Chapter 13 Legendary Bloodline

Saban Chavez, the genius knight of the Norton Empire, became a knight at the supreme young age of fourteen. Within the Norton Empire, countless youths saw him as an idol, and countless girls went mad for him. But aside from his opponents, no one knew that this promising knight was actually a madman.

Saban loved to fight, adored the kill; the sensation of his blade slicing through muscle and skin intoxicated him, and the stronger the enemy, the more intense the pleasure derived from his blade.

When Saban was chosen to become a Wizard Apprentice, the King of the Norton Empire himself hoped to plead for him, wanting the wizards to keep this genius knight.

But Saban refused it all.

To him, the power of a wizard was fascinating. If he could use his blade to kill a wizard, he reckoned that kind of pleasure could elevate him to Heaven.

So Saban became a Wizard Apprentice, participating in this entrance exam.

Powerful opponents, lawful killing - all of this was simply Heaven to him.

Therefore, when he saw an Apprentice capable of slaying a Magic Beast, his heart was incredibly excited.

This was what he was after.

Until a dazzling blaze of light appeared before him.

An orange-red meteor shot out from Richard's hand, flying directly towards Saban.

Saban felt an unprecedented fear in the presence of this Fireball, a fear even greater than when he faced a Magic Beast.

"What kind of magic is this?"

Saban didn't have time to think; he instinctively wanted to dodge, but as he brushed past the fireball—

The fireball exploded.

Boom!

The violent flames turned all of Saban's clothing to ashes, and the chain armor, meant for defense, became like red-hot branding irons, leaving behind trails of charred marks on Saban's body.

The shockwave instantly blasted him away; he didn't even have time to react before he was flung like a cannonball, his great sword slipping from his grasp.

On the other side of the Fireball Technique, Richard watched all this quietly. Before him, a transparent barrier blocked all the remnants of the explosion.

Zero Ring Spell: Force Field Barrier

"Huh! This is Lesser Fireball Technique? Is the gap between One Ring magic and Zero Ring magic this big?"

Richard looked at the three-meter diameter, half-meter deep crater next to Saban and felt a flicker of shock.

This Spell's power was almost comparable to a cannonball.

"To take a hit from such a spell, that man ought to be dead."

Richard looked toward the woods, and suddenly he heard an angry roar coming from the forest.

"Damn it! I'm going to chop you to pieces!"

A black figure burst out from the woods, a large body with charred skin — it was Saban who had just been blasted away.

He had taken a hit from a Lesser Fireball Technique and yet, he hadn't died.

Richard took a few steps back and shot out two Magic Missiles from his hand, trying to stop Saban, but Saban, after rushing from the woods, did not continue the chase; he sidestepped and dodged Richard's Magic Missiles.

Without time to think further, Richard immediately tried to use the Ice Cone Skill to give Saban a wide-open chest, but before he could release the Ice Cone, Saban's transformation shocked Richard.

White breath continuously billowed from Saban's nose and mouth, and a layer of golden fur began to grow on his previously charred skin.

The golden fur grew thicker and longer, and Saban's body also inflated, growing larger.

"Man, is this Beastification?"

Seeing Saban's transformation, Richard instantly thought of the Legendary Knight from the Golden Bird Flower legend.

Could this madman be a descendant of the Legendary Knight?

Richard raised his hand to finish Saban with an Ice Cone Skill, but Saban slapped his hand and deflected the trajectory of the Ice Cone beside him.

"This is going to be troublesome. One hit didn't finish it."

Richard discreetly grasped the Magic Dagger in his hand; from the performance just now, this madman was definitely a close combat type.

"You're the first to make me use my Legendary Bloodline!"

Saban moved his body, the charred skin peeling off, and new skin grew a layer of golden fur under the influence of the Legendary Bloodline.

Richard silently checked the charging time of the Fireball Magic Wand.

Two more minutes to recharge.

This was becoming troublesome.

Saban, having completed his transformation, tore off his chain armor, leaving only the arm bracelets on both arms. His muscles were visibly swelling, and the armor that had fitted well before now became a restraint.

"Legendary Bloodline? Are you, sir, a descendant of the Legendary Knight?"

Richard wanted to delay time with some taunting words. As long as he waited for the Fireball Technique to recharge, this Beastified madman, even if he were the Legendary Knight, would turn to char.

Richard wasn't deceived by his appearance; having been blasted at point-blank range by a Lesser Fireball Technique comparable to a cannonball, this madman had definitely sustained serious internal injuries.

Internal injuries were much harder to recover from than external ones. Just one more Fireball, and this madman was sure to die on the spot.

