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nMr. Black stepped out of the shadows, a wicked smile playing on his lips.

nHis eyes glinted with malevolent energy, and he gestured to his followers to attack.

nThe knights charged forward, swords at the ready, meeting the cultists in a clash of steel and magic.

nSpells were flung back and forth, and the room was soon filled with smoke and dust.

nThe knights fought with all their might, but they were outnumbered and outmatched by the cultists’ dark magic.

nThe cultists used dark magic to conjure up spells that would immobilize the knights.

nThey also used deadly weapons, such as poisoned arrows and knives, to try and take down their opponents.

nThe knights fought back with their swords, shields, and spears.

nAmidst the chaos, Prince Edward was hiding in a corner, trembling with fear.

nHe was fully aware that the knights were here for him, and he was desperate to escape this place.

nHe had naively thought that affiliating with the cult would bring him no harm.

nHowever, he realized that his involvement with the cult had led to such an overwhelming situation.

nAs the battle raged on, the knights began to take casualties.

nSome were struck down by the cultists’ dark magic, while others were wounded by their weapons.

nThe knights were growing tired and weary, and their resolve was beginning to falter.

nDespite this, they fought on, determined to capture Prince Edward.

nThe fight was intense, with neither side gaining a clear advantage.

nThe outcome was uncertain, and the fate of the city hung in the balance.

nAs the fight continued, the knights began to make progress.

nThey managed to push the cultists back, inching closer and closer to Prince Edward’s hiding spot.

nThe cultists were becoming more desperate, knowing that their plans were about to be foiled.

nThe knights finally surrounded Prince Edward’s hiding spot, preparing to capture him and bring him to the King.

nHowever, the prince was nowhere to be found.

nHe had slipped away in the chaos of the battle, leaving the knights with no choice but to retreat and regroup.

nSuddenly, a wave of dark energy pulsed through the air, knocking several knights to the ground.

nThe cultists had unleashed their deadliest weapon, a powerful spell that sapped the strength and willpower of its victims.

nThe knights struggled to regain their footing, their movements slow and sluggish.

nJust as it seemed the knights were about to be defeated, one of them noticed movement out of the corner of their eye.

nIt was Prince Edward, cowering in a corner of the room, his eyes wide with fear.

nThe knights knew that they had to end this once and for all.

nFilled with renewed vigor, their determination was fueled by the sight of their target.

nThe cultists fought back fiercely, but they were slowly losing ground.

nThe knights had suffered heavy casualties, but they managed to hold their ground and push the cultists back.

nThey were tired, wounded, and grieving for their fallen comrades, but they knew that they had to press on.

n…

nAs the battle raged on, Mr. Black stood on the sidelines watching with a cold expression.

nHe already had set up the sacrificial array in place, The function of the array is to sacrifice the body of the dead knight to the shadow god.𝗈𝗏𝐞xt.𝐜𝗈𝑚

nDoing this the god he believed in would grant an immense power.

nAs the pile of bodies grew higher and higher, the cultists continued to fight fiercely, using dark magic and deadly weapons.

nMr. Black’s eyes glinted with an otherworldly light as he raised his arms and began to chant in a language unknown to mortal ears.

nThe air grew thick with the scent of burning incense and the sound of eerie whispers filled the room.

nBlack’s voice grew louder and more forceful, his hands moving in a complex pattern as he summoned the power of the Shadow God.

nThe pile of bodies began to glow with an eerie purple light, and tendrils of dark energy snaked their way out of the corpses and into Mr. Black’s body.

nHe gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face as he continued to channel the power.

nSuddenly, with a final burst of energy, Mr. Black released the power, causing the bodies to explode in a shower of purple sparks.

nThe room was filled with the deafening sound of the sacrificial array activating, and Black’s body was surrounded by a maelstrom of dark energy.

nWith a maniacal laugh, he reveled in the surge of energy coursing through his veins, his eyes blazing with power and madness.

n…

nThe scout rushed into the throne room, his breathing was ragged and his clothes disheveled. “Your Majesty,” he gasped.

n“We have found the cult’s secret lair. It’s in the abandoned house at the edge of the kingdom.” Magnus’ eyes widened in alarm at the news.

nWithout hesitation, he rose from his throne and ordered his guards to prepare for battle.

n“Take me there at once,” he commanded.

n“We must stop them before it’s too late.” With that, Magnus led his advisor, shadow, and the troops out of the castle and toward the edge of the kingdom.

nAs they arrived on the scene, Magnus was met with a devastating sight.

nCorpses were strewn haphazardly throughout the room, their lifeless forms contorted in gruesome positions.

nThe air reeked of death and blood, assaulting his senses with an overwhelming stench.

nAs he scanned the room, his heart sank at the sight of his son, Prince Edward, standing in the center of the room, his vacant eyes revealing that he had been killed using the power of darkness.

nAs Magnus laid eyes on Mr. Black, he knew that he was the one responsible for the death of his son.

