Raise Joan of Arc to be an empress, then discard her.

"It's Aurelia. The current captain of the Obsidian Knights is Aaron's teacher. One of them is the captain of the Obsidian Knights, and the other is the third seat, but few people know that they also have a master-disciple relationship."

"So what?" What Cilio said wasn't a secret, it was quite ordinary. As a member of the Obsidian Knights, it wasn't surprising that Aaron's teacher was Aurelia.

"But do you remember? The Obsidian Knights were only founded fifteen years ago. Before that, Aurelia was a member of the Omniscient Knights. If she were still in the Knights today, all of you here would have to call her 'teacher'."

This news indeed shocked many new members of the Knights Order. They did know that Aurelia was a legendary knight, otherwise she would not have been able to create a new Knights Order and be known as one of the three great Knights Orders alongside the Omniscient Knights.

However, they did not know that Alleria was once an Omniscient Knight. She re-enacted the split-family drama based on the Omniscient Knights. Therefore, some older Omniscient Knights would secretly say that Alleria was a traitor who weakened the strength of the Omniscient Knights and chose to set up her own sect.

Because of this, few Omniscient Knights are willing to mention her, so the newly arrived Omniscient Knights are also unaware of her.

However, given that Aurelia was both a former omniscient knight and the current leader of the Obsidian Knights, she was indeed highly respected throughout Lucert. No wonder that even though she had been injured for many years, she still retained her position as leader of the Obsidian Knights, and no one dared to replace her.

"And here's the big thing I'm about to say."

Cilio licked his lips and said:

"Did you know? Our current Knight King actually became Knight King fifteen years ago, on the very day the Obsidian Knights were founded. Of course... that's not the most important thing. The most important thing is that our Knight King, Akil Spanger, was also Aurelia's student!"

"What?!" This news truly shocked everyone present. It was indeed earth-shattering news: the current Omniscient Sword was once a student of the Obsidian Knights' captain!

"That's not the most shocking part. Do you know why none of you have ever heard of this, and only we, the old guard of the Knights, know about this secret?"

Chapter 57 Certain Death

Sirio sneered, "Because it is said that back then, our Knight King was going to go to the Obsidian Knights with Alleria to become an Obsidian Knight, but in the end Alleria gave him up. After that, she took in another student and brought him into the Obsidian Knights. Some people say that Alleria gave up the Knight King because of this student."

This news was indeed explosive enough to silence everyone present, because if what Sirio said was true, and what happened back then was true, then there would be no Knight King now. This was indeed a major event that changed history.

"Wait...you mentioned another student Aurelia took in back then, could it be...?" Someone had already noticed the surprise in Cilio's words.

"That's right. After Aurelia founded the Obsidian Knights, another student she took in was Aaron Brando. And Jeanne d'Arc was Aaron's student. Therefore, Aurelia was actually Jeanne d'Arc's ancestor, and our Omniscient Sword was Jeanne d'Arc's senior brother."

"Senior brother?" People looked into the distance. "The one the Knight King was chasing was actually his junior sister whom he had never met before. I wonder what the Knight King thinks now?"

“Aaron treats Joan of Arc as his true student, and as her substitute teacher, I know this all too well. If Joan of Arc is hunted down by the King of Knights, Aaron will certainly not sit idly by and wait for his doom,” Syrio said.

“What good is it if he doesn’t want to sit and wait for his death?” Sivan said. “That’s the Sword of Omniscience. What can he possibly do?”

"Is it possible for Akiel to let her go?" someone asked, even directly addressing the Knight King by his name.

"Why did the Knight King spare her? Was it because of their camaraderie as fellow disciples?"

Another elder of the Omniscient Knights said, "When Aurelia left to found the Obsidian Knights, she deeply hurt our Knight King's heart, not to mention that she later took in new students."

“Strictly speaking, Aguirre has always harbored a grudge against Aurelia. Of course, Lord Aguirre would not take revenge for personal reasons, but it is equally impossible for Aguirre to let Joan of Arc go.”

"Don't you all understand? If Lord Aguirre wanted to deal with Joan of Arc, she would have died long ago. But he has been prioritizing dealing with other demons because Lord Aguirre wants to save Joan of Arc for last," someone said.

Everyone fell silent... It was indeed the case. Although Joan of Arc was running very fast and would be out of Esgard in a few minutes, no matter how fast she ran, she was only playing within Aguirre's grasp. The reason Aguirre hadn't touched her yet was simply to leave her until the very end.

Or perhaps even he wanted to know if the woman who had been bedridden would show herself for Joan of Arc.

“Send someone to Aurelia’s residence to see if there’s any movement,” Sivan suddenly said.

The omniscient knights were taken aback, suddenly realizing that this was indeed a good method, and they were also curious about what would happen on the other side.

“Such a big thing has happened, Enzo has already sent someone to consult Alleria, and Enzo has just received a reply,” said the well-informed Omniscient Knight.

"What did that person say?" Many omniscient knights also became curious.

"Her reply was simple: let them decide for themselves," the omniscient knight said coldly, as if he were conveying Aurelia's indifference in reply as well.

“What? That means even Aurelia has given up on Joan of Arc. There’s no more fun to be had,” Sivan said.

"It seems that even a former legend has nothing to say when facing the King of Knights."

Some sighed, but there was nothing they could do. The one hunting her was the Knight King; they had all witnessed his power—a godlike strength—that even all the omniscient knights combined might not be able to stop him. What could Aurelia possibly do?

Everyone had abandoned her; Joan of Arc was doomed.

"Let's go, let's go back. There's probably nothing more for us to do here." One of the omniscient knights was already planning to leave.

“Even if Aurelia gives up on her, Aaron will not give up on her,” Syrio said, unusually frowning.

"He's just his student, how can the feelings be that deep?" The all-knowing knight next to him shrugged and said, "But even if he doesn't give up, what difference will it make? The result won't be any different."

Sirio still frowned. Unlike the people around him, he had actually fought Aaron and experienced Aaron's strength firsthand. He had felt an unfathomable power emanating from Aaron, so for the first time, he felt that if Aaron was unwilling to give up Joan of Arc, then perhaps Aaron and that Knight King...

This wasn't just wild fantasy on his part. You see, it's highly likely that Aurelia gave up on the future King of Knights because of Aaron. Aurelia wasn't stupid; she must have had her reasons. And since he was the only one here who had witnessed Aaron's strength firsthand, he thought perhaps…

Meanwhile, on the Obsidian Knights' side...

Enzo frowned, his face filled with a gloom that the other members had never seen before.

Just now, he received a reply from Aurelia. As the Omniscient Knight had learned, Aurelia's reply was that it was up to them to decide.

For a moment, Enzo felt a deep sense of powerlessness. Joan of Arc was still running around the city, still hoping to escape Esgard, but these people had given up first.

He clenched his fist: "No matter what, even if she really dies, we have to see her to the end."

*

Joan of Arc felt she was close to success!

She miraculously escaped the city center and saw the gates of Asgard. According to Brand and Lorraine, if she could escape Asgard, their survival rate would greatly increase. Joan of Arc had originally regarded this as an unattainable hope, but now they were really about to succeed!

"If this continues, she'll really escape," said the guard on the city gate.

"We can keep her. Besides, even if she does escape Esgard, so what? Will we just stop chasing her once she's out of Esgard? And the one chasing her is the King of Knights." Someone chuckled.

In fact, the forces that were truly hunting Joan of Arc were never strong, or even non-existent. That's why she was able to run all the way from the city center to the city walls. They knew that the King of Knights was after her, so why should they risk getting injured and stand in front of her since they already had the King of Knights?

Therefore, the various passes and guards in Esgard did not hinder her much along the way. In addition, she did not harm anyone or cause any damage during her escape, so they simply watched her escape route and reported her location.

Chapter 58 Arrival

The city gate was just ahead, and Joan of Arc had only a few seconds to make a decision.

The city gate must be the most heavily guarded place; it's impossible to get out directly, so we need to think of other methods.

