Chapter 327 - 286: Desperate Moment

At that moment, the Blood Flame erupting from Reinhardt and soaring to the heavens unleashed a terrifying surge of power. Even the clouds in the blood-red sky seemed to be drawn in by this force, roiling and churning.

A surging Destructive Suppression, carried on the howling gales, spread furiously across the entire warzone!

Even the Imperial Knights fighting Demons several kilometers away sensed this incomparably powerful Knightly Aura, and they all looked up toward its source.

Even the Mortal Soldiers noticed there was something deeply unnatural about the storm that had suddenly kicked up.

As Reinhardt’s expression twisted into a ferocious snarl and his right hand became a Cannon Fist blasting toward Flayer Du Ma, time seemed to freeze for a brief instant.

Du Ma’s expression twisted with excitement. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and took a step back with his right leg to brace himself. The scarlet fire in his eye sockets burned brighter as he faced Reinhardt’s incoming Powerful Punch head-on.

In his vision, Reinhardt’s heaven-piercing aura transformed into a torrent of raging fire that resembled a roaring Dragon Beast.

It was as if the entire world had fallen deathly silent.

The next second—

BOOM—!

Flayer Du Ma’s enormous body shot backward like a meteor, breaking the sound barrier as it skimmed across the desolate earth. Along its path, countless corpses were pulverized into a gory paste that splattered through the air!

Where he had been standing, a massive crater was blasted into the ground, as if the earth had endured a bombardment from naval cannons.

The rubble and dust, spreading out in the same direction, traced the terrible path of a fan-shaped shockwave that had swept across the ground.

The Mortal Soldiers were sent sprawling by the howling storm, their eyes wide with a terror reserved for witnessing Demigods clashing in the mortal realm.

The three onlooking Dragon Hunter Knights, despite being more than ten meters from the epicenter of the battle, still couldn’t withstand Reinhardt’s Destructive Suppression. Drenched in a cold sweat, they collapsed to their knees.

They stared in utter shock at Reinhardt, who, after delivering that punch, could no longer support himself and had fallen to one knee.

’So strong...’

’What terrifying Knight Power!’

’This is an immense pressure we’ve never felt, not even from our Battle Group Leader, Lord Fedor!’

’Just who... is this strange Imperial Knight?’

After throwing that final punch, Reinhardt stared in the direction Flayer Du Ma had been sent flying. His strength gave out, and he collapsed, supporting himself on one knee with his left hand.

The crisp chime of the Steel of the Heart sounded in his ear.

Faint blue text from the system flashed before his eyes.

[Heart Steel Layers Increased: 1200]

[Giant Devouring Current Layer Number: 25030]

[Physical Enhancement Coefficient: 25.30]

[Heart Steel Goliath Giant Current Permanent Physique Buff: 75%]

Although the power of the Steel of the Heart helped him recover some stamina—enough to keep from losing control of the Flame of Blood Fury and his ability to fight—the feedback it provided still made his heart sink.

Years ago, when he had fought Sedon—that powerhouse of the Empire, a Seven-star Earth Military Rank rumored to have slain a Great Demon with his own hands—the man had only possessed a power level of 1,100 layers.

’A power level of 1,200 layers... Fear Knight Du Ma is even stronger than Sedon was back then!’

Through his Knight Perception, he felt the chains that pierced his spirit in the Spiritual Domain dim for a brief moment, but they remained locked firmly upon him, not budging an inch.

’In other words, that traitor Du Ma is still alive!’

Reinhardt clenched his right fist, his eyes burning with tangible fury. ’Bastard...’

Perhaps for Reinhardt, facing down super-powerhouses from various factions was just another day at the office. But from the perspective of the three onlooking Dragon Hunters...

...for this strange, unknown Imperial Knight to fight Fear Knight Du Ma with the power of a Four-star Earth Military Rank was nothing short of a miracle from the Emperor himself!

The enemy he faced was no small fry.

This was Du Ma, the Red Flame Disaster!

A thousand years ago, while serving in the Dragon Hunter’s Red Flame Battle Group, he was already the Battle Group champion, his power second only to the Red Flame Leader. He was one of the Ten Dragon Guard, personally bestowed with Legendary Power by the Lord of the Legion himself!

After betraying the Empire, accepting the power of the Slaughter Death Arena, and transforming into a Fear Knight, his strength became terrifying beyond imagination!

One of them suddenly realized they couldn’t just let that traitor, Du Ma, kill this Imperial Knight—who was surely part of the Loyalist Faction—so easily.

Once this Knight died here, Du Ma would surely turn on them next!

He picked up a Radiant Beacon, trying to contact the command post twenty kilometers away, while shouting to his Battle Brothers, "We have to cover that Knight! Rolf, you..."

Before he could finish...

...a colossal, mountain-like body slammed down in front of him like a cannonball. A large, powerful hand seized the Dragon Hunter’s hand, the one holding the Radiant Beacon.

Then came the sickening crack of breaking bones and tearing Steel Armor, mixed with the Dragon Hunter’s agonized groans.

The Dragon Hunter, his face obscured, was forced to one knee. He grit his teeth and glared up at the towering form of Flayer Du Ma. Though the pain in his right hand was bone-deep, he still managed to curse through clenched teeth.

"You traitor! After all this time, you still have the gall to show your face to us!"

Du Ma looked down, his gaze merciless. "Red Flame Son, I can’t even recall the last time I killed one of your Battle Group Leaders with my own hands."

"Heh heh heh... I didn’t expect to run into you all here."

"Once I’m done with that ant, I’ll go pay your current leader a little visit."

"You—!"

"Starr! Run! We’re no match for him! Starr—! You damn traitor! I’ll kill you!"

"Rolf! Brother, stop! We’re no match for this beast! Don’t throw your life away for nothing!"

The two Red Flame Son Dragon Hunters could only watch, their voices and eyes filled with grief and fury, as Du Ma crushed Starr to death in the air with one hand.

Reinhardt was still on one knee. He tried to rise, but the Powerful Punch—his greatest trump card against powerful foes at his current level—had completely drained his stamina.

His War Axe clattered to the ground.

Watching Du Ma slowly walk toward the other two, Reinhardt grabbed the handle of his axe and struggled back to his feet.

"I’m the one who’s going to kill you, traitor."

Hearing Reinhardt’s voice, Du Ma, who had already drawn his Skinning Knife, turned to face him. His breathing was as heavy as a Dragon Beast’s. He grinned cruelly. "You’re very strong, Imperial Knight. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve felt pain."

"But unfortunately for you, you ran into me."

As he spoke with Du Ma, Reinhardt removed his Full Coverage Helmet. He glanced at the two Dragon Hunters, signaling for them to retreat immediately, then taunted, "Is that so? If you had this much confidence when you spoke with the Lord Governor, you wouldn’t have hidden in a Demon Mother Ship licking your wounds like a rat."