32 Hidden Dragon (1/2)
Konrad clasped his hands around Man-Breaker, his lineage weapon and locked its enormous suppression force on the assailants. His eyes shone with purple light while his body bathed in violet flames. But although the scene was akin to the one that marked Freya's subjugation, this time, Iliana felt neither lust nor enticement.
A crushing force carrying the unconstrained desire to dominate was the only thing at play here.Worse, that purple veined weapon seemed to beat with a will of its own and corrupt Konrad's eyes with its eldritch force.
As for the Arch-Knights, the three at the mid-level could not resist Man-Breaker's horrifying power while the two at the high-level struggled to get back onto their feet with clear dread within their eyes.
”How can this be? What is a pureblooded demon noble doing in the heart of the Holy Flame Empire? Who summoned you?!”
Regardless of their might, lineage weapons were a privilege of the noble houses of the Infernal Realm, and it is was usually impossible for members of such houses to appear within a mortal world without being summoned by powerful cultists.
To say nothing of the Infernal Realm's nobility, even lesser demons needed summoning rituals.
Thus, the knight assumed Konrad had been brought straight from Hell by some barbarian cultist and snuck into the Holy Flame City for a nefarious purpose.
”As if any of that mattered now.”
Konrad whirled Man-Breaker into the three suppressed knights, dislodging and shattering their skulls in one deft circular motion, then shot toward the two high-level Arch Knights that had managed to regain their motion abilities.
But although Man-Breaker didn't entirely suppress them, their fighting capabilities had been severely weakened, with their strength somewhere around the first step Arch-Knight Rank. A level Konrad paid little attention to.
The two knights exchanged a glance and saw confidence in each other's gaze. Although the situation had experienced a drastic change, they could see Konrad's energy signature of the fifth step Grand Knight rank. Thus, although they were now stuck with the battle power of first step Arch Knights, they didn't believe they couldn't handle him!
Executing demons was a great merit! Perhaps they could use it to obtain high-level baptisms and have their cultivation soar!
In tandem, they shot toward him, the golden flames coating them burning brighter, and the flaming broadswords they dragged searing the ground below.
”Die!”
Their broadswords came crashing on Konrad in dual cleaves. But he didn't evade, standing still like an unmovable mountain.
*Clang*
Spinning Man-Breaker above his forehead, he deflected the two incoming blows and caused the knights to fall off balance. They somersaulted to get away, but how could he allow them to retreat without a price?
White-purple light erupted from his body, a perfect replica of himself appeared, and the two Konrad shot toward the falling knights.
*Bang*
Two identical hammer blows crashed into the knights' chest, shattered their chest plates, and sent them spiraling into the air with blood spurts.
But Konrad gave them no time to regain their foothold and pursued with his hammer brandished.
”Hateful! How can a Grand Knight possess an attribute? And such a powerful one at that?!”
They could see that Konrad hadn't just created a doppelganger. His light attribute just made him so fast that he seemed to be at two places at the same time. For his cultivation level, that was inconceivable.
”Healing Flame!”
Their golden flames kicked into gear, healing their wounds at breakneck speed. The golden flame of the second division could not only be used to destroy; it could also mend physical wounds and increase the body's vitality.
”Oh? Interesting. Let's see how many blows you can repair!”
The two Konrad became four, and each rained hundreds of hammer blows down the still healing knights.
*Crack* *Crack* *Crack*
Their armors collapsed, their bones cracked, and they flew backward with hundreds of overlaying blood red hammer imprints covering their bodies.
”Aaaargh!”
The knights howled as they tumbled onto the ground. Again, they exchanged glances, but this time, despair was the only thing they saw in the other's gaze.
”This is not something we can handle! Retreat!”
”Too late.”
The four Konrad once again became two, turned into purple beams of light and appeared by the fleeing knights' side.
”Shortening my cuddle time is a cardinal sin.”
Two precise hammer blows that shattered his knees crippled the left knight's legs while a descending smash crushed the right one's head.
He didn't even have time to wail before life left him.
As for the left knight, his screams pierced the night sky.
The extra Konrad then vanished in a purple haze.
All this happened in the span of a few breaths and shocked Iliana to the very core of her soul.
”What kind of horrible weapon is that?”
She didn't have a clear knowledge of the infernal hierarchy and didn't understand what a lineage weapon was. However, if the Arch-Knights of the Holy Flame Church considered it enough to brand Konrad as a pureblooded demon, then he indeed was one.
But wasn't he just a half before?
What was going on?
Konrad had yet to pay attention to her thoughts as he stepped closer toward the disabled knight who desperately crawled away from him.
”S-spare me…I can tell you who wants to capture her. This isn't worth my life!”
He pleaded, but Konrad was unfazed.
”I'm sure the ladies you slaughtered wished they could have seen the morrow. Since you didn't grant them that courtesy, why should I give it to you?”
”As for figuring out who is behind this, that is simple.”
Konrad slammed Man-Breaker onto the ground, causing a screeching sound to spread within the air and purple flames to dive into the knight's forehead.
His pupils dilated, and he stopped struggling.
”Who wishes to harm Iliana?”
”A joint force between a Semi-Holy Priest of the Holy Flame Church and house Leitner.”
The knight flawlessly answered.
Hearing this, Iliana's eyes widened with a mixture of enlightenment and incomprehension.
House Leitner was the maternal family of Alex, her elder half-brother. For them to make a move on her was something she could understand. But what did any of this have to do with a Semi-Saint of the Holy Flame Church?
Could his mother have pulled some strings? But with her status and strength, how could she?
”Where were you supposed to bring her. Is there another ambush lying ahead?”