Summoning the Holy Sword

Rhode wasn’t in the mood to tease Lize anymore because the Centipede Warden was much stronger than he imagined. Even though he had summoned all his spirits, they only managed to decrease one-third of its health. Besides, the Centipede Warden also seemed to know that Rhode was the ‘mastermind’ behind everything, which was why it attempted to eradicate him. Fortunately, it was currently trapped in the [Casali under the night sky] venue card, which was under his control, and despite its strongest attempts to charge forward, he could immediately move it back to its original position at the switch of a thought. At this moment, the Centipede Warden was caught in a narrow valley.

 This can’t go on.

 Rhode gnashed his teeth. At this moment, he was covered in sweat from the constant maintenance of the venue card and reviving and summoning of the spirits. Despite the Illusion Crystal providing him an endless source of spiritual powers, his mental stamina couldn’t continue much longer. If this continued, perhaps he would crumble before the enemy was dead.

 Do I really have to resort to that?

 Rhode looked at the card with the picture of an enormous magic cannon: [Dusk of Annihilation]. This was the strongest attacking card apart from the Legion Horn. All beings below the Intermediate Legendary Stage would kneel before him and paired with Taboo Halo, his summoned spirits could deal incredibly powerful damage. But it had a clear flaw: its damage was too strong, like a mini nuclear bomb. Besides, it needed a long time to power up. The problem was that the Centipede Warden’s reflection ability could reflect any level of attacks. In other words, even Lydia’s holy spear attack that could pierce the entire world would be reflected if she was unlucky. Rhode wasn’t interested in taunting fate because if his attack was reflected, he would be doomed as not even the Prison of Mad Love could defend against it.

 Unless he found an opportunity—one where the enemy couldn’t reflect his attack and this opportunity indeed existed.

 In the game, if the players succeeded in lowering the Centipede Warden’s health drastically in a single attack, it would go into ‘berserk’ mode, where its attack and defense would increase drastically. Although the probability of the reflection ability being activated were lowered, the reflection damage would be doubled. In other words, if the players dealt a critical attack and were unlucky, they would be slaughtered completely. This was also why the players chose to grind out its health slowly and not deal powerful damage at once. No one wished to be defeated instantly by their own attack, right?

 However, huge risks would also bring huge rewards.

 Within five seconds after the Centipede Warden went ‘berserk’, its body would go through a transformation. During these five seconds, it was basically defenseless, where every attack would deal three times the damage. In the later stages of the game, Rhode’s guild members forced the Centipede Warden into going ‘berserk’ and instantly eliminated it within five seconds. However, Rhode felt that it was too risky because it was basically impossible to defeat it within five seconds unless he had a team of coordinated and powerful players. He, as the guild leader, couldn’t possibly take a risk on this strategy and gamble with everyone’s lives. Therefore, after he confirmed that this wasn’t a viable strategy that most players could adopt, he gave up. In order to succeed, the level of coordination between players must be perfect—it was something only Rhode, Canary, Mini Bubble Gum, and a few others could achieve. Besides, humans weren’t machines and there would be times when they missed their attacks, which would lead to the death of the entire party.

 “Big Sister, your spiritual undulation was too…”

 “Shut up! How dare you doubt my judgment!”

 Celia lowered her head. She knew that she would be in for a hard time if she retaliated against her bossy older sister. Besides, the Centipede Warden had already grabbed for them with its three arms.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

 At this moment, a colorful burst of magical radiance exploded from the ground and struck the three arms heavily. The Spirit Bird soared into the sky and blasted an enormous lightning web that shrouded the enormous enemy entirely. On the other hand, the little mermaid extended her arms and blasted an ice-cold blizzard that froze the three arms. In an instant, glittering ice crystals were formed on the enemy’s arms. But this lasted for only a few moments as the enemy thrust its arms and shattered the frost.

 But this delay was enough.

 “Celia!”

 “Yes! Big Sister!”

 The contrasting colors of silver and dark flames blazed. The young ladies raised their swords and brandished in unison—the flames blasted, merged, and interwoven into a fiery dragon that consumed the enemy. The powerful energy flow twisted the air around it. The enemy flinched and at the same time, spider web-like cracks spread from its chest.

“———!”

 The Centipede Warden let out a painful howl. Then, it plunged its foot onto the ground and stood firmly before erupting an unprecedented, blinding radiance. Shortly after, a dark blade ray in the shape of a cross flashed and punctured its body.

 It was an attack from Gracier and Madaras. They appeared in midair with adorable smiles albeit their daggers shattering into powder. At this moment, a wild, red whirlwind rose from the ground abruptly and pierced the enemy’s wounded chest. The enemy hurriedly hurled its arms forward, caught the petite figure, and squashed her in his hand.

 “Hahahah… Hahaha…. Adorable prey! Give me more pain!”

 Although Shira’s body was twisted horribly out of shape, she continued to tilt her head, held onto her large red blade, and let out crazy bursts of laughter. At this moment, the two steel chains in her shoulders instantly split into a dozen more, struck out, pierced into the enemy’s body, rupturing its skin and the blood vessels hidden underneath. In an instant, the blood vessels burst and spurting red, pungent blood merged with the silver metal armor.

 “Grrrrr———!”

The Centipede Warden let out a mournful growl and erupted a massive, berserk airflow that crushed and flattened the grounds. Then, a color of intense red emerged over its ashen body while a broiling heat spread throughout the place. It lifted its head and its white pupils slowly turned scarlet.

 Celia and Celestina retreated hurriedly while the White Elves vanished into the shadows. On the other hand, Shira continued to laugh crazily as she gazed at the enemy.

 At this moment, thick layers of clouds covering the round moon were separated by an unknown force. A pitch-black, enormous magic cannon appeared and under the effects of Taboo Halo, its base was filled with hundreds of smaller cannons that filled the sky. Their gears and steel bearings spun, representing the awakening of the death machine.

 “———!”

 Streams of white steam spurted from all the cannon bodies. Then, an array of golden magical rituals emerged and spun around the cannon muzzles. The golden speckles on the magical rituals flashed across the night sky like beautiful, starry stars.

 At the next moment, the cannons released their mighty beams.

 Boom! The cannon beams mercilessly enveloped the entire land, puncturing the ground and melting everything in their path. The Centipede Warden instinctively raised its arms, but in the blink of an eye they were demolished into dust. Not only that, but the beams also punched through its enormous body and struck the ground.

 The ground rumbled and the white brilliance concealed everything as though it was the dominator of this world.

 Then, the enormous creature vanished from everyone’s sight.

 After the blinding flash was gone, the prairie under the night sky shattered into fragments like a broken mirror and everyone found themselves back at the metal hall. But unlike before, there was a chunk of flesh and metal lying quietly in the middle of the hall.

 Rhode heaved a sigh of relief.

 It succeeded.