Chapter 187: The Void’s Deception
The black-haired man slowly tightened his grip on his sword.
His gaze never left the silent armored figure.
"I’ll hold him back."
"You report everything to Lord."
Even if he died here. The information about this mysterious assassin had to reach their master.
Otherwise the next people sent after Hero Luke. Would suffer the exact same fate.
The brown-haired man didn’t hesitate.
"RUN!!"
BOOM!!
Peak Silver Knight aura erupted from his body. A powerful shockwave swept across the surrounding forest.
Leaves scattered into the air. Branches bent violently beneath the pressure.
Without looking back he explosively kicked off the ground.
BOOOM!!
The earth beneath his feet instantly collapsed. Cracks spread outward like a spiderweb.
A cloud of dust exploded behind him as his figure shot toward the right side at astonishing speed—
Away from the black-haired man.
Away from the mysterious knight clad in dark-blue armor.
His only goal...
Escape.
Meanwhile—
The black-haired man also roared.
"HAH!"
His Peak Silver Knight aura burst forth as well.
Silver mana wrapped around his entire body.
His remaining hand tightened around his sword.
SWISH!!
He rushed straight toward Luke. His eyes burned with killing intent.
"As long as I keep him busy."
"He’ll escape!"
Yet.
The dark-blue armored knight never moved. He simply stood there.
Watching him approach.
"..."
The black-haired man’s eyebrows twitched.
"He’s not even taking me seriously?"
A vein bulged across his forehead.
"Bastard!"
The humiliation.
Combined with the pain from his severed arm. Instantly ignited the fury inside him.
"Fine!"
"Then don’t blame me!"
Aether wildly surged throughout his body.
He was about to activate his Ascension Series—
But then—
WHOOSSH!!
A sound tore through the air.
"Huh?!"
The black-haired man’s instincts exploded with warning.
His pupils shrank to pinpoints.
"An ambush?!"
He abruptly turned toward the right—
The exact direction where the brown-haired man had escaped moments earlier.
There...
A dark blur shot toward him at unbelievable speed.
So fast.
His eyes could barely follow it.
"Impossible!"
Before he could even react—
BAAAAM!!!
The projectile slammed directly into his chest.
An explosive impact echoed throughout the forest.
"GUAAAH!!"
His body was blasted backward like a broken ragdoll.
CRAAASH!!
He smashed straight through a massive tree.
The thick trunk exploded apart.
Wood splinters erupted in every direction.
Before he could stop—
CRASH!!
A second tree shattered.
Then a third.
Only after plowing through multiple trees did his body finally come to a halt.
Dust filled the air. Broken branches rained down.
Silence.
"...Cough!"
"Pfft—!"
A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips. The metallic taste instantly filled his mouth.
His vision blurred crimson.
Every bone in his body screamed in agony.
"W-What."
He painfully lifted his head. His trembling gaze slowly moved downward.
The place where the "projectile" had struck him.
But next moment, his pupils instantly dilated.
"W-What?" His voice trembled.
"How?" His words became stuck in his throat.
Lying beneath him was the unconscious brown-haired man.
Or rather what remained of him.
His other arm. had also been cleanly severed.
Blood continuously flowed from both shoulders, staining the forest floor crimson.
His breathing was shallow. His face deathly pale.
The black-haired man’s mind went blank.
"How did he catch him so quickly?"
His heart began pounding violently.
Then—
STEP.
A calm footstep echoed through the silent forest.
The black-haired man slowly raised his blood-covered face.
There.
The dark-blue armored knight calmly walked toward them.
Every step was steady.
Unhurried.
Like a judge approaching condemned criminals.
His heartbeat accelerated.
Then—
STEP.
Another footstep echoed.
"Huh?"
The black-haired man’s eyes instinctively shifted sideways.
Another.
Dark-blue armored knight had appeared. Standing silently beside the first.
His breathing suddenly became erratic.
"W-What?"
Before he could process it—
STEP.
STEP.
STEP.
One footstep after another echoed through the forest.
Like the footsteps of death itself.
Every few meters another identical armored figure silently emerged from the shadows.
Some appeared atop tree branches.
Others stepped out from behind massive trunks.
Each wore the same black-blue armor.
The same helmet. The same black halo floating above their heads. The same emotionless gaze.
Sadly, even now he didn’t identify the Luke. Because the Void themselves, were hiding his existence.
So even the Luke was front of him, he couldn’t pinpoint the person, was related to Luke.
Then within seconds.
Ten identical dark-blue knights completely surrounded them.
"..."
"..."
Cold sweat poured down the black-haired man’s face.
His lips trembled uncontrollably.
"Clones?"
Every single one radiated terrifying pressure.
The black-haired man swallowed with great difficulty.
Only one thought remained inside his mind.
"We’re completely screwed."
His face became ashen.
The last trace of confidence disappeared.
Far behind the circle of dopplegängers. The real Luke silently watched everything unfold.
Hidden beneath Null Veil of Nyx. The black-haired man couldn’t perceive him at all.
Luke deliberately kept his distance.
Not because he feared two Peak Silver Knights.
But because he had learned his lesson.
His mind unconsciously recalled the incident inside the Secret Realm.
Rowan.
That man had looked completely cornered as well.
Yet.
He still managed to pull out a terrifying trump card at the very last moment.
That experience had left a deep impression on Luke. "Never corner an enemy with your real body."
No matter how weak the opponent appeared. There was always the possibility they possessed a hidden ace.
Or some unknown means of dragging their enemy down with them.
Of course. This time.
Luke was overthinking things.
The magic scroll Rowan had used. Had originally been given to Roland by Oryn.
It wasn’t an ordinary item. It was a treasure that even most Golden Knights would hesitate to purchase.
Not because they couldn’t afford it. But because they preferred spending their wealth elsewhere.
A Golden Knight would almost always choose a powerful weapon.
Or an exceptional suit of armor.
Rather than an expensive mage-exclusive scroll they might never use.
As for Peak Silver Knights. Owning something of that level was exceedingly rare.
So.
These two men had absolutely no hidden trump cards.
Luke’s precautions ultimately proved unnecessary.
Still.
He didn’t regret them. Better to waste a little caution.