Black Horseman of the Night (Part 4)
Meanwhile, Elliot and the nobles are beginning to panic that the mercenary army is dwindling rapidly.
"Elliot, what is happening!? The monsters have evolved to stronger forms and worse of all, that tiger mutated!" one noble stated in a panic.
"We lost nearly half of our forces where this knight and his minions are unscathed! If this keeps up, it'll be for naught!" the other noble added.
"Each monster alone can match up against at least a Bronze adventurer! We should've gotten the Blacklisted!"
"It takes too long and the empires have a close watch! Even if we did, we don't know if it's a skilled one." Elliot protested.
"We poured our funds for the mercenaries and Trevon is our best one!" one nobleman said.
"No...he's not." Elliot said. Elliot pulls out a short staff with golden engravings and two white halos surrounding a blue crystal ball covering a small white stone. The nobles were shocked on what they're seeing.
"That scepter...you're planning to use that to deter them along with the royal decree." one noble said.
"How did you get it? That scepter is exclusive to the Archbishops in the Ergex church." the other noble asked.
"If I did, getting chased by Noltia and Ergex would be the least of our problems. In other words, a replica capable to summon a C rank Heavenkin at best." Elliot explained.
"This knight may be strong, but I'm sure he can't afford to face an army of Heavenkins coming to him periodically." Elliot added and began laughing. The other nobles soon followed.
{Now...}
In the distance, I see Elliot who retreated with his buddies and is talking about something. However, they're too far for me to hear even if there is no army.
"I can't even read their lips either..." I grumbled. That is until Viridesca came to my ear. But she can't speak.
"That scepter...you're planning to use that to deter them along with the royal decree."
"How did you get it? That scepter is exclusive to the Archbishops in the Ergex church."
"If I did, getting chased by Noltia and Ergex would be the least of our problems. In other words, a replica capable to summon a C rank Heavenkin at best."
"This knight may be strong, but I'm sure he can't afford to face an army of Heavenkins coming to him periodically."
Those voices...she carried the voices from that distance to relay it to me.
"You can do that?" I said in amazement. Viridesca happily nodded. I petted her head like I petted Hyoran. Viridesca smiled innocently as a response. I can imagine her giggling. I wonder how Hyoran react. I hope it ain't no generic anime girl getting jealous by seeing another girl getting clingy to MC trope.
*FWOOOSH!*
A pillar of flame erupted where Saeva is at and then shortly dissipates for me to feast my eyes on her new form.
Saeva, whose fur is jet black has now given a red flame patterns on her body, the spikes on her back are more visible, and her white claws got a red tint. Saeva now got two horns where back then she had none.
Additionally, her eyes are glowing in the color of magma from a volcano.
[Evolution complete. Saeva has evolved to Blaze Hellhound.]
[Due to evolution, Saeva has risen to Rank A+.]
[Skills acquired for Saeva. Dark Magic-VIII, Fire Magic-VIII, Fire Absorption, Dark Absorption, Poison Nullification, Wind Resistance, Earth Resistance, Superspeed Regeneration, Terror, Valor, Curse Magic-VI, Inferno Magic-II.]
[Warning. Heavenkin detection risk increased to 11.89%.]
Hoo boy! That's a lot of skills Saeva got! But I gotta watch out for Heavenkins they have in store. There will be ones with magic that can give Saeva a struggle even if the Heavenkin is lower ranked than her.
"
"
Saeva barked and started running at them, snarling viciously at them which startled the mercenaries.
"It's coming!" one of mercenaries yelled.
"Santrasa, Taudera, run through and decimate the army. Schwarze, come with me. Groza, Viri, stay and protect Mavros while supporting us." I commanded them.
*MROOOOOO!!*
*ROOAARRR!!*
Santrasa and Taudera roared and began their charge. I flicked the harness, Zala neighed, and began sprinting. Schwarze spread his wings on my arm and took flight.
The magicians who are stationed wastes no time using defensive spells.
"Magic Barrier!"
"Light Barrier!"
"Ice Wall!"
"Stone Wall!"
They yelled their spells and multiple layers of defense was erected to stop our charge. Taudera roared again as he nears them and he pointed his horns at them.
*BRA-KIIING!!*
The faint green barrier was the first to be deployed, but it was merely a glass wall in the wake of Taudera's horns. Taudera on the other hand did not slow down.
*PAK-KOONG!!*
The wall of light meant to ward off low to mid ranking Undeads and Hellkins was turned into mere sparks of light, scattering from Taudera's horns.
*KRRRSH!!*
The frozen wall also shared the same fate, but the thickness of that wall was enough to slow him down. Taudera shrugged it off and dashed forward.
*KRAACK!!*
He rams into the stone wall and Taudera stopped dead. But that only made him want to break the wall down even more. His horns began to glow red hot and smoke begin to rise from the rocks.
"What the!? The Rock Wall is melting!"
