Chapter 71: Royal Knight Captured!

Amphere Harrison

"I... lost," Cleru whispered, his voice barely audible in the tense silence that enveloped the arena. The brown sand beneath him had turned crimson, stained by the blood from his wounds. Three droplets fell from his forehead, and he collapsed lifelessly, yet a faint rhythm of breath indicated he clung to life. I took a moment to assess my own condition, relieved to find myself unharmed. In the end, I stood as the sole survivor in the unforgiving battleground.

A bittersweet laugh escaped my lips, "You won," I said slowly, realizing that though I remained standing, Cleru's shield plate had miraculously retained 1% integrity. The Martyrdom of the Plebeian had absorbed the impact of my last fatal attack, sparing his life. I felt a mixture of gratitude and guilt, realizing I had come close to killing this humble soul.

I glanced down at the plate on my chest, the red font displaying an unequivocal figure - 0%. The emcee announced the winner, proclaiming, "The winner is Cleru Neos!" The crowd erupted into a frenzy of cheers and applause, their admiration for him palpable. The princess, deeply moved, held her chest and shed tears of joy, moved by Cleru's bravery.

Meanwhile, my loyal fans club, unable to contain their grief, shed tears of ultimate sadness. My dear friends from the academy - Rudolf, Kyrie, Richard, Reina, and others - tried to comfort me with reassuring smiles that silently conveyed, "It's okay." Yet, one person's reaction stood out distinctly - Duchess Corasell. Her displeasure was evident as she furrowed her brows, a single tear escaping her eye as she gracefully exited the coliseum, dissatisfied with the unexpected outcome.

Gently cradling Airi in my arms, her sincere smile warmed my heart as her soft hand brushed against my chin. "We'll find another way. Everything will be okay, totally!" she reassured me.

In response, I tenderly stroked her head, offering comfort like one would to a puppy. I readied myself to leave the arena when suddenly, a thunderous explosion shook the ground. As I turned, I was met with a harrowing sight - one-eighth of the coliseum now lay in ruins, turned to ashes.

My gaze shot upwards, and fear gripped me as I saw twenty airships emblazoned with the sigil of Neo Arcadia hovering ominously above the arena. These menacing vessels were armed to the teeth with cannons and other artillery, making their suspenseful entrance all the more terrifying.

Panic spread like wildfire through the crowd, and everyone - dukes, duchesses, civilians - scrambled for safety, causing a chaotic stampede. The eleven generals swiftly encircled the princess, guarding and guiding her to safety, away from the unfolding mayhem.

The dragon knights rose to the occasion, activating their Vesryn Pulse and soaring into the skies astride their powerful dragons, bravely engaging the war airships. Though Neo Arcadia had launched a brazen offensive, the dragon knights had the upper hand, skillfully thwarting their advances.

However, the situation took a grim turn when the Black Phantom emerged - Alder's corpse, it seemed - riding atop his Ice Dragon, Emy. Plunging from the stratosphere with astonishing agility, he deftly evaded every attack launched at him by the dragon knights, finally landing at the center of the arena.

In an alarming display, he swiftly scooped up the unconscious Cleru Neos onto his shoulders, snatching him away from our grasp. My desire to intervene surged, but the weight of Airi in my arms and my own fatigue left me incapacitated. I could not summon the power of dynamos or Deus, nor could I wield a sword in my weakened state. My muscles ached, rendering me helpless.

Thankfully, Rudolf and Reina leapt into action, jumping down to confront the zombie phantom with their swords drawn. But before they could strike, the corpse raised the mysterious violet heart he had been clutching, and with a commanding shout, he halted their advance.

"DRACARYX!!! Activate Time Freeze!"

As the dust settled after the sudden disappearance of the Black Phantom, the Ice Dragon, and the new Royal Knight, it became evident that the zombie had manipulated time to make a swift escape. The retreating airships hinted at their true motive - they were not here to wage war or harm the princess; their objective was to kidnap Cleru.

