NOVPUBDamon didn't grace her sarcasm with a response. He hadn't even seen that move coming—their coordination was masterful.
So this was how the knights of Lysithara fought? If they were already this dreadful with their wills suppressed… just how powerful would they be if not?
He turned into a shadow, evading a stomp aimed directly at him. The floor cracked and shattered from the knight's attack.
Damon swung his sword, but the knight turned into mist, evading the counter in a blur of vapor.
The clash of steel rang out as his blade scraped across a raised shield.
"What the hell kind of technique is that…? They're covering each other's weaknesses," he muttered through gritted teeth, irritation swelling in his chest.
"I can't beat them with pure skill…"
Valarie's lips pressed together. "Yes. They are well-trained, after all. The only way is to overwhelm them with power."
Damon scoffed, a thin smile playing at his lips.
"I can do that…"
He activated the [5x] skill—one he had been saving for his battle with Thren. But he didn't care anymore.
He wasn't going to hold back any longer. He would obliterate everything.
Though he had to be cautious—some of his skills consumed Shadow Energy. And the stronger the skill, the more mana and shadow it burned.
Mana wasn't the issue. Not anymore—his reserves were colossal.
Shadow energy, however… that was the real problem.
But right now, he didn't give a damn.
He just wanted to end this quickly—the sooner, the better.
"You guys are annoying… I suppose I'll just cook you in your armor."
Damon unleashed the Ashborn skill despite the pain it inflicted. A wave of black flame erupted—dark as void, yet hot enough to incinerate the soul, and cold enough to freeze it.
A heatless, deathly fire that seared everything in its wake.
The first knight slammed his shield to the ground, a thunderous shockwave dispersing the black flames like wind tearing through smoke.
Damon paused, kneeling amid the burning agony, watching with a dumbfounded expression.
Did they just disperse… the flames that could reduce both flesh and soul to ash… with technique?
"Huh… right. The shields have enchantments like that."
He rolled to the side, dodging instinctively.
"If you tell me you're the one who invented this, I'll really stomp on you…"
The lips that had once been a woman smiled on his shoulder.
"I didn't. In fact, this was all Valcara's and Mugu's work… but it has a flaw…"
Damon's sword clashed against the knight's shield. He turned to mist, then shadow, evading a chain of brutal sword strikes.
"What flaw?"
Valarie paused, clearly letting the tension build.
"Isn't it obvious? It has a cooldown time. Do I have to tell you everything, boy?"
Damon's eyes turned colder. "So you're telling me it's a one-time thing?"
Valarie smiled at his realization.
"That's right. But the other knight hasn't used his…"
Damon lowered his sword, shadows flickering in his eyes. His stomach growled from a familiar hunger he was already getting used to.
"Fine… then I'll just eviscerate everything."
His mana surged. Shadows roared to life.
Valarie's voice cut in, calm and reasoning. "Try not to burn your allies. And remember… these are just the vanguard."
Damon didn't respond. He simply whispered, "I know… I was aiming for the ones in the other room too."
Yes. He had Shadow Perception. He could sense the others—more knights—lurking within.
He had to give it to Thren… this mist knight was insidious with his schemes.
But honestly, Damon didn't care anymore.
There was one simple truth in this world.
In the face of overwhelming violence, cunning meant nothing.
And Damon was mentally preparing himself to unleash the most overwhelming amount of violence he was capable of.
He braced for the pain. Activating the Sacrifice skill, he poured a large portion of his mana stats into his Shadow Energy pool.
The hunger vanished as his shadow was fed—but it was temporary. He knew that.
It was just a precaution to ensure he didn't deplete his shadow and go ravenous mid-battle.
He turned into mist, dodging the knights. Then, with Shadow Movement, dove into the floor, gliding across the battlefield and reappearing by the door.
The knights, dull-eyed and will-less, instinctively thought they had him cornered.
They slowly approached, shields raised like hunters closing in.
"They're trying to box you in…"
Damon whispered back coldly,
"I know…"
The two knights charged at him. Damon ducked low and slipped into a shadow, gliding beneath their heavy boots—past the wreckage—before emerging behind them, facing the door.
He took his human form once more. His eyes were icy.
The knights turned. Their visors dull, without any light.
Damon raised both hands. Shadows flickered madly around him. Pain, deep and agonizing, crawled through every fiber of his being.
He forced out a single cold word in place of a scream.
"Die."
An immolating pillar of destruction erupted from his body. The air twisted under the sheer pressure of it.
The knight raised his shield to disperse it—
But this time… it wasn't enough.
Only a faint ripple broke the surge. A flutter of resistance in the black inferno.
Then—
Hell was unleashed.
Half the battlefield vanished under the wrath of the Ashborn flames.
The door turned to ash.
And the knights hidden beyond it—consumed.
Nothing remained. Nothing but ash.
Damon collapsed to his knees. His mind reeled from the pain. His head buzzed from depleted mana and drained shadow energy.
[You have slain Mist Knight Notre.]
[You have slain Mist Knight Teow.]
[You have slain Mist Knight Kerry.]
[You have slain…]
He hit the ground hard—but none of the names were Thren.
So the battle… wasn't over.
Silence reigned.
Evangeline and Sylvia had slain their foes.
But the true threat remained.
The two girls hurried to his side, without a scratch on their bodies or armor.
He clicked his tongue they really left the heavy lifting to him.
Sylvia helped him up looking into the darkness of an adjacent door.
Damon sensed him, he knew.
It was time to confront the corrupted knight.
And as if to signal the next act—
Footsteps echoed slowly in the distance.
