More and more gargoyles gathered in the gray sky. These evil and chaotic dark creatures now seed to be controlled by an invisible hand, orderly arranged in mid-air, forming a heart-palpitating black formation.
Then they neatly parted to both sides, like subjects welcoming their monarch. Judging by the piety and fear revealed on their demonic faces, they seed to be welcoming so terrifying existence.
This bizarre and shocking scene instantly captured the attention of everyone on the battlefield.
The extraordinary beings in the standoff stopped their actions, involuntarily looking up at the sky.
At the edge of the gray sky, a black figure carrying a heavy sense of oppression flickered in and out of view.
It was a pitch-black figure several tis larger than an ordinary gargoyle.
It seed like a lord erging from the deepest shadow world, its entire body knotted with muscles, possessing the gargoyle's signature huge bat wings and venomous scorpion tail. Most strikingly, in its sharp claws, it actually held a pitch-black greatsword proportionate to its massive fra.
The mage corps under Vincent's command attempted to bombard this gargoyle shadow with spells. Fireballs, ice spikes, and lightning roared toward it. Magical brilliance exploded on its body but could not illuminate the pitch-black form in the slightest, as if all light was completely absorbed by it in an instant.
No traces of injury left by the magic could be seen on it either.
It slowly raised its head. Those eyes burning with dark flas swept across the battlefield with suffocating pressure, finally locking onto the figure hopping around in front of Chen Yu.
"Samuel, move!" Vincent imdiately raised his staff, rapidly casting several layers of magic shields on Samuel below.
"Why is it again?!" Samuel t that pitch-black gaze and instantly felt his scalp go numb. Without hesitation, he unfurled a precious magic scroll to boost his speed, simultaneously turning and running for his life, wishing he had two more legs.
The sword-wielding gargoyle let out a low roar, flapped its massive wings, and dove down.
With its action, all the gargoyles in the sky seed to receive a unified command, simultaneously letting out earth-shaking roars. Like a black torrent of death, they launched a frenzied assault on the knight order below.
Yet, just as the sword-wielding gargoyle was about to reach Samuel, the shadows behind it flickered. Ellen's figure appeared out of thin air, a dagger flashing with deadly dark light in his hand, thrusting a fatal blow toward the seemingly defenseless back of the neck of this gargoyle king.
Got him? Ellen had just barely ford this thought.
The next instant, the sword-wielding gargoyle's figure bizarrely beca blurred and flickering, as if instantly rging into the surrounding shadows. Ellen's surefire strike pierced empty air.
Imdiately after, its figure actually appeared behind Ellen as if teleporting.
"What?!" Ellen's pupils constricted sharply, a storm of shock and disbelief raging in his heart.
He felt he wasn't facing a gargoyle with a brain full of only muscle and killing desire, but more like an assassin master whose stealth and shadow mastery had reached the pinnacle.
He had no ti for further thought, his body instinctively trying to stealth and escape again.
However, the sword-wielding gargoyle seed to have predicted his move. That massive claw grabbed his head with unbelievable speed.
"Ugh!" Ellen felt an irresistible, trendous force, and his vision went black.
The sword-wielding gargoyle grabbed him and, without pause, charged violently toward the ground.
The magic shields Vincent had cast just lit up as half of Ellen's body, along with the magic shields, plowed into the soil.
The magic shields ground violently against the ground, soil splattering everywhere. Dazzling magical brilliance continuously erupted from within, forcibly carving a trench dozens of ters long in the ground.
Just as the sword-wielding gargoyle prepared to raise its sword to deliver the final execution to the nearly unconscious Ellen, Samuel, not far away, raised his magic vambrace and slamd it hard onto the ground at the gargoyle's feet.
The earth beneath the gargoyle's feet suddenly churned and collapsed. Its massive body instantly lost balance, its footing gave way, and its movent stalled.
Its claw loosened slightly. Ellen imdiately erupted with an instinct for survival, using his last ounce of strength to desperately break free like a startled rabbit, scrambling and crawling frantically toward the distance, not daring to look back.
The sword-wielding gargoyle's belated greatsword crashed down, slamming into the empty ground beside where Ellen had just been.
"Boom!"
Soil exploded, leaving a deep crater in the ground.
The entire battlefield fell silent.
