intervene recklessly.

Simply keeping his distance and moving around was enough to disrupt the demonic sword’s priorities, giving Triv and Ziken moments to catch their breath.

As a result, they bought enough time. Harris and Serati, who had followed at a distance, now flanked the demonic sword from behind. The girl’s laughter abruptly ceased.

She scanned her surroundings, realizing how precarious her situation had become. The right move now was to retreat. Making her decision, the girl abruptly leapt backward.

”She’s running again?” Triv scowled.

Ziken gripped his wand tightly and shouted, ”Hold her for just a little longer!”

Harris and Serati moved to block her escape. But the demonic sword’s physical capabilities were on par with a purple-tier aura user. Once she resolved to flee, stopping her was no easy task.

Sure enough, she found a small opening. Deflecting Harris’ aura blade, she darted to the left, quickly slipping through the encirclement.

Damn!

Harris could only watch helplessly as the girl sprinted at breakneck speed toward the ravine’s exit. She was headed toward the entrance, which was the only escape route. It was then.

”Where do you think you’re going?”

A voice rang out as a man emerged from between the rocks. It was Karnak who had been lying in wait. He had concealed his presence with a magic circle, like Lefan.

The moment she saw him, the girl with the demonic sword let out a sharp scream.”Kyyaaaaa!”

She recoiled as though she had seen something truly horrifying, then turned and bolted in the opposite direction. And where would the opposite direction of the only escape route lead? Right back into the encirclement.

”Good thing we had a backup plan,” Ziken muttered, exhaling in relief as he raised his magical wand. ”Glowing crystal of flowing light, become a prison to trap my foe!”

A massive crystal prison formed, enclosing an area of several dozen meters with walls, pillars, and a ceiling all made of radiant light. It was Crystal Labyrinth, a seventh circle containment spell. While it had the drawback of requiring an excessive preparation time, once activated, it was powerful enough to trap even a blue knight. The girl clutched her sword tightly, as if taken aback.

Of course, for a demonic sword like Mareda, whose power rivaled a purple-tier aura user, this barrier could be broken. Likely within two or three strikes. And sure enough, she tried. She raised her sword high after gathering all of her energy, then brought it down on the wall of light.

Boom!

The radiant barrier trembled and cracked, but it didn’t shatter. Two or three strikes might break it, but that also meant it could endure one or two strikes. It was more than enough time for Triv, Harris, and Serati to intervene.

”After all this effort!”

”You think we’ll let you escape?”

Their interference left the girl momentarily bewildered, her gaze flickering around. Then, her eyes fixed on something. Karnak was approaching slowly from the distance.

”Ugh...”

For the first time, the girl made a different sound. Not her usual manic laughter or sharp screams, but a low moan.

”Uuurrghh...”

***

The demonic sword no longer targeted Lefan, nor did the girl scream at Karnak or attempt to flee. Instead, she let out faint groans, like a cornered beast, while scanning her surroundings incessantly.

”Urghhh...”

The King’s Order’s encirclement closed in from all directions, reinforced by the impenetrable crystal prison blocking all escape routes.

Perhaps realizing there was no way out but to fight, the girl swung her sword. Dark flames erupted along the blade, blazing fiercely.

Fwoosh!

She leapt into the air, releasing a flurry of slashes in all directions.

”Kyaaah!”

Though they seemed wild and erratic, the attacks were unnervingly precise, targeting her opponents with unerring accuracy.

Triv deflected one of the strikes with his blue aura blade and shouted, ”Stay alert, everyone!”

The fierce onslaught continued, but it was ineffective. Harris and Serati calmly focused on defense, avoiding unnecessary risks. Ziken and Karnak kept their mana shields active, concentrating on blocking the attacks.

They had cornered her this far. There was no need to rush and risk making a mistake.

Stick to the plan.

Separate the demonic sword from the girl.

Exchanging glances, Triv and Harris coordinated their attacks from either side. Blue and red aura blades struck the black flames relentlessly, each hit visibly weakening the cursed energy.

