The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 183: Against the calamity (2)

Chapter 183: Against the calamity (2)

"Kill. You. Die."

The voice wasn’t loud yet everyone heard it. Amidst the screeches, cries, and shouts these words induced a cold shiver in every human present, regardless of age or rank.

Hex withstood the pain and budding weakness. The words echoed inside his head. Unlike many who seemed disoriented by the voice, Hex turned immediately toward the gate.

At some point, the hood covering the Calamity’s face dropped to its shoulders, revealing a humanoid face. It didn’t have a wide jaw or emotionless eyes. Its limbs weren’t wildly disproportionate nor was its posture off-putting. If the creature didn’t have dark leathery skin and protruding fangs, Hex would not be able to differentiate it from other humans.

But the fact that the Calamity uttered words while looking at them with a sinister gleam in its eyes, made the people tremble. Fear gripped their hearts and some even fell on their ass. The mere thought of facing an intelligent creature horrified them to the core.

"Let’s kill them quickly!"

Hex’s shout brought the team out of their stunned state. He hurried toward the center, gritting through the prickling pain each step brought. The remaining Disasters were in the middle of the formations, taking turns attacking the various teams.

Althea’s thunderous strikes echoed through the air as she flashed through the Disasters, wounding and retreating as needed. Her battle awareness awed even Refined Knights.

Hex reached her quickly. She didn’t turn but knew about his arrival. She struck her spear at an angle, thrusting the weapon at the Disaster’s side. It evaded but in the direction Hex attacked.

Energy Blast!

Hex unleashed his energy but added the earth element into it. The blast threw the Disaster toward the ground. The sound of bones breaking was faint.

’Amazing.’

The black swirl’s addition to his fire element inspired him. His second blessing allowed him to concentrate and unleash his energy. He didn’t consider adding elements to it. But now, with the earth element, the power in the blast doubled. This opened countless possibilities in his mind.

Screech!

Despite his doubled power, the Disaster survived. But seeing it injured and lying on the floor, Althea didn’t squander the chance. Thunderous noise filled her attack as she flew in the air and barreled down, with her spear pointing straight at the creature.

Ding!

The spear pierced the creature’s neck. It screeched and trashed around. But Hex followed suit.

Flex Step!

He climbed into the air and jumped downward. His energy once more focussed on his fist.

’Earth element, dark string, and fire element.’

Hex withdrew all the elements he could into the energy. He added the dark swirl for extra measure. Its corrosive nature prevented regeneration.

BOOM!

The blast threw Hex and Althea back. Hex landed tens of meters away, almost in the middle of Marzo’s team. Althea landed in the last line. The people nearby were thrown away too.

Marzo pulled Hex up on his feet and clicked his tongue. The blast drew everyone’s attention. As the dust settled, a shallow crater appeared. In the middle of it, the Disaster’s charred body lay. It still moved but its broken limbs prevented it from moving. The black liquid didn’t stop.

’It seems I was right. The black swirl indeed prevents regeneration. But not much of it is left.’

Hex gained the black swirl through certain beast crystals. But not every crystal seemed to have them. Seeing its abilities, Hex desired more of it. It was a tremendous asset against creatures with enhanced recovery.

"I don’t know what you did but keep doing it," Marzo said with a smile, clapping Hex’s shoulders heavily. "We need such p..."

The elites and Hex didn’t see when it happened but suddenly Marzo’s head disappeared.

Bang!

The next moment, they heard the sound of something blown into bits.

Hex blinked.

’W-What is this warm liquid?’

His brain failed to keep up with the reality. He blinked once more before realizing that the people around him were covered in blood and flesh. And even then, he looked down at himself, to notice blood and white bits on himself too.

"Kill. You. Die."

The sound of the three ominous words fell once again in his ears. Only now, did he register the appearance of one more figure in their middle. Its torn robe fluttered despite the lack of wind.

’It probably didn’t have time to stop yet.’

Such a weird and random thought started to move the gears of his brain. The reality and the danger of the situation finally dawned upon him.

He blinked for the third time.

"Ah!"

"You...!"

Only now, after three blinks the elites around him digested the experience. The soft thud released by Marzo’s headless corpse hitting the ground thundered in their heart.