But Saban wouldn't have it as he wished.

Opening his Legendary Bloodline, Saban felt an inexhaustible power surging within his body. Although he knew it was an illusion, Saban still reveled in it a bit.

As Richard had predicted, Saban's internal injury was not as easily healed as external wounds, and activating his Legendary Bloodline even tended to aggravate it.

He had to decide quickly.

Bang!

With a step, Saban's speed skyrocketed, and in the blink of an eye, he had crossed tens of meters to appear right in front of Richard.

"Go to hell!"

Saban threw a punch, and the strong wind from it even made Richard's hair fly.

If that punch had connected, Richard's fate wouldn't have been much better than Riley's.

But only a 'buzz' was heard, and the air in front of Richard rippled like the surface of water.

Saban's fist stopped in front of Richard's face, unable to advance any further.

Force Field Barrier, kid!

With a sneer, Richard drew his Dagger in a dangerous arc, aiming straight for Saban's chest.

Ice Cone Skill requires acceleration distance, and thus isn't very powerful at close range, but the Dagger was just right for this distance.

Seeing that his strike didn't succeed, Saban's heart sank, and he turned his arm to block the Dagger with his arm bracelet.

The two clanged against each other, producing a grating sound that was harsh on the ears, and when they parted, a shallow scratch had appeared on Saban's arm bracelet.

"What a powerful Dagger."

"Such a hard arm bracelet."

The two separated, Richard had already abandoned the thought of attacking again. His last strike had the advantage of surprise, and still, it didn't succeed. Now that Saban was on guard, a reckless attack would certainly expose a fatal flaw.

After Saban parted, he retrieved his two-handed greatsword, which, even after the baptism of the Fireball Technique, remained straight and shiny—a remarkable item like the arm bracelet, possibly even the very sword once worn by the Legendary Knight.

Great Sword in hand, Saban's presence soared instantly, his golden fur standing on end without any wind.

There's a high wall between unarmed and armed combat.

"I have decided to make your head my trophy and place it with my most cherished hunted beasts."

Saban, gripping the Great Sword, spouted his wild claim. The next instant, the Great Sword collided with the Dagger.

The Force Field Barrier was breached!

Ding!

Richard struggled to fend off the Great Sword. Even with the Force Field Barrier's weakening, the power behind the blade made it difficult for Richard to withstand.

"This is just possessing a Legendary Bloodline; how strong must the Legendary Knight of old have been."

After failing to make the cut, Saban twisted his wrist, and in an instant, the two-handed greatsword was slashing toward Richard's other side. But to Richard, skilled in the Wind Crow Sword Skill, Saban's technique was like a child's scribble.

Ding.

Seeing both slashes thwarted, a glint of thought flashed across Saban's eyes.

"This kid's skillful but lacks strength; even if my sword is weakened by that barrier, he can hardly fend it off. So if I just rely on strength, this kid will definitely not be able to resist."

With a change of strategy, Saban's moves also changed, striking right at Richard's weakness.

In a flash, Richard was retreating step by step, struggling to fend off the attacks, despite his skill in the Wind Crow Sword Skill, in face of the weapon and power disadvantage.

"Ha ha ha ha! Where are your spells now!"

Saban laughed wildly, his momentum growing with every blow, each movement grand and entirely offensive, intent on taking his opponent's life.

Richard used his spiritual power to check the Magic Wand, but in that split second of distraction, Saban found an opening.

Suddenly, the Great Sword pierced through the Force Field Barrier, leaving a wound an inch deep in Richard's chest.

"Hisss!"

The intense pain made Richard suck in a breath of cold air, and his mind started to dull. Subsequent strikes continued, and Richard was marred after each. Luckily, all his injuries were merely superficial, and under the effect of adrenaline, he gradually adjusted until his mind was clear again.

"Just ten seconds left, I need to create distance now."

Richard's expression remained calm, knowing full well that spell collisions have no ability to discern friend from foe—he would be just as affected by the Fireball Technique if too close.

Richard silently counted down the time, then suddenly unleashed his spells. Magic Missile mixed with Ice Cone Skill halted Saban's movement, allowing Richard to widen the gap between them.

"Damn, he's going to use that Spell."

Seeing Richard create distance, Saban felt a sense of dread welling up in him, the fear of being blasted by a Fireball urging him to instinctively flee.

But though he was fast, the spells were faster.

Richard waved his Magic Wand, and an orange Fireball burst forth from his hands, striking Saban like a meteor.

In a thunderous explosion, the Genius Knight of the Norton Empire became fertilizer for the forest, just as countless others had over the past four thousand years.