Chapter 164: Hellcaller

The horrified crowd immediately began rushing toward the exits, pushing and shoving as everyone desperately tried to return to the safety of their homes. At the same time, the city knights recovered from their shock and started running toward the eastern gates, where the expanding spatial rift awaited them.

Berman tightened his grip around his sword and prepared to move toward Charles, but before he could take a single step, Berlic’s voice resounded across the training ground.

"Berman."

The knight stopped and turned toward his master.

Berlic remained on the raised platform, his expression calm as he looked down.

"We have to leave for the rift," the City Lord said.

His gaze shifted toward Charles’s scythe-like arm, specifically the ominous darkness covering the curved blade.

That darkness was not merely some strange power.

It was Aura.

Charles had become an Exalted, and if he had been the one behind the murders, then he was an Exalted Advanced.

Berlic’s eyes narrowed slightly.

It was perfect.

Everything had fallen into place exactly as he had hoped.

Elias was standing alone before an Advanced Exalted monster, while the city itself was descending into chaos because of the spatial rift. If Elias died here, there would be no need for him to create another excuse.

The pieces had already arranged themselves.

All he needed to do was make use of them.

Berman glanced toward Charles and then toward Elias.

The monster’s hollow eyes were fixed entirely upon the young nobleman, as though everyone else around him had ceased to exist.

Berman understood the situation immediately.

Charles was only interested in Elias.

He slowly sheathed his sword.

Without another word, he turned and followed Berlic away from the training ground.

Berlic stepped down from the raised platform, and Daemon followed closely behind him. The three of them then left with the remaining knights, abandoning the training ground as the rest of the crowd fled.

Soon, only two people remained standing within the training ground.

Elias and Charles.

Elias watched Berlic disappear through the entrance, his expression darkening as his suspicion became certainty.

He then turned slightly and sent a Mental Whisper toward the Sword Spirit.

[Follow them.]

The Sword Spirit stared at him with an irritated expression.

"That monster is an Exalted," she said.

Elias’s expression became even darker.

Before he could respond, the Sword Spirit turned around and began flying after Berlic and the others.

"This is the last time I am listening to you, human," she added.

[Thank you,] Elias said.

The Sword Spirit glanced back at Charles from the corner of her eye as she continued flying away, and a faintly curious expression appeared on her face.

"How curious..." she mumbled.

Elias ignored her and immediately looked toward Belthon.

The knight was still lying on the ground, blood continuing to seep from the enormous wound in his chest.

Perhaps he could still save him.

No.

He needed to save him.

Elias rushed toward the fallen knight.

However, the moment he moved, dark Aura suddenly erupted around Charles’s entire body.

The creature’s pale form blurred.

In the next instant, Charles appeared directly before Elias.

His scythe-like arm swung toward Elias’s neck.

Elias’s eyes widened.

He immediately planted his feet against the ground and activated Tyrannical Giant’s Immovable Stance.

[The host is facing an Exalted!]

A tremendous amount of earth mana surged upward from beneath the stone.

The ground trembled as earth mana gathered around Elias, forming a thick dome that surrounded his body.

Charles’s curved blade crashed into it.

BOOM!

The impact sent a violent shockwave through the training ground.

Cracks spread across the earthen dome from the point of impact, branching outward like shattered glass, but the barrier refused to collapse.

Charles did not stop.

He pulled his scythe back and struck again.

Then again.

And again.

Each blow landed with terrifying speed, shaking the dome and sending fragments of stone flying from the ground around Elias.

The cracks multiplied with every strike until the entire barrier seemed ready to collapse.

Finally, Charles swung his arm downward with enough force to split the dome apart.

CRACK!

The earthen barrier shattered.

The stone beneath Elias’s feet exploded into dust from the remaining force, filling the air around him with a thick cloud.

Elias immediately jumped backward.

He landed several meters away and stared through the settling dust.

Charles was already moving.

Before Elias could fully recover, the monster disappeared from his sight and reappeared directly in front of him.

The scythe came sweeping toward his chest.

Elias raised Lastbane and caught the attack.

CLANG!

The force pushed him backward, and his palms screamed in pain, but he didn’t have the leisure to wait. He twisted his wrists and redirected the blade before it could tear through his armor.

Charles immediately followed with another strike.

Elias shifted sideways.

The curved blade passed beside his shoulder, and Elias countered with a slash toward Charles’s abdomen.

Charles twisted his body, avoiding the edge.

Elias stepped forward and attacked again.

His sword moved toward Charles’s shoulder, then his ribs, then his thigh, forcing the monster to defend itself instead of attacking freely.

At the same time, Elias activated Enhanced Mana Enhancement.

Mana surged through his body, reinforcing his muscles and sharpening his movements. His strength and speed increased slightly, allowing him to meet Charles’s attacks more effectively.

Charles swung toward his head.

Elias ducked.

The scythe passed above him, and Elias immediately drove Lastbane toward Charles’s side.

The blade struck pale flesh and left a shallow cut.

Red blood seeped from the wound.

Charles did not react and simply swung again.

Elias blocked the strike, redirected another, and avoided a third by twisting his body sideways. The scythe repeatedly passed within inches of him as he searched for another opening.

Then Charles suddenly disappeared from his vision.

Elias’s instincts screamed.

He turned, but it was already too late.

The scythe tore through his chestplate.

RIIIP!

The metal split apart, and the blade grazed his chest, leaving a shallow wound across his skin.

"Guh!"

Elias stumbled backward and immediately touched the wound.

Blood stained his fingers.

He clenched his teeth, raised his hand, and cast Heal.

A tiny green flame entered his chest, and the wound slowly stitched itself together, sealing the cut skin until only a faint trace of blood remained.

Elias exhaled and jumped backward, creating several meters of distance between himself and Charles.

’This is not enough...’

He took a deep breath, and Lastbane disappeared from his hand.

A moment later, another weapon appeared.

A katana-like sword forged from what seemed to be pure darkness rested in his grip.

Faint black smoke rolled down its blade and vanished into the air.

The Mythical Black Hellcaller Sword.

[Image]

The moment Elias wrapped his fingers around its hilt, bloodlust surged in his body and a wide grin slowly spread across his face.

He looked directly at Charles.

"Come, you fool."