Ark Chess Player.

Amiya responded by pressing the earpiece, calmly raising her right hand and suddenly exerting force with her five fingers!

Black arcs of electricity sealed the incoming Originium explosives within Originium Arts, layer upon layer of spells binding them as they rose high into the sky, transforming into dazzling fireworks that adorned the twilight of Lungmen.

"You must be the leader of Rhodes Island..."

Shattered Bones switched his weapon from a gun to a musket blade. He raised the blade, parallel to his shoulder, the silver-white blade pointing directly at Amiya.

"As an infected person, why did you help Lungmen kill our compatriots! Why won't you hand over Misha! If Lungmen takes her away, they will treat her the same way they treat infected people today!"

"Who organized a large-scale armed attack on Lungmen a few days ago? Who dragged the infected in Lungmen into a life-or-death struggle! Reunion Movement, listen up—the ones who started the enmity, the ones who hurt others, the ones who used violence first… it was you who launched the massacre in Chernobog! Your actions were not for the infected, but for revenge, for a moment of pleasure!!"

Amiya's voice echoed throughout the battlefield as she roared, returning all the rage! Everyone present felt their hearts pound. A wisp of Amiya's mental power unconsciously leaked out, and the rings on her hands instantly turned red, but quickly returned to cyan.

Everyone's fighting spirit is burning. At this point, there is no right or wrong, only the victor and the vanquished.

Amiya's eyes glowed red.

Reflect on the path ahead and think about what exactly is driving you to take those steps.

Why is he so determined to protect Misha?

The answer was obvious, and Amiya's lips curled up slightly; she was no longer confused.

"Tactical Incantation - Gamma!"

Black arcs of electricity condensed into hundreds of sparks that hurtled towards the shattered bones; Amiya was going all out from the start.

In an instant, the power that commanded the entire battlefield seemed to be suppressing Broken Bones! Each arc of pitch-black electricity not only broke through his defenses and made his bones crackle, but also shook his mind, causing damage from the inside out.

This is just a wisp of spiritual power; if Amiya were to unleash it fully, the impact would be far more than this.

Shattered Bones retreated in succession, his two musket blades raised in front of him to parry, unleashing precise supreme techniques to cut, guide, and disperse the incoming arcs of electricity. It was as if he had torn open a net of heaven and earth, finding a faint sliver of magical clearance to regroup.

"Bone shattering?!"

The Reunion Movement's sorcerers cried out in alarm. After a moment's hesitation, they decided to strike decisively. Without Bonecrusher's consent, they launched their attack. This was because they feared that if they didn't intervene, Bonecrusher might not be able to withstand the divine punishment of thunder.

As casters, they could sense just how terrifying Amiya's Originium Arts were, and this was before they had even fully unleashed their power.

Spelllights burst forth, making the five outer districts of Lungmen resemble stars in the night sky. Countless spells projected distinct outlines, their dazzling brilliance a feast for the eyes, all aimed at a single target.

Amiya raised her hand and pressed down, the rhombus-shaped totems behind her transforming into void frames to resist the Originium Arts surging in from all directions. The afterglow of the spells obscured the sun, and violent sounds rose and fell, putting immense pressure on Amiya.

Amiya did not back down; she concentrated her mental strength from the battlefield and absorbed her emotions—

A burst of energy!!

A ripple spanning hundreds of meters broke through layers of Originium Arts, sweeping outwards as if to wipe away all impurities.

The ripple touched the ruins, instantly causing countless cracks to appear in the dilapidated structure. The cracks spread like a spider web, and the building collapsed in disarray. Shattered stones and dust mixed together, falling from the sky like an avalanche, yet they could not touch Amiya in the slightest.

The Kingslayer twirled the hilt of his short blade in his hand, seizing the opportunity to attack the Reunion Movement mage.

She hadn't dared to stray too far from Amiya before, fearing that Amiya would be targeted by Bonecrusher's decapitation strike. But now that Bonecrusher was being held back by Amiya, she was able to take this opportunity to do what she did best.

