Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Chapter 96

“The members of the Shadow Court will watch over the safety of the guild leader.”

After uttering those words, Dale vanished from the scene without a trace.

Remaining in solitude, the leader of the Calimala guild experienced a chill as he contemplated the imminent carnage that was approaching.

The Guild City. The Golden Empire, structured under the dominion of the seven great guilds and the mysterious Shadow Court.

Right at the core of the Guild City, a violent conflict was unleashed over the possession of the City Master’s accounting registry, an intense dispute between factions of immense power.

Faced with such a display of colossal force, the leader of the Calimala guild understood for the first time how ephemeral and insignificant material wealth could become.

In those very moments, Dale was in the hidden refuge of the Shadow Court.

The Great Shadow Court. An underground precinct that evoked the atmosphere of an ancient crypt, where the deadliest executioner in the entire territory was sitting in front of him.

“Wow, what a delight, this liquor is truly magnificent.”

Baro, the celebrated master of the killer sword, ingested the drink in one gulp, keeping his limbs resting on the surface of the table, completely disregarding the rigid protocol of the Shadow Court.

“You don’t demonstrate a very deep devotion toward the Shadow Church,” observed Dale in a serene tone, adopting the same casual style as his interlocutor.

“Ha, that is a good way of looking at it,” Baro let out a light laugh while nodding.

“There aren’t too many places willing to shelter an infamous person like me, who backstabbed his own lord before escaping.”

“What were the motives for your betrayal?”

Breaking loyalty toward a sovereign constituted an unforgivable offense and an absolute dishonor for any member of the cavalry.

“I suppose I simply lost my mind at that instant,” replied Baro showing total indifference.

“My former lord plunged into dementia, claiming that his small descendant was under the control of a demonic entity.”

“……”

“And his verdict was that I myself proceed to decapitate her.”

He related the event as if it were something trivial.

“So, while I showed indecision…”

After draining the remains of his drink, Baro continued with the story.

“That madman tore the eye sockets from his own little girl using his hands directly.”

“It’s inconceivable…”

“That’s right, just as I tell you.”

Dale experienced intense tension upon hearing that.

“That little girl is the same sacred figure you observe walking through the corners of your chambers.”

“……”

“I took her under my custody and sought refuge in the Guild City; upon seeing her, the radicalized devotees of the Shadow Court proclaimed: ‘The saint has arisen,’ provoking an immense commotion.”

“It is evident that she experienced some type of mystical manifestation.”

“Yes, all that chatter referring to the sister goddesses,” stated Baro with a grimace of contempt at Dale’s remark.

“Let’s assume that there are formidable deities watching us from the heights, okay?”

“……”

“Do you perhaps consider that they harbor the slightest affection for us?”

“Most likely they lack it.”

“Wow.”

Baro exhibited surprise at the quick coincidence of criteria on the part of Dale.

“Therefore, did you transform into the faithless armed wing of the Shadow Court solely for the well-being of that girl?”

“Remaining apart and under the control of these fanatics would have been extremely dangerous for her.”

“At present, she already transformed into an irrevocable instrument manipulated by the divinities.”

“It is totally understandable that a young girl deprived of her sight by the hand of her progenitor seeks refuge in the celestial realm.”

Expressed Baro in a low voice, simulating detachment.

“I do not possess intentions of judging the beliefs she professes.”

Dale inevitably evoked the image of the Shadow Saint approaching in the direction of him and Shub.

“It is enough for me to remain next to her to watch over her safety.”

Without harboring dogmas or spiritual convictions, he assumed the role of executioner for the Shadow Court for the sole purpose of safeguarding the sacred figure. Dale sketched a smile loaded with irony at the irony of his destiny.

“You give the impression of being an individual with whom it is possible to engage in a genuine dialogue.”

“Ha, this lad possesses a notable eloquence,” replied Baro, consuming another ration of drink with evident amusement.

“Under that logic, what was your motivation for assuming the role of deity before these radicalized servants?”

“Because the Shadow Court required a definitive combat instrument.”

Dale answered immediately and firmly.

