As Gorlion and Joearai's clash continued to dominate the battlefield, Lorianth seized the opportunity to retreat, his form vanishing amidst the chaos. Meanwhile, Valicar's deft movements expertly deflected the elven archer's arrows, one after another, preventing them from finding their target.
Mike's taunts reverberated through the tumult, his words dripping with disdain for their alliances. "It's a damn shame you chose to work with these green pigs. I'm sure you would've been useful against the empire," he jeered at both Joearai and Lorianth.
"We take gold, not whatever heartfelt quest some new adventure brings us every week. You want help? Next time, bring gold," Lorianth replied, his voice blending annoyance with arrogance.
"PIG!" Joearai roared as he pressed his attack.
Amid this exchange, a new figure entered the fray, their skill in holy magic reminiscent of members of the Templars. With a swift motion, this newcomer healed Lorianth's missing hand, restoring his combat readiness. Before they could fully assess the situation, another warrior charged into the fray, eager to join the melee against Gorlion.
Mike couldn't help but find amusement amidst the battle as he pondered the chasm between Lorianth's magical prowess and Sophia's. Despite Sophia's initial reluctance to embrace the role of a combat mage, she had dedicated herself to becoming a formidable one. On the other hand, Lorianth, a mage of undeniable strength, seemed incapable of performing even basic magical feats like transmuting gold. The irony of his mastery in battle magic compared to his lack of practical magical skills wasn't lost on Mike.
A blend of amusement and disdain fueled Mike's combat prowess as he joined the engagement with Joearai, seeking to balance the odds. His ebony blade swept through the air, each movement deflecting attacks that could have leveled buildings. The surge of his dark power intensified every strike, his connection to the crowd's emotions amplifying his strength. Amid the ongoing clash between Gorlion and the new adversary, Mike found his strength steadily increasing with every clash.
Amid the chaotic battle, Gorlion's voice rang out above the tumult. "Lady Norail! While I could vanquish these foes, we must retreat to the walls to shield the city! Behold yonder, the orc forces launch an assault on the walls," he proclaimed with an air of flamboyance, his demeanor still flashy even in the heat of battle, as he continued his duel alongside Valicar.
"You're not going anywhere!" Joearai's broken accent retort was swiftly followed by a powerful kick that sent Gorlion soaring through the air, away from Valicar's immediate reach.
"I am Gorlion! You fool, master of the earth, so now tremble before my might!" Gorlion declared, his blade swinging in a grand gesture that cleared the surrounding soldiers. Then, with a flourish, he cast a spell that tore the very earth asunder."Ras Mas Clavaus!" The enemy's siege weapons and conventional artillery were scattered before his spells might, and though the city walls miraculously remained standing, the situation remained dire.
"Now, Valicar, we must retreat!" Gorlion's urgency was palpable as he deftly deflected an incoming arrow from the elven archer. Yet, even as they prepared to disengage, the rest of the enemy party finally descended upon the scene, a woman with pitch-black eyes—a warlock—among them. Mike could sense the shift in the crowd's attention, now focused on just surviving the massive attack. Even with his newfound power, he could feel it wavering, its strength tied to the crowd's attention.
Amidst the chaos of the battle, as Valicar and Joearai continued their fierce clash, Altheack's blood-curdling scream pierced the air, shattering the chaotic symphony. An arrow from the elven archer had struck her, piercing her knee. In her attempt to escape, she transformed into a bird, seeking refuge from the soldiers converging on her. Yet, her respite was short-lived, as another arrow found its mark, this time in her wing. The pain forced her to revert to her human form, and she tumbled into the mass of enemies below.
The shock of Altheack's wounds snapped something inside Mike, a fragile restraint that had been holding his anger at bay. With Sophia's calming influence absent, his sanity teetered on the brink. His consciousness swirled in a tempest of rage and power, breaking the last tethers of his restraint. Gone was his amused demeanor, replaced by a berserk fury that he hadn't experienced since his death. He became a force of unstoppable destruction, his black blade cleaving through his foes with an unnatural strength.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Without inhibition, Mike let loose his full power, unconcerned about diverting the crowd's attention back to him. He slammed the pommel of his sword into the orc chieftain's face before severing the leg of the other S-class member. And then, at speeds that seemed to transcend reality, he was a blur, a shockwave as he broke the sound barrier. His blade became a maelstrom of death, every swing felling dozens in seconds. His black weapon seemed to drink in not only blood but souls, a form of necromantic consumption.