Whether magical creatures or humans, everyone stared fixedly at this beast that had suddenly intruded, their minds filled with that shocking and violent scene just witnessed.
eting the gazes of the crowd—filled with fear, shock, or apprehension—this gargoyle king seed to regain a certain rationality.
It did not continue pursuing the fleeing Ellen or Samuel. Instead, it took heavy steps, slowly walking up to Chen Yu.
What does it want to do?
Vincent floated in the air. He was even convinced that, given the power this gargoyle king had displayed, it could not possibly submit to anyone.
Is it trying to challenge the king of the slis?
Even Louisa couldn't determine if this gargoyle was friend or foe. Despite the throbbing pain in her head from ntal energy depletion, she still forced herself to hold up her staff, ready to cast spells at any mont.
Soon, under everyone's watchful eyes, this sword-wielding gargoyle moved.
It plunged the pitch-black greatsword in its hand into the scorched, blackened soil soaked with blood and magic.
Then, in full view of everyone, its imposing, oppressive body actually went down on one knee, lowering its head toward Chen Yu!
The pitch-black gargoyle form rapidly degenerated like fading ink, receding to the ground, transforming into a monster shadow.
And the master of this monster shadow was actually just a seemingly ordinary human knight.
He knelt on one knee, his right hand placed over his chest, his expression resolute, his gaze steady, speaking in a solemn and respectful tone, "Knight Yano, greets Your Majesty."
"I hope... I have not returned too late."
Yano's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly echoed across the entire silent battlefield, stirring fear in the hearts of all the human knights.
Vincent's eyes especially contracted sharply, recalling a long-sealed legend.
Once upon a ti, decades ago in the Dark Realm, the gargoyle legion was also commanded by a human.
Castor Belmont, that being revered as the Stone Scion Grand Duke, almost swept through the Dark Realm, bringing the entire Gray Zone under the Belmont family's control.
Now history repeats itself. The descendant of Belmont... has returned.
And has returned to this land in the capacity of a Grand Duke.
Arno Belmont—this originally obscure surna and na—from today onward, would be rembered by all.
They could never even imagine that, half a year ago, this king commanding gargoyles was once a down-and-out noble who didn't even have a knight's status.
With the addition of a terrifying aerial unit like the gargoyle legion, the scales of victory in this war were destined to tip toward the magical creatures.
Without even needing any communication, the knight order that had witnessed this scene firsthand, which had aggressively pursued them earlier, now began a disorderly retreat backward.
Chen Yu shrank back to his original size, landing in front of Yano, his round little eyes curiously looking him up and down.
How strange. How did this guy, after just one trip deep within Gore, not only beco more powerful, but even his deanor beca as cool as Arthur's?
Seemingly sensing Chen Yu's confusion, Yano's face, serious just a second ago, now turned sly as he looked left and right, then lowered his voice and said,
"Boss, don't expose just yet. This entrance was sothing I thought about for a long ti on the way here. At least let keep up the act for a bit."
"Speaking of which, Boss, weren't those lines I just said totally aweso?" His tone carried unconcealed pride.
Chen Yu: "..."
Alright, he took back his previous thought.
Yano, this goofball, really couldn't stay cool for more than three seconds.
But this was the real Yano.
He secretly glanced at Yano's current panel information.
Reputation Title: Stone Scion Grand Duke
Acquisition Condition: The Master of Shadows must, deep within an ancient ruin, under the witness of the Lightless Sky, personally defeat a gargoyle king on the verge of transformation, and use a shadow ritual to strip and devour its "Shadow of Submission," transforming it into one's own monster shadow.
Title Effects:
Fa Imprint: The na "Stone Scion Grand Duke" spreads widely among dark races and shadow-affiliated beings, regarded as a shadow lord possessing both intimidation and ruling power. Dark Protection: Natural intimidation toward dark creatures is greatly enhanced, and control and manipulation over all shadow powers are significantly strengthened. Gargoyle Form: The petrified body gains the formidable defense of a gargoyle, with stronger resistance to physical attacks and conventional elental damage, but fears pure Holy Light power (petrification state does not affect one's own agility and mobility). Legion Command: Can command and strengthen the gargoyle legion using the monster shadow, or summon gargoyle minions to fight.
Note: This is a shadow crown that has stolen petrification power. When shadow devours the pulse of stone, he becos the ruler wandering between darkness and rock, the Stone Scion Grand Duke.
"I miss Lola and the kids so much. I hope my appearance won't scare them." — Left by Stone Scion Grand Duke Belmont II.
