After the remaining members of the Carmesim Order suffered defeat, darkness slowly enveloped the battlefield. Even the moonlight was sucked in, replaced by shadows that moved agilely. Soon, the remaining members of the Blade Shadow emerged from the darkness, surrounding Duke Reynard Vale like a pack of wolves eyeing their prey. Their swords only gleamed for a moment before disappearing, attacking from all directions with deadly precision.
However, Duke Reynard Vale was no ordinary man. His face remained calm, while his sharp eyes followed every movement of the enemy as if time was slowing down. Beneath the collar of his coat, adorned with the royal emblem, a golden lion with ruby eyes held a power he had long suppressed. As the shadows were about to touch him, a golden light suddenly emanated from his body, illuminating the battlefield like the sun in the middle of the day. The holy energy made the assassins recoil, as if burning the darkness they had always relied on.
The Blade Shadow was skilled in killing, but Duke Reynard was more skilled in defending and retaliating.
As the Blade Shadow forces charged with impressive speed, Duke Reynard Vale stood firm like an unyielding rock in the middle of a storm. With his leather-gloved hands, he slowly raised his arm, as if challenging the darkness that enveloped the night. Suddenly....zzzt!, a beam of golden light flashed from his palm, spreading quickly like dawn suddenly breaking through the darkness. The heavenly aura made the shadows of the assassins appear like puppets trapped on the ground.
Duke's loud voice echoed among the ruins of the building, overpowering the rustling of the night wind. With full confidence, he shouted:
"Luminous Vortex!"
The air around him began to vibrate, hissing like heated metal, before the vortex of light spun wildly around him. The golden and white glow merged, turning the barren land into a glittering battlefield. The members of the Blade Shadow, who had initially moved silently, now paused for a moment, their eyes squinting to block the blinding light.
crack!
The bright beam wasn't just a shield, but also a counterattack. Like a whip striking, the vortex struck the attackers with devastating force. A member of the Blade Shadow was thrown back, his body crumpled in pain, his black uniform emitting a thin smoke. While others tried to parry the attack with their short swords—clang!—but unable to withstand the force, so their weapons shattered into pieces.
boom!
The next flash of light struck the group on Duke's left, launching three attackers at once. One of them screamed as his back slammed hard against a collapsed pillar. The other two only managed to choke, before finally falling unconscious.
When the vortex of light finally subsided, the battlefield, which had been full of rapid movements, turned silent, only the last hiss of the remaining holy energy still swirling in the air. Duke Reynard stood calmly, his cold eyes observing the chaos he had just created. Several members of the Blade Shadow were instantly killed by the attack, while several others were injured.
However, even though the number of enemies was decreasing, Duke Reynard Vale showed no intention of retreating. Instead, his steps became more steady, as if each fallen opponent strengthened his resolve. With a full-energy movement, he parried a sword attack using his magic-coated sleeve, clang then retaliated with a punch of sparkling light that sent his enemy flying far away. His next cross kick swept two attackers at once, leaving a trail of golden light that continued to swirl in the air after his attack sped away.
His body now glowed like a small sun, with the golden glow of his protective magic intensifying with every movement. When an assassin tried to sneak up from behind, the light around Duke automatically hardened.....bzzzt! turning the attack into a useless spark of energy.
In the midst of the battle, among the shadows that seemed to avoid Duke's rays, stood a tall figure in a black battle cloak. Twenty-Five, one of the strongest members of the Blade Shadow present on this battlefield, observed calmly, his breath remaining steady even as his comrades fell one by one.
As Duke was busy dealing with three attackers at once with a burst of light from his palm, finally Twenty-Five moved. His cloak, made of special anti-magic fabric, fluttered gently, in contrast to the sudden speed that brought him forward. His first step was silent, his second step was already close to striking range, and on his third step, his short sword, coated with dark crystals, struck Duke's neck with a speed that was almost impossible to catch with the naked eye.
When his attack missed, Twenty-Five frowned. His face, which usually looked calm, suddenly showed emotion. His pale lips stretched, as if he wanted to unleash the curse that had been honed for decades in the darkness. "You're too arrogant, Duke," he said in a raspy voice, like rust gnawing at iron, as he extended his thin hand in a gesture as if about to snatch luck and strength from Duke's body.
Without giving him a chance to defend himself, his voice suddenly echoed with an unnatural tone, as if coming from all directions at once, as he shouted, "Curse of Finality!"
The curse worked without warning, without a flash, without any change in the air.
As Duke Reynard still stood with his glowing aura of light around him.
And, in the next second
His light disappeared. Not just dim or fade, but cut off abruptly like a candle extinguished by the wind. His sturdy body suddenly swayed, his knees trembled as if all his strength vanished in an instant. His breath hitched, and for the first time in his life, he felt something foreign: emptiness. The magic of light that always flowed in his blood disappeared without a trace, as if stolen by an invisible force.
Without a chance to fight back or think, Duke Reynard Vale staggered back like a large tree falling. His legs suddenly lost strength, dragging dust and gravel as he was dragged a few steps back. His eyes, which had radiated determination a moment ago, now widened, his pupils dilated as if witnessing something invisible but terrifying.
Slowly, his body began to collapse. Not like someone who just fell, but like a fortress whose foundation suddenly collapsed, his knees buckled first, followed by his body leaning forward, until finally his entire weight collapsed to the ground.
Krakk!
The loud sound broke the silence as his body hit the ground with a loud impact. Maybe his ribs were cracked by the impact, but Duke could no longer feel it. The last light that enveloped him, the remnants of his holy power, flickered once, like a star fading in the distance, before finally disappearing forever.
Then, the place became silent, as if the world was also holding its breath. The wind stopped blowing, the flying dust slowly settled, and the shadows around him seemed to be still.
Duke Reynard Vale was over."