Chapter 76: Chapter 58: The Demon’s Corruption is Everywhere, In the Name of Courage and the Knight

The high-pressure air sac on Reinhardt’s back writhed and pulsed. Its outermost layer of living matter continuously withered and peeled away, silently, like the chrysalis of a molting insect. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

New flesh buds surged and stretched as the air sac closed and inverted.

From his back, four appendages of living matter, resembling rocket engines, extended outward.

A high-temperature energy flow was ready to be unleashed.

[Aikacia Nozzle: The kinetic energy provided by the high-temperature energy flow can grant you an instantaneous speed three to ten times that of high-pressure air, but the consumption is immense and it cannot be maintained for long.]

[High-Temperature Energy Flow: At two thousand degrees, its heat is enough to melt most metals. It is more than just simple propulsion.]

[Special Ability 1 · Evolution 1: You can actively control this Special Ability to switch freely between the high-pressure air sac and the Aikacia Nozzles, but this requires a short amount of time.]

[Combat is the only path to evolution.]

Time began to flow again.

Reinhardt used the Bloodletting ability of his Morphic Armor to once again increase the amplification strength of his Destructive Field: Bloodthirsty Madness.

[Current Physique Strength Amplification: 75%]

The Knightly Aura surged in intensity, like a heart beating deep within the Ice Crystal. A dark red, bloody mist instantly spread, tainting the entire crystal from within. The billowing waves of power transformed into an invisible pressure that radiated in all directions.

When the Knights present sensed the powerful Knightly Aura emanating from within the ice crystal prison.

When the diving Radiant Angel Albert faintly sensed the destructive blessing of Avernus within the bloody, frenzied power.

When Heinrich’s Dragon Blood Warhorse raised its forelegs.

BOOM—!

His Knight Power erupted, brutally shattering the Ice Crystal! Sharp shards of ice exploded outward in a deadly rain!

The Black Armored Knight holding the ice crystal prison instinctively looked up, his other hand already reaching for his Broadsword.

But a large, rough hand had suddenly appeared before his face.

In the last moment before he lost consciousness.

All he could see was the brilliant Mach Ring formed by the high-temperature energy flow.

’What...?’

Like a pincer from a steel forge, the large hand clamped down on his full-coverage helmet. The immense kinetic energy of the high-speed thrust viciously snapped his neck and spine, helmet and all!

The Black Armored Knight’s body shot backward a hundred meters in the span of a single breath, limp as a ragdoll, before crashing into the ruined walls of Baihe Town. Rubble and dust filled the air!

It all happened too fast.

It was over in a flash!

Even Radiant Angel Albert couldn’t clearly see what had happened in that fraction of a second. In his peripheral vision, he could only vaguely catch the afterimage of Reinhardt’s trajectory.

By the time the other four Black Armored Knights escorting Reinhardt reacted, their comrade on the boarding ramp and the Chosen One trapped in the ice crystal had long since vanished.

All that remained on the ground was a straight line marking his path.

And a single, standard-issue Ash Guard Steel Boot lying on the ground.

Among the Ash Guard, the traitors who, just a moment before, had been loudly pledging their allegiance to the Abyssal Lord Avernus, were now completely dumbfounded.

’Recovering the Chosen One.’

’It should have been a great accomplishment. Even if they died in battle here, their souls would return to the Abyss and transform into purer Demons.’

But now, the boarding ramp of the Radiant Waymark was empty. The comrade escorting the Chosen One had vanished from the spot along with him.

Due to his lack of experience fighting other Knights, and having learned his lesson from facing Death Butcher Dortmund, Reinhardt had opted for the most cautious method: probing the five enemy Knights’ special abilities.

’Looking at it now, perhaps I was too cautious.’

’Even with the empowerment of Demon Power, the strength of these traitors to the Empire was insignificant compared to Death Butcher Dortmund.’

The smoke and dust in the distance had not yet settled.

Fei Ning held the unconscious Dietlinde in his arms, his face ashen.

The sound of steel boots treading on rubble, and of something heavy being dragged across the ground, grew louder as it approached him.

Fei Ning looked up.

He saw five Radiant Angels hovering in the air, swords in hand, with steam rising from their backs. He saw swathes of Ash Guards lying in pools of blood, while the thirty-some survivors were locked in a standoff.

He saw Heinrich pull his reins tight and turn to look behind him.

Just then.

A familiar figure appeared in his peripheral vision. The figure’s right hand was gripping the head of an Ash Guard. The facial plate of the heavy Full Coverage Armor was completely caved in from a massive impact, and murky blood oozed from the armor’s seams.

The elite, Six-star Knight was already dead; his powerful, two-meter-tall body was being dragged across the ground like a rag by the slowly advancing figure.

At that moment.

All traces of disdain and contempt vanished from the eyes of the traitorous Ash Guard. Instead, their disbelieving gazes were filled with immense horror!

’A Six-star Military Rank, a twenty-year veteran who had received an Abyssal Blessing... just died... like that?’

Even the Radiant Angels and the Dark Gold Blood Knights who had turned back to provide support were utterly shocked! Because at this moment, Reinhardt’s Knightly Aura had reached the very edge of the Seven-star Military Rank!

This was especially true for the Empire’s Angels.

The blessing from the Abyssal Lord Avernus, deep within Reinhardt’s soul, burned like an unquenchable fire of vengeance, striking fear into their hearts.

"Reinhardt..."

Dietlinde’s voice was as faint as a thread. As her lifeblood flowed away, her own life was like a candle flickering in the wind.

Her vision blurred, and exhaustion seeped into every muscle. She wanted to reach for the figure beside her, but the short distance felt impossibly vast.