Chapter 272 - 236: A Clash of Convictions

One hundred and fifty-seven years ago, before Florian had been promoted to the Earth Military Rank and joined the Death Battle Group, the Battle Group he served in had conducted a joint operation with the Black Storm.

At that time, Huffman was already the Battle Group Commander of the Black Storm.

His power as a Four-star Earth Military Rank swept aside all powerful foes.

Although more than a century had passed since then, Huffman had been the first to guide him on the path of a Knight, and that would never change.

He had a heart full of justice.

He fought for the truth of the Empire.

However, the Imperial Knight he had once admired most had now utterly become a monster.

BAM—!

Though Florian’s heart burned with fury, his strength was no match for Huffman, who had been remade by Demon Power.

A huge crater caved into the chest of his Power Armor. His body shot out of control like a cannonball, skimming across the ground of the Barge Port. He overturned a cargo-laden dump truck, scattering piles of mechanical parts everywhere, then tore through the steel guardrail of a walkway before slamming with incredible force into the port’s steel-and-concrete wall.

The terrifying impact kicked up a cloud of dust from the ground and wall as a web of cracks spread frantically across the wall’s surface.

Blood streamed from the seams of his Full Coverage Helmet.

Florian tried to fight on, but the ribs in his caved-in chest had punctured his lungs. His throat felt as if it were being squeezed by a rope, making it difficult to breathe.

He struggled to rise, but fell back several times, unable to stand.

When the nearby Ash Guard saw Iron Crown Florian slumped against the wall, unable to rise, their faces filled with horror!

"Sir—!"

"Test! Bring your men and fall back to reinforce him! Now!"

"You damned Demons, get out of our way!"

A few of the closer Ash Guard tried to break through the encirclement to provide support, but Demons kept pouring from the port like a surging tide. Even though they were all Official Knights of Six-star Military Rank, equipped with the most advanced Power Armor and Knight’s Broadswords, the mere fifty meters separating them might as well have been an impassable chasm.

Nearly every Ash Guard was besieged by dozens, even hundreds, of Demons at once. While the Convicted Demons and Slaughter Demons might not have been powerful enough to pose a direct threat, the sheer mass of these three-to-four-meter-tall behemoths could halt their reinforcements’ advance, burying them under a pile of bodies if nothing else.

Furthermore, every member of the Flayer Knight squad at the Barge Port, aside from their warband leader, was an Official Knight of Six-star Military Rank. Blessed by the power of the Slaughter Death Arena, their strength even surpassed that of the Ash Guard!

It took a three-man squad just to fight a single Flayer Knight to a standstill.

From the moment Reinhardt’s group arrived at the Barge Port, to Matthias’s group venturing deep into the warzone to gather the Technician Priests, and finally to Florian’s defeat at the hands of the Flayers Warband leader—only three minutes and twenty seconds had passed.

That was barely enough time for Agate to remove one of the Punisher’s damaged control modules.

No Imperial Knight could bear to watch one of their Battle Brothers—someone they had fought alongside—be killed by the enemy right before their very eyes.

Pinned down by the enemy, the Ash Guard could only watch helplessly as the warband leader, Huffman, slowly approached Florian, unable to break free to help him.

Their eyes burned with rage as they fought with all their might, trying to carve a bloody path through the demonic horde.

But they were too late.

"Bastard—!"

"Sir Florian!"

"Where is that bastard Bach?! And the Ash Guard who were with Sir Florian? Demons! Die—!"

Huffman relished the Imperial Knights’ fear and despair.

So he was in no hurry to kill Florian. He just shouldered his Slaughter Knife, looming over the Ash Guard’s Iron Crown as he taunted, "Weren’t you just going on about the Knight’s Oath sworn before the Radiant Holy Image?

If the Knight’s Oath truly worked, that Pseudo-Emperor you worship should have granted you the power to defeat me, instead of leaving you to lie here like a dead dog."

As he spoke, Huffman raised his left arm, clenching it in a fist to display his power. A roaring storm of combined Demon and Knight energy descended upon Florian.

"I used to wonder why any of those powerful Imperial Knights would choose to pledge allegiance to the supreme Master of the Abyss. Heh heh heh... Just feel this incredible power.

Combat, slaughter, blood... My power grows without end, yet in thirty years, your own strength has stagnated.

Tsk tsk tsk.

The Pseudo-Emperor has no use for Knights who are loyal to him. I figured that out long ago, Florian."

Huffman’s crimson, bone-spurred face had fully transformed into that of a Slaughter Demon. The sulfurous flames in his eyes blazed with contempt and disdain as he stared down at the fallen Florian, his laughter a grating shriek.

"All that stingy master of yours really wants are good, loyal dogs to die for him! Hahaha—!"

What utter blasphemy!

As Huffman’s seditious tirade echoed over the cannon fire at the Barge Port, every last Imperial Knight and member of the garrisoned Auxiliary Army was incandescent with rage!

Raphael, in particular, could not believe that such words could come from a powerful Knight who had once been loyal to the Empire!

But the more enraged they became, the more Huffman relished their fury.

He unslung his Slaughter Knife and planted a foot on Florian’s chest. A cruel smile spread across his face. "With the blood of my enemy, I make a sacrifice to the Blood God."

As the Slaughter Knife howled down toward Florian, the Iron Crown of the Ash Guard—a veteran of a hundred years, forty of them in the Death Battle Group—let out a hysterical, furious roar.

He grabbed Huffman’s left leg. His Extraordinary Armor, the Shadow Cloak, spilled across the ground like molten shadow.

Its Extraordinary Trait, Earth Ring·Shadow Migration, pulled his battered body down into the shadows on the ground. An instant later, he re-emerged, leaping up behind Huffman.

Florian gripped his Knight’s Broadsword with both hands. His Power Backpack emitted a deafening roar as the Overload Drive surged, igniting the Energy Sword Blade. Blood continued to pour from his helmet, but the excruciating pain could not stop his resolve to strike down his nemesis with his own hands!

Because he was a son of the Death Battle Group!

The threat of death only ignited in him an even greater will to fight!

The Knight’s Broadsword viciously pierced Huffman’s chest. But far from feeling pain, Huffman unleashed a terrifying battle roar. The fire in his eyes blazed as he spun around and seized Florian by the neck, his face contorted with fury!

"Insect! You have a death wish!"

Florian stared defiantly into the traitor’s eyes, not giving an inch. He struggled to reply, "For... the Emperor..."