BANG!
The ground shuddered as Akarius Morth was flung backwards, crashing into the dirt. His once-imposing armor was now riddled with gaping holes, as if gnawed by some ravenous beast. Clutched in his hand was a mace wreathed in flames, crackling defiantly despite its bearer's battered state.
"This is the fourth time this month," Akarius muttered through gritted teeth, his voice a mix of frustration and resignation. Breaches in the barrier weren't uncommon, but this level of threat was rare and terrifying.
"What kind of power have you even reached?" he bellowed, despair and anger twisting his features as he faced his relentless opponent.
Thanks to his quick thinking, the rest of the stronghold's defenders had been evacuated upon identifying the intruder. If they had stayed out of pride or bravado, they would have been slaughtered without mercy.
Yet the enemy remained unfazed, advancing steadily with its spear in hand. Just as they were about to clash again, an overwhelming pressure bore down on Akarius.
"This! I recognize this aura!" he exclaimed, his mind racing. Saints, having cultivated their minds to such a degree, could often identify others based on their mental signatures alone.
From high above, something plummeted toward them. Before either combatant could react, the object crashed directly onto the spear-wielding intruder.
BOOM!
Wilfordlanded like a meteor, the impact force sending the stone-armored warrior skidding backward.
"Damn, my shoulder is killing me," Wilford muttered, rubbing the spot. Then, noticing Akarius, he broke into a grin. "Oi, Akarius! Long time no see!"
Akarius's lips twitched, his forced smile barely holding. "Yes, indeed, Wilford ," he managed to say. But before Wilford could continue, Akarius pointed toward the enemy, still recovering from the impact. "I think you should deal with the problem first."
Wilford turned, his gaze locking onto the armored figure. At first glance, it reminded him of a character from a video game.
The armor looked as though it had been sculpted from solid rock, each piece meticulously carved to fit the figure's form. The helmet, with its angular design and pronounced crest, resembled a crown chiseled from granite.
Broad, jagged pauldrons extended like the peaks of a mountain range, while the chest plate was adorned with deep, deliberate carvings, as though gouged by an immense force. The greaves and gauntlets were similarly robust, appearing to have been hewn from the very bedrock, providing an almost impenetrable defense. Despite its massive weight, the armor seemed to move fluidly with the warrior, its joints and articulations seamlessly integrated.
In its hand, the warrior wielded a massive stone spear, the shaft as thick and sturdy as a pillar. The spearhead, a sharp, angular slab of rock, bore the marks of battle—chipped and cracked at the edges, but still undeniably lethal.
The helmet the enemy wore resembled a wolf's closed jaws, with a strip of crimson cloth trailing from its back.
Wilford's grin widened. "Looks like we've got ourselves a 'Dragonslayer'!"
As he sifted through Wilford 's memories, the enemy's true identity crystallized. This was no ordinary foe.
54th General of The Sovereign—The GreatKnight of Stone!
The Sovereign was a name used to describe the Renegade Deity sealed beyond the lands. Among its followers, the 72 Generals were infamous for being the only ones capable of breaching the barrier that separated them from the world. Over time, the Divine Alliance had compiled an extensive database on these formidable enemies, and Wilfordunsurprisingly had access to that information.
The GreatKnight of Stone, as described in the records, was an entity whose power fluctuated but always remained within the Saint Stage. Its abilities were tied to Earth Elemental Energy, making it a resilient and tenacious adversary.
"Guess that's why the Grand Commander wanted me to handle this," Wilford mused, surveying the armored figure. Stone fell within Earth and had a relatively good defense, though not as much as Metal. Fire could potentially destroy the stone by either creating an explosion powerful enough to shatter it or by melting it down. Earth would only balance the playing field, but to combat one of the 72 Generals, exceptional skill was necessary.
Wind could be a viable option, enhancing agility and slicing through the stone, but the GreatKnight had been recorded piercing itself back together from mere shards. Water, then, was the most viable element, as it could erode and undermine the structural integrity of stone over time, rendering its defenses less effective.
Without further ado, with the information in mind, spheres of water materialized beside Wilford and shot toward the Stone Knight.
GRRRR...CRRRAAAKKK!
The Stone Knight growled, swiftly cutting apart the spheres with its spear as it lunged at its foe. Wilford's eyes gleamed as he analyzed its movements. With a sudden burst of speed, he shot forward, meeting the Stone Knight head-on.
BOOM!
A shockwave erupted as they clashed, Wilford catching the Stone Knight's spear with his water-coated hands to absorb the impact and avoid injury. They struggled, each trying to wrest control of the weapon, when suddenly tendons of stone erupted from the Stone Knight's back, aiming directly for Wilford 's head.
"The hell do you have tentacles for?" Wilford muttered, dodging to the side just in time. Seizing the opportunity, the Stone Knight rammed its helmeted head into Wilford 's chest, forcing him to release the spear as it thrust forward.
Wilford quickly conjured a wall of condensed water in front of him, momentarily stalling the Stone Knight's advance. Seizing the opportunity, he burst to the side and delivered a powerful kick, sending the Stone Knight crashing to the ground.
BANG!
The Stone Knight was hurled back into the stronghold walls, but Wilford didn't give it a chance to recover. He began his next move, converting Aether into Water Elemental Energy as his gray hair flowed in the surge of power.
A massive stream of water materialized, forming a colossal whirlpool.
"Shoot!" Wilford commanded.
The whirlpool condensed into a single droplet that shot towards the Stone Knight like a bullet.
Elemental Energy Art – Saint Grade – The Tears of the Sea.
Seeing the incoming attack, the Stone Knight infused its stone spear with Earth Elemental Energy and thrust it towards the droplet.
BOOM!