He relentlessly massacred hundreds in mere moments, his power growing with each life taken. Amid this carnage, he managed to reach Altheack, who was battered and missing most of her right arm. Frustration swelled within him, his inability to heal her fueling the fire of his wrath. "Soph... Please save her. SOPHIA, PLEASE WAKE UP!" he roared in a mixture of anger and desperation before re-engaging Joearai in combat.
"Save her, Gorlion! And I will save this city!" Mike's renewed vigor infused his fighting as he summoned black spikes from his hand, attacking the archer from a distance and impaling her through the eye. His dance with Joearai was a furious flurry of blows, each strike powered by his growing rage and the crowd's escalating fear.
Amid the relentless onslaught, a new emotion clawed its way into Mike's consciousness: despair. He felt genuine concern for Altheack, a sentiment he hadn't experienced before—love, perhaps. But the battle's frenzied tempo allowed no time for such introspection.
As the battle raged on, Mike found himself gaining the upper hand against Joearai and the S-class warriors who had proven to be formidable opponents. Cuts adorned Joearai's body, a testament to Mike's relentless assault. However, amidst this intense confrontation, a sudden interruption occurred that could have spelled Mike's demise.
A golden spear, reminiscent of the Templars' weaponry, hurtled toward Mike's chest with deadly precision. In the heat of the battle, he realized he was too slow to evade it. But to his surprise, the spear didn't pierce him. Instead, it vanished into his armor, much like the incident in Ganshin's chamber. The revelation struck him — his armor could absorb holy magic. Yet, unlike before, he could sense the presence of the absorbed energy still lingering within his armor.
With this newfound understanding, a bold idea formed in Mike's mind. He tapped into the holy magic stored within his armor, a power that resonated with the divine, much like Easton's. As he did so, his other eye transformed into a golden hue, mirroring Easton's unique power. The connection between their worlds surged within him, bestowing upon him a portion of the divine right's strength.
In a display of combined black and gold, "Come To Me Blade Of Light" Mike summoned a second blade made of shimmering gold to complement his obsidian weapon. The two contrasting colors danced in his hands as he unleashed a barrage of strikes against his adversaries. The fight had devolved into a five-on-one confrontation, with the elven archer now dead and Lorianth trying to engage Gorlion in combat.
However, Mike's determination was unwavering as he continued his relentless onslaught. He moved with unbelievable power and speed, a force that surpassed anything he and Sophia had been capable of before. His very presence was overwhelming, each swing of his blades tearing through the enemy forces. But with each victory came the cost of his sanity, his mind slipping further into the abyss of rage and power.
As his strength grew, a sinister grin twisted Valicar's lips into a predatory smile. Her dragon-like teeth were bared, and her eyes glowed with a combination of gold and black, radiating an otherworldly power. Her malevolent presence seemed to amplify Mike's fury, the two forces feeding into each other in a terrifying symbiosis. It was a display of raw, unrestrained strength, a relentless dance of destruction that echoed throughout the battleground.
Suddenly, Mike's feral state was interrupted. A voice, familiar and calming, reached out to him through the chaos. "What the fuck is going on?" it queried before realizing the gravity of the situation. "Never mind, we need to get the fuck out of here, Mike. Valicar is being torn apart by this power you're using. I'm healing us right now, but I'm almost out of mana. Once I pass out again, we will die!" Sophia said desperately as her mind faded once again.
Those words snapped Mike back to reality, and he became aware of the pain, his wounds, and Valicar's suffering. The battle momentarily paused as the adventurers tried to make sense of the sudden change.
In the brief pause that followed, Joearai's voice cut through the tension, a blend of bitterness and weariness in his tone. "What kind of monster are you? Are you a Pillar from the Empire?" The orc chieftain's eyes betrayed a hint of fear at the question, though the full truth remained shrouded.
A broken laugh tumbled from Mike's lips, his expression a mix of turmoil and exhaustion. "I'm just an adventurer for fun, until next time."
With a dismissive wave, he propelled himself into a mighty leap, scaling the towering walls of the city with impressive agility. From his elevated position, he had a clear view of the battlefield's grim aftermath — strewn with bodies, drenched in gore. As his eyes focused on Altheack being tended to, darkness swallowed his consciousness once more, and his body gave in to the unconsciousness that beckoned.
In the void of his unconscious mind, the world around him dissolved, fading into obscurity. The weight of his dual blades slipped from his grasp, and for the moment, his relentless dance with power and chaos came to an end.