Chapter 229 - 228: Death Charge
The Long Halberd’s Halberd Blade was made from two shoulder blades, and its Spearhead was a finger bone.
Moreover, these bones seemed to have been reinforced and looked exceptionally sharp.
At the same time, Zelir began his pre-battle preparations.
The tip of the Night Peace Staff flashed repeatedly as he unleashed one Empowerment Magic spell after another!
Zelir cast Swift Blessing on himself.
He cast Indestructible Body on Marcus.
He cast Swift Blessing, Gift of Barbaric Strength, and Indestructible Body on Maki.
’Besides myself, Maki is the only one of us who can act as the main assault. He needs all the buffs I can give him.’
This series of Empowerment Magic spells, on top of the earlier Purification Aura, almost completely drained Zelir’s Mana.
He quickly took out a Source Energy Crystal Stone, clutching it in his hand to begin replenishing his Magic Power.
’If it comes to it, I’ll even break the rule that you can only use a Source Energy Crystal Stone to fully replenish your Mana once.’
’A damaged sea of consciousness is better than dying here.’
It held the Long Halberd in a reverse grip, its Spearhead pointed at the ground.
Its bone hooves pawed slowly at the stone floor, making a CLACK-CLACK sound.
Every scrape sent a jolt of tension through the onlookers.
Imposing. Majestic. Powerful. Evil.
The Power contained within this Bone Centaur completely surpassed that of an ordinary Demon.
Faced with such a terrifying Undead Demon, even Marcus and Maki couldn’t help but feel a chill run down their spines. Their expressions were grim.
"If I get out of here alive... I’ll make damn sure that Vance pays...!"
Maki gripped his Giant Sword, hissing the words through clenched teeth.
"Same here...!" Murderous intent flared in Marcus’s heart.
’Some damn Nobility...!’
’Just you wait!’
The attack began in an instant!
The Bone Centaur’s body suddenly tensed. Immense Power flowed through its bones, and then...
...it erupted!
CRACK!
Its four hooves struck the ground, and the hard floor shattered on impact!
Its massive frame transformed into a black bolt of lightning, surging forward!
The Bone Centaur’s Charge carried a frenzied power as it thundered toward them!
The Long Halberd in its hand swung in a wide arc, carrying enough force to split a mountain!
"Dodge!"
Even Marcus, with the highest Defense Power, didn’t dare attempt to block the blow head-on.
The three dodged simultaneously, each in a different direction.
As Zelir leaped back, the tip of his Night Peace Staff instantly formed a concentrated Aurora Energy Beam!
The blue beam shot accurately toward the centaur’s chest cavity.
But the centaur’s reaction speed was extraordinary. The black aura coiling around its body solidified into a small Shadow Shield.
It absorbed the full force of the Aurora Energy Beam.
SIZZLE!!!
The blue Arcane Energy collided violently with the black Negative Energy.
Like oil and water, they began to annihilate each other, finally dissipating into the air and leaving only intense magical fluctuations in their wake.
Although Zelir’s attack was blocked, the magical blast caused the Bone Centaur to lock onto its next target.
’Best to kill the Mage first.’
Its equine body turned with surprising agility. The two points of scarlet wisp-fire in its empty eye sockets locked onto Zelir, and it charged!
’Damn it!’
Zelir was terrified.
He felt as helpless as an infantryman facing a cavalry charge on an open plain.
The thunderous pounding of its four hooves and the ferocity of its Charge were enough to make one’s very soul tremble.
’There’s no outrunning it. If I turn, the Long Halberd will pierce my heart from behind.’
Zelir made his decision.
He swung the Night Peace Staff, and three earthen walls shot up from the ground!
However, this hasty defense did nothing to stop the Bone Centaur’s momentum.
Relying on the formidable hardness of its bones, it didn’t bother to dodge, smashing straight through the earthen walls!
CRASH!!!
The Bone Centaur smashed directly through the first two obstacles, sending rock fragments flying.
It swung its Long Halberd in a circle, directly cleaving the third wall in two!
The scarlet light in its eye sockets locked onto Zelir as it closed in for the kill!
Its hooves thundered as the shadow of death loomed.
’The Bone Centaur’s Long Halberd and its coiling black aura... there’s no way my Fog Flowing Gauze can stop that.’
’I can’t deflect it, and I can’t outrun it. The only option is to take it head-on!’
Ring of Resistance!
Zelir activated the Ring of Resistance, extending it outward to counter the Bone Centaur’s charging momentum!
’I can’t let it get any closer!’
An Invisible Giant Shield materialized in front of Zelir.
A powerful repulsive force erupted, meeting the Bone Centaur in a brutal, head-on collision!
BOOM!!!
A circular shockwave erupted from the point of impact, sweeping outward and clearing away the nearby rubble and Armor fragments.
Zelir felt his chest tighten.
The recoil, like the weight of a giant boulder, slammed into Zelir.
He struggled to stay upright, stumbling back seven or eight steps before collapsing to the ground.
But the Bone Centaur’s charge had, at last, been stopped.
"HRAAAGH!!!"
A furious roar came from the Bone Centaur’s flank. Maki charged in from the side, his Heavy Sword wreathed in dense Fighting Qi.
Pivoting at the waist, he unleashed a sudden burst of power. Vortex Slash!
CRACK!
The blow landed squarely on the Bone Centaur’s right rear leg joint—a relatively weak spot.
Maki’s strategy was clear: cripple its legs and neutralize its most dangerous weapon, the Charge.
The Fighting Qi amplified the Heavy Sword’s destructive power. Combined with Maki’s own immense strength, the blade actually bit into the bone, shattering half the joint.
The Bone Centaur’s body tilted back slightly. It swung its Long Halberd at Maki in a furious strike.
Thanks to his own alertness and Zelir’s Swift Blessing, Maki didn’t press his luck, dodging the fatal blow.
Even so, the fierce wind from the Long Halberd’s slash stung his cheek.
"You bastard! Over here!"
Marcus had also arrived, shield raised in a Charge that slammed into the creature’s front.
At the same time, Marcus roared to draw the Bone Centaur’s attention.
He needed to stop it from swinging its halberd again to finish off Maki, who wouldn’t be able to dodge a second time.
The Bone Centaur’s combat instincts were terrifyingly strong; it wielded the Long Halberd with practiced skill.
Its first downward slash carved a deep gash into Marcus’s Shield, which was reinforced with several layers of iron plating.
Before Marcus could steady himself, the Bone Centaur reared its front hooves and followed up with a stomp!
THUD!!!
A deep, clear hoofprint was instantly imprinted on the surface of the Composite Shield.
It raised its Long Halberd high and brought it down in a vertical chop!
Marcus cowered behind what was left of his Composite Shield.
CRACK!
With a sound of tearing metal, the top of the Shield was sheared clean off, leaving only the bottom half in Marcus’s hands.
The three-part combo nearly destroyed Marcus’s Composite Shield. The sequence of attacks was seamless, giving him no opportunity to catch his breath.
VMMMM... BOOM!!!
A pillar of deep blue light shot in from the side, striking the Bone Centaur squarely on the head!
It was Zelir’s Aurora Energy Beam!