Mystery: Big Alarm Clock Ghroth Path

Chapter 296 The Silver Knight

The shockwave from the clash of the two greatswords caused Roger, whose physique was as strong as the "Black Knight," to feel a slight soreness in his hands. Before he could use "Shadow Binding" to control his opponent's movements, the tall figure in front of him planted his flaming greatsword into the ground, then used it as a fulcrum to turn around quickly and deliver a powerful kick to Roger's chest!

Roger felt as if he had not been struck by human flesh, but by a heavy hammer as hard as steel.

Not only that, but the man's feet were also covered in blazing white flames. The flames suddenly turned a bit blue the moment they hit Roger's chest, and both the impact and the temperature suddenly increased several levels.

Roger, clad in the "Black Knight" armor, shot backward like a cannonball, instantly piercing through the two layers of wooden walls in the ship's passageway and shattering a large number of wooden crates.

"Cough, cough..."

Roger, his chest ablaze, struggled to his feet, only to see a flash of blazing white flame before his eyes, and then his neck was grabbed and lifted up.

The next second, with a loud "boom", Roger was thrown into the deck of the "Star Lord". The huge penetrating force caused him to break through two decks and finally land inside the storage compartment.

Just as the "Iron Knight" was about to leap onto the lower deck to continue the pursuit, he heard a weak voice behind him:

"Damn, if the 'Iron Knight' is this reckless, how crazy would the 'Demon Hunter' be?"

Upon hearing the voice, the "Iron Knight" turned around abruptly.

Although he knew that the "Black Knight" had the ability to regenerate flesh and blood, he had no idea when Roger created the flesh and blood clone!

As soon as he turned around, he suddenly felt an intense tearing sensation around his body.

It was as if the surrounding space itself had been distorted, and these distorted spaces densely divided the "Iron-Blooded Knight's" body into multiple parts.

Even though most of his body has been metallized, this only increases his hardness and defense against direct attacks.

However, the ability of "Fallen Earl" Chunus Korg to distort and disrupt space cannot be resisted by such simple defensive enhancements!

In a moment of desperation, the "Iron-Blooded Knight" exploded with a "bang," transforming into multiple bursts of blazing white flames. These flames floated in the air and quickly reformed his body.

Roger, covered in jet-black armor and wielding the "Spirit and Flesh Blade," examined the demigod before him with great interest.

This is a man in his thirties wearing a Furstack uniform, about the same height as Roger in his "Black Knight" form, with obvious copper-colored metallic skin all over his body.

The man had red hair, blue eyes, and a gaunt face. He was exceptionally handsome, but his eyes also burned with unparalleled courage and a hint of cunning.

Roger recognized from the epaulets on his shoulders that he was a lieutenant general in the Fussac Empire Army.

The demigod lieutenant general in his early thirties immediately reminded Roger of Luna Augustus.

Even though Luna looked several years younger than the other man, Roger still made a guess based on his experience with her:
"The Einhorn family?"

He asked in a deep voice.

"Huh? You figured it out so quickly?"

Contrary to Roger's expectations, the man who was originally carrying the flaming greatsword paused slightly, then scratched his head somewhat blankly:
"How did you tell?"

"Huh? I was just trying to trick you, I didn't expect you to admit it."

Roger paused, then said without any consideration for the other party's feelings.

This guy is a bit different from the "Hunter" Path Beyonders I remember... Is he pretending to be stupid because he's so straightforward?

Just as Roger was deep in thought, the other party spoke again:
"...That's why I hate you Rune people. You're all cunning and love to set traps for people, but you run away as soon as a fight breaks out."

The man opposite him said irritably, and then held his sword horizontally again:
"Fine, since you've asked, I'll let you die knowing why."

"Grand Duke Andrea William Einhorn, whose current Emperor Peter III is my cousin."

"Long live the Fussac Empire!"

After shouting these words with high spirits, as if injected with adrenaline, Andrea William Einhorn transformed into a white streak of extremely high speed, and arrived in front of Roger in an instant, wielding a two-handed greatsword!
However, just as he struck Roger, the latter suddenly shattered with a "crash," turning into countless fragments of the mirror.