However, the city gate's defenses had already been activated, and a spiritual energy shield was attached to the city wall. With her strength, it was impossible for her to force her way out of the city gate. In fact, there were very few superhumans in the entire Esgard who could break through the city wall, and the guards did not intend to do anything special for a little girl.

It was already noon, and all the clocks in Asgard were ringing. Joan of Arc felt as if the drumbeats of her own heart were beating, or as if it were some kind of countdown. She turned to look at the city walls.

She could escape Esgard once the walls were breached, but it seemed the walls had become an impenetrable barrier. Joan of Arc saw the man in black standing atop the walls, sneering at her.

Joan of Arc did not look at him. Fifty meters away from the city wall, she finally took out the piece she had been holding as her trump card and aimed it at the city wall from a distance.

"Attack!" Joan of Arc shouted.

Unlike last time, this time Joan of Arc held a black chess piece, and thus a black light emanated from it. Joan of Arc felt the chess piece in her hand was unusually heavy, and a black streak flew toward the city wall. The guards on the city wall changed their cold smiles into expressions of disbelief.

The surging black light actually broke through the city wall, creating a large hole in it. And after breaking through the wall, the black light did not stop, but flew towards a more distant direction.

Shocked, the guards on the city wall finally realized what was happening and shouted to the others, "She's made a hole in the wall! She's really trying to escape!"

A jumble of noises filled the guards' ears, but it was too late to stop her. They watched as the girl, like a lithe deer, leaped across the dark hole. They watched helplessly as the little deer escaped into another world, unable to stop her. On one side was the city known for its steel, and on the other, the endless wilderness. It seemed that from that moment on, she had truly escaped from the steel city; she was truly free.

"But what does it matter?" someone chuckled, unconcerned.

Esgard, West District.

The Knight King killed the last demon and finally looked towards the girl outside the city gate.

He was thousands of meters away from the city gate, but his gaze was still fixed on her through countless tall buildings. The crowds and countless tall buildings along the way could not stop him.

Even though she had already escaped the city gates, Joan of Arc felt a cold blade pressed against her back, and a suffocating fear gripped her from behind.

When the Knight King flew into the sky, it was as if a divine kingdom had opened up, and the angels from mythology, carrying swords and flames, descended from the sky!

The sheer force of the blast wave was enough to overwhelm Joan of Arc, burning away all her spiritual energy. And this was merely the aftershock of the Knight King's attack; the overwhelming blast wave was still above her, threatening to completely engulf her and the wolf child.

"Ruined……"

Even Enzo on the city gate lowered his binoculars. He realized that the Knight King really intended to kill Joan of Arc. The overwhelming shockwaves were meant to prevent her from escaping and to keep evil and demons away. Enzo had originally thought that the Knight King would show some consideration for their past relationship. Even if he wanted to judge Joan of Arc and the traitor, he would at most just capture her. As long as she was alive, they would still have a way to deal with her. He never expected that what the Knight King wanted to do was to execute her on the spot, just like when he dealt with those demons.

Syrio and Silvan also tracked down to the city gate and saw the girl surrounded by the shockwave. Seeing this, Syrio, who was usually a cynical person, was actually a little heartbroken.

Because Joan of Arc was also his student, albeit in name only. Joan of Arc was actually a good girl, and many people don't know that he cared for her even more than those young masters and ladies. But now the young girl is about to die.

It was indeed beyond redemption; the shockwave had completely enveloped her, even blocking her path. Joan of Arc looked at the molten iron around her, releasing billowing flames, and had no doubt that if she dared to force her way through, her spiritual power and her body would be instantly burned away. The Knight King had essentially created an execution ground just for Joan of Arc.

Joan of Arc turned around. The King of Knights, holding a flaming sword, stepped into the shockwave. The path ahead was blocked. Joan of Arc took a deep breath and summoned the general's banner, spear, and sword.

