Free Web NovelChapter 269: Chapter 257: Shadow Veil
Roland looked toward the hoarse call.
Amidst the dust-filled ruins, a familiar figure was leaning against a half-crumbled, teetering stone wall.
It was Graham.
But the Extraordinary Knight’s current appearance made him look like a completely different person from the powerful, imposing figure he was before.
The backlash from forcibly wielding the Forbidden Power was plain to see.
Where his body was once covered in hard Scales, most of them had now peeled away, leaving behind large, terrifying burn-like scars. As if seared by a scalding hot branding iron, his skin was a grotesque mix of charred black and fresh red.
In some places, the mangled muscle tissue underneath was even visible, oozing a pale golden fluid.
His hands, which had once transformed into deadly claws, had reverted to their human form. However, they were covered in deep lacerations and patches of keratinous skin that hadn’t fully receded. They looked swollen and misshapen, as if they had been brutally remolded.
His fingertips, in particular, bore scorched marks and shattered nails, and they trembled uncontrollably.
But most striking of all was his hair.
As if a vast amount of his Life Energy had been drained in an instant, the hair at his left temple and on that entire side of his head had turned a frosty white, a stark contrast to his originally dark hair.
Graham gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently. Every breath seemed to pull at the wounds on his body.
Just then, a Giant Stone half the height of a man broke loose from the collapsing tower above. It whistled through the air, hurtling toward the ground where they stood with lethal force.
"Watch out!"
Roland instinctively reached for his sword to block it.
But Graham was faster.
Or rather, his combat instincts were faster.
The Knight’s Longsword that had been with him for many years was unsheathed in a flash, meeting the Giant Stone with a cold glint of light.
However, the expected scene of the Giant Stone being sent flying by immense force never happened.
A piercing, grating sound of metal on stone erupted.
Graham let out a muffled grunt, his body shuddering violently.
The sword blade scraped against the Giant Stone, sending out a shower of blinding sparks.
The Knight who could previously shatter a boulder with a casual strike was now struggling just to deflect the falling rock.
The heavy stone grazed past the group and slammed into the fragile ruins nearby, triggering another round of thunderous collapses and billowing dust.
"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..."
Graham began to cough violently, a trickle of blood foaming at the corner of his mouth. The hand holding his sword trembled even more fiercely.
"Quick!"
The dean of the Knight Academy pointed with his relatively uninjured hand toward a narrow path leading to the city’s edge, formed by the broken walls and rubble amidst the dust.
"This way! There’s no time!"
Before his words had even faded, Roland had already pulled Galvis up from the ground and led his companions in a mad dash after Graham.
Behind them, the ruins crumbled with a deafening RUMBLE. The silhouettes of collapsing buildings filled their peripheral vision.
The group didn’t dare to stop until their feet touched the soft, damp ground of a wetland and they confirmed there was no more unusual movement around them.
"HUFF! HUFF! HUFF!"
The back-to-back battles and strenuous Casting had left Roland utterly exhausted, both mentally and physically.
After asking Freddy and Avril, who had more stamina remaining, to stand guard, he collapsed onto the ground, leaning his back against a Giant Stone and gasping for air.
"Mr. Roland, here."
"Thank you, Teresa."
Taking the waterskin from the silver-haired woman, Roland thanked her softly and tilted his head back, chugging it down.
The cool liquid slid down his throat, slightly dispelling the bone-deep exhaustion.
"Mr. Roland..."
Teresa took a piece of bread from her pouch and offered it to him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"The situation is still unclear. I’ll go help Avril and Freddy keep watch."
"Thank you."
After a slight nod, Roland squeezed the bread into a ball with both hands and stuffed it into his mouth. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
As he chewed with difficulty, Graham approached with heavy steps and slowly sat down beside him.
"Kid..."
The Knight coughed heavily a few times, wiping the bloody foam from the corner of his mouth.
"Just now... at the top of the High Tower..."
He recalled the scorching ball of light that had blotted out the sky, nearly rivaling the sun itself. He took a deep breath, suppressing the tremor in his heart.
"You were the one who cast the Magic that defeated the Witch Demon, weren’t you?"
Hearing the question, Roland swallowed the food in his mouth, hesitated for a moment, and gave a slight nod.
"Just as I thought... COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..."
Graham raised a hand and clapped Roland heavily on the shoulder.
"Well done! If it weren’t for you, these old bones of mine would’ve been left behind today. Now then..."
The Knight’s tone shifted.
"Who knows about this?"
"Lord Jia Xiu, Master Reggie, and... my companions."
"I see..."
Graham mulled it over for a moment, seemingly choosing his words carefully.
"Kid, although I don’t know how you... managed to invoke Magic of that magnitude, you’re not actually a Caster who possesses Extraordinary Power, are you?"
Only after seeing Roland nod did the Knight continue.
"In that case... I understand that young people crave glory and praise, but I advise you not to let anyone else know about this."
Graham’s voice carried a solemn warning. He seemed to recall something and sighed softly.
"Otherwise... not only will this matter bring you no benefit, but it will attract endless trouble. It could even... drag you into a whirlpool from which you cannot escape."
"I understand, Lord Graham."
Roland nodded solemnly.
He was well aware of his own capabilities.
His victory over the Witch Demon moments ago was entirely thanks to the nearly infinite Magic Power of the High Tower.
If others were to mistakenly believe he possessed Power far beyond his own because of this, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Even if Graham hadn’t mentioned it, he would have found a way to keep it a secret.
Seeing the calmness in Roland’s eyes, Graham nodded in satisfaction.
"I’ll speak with Jia Xiu and Reggie myself. As for your companions..."
"Don’t worry, Lord Graham."
"HA HA HA HA..."
Seeing that Roland had no objections and even readily agreed, the appreciation in Graham’s eyes grew more apparent.
He let out a few laughs before continuing.
"Of course, even if this matter is kept under wraps, I will never forget your contribution to this war."
"After we return to the Royal Capital and rest, come to the Knight Academy. I will give you the reward you deserve."
"Thank you, Lord Graham."
"Alright..."
Graham stood up with some difficulty, wiped the cold sweat beading on his forehead, and glanced at the sky, which was already nearing nightfall.
"We’ll rest here for today and regroup with the main force tomorrow morning."
"Yes, sir."
Watching Graham’s retreating back, Roland closed his eyes to rest for a moment. Once he had recovered a bit of his stamina, he focused his thoughts inward.
The next moment, a transparent panel materialized before his eyes.
The text colored with blood and fire had vanished, replaced by a line of inky black words.
[Shadow Veil]
Seeing the name of this Trait, Roland couldn’t help but feel his eyebrow twitch.
Sure enough, the next moment he glimpsed Shire’s name in the description of the Trait.
Just like the Trait [Shire’s Favor], the description for [Shadow Veil] was worded with a sense of mockery, even a hint of dark humor.
But compared to the brief phrasing from before, this description was a bit more long-winded.