The next moment, Andrea Einhorn took a few steps forward and began to cough slightly.

During one of his encounters, he was infected with the "mystical pathogen"!

Roger's figure quickly emerged from behind Andrea. To be honest, he really didn't expect the Einhorn family to value him so much, sending a high-ranking member of the royal family for the first battle.

The graceful figure of "White Saintess" Katarina Pellena quickly appeared beside Roger, her eyes suddenly turning into golden-green vertical pupils.

With Katarina Pelle at the center, a gray petrifying ray suddenly burst forth and shot towards Andrea, wherever her gaze fell!

Where the petrifying rays touched, even the air in the air was petrified, turning into lime that fell haphazardly, like snow in early winter.

However, just as Andrea Einhorn was about to be struck by the petrifying ray, a shield formed from a mixture of silvery dawn light suddenly appeared beside him.

The "petrifying ray" struck the shield formed by the "dawn's rays," flashing white light before dimming.

It was successfully defended!

Roger's eyes narrowed, and in his gaze, a figure appeared beside Andrea as if in a flash.

He was a tall, muscular man in his fifties, who was half a head taller than Roger.

He wasn't wearing any military uniform or armor, only a plain light leather armor and combat training suit, with a sword case containing a short sword at his waist, and his skin was brownish-black, with a horrifying white scar on his right arm and eyebrow.

Unlike the powerful aura emanating from this middle-aged man, this person's temperament was very simple and unassuming. If Roger's perception ability had not reached the level of a demigod, one might even have thought he was just an ordinary middle-aged fighting enthusiast or boxer.

"Lord Andrea, I think I warned you before not to be so reckless. Use long-range bombardment to wear down the opponent for a few rounds before making your move."

The middle-aged man seemed somewhat helpless. He quickly poured a bottle of red potion down Andrea's throat while speaking in a low voice.

Faced with the middle-aged man's words, which were half concerned and half reprimanding, Andrea was somewhat disdainful, but for some reason, she did not dare to talk back. She simply drank the medicine obediently and remained silent.

The medicine took effect quickly, and Andrea soon stood up again and looked at Roger.

At that very moment, a bolt of lightning suddenly flashed beside Roger.

The next second, a middle-aged man wearing a dark blue robe and a crown appeared beside Roger.

This middle-aged man exuded an astonishing aura; his hair was deep blue and thick, his earlobes were large, and his eyes seemed to hold the power of lightning and storms at all times.

Moreover, he had a thick beard, short, straight hair that was a deep blue, almost pure black, and an air of authority about him.

This is none other than "High Priest of the Deep Blue," Radar Valentine!
"I am truly honored that Cardinal Valentine of the Church of Storms has come in person."

The simply dressed middle-aged man had no expression, and even his obviously mocking words showed no emotional fluctuation.

“After all, His Excellency St. Austin, the Metropolitan of the Holy Milon Diocese of the Church of the God of War, has come. If I don’t show up, it would be too disrespectful.”

Radar Valentine smiled and looked at the middle-aged man, immediately giving him his name.

"Metropolitan..."

Roger was slightly startled, because the hierarchy adopted by the Church of War was very different from that of the Church of Night and the Church of Storms.

Unlike other orthodox churches whose leaders are called "Pope" or "Emperor", the highest leader of the "God of War" church, besides the "God of War" Badhall himself, is the "Patriarch".

The current Patriarch of the Church of War is Larion, a Sequence 2 earthly angel, the "Glory One" of the "Twilight Giant" pathway, and the highest-ranking clergy under Him is the so-called Metropolitan.

The fact that the person named Saint Austin is now referred to as "Metropolitan" by Radar Valentine likely points to one possibility.

The other party's identity is not a Sequence 4 "Demon Hunter", but a Sequence 3 "Silver Knight"!
Because at this level, the extraordinary can accept the faith of believers and obtain their own "anchor". The fact that St. Austin's name contains the title "Saint" also indicates that he should be the next potential candidate for Patriarch actively cultivated by the "God of War" Church!
"If that's the case, then it's a bit tricky..."

"They probably know I have a level 0 sealed artifact. The fact that they came directly to me means they likely also possess a sealed artifact of the same level..."

As Roger pondered, he nodded slightly to the middle-aged man beside him and said in a low voice.

"Your Excellency Valentine, I have long admired you. Thank you for your previous assistance."

Although both were extraordinary beings at the demigod level, the other had the background of the Church of the True God and had provided Roger with great assistance in the previous battle, so Roger also showed the corresponding courtesy.

"You're too kind, Admiral Galaxy."

Radar Valentine smiled nonchalantly:
"Right now, we are comrades-in-arms fighting side by side, and it is only right that we help and support each other."

"Moreover, from a personal point of view, my grandfather received help from your family, so there is no need to be so formal."

Judging from Radar Valentine's words, he was referring to the Abraham family, a piece of information Roger was unaware of, which surprised him for a moment.

However, he quickly realized that the Abrahamic family was one of the more benevolent angelic families in the Fourth Age, having helped and supported many people. It was not surprising that a saint whose grandfather had received their favor had suddenly appeared.

"I see."

Roger nodded, then raised his deep, straight longsword again and looked at Saint Austin and Grand Duke Andrea.

Radar Valentine's body crackled with electricity once more, and the "High Priest of Calamity" whispered:
“Leave Andrea Einhorn to me, you deal with St. Austin.”

"Note that he is a 'Silver Knight' of Sequence 3, and he possesses a '0' level sealed artifact from the 'Monster' pathway."

A level 0 sealed item from the Monster Path?
The word "giant serpent" immediately popped into Roger's mind, but he quickly dismissed the idea and settled on "the prophet".

What most people don't know is that Roger actually knows the whereabouts of every "monster" pathway Sequence 1 extraordinary trait and even uniqueness, and none of them are in the Fussac Empire.

Therefore, the seal of Sequence 2 becomes the only possibility.

After Roger thanked him softly, he saw Radar Valentine transform into a raging bolt of lightning, carrying an unparalleled gust of wind, and charge toward Andrea Einhorn, the "Iron Knight" who had basically recovered.

One blue and one red, one water and one fire, were locked in a fierce battle. In the blink of an eye, they flew together like two shooting stars to the southern shore of the Minsk Strait.

With a deafening bang, a ridge in the Minnesota Mountains collapsed, followed by a series of explosions and lightning strikes that continued to batter the ruins like a thorough cleaning.

Roger knew that the reason Radar Valentine wanted to bring Andrea Einhorn to the south shore of the Minsk Strait was because there must be a team belonging to the "Iron Knights" on the north shore of the strait that could share vision and power with the latter.

He once again split off his own "shadow of depravity," but this time Roger did not unleash "Demon Slayer."

"Demon Slayer" is a sealed artifact corresponding to the Sequence 4 Extraordinary trait of the "Twilight Giant" pathway, which is one level away from Sequence 3. Although Saint Austin is not good-looking, he is definitely a seasoned "Demon Hunter". Using "Demon Slayer" in front of such an existence is a bit like showing off one's skills in front of an expert and is very easy to be targeted.

"Going forward, we'll still have to rely primarily on Katerina Pelle's abilities..."

Since killing Katarina Pelle and enslaving her soul, Roger has used her "Mirror Man" ability on the Star Lord to create multiple backup plans for resurrection. Even the "Sleeping Mirror Man" was one that Roger managed to create, placing it in a state of anti-divination.

However, these "mirror figures" were all created in the image of Katarina Pelle. Roger was only able to use the mystical connection between the three parties to make the "White Saintess" die in his place, and then have her soul exchanged and differentiated with the "mirror figures," thus achieving the effect of resurrection.

Another benefit of doing this is that not only can Roger be resurrected using the "Mirror Man" ability, but even the soul of Katarina Pelle can enjoy this effect.

In other words, even if this "White Saintess" exists in a "herded" soul state, it would be a very difficult task for "Silver Knight" Saint Austin to eliminate her using his demon-hunting abilities! Of course, if we take into account the existence of the "Prophet's" sealed artifact, things will become a little different.

Just as Roger was scrutinizing this Sequence 3 Saint, the opponent made the first move.

Before he could even see how the other party moved, a huge "net" of mercury rushed towards Roger.

Before Roger could react, the mercury suddenly tightened.

Roger immediately heard a crackling sound coming from the "Black Knight" armor around him.

The mercury binding was clearly a physical attack, and much of it could be neutralized by the "Black Knight" armor.

Even so, the pressure exerted on Roger grew stronger and stronger, as if St. Austin possessed inexhaustible power.

"No... this power is too strong."

Roger gritted his teeth. At this moment, he didn't even have the strength to unleash the "Amplification" or "Bribery" of "Fallen Earl" Chunus Colger to strengthen his own power or weaken the oppressive force created by "Silver Knight" Saint Austin.

In desperation, Roger's golden-green vertical pupils flashed once more.

He launched "Area Petroleum"!
If "Petrification" hits its target, even "Mercury" St. Austin will be reduced to a pile of rubble and die a tragic death.

However, as if he had foreseen something, the mercury he had transformed into suddenly exploded and then quickly reformed five meters away from Roger.

At this moment, Roger's "Area Petrification" was suddenly released, and the surrounding air and deck turned gray once again. He did not stop attacking, but continued to let the petrification gaze chase after the direction of St. Austin.

St. Austin didn't confront Roger head-on; the "Silver Knight" immediately started running to evade Roger's petrifying gaze.

The run created a powerful gust of wind, destroying many things on the deck. Just as a wooden crate was blown apart and sawdust flew everywhere, a burst of silver light suddenly erupted from the direction of St. Austin.

The next second, Roger's body exploded from the inside. The silvery-white holy light purified most of the corrupting power inside Roger, instantly turning the "Black Knight" into ashes, not even giving him a chance to escape by self-destructing his flesh and blood.

Under the cover of the silvery light, Saint Austin's figure quickly blended into it.

These are the Silver Knight's two abilities: "Silver Rapier" and "Hidden by Light"!
The former is the Silver Knight's ranged attack method. The principle is to release tiny blades that can break through spatial barriers and have the ability to teleport instantly, allowing them to bypass most obstacles and directly attack the target.

It is precisely because of this characteristic of the "silver-white slender sword" that it can even burst out from the target's body. The most disgusting thing is that its condensation is almost without warning, making it difficult to predict in advance.

As for "hiding in the light," it is the opposite of the "hermit's" ability to vanish into the shadows. The "Silver Knight" can use this ability to disappear in bright light, thus achieving the effect of vanishing without a trace.

However, before St. Austin could unleash his devastating attack on the "Star Lord" after completing his rapid movement, a black shadow suddenly appeared beside him.

An invisible hand, amplified by an amplified force, grabbed St. Austin and hurled him across the coast at incredible speed!

As the amplification effect occurred, the sonic boom sounded again, but it stopped abruptly after less than half a second.

Suddenly, a barrage of mercury-formed projectiles magnified in Roger's eyes. Without hesitation, Roger immediately transformed his "Shadow of Corruption" into a curtain, blocking the impact of the mercury projectiles.

Concealed by the "veil of shadow," Roger also revealed a three-tiered jewelry box in his hand.

"exile!"

The toy space on the first floor of the "Old Days Box" immediately unfolded, enveloping part of the "Shadow of Corruption" in front of Roger and the mercury bullets within it.

However, at that moment, the function of the "door" suddenly changed in some way. It became somewhat random, completely engulfing Roger's "Shadow of Corruption" but letting go of the mercury barrage.

Fortunately, Roger reacted quickly this time, immediately detonating himself to avoid the mercury barrage attack that resembled a storm of metal.

"What was that just now? Was it the power of a 'prophet'?"

Roger emerged from the shadows once more, but the "shadow of depravity" returned.

However, at this moment his expression was very solemn.

Roger also had some understanding of the "prophet's" abilities. It mainly had three functions: first, to foresee the future; second, to make a false future come true, similar to a "writer"; and third, to bring misfortune upon others.

St. Austin's precognitive ability to avoid "area petrification" was likely the first type, while the "Old Box" suddenly choosing a target Roger didn't want it to choose was probably a manifestation of "bestowing misfortune" or "making the future come true."

"This is a bit tricky..."

At this moment, Roger could sense that his luck was at a low point, which was not a good sign, especially for an extraordinary person who was good at using fate in battle.

In this situation, Roger didn't even dare to activate "Concerto of Light and Shadow," otherwise the uncontrollable randomization tendency of that extraordinary ability would definitely cause him a lot of trouble.

What's most disgusting is that the decline in luck is not a manifestation of a curse, but rather a deeper mystical effect that cannot be eliminated even by separating the "shadow of corruption."

"But that sealed artifact must have a weakness... What could it be?"

Roger held his breath and remained calm.

He knew that he absolutely could not panic in the current situation.

Because luck is a very mysterious thing, even if it's bad luck, if the person being plagued by misfortune loses their mental balance and makes irrational decisions first, then the negative effects of the misfortune will be greatly amplified.

"In this case……"

Roger pondered for a moment, then decided to extract as much information as possible, at least to force this troublesome "Silver Knight" to draw the sword from his waist.

The "Shadow of Corruption" quickly reappeared around him, this time emitting a faint, dawn-like glow.

"Demon Slayer" is not in a liberated state; it merely enhances the defensive capabilities of "Fallen Shadow" and thus strengthens its controllability.

At the same time, Roger grabbed at the "Silver Knight" St. Austin out of thin air, and the shadow beneath the latter's feet rose up like a fountain!
Seeing this, the "Fallen Shadow" roared and, using the connection of the night's shadow, instantly arrived beside St. Austin and merged into the shadow beneath his feet.

The Silver Knight was completely shrouded in shadow!

Roger snorted coldly, and "The Fallen Earl" Chunus Colger quickly appeared beside him.

The former major general deputy director of MI9 raised his hands and unleashed a demigod-level "magnification" attack on Roger.

With this power empowered, Roger's "Spirit and Flesh Blade" slashed out.

Moreover, as Chunas Korg disappeared, the "ageless witch" Katarina Pelle, taking advantage of the still-lingering "magnification" buff, rapidly condensed and fired three ice javelins imbued with black flames.

At the same time, the "lifeless rain" created by the "little ducks" also swept towards St. Austin!

Just as Saint Austin was about to use his abilities to escape, his thoughts momentarily stalled.

The "Silver Knight" suddenly forgot what he was supposed to do, what abilities he was supposed to use, and the fact that he was about to be attacked.

The effect did not last long; it was interrupted in just a moment.

This made Roger curse inwardly:
"My luck has really run out. Logically, this state of stealing thoughts should be able to last for a while..."

Just after launching his attack, he briefly stole the thoughts of Saint Austin, the "Silver Knight," who was enveloped in the "Corruption" authority.

Roger had previously discovered that, seemingly due to the Silver Knight's years of ascetic training, his inner tendency toward corruption was much less than that of most people. Therefore, the damage that the "Spirit and Flesh Blade" and the "Shadow of Corruption" could inflict on him was much less than that of ordinary demigod-level extraordinary beings.

This is why Roger used three different attack methods to attack him simultaneously; it was mainly to deal additional damage.

Roger's attacks, which combined pure matter, magic, and "shadow," could theoretically kill a demigod. However, considering that the Silver Knight was a high-ranking "Guardian," killing him was not a practical matter.

However, doing so would allow Roger to learn which types of damage are more effective against the "Silver Knight," thus completing his understanding of the opponent's abilities.

The shadowy slash, the torrent of lifeless matter, and the frost wreathed in black flames struck the Silver Knight Saint Austin, who was enveloped in the "fallen shadow," in an instant.

Roger stared intently at the three attacks, trying to grasp their individual effects.

As a muffled groan came from the shadows, a burst of morning light also rippled outwards.

