Chapter 322: Stunned (1/2)

Coyote was stunned. It was only after he registered that this eerie voice he was listening to now was Leonel's that he understood that he had failed.

However, he couldn't wrap his mind around how he had. His spear had very clearly entered Leonel's body even to the middle of its polearm. How could Leonel possible be fine?

At that moment, Coyote suddenly felt that something was wrong. Though the shaft of his spear had disappeared, he didn't feel the resistance he should after driving his spear through someone.

'… My… my spear…'

Coyote was stunned.

His spear, its tip had completely crumbled. In fact, even the portion he hadn't tried to drive into Leonel's body began to break down, crumbling into ash before his very eyes.

Leonel turned his head back to watch this scene indifferently. It was clear that this was exactly what he expected to happen. To try and use a spear against the owner of the Spear Domain ring was practically asking for death.

Any spear not acknowledged by the ring on Leonel's finger would crumble beneath its influence. Clearly, Coyote hadn't met these lofty goals so he was destined for failure the moment he stepped forward.

Coyote couldn't even react before he felt a blade go through his throat. He was simply too close to Leonel and he had suddenly found himself without a weapon. Why would Leonel give him a chance to recover and escape? He had already flipped his palm and swapped out his spear for an arrow.

Coyote could only die with grievances, having no idea how he had ended up in such a situation.

Arthur and Mordred looked toward Leonel with shock, not understanding what they were seeing either. However, Leonel didn't have the time to mind their reactions. He had already turned his attention back toward Aliard and his companions.

As expected, the moment Coyote died, their supposedly dire straits had completely flipped. They stood in the midst of the beast tide, coldly locking eyes with Leonel.

Leonel couldn't help but shake his head.

'These people are so cunning and they have no sense of shame. It's as though they put their mission above their pride and dignity. They would rather feign weakness for a chance at easily completing this mission by killing me rather than having an upfront battle.'

Though it couldn't be said that they were suddenly having an easy time with the beast tide, they were most definitely not on the edge of death as they had made it seem previously. Such a sight made Leonel several points more serious. Just what were they planning now?

”Margrave.” Aliard said coldly.

”Yes.”

In that moment, Margrave's aura completely changed. From one of the holiest, sanctimonious light, it became a boundless darkeness, competing even with the vast black clouds in the sky above.

Leonel wasn't as shocked by this change as compared to others. Thanks to the fourth trial, he had already seen Pope Margrave use Dark Elemental magic. However, even he couldn't expect what would happen next.

A black pearl appeared in Margrave's hand. He lightly tossed it into the air, causing it to burst apart.

This bursting action wasn't an attack, but rather a sort of release, unchaining what was slumbering within. And, when Leonel saw exactly what had been within the pearl, he couldn't help but suck in a cold breath.

There were five individuals in total. All of them had the dull white eyes of Invalids, but Leonel knew that they hadn't always been like this because he recognized each and every one of them.

They were the members of the Adurna family, Little Nana's family!

Leonel's expression changed. If this was the case?

His head snapped toward the Segmented Cube in the distance. From the start, Leonel had veered the battle away from it in order to protect Little Nana. However, if Little Nana's family was being treated like this, the possibility for what could have happened to Little Nana was endless.

”Come here!”

Leonel panicked slightly, but he called out as a last resort. He had never tried to command the Segmented Cube before, but he knew that it was a treasure that had to have its own intelligence even if it was somewhat dormant now. If that wasn't the case, how had it acted on its own to take the octopus corpse before? Or what about when it acted on its own to take the corpse of the naked sniper he crossed paths with after leaving the Fort?

Aliard's gaze flashed seeing Leonel's panic.

”Do it.” He said calmly.