Chapter 247: The Battle Approaching Its End (Part 4)

  As this blade was raised, the mass of blood light constantly dancing on the blade had already swelled and condensed, instantly becoming a massive blood blade over two meters long. There was no longer the slightest scent of blood in the air; all the vitality, spirit, and power had been condensed into the blade's body, unwilling to release even a trace of the smell of blood.

  The moment this condensed blade moved, the small branches and leaves on the surrounding trees began to shatter and break. Even Master Aiden's white mage robes began to disintegrate under this aura. This strike was absolutely Ethan's full-power attack; its momentum and power were flawless. Master Aiden's body paused, having no time to rush into the high sky. This time, it was completely unavoidable.

  An unarmed mage, no matter what kind of mage, or what kind of magic they used to defend, their fragile body under such a strike was no different from a green caterpillar under a saber.

  However, Ethan was not striking at Master Aiden with this blow, because there was no need to strike someone whose head was already split in two. This strike of his was aimed at Knight Tamika behind Master Aiden.

  Knight Tamika, like a phantom, emerged from behind a tree not far away. His body and movements, producing not the slightest sound of wind, had already approached from behind. With just a casual swing of his blade, Master Aiden's head was diagonally split in two.

  His movement was casual, like brushing away a leaf, and he seemed to think so himself. The entire movement revealed not the slightest hint of killing intent; he didn't even glance at the air magic grandmaster whose head he had just split open. His eyes were now focused on only one thing: the Leaves of the World Tree, which had just fallen into Master Aiden's hands.

  He wasn't just looking. His hand was already reaching out. This was his true target all along. This air mage had to be killed. Tamika had seen his movements earlier and knew that if a person like that got the Leaves of the World Tree and flew into the sky, there would be absolutely no hope. So he went for him first. Besides, he had already helped him get the Leaves of the World Tree.

  His hand was less than three inches from the Leaves of the World Tree; he could almost touch the leaf, but he had to pull it back. Because even if he got the leaf, it would be meaningless if he were dead.

  The massive blood blade was now less than three meters above Knight Tamika. Knight Tamika could feel that the countless cells on his face and head were already starting to rupture, die, and wither under this immense pressure. The surrounding air was violently colliding, making sounds of collapse, shattering, and wailing. The sheer weight and magnitude of the killing intent contained in this strike, the perfect combination of momentum and power, the abundance of vitality, spirit, and energy within it—Knight Tamika was certain that even he, or even Lancelot, could absolutely not strike such a blow.

  Absolutely could not strike it. Nor could absolutely dodge it. And even more so, absolutely could not withstand it. Therefore, his only option was to block it, with all his strength.

  A grey light glowed from Knight Tamika's body; his Battle Qi had been pushed to its limit. The black Fang Saber in his hand let out a strange cry, as miserable and terrifying as if a vicious ghost had been stabbed in the ass with a knife. A burst of black mist erupted from the blade, instantly becoming a jet-black blade of mist, just like the massive, blood-colored blade.

  Master Aiden's body, still in mid-air, silently split apart. Even before the blade had touched him, his body, now like a mere decorative ornament, flew apart in two halves. Behind him, Knight Tamika raised his blade upward, gripping the black blade of mist with both hands to forcefully parry this strike.

  With a loud boom, not very sharp but incredibly muffled, like the muffled sound of hundreds of tons of gunpowder being detonated deep underground without the explosion breaking the surface. The blade of condensed blood light struck the black blade of mist. The trees within a ten-meter radius of the impact point trembled, then silently collapsed. Afterward, the shockwave from the impact kicked up wood chips and dirt from the ground, which then rained down.

  In the sea of blood mist that filled the sky, the black light that had originally been condensed around the black saber actually shattered like a physical substance into countless small fragments that flew in all directions. At the same time, Knight Tamika's grey figure was also sent flying, only his figure flew out more urgently and faster, and he brought out a spray of blood rain in mid-air. That was blood sprayed from his mouth. This mouthful of blood was not only large but also sprayed out so urgently that it seemed as if he had flown out using the recoil from the spray of blood.

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  With a thud, Knight Tamika's body finally stopped when it slammed into the trunk of a towering tree in the distance. Wood chips from the impact flew like rain. Knight Tamika slid from the crater he had created and fell to the ground, spat out another large mouthful of blood. The black Fang Saber in his hand now had fine cracks running through it.

  Staggering to his feet, Knight Tamika looked at the distant cloud of dust, blood mist, and wood chips kicked up by the mutual impact of the two. The wooden expression on his face was now completely replaced by shock and fear. He was heavily injured.

  He knew that the opponent's previous strike was a full-power attack at the cost of self-mutilation, and could also see that it was by no means an easy offensive to take on, but only after blocking it himself did he understand just how heavy and difficult to parry this strike was. Without the slightest hesitation, he turned and sped back the way he came. He knew he no longer had the strength to fight. In a few flashes, his figure disappeared among the ancient trees.

  The blood mist, mud, wood chips, and dust generated by this strike slowly dissipated, revealing a teetering figure in the middle, supporting himself with his blade.

  Knight Tamika was merely unable to fight anymore, but Ethan was almost unable to even stand. Just now, he had stabbed his own Bloodsucking Fang Saber into his body, and when he pulled it out, he felt as if he had almost pulled out his own internal organs. Using this self-mutilating method twice in a short period, especially the last time, which was a full-power use at his absolute limit, it was already quite good that he could still barely stand.

  In fact, he had discovered Knight Tamika's trail long ago. Although this Temple Knight's stealth skills were superb, even more seasoned and secretive than his own, Ethan had still noticed him. The key was that Master Aiden's two Thunderblast Bombs that blocked the way earlier—forget a Temple Knight, even a pig would have noticed this place. So Ethan knew he would definitely come, and had been paying close attention.

  He could indeed perceive almost no sound or movement, but when a faint smell of blood and that unique hint of killing intent wafted through the air, Ethan knew the Temple Knight had already sneaked close. After the previous battle, the injured Knight Tamika, his fighting spirit and killing intent stirred, was no longer able to maintain his state of mind completely, which was why Ethan was able to detect him.

  Although he had detected him, Ethan did not make a sound or show any sign of vigilance. The reason was simple: a person who thinks he is the oriole is in fact the best candidate to be the praying mantis. And in this situation, Master Aiden should be the priority target for Knight Tamika to attack. Anyone who had witnessed his flight technique would know that if a person like that got the Leaves of the World Tree and flew into the sky, there would be absolutely no chance left.

  So Ethan had no intention of making the first move on Master Aiden. He let him take the Leaves of the World Tree. He knew that the moment he got them would be the moment he died, and also the moment for him to make his move.

  This was an extremely dangerous gamble. If Knight Tamika had not attacked Master Aiden, or if the two had suddenly reached some kind of understanