The Money-Mad Holy Knight Chapter 142

Chapter 142: Necromancer (2)

Kleid, a shareholder of the Black Mage Group that ford eight lines.

Through the dreams of possessors, he selected descent bodies.

There were many impressive ones—Taros, who could erase tens of billions of humans with a re finger snap, or foreign gods the size of planets.

Many great things existed.

'A power that I cannot even comprehend, let alone accept.'

However, implenting it was nearly impossible.

After examining several candidates, the easiest to understand turned out to be the floor master within the labyrinth.

And what were the results?

"Your Majesty Lich King, descending as a floor master is a trendous achievent!"

Even Thomas, a director of the Black Mage Group, couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"Truly, it's been applied with a reality patch in terms of size!"

The floor master in the ga was small.

However, the physical body that actually descended had grown enormous, like a real-world floor master.

"M-moreover!!! The fact that you can use all skills without phase distinction is absolutely incredible!!!"

Furthermore, he could freely utilize the power called the laws of the labyrinth.

Normally, a floor master uses different techniques depending on the phase—this was common sense.

But the Lich King was different.

In other words, he was a monster capable of simultaneously using phase one techniques and phase three berserk patterns.

Complete the grand plan in the Garcian Kingdom.

Thus, the Lich King beca the manager of the Black Mage Group's branch.

It was an order directly from the major shareholder himself.

"But what about those two bastards?"

Thanks to turning the territory into a [field], capturing fleeing personnel proceeded smoothly.

If he simply sealed off the kingdom like this, a portion of the grand plan would be completed.

Yet, foreign entities crossed over from beyond the borders.

—One is a possessor, sir. [Guardian Knight] class skills. They seem to understand the strategy well, as they're not targeting the tattered golem.

The Lich King concentrated on the voice reaching his ears.

—Heh, even so, they'll lack damage and beco an even greater disaster.

Before the descent, the Lich King had intentionally left a possessor's consciousness during the rger.

Or rather, it would be more accurate to say he left a portion of their soul.

—Kya, clerics really are broken, huh. They use purification and erase curses with a single slash.

The possessor's consciousness observed a holy knight clad in ornate armor.

—That one looks like a local, but it's strange that they're using purification as expected.

"Is understanding the strategy a problem?"

—How could it be? Your Majesty Lich King possesses overwhelming power that spams instant-death skills. How could strategy stand against you?

Yet the possessor still stopped the Lich King from exercising his power.

The reason was simple.

—Hmm, the one wearing holy artifacts seems to be the religious leader's personal guard, and the one beside them might be the Almanism Church's golden knights.

It was to identify their true identities.

"Is that all?"

—The Allied Nations. It seems the necromancer possessor we were monitoring has joined the Almanism Church. It doesn't make sense for a possessor to wear sacred armor and use healing.

"A possessor using sacred power?"

Only then did the Lich King examine the two intruders.

The holy knight of the Almanism Church, bearing sacred artifacts, was supposedly the religious leader's personal guard, so using sacred power was natural.

The problem lay with the one next to him.

Boom!

Blocking the attack of a massive tattered golem with a defensive [skill].

He dealt with charging ghouls using sword and shield, and his blade even seed to carry an aura.

"What is the problem?"

The Lich King sensed confusion from the consciousness remaining within his body.

So he asked, and the answer that ca was not just strange—it was absurd.

—A possessor using aura is also using healing... That...

"Is such a thing possible?"

—Impossible... Ah! The necromancer created the body, and the possessor controls that body with their consciousness. By handling the aura embedded in the body while eliminating the sacred power penalty, they pulled it off!

Was there ever such a mongrel of a mongrel?

As the Lich King tilted his head, the possessor continued.

—Man, this was only theoretical until now, but with the Allied Nations and Almanism Church cooperating, they actually implented it.

A sacred aura possessor—the very na was terrifying.

However, for the Lich King, such an emotion as fear did not exist.

"Then, is there anything about them that would be problematic?"

The Lich King inquired.

At those words, the possessor dwelling in the shareholder's body contemplated.

What were the Lich King's specifications again?

'Descended in hard mode, so health exceeds 1.5 billion, and can use all patterns without conditions.'

In contrast, the sacred aura possessor was rely a insignificant creature.

The possessor's consciousness answered.

—Great Shareholder, Your Majesty Lich King. There is a saying: "Deal damage and crush them."

In other words, overwhelming them with sheer attacking power was all that mattered.

***

Crash! Crash! Crash!

Ice pillars erupted, tearing through the earth.

Their source was the massive greatsword the Lich King wielded.

Boom!

Erik rolled his body to evade the force.

Though moving at invisible speed, he had observed the motion and predicted the trajectory, throwing himself out of the way beforehand.

'It's frustrating not being able to spread my wings.'

Erik had limited his own power.

The intention was to face the floor master with only the strength he possessed, without relying on skill assistance.

