Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 496 - 496 234 Death_2

496: Chapter 234 Death_2 496: Chapter 234 Death_2 Time seemed to freeze, as scorching flames surged from the blazing blade of that silver and ornate spear.

Arsen refused to test whether his helmet could withstand this peculiar fire magic.

He switched from offense to defense, angled his war saber downward, and struck the solar disc of the magic gun, deflecting the incoming attack yet again.

With a forceful stomp, the Peacock Knight pushed forward with his left hand, slamming the tail end of his long-handled blade into Leon’s descending figure.

The black-armored knight was launched like a cannonball, hurtling through layers of dense forest until—crack!—he collided with a tree trunk, snapping it in half before tumbling heavily to the ground.

Count Arsen leaped high with his war saber in hand, his figure piercing through the canopy before landing with a resounding thud.

“Such sharp gun skills.

Had I faced you decades ago, when I was your age, I suspect I might have died at your hands.”

He cast a curious gaze at the young knight, who was struggling to use his spear for support as he rose: “This unique body technique and gun skills display an air of mastery.

But I’ve crossed paths with the nobles of the North for over two decades, never encountering such a style.

Who did you learn from?

What school?

Which knight is your mentor?”

Clutching his shattered chest armor, Leon swallowed down the metallic tang of blood, exhaling ragged, blood-streaked breaths.

Feeling the excruciating pain within and without, he knew—no surprise—the ribs were entirely broken, and he had no idea how badly his internal organs were damaged…

If not for the dwarf-forged armor that shielded part of the impact, and the Boiling Heart that had fully enhanced his physique, taking that strike head-on would have meant certain death.

“No teacher—self-taught…

not worthy enough?” Leon rasped a bitter laugh in response.

He was determined to keep Olivia’s existence hidden.

Fortunately, in the half-truths he and Uncle Brian had woven inspired by Galliard’s folk-inspired poetic tales, there was no mention of the girl.

“If you don’t wish to speak, so be it.

You’ve managed to spar with me for five rounds, young Snake Slayer.

I shall grant you an honorable death and ensure your body is returned intact to the North Country as a gesture of respect.”

Arsen refrained from further probing.

He doubted such profound martial arts could be self-taught by the youth before him.

But as long as the boy’s mentor was alive and Arsen hadn’t yet met his end, there would surely be another chance for a duel.

Perhaps the youth’s mentor would soon come seeking vengeance.

Looking up at the Peacock-crowned knight standing before him with a blade in hand, Leon forced himself to think harder about ways to survive.

Was this really it…

exhausted of all options, his martial skill, stamina, and experience entirely crushed by this formidable knight?

Was today truly his destined day to die?

“…If I surrendered to you, would you spare my life?”

Leon coughed, blood choking his throat, sacrificing his dignity to make one last desperate attempt.

Arsen hesitated, pausing in surprise at the sudden plea.

“That doesn’t align with the noble resolve you spoke of earlier.”

The Peacock Knight raised his war saber, his decision unwavering.

Leon slowly stepped backward, unwilling to let go of the prospect of survival: “I have reasons I cannot die here.

The calamity in the East—maybe only I can stop it.”

“How unfortunate.

I don’t understand what you’re talking about.

But I made a vow to claim your life.

If you want to live, strike me down.” Arsen said no more, stepping forward to close the distance.

“As you wish!” Leon gritted his teeth, retreating while flinging something deftly behind him.

—Whoosh!

A dagger flew precisely toward the gap in the visor of the Peacock Knight’s helmet.

But facing this harmless throw, Arsen simply raised the long handle of his war saber and batted the spinning blade aside.

Soon after, another sharp object was hurled by the desperate Griffin Knight.

Arsen squinted slightly, observing the youth’s feigned sidestep, concealing the movement as he retrieved something from his pouch.

Considering the opponent’s magician abilities, the Peacock Knight prudently refrained from catching it with his weapon as before.

Instead, he dodged the four-sided thin blade-like throwing piece, letting the “trickery” vanish into the trees behind him.

With a sharp pivot, Arsen swung his war saber like the wind, targeting the severely wounded and exhausted youth.

—Death was now counting down in seconds.

Staring at the blade racing toward him like an apparition…

Leon had no strength left to evade.

The magic power he’d fought to preserve was entirely drained in silence, leaving even his breathing labored.

—The blade descended.

….

The shadow of death, long absent from his life, enveloped the Dragon Slayer’s mind.

“!!”

The Great Knight abruptly twisted his stance to turn.

—Boom!

The earth trembled and quaked.

A visible gust of wind blew wildly, sending the robe and peacock feathers of the knight fluttering without rest.

The Blazing Blade cut into the spear shaft.

A crisp sound of splintering echoed.

Arsen’s raised long-handled war saber was cleanly snapped in two at the center of its shaft.

Shocked, he shifted his stance to side-step the strike, abandoning the broken weapon.

He gripped the spear shaft firmly with both hands, attempting with all his might to obstruct the opponent’s shifting horizontal slash.

Emerging seemingly out of nowhere, the silver-armored warrior dragged the long spear back, rotating the shaft for a sweeping end strike that forced Arsen to let go and retreat swiftly.

The Peacock Knight widened the gap between them in this dangerous moment, using the opportunity to draw the saber at his waist.

What he saw was a heavy-armored spearman relentlessly pressing forward, charging at him with powerful strides.

A thousand suspicions raced through his mind.

Orland’s Great Knight?

When did they get this close?

Who is this?

Unfamiliar armor… an unfamiliar emblem… the solar disc?

Is it one of Seryan’s Holy Sun Knights?

Before the Dragon Slayer could identify the mysterious new enemy that had suddenly appeared, he had no choice but to swing his saber in a frenzy, deflecting the relentless attacks.