"Come at me!" I roared and charged forward.
ZSCHHH!
I dodged out of the way of the first knight in a split second, just as his massive sword shattered the stone paving. I reappeared directly behind his back.
SHWACK!
The dagger in my right hand sliced through a gap in his neck armor like a hot knife through butter. Before the first body even began collapsing into dust and black smoke, I was already spinning the second dagger in my left hand. A bolt of lightning shot from its tip, stunning two more armored knights, and I kicked off the shield of a third.
[Knight of the Blood Order defeated. (1 / 150)]
[Knight of the Blood Order defeated. (2 / 150)]
I carved my way through their ranks. The daggers in my hands left trails of light in the air. When a group of knights tried to pin me down with their massive shields, I used Ruler's Authority to create a psychic shockwave, blasting their heavy bodies aside and smashing them through the cathedral's stone pillars.
I alternated between rapid close-quarters strikes, fireballs, and shadow blades. Right hand, slash to the neck. Spin, thrust dagger through the chest plate with an injected lightning bolt. Jump, sever leg tendons.
The fight lasted less than twenty minutes. The air in the cathedral grew thick with smoke, dust, and pure mana. With every felled knight, however, an unforgiving exhaustion set in.
My lungs burned like fire, sweat poured into my eyes, and my Ether Core pulsed dangerously in my chest. Without the ability to drink any potions, every single drop of spent energy and every minor scratch counted.
CRUNCH!
The last knight collapsed to the ground as I drove my dagger straight through his helmet, burning his insides with fire magic.
[Phase 1 Objective complete! (150 / 150)]
[Phase 2 beginning: Throne Room opening.]
At the far end of the cathedral, a pair of giant double iron doors slid open with a deafening screech. An intense chill poured out from behind them, causing my breath to freeze instantly. The blue flames along the walls turned crimson.
In the middle of the massive throne room, sitting upon a high stone throne, was a lone figure.
The moment I stepped inside, the figure slowly stood up.
He was a knight, but entirely different from the ones before. His armor was stained a blood-red color, a long red plume flowed from his helmet, and a tattered black cape fluttered behind his back. In his hand, he held a massive two-handed sword radiating a killing intent so crushing it took my breath away.
Glowering above his head was a deep red system name:
[ Commander of the Blood Order – Igris the Red ]
"My Lord... be careful!" Agron warned me, his voice carrying genuine gravity in my mind for the first time. "This creature is no mere puppet. It is pure combat intelligence. His aura is equivalent to that of elite warriors!"
Igris didn't roar; he didn't make a sound. He simply drew his two-handed sword from the ground slowly. And then... out of nowhere, he vanished.
BOOM!
A shockwave ripped through the air. Before I could even react, Igris appeared directly in front of me. His sword swung down at a speed that defied the laws of physics.
Instinctively, I crossed both daggers above my head.
KRAAAASH!
The impact was so massive that the stone floor beneath my feet shattered instantly, and I was sent flying through the air like a human projectile. I slammed through two stone pillars before coming to a stop in a pile of rubble on the other side of the hall.
"I'm bleeding..." I spat blood onto the ground, struggling to stand up. My barrier and daggers had blocked a direct cleave, but the sheer force of the blow had knocked the wind out of me and shaken my entire body.
Igris walked coldly toward me. He didn't move recklessly. He knew he had the upper hand. Time perception, perfect swordsmanship, and absolute strength.
"If I fight him with brute force alone, he'll slice me up before I can cast a proper spell," I hissed through gritted teeth. But a wild, crazy flame flickered in my eyes. "I have to combine everything I have. Magic, shadows, daggers, and speed. All out."
I tightened my grip on my daggers, took a deep breath, and lunged forward.