Confirming that his soul hadn't been swapped out by sothing strange, Chen Yu felt much more at ease.
At least this unimpressive ssage was indeed very much in Yano's style.
And the effects of the [Stone Scion Grand Duke] title were terrifyingly powerful. Yano had really gotten an epic-level upgrade.
Not only were his shadow abilities comprehensively enhanced, but even his petrified body was strengthened. While gaining the petrification defense of a gargoyle, it didn't affect his own mobility, perfectly solving the fatal weakness of Stone Descendants becoming stiff and immobile after petrification.
Not to ntion he now commanded the fearso gargoyle legion from deep within Gore, having conquered these demonic dark creatures into loyal claws.
"Retreat! Fall back to the fortress!"
Dominic had already given up on the duel with Raven that always ended in a stalemate. He made a decisive decision, issuing commands to the chaotic knight order, regrouping the troops, quickly linking up with Samuel and the others, and retreating toward the direction of Storm Fortress.
"Only thinking of running now? Too late."
Nilly's lazy voice sounded from behind the knight order.
Imdiately after, blurry shadows silently fell upon the knights who were hastily retreating.
"Swish!!!"
Dozens of figures clad in tight leather armor, their faces hidden under hoods, seeped out from the shadows. They were the Stone Descendant assassins.
These assassins struck swiftly and precisely, their daggers thrusting from various extrely concealed angles.
"Ah!"
"Ugh!"
So knights had no ti to react. Their vital points—necks, ribs, joints—were instantly struck. They only had ti to let out short, sharp cries before blood sprayed, and they fell to the ground.
"Assassins! Those Stone Descendant assassins from the Dark Realm!"
"Be careful! They're hiding in the shadows!"
That's right. Nilly was back.
And this ti, she had brought all the Stone Descendant assassins of the Belmont family who could still fight.
The Stone Descendants had been lying low within Gore for too long, so long that they were gradually forgotten and looked down upon.
It was ti for everyone on this land to rember the fear of being dominated by Stone Descendant assassins.
This was also the loyalty they were offering to the Stone Scion Grand Duke II—Arno Belmont—and to the Sli Kingdom.
"Pursue! Don't let them escape back to the fortress!" Raven imdiately regrouped the Arevalo family's knight order and, together with Alice, launched a pursuit against the routed enemy forces.
The Magical Creature Legion also steadily advanced once more. The Goblin Ripper's artillery roared again, providing fire cover for the pursuing allies.
The gargoyle legion in the sky dove and harassed like a black whirlwind of death, further exacerbating the enemy's chaos.
The situation was urgent. Yano didn't even have ti to narrate what happened deep within Gore or how he obtained the gargoyle power. He rged back into the monster shadow, greatsword in hand, flapping his bat wings as he gave chase.
As a forr reserve knight, he had genuinely yearned for and identified with the honor of knights serving in the Border Corps guarding the frontiers.
But now, that honor had been tainted by the claws of demons. Storm Fortress, representing protection, had beco a stronghold controlled by demonic claws.
He had absolutely no psychological burden about taking action.
Yano's pitch-black figure landed on the path ahead of the knight order's retreat, greatsword in hand, sliding and slashing forward.
Dominic swung his holy sword to block. That sacred power was like strong light shining on snow. The pitch-black shadow lted slightly, dispersing dark energy.
The seemingly small figure actually blocked Yano's greatsword.
Holy Light had a restraining effect on Yano's dark form.
But Yano's power was simply too imnse. He instantly knocked away the holy sword and continued swinging his greatsword down.
Samuel joined the fight in ti. Realizing Holy Light seed to counter this monster, he activated the enchanting power of his longsword.
Sacred blessings flowed along the blade, helping him barely block Yano without being sent flying imdiately.
Dominic's figure leaped up from behind Samuel, holy sword held high.
[Holy Judgnt]
"O Holy Light, vanquish thine enemy!"
He solemnly pronounced judgnt, the Holy Light in his hand surging, engulfing the pitch-black monster figure.
But the next mont, Yano's figure suddenly appeared behind them.
Vincent, who was being restrained by Chen Yu, only had ti to add one layer of magic shield over the two before the greatsword violently shattered the shield and descended.
Samuel couldn't dodge in ti. His left hand, clad in expensive enchanted gear, fell to the ground along with a spray of blood.
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