The Necromancer's Servant

If the female knight had been using only seven-tenths of her combat strength until now, this sword strike was at twelve-tenths. This was a true full-power strike, every movement and every muscle pushing all her strength towards the tip of her sword. The combined power and will reached the peak of perfection, and her enemy ahead had no more room to retreat, no way to block. With this sudden, full-force strike, she intended to take down her opponent. It wasn't because of the insults he had hurled at her, nor just the weapon that exuded an aura of evil, nor was it because he was the strongest among them. It was because of the strange feeling deep in her heart.

Though she had the upper hand in this one-on-five battle, a warrior's instinct, or perhaps a woman's intuition, made her feel that something was off about this fight. She almost became certain that her opponent was hiding something he hadn't revealed in the battle; perhaps it was his hidden card.

The female knight didn't want to probe further into what that hidden card was. Once the person was dead, it didn't matter what cards they had left. Now, her opponent was off-balance, his defenses wide open. She seized the opportunity for a full-force strike at this moment, confident that this blow would not only defeat him but also shred any hidden cards he had left.

The man's staggered steps steadied slightly, and he immediately tried to dodge with all his might. But the female knight's sword was like a shadow, relentlessly following.

With a step, the stones beneath her feet shattered, and the glow of her combined combat energy and magic illuminated her lithe figure, making her seem like a divine being descending from the heavens. She leaned forward, almost parallel to the ground, her body becoming one with the sword. The sword's energy was like a stampede of wild horses, a roaring tidal wave, unstoppable and about to destroy everything in its path. The ground beneath her even cracked and shattered under the force of this blow.

The onlooking thieves could barely catch a glimpse of her figure and the sword's movement in the blinding white light, but everyone who saw it had a fleeting illusion that this sword could pierce through the entire underground room.

"Dispel." A clear, sharp voice suddenly rose above the chaos. The tone was full of vitality, bright and natural, gentle and serene, completely out of place in the bloody and murderous battlefield.

The voice belonged to the handsome young man who had asked Hilika for gold earlier. Since the battle had begun, he had drawn his sword but stood still, watching as his companions fought fiercely with the female knight. The battle was so intense that Esis and the other thieves were too dazzled to notice the "expert" who was lazily standing by. Even the small man who had been disarmed by Hilika thought that this young man couldn't intervene in such a battle due to lack of skill.

Just when everyone had almost forgotten about him, he suddenly pointed his sword at the female knight and uttered that sharp command. As he spoke, the sword in his hand flashed with the same white light as the one on the female knight's armor.

In that instant, the white light on her armor vanished. The female knight's body froze, her movements paused, and she stumbled. The previously unstoppable, earth-shattering strike was abruptly halted, its momentum shattered for no apparent reason.

"Purify?" Esis and the female knight shouted in unison. The difference was that Esis's voice was filled with excitement and joy, while the female knight's voice was filled with horror and disbelief.

The white magic attached to the Glory Armor was of an extremely high level, and due to the unique combination of the armor's properties and the holy knight's special combat energy, it was completely immune to other systems of dispelling magic and curses. But the purification spell, being of the same white magic type, could pass through this immunity. Not only did it pass through, but the magic power infused in the spell was so vast that it was clear the user had gathered all their magical energy into this one dispelling spell, like a bucket of ice water thrown onto a fire, completely extinguishing the "Divine Protection" effect that could be used once a day by the Glory Armor.

Suddenly losing more than a dozen types of support magic, her strength, agility, and reactions all plummeted, and the energy that had once surged like a mighty river began to drain away rapidly, as if a dam had been opened. Her previously seamless coordination of movements faltered, and she almost couldn't maintain her balance, stumbling and losing her footing.

Hilika, the druid, the black-clad woman, and the man with the sword gloves all saw the opportunity in her vulnerable state. It was the look of predators seeing a fatal weakness in their prey during a life-or-death struggle. Almost instinctively, the four of them rushed at the female knight's unbalanced, wide-open body. Even the small man drew a small dagger and joined in. Only the man who had originally been attempting to dodge the attack had just jumped to the wall and didn't make it in time.

The purification spell was simple—there was no incantation, and it wasn't a particularly sophisticated technique—but at this moment, it became the ace that turned the tide of the battle.

The holy knight had been using only seven-tenths of her strength for every previous attack, a tactical choice to leave room for maneuver in case of any changes. That way, she could always dodge or defend if needed. So, the young man hadn't acted rashly; he had been waiting, waiting for the moment when the female knight thought she had won and unleashed her full-power strike. Only in that moment, when she was fully committed, was she most vulnerable, and the sudden imbalance was enough to be fatal.

The young man had never acted before, but by demonstrating patience, depth, and impeccable timing, he had proven that he was indeed worth the thousand gold coins.

The punch-sword, the short sword, the dagger in the hands of the small man, and the druid werewolf's claws—before these weapons even reached their target, the wind they cut through had already caused the female knight's golden hair to billow wildly in the air. The sharp whistle, full of bloodlust, shot straight for the back of her head and her snow-white neck, the only unprotected parts of her body, and the most vulnerable. If one of these weapons landed, her head would shatter like a watermelon.

Without the aid of white magic, the female knight, weakened and out of position, managed to twist in mid-air and perform half a somersault using her waist strength. Most of the weapons, which had been aimed at splitting her skull open, only struck her back and slid off, leaving sparks and dents on her Glory Armor. A punch-sword and the dagger grazed her neck, sending a few strands of golden hair and blood flying into the air.

