Under the blood-colored canopy, even the air carried a metallic tang of blood.
Every blood-clan warrior felt the change in their bodies at the same moment.
Power surged through their limbs. Wounds healed at visible speed. Their perception of [Blood Manipulation] reached unprecedented sharpness.
More exhilarating still, the blood mist filling the sky was inexhaustible, as if the entire world had become their personal wellspring of strength.
A blood-clan viscount who had been fleeing moments ago suddenly stopped.
He raised a hand and clenched. The surrounding crimson mist instantly condensed into a dark-red spear. Its tip pointed at the Church werewolf that had been chasing him. A cruel smile spread across his face.
Their strength had been roughly equal, but swept up in the rout, he had only been able to flee in embarrassment.
Now things were different. With the Emperor’s arrival, demon morale soared. The blood canopy’s enhancement made the werewolf no longer a threat.
“Die, mongrel!”
The blood spear shot forward like a viper, meeting the werewolf’s slashing claws head-on.
The expected scene of the spear piercing flesh did not occur.
In the violent clash, the werewolf’s claws were torn open, blood pouring, but the blood spear shattered as well, dissolving back into mist.
In that split second, the werewolf’s other claw raked across the viscount’s throat.
The viscount jerked backward, barely dodging the fatal blow, leaving only a few bloody scratches on his neck.
He stumbled back, staring in disbelief at the panting werewolf.
Why did this beast… feel even stronger than before?
It wasn’t just the viscount who couldn’t understand.
The lycanthropized Church warriors fighting the demons were equally baffled.
Though they lacked the blood clan’s perfect synergy with the canopy’s [Blood Manipulation], they too felt power surging from within. Their wounds healed far faster.
It wasn’t as overwhelming as the blood clan’s boost, but it was still significant.
The other demon races, however, gained nothing. The blood-scented air only made breathing harder.
Still, these anomalies could no longer reverse the tide.
Mortis didn’t even spare a glance for the ant-like slaughter below.
His gaze fell on Visarius. His voice was calm yet made the Prince shiver. “The entire army nearly collapsed. Even you were beheaded. It seems the situation truly required my personal intervention.”
Visarius bowed his head deeply. “This subordinate is incompetent and has failed Your Majesty’s trust.”
“Where are Xenophon and the others?”
“Blocking the human reinforcements in the southeast.”
Mortis looked southeast. His vision extended with the canopy, seeing the other half of his army locked in combat with the Puchis.
His gaze returned and settled on Airaven.
“Human Sword Saint. Kneel and pledge loyalty, or be annihilated.”
Airaven chuckled, unfastened his shortsword, and tossed it to Fifteen.
After receiving the Hazy Moon, he no longer needed the shortsword. Carrying it was pointless.
He spun his blade in a flourish, disheveled long hair whipping in the bloody wind. “You know, in over fifty years of life, I’ve never knelt to anyone. When I was young I was too proud—no one was worthy of my bow.”
“Now I’m old and my knees are too stiff to bend. Especially not to something like you.” He paused. “A winged overgrown rat!”
Before the words finished, the Hazy Moon slashed toward the kneeling Visarius.
The Prince hastily condensed blood bats to block, only to realize the sword light was intangible.
A feint!
By the time he reacted, Airaven was already airborne.
[Moon Step LV10]
Silver moonlight tore a rift in the blood canopy beneath the Sword Saint’s feet. His blade aimed straight for the figure on the blood throne!
Mortis watched the approaching edge impassively. Just as the twin swords neared his brow, the moonlight beneath Airaven’s feet shattered.
“Then die.”
The Emperor flicked a finger. A heaven-piercing pillar of blood crashed down.
Airaven was smashed from mid-air into the ground. Countless blood pillars followed.
The earth quaked. Even the still-unbreached walls of Threehill City cracked under the shock, stones raining down.
When the last blood pillar vanished, only a small mountain of dark-red crystal remained where the Sword Saint had fallen.