While it was partly to conceal his identity, the true reason was to hone his sacred power more sharply and mightily.

'I didn't expect the sacred artifacts to interfere.'

Using his own power was fine.

However, the sacred artifacts of the Almanism Church adorning his body began automatically releasing divine miracles.

Erik clicked his tongue at the absurdity.

'They're made with sacred magic circles.'

[Sacred Armor—Alman's Barvanil], which automatically provided super-regeneration every five seconds.

The helt [Alman's Golden Crown], which only covered the upper part of the head, had the effect of amplifying sacred power.

Erik raised [Alman's Jeweled Sword] in his hand.

Swish!

The function was simple, but the performance was overwhelming.

'A light sword?'

The jewel on the sword was no re decoration.

The true identity of the jeweled sword was an object that layered sacred magic circles upon sacred magic circles, drawing out overwhelmingly dense sacred sword aura.

Erik poured power into the sword.

Ssshhhhh!

Imdiately, golden sacred light blossod along the blade.

Moreover, the thods of using the sword ca to him in detail.

'A universal weapon.'

Unlike the [Sword of Creation] that the god Astia once wielded, the sacred artifacts of the Almanism Church ca with all manner of effects.

While perhaps slightly inferior in pure power, it ant extrely high versatility.

A few seconds passed for Erik to grasp the performance of the sacred artifact, and in that ti, the Lich King began his next action.

Freeze solid!

At those words, the atmosphere on all sides began to freeze.

The phase two skill called [Frozen Wasteland].

'A ridiculous skill that shaves 90% of health per second.'

Yet Erik remained resolute.

With his own sacred power and the sacred artifacts combined, it appeared as though he took no damage at all.

Moreover, had not Erik ford a [divine body]?

His half-divine form would not yield to such power from a floor master.

'I can spare the sacred artifacts.'

Erik thought thus, feeling the relentless cold constricting his entire body.

To achieve this, he needed Jackson's assistance.

Erik concentrated his consciousness, observing the flow of the divine edifice.

Then he shouted toward Jackson.

"Jackson! Apply the designated protection skill to !"

Erik finished speaking, but no response ca.

Usually, Jackson would have imdiately replied with "Yes, boss!" while bowing his head, but now he said nothing.

Boom!

Jackson was evading attacks from the [tattered golem], staring blankly at Erik.

"Huh?"

The skill he had cast on Ruelle was [designated protection].

A skill with the setting that it unconditionally absorbs damage received by the target.

He couldn't understand why he was being asked to undo it.

"Your master is sticking right next to Ruelle, so don't worry!"

"Yes, boss."

Only after hearing the explanation did Jackson register Erik as the target of the [designated protection] skill.

[You have beco the target of designated protection.]

Boom!

An unprecedented force enveloped Erik.

Then he felt a strange sensation.

'The damage I receive is being transferred entirely to Janson.'

This felt similar to a law itself.

The reason Erik had decided to utilize Jackson's skill was simple.

'He looked like a child who had just obtained a new toy.'

The master in the divine edifice appeared extrely pleased, and with Ruelle stuck right beside him, he was dispensing various teachings.

From experience, Erik knew this well.

That would continue for a while.

'Ruelle is a bit pitiful, though...'

Still, he sensed there was sothing quite remarkable about it.

Of course, that wasn't the only reason.

This frozen land of the dead. The king's land. I curse those who trespass with this bitter frost.

The Lich King drew forth his next technique.

'This is the most annoying one.'

This is not the labyrinth.

However, the borderland, which is wider than the labyrinth, has been arranged as a [field].

As Erik had feared, the floor master's power had beco more threatening.

Click! Click!

Tens of thousands of ice crystals summoned by the Lich King began rushing toward Erik.

Spheres that applied an [immobile] penalty the mont they made contact with the body.

Yet Erik advanced, cutting through them.

Normally, even the parts the sword grazed should freeze, but Erik remained steadfast.

"Ugh."

Instead, Jackson froze.

Erik trusted Jackson's [all-stat maxing] and the [guardian knight] class's unique tanking ability, advancing directly toward the floor master.

As he passed through the ice crystals, Erik shouted.

"Jackson, deactivate the skill and hold on!"

Within a 100-ter radius centered on the floor master, crystals couldn't reach.

Instead, the frozen wasteland spread out.

Whoooooosh!

The frozen wasteland was harsh.

The [ring of cold] that the Lich King expelled continuously froze Erik.

With his sacred power stopped and the sacred artifacts idle, Erik trudged forward silently toward the massive Lich King.

His steps were slow, and without skills, reaching the enemy seed distant.

Yet a cold smile played across Erik's lips.

'Old mories.'

Those days when he endured the heat of hell, slaughtering demons.

Back then, Erik had received no help from skills or items.

Yet perhaps he had been sharper and stronger than now.

Swish!

Erik held the unnecessarily ornate jeweled sword horizontally.

The floor master appeared at the sword's edge.