nAnger and devastation surged through him as he realized the extent of the damage the cult had caused.

nHe looked at his advisor, Shadow, a tier 4 Sky knight, and also his lifetime friend.

nShadow immediately understood what Magnus’s eyes were conveying.

nShadow could feel the power emanating from the cult leader, Mr. Black, and realized it was closer to that of a Tier 5 Lunar Knight.

nThey would only have a chance of winning if they fought using their lives, just like in the old days.

nSeeing that Shadow understood his message without words, Magnus let out a sigh.

n“This is not a battle you can join,” he told the remaining guard who was still alive, urging them to retreat.

nGathering his blood, Magnus activated his blood-burning technique for a power boost.

nObserving Magnus burning his blood, Shadow followed suit.

n“I suppose this will be our final battle, my friend,” Shadow murmured to himself with a smile.

nWith a slash, Magnus’s sword emitted a red blood mana, and Shadow synchronized his attack to merge with Magnus’s, amplifying its strength.

nWitnessing the two fighters combining their efforts, Mr. Black sneered.

nWhat could a Tier 4 Sky Knight possibly do?

nAlthough not yet a Tier 5 Lunar Knight, Mr. Black believed that with the blessing of his sacrifice to the Shadow God, he could crush a Tier 4 Sky Knight like an ant.

nHowever, when the blood-red sword mana reached him, fear contorted his face as he sensed a cursed energy within it.

nThis type of attack consumed lifespan.

nWhile knights may not have as long a lifespan as mages in the same tier, they could still live for a considerable time.

nFor example, a Tier 4 Sky Knight could typically live for 1000 years.

nBut what he didn’t know was that Magnus’s battle injuries from his youth in the Central Continent had plagued his body, shortening his life.

nAs for Shadow, although he could live longer than Magnus, his strength was artificial, and forcibly pushed to advance.

nShadow knew he could no longer advance, and his lifespan was equivalent to that of a Tier 3 Earth Knight, approximately 300 years.

n…

nRealizing his body couldn’t withstand such an attack, Mr. Black parried and was sent flying backward.

nMagnus and Shadow shared a tacit understanding, wasting no time as they further burned their lifespans, denying Mr. Black any chance.

nAs Mr. Black was pushed back in the air, he witnessed their actions and cursed under his breath, “Ruthless bastards.”

nIf he could fully control his strength, he believed he could crush them like tomatoes.

nMagnus and Shadow swiftly closed in on Mr. Black’s position, launching another attack with their combined blood-red mana.

nNaturally, Mr. Black was not about to let this attack land on him.

nTwisting his body to the limit, he parried the attack once again.

nThis back-and-forth of attacking and parrying continued.

nMagnus and Shadow played Mr. Black as if he were a tennis ball.

nDespite Mr. Black’s advantage in power and mana, his speed and reaction remained the same.

nAfter a while of relentless fighting, Magnus and Shadow visibly aged, clearly displaying the toll on their lifespans.

nAs Mr. Black continued to soar through the air like a tennis ball, he smiled, anticipating his impending victory.

nMagnus and Shadow realized that they couldn’t prolong the battle any longer.

nInitially, they had plans to continue living even if it was just for a short while after this fight.

nHowever, understanding that they couldn’t exploit their enemy’s weaknesses, they silently prepared to end it once and for all.

nGathering every ounce of their life energy, they positioned themselves behind Mr. Black, ready to strike.

nThis time, their attack emanated a darker, crimson hue compared to before.

nAt this moment, Mr. Black already sensed his impending death.

nHe could feel that this attack was at least ten times more potent than the last.

nFrustration consumed him. Although he didn’t understand the technique they were using.

nHe also possessed a forbidden technique that could use his mana and increase his strength.

nHowever, the consequence was that his strength would degrade to that of a Tier 3 Earth Knight.

nBut how could he willingly accept that?

nHe was only a step away from becoming a Tier 5 Lunar Knight.

n“I regret it… I regret it… I regret it…” were his last thoughts before the blood-red sword mana sliced him in half.

nMagnus and Shadow, on the other hand, resembled mummies drained of essence.

nThey collapsed to the ground, savoring their final moments of being alive, as their last attack consumed the entirety of their lifespan.

n“It was nice meeting you, my friend,” Magnus whispered weakly, his gaze fixed upon the starry sky of the now-devastated place.

n“Likewise, I hope we meet again in our next life,” Shadow replied, a smile gracing his face as he reminisced about his time with Magnus.

nAfter fighting their entire lives in the Central Continent and realizing they could no longer advance, they decided to retreat to their origin.

nThe most desolate part of the Cursed Continent, seeking a retired life as kings of their own domain.

nInitially, Shadow had established his own kingdom for retirement.

nHowever, upon discovering he couldn’t father an heir, he relinquished the idea and merged his created kingdom with Magnus’s, allowing them to live out their retired lives together.

nThough their journey had been arduous and filled with suffering, Shadow could proudly declare that he had lived a fulfilling life.

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