Ch.177Chapter 177: Orc King (8).

# Chapter 177: Orc King (8)

With a deafening roar that seemed to devour the world, a golden flash of light engulfed the Death Knight.

The power of “Gawel” thrown by Balt was truly tremendous, enough to momentarily shake even the barrier of the Seventeen Star Formation.

The shockwave erupting from the center of the explosion swept away everything around it, and a thick cloud of dust completely covered the spot where the Death Knight had been standing.

“Kugh…!”

“Everyone, hold on!”

The knights who barely withstood the shockwave looked at the center of the explosion with disbelieving eyes.

Could the Death Knight, which had brought the terror of death until just moments ago, possibly withstand such an unimaginable strike?

“…Did we get it?”

Delfon Haines muttered in a trembling voice.

He was now beyond comprehending this battle.

His questions about Balt’s identity as a “5th Circle Mage” had now turned into awe.

Was this the power of a human, or the return of a hero from mythology?

King Jerdin, who had barely managed to rise after recovering slightly, also stared at the center of the explosion in astonishment.

This was a being that even his ultimate technique “Heavenly Fall” had failed to completely destroy.

Yet the single strike thrown by that barbarian prince had shown destructive power equal to or perhaps even greater than “Heavenly Fall.”

“How can this be possible? This is even more than ‘Heavenly Fall’…”

And above all, that weapon… wasn’t it clearly the Fang of Gauwell that the Orc King had used?

Confused thoughts raced through his mind.

‘Just what kind of man is this barbarian prince?’

Shhhk—

At that moment, a golden trajectory flew out from the dust cloud of the explosion and landed precisely in Balt’s hand.

It was ‘Gawel.’

Even without Balt directly calling it, the artifact had responded to its new master’s call and returned.

Feeling the ancient power weighing heavily in his hand, Balt gazed sharply through the dust cloud.

“Tch, not so easy after all.”

Even amidst the chaotic energies of magic power, aura, and demonic energy, he could sense that the Death Knight’s tenacious life force had not yet been completely extinguished.

Balt had consumed no small amount of strength and magic power with his powerful throw just now, but thanks to his increased stats, he still had strength left to fight.

As the dust gradually cleared, the figure of the Death Knight finally appeared.

[Grrrr… Gr… Aaaagh…!]

Its appearance was miserable.

The demonic armor that had taken a direct hit to the chest was shattered to pieces, and the rotting flesh inside was damaged beyond recognition.

Its left arm had completely disintegrated, and unstable black demonic energy leaked from its entire body, burning weakly.

Above all, its previously overwhelming regenerative ability had noticeably slowed.

Though it hadn’t completely destroyed the Death Knight like Jerdin’s “Heavenly Fall,” Balt’s attack had still dealt a significant blow.

Could it be that the power contained in Balt’s golden flash went beyond mere physical force, possessing the ability to destroy and purify demonic energy itself?

Did the barbarian’s life energy have power that countered demonic energy?

Such questions flashed through his mind, but the Death Knight was not yet dead.

Though staggering, it propped itself up with its right hand and rose.

From its empty eye sockets flowed pure destructive madness that transcended hatred.

Seeing this, Delfon immediately shouted:

“It’s still alive! Don’t let your guard down! Let’s finish it completely!”

“Waaaah!”

The knights once again gathered their courage and charged at the Death Knight.

The light of the Seventeen Star Formation intensified once more, infusing their swords and spears with the power of purification.

[Grrrrrr… Grooooo…! Kill… you…]

For the first time, clear words flowed from the Death Knight’s magical vibrations.

It was a voice twisted with hatred and pain.

At that moment, its body instantly recovered completely.

It was an incomprehensible, utterly complete recovery.

The creature extended its remaining right arm toward Balt, who had inflicted the fatal wound.

Then, an enormous amount of demonic energy began to swirl and gather around its hand.

“Danger!”

Balt instinctively sensed the peril.

This was no ordinary attack.

It was a final, desperate struggle that seemed ready to burn away everything.

The demonic energy flowing from the Death Knight’s body was rapidly sucked in and condensed at the tip of its right arm.

Even the surrounding space seemed to twist as if screaming, and an extreme destructive energy that threatened to annihilate all living things could be felt.

“Everyone, fall back!!”

As Balt shouted, a pitch-black beam of destruction was fired from the Death Knight’s right arm.