The regicide never saw herself as a warrior facing direct confrontation; she was an assassin, a killer who would take the enemy's head amidst a vast army.

The reason Shattered Bones had consistently prevented the sorcerers from intervening was because he feared the Kingslayer and had specifically instructed them to wait for his order before acting. However, in their desperate attempt to save Shattered Bones, the sorcerers recklessly unleashed their magic, inadvertently revealing their location!

The Kingslayer moved with lightning speed, like a wolf among sheep; the sorcerers' frail bodies were utterly powerless to resist. Each slash of the carbon fiber dagger meant the severing of a former comrade. She showed no hesitation; mercy to the enemy was cruelty to herself.

"Stop—I told you to stop!!!"

Shattered Bones roared, and the eyes beneath the whale-hunting mask flashed with blood-red light. He actually managed to sever Amiya's Originium Arts!

Amiya suffered a backlash from the spell; she felt as if a hammer had struck her temple, an unimaginable pain mixed with countless emotions surging within her. Even Amiya nearly broke down, her body swaying as she clutched her head and knelt on the ground.

"I want you to die!!"

Ignoring the surrounding magical turbulence, Shattered Bones rushed straight toward Amiya, his silhouette faintly emanating the ferocious spirits of countless scourges.

"Qiang——!!"

At the critical moment, the Kingslayer instantly teleported in front of Amiya, blocking the fatal blow.

A sharp whistling sound pierced the air as each of Shattered Bones' strikes contained the ultimate essence of a gunblade, showcasing the pinnacle of Iberian swordsmanship. The frenzied sword intent materialized, slicing through the Kingslayer's sleeve with its aura. The armor-piercing force traveled to her arm, sending excruciating pain straight to her head. The Kingslayer parried repeatedly, wounds appearing on her body, bloody gashes spreading across her skin.

"You traitors among the infected! You must pay for the lives of so many of my compatriots in blood!"

The fierce red light of the shattered bones pierced through the gaps in the whaling mask, glaring furiously at the Kingslayer and Amiya.

He's like a child whose beloved possession has been destroyed; he doesn't know how to express his emotions and only knows how to destroy.

The regicide bit his lip hard, blood seeping through the emoticon mask.

She stared at the shattered bones, her eyes flashing with unwavering determination.

"I said……"

Just as the Kingslayer was preparing to fight to the death, a series of dark magical frames appeared in front of her, blocking the fierce attack of the Shattered Bones.

"I won't leave you to fight this battle alone."

Amiya wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and slowly stood up.

She was dizzy for about ten seconds, and it was the Kingslayer who protected her during those most dangerous ten seconds.

"From now on, let me protect you."

Chapter 301 Skeleton Army (4K)

"...How boring."

W stood on the high platform, and only now did she believe that the Tower of Babel... the Doctor from Rhodes Island was not here.

That person really has amnesia, right?

If the Kingslayer hadn't reacted quickly and returned in time, Amiya would have been in serious trouble.

W nearly intervened to help; she saw the shadow of that person in Amiya, and she didn't want that shadow to simply vanish.

If the doctor were here, he would definitely have stepped in to save us at this critical moment.

With his incredibly troublesome nature, he would love to treat everyone like his own child and dote on them, wanting to handle everything personally.

Moreover, the Doctor remembers every single operator who died in the Battle of Babel. He carries the souls of these fallen soldiers who sacrificed themselves to complete his mission, and the smell of cigars always fills his office, the thick smoke gradually obscuring the commemorative photo frame on his desk.

Isn't it perfectly normal for those who are unskilled and incompetent to die on the battlefield? W has experienced the Doctor's command before. Compared to the Sarkaz mercenary leaders' tactics of just killing, recklessly charging, and continuing to charge, the Doctor's tactical command is so detailed that it can be called a mama's boy-level battlefield fitness guide. It even notes when to step with the left or right foot.

W became increasingly confused the more she thought about it.