Hex watched without blinking anymore at the unmoving figure before him. His senses remained silent. He didn’t feel any power or malice from the creature yet its cold eyes filled his heart with fear. He didn’t dare to breathe, afraid it would start a chain of tragedies.

The sound of shouts and fights gradually stopped. Hex didn’t know whether the Disasters had been eradicated or not. A dead silence hung in the air. Nothing moved, not even the air. It was as if time froze.

...

"The group of Knights has been far better than all previous groups combined. A pity." Old Gargoyle watched the distant event play out. The calmness in his voice contrasted heavily with the fury blazing in his eyes.

He turned to the side and looked at the Duke’s solemn expression. "Aren’t you going to save your heir?"

The Duke’s expression didn’t change. "Some ordeals are meant to be faced by a person on their own."

"Damn. How coldhearted."

Old Gargoyle turned toward the scene. "I hope they survive. I hope those factions are truly as strong as proclaimed. And I hope the Commander falls to the ground and dies!"

...

Up in the air, between the cloud of dust and smoke, the large outline of a bird-like creature hovered. At the core of the outline, a figure watched the scene at the gate. The bird remained still in the air as if part of the slow-flowing wind.

The Commander’s sharp eyes remained fixed on the gate.

...

Bam!

Hex flew through the air, landing straight against a pile of rubble. Only when his body was partially covered with broken stones and dust, did his senses register the pain.

"AH!"

His scream tore through the air. The stones covering his abdomen gained a red hue. Despite the pain, he didn’t avert his gaze from the battle before him.

The corpses of Knights lay strewn on the ground. The elites didn’t even leave a whole corpse between then.

Tarquin’s group and the Althea were a few Knights still alive. Tarquin escaped thanks to the interference from his family servant. The old man sacrificed his hands to let the youngsters escape.

Hex tried to see or at least sense how the Calamity struck but it was too fast. Thankfully, the Refined Knights reacted quickly. They assembled at once and engaged the creature.

The Star Sword’s flickering sword danced around the creature. Her sword was fast. To the injured Hex, the sword looked like a bright firefly moving around the Calamity.

The Countess conjured thick crystal-like ice columns and stacked them around the creature. She also covered the floor with layers of smooth ice. Unlike the Disasters, the Calamity didn’t lose its footing though.

The two Refined Knights from the governor’s office rained needles and fireballs on the creature. Hex groaned when he saw the creature conjure a metallic shield around its body, using it as a malleable armor.

’It can use elements.’

The Templar provided the team with shields after shields but they shattered in each confrontation with the Calamity.

Even a group of seven Refined Knights barely stopped the Calamity. Gronke growled, as his body’s transformation seemed to go berserk. His trunks stood ablaze but Hex noticed his beard and mane-like hair also turn into fiery whips.

’They won’t hold long. Even the minute injuries on its body heal quickly, whereas the Refined Knights are suffering as time goes on.’

Hex pushed his body off the pile but his severely weakened body fell on the floor. He couldn’t even stand on his feet. His nature elements reserve was almost depleted, struggling to maintain his recovery rate. The wound on his abdomen had closed but the marks remained.

"GET AWAY!"

A shout caused him to look up. Gronke’s roar caused the air to shudder. A faint outline of a humanoid boar manifested behind him.

’Isn’t that an ability only Transformed Knights have?’

Transformed Knights could materialize the energy of the surroundings, making it their own to assist them. Gronke wasn’t at that level yet. Hex sensed his Refined-stage energy clearly. Yet, his eyes didn’t deceive him.

"You idiot!"

The Star Sword cursed but suddenly her sword shattered into specks and a great number of blinking stars appeared behind her.

"I can’t allow the prestige of Templars to be tarnished."

The Stellar Shield’s calm voice sounded, while a nebula swirled above him, growing with each cycle.

The three energy manifestations filled the air. The Calamity watched it with a smirk on its face. Suddenly, the outline of a massive orb appeared. Its body was so black, that even the surrounding light disappeared near it.

Hex didn’t understand the situation entirely but his experience with manifestations and the sight of other Refined Knights running away with terrified expressions told him one thing. To get the hell away from this place.

He noticed the others already running away. He stood weakly and shuffled forward. But suddenly, his feet hit something. Looking down, he saw the tool left behind by Quid.

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