Bwoooooo—

-Deadman’s Roar-

It was a pure concentration of demonic energy and a fragment of the demon lord Geolbgeu’s power.

Everything in the beam’s path vanished without leaving even dust, and even the Seventeen Star Formation’s barrier began to rapidly erode and collapse.

“Argh!”

“The barrier… can’t hold!”

The knights screamed as they were thrown back.

The sacred pillars of light were going out one by one, and the formation was crumbling.

King Jerdin also drew his black light sword in shock, but he too had not yet fully recovered.

And that attack was far beyond what he could block.

‘Damn it, hold on! Just a little longer!’

Jerdin’s recovery was honestly slowing down a bit.

The fact that he, who should be at the front leading the battle, had retreated to recover disturbed his state of mind.

Of course, he knew that his quick recovery would give them an advantage in this battle.

But such things weren’t simply a matter of will.

Jerdin was growing impatient.

Moreover, that wasn’t the only problem.

Lower-ranked knights at the Expert level, excluding Masters, were being corrupted by demonic energy and attacking their comrades.

“Commander! You haven’t fully recovered yet! Would you throw away our chance for complete victory by joining the battle now?!”

The words of Welton Grapel, the magic squad captain of Jerdin’s elite unit, cut into Jerdin’s heart.

“You must be patient! Recovery comes first! You know this well! The longer your recovery takes, the greater our casualties will be! Put aside your impatience!”

But the scene unfolding before his eyes was unbearable.

Clang—!

A knight who barely blocked an attack from his comrade shouted with veins bulging in his neck.

“Damn it! It’s me! Dropel!! It’s me!! Stop!!”

Each called out the names of knights they had bonds with, but those corrupted by demonic energy wouldn’t listen.

“Arrrgh!! You bastard, snap out of it!”

The power of demons.

It was like a curse that brought humans to their knees.

Comrades who had fought against evil with their lives on the line were now stabbing each other in the back.

Nothing could lower morale more effectively.

Overcome one trial, and another awaits.

That was the power with which demons from the demon realm tormented humans.

“No… this can’t happen!!”

The Seventeen Star Formation was once again on the verge of collapse, and the Death Knight prepared its next attack.

Grooooooo—

As demonic energy began to condense, the creature launched its second attack.

“D-Damn it!!!”

Just when all seemed lost,

Balt stepped forward once more.

His eyes were shining more seriously than ever before.

Seeing this, Delfon shouted:

“Prince Balt!! No!! If you fall too…!”

But Balt did not retreat.

“Gawel!”

Balt gripped the returned Gawel once more.

He kicked off the ground and charged straight toward the pitch-black beam of destruction!

“That madman…!”

Delfon cried out in shock.

Golden aura, earthen energy, and red blood magic energy simultaneously erupted explosively from Balt’s entire body.

He drew upon all his remaining strength and magic power, as well as the power of the newly acquired artifact.

-Golden Blood Magic Armor Application Technique-

-Magic Combat Art Secret Technique: Defense Art-

-Human Form Magic Armor-

Balt thought of one method to block the creature’s attack.

The defensive combination of Golden Blood Magic Armor and Lupedium was strong enough to block even an artifact’s attack.

The problem with demonic energy was that it infiltrated people’s minds.

That could affect Balt too.

‘It must not touch me.’

A trick to prevent it from touching his body.

That was the reason for creating this puppet.

An armor incomparably more solid and powerful than before, with a dazzling mixture of golden and red light, formed in front of Balt.

Gawel in his hand also howled violently as if resonating with that power.

“You’d better be worth it!!”

With that shout, Balt threw Gawel again.

An artifact never degrades.

Even if corrupted by demonic energy, Gawel would surely return to Balt’s grasp.

Kwang—!

The artifact Gawel collided with the Death Knight’s attack, and its momentum began to decrease.

This was Balt’s strategy.

Defend with every means available.

No matter what you try, it won’t work against me.

This was how Balt subdued his enemies.

“Protect your comrades! Knock out anyone who’s mentally affected! I will protect all of you!!”

Balt and his human-form magic armor were bathed in golden light, preparing to receive the pitch-black beam.

Golden light and pitch-black darkness.

Life and death.

Light and darkness.

Two enormous powers were about to clash head-on in a reversal of offense and defense.