Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 457 Entering the Elf's Collective Graveyard
As soon as Erstein finished speaking—

"唳——!!!!!!"

A clear, resounding cry, piercing through the clouds and splitting rocks, shook the soul like thunder tearing through the darkness, suddenly erupting from the highest heavens!
This cry was no longer merely the shriek of a raptor! It contained a kingly majesty, a boundless power that tore through the sky, and a fiery divinity that seemed to ignite the soul and dispel all gloom! The sound waves spread out instantly like tangible golden ripples, tearing open a huge, rotating gap in the thick, leaden, churning black fog above the Valley of Memory!

Golden, pure sunlight, like a divine sword, pierced through this dark place shrouded in death for the first time without any hindrance, shining straight down!

Everyone fighting at the bottom of the valley, whether warriors from the Black Forest Territory or old Jasper's undead minions, instinctively looked up!
In the center of the torn open fog dome, a colossal, breathtaking figure was swooping down with the force of wind and thunder!

The Claw of Death! It arrived much faster than expected!

At this moment, its size has swelled several times, and its wingspan is close to twenty meters, almost comparable to that of an adult dragon! Its whole body is covered with tiger stripes that shimmer with a metallic luster, as if cast from molten gold. The colorful stripes flow with a lava-like luster under the sunlight, full of explosive power.

On its majestic lion-like head, the mane, like a crown, stood on end like burning golden flames. Its sharp eagle eyes burned with golden light like miniature suns, and the air seemed to scorch within its gaze!
What truly terrified and shocked the undead was the blazing sun horse armor it wore!

This armor was far beyond the capabilities of ordinary craftsmen. The entire suit of armor gleamed with a sacred, shimmering gold hue, its surface inscribed with intricate and ancient sun runes, each rune seemingly radiating energy akin to liquid sunlight!
Its shoulder armor, breastplate, and wing root armor were thick and angular, like the armor of a god, with fine, pure golden holy flames flickering at the edges. The wing armor covering its enormous wings unfolded during its high-speed dive, like two banners burning with holy flames, fluttering in the gale and scattering countless golden sparks, completely burning away and purifying the thick fog in its path!
This is the strongest, perfect-grade horse armor in the territory. Not only does it perfectly fit the Deathclaw's evolved, massive, and powerful body, but holy flames also flow through its rune circuits, making its entire body seem to be enveloped in a layer of flowing, translucent golden light, radiating a terrifying pressure like a divine beast of the sun walking among mortals! Wherever it passes, the air distorts, the thick fog dissipates, and even the deathly aura permeating the valley below seems to have met its nemesis, emitting a sizzling melting sound as it is forcibly suppressed and dispelled!
"It's Lord Deathclaw!"

"Chosen by God! It has been promoted to the Chosen by God!"

"By the blazing sun! That's...that's the strongest horse armor in the territory?!"

At the bottom of the valley, the Blackforest warriors, who were stubbornly resisting the undead onslaught from their makeshift positions, erupted in a deafening cheer! The atmosphere of despair was swept away by this scene of divine intervention! Hilder's golden eyes shone with unprecedented light, and Thranville's hand, gripping her frost spear, trembled slightly with excitement. Even the fearless undead, under this pure and overwhelming divine pressure and the scorching heat of the holy sun, showed obvious signs of slowing down and fear!

"Damn it! That beast... how could it have arrived so quickly?!" Old Jasper, who was commanding the undead army's fierce attack, suddenly looked up, his will-o'-the-wisps of eyes twitching violently, revealing for the first time an expression of disbelief and horror! He could clearly feel the powerful bloodline emanating from that griffin.

The Claw of Death's sharp gaze, burning with golden flames, instantly pierced through space, precisely locking onto the source of the most intense aura of death at the bottom of the valley below—the withered necromancer, Old Jasper! It let out another clear cry filled with fighting spirit and killing intent, its massive wings flapping violently, its speed soaring once more, like a golden meteor streaking across the sky above the Valley of Memory, announcing the arrival of its reinforcements!
Standing on the back of the green dragon Eliria, Su Li looked at his first mount, now grown into a god-chosen war behemoth, and finally a smile full of unwavering confidence appeared on his lips.

In contrast, Jasper Sr.'s offense and rhythm were clearly affected by this iconic moment, resulting in great disarray.

Griffins, warhammers, and knights are the symbols of the Empire and human power; this golden flame is a great source of morale booster for humanity.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Old Jasper's withered face twisted in agony, his eyes blazing with an unprecedented agitation and rage. That damned griffin had arrived too quickly! It wasn't just reinforcements; it was a declaration—the elite of Black Forest Territory, and that damned lord Su Li, were likely already nearby.

He can't be held up here! And he can't let that half-elf escape with the precious [Life Amber]! He must immediately enter the mass grave and initiate the ritual!

"Mhawa!" Old Jasper's shrill voice pierced the chaotic battlefield. "Forget those damned stones! Take all the messengers and get after that half-elf! Capture her! Reclaim Amber! The rest of you, hold off the remaining human fodder!"

With a sudden swipe of his withered claws, he pointed in the direction where Thranville and Hilder had retreated. The black knights, undead, and even several powerful dread beasts that had been fighting the rock people immediately abandoned them and, like sharks drawn by the scent of blood, charged madly towards the Blackforest Territory's defensive positions, carrying with them a thick aura of death!
These rock dwellers were of little value to old Jasper. Their strength didn't stem from powerful souls or exceptional individual abilities, but rather from being eroded by a vast amount of chaotic wind during their near-death experience. That's why they were called rock dwellers—like empty shells with hollow souls, containing only a vast amount of magical wind.

Old Jasper doesn't draw much soul from them; although he has a lot of magic to convert, it's like a bomb that must be handled with care.

And right now, what he lacks most is time!

Seeing the monsters swarming in like a tide, Hilder immediately gave a stern order: "Stop them!"

Golden divine grace from the blazing sun burned fiercely on her sword, and a scorching blade of light swept out, forcing back the black knight who was charging at the forefront!

The mages and halflings detonated pre-set rune traps, and the violent explosions temporarily halted the advance of some of the undead.

Thranville wielded her newly formed frost spear, each thrust unleashing a storm of ice crystals that precisely froze the undead minions attempting to bypass the defenses. Her icy blue eyes, sharp as an eagle's, were fixed on the movements of old Jasper's true form.

“They’re fighting desperately! They’re trying to break through!” Thranville shouted.

"Hold on! Fight and retreat! Lure them deeper into the territory!" Hilde commanded calmly. She understood that the more impatient old Jasper was, the more likely he would expose a weakness. Their mission was to prevent him from achieving his objective smoothly!
Under the relentless onslaught of the undead, the Blackwood Territory's defenses were under immense pressure. Warriors fell one after another, but the survivors fought tenaciously, retreating while simultaneously creating new obstacles using the narrow passages and terrain. Thranville and Hildor stood like two impregnable gates, firmly anchored at the forefront, blocking the most powerful undead messengers.

After paying a considerable price, they were forced to retreat to the edge of a relatively open area.

The sight before them made everyone, including the relentlessly pursuing Jasper, gasp for breath!
They eventually retreated to the elves' mass grave!

This is a vast, man-made, and meticulously crafted underground vault. In stark contrast to the eerie atmosphere of other parts of the Valley of Memory, it is filled with the transcendent splendor and solemn sanctity characteristic of the high elves.

The dome soars high, seemingly simulating the starry sky, inlaid with countless magical crystals that emit a soft glow, like stars (though most of them have dimmed). The massive stone pillars supporting the dome are not simple cylinders, but are carved into elegant spirals with patterns of vines and stars, their surfaces flowing with mithril patterns that have long since solidified but still reveal their former glory.

The ground wasn't soil, but paved with polished, flawless white moonstone, which emitted a warm glow even in the dim light. Most awe-inspiring of all was the tomb itself.

There were no mountains of bones as one might have imagined. Instead, the remains of countless elves were placed in translucent crystal coffins, resembling blooming lily buds. These coffins were not randomly placed, but arranged in an extremely intricate array along the ground and walls, conforming to a certain celestial trajectory.

Each coffin is a work of art, its surface inscribed with intricate elven runes and exquisite reliefs depicting forests, stars, moon goddesses, and heroic epics. Though the clothing on the remains is worn, the splendor of the silk and the fine embroidery are still faintly visible. Many remains also have their weapons or musical instruments placed beside them, as if they were sleeping in eternal slumber.

The entire space is filled with a solemn, pure, and ethereal atmosphere, as if time itself slows down and becomes gentle. Despite the passage of time, the elegance, refinement, and respect for life that belong to the higher elves are still conveyed through every stone and every vein.

"Hahaha! Found it! Finally found it!" Old Jasper's maniacal laughter shattered the sacred tranquility, sounding particularly jarring and blasphemous. His will-o'-the-wisps of eyes greedily scanned the overflowing "treasure"—not the magnificent coffins and burial goods, but the relatively well-preserved elven remains within them! In his eyes, these were top-tier spellcasting materials, containing powerful remnants of life essence! The quantity was enormous!
"A perfect sacrifice! Far exceeding expectations!" His emaciated body trembled slightly with excitement. "The essence of the ancient elves will be at my disposal!"

He ignored the undead minions still fighting with Hilde and the others, and suddenly raised his bone staff inlaid with black gems!
"In the name of death! Hear my call! Break free from the shackles of rest and fight for your new master! Scourge—awaken!"

The gem at the tip of the bone staff erupted with a dark, abyss-like light! Countless twisted, screaming undead runes surged forth from it like living things, instantly spreading throughout the entire massive tomb! A vast, cold, filthy magical power, filled with the absolute will of death, like ink dripping into clear water, frantically eroded this sacred place!

Click…click, click…

A chilling, rapid cracking sound rang out!

Dozens of exquisite and magnificent crystal coffins were instantly covered with spiderweb-like black cracks under the corrosive power of death! Inside the coffins, the peacefully sleeping remains of the elves suddenly had eerie green soul flames ignited in their empty eye sockets! The dust-covered bones began to tremble violently, emitting a teeth-grinding grinding sound!

One, two, ten, twenty... and finally more than eighty elven skeletal warriors were forcibly breaking free from the crystal coffins, their rest being profanedly awakened! They grabbed the rusty but still sharp elven longswords or longbows beside them, their movements quickly becoming fluid from stiffness, carrying a forcibly twisted, resentful, and deathly will. The soul fire in their eye sockets turned in unison towards the intruders—Hildor, Thranville, and all the warriors of the Blackwood Territory!
A massive undead army, composed of the remains of high elves, was taking shape at a visible speed amidst old Jasper's maniacal laughter! The gathering aura of death caused the temperature in the entire tomb to plummet, as if the air itself had frozen!
"No—!" Thranville's icy blue eyes blazed with fury and grief at the sight! These were her ancient relatives! Remnants of a once glorious civilization! Yet now they were being so filthyly desecrated and twisted into tools of slaughter! The bloodline of the Ice Valkyrie within her roared in fury, the power of frost surging uncontrollably around her, almost breaking free from Hilder's restraint and rushing out!

"Thranville! Calm down!" Hilder pressed down hard on her shoulder, his golden eyes burning like a furnace, but his voice was unusually calm, carrying a convincing and powerful force.

"The Lord has arrived! He's up there! The Death Claw is the signal!" Hilder's voice was resolute. "This means our main force won't be far off! Even if Old Bones begins the ritual, he can't possibly complete all the transformations in a short time, much less immediately obtain the dozens of Chosen Ones he's been dreaming of! That takes time, a lot of energy, and above all, it requires no interference!"

Her sharp gaze swept over the rapidly awakening army of elven skeletons, surging in like a white tide, and over old Jasper himself, who stood at the rear, laughing wildly as he cast spells, surrounded only by a few elite undead guards.

“What he needs most right now is time! What he fears most is interference!” A cold yet intelligent smile appeared on Hilde’s lips. “Our mission has never been to fight him here and eliminate him—that’s for the lord and the main force! Our mission is to hold him back, harass him, and prevent him from completing his evil ritual in a peaceful and efficient manner!”

She abruptly raised her longsword, which was burning with the divine grace of the sun, pointing it at the core location where old Jasper was. Her voice resounded throughout the tomb, filled with the calmness of a tactician and the decisiveness of a commander:

"Everyone! Utilize the advantageous terrain, split into small teams, and hunt freely! Target—those skeletons that are awakening! Prioritize attacking the spellcasting guards around the old skeleton! Use divine magic! Use fire! Use frost! Use every means at your disposal to interrupt him! To wear him down! To make him flustered! To make him expend ten times more energy than expected to convert each undead!"

"Remember! Life is paramount! Harassing him while alive is more valuable than dying! The lord is on his way! Hold on, victory belongs to Blackforest Territory!"

Hilder's command was like a shot in the arm, instantly restoring the warriors' direction after being terrified by the sea of ​​undead. Yes! They didn't need to annihilate the enemy; they just needed to keep that old man from having a moment's peace!
"For the Black Forest Territory!" the warriors roared.

Thranville took a deep breath, her anger transforming into icy killing intent and resolute execution. She no longer attempted to charge at old Jasper himself, but instead focused her gaze on the group of elven skeletal archers closest to him who were awakening and still moving rather slowly.