An entity spewing deadly cold while summoning death's familiars.

'I can beco stronger.'

Through training with the master, he had heightened the density of his power and adapted his body.

Now, only one thing remained.

"To establish conviction and will is entirely your responsibility."

Wasn't this precisely what even Riferoze could not teach?

Different from rely imitating until now.

"I offer the conviction of eliminating evil to this land."

Erik sought to truly implent the power of divinity on this battlefield.

The Astia Order, which manifests faith through bodily and spiritual asceticism.

The Almanism Church, which manifests faith through the system of sacred magic circles.

Lu-Solace, which manifests faith through the heat of sun and nature.

'To imbue power with purpose is conviction and miracle.'

Erik stopped speaking.

His sacred power, manifested, was not as sturdy as his master's.

Why was that?

'I am not one who offers myself, nor do I need to pray to anyone.'

He was truly divine.

In this mont, Erik truly established his identity.

"I shall drive out evil from this land and implent justice."

Erik declared.

Then his sacred power moved in accordance with his will.

***

Boom!

The frozen wasteland, the land of the dead.

Over it, a brilliant pillar of light rose.

The light pillar grew ever larger, filling the world.

The darkness that defiled the earth was swept away by waves of sacred power, and the gray mist floating in the atmosphere was washed away by golden aurora.

"The, the sky!"

People trapped in the borderland welcod the bright world.

More than ten thousand possessors dwelt in hiding within the kingdom, and there were plenty of refugees trying to escape the corrupted territory.

The bone barriers that had confined them vanished, and the fortress walls built along the border crumbled.

Thus revealed was a battlefield.

"Lich, Lich King..."

Though the world brightened, the possessors' faces darkened.

The bright world showed them nothing but hell.

'A 50-ter-tall Lich King and two small humans...'

They understood the manipulation of sacred power, but it seed aningless.

The real Lich King was massive in size and could freely spam patterns.

"Everyone, stop thinking of escape and stay in place!"

They had been trapped here, suffering terrible fates.

Flight was but a dream.

Before their eyes hung corpses executed brutally, lined up in rows.

They were all people who had attempted to flee.

Despair and silence.

This led to helplessness.

"Huh?"

Then one person noticed sothing odd.

"Isn't that a guardian knight class?"

"What's a no-damage gag character gonna do."

Guardian knight was a class that required dumping all stats to be worthwhile.

This would then create flaws in attack power, and without the [taunt] skill, the performance beca ambiguous.

"—An aura?"

Yet that guardian knight was releasing aura while slaughtering ghouls.

"Using both skills and aura while wielding sacred power?"

It was clearly abnormal.

All the possessors trapped here were rankers within the top 5% of Continental Online.

Therefore, they couldn't fail to recognize the skill effects.

Hope blood within despair.

Clearly, they were witnessing a battle against the Lich King.

The trapped people naturally turned their gaze to the center of the battlefield.

"What, what is that?"

"A jeweled armor? That's a sacred artifact! The na tag is showing!"

A splendidly luxurious holy knight in sacred armor attempting to do battle with the massive Lich King.

"Crazy. How is that not even immune, yet walking through the frozen wasteland?"

[Frozen Wasteland] carried a mad penalty—shaving 90% of health every five seconds and reducing movent speed by 99%.

Hadn't the trapped people found it hard to take even a single step in such conditions?

'Just trudging forward normally.'

He seed mad.

Or rather, he actually was mad.

That massive man was now exchanging blows with the Lich King.

Clang!!!

A single exchange made the atmosphere vibrate.

The sight of a re human and a massive Lich King crossing swords was a mythical landscape beyond belief.

Did humans have their own way?

"He's, he's climbing the arm!"

That human was climbing the massive Lich King's arm, swinging his sword.

A brilliant golden sword light erupted.

In re monts, the human had sliced through the Lich King's arm.

"Is he, really immune?"

The Lich King's technique that released [instant death frost] upon being struck also seed useless.

The golden holy knight rode the massive monster, and where he passed, brilliant golden light remained.

Screams echoed across the frozen wasteland.

All of this transpired in an instant.

Boom!

Eventually, the Lich King's arm fell to the ground.

"Huh, huh?"

Then the possessors suddenly understood their situation.

Co to .

As the Lich King spoke, a ring pattern appeared on the foreheads of the possessors and refugees.

Imdiately, tens of thousands began being pulled toward the Lich King.

"The sacrifice mark."

[Sacrifice mark] inscribed on over 20,000 people.

A technique that sacrifices lifeforms in the field to increase attack power and recover the Lich King's health.

The possessors were helplessly dragged toward the Lich King.

But.

Sssshhhhh!

A golden curtain descending from the sky blocked their bodies.

All lifted their heads toward its source.

Standing above the Lich King's head was a massive holy knight, radiating brilliant golden light.

"This is divine territory. No evil may trespass upon my land."

He declared.

And those words were the will of an absolute being.