For the past three years, she had constantly reminded herself to consider the Doctor as the prime suspect in Princess Theresa's murder. In her mental death list, the Doctor's name was among the top three. Once she had dealt with the first two, she would find an opportunity to execute him.

but……

When W saw the Doctor's foolish face in Chernobog, she found that much of her three years of endless resentment towards him seemed to have dissipated. The more she thought about it, the more illogical and problematic it seemed, and she kept recalling things about Princess Theresa.

W removed the special filter she had applied to Princess Theresa, and discovered that whenever Theresa appeared in her mind, the Doctor's image would also appear. It was just that she subconsciously ignored everyone else besides the Princess, which was why she didn't recall them.

Lost in thought, W realized that the way the Doctor looked at Theresa... was similar to how she looked at Theresa. However, compared to the Doctor, the Doctor's gaze held less admiration and more composure.

"This is so annoying, what's going on?"

W covered her head; she couldn't understand it anymore, and all her logic had been overturned.

She found that the more she labeled the doctor as the murderer, the more loopholes there were in her deduction, and the less likely it was to be true.

"Ok?"

W frowned slightly, glancing behind her, and said coldly, "Anyone who appears behind a lady without saying a word is either planning something bad or is already doing something bad."

"If you are a lady, then I am a true gentleman."

A short, white figure suddenly appeared, a loose white robe covering every inch of skin below the head. The newcomer held a black cane inlaid with Originium, wore a gold-rimmed monocle, and had intensely cold, green eyes.

W felt a sticky, tingling sensation on her back, and her physical aversion made her frown.

"Ugh, stop trying to make yourself look good. Don't you have any shame?" W rubbed the goosebumps rising on his arm. "Mephisto, do you think you can impersonate a sorcerer from Letania just by changing your clothes? Tell me, which noble family in Chernobog did you steal this outfit from? Ursus nobles love cosplay. If you didn't wash it before wearing it, you might even find some yellowish stains on it."

"hehe."

Mephistopheles smiled without saying a word. He ignored W's provocative words and slowly walked forward, leaning on his cane.

“W, the mission Leader Talulah gave you is to capture that scientist’s daughter.” Mephisto stood on the edge of the platform, almost half his body suspended in mid-air, his face still bearing a nauseatingly hypocritical smile. He chuckled, “I’ve been observing you here for about ten minutes. How long do you plan to play around? Or perhaps, you still have lingering feelings for places you’ve been before?”

I don't understand what you're saying.

W responded with a smile, a fake smile as well, but her smile seemed incredibly cute.

I guess this is all about looks.

The two smiled and looked at each other, but their eyes were cold and filled with murderous intent.

If it weren't for their special identities and equal status, one of them would have long since disappeared from this world.

Mephistopheles said calmly, "I will report your actions to the leader as they are. You can start thinking about how to explain yourself now."

"Really? Mephistopheles, a third-grader at Integrated Elementary School, your mother Faust brought you your favorite Fengtou milk. Why don't you hurry home and hug your mother to drink milk? Oh, sorry, I didn't notice you've grown teeth. It's time to wean you, Mephistopheles."

W retorted sarcastically, implying that the other party was nothing more than a tattletale.

"..."

The fake smiles on their faces gradually disappeared, leaving only indifference and hostility.

Mephisto had previously sought out W for a private meeting. He knew Lin Lu's identity and some of Lin Lu's past. He originally intended to use this information as a gift, hoping to secretly ally with W and plot the decapitation of the Doctor from Rhodes Island.

Mephisto desires the Iz Grail in W's possession; he needs more Grails, yearning to strengthen his connection with the deep sea. He conducted experiments in Upper Chernobog, creating flesh-devouring anomalies using a low-quality Phoebe Grail. If the medium were a higher-ranking Iz Grail, he might have a chance to summon… an ancient god! The true god of Terra!

"climb."

"Get further away."

"Climb as far as it can."

W rejected him on the spot, and before leaving, she didn't forget to make a few sarcastic remarks about Mephistopheles.