"Freeze the path!" she shouted, her spear striking the ground. Instantly, a path of extreme cold frost spread out, freezing the lower bodies of the skeletal archers along with the ground!
"Focus fire! Smash them!" Hilde immediately commanded the nearby halfling crossbowmen and mages, and bolts and arcane missiles rained down on the frozen targets.

Old Jasper's maniacal laughter froze instantly, replaced by a twisted rage: "Damn bugs! Crush them!"

He had to be distracted directing a portion of the newly awakened skeletal warriors to intercept those annoying harassment squads, and the efficiency of the ritual visibly slowed down.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly amidst the fierce fighting and the desecration of the dead.

More than two hours!
Hilder, Thranville, and the remaining warriors of the Blackwood engaged in a fierce and protracted struggle and harassment within the sacred yet now battlefield-filled elven mass grave. Like the most resilient thorns, they clung tightly to old Jasper, the behemoth of death eager to advance.

Using the towering crystal coffins as cover and taking advantage of the exquisite corridors and pillars of the elven architecture, the warriors were divided into several small teams. Under Hilder's precise command, they continuously carried out short but deadly attacks, ambushes, and retreats.

Thranville, like a phantom of frost, creates deadly frost traps and instant freezes in confined areas with her Frostbite Eye, setting up opportunities for her teammates to focus fire. Whenever old Jasper attempts to concentrate on a large-scale undead awakening or enhancement, a cunning ice spear or a chilling wave of freezing space precisely interrupts his casting rhythm.

Hilde, on the other hand, was a golden storm of blazing sunlight. Her divine grace of the sun was like a moving lighthouse, dispelling the aura of death wherever it went, and melting away low-ranking undead like snow. She specifically targeted powerful undead messengers who were responsible for protecting old Jasper while he cast spells. Each strike of her blazing blade carried a purifying power, forcing old Jasper to be distracted by protecting his minions.

The mages and halfling crossbowmen were like the most annoying swarm of bees, firing arcane missiles, fire arrows, and poisoned crossbow bolts from unexpected angles, accurately killing the newly awakened, still uncoordinated elven skeleton warriors, or interfering with the undead and black knights who were channeling death magic.

Each of their attacks forced old Jasper to mobilize newly awakened undead to surround and defend, greatly slowing down his conversion of the entire tomb. On the ground, the number of shattered bones, frozen fragments of the undead, and ashes purified by holy light increased. The warriors also paid a heavy price; their numbers were dwindling, and everyone was wounded and their strength was being rapidly depleted.

However, Jasper's power was ultimately overwhelming!

Despite being constantly harassed and with his efficiency greatly reduced, he still managed to awaken and initially control thousands of elven skeleton warriors during the two-hour-plus blasphemy ritual!

On the pristine moonstone floor, a despairing sea of ​​white bones had formed! Countless skeletal warriors, wielding rusted yet still sharp elven weapons, their eye sockets flickering with eerie green soulfire, filled most of the tomb's space like a silent, deadly tide. They moved with synchronized, stiff steps, driven by the will of death, gradually compressing the Blackforest warriors' living space. The gathering, chilling death aura almost froze the air, making even breathing difficult.

"Hahaha! Insects! Do you see that?!" Old Jasper stood atop a towering elven statue's pedestal, his withered body trembling slightly with ecstasy and an overwhelming surge of power. He raised his bone staff high, the black gem at its tip like a miniature black hole, frantically devouring the death energy permeating the tomb and transforming it into more necromantic runes that flowed into the sea of ​​bones below. He let out a piercing, arrogant laugh, his voice echoing through the vast tomb:

"Your struggles are nothing but futile, dying cries! Thousands of elite undead warriors have awakened! Each of them was once a noble elven warrior, and now they are my most loyal servants in death! Your attacks are nothing more than giving me a little more time to crush a few ants!"

His withered claws pointed to the area where Hilde and the others were hiding, his eyes burning with ghostly fire, filled with an arrogant sense of control over everything:

"You can't stop me! No one can stop me! Once I have complete control of this army of the dead, I will turn you annoying insects into my collection one by one! Your lord? Hmph, when he crawls here with his so-called 'main force,' all he will see are your skeletons and an undead army powerful enough to flatten his entire Black Forest Territory! Hahaha—!"

"Don't worry, seeing how strong your feelings are, I'll make him turn into bones and come to keep you company! You'll all become my servants!"

(End of this chapter)