“One of the seven most outstanding blades of the entire continent, the executioner denominated the Killer Sword.”

The transcendence that such a reputation entailed was immeasurable.

“Solely for that reason?”

“There was no other motive behind it.”

Baro could not contain a loud laugh upon hearing the arguments exposed by Dale.

“At least, there is not the slightest doubt that you will end up transforming into the redeemer of this group of fools.”

Prior to the inauguration of the underground market transactions, the decisive contest of champions sponsored by the fight club was approaching.

A combat scenario where the emissaries of the most influential noble lineages of the imperial territory gathered, keeping their secret pretensions and yearnings for power hidden.

The so-called “Black Prince” belonging to the Saxon lineage did not represent an exception to this rule.

The fight club.

Dale remained firm in the space of the underground pit, backed closely by the Death Knight that he had obtained in that same enclosure. There existed only one reputation that the crowd managed to link to such an image.

“The ‘Black Prince’ linked to the Saxon lineage has arrived!”

“A figure of enormous relevance unforeseen for the initial contest!”

A combat space devoid of restrictions where it was feasible to employ the maximum war potential, excluding the manifestations of avatars and conceptual projections. And the opponents who intended to measure strength with Dale on this occasion did not constitute rivals simple to subdue.

They were combatants of great caliber, very distant from the low-rank opponents he had defeated previously. High-level emissaries who attended the Black Market acting in representation of the most exalted aristocratic lineages of the crown.

Serving this ground as the ideal scenario to delimit the positions of power between the factions, Dale’s contender made an appearance.

A warrior covered entirely by armor of immaculate white tonality. It did not require greater effort to deduce the provenance of said equipment.

“Pay attention to that armor!”

“A protection forged from mithril… Without a doubt, he is a member of the Knights of Saint Magdalena!”

The possession of the productive “mithril mine” located in the domains of the county of Brandenburg constituted the pillar of the fortune and power of the current count’s dynasty.

In those moments, that white attire obtained from mithril represented the distinctive emblem of the Knights of Saint Magdalena.

An emissary of the sacred swordsman order.

“Does the illustrious count of Brandenburg perhaps possess particular interests in this clandestine meeting point of outlaws?”

A contender of an exceptional level.

“You…”

Faced with the words loaded with provocation pronounced by Dale, the end of the Knight of Saint Magdalena’s weapon shone as it was imbued with white-colored energy. The Death Knight positioned at Dale’s back adjusted in the same way his grip on the dark weapon characteristic of the Saxon dynasty.

“Toward what point is it convenient for me to direct the energy of the Peacemaker?”

In the course of the tense exchange of gazes, Dale analyzed the options with absolute coldness.

Concentrating the entirety of his magical and physical resources on the Death Knight presented itself as a viable alternative. However, it was highly probable that his opponent would seek a fatal outcome directly, so he could not delegate his security solely to his protective invocation.

This scenario differed enormously from the previous confrontations with master Baro, who merely evaluated his capabilities.

Srrng.

With precise movements, Dale extracted the combat weapon fastened to his side.

“Defeated during the celebration of the Black and White Tournament, surpassed in the lands of the island of Britannia…”

Channeling the mystical essence of the Peacemaker through the metal of his weapon, Dale declared.

“In this scenario you will experience the same outcome of defeat.”

There were no motives to prolong the words.

“Why does it give the impression that the members of your lineage head toward ruin each occasion I run into them?”

Taat!

Dispensing with the manifestation of an avatar, the Knight of Saint Magdalena, having reached supreme mastery as an Aura Master, lashed out employing the maximum of his power.

His speed was extraordinary. During the stage in which Dale was limited to the mastery of the third martyr circle, it would have been impossible for him to react to such an assault, and it would have been totally logical that he end up decapitated by a single impact.

However, Dale’s capabilities in the present were radically superior.

He no longer restricted himself solely to the arts of sorcery, but performed as a warrior who carried the Peacemaker, complemented by the intrinsic nature of a paladin and the knowledge of a fourth-circle mystic, considered the most outstanding prodigy of the crown.