With a slight spurt of blood at the corner of his mouth, Saint Austin, the "Silver Knight," finally drew the short sword from his waist. For some reason, the short sword split in two, revealing itself to be the twin swords used by the most orthodox "Demon Hunters"!
St. Austin's eyes were cold; they had turned a dark green, with a strange silver symbol engraved within them, greatly enhancing his insight into his opponent's nature, weaknesses, and condition.

A flash of silver light appeared, and Saint Austin, wielding two swords, radiated the light of dawn. A series of extremely dense slashes also covered Roger's entire body!

Roger was cut to ashes with almost no resistance, and a moment later he slowly emerged from the darkness and looked at St. Austin not far away.

In fact, Roger could have used the "Parasite Gloves" to gain distance and dodge St. Austin's slash, but he didn't. Instead, he wanted to take advantage of the opponent's proximity and use the effects of "Magnification" and "Secret Insight" to analyze the damage the opponent had suffered!
"Black flames are the most effective, followed by shadows... Ice and inanimate objects are the least effective, just as I expected."

Roger took a deep breath. Since the "Warrior" path originally possessed super strong defensive capabilities, it was understandable that it could provide basic resistance to physical attacks.

As for the black flames and shadows, they tend to have a curse effect. Warriors also have a strong resistance to these kinds of supernatural attacks. However, considering that the black flame and shadow attacks come from the power levels of Sequence 3 and Sequence 4 respectively, and have been amplified by Chunas Korg's "amplification" effect, they did not cause any real damage.

“Those extraordinary individuals who have reached the high ranks through the ‘Warrior’ pathway are truly troublesome…”

Roger sighed inwardly. He had to admit that "Silver Knight" St. Austin was definitely the most difficult opponent he had ever encountered.

Ultimate attack power, ultimate defense, ultimate escape ability, ultimate insight, and ultimate melee and ranged attack capabilities.

In addition, Saint Austin was born a monk and possessed an extraordinary mental fortitude, so attacks from the "fallen" domain were significantly less effective against him compared to others.

All of the above does not take into account the effect of the "0" level sealed artifact, but even so, it was enough to overpower Roger and almost prevent the latter from gaining any advantage.

Roger previously lacked practical experience with these matters, and it wasn't until he actually fought a 'Silver Knight' that he finally realized that the high sequence of this path truly embodied the ultimate in violent aesthetics.

“If I become a ‘living star chart,’ I should have a great advantage in fighting the ‘Silver Knight’… The ‘Black Knight’s’ authority is still a bit too restrained.”

While Roger was thinking quickly in his mind, he once again conjured a "Spirit and Flesh Blade" burning with black flames in his hand.

Since the black flames could actually harm the opponent, Roger used the black flames to attach to the "Spirit and Flesh Blade" to attack!
The figure of the "Fallen Earl" appeared, and the deck of the "Star Lord" was once again filled with distorted and chaotic space.

This is another ability Roger could think of that could substantially harm the "Silver Knight," similar to the one he used when fighting Andrea Einhorn, who could metalize himself.

Furthermore, since the "Star Lord" is Roger's home turf, the effect of "chaos" will be amplified many times over.

Next, just be wary of the "silver-white rapier".

Clearly sensing the distortion and chaos of the surrounding space, the "Silver Knight" Saint Austin instantly melted into a pool of mercury, which rushed towards Roger at an extremely fast speed.

However, just as St. Austin was about to unleash a barrage of slashes with his twin swords, Roger vanished.

Saint Austin coughed up a mouthful of blood. He stared in astonishment at the "Fallen Shadow" that had struck him with the "Blade of Spirit and Flesh" burning with black flames, while Roger, who had been standing there, had disappeared without a trace.

Almost simultaneously, Roger's figure appeared in the center of the "Star Lord" deck, which was filled with distorted space, and "The Fallen Earl" and Roger simultaneously stretched out their hands towards Saint Austin.

"Our fates have been switched!"

As the power of "amplification" descended, Roger whispered a command.

(End of this chapter)