"Darn it!" Rudolf grunted in frustration, facing the ironic reality of being outwitted by the very man he had once defeated.

General Holster and his ninja wife approached us, providing a status update. "Aside from the earlier explosion, the situation is under control. The airships are retreating. Looks like they 'blew' it! Hahahaha!" he quipped, attempting to lighten the mood.

Reina, however, remained focused on the gravity of the situation. "But they got Cleru Neos," she said calmly, her concern unwavering. "We can't allow them to take the new Royal Guard, regardless of their reasons."

"She's right," I concurred, sharing her determination to retrieve our comrade.

At that moment, the panting princess arrived, having managed to escape from her bodyguards. She walked slowly towards me, and then genuflected as if I were a king or someone of great significance. Her gesture both touched and embarrassed me, as I stood before my friends and colleagues.

"Sir Amphere Harrison… I'm asking you to bring back Cleru… I'm not asking as a princess... but as his childhood friend. I shall do what you wish if you fulfill my only request," she implored, her voice reflecting both vulnerability and resoluteness.

"I would gladly take up on that request, milady," I answered, bowing respectfully. "But as you can see, I lack the power to fight them in my current condition. Airi lacks the strength to chase them."

"Leave it to us!" Richard interjected with enthusiasm. "I know someone who can help you in this fight!"

As Richard tried to act cool and stylishly fabulous, Reina couldn't help but facepalm, seemingly used to his antics. He swiped his finger through the air, and a portal materialized, revealing a figure of a beautiful shrine maiden. With her blonde hair flowing gracefully and a radiant orb on her forehead, she exuded a mesmerizing aura - it was the most powerful dragonoid, Exceria.

"I'll help too, Amphere~" Exceria said with a blush, her presence awe-inspiring. "I'll do my best!"

At that moment, Airi, who I thought was incapacitated, surprised us all by yelling, "Don't you dare call my husband by his first name! Totally!" Her unexpected display of strength amused and touched me.

In silence, I exchanged a meaningful look with Airi, hoping she would understand my plan. It seemed our telepathic connection didn't work in her current human form. However, when our eyes met, the message in my mind seemed to be conveyed entirely. She crossed her arms, showing her approval.

"Fine, you can use Vesryn Pulse with Exceria. I'm an understanding wife, after all," Airi relented, offering her support. When I responded with a silent smile, she finally met my gaze, exclaiming, "Geez... totally..." Her affectionate irritation made my heart swell with love and gratitude.

With Exceria's help and Airi's consent, I felt a newfound surge of determination to rescue Cleru from the clutches of Neo Arcadia. Together, we would do whatever it takes to bring him back safely to the princess and fulfill her heartfelt request.

With Airi able to stand up and Jasmine, the Rainbow Dragonoid, regaining her energy, we were ready to take action. Jasmine expressed her determination to help, emphasizing her duty to protect Cleru as her knight. However, her surprise at seeing Exceria, the other shrine maiden, suggested a deeper connection between them.

"I-I'll help too. Cleru is my knight. I-It's my duty to keep him safe," Jasmine stammered, briefly locking eyes with Exceria.

Exceria replied calmly, "I'm here to help save your knight, apparently... Leave your dragon knight to us, Jasmine. Just stay back and rest."

Their familiarity with each other, their shared attire as shrine maidens, and the possibility that they both came from Cathedral Exa hinted at a connection between them. Perhaps Jasmine also knew about H.G. and the Eye of Deus, but now was not the time to explore that further. Our immediate focus was rescuing Cleru.

Rudolf rallied the team, asking if everyone was ready. With General Holster, Rudolf, Reina, and myself, along with Iris, Kyrie, Richard, and Exceria (substituting as a dragon for Airi), the Chevalier Unit was fully assembled. Our mission: to take down the warships and rescue the new Princess Guard.

The four elite knights placed their right hand over their chests and simultaneously shouted, "Activating Vesryn Pulse!" Their combined power surged through the air, enveloping everyone with an aura of strength and determination.