048 | Paladin

Liang Hai stood in front of all of us. He wielded his greatsword with one arm over his shoulder.

"Do not worry, children, I shall-"

Bridgette interrupted, "I'm not a child-"

A large beam of magic came at us and Liang Hai put his greatsword out, blocking the beam of magic. It managed to push Liang Hai back a step but he persisted through the entire attack.

The Lord of Darkness had their body rematerialized. I wonder how long they can keep their form. The silhouette has been flickering and staggering more often now.

"Lord of Water..."

Dark electrifying particles gathered around the silhouette. Dirt was ripped up from the ground everywhere the Lord of Darkness walked.

Liang Hai charged straight in with his greatsword. He did an overhead slash, cutting the silhouette into two.

"Begone! This is not your place to cause chaos!"

The Lord of Darkness reformed its body to the side of Liang Hai and did a straight punch to which Liang Hai dodged and dragged his greatsword back up, once again, slicing the silhouette in half.

"I will not leave until I have your head! Paladin of the Water Temple!"

The silhouette continued reforming their body at high speeds while Liang Hai repeatedly nullified any attacks.

"Leave, Lord of Darkness! Your power is nothing in that form! You can't beat me!"

That enraged the silhouette as dark purple fog emitted from the Lord of Darkness.

Liang Hai dashed back instantly, "Poison!?-"

Realizing the weight of the situation, he went back to us and swung his greatsword around. Water trails followed Liang Hai's blade.

"Purifying Tide!"

Liang Hai did a slash with his greatsword, cutting a portion open in the ground. Water gushed out from where his blade marks on the ground were and a tidal wave formed, washing the poisonous fog away.

The Lord of Darkness teleported right in front of Liang Hai and jabbed their knee in the paladin's face.

Liang Hai splattered into a pool of water and he came from behind the silhouette, grabbing their neck and throwing the Lord of Darkness away as if he had just thrown a javelin.

The paladin wasn't done there, he gathered water that spiraled around his right arm.

"Water Serpent!"

Liang Hai put his right hand out and a large snake erupted out from his palm. It zigzagged around before taking hold of the silhouette in its jaw, flew upwards, and then dived right back into the floor with the rest of its body collapsing into the Lord of Darkness.

As always, the silhouette reformed itself.

"The Water Temple was smart for sending you."

The silhouette started flickering.

"I shall have your head, even if it means decreasing the time I can stay in this body."

The silhouette changed, and countless long strokes appeared on the top of their head. It fell behind them and the strokes were slightly curly near the ends.

My intuition tells me that the Lord of Darkness is using more of their true power which results in the silhouette, the former body of the 'Grim Reaper', flickering or staggering.

The amount of power that the Lord of Darkness uses also seems to tie in with the appearance of the silhouette. I guess the closer the silhouette can perform to the Lord of Darkness' true power, the more it will look like the Lord's actual shape?

Liang Hai warned us, "Stay back! It's dangerous!"

"We can't even move..."

"Oh, right! I will-"

"Don't bother."

I said as I started conjuring a spell. It seems that Liang Hai's healing spell with water also contributed to restoring a small fraction of my mana. I called upon the wind to pick everyone up and bring them further away.

"Gust."

Liang Hai grinned, "You have skills, young man."

The silhouette rushed towards Liang Hai. They dodged a slash from the greatsword and punched Liang Hai who, like before, splattered into a pool of water.

"No hiding from me."

The Lord of Darkness stomped the ground and reached into the pool of water. They grabbed and pulled Liang Hai out by his leg.

"Disintegrate for me."

The silhouette's hair vibrated upwards and black lightning thundered and shot down from the sky.

Before the bolt of lightning could strike, Liang Hai twisted his body and blocked the lightning bolt with his greatsword.

"Whirlpool!"

His body turned into a body of water which expanded into the ground and sucked the Lord of Darkness into the center, just like a whirlpool.

When the whirlpool disappeared, Liang Hai shot up from below the Lord of Darkness and stabbed the silhouette's chest.

The Lord of Darkness giggled like a child.

"You should know that doesn't work~"

The silhouette spun around and back kicked Liang Hai who initially lost balance but regained it after a few steps back. Liang Hai examined the Lord of Darkness while his greatsword was stuck in the silhouette's chest.

"You're stronger now...Why?"

"Worry not, Paladin, I deem you worthy of more. However, this skeleton's body has a limit and I've already long surpassed it."

"Then why don't you fade away now? I think I've had enough of you for a while."

The silhouette tilted its head and laughed while holding its stomach.

Surrounding Liang Hai were long strokes of water that spiraled around him.

"What's so funny? I don't think you should be the one laughing."

The paladin charged forwards and sent out a punch.