"You're like a dwarf trying to climb to heaven, completely ignorant of your own limitations. You think you can control the situation? Ridiculous. You're just a novice investigator who's only just begun exploring forbidden knowledge. Even the evil spirits of Babel wouldn't delve into such forbidden matters. If you want to commit suicide, don't drag me down with you, thank you."

From that moment on, Mephistopheles looked at W with icy eyes.

Given Mephistopheles' vengeful nature, how could he possibly let her go?

W is simple; she disliked this arrogant little dwarf from the very beginning. Treating human life like dirt, regarding her infected soldiers as disposable expendable resources, it's hard to tell whether she's a demon or Mephisto is.

"Hmm? Isn't that our old friend, the Kingslayer?"

Mephistopheles' pupils contracted as his gaze fell upon the Kingslayer, who was fighting and retreating on the battlefield not far away.

"It's good that she's still alive."

Mephistopheles remarked with genuine emotion.

Upon hearing this, W frowned deeply; she didn't believe Mephistopheles would genuinely bless the kingslayer.

If the person who survived the battlefield was Mephistopheles' young boyfriend, Faust, then it might be possible. But if it was Faust, even if he betrayed her, Mephistopheles probably wouldn't blame him.

Mephisto, Terra is known for its double standards.

"I have long prepared a reunion gift for our former friend... the Kingslayer, in preparation for this day of our reunion."

Mephistopheles narrowed his eyes, smiled, and clapped his hands, as if an audience were welcoming an actor onto the stage.

W didn't understand what Mephisto was talking about at first, but then she felt a strong sense of crisis and suddenly raised her gun to aim behind her.

A red figure appeared in front of W, a short blade pressed against her neck, while the gun in W's hand was aimed at the wielder's face.

A stark white mask came into view—the standard mask of the Reunion Movement. The mask allowed them to conceal their true selves and unleash their inner potential. Wearing the mask meant they would no longer fear anyone's gaze, nor be bound by invisible rules.

A red hood covered the attacker's hair, but the brim seemed to be soaked with water, hanging down and obscuring his eyes. Beneath the tattered, standard-issue armor, a grotesque, writhing mass emerged, like several restless venomous snakes lurking within the clothing, their slimy bodies thrashing wildly. The only exposed skin was the pale, colorless back of his hand, green venom coursing through its bluish veins.

"...That's quite a generous gift."

W said coldly that she was surrounded, even though she had taken precautions beforehand.

Besides the area directly in front of her, three short blades hung on her sides, enough to cause a throbbing pain in her temples from all directions.

"Pretty good, right? The four of them were originally the Kingkiller's True Wolf Squad, her personal squad members. For the past three years, the Kingkiller has entrusted them with all sorts of tasks, big and small, while she herself has been negligent in her duties at the base, completely disregarding them. Even when she defected to Rhodes Island, she didn't think twice about whether the people she left behind would be controversial within the Reunion Movement, or whether they would be considered potential hostile elements."

Mephistopheles patted one of the men on the head with an ominous hollow sound, as if he were patting the shell of a hollowed-out fruit.

"Fortunately, they met me, Lord Mephistopheles who does everything himself."

Mephisto stared at W, who was heavily surrounded, a bright smile spreading across his face. He laughed loudly, "I proactively requested permission from the leaders of Talulah to gain their operational control and personally explained to them the witch's movements of the vile traitor. The reason our operation in Chernobog had some imperfections was because the Kingslayer colluded with the enemy beforehand, leaking our intelligence. It was because the Kingslayer deliberately let our enemy, the infected who stood with the Ursus faction—Rhodes Island—go free."

"These people didn't believe me at first, but after my patient and long-term teaching, these poor souls who were once blinded by the Kingslayer have finally woken up... It was the Kingslayer who betrayed them, it was the Kingslayer who betrayed us, it was Rhodes Island who betrayed all the Infected! We will not let her go, we will not let Rhodes Island go. We must make these people pay for their crimes in blood, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!"