But before the Knight King could get close, Joan of Arc had already knelt on the ground, using the military flag as leverage. The surrounding shockwaves were constantly burning her spiritual power, and running all the way from the city center to the city walls had already consumed half of her spiritual power. Looking at the god-like man in front of her, even Joan of Arc felt a sense of despair. The wolf child who had accompanied her on her escape had shrunk into a corner. Her body was limp, and the moment she was enveloped by the shockwaves, she could no longer move.

Everyone watched the execution scene below the city gate. They could see that Joan of Arc's body was almost immobile. Let alone escape, she probably couldn't even move a finger.

Now there is no one who can save her. She is accused of treason, Aurelia has abandoned her, and all those who want to kill her are acting on the king's orders. Most importantly, even the King of Knights wants to kill her, even at the cost of executing her personally. Joan of Arc is indeed in dire straits, just like when she was tied to the stake three years ago.

"rest in peace."

As the King of Knights raised his sword, Joan of Arc's figure was engulfed by a fiery halo. The moment the King of Knights swung his sword, not only Joan of Arc but also the people on the city gate stopped breathing. Enzo stared wide-eyed at the scene, Sivan's eyes were playful, as if he was happy to see the executioner, while Syrio, unusually sentimental, turned his head away, unwilling to watch the scene.

The flames roared, the deafening sound shaking the eardrums of everyone on the city gate. In the instant of impact, everything in sight was engulfed in flames, including the Knight King's own body. Even the people on the city gate were shaken. The power of the Knight King's sword strike was so great? It even engulfed himself? As expected of the Knight King.

But soon someone realized something was wrong. Even if the Knight King's sword was powerful, the flames shouldn't have surrounded him. Moreover, the range of the fire was far too large. It didn't look like he was about to execute Joan of Arc. Instead, it looked like two forces were fighting at the center of the flames, which caused the fire and the shockwave to be shaken off, instantly affecting the entire city gate. Furthermore, the flames showed no signs of dissipating and even seemed to be heating up.

Amidst the intense golden light of the burning flames, a deep black hue was visible. This black hue was located at the very center of the fire, completely enveloped by the blazing flames, appearing extremely incongruous. Yet, the black hue slowly emerged from the firelight, like ink wash in a colorful painting.

Chapter 59 The Struggle for the Throne

As the flames began to wane, people discovered that the deep blackness was actually a long black knife.

At first, people didn't understand what had happened. When the flames were shaken off again, they saw someone fighting the Knight King. The shockwave that had just been shaken off was the aftershock of their fight.

The Knight King wielded a sharp sword, surrounded by a thousand bolts of lightning, which transformed into a fiery dragon ready to devour him. However, the black blade was like a block of ice, so still and serene that the flames could not affect it in the slightest. Instead, the flames were forced back by the calm black light.

Their spiritual energy clash even caused abnormal weather; people saw dark clouds hanging overhead, with lightning rolling across them, as if a fiery rain was about to fall at any moment.

But the most shocked person was not the people on the city gate, but the Knight King himself. For the first time, his usually ethereal face showed a look of utter astonishment.

He knew the man perfectly well, including his identity and name, and besides, the other party had no intention of hiding his identity.

The man was dressed in a black robe with dazzling golden patterns that even the firelight couldn't conceal, but his eyes were filled with uncontrollable rage. Compared to the firelight, his gaze was more like that of a wild beast ready to devour its prey.

The clash of swords had reached its climax, but neither could overwhelm the other's power. Finally, their powers dissipated simultaneously. The Knight King retreated dozens of meters, and the towering flames were withdrawn into his sword the instant he was pushed back. Aaron, who had rushed back from a thousand miles away, stood motionless in place.

The once lush fields have been turned into a desert after being burned, thanks to the Knight King. But where Joan of Arc and Aaron stood, a small patch of grass remained. Joan of Arc and the wolf child were on the grass, and this small space became an inviolable territory.

The black robe fluttered behind Aaron, and only then did people notice his appearance. He had obviously come from somewhere, covered in dust and grime. He hadn't even had time to change his black robe, and the hem of the robe was torn to varying degrees. His face also showed undisguised exhaustion, but his coldness and anger had merged into one.