The collision unleashed a massive explosion, shaking the already crumbling stronghold. The structure began to collapse further as enchanted rubble rained down.
"Get out of here, Akarius!" Wilford shouted.
It wasn't that Akarius would be killed by mere falling rubble, even if it was imbued with Earth Elemental Energy. That was impossible for an Iron Seed Level Saint like him, who had more than enough passive power to withstand it. No, what worried Wilford was the Stone Knight itself.
As a seasoned warrior, it would naturally strategize on the battlefield. And while the effectiveness of such tactics varied among individuals, the Stone Knight was one of the greatest warriors under the Sovereign. It would undoubtedly target Akarius, who was far weaker, to minimize any risk of defeat. After all, it couldn't predict whether Akarius had any hidden trump cards that could temporarily weaken it in the heat of battle, could it?
As a Commander of the West Brigade, Wilford had to ensure Akarius's safety. If he failed, the Council would seize the chance to undermine his influence within the Alliance.
The Alliance wanted swords, not daggers.
Hearing Wilford's warning, Akarius nodded and dashed to escape the crumbling stronghold. Sensing Akarius' presence receding, Wilford sighed in relief before turning his attention back to The Stone Knight.
The Knight's spear was still locked in combat with the droplet, but its wielder was gone.
Wilford 's eyes narrowed, and he swiftly dodged to the side.
BANG!
The Stone Knight emerged from his flank, its wolfish helmet glaring down at him.
"You want a fist fight, huh?" Wilford quipped, summoning water around his arms.
Without another word, he launched a punch at The Stone Knight.
Rather than dodging, the Stone Knight met Wilford 's attack with a punch of its own.
BANG!
As usual, a shockwave rippled out, and cracks spider-webbed across The Stone Knight's arm.
"You like that?" Wilford taunted, delivering another powerful blow to the Knight's abdomen.
In response, The Stone Knight attempted a swift kick, but Wilford caught it mid-air and hurled him aside.
The Stone Knight crashed face-first into the ground as Wilford conjured a water spear and drove it toward the Knight's head.
BANG!
The spear embedded itself into the armor, but Wilford knew better than to think it was over. The water swirling around his arms accelerated, kinetic energy focusing at his knuckles. Without hesitation, Wilford slammed his fist into The Stone Knight's chest.
BANG!
The sheer force pulverized the Knight's lower abdomen, turning the solid stone into dust. Wilford prepared for a second strike, this time aiming at the helmet, but before he could land it, The Stone Knight summoned its spear. The droplet of water that had been dueling the spear was thrown forward, crashing into the stronghold and detonating, causing the ground to shake violently.
The Stone Knight swung the spear at Wilford , forcing him to retreat a few steps. Drawing Earth Elemental Energy from the spear, the Knight swiftly ripped out Wilford 's water spear from its face.
The ground beneath The Stone Knight responded swiftly, regenerating its lower abdomen as it stood tall once again. Wilford frowned, realizing this was far from over. Without hesitation, he unleashed one of his stronger spells.
Elemental Energy Art – Saint Grade – Frost Chains!
In an instant, a thick layer of ice enveloped The Stone Knight, binding its body in place. Though it wasn't completely frozen, its movements were heavily restricted. Not missing the opportunity, Wilfordimmediately followed up with another technique.
Elemental Energy Art – Elite Grade – Rain of Death!
Countless droplets of water formed in Wilford's palm and shot toward The Stone Knight. Upon contact, the droplets began to suck out the Elemental Energy from the stone, causing portions of the Knight's body to weaken and dissolve. The Frost Chains binding it were continually reinforced by Wilford 's energy, ensuring the stone warrior remained trapped.
The Rain of Death didn't actually dissolve the stone like fire would. Instead, the droplets absorbed the Elemental Energy within the stone, adding to their own mass and expanding as they made more contact. However, this effect had a limit. Without continuous reinforcement from Wilford , the droplets would eventually reach a critical size, burst, and release the gathered energy.
Normally, Elites would utilize the Rain of Death as a mere distraction due to the immense expenditure of Elemental Energy, but Wilford, being a Saint, had made some modifications. The siphoned Elemental Energy from the target was converted into reinforcing the droplets themselves, maintaining their size and preventing them from bursting.
Despite the progress of Rain of Death as it steadily dissolved the Stone Knight, Wilford remained on high alert. He wasn't taking any chances. His hand moved, summoning another technique.
Elemental Energy Art – Saint Grade – Wave Obliteration!
A colossal tsunami surged into existence, dwarfing the stronghold below. Wilford 's eyes gleamed with focus.
"Condense!"
At his command, the towering wave shrank into a dense, cylindrical form. Wilford thrust his hand forward, directing the attack. The condensed tsunami launched itself at the Stone Knight with terrifying force, driving the warrior backward.
But just as the Stone Knight struggled against the overwhelming force, the tail of the cylindrical wave curved, wrapping around from behind. Now caught between both ends of the water attack, the Stone Knight found itself relentlessly pummeled.
Every attempt to defend, whether through earth walls or evasive maneuvers, crumbled under the ferocity of the condensed water, which showed no sign of relenting. The Stone Knight's body was systematically dismantled, piece by piece, by the crushing waves.
The Stone Knight could no longer do anything. Its spear, once mighty and unyielding, began to crumble, followed by its helmet.
For a brief moment, everything stopped. The water receded, and the Stone Knight felt an odd sense of primitive relief wash over it.
But then—
WHOOSH!
A massive sickle of ice pierced through the battered knight. The respite was short-lived, as more icy blades followed, emerging from all directions, impaling the Stone Knight until it resembled a grotesque, stone-laden shish kebab.
Its spear fell to the ground with a dull thud, and the warrior collapsed, lifeless, upon the ruins of the stronghold.