Free Web NovelChapter 445: Chapter 52: Burning Amber (Part 2)
*Conflict is suppressed by force, through the constraints of the Law and the hypnosis of the symphony. But that is not what serenity is. Not... at all.*
The Master of Armor Tomb’s reply was remarkably honest. Or perhaps, having finally found someone to confide in, it just kept talking and talking.
’Emperor Qianlu... you really know how to tell people what they want to hear.’
’Then again, if I ran into a lunatic like this, I’d lie my ass off too.’
"Sigh. So there’s no room for discussion, then?"
*Foreigner, nothing here has anything to do with you. The grace of the Wind of Origin... should never have included you. Do not press your luck because of such a coincidence.*
As the first Holy Spirit to sign a Soul Fusion contract with Emperor Qianlu, the Master of Armor Tomb had a profound understanding of the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies. It was, in fact, one of the original students of this primal Melody.
In its eyes, Westheid was just some guy who had somehow exploited a loophole in the Thousand Laws Ceremony to become an additional compatible user for the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies.
*Whether you are here by mere coincidence, or you intentionally seek to usurp the Royal Court’s rule, your ambition must end here.*
’Seriously? Why does *everyone* suspect my motives?!’
Westheid admitted he was getting angry out of frustration. There was nothing more to discuss with the Holy Spirit of the Forest of Serenity. If it wasn’t going to be as easy to deal with as Anise, then it was an enemy he’d have to fight to the death. There was absolutely no room for compromise.
Enough stalling. Seeing that his companions had each dealt with their opponents, Westheid let out a great shout:
"It seems we can’t reach an agreement... Now!"
The two Powerhouses, who had been hundreds of meters away just moments before, appeared in an instant behind the Silver Armor the moment Westheid finished speaking.
They attacked alongside Westheid, unleashing their attacks on the Silver Armor at almost the exact same time.
"BOOM—"
However, after a dizzying explosion, the Holy Spirit’s temporary incarnation was completely unharmed.
Not only that, but amidst a flash of brilliant light, a pure white hood now covered the Armor. Its edges were embroidered with arcane, gold-trimmed Runes. The same runes appeared on the gold-and-silver Light Armor, making it look magnificent and noble.
A delicate, silver, crown-like circlet was now inscribed upon its helmet, adding to its mystique.
The Holy Spirit Incarnation raised an arm encased in silver-gray Arm Armor. Wing-like blades formed from brilliant golden light circled its body, rotating slowly.
The Silver Armor’s arm, emblazoned with exquisite golden Runes, steadily blocked the sharp blade of Shadow-Born. Above the Arm Armor, a golden radiance resisted the immense, violent power of Duke Qinghui, seemingly nullifying it completely.
In its other hand, it held a translucent Sword Spear.
’This is... a temporary power boost. And it has Divinity? Just how much Divinity can the Master of Armor Tomb infuse into its incarnation?’
*Hm? You ignore my warning and choose to fight?*
*A foolish move. Arrogant man. Then, as you wish.*
Just as Westheid’s mind was racing, the cold, indifferent voice of the Silver Armor drifted from far to near, followed by a forest of Sword Spear shadows.
"SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH—"
The dense sound of air being torn apart blended into a continuous roar. The afterimages left by the rapid thrusts were so fast that it looked as if hundreds of Sword Spears had been unleashed in a single instant.
However, these Sword Spear thrusts all crashed into the "Barrier" that Westheid had created using the Wind Law.
Thrusts that should have been as swift as light were slowed to a halt infinitely close to Westheid. This repeated over and over, looking like a sparring match where the blows were pulled at the last moment.
"West!"
"I’m fine! There’s no need for honor or chivalry against this vile thing! Let’s get it together!"
Hearing his lovers’ cries, Westheid shook his head, pushing his pressing questions aside for the moment. He brandished Shadow-Born and engaged the Silver Armor in battle.
Any enemy that required the three of them to fight together was truly a powerful being, currently unmatched and a common foe.
’Take the Dirt World Desolate God, for example... you definitely didn’t need to play by any code of honor with that. When facing a Great Chaos Enemy, you just kill it as quickly and efficiently as possible. And while a Demon might not be on the level of a Great Chaos Enemy, judging by this one’s actions, it feels like it’s not far off from Chaos itself.’
Westheid didn’t mind in the slightest giving up the glory of a one-on-one duel to fight alongside his companions.
This was a battle between equals in the truest sense. The long sword and the Sword Spear clashed and intertwined, creating a constant flurry of brilliant sparks and flares of Magic Power. Everyone kept their energy contained to an extreme degree, causing almost no damage to their surroundings. They didn’t even dart far away, instead keeping the fight in close quarters.
Westheid hadn’t experienced a pure battle of technique like this in a long time. Ever since he understood the beauty of raw stats, his fights were either him steamrolling his opponents or getting steamrolled himself. He rarely encountered an opponent whose stats were more or less on his level, requiring him to win through skill.
Blocking, parrying, thrusting, sweeping, the clash of his Great Sword... After getting used to unleashing world-ending blasts of energy, he was now returning to the basics of pure armed combat.
This incarnation of the Master of Armor Tomb seemed to have mastered the Combat Techniques of Heroes from all ages. Even when facing the combined assault of all three of them, it still appeared to be fighting with ease.
But that was only how it appeared. In reality, whether it was Duke Qinghui or the Holy Spirit Incarnation, every blow in their seemingly simple, high-speed exchange contained enough surging power to pierce mountains and level forests.