At the same time, the female knight's foot struck the druid's chest. The kick, rushed and without much force, did no damage to the werewolf's rock-like chest. However, the female knight used the push to leap forward, spinning mid-air. In that split second, she had regained her balance from a completely unguarded state.

The attackers had to admit, even if the female knight lacked the terrifying white magic protection, her skill and combat instincts were unmatched. Just the way she dodged in such a critical moment showed that even without the extra magic, no weapon in their hands could take her life.

But their inability to succeed did not mean others couldn't. A strange and powerful gust of wind came from behind them.

A mountain-like man, wielding a mountain-sized sword, sent out a roaring wind like the collapse of a mountain. Seeing the tremendous force, the four attackers instinctively stepped aside.

Hilika was a moment slower than the others, but not because of clumsiness. His massive body, though bulky, was as quick and agile as a cat. He was actually the first to react when the young man's purification spell took effect, but he was slower because he stopped in place and took a deep breath.

Everyone could hear his deep, thunderous breathing, like a massive whale sucking in water, and then his muscles swelled. His already well-developed muscles bulged even more, causing his skin to stretch and shine as though it might explode like an overinflated balloon. He had appeared like a fortress of muscle before, but now he was a fortress of muscle in motion.

Despite this monstrous transformation, Hilika did not lose his temper and rush blindly into the fray. Instead, he was completely focused, holding his giant sword with both hands, stepping forward with a textbook-perfect thrust. At that moment, a faint reddish glow appeared on his body, extending all the way to the giant sword.

"Fighting Spirit!" The four thieves exclaimed in shock. This was a skill that only true warriors, those who had deeply integrated their combat experience and will into their soul and life, could possess. They never expected this violent, beast-like bandit leader to reach such an extraordinary level. What was even more surprising was that he had not shown his true combat power until now, keeping it hidden throughout the battle.

This thrust wasn't as fast as a lightning strike, but it was enough to reach the female knight before she had fully regained her balance after landing. It was a strike that left no room for evasion.

Facing the overwhelming power of this strike, the female knight's expression changed. She gritted her teeth and placed her hand over her chest. A white light, even more intense than before, immediately enveloped her, and the sapphire on her Glory Armor's left arm shattered. The broken gem emitted a dazzling glow, and in an instant, a shield of light formed on her left arm, just in time to meet the incoming giant sword's blade.

This was the Glory Armor's highest-level defensive spell: Divine Protection. It was a last-resort defense used by holy knights, and now she had no choice but to take the blow head-on. But suddenly, her body shook, her gaze became unfocused, and the shield of light dimmed.

Beside Esis, an old man who had been hit by a magic spell lay on the ground, laughing like a rat that had just stolen a kitten. His body was still smoking, with his hair and eyebrows completely burned off, but he still clutched a strange staff, pointing it at the female knight.

He hadn't been mortally wounded by the magic arrow, but he couldn't get up. Holy knights were almost immune to his soul magic, so his spells had only a slight effect. He didn't dare to act recklessly. Like the young man, he was waiting for the perfect moment. But his reaction and vision were far inferior to the young man's, and he missed the opportunity to act at the same time.

Fortunately, this moment was still opportune.

The faint red glow covering the giant sword collided with the dimming light shield, shattering it into countless sparkling fragments before grazing the female knight's arm and striking her right side, between her chest and abdomen. The sound of breaking bones and twisting armor was ear-piercing, even louder than the impact itself. With its massive force, the giant sword, amplified by fighting spirit, finally pierced the Glory Armor's defense.

The female knight's body was sent flying like a bolt from a siege crossbow. A deafening crash reverberated throughout the entire basement, and the female knight slammed into the earthen wall, her body almost embedded in it. A thief who had been watching nearby failed to dodge in time and was crushed under her, his body mangled and shattered.

Blood and limbs scattered. The female knight, still surrounded by the holy white light of her Glory Armor, was soaked in blood. She slumped helplessly from the wall, half-kneeling on the ground. If not for the Divine Protection from her armor, this strike would have torn her apart.

The female knight's left hand was shattered, at least five ribs were broken, and her internal organs were damaged. She coughed up a mouthful of blood, and her once beautiful and poised face twisted in pain and frustration. Only then did she fully realize that she had never truly been in control of the battle.

Her initial advantage had been due to her opponents not revealing their trump cards. But now, with both the young man and the mountain of muscle-like bandit leader, she had seen firsthand the immense power of a hidden card. If used wisely, a concealed trump card could completely turn the tide of battle.

The female knight dropped her sword, and a flash of white magic gleamed in her hand. From her waist, she drew a crystal. It was palm-sized, pyramid-shaped, with four identical triangular faces. The crystal emitted a magical aura, filling the basement with an unmistakable energy. It was clear that this crystal contained extraordinary magic.

"Don't let the bitch heal!" With her severe injuries, the item she had pulled out was undoubtedly a magic artifact containing a powerful healing spell. The small man, closest to the female knight, leapt toward her immediately. His face, gaunt and twisted with venomous malice, showed no mercy. "Take her life while she's vulnerable."

"Don't let him get close, that's the Prism Light!" the young man yelled desperately, managing to halt the others who were about to rush forward.

"Everyone, down! Close your eyes!" the man holding the dark red strange blade shouted loudly. But unfortunately, the small man was already airborne. Not only could he not crouch down, but his limbs stretched wide as he flew directly toward the knight. The only thing he had time to do was scream, his voice full of rage: "Goddamn, why didn't you say it earlier..."