Having amalgamated both disciplines and reached an extremely accelerated rhythm of evolution, the Death Knight in charge of guarding Dale’s rearguard advanced vehemently.

The dark Saxon metal collided directly against the sacred attack executed by the mystical swordsman, and Dale did not remain a simple observer of the scene.

He strengthened his grip on the Peacemaker, allowing his dark attire to flutter with the wind while he launched himself into the attack.

The path of the blade destined for the legendary warrior.

In certain aspects, it held notable similarities with the “Killer Sword” technique perfected by master Baro. A lethal combat style, focused meticulously on reaping the existence of the opponent.

The path of execution.

Flashes of white and dark tonalities clashed violently in the instant that the weapons of the Knight of Saint Magdalena and the Death Knight measured strength. Simultaneously, Dale took advantage of a blind spot in the warrior’s defensive position to project the Peacemaker toward the front.

Kaang!

The warrior deflected the impact of the Death Knight preserving his composure, managing to neutralize the thrust directed by Dale through a subtle lateral displacement.

“……!”

The rival’s offensive response did not wait.

A formidable opponent. However, Dale’s resources in those moments went beyond a simple combat blade. When the Knight of Saint Magdalena repelled Dale’s attack and advanced with determination, the shadow garment expanded suddenly. From its lower part, blasts of dark projectiles corresponding to the spell implemented under the “Gatling style” were projected.

A continuous blast of darkness projectiles impacted against the target, before which the Knight of Saint Magdalena reacted by executing a violent arc with his weapon.

Through a single movement, the concentrated energy that emerged from his being constituted a protective barrier of great solidity.

Aura protection.

A dazzling barrier composed of pure energy, comparable to the defenses deployed by a mystic of great relevance, dissipated without greater mishaps the blast of Shadow Bullets launched by Dale.

“The level of concentration of this energy is extremely high.”

Upon establishing a parallelism between a warrior consecrated as an aura master and a practitioner of sorcery, this combatant positioned himself in a rank equivalent at least to a mystic belonging to the sixth circle.

A hierarchy similar to that of a dignitary of the high tower.

However, sharing the same level of magic circle did not entail an absolute equivalence in terms of effectiveness in real combat. Sword warriors do not resemble theoretical researchers.

They do not dedicate their days to remaining secluded in the confines of a tower, consumed by reading and introspection. Their existence is forged through steel, eradicating opponents in conflict zones and preserving life in extreme conditions.

The summit of the mastery of steel, represented by the manifestation of the Avatar, is consolidated through ruthless confrontations and constant bloodshed.

Even abstaining from manifesting the power of the Avatar, the warrior stationed before Dale represented a rival of immense danger, before whom it was impossible to take for granted a favorable resolution.

And said uncertainty caused his heart rate to accelerate with greater intensity.

Hunting these individuals possessing such overwhelming potential represented the key to ascending to the next rung of power. With each victory achieved, the experiences belonging to past incarnations stored in the interior of the Peacemaker would begin to manifest progressively.

After an extremely violent exchange of blows, both contenders took distance to reorganize. Dale expressed between teeth while he stabilized his breathing.

“This terrain is under my absolute dominion.”

Acting in consonance with the dark fluctuations proceeding from his garment, the surface of the stage transformed into a vast extension submerged in the deepest darkness… and the hostile entities that inhabited said shadowy environment began to manifest activity.

Shadow stalkers.

A set of sharp sounds resonated in the environment in the precise instant in which multiple appendages covered with spikes emerged from the dark zones. Various fully developed Shadow Stalker entities made an appearance, evidencing their lethality.

Their physiognomies held resemblance to colossal-dimension reptiles, endowed with eight limbs configured as cutting tools and pointed appendages that agitated constantly throughout their dorsal sections.

Said creatures proceeded to locate themselves right in front of Dale, assuming the role of a living defensive barrier.

Strategic numerical superiority, the benefit derived from an overwhelming quantity of allies. That constituted the classic manifestation of the potential corresponding to the practitioner of necromancy linked to the Black Tower, an authentic expert in the mystical arts of darkness.

“……!”