The goal was to avoid harming the girl while breaking the sword itself. The sword was the true core, after all. Destroying it would mean victory.

Yet, the demonic sword endured. Though it staggered as if on the verge of collapse, it retaliated with terrifying counterattacks, still dangerous despite its dwindling strength. Deflecting the dark flames again, Triv glanced toward Karnak.

Is Sir Karnak not ready yet?

Ziken was preoccupied maintaining the crystal prison, leaving Karnak as the only available mage. Finally, Karnak completed his spell. He slammed his wand into the ground, unleashing a burst of chaos mana.

”I summon the binding chains of power! Chain of Arcane Force!”

Five crimson chains shot up from the ground, wrapping around both the demonic sword and the girl.

Chains of crimson magic bound the demonic sword’s blade in three places, while two others coiled tightly around the girl’s legs. Serati’s eyes lit up.

”Did we get her?”

But it was too soon to celebrate. The girl let out an ear-piercing scream and thrashed wildly.

”Kyyaaaaah!”

The chains anchored in the ground were torn free, flailing through the air like whips.

Booom!

Though the magical chains themselves were sturdy, the earth they relied on was less so. The crimson chains lashed out, inadvertently striking the King’s Order members.

”Argh!”

”Sir Karnak!”

The shout wasn’t a rebuke but an urgent call for him to prepare another spell. Karnak, however, remained calm.

It’s not a failure, actually.

This had been part of his plan all along. He immediately activated the next spell he had prepared.

”Arise, spirits of the earth!”

Rumble!

From the ground, five massive earthen figures rose, transforming into towering golems. Triv and Harris stared in stunned silence.

He summoned five golems? At once?

I thought even Captain Ziken could only do two at once.

Even Ziken couldn’t hide his surprise.

So the rumors were true. A prodigy destined to become the Archmage of the Eustil Kingdom...

This feat wasn’t just a matter of magical power or mastery of high-level circles. It was evidence of an extraordinary ability to manipulate and calculate mana. Thus, it could be said that Karnak possessed an innate talent beyond reason.

This is the kind of brilliance only the heavens could bestow.

In reality, it was just that the spell’s structure required relatively little computation.

Ha, everyone thinks I’m some kind of genius now.

Their intense gazes felt burdensome. He had simply made use of his necromantic knowledge.

But I can’t let it show.

Instead, he plastered on a confident expression and issued his command. ”Subdue the enemy, my servants!”

The golems moved as one, gripping the crimson chains and pulling with immense force. Though slow, golems were unmatched in raw strength, and soon both the demonic sword and the girl were hoisted into the air, dangling helplessly.

”Kyyaaaaah!”

The girl thrashed and screamed, but it was futile. With her feet off the ground, she could no longer generate any leverage.

”Now! Attack!” Karnak shouted.

At his signal, the three aura users sprang into action. Serati grabbed the girl from behind, holding her firmly in place. Harris struck the demonic sword with a decisive blow, dislodging it from her grasp.

Clang!

The sword fell, but its connection to the girl wasn’t entirely severed. A blazing black flame still linked the girl to the demonic sword. As long as the flame remained, the girl was still bound as its host. Triv raised his sword high above his head, taking a steady stance. With all his might, he brought it crashing down.

”Take this!”

Land Smash! Triv’s signature finishing move cleaved through the flame, severing the connection. An enormous explosion erupted.

Boom!

The girl’s body was flung backward like a skipping stone, finally freed from the demonic sword’s control. Serati quickly caught her and pulled her to safety.

”I’ve got her!” Serati called out.

The demonic sword, now alone, trembled in midair, emitting a furious, shrieking hum.

Vwooooom! Vwooooom!

But it was a futile act of desperation. Karnak’s chains tightened around the sword’s blade, binding it further. At the same time, Ziken’s crystal prison glowed brighter, its light pressing down on the weapon with overwhelming force. The dark flames flickered and died, and the sword’s anguished cries faded into silence.

”Excellent!” Ziken exclaimed, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. ”This time, we’ve got it for sure!”