The Lord of Darkness and Liang Hai were stuck in an exchange of punches and kicks. They were both skilled in martial arts but surprisingly, the Lord of Darkness was pushing Liang Hai back. Both were blocking and counterattacking but it was only Liang Hai getting hit.

This changed when all of a sudden Liang Hai invoked a spell.

"Water Dragon's Claw!"

With a quick uppercut, the water took the shape of a large dragon's claw and struck the Lord of Darkness.

Liang Hai wasn't finished. He made circles with his hands in front and sent out another attack to follow up the previous spell.

"Water Dragon's Bite!"

The water then took the form of a dragon's mouth, biting the silhouette and holding it in place. Liang Hai dashed forward, turning into a drop of water midway. He managed to appear behind the Lord of Darkness with his greatsword in grip.

"Oceanic Wrath!"

The paladin's greatsword gleamed with a streak of different shades of blue light, reminding me of the beautiful coral reefs I once saw.

Liang Hai lifted his greatsword by his waist and slashed forward, a large burst of water erupted from the blade, parting ways like a riptide.

The attack definitely connected seeing as how there were black sparks that appeared erratically.

Once all the water disappeared, the Lord of Darkness didn't move. They stood still as their own body started fading.

"It seems you have won this time, vassal of the Water Temple."

Liang Hai stayed on the defensive, using his greatsword as his shield.

"Such a weak monster couldn't handle any more of my power. How disappointing..."

The Lord of Darkness faded away right after their final words.

A brief moment passed before we heard the yelling coming from the main battlefield. I could only guess that all the skeletons that were summoned by the Grim Reaper had disappeared or crumbled into dust.

Victory is ours. Of course, I'd like to say I probably played the main role. This paladin merely stole my kill.

Liang Hai finally relaxed. He let out a long sigh.

"Looks like calamity has finally passed on peacefully..."

Liang Hai twirled his greatsword and as he put it behind his back, it seemingly disappeared.

"A true Inventory spell," I muttered to myself.

Bridgette was awake and conscious the entire time. I'm surprised she kept such a calm composure after witnessing that fight. It was way beyond the level of Yanalia's captain's. As much as I hate to admit it...that battle was above my capabilities as well.

"Mister Paladin?"

"-Please, call me Liang Hai."

Bridgette shook her head. Perhaps she wanted to be as respectful as she could to her savior.

"I don't even know where to begin with my questions, Mister Paladin."

Liang Hai laughed, "How about a little chat after we deliver your friends to the nearest clinic?"

She looked over at the pile of unconscious people. Everyone was fine as if nothing ever happened. Wounds and injuries were closed. The healing power that comes from Liang Hai is extremely potent.

The three of us were quickly joined by Bridgette's scouts and the captains along with Pen and the Sorcerer named Felix aided us in getting back to the city.

* * *

Surprisingly, nothing much happened throughout the following week.

I was welcomed back with a tearful Rudif and Lisha. Although the latter tried their hardest not to cry. I was forced into a group hug with the three of them, including the rabbit which hopped on top of my head.

"Guys...I wouldn't die that easily, you know?"

Although that's what I said, my body immediately collapsed from fatigue after feeling the softness of my bed.

Upon waking up the next day, the two had disappeared. I learned from the receptionist, Emily, what happened when she delivered a meal to my door.

Outside my room, she knocked twice.

"Asher? I'm coming in now."

She walked in and I was sitting cross-legged on the floor, circulating my mana. After my fight with the Grim Reaper, my mastery over magic increased drastically. It seems actual combat experience is the best for training.

I had my eyes closed but I could feel Emily's mana signatures consequently knowing where she was standing as long as she is somewhat close to me.

"Thank you for the food, as always."

"Of course, you are the manager's friend and VIP."

"So? Did you bring me a message from him?"

Emily chuckled as she slowly closed the door.

"Nothing much aside from your typical thank you. It seems he's patient enough to hold off his curiosity about you temporarily."

Before Emily fully closed the door, she told me about Rudif and Lisha.

"Ah! That reminds me, your comrades are currently helping Yanalia with anything they can."

I nodded my head and Emily left, shutting the door on her way out.

"Come in."

Opening the door was Liang Hai, a fully armored Paladin from the Water Temple. He smiled as he came in.

"Greetings, warrior. Allow me to fully introduce myself. My name is Liang Hai, a vassal of the Lord of Water. Paladin of the Water Temple."

Just in time. I finished my daily mana exercise. Slowly and steadily, my magic power and control are growing.

"My name is Asher. Currently a Two Star Silver Mercenary."

The air became heavy and I felt as if the gravity around me had increased.

Liang Hai raised an eyebrow, "Are you now?"