Faced with the appearance of such monstrosities, the Saint Magdalena warrior only possessed one valid alternative of action. Dispensing with neutralizing the peripheral assaults, he concentrated his direct advance toward the position of the summoner.

A frontal penetration offensive. The most pragmatic resolution employed by a sword warrior when measuring strength with a practitioner of sorcery.

It is unnecessary to detail the detrimental consequences that happen when a mystic allows a melee combatant to nullify the safety distance.

Leaving behind the entities summoned by Dale, the Saint Magdalena combatant projected himself with celerity forward. The gap between both vanished. However, Dale was far from being a competitor restricted solely to the arts of “traditional sorcery.”

A practitioner of magic who is subdued by the simple fact that an opponent shortens the distances would not have managed to stay alive faced with the most outstanding warriors of the world geography.

Clang!

Metal impacting against metal.

Dale’s blade intercepted with precision the warrior’s attack, lacking completely any manifestation of mystical energy, employing only a conventional blade of ordinary iron.

A dry impact.

Despite that, the Saint Magdalena combatant did not stop his offensive.

The older descendant of the Saxon dynasty, recognized widely for his exceptional gifts in the handling of steel, had anticipated said containment maneuver.

Clang! Clang!

However, while the common iron blade repelled successively the thrusts loaded with the white and purified energy deployed by the warrior on repeated opportunities…

“Under what logic is such a feat possible…!?”

The Knight of Saint Magdalena found himself completely incapacitated to continue disguising his bewilderment.

Concomitantly, the Shadow Stalkers that had remained relegated to his rearguard launched themselves fully onto his position using their pointed limbs.

Crash!

He managed to project an energy barrier in the last instant to avoid an immediate fatal outcome, however, an energy barrier does not represent under any circumstance an impregnable protection.

Clang!

The protection yielded fragmenting into pieces and the appendages of the Shadow Stalkers continued with the offensive. Dale, acting with absolute determination, projected himself toward the front.

The fundamental motive for which the noble emissaries attended in great number to the Fight Club facilities resided in that the outcome did not require necessarily concluding with the demise of one of the parts.

It was sufficient with an explicit manifestation of surrender on the part of the opponent.

However, the competitors did not attend the Fight Club with the expectation of witnessing the capitulation of their rivals.

Upon extinguishing definitively the existence of their opponent, they managed to remove direct rivals from the clandestine market in the most drastic, effective, and permitted way by the internal codes.

That constituted the authentic purpose of the “combat for victory” managed by the Fight Club, and Dale was fully disposed to materialize that end, preparing his steel to inflict the final blow.

Or, at least, that was the line of action planned originally.

Boom!

A completely unforeseen detonation emanated from the body structure of the Knight of Saint Magdalena.

“A deflagration? No, the nature of this phenomenon is different.”

It was not a detonation of ordinary characteristics. It constituted a shockwave generated from the massive and chaotic mobilization of an immense quantity of energy that spun with extreme violence.

And such a manifestation entailed only one feasible reading.

“……!”

In that place was consolidated the image of an entirely white warrior. There did not persist the slightest vestige of human traits in his physiognomy, treating itself exclusively of an immaculate warrior entity.

“Avatar!”

The maximum combat manifestation to which the members of the order of the Knights of Saint Magdalena aspire.

Taking into consideration the repercussions that a combatant operating under the Avatar modality could carry, the devastation that he would provoke in the arena facilities would result completely incalculable.

The Fight Club administration was aware of these risks and had arranged the pertinent safeguards to contain the situation.

The “high-rank executioners belonging to the Shadow Court,” under the direct direction of master Baro, were in a position of alert to intervene against any individual who violated the established regulations…

However, prior to them managing to effectuate any movement, a flow of deep bluish-toned magic emerged right under Dale’s position, covering entirely the surface of the combat pit.

Zas!

Both Dale and the Saint Magdalena warrior evaporated from the view of the gathering.

Being transferred directly toward the private domains of the mystic.

In the course of that evening, in the framework of the unusual and icy winter night characterized by its marked contrasts of light and darkness.