Colin faced the incomplete mythical creature form of the "Black Knight."Behind him, the five companions turned cautiously with their eyes closed, fumbling until they faced away from the Black Knight, and only then did they open their eyes again.
Without a single word of farewell or sentiment, they bolted.A battle between demi-gods was no place for them; staying behind would only make them a burden. To "stand and fight together" in such a situation was the height of foolishness.
In Silver City, even a child fresh out of school would know what to do in this kind of situation.
Facing the rapidly approaching Black Knight, Colin swung his sword forward, conjuring a translucent golden barrier to separate them. He then plunged the sword into the ground, drew a bottle of potion, bit the cap off, and poured the liquid over another sword. Tossing the empty bottle aside, he pulled the first sword back up, planted the second into the ground, and repeated the process.
He always kept at least one sword in hand. That way, even if the barrier was shattered while he was applying "buffs," he wouldn't be caught unarmed.
Throughout this process, Colin tilted his head slightly, never looking directly at the creature's face. He only watched from the corner of his eye, tracking its movements. Even though he was a demi-god, without entering a partial mythical state, he could not look directly at a mythical creature — not even an incomplete one.
Unfortunately, he only had time to enchant the crimson greatsword, not further strengthen it. The barrier shattered, and the Black Knight's massive head squeezed into the narrow corridor that was far too small for it.
Colin raised his twin greatswords and clashed them together, producing a thunderous, resonant sound.
Golden and crimson shockwaves radiated from him, forming another barrier that enveloped both combatants. The "Shield of Guardianship" of a Guardian could only manifest around the hand, but a "Demon Hunter," who ranked higher than Guardians, could shape that shield into a full "dueling field."
The glow of dawn filled the field, its walls reflecting the light like mirrors. That radiance shackled the Black Knight, slowing its movements. As a "Knight of Dawn," Colin's beyonder abilities countered the Black Knight's "Corruption" authority with overwhelming suppression.
"Demon Hunter against Black Knight — the advantage is mine."
Without a shred of knightly honor, Colin struck first the moment his foe was restrained. He was no longer a Dawn Knight, so why bother with a fair duel?
His crimson greatsword slashed out a crescent strike that morphed into a red hunting hound midair, pouncing on the Black Knight's inner tentacles. Colin himself followed, wielding his swords in rapid succession.
Each swing of the golden sword erupted in bolts of lightning. Each slash of the crimson sword unleashed another crimson hound.
In mere seconds, what was meant to be a "fair duel" had turned into an all-out gang fight.
But Colin's instincts screamed something was wrong. The enemy was too weak. Even restrained, the Black Knight shouldn't be this helpless.
His sword fell, splitting its head — only for the image to dissolve into the shadow that had once been stripped from Berg.
It was the beyonder ability of a "Parasite." The Black Knight had been herding a Parasite's soul.
It had first corrupted Berg's shadow, then used the herded Parasite to implant that shadow into its own empty shell of flesh, stealing its identity. The true body, having willingly abandoned its identity and strength, had degenerated into a lump of rotten meat and slipped through the fleshy walls, evading the dueling field. It had set this up while Colin was busy buffing his swords.
Even relying purely on instinct, the Black Knight gained the traits of a "Fraudster" from the herded Parasite. Naturally, it wouldn't just sit idle while Colin empowered himself — it exploited that moment instead.
Stealing from oneself — a time-honored tradition of thieves.
Colin whipped around. Outside the dueling field, as the shadow-Berg perished, the stolen identity and strength returned. An eye on the wall suddenly exploded, and from its socket a massive head forced its way out.
Colin wanted to help, wanted to retract the dueling field made of the Shield of Guardianship, but realized he couldn't. Not in just a few seconds. Because this Black Knight hadn't just herded a Parasite — it had also herded a Corruption Baron.
When Colin raised the walls of the dueling field, the Corruption Baron's powers had acted in line with Colin's own will, severing him from the outside world. Though a Sequence Six, the Baron's strength now carried the weight of Colin's own will at that time — a will Colin knew was unbreakable.
He hacked at the golden walls, leaving cracks with each blow. If he entered the incomplete mythical creature state, he could break free immediately — but he dared not. Not only could the others outside never withstand the pollution of two incomplete mythical beings, but he also bore responsibility for the rest of Silver City's people. He could not abandon reason and become a mindless monster.
He roared and hacked, veins bulging, his armor groaning as the muscles beneath swelled.
Guardian Stiyak and "Rat" Ols decisively chose to stay behind and cover the retreat, prioritizing the protection of the rarer "Appraiser" and the vital "Psychoanalyst" over themselves. They abandoned the Guardian, who carried the most extraordinary reserves, and the Dream-Stealer, whose utility was comparatively low.
Ols, blindfolded, tried to steal the "pollution," but in the next second his right hand twisted, swelled, and burst, turning into a mess of wormlike flesh.
He was only a Dream-Stealer. Losing control in part did not turn him into a Worm of Time, only into twisted scraps of flesh.
Guardian Stiyak fared slightly better. Throwing aside his shield, he closed his eyes and drove a greatsword into the Black Knight's eye, pinning it to the wall of flesh. Thanks to Ols briefly stealing some of the pollution, he did not immediately lose control from being so close.
But he was forced to retreat quickly — Ols hadn't lasted even a second.
Colin's throat was raw from screaming. With a fierce swing, his golden sword split the barrier with lightning, and he hurled his crimson sword into the Black Knight, stabbing it deep.
But the Black Knight had no interest in prolonging the fight. It dissolved into a heap of flesh and slithered away — in the exact direction Anthony and the Berg couple had fled.
Exhausted from his two all-out strikes, Colin still forced himself forward to give chase.
But the moment he stepped, his body grew heavy. He couldn't move, as though the very air had solidified around him. Luckily, the Black Knight not far away was equally frozen.
The world took on a new hue. Not the golden radiance of the Dawn Knight, but a heavy amber.
Colin felt his consciousness being pulled upward, elevated higher and higher. He seemed to soar to an infinite height, where countless glittering points of light twinkled — stars, like those described only in fairy tales.
His gaze climbed further still, to the infinite horizon above, where a colossal, one-eyed amber stone giant stood, wielding a massive hammer.
(End of Chapter)