"Outta my way! I have a giant club made to crush beasts such as this one!" one burly mercenary yelled. He began running with a large club where the head is shaped like a bull.
I took a look at that weapon to see its stats.
I dunno if Taudera would tank that hit, but I can't let him suffer too much unnecessary damage. But it looks like Santrasa is gonna do that for me.
"I'll be taking your horns, be honored!" the mercenary declared. He jumped off the stone wall that is 20 feet high, giving himself kinetic energy to break Taudera's armor.
*ROAR!!!*
Santrasa on the other hand saw him in the air. In that moment, Santrasa leaped in the air to intercept with his sharp claws in full view. The mercenary looked where the roar came from and by then, the claws were already inches before his body.
*Slash!*
"GYAAAAH!!" the mercenary screamed in pain as the claw tear into his chest and fell to the ground.
*KR-KRRK!*
*KRASH!!*
The stone wall did stop Taudera's advance, but it ultimately collasped. But the mercenaries were expecting for it to happen.
"Mud Pit!"
At that moment when Taudera took a step, he quickly sank, causing his speed to be severely hindered.
"He's stuck! Attack!"
"Icicle Lance!"
"Lightning Strike!"
"Aqua Wave!"
"Shine Blast!"
Multiple people fire their magic spells at Taudera. Since Taudera is slowed, it makes him a sitting duck.
However, it dealt little damage towards Taudera's armor, some of which didn't even hurt it at all.
Meanwhile...
*NEEIIGH!!*
Zala ran to the group who erected magical walls and where Taudera is stuck at. The burly man who is bleeding profusely glanced where the horse cry come from, but all he sees is the four legs of a black horse.
Despite this, his fate was sealed.
*CRUNCH!!*
Zala's hoof went down upon his head and scattered his brain and skull. Zala's first trampling kill for the team.
When Zala is nearing Taudera at the pit, she jumped above Taudera.
*Swooosh!*
The mercenaries looked above Zala and I and raised their weapons and magics at us to shoot us out of the sky. However, Zala is no ordinary horse. Never was.
Zala's eyes glowed red and dark shadow mass appeared in front of her nose. She summoned a Tier IV Dark Magic spell, Black Explosion. While I summoned a Tier VI Spell, Flame Vortex.
Zala threw the black mass down at the army.
*BWOOOM!!*
The black mass exploded on impact, blowing multiple mercenaries away. I threw my spear-like Fire Magic where Zala used her Dark Magic.
*FWOOOOSH!!*
The flaming spear touched ground and instantly exploded, incinerating every blade of grass in its wake. The blazing inferno roared furiously and twisted into a vortex, illuminating the night sky.
The flames died down, but not enough for it to vanish completely.
When the embers and ash became few, they see our body glow from the ambiance of the burning flames around us.
[384 hostiles remain.]
"Just how powerful are these two!? It's like they've fought many wars!" one mercenary yelled in frustration.
"We're already struggling keeping the Hellhound and the tiger away!" another mercenary said.
"If we manage to kill that man on the horse, they'll become independent and have no form of command." Trevon said.
"Just for your information, that wasn't the full extent of my army." I said.
"What?" Trevon said, raising his eyebrow.
"In case you are wondering, I have 16 monsters. What you're seeing is half of it. Not only that, they're not even my best ones." I said.
Except I have Hyoran and her parents in the mix, but that don't count. Also, Vampa and Burya are too far to join the battle.
"He's right, I only saw eight." one mercenary said.
"What do you mean, not your best ones?" Trevon asked.
"The other eight is in this city. And two of them may be unstoppable at this point. Wanna know their ranks?" I asked. "Here's some hints, they're above rank B and they're wolves."
"Dire Storm Wolf and White Frost Wolf? They're generally at rank A." one mercenary answered and I shook my head.
"Nope, Silver Gale Wolf and Black Shadow Wolf. Both at rank V." I said.
The mercenaries became confused. Rank V wolves are considered very rare in this continent. Hell, some even call it legends or some god.
Even so, I can't rank up NOR evolve as a human unless I change race. I also don't know if I'll gain skills or lose skills in the process.
One of these days, I'll be fighting above my weight. When that time comes, I better prepare.
"V RANK!? That's impossible! Very few wolves ever attain this rank!" Trevon objected.
"I don't need you to believe me, but if I were to bring the rest, including my two V ranks, this army would've been eradicated long ago." I said. "But that would be boring."
"Boring? You think this battle is boring!?" one axe wielding mercenary barked at me, angry at my what he perceived, a provocation. "We're fighting our lives and you think it is boring!?"
"No, do not fall for his provocations." Trevon said, stopping the axe wielder with his shield.
"No matter. If you're not religious yet..." I said with a deep voice. I clutched my halberd and Zala shot smoke from her nose. I finished my sentence with my aura leaking out.
"You better start praying now."