Fifteen stared in disbelief at the broken half of the Hazy Moon stuck in the ground. His invincible master… defeated so quickly?!
“Church warriors hold the rear! Everyone else, retreat into the city!” Archbishop Ditas’s voice was heavy with grief.
The soldiers, who had just tasted heaven, now plummeted into hell as they scrambled back toward Threehill City.
The lycanthropized Church warriors roared and threw themselves at the pursuing demons.
At this point, these warriors had little rationality left. Under the influence of the potential-explosive drug, they were burning their final strength.
The Emperor showed no interest in the fleeing humans below, nor even in the Archbishop of the Church of Light.
Only the Sword Saint had been worth his personal attention.
Prince Visarius rose, draining two werewolves dry with a wave, and directed the demon army to hunt the desperately struggling humans.
Archbishop Ditas knew full well that his actions were nothing more than an ugly struggle.
But even an ugly struggle was better than meekly awaiting slaughter!
…
On the other front.
A stray arrow skimmed over the corpses of demons and Puchis, weakly bouncing off the rock armor of a heavily armored Puchi.
Behind the armored Puchi, Inanna had been forcibly stuffed halfway into a narrow burrow, only her upper body still outside, flailing.
“Number Four, Number Ten, what are you doing?!”
Number Ten frantically dug with its mycelial tentacles, trying to widen the hole.
Number Four stomped impatiently on Inanna with its short fungal legs, complaining with every step. “Pink Puchi, all that extra human meat is in the way! You can’t fit into the tunnels like this!”
Number Ten glanced at the situation. “No good. We’re out of time. Turn back into a Puchi, quick!”
“Yeah, yeah! You should’ve changed back ages ago!” Number Four agreed, stomping twice more.
Inanna: “Suddenly telling me to run—what’s going on?”
Lin Jun abruptly cut in. “What else? See that blood cloud in the sky? Threehill City is finished. Run now or get wiped out with everyone else!”
Panic flashed in Inanna’s eyes. “I… I have to tell the old man and Uncle Lorenzo…”
Lin Jun glanced at the two dukes still fighting and didn’t answer.
They couldn’t have missed the blood cloud in the sky. They knew what it meant, yet showed no sign of retreating.
But with the Sword Saint defeated, Lin Jun genuinely believed humanity was done for.
He had Number Four and Number Ten trick and coerce Inanna into reverting to Puchi form, then forcibly stuffed her into the underground network.
Looking at the panel on the blood throne, Lin Jun couldn’t help but click his tongue.
【Name: Mortis Dracoon】 【Level: LV90】 【Skills: Blood Manipulation LV10, Nightfiend Avatar LV10, Blood Healing LV10… Mental Magic LV10, Mana Storage LV10, Mana Control LV10… Physical Resistance LV9, Magic Resistance LV8… Sunlight Resistance LV3…】 【Titles: Seven Sins: Envy – Seal enemy abilities Traitor: +10% Intelligence, -5% Spirit …】
Just now, the Sword Saint’s [Moon Step] had been forcibly interrupted by [Envy].
In that instant, most skills on Airaven’s panel had grayed out—similar to when Lin Jun split off [Life Essence].
The situation was an absolute, overwhelming disadvantage. There was no fighting this.
And with [Wrath] about to join the battlefield, Lin Jun felt utterly speechless.
What kind of day was this?
Big Sin team-building?
Without even inviting him? Count him out!
Lin Jun was getting the hell out.
But before that…
Mycelium spread underground, soon finding the Sword Saint’s broken body beneath the crystal mound.
The Emperor was considerate—using crystal to block line of sight.
Then he wouldn’t stand on ceremony!
Little Sword Saint, when you were casually chopping my Puchis back in the dungeon, did you ever think this day would come?
Huh?
You’re not dead either?
…
Countless cracks spiderwebbed across the blood-crystal mound. With a deafening explosion, a beastly, savage wolf howl thundered across the battlefield from the depths of the pit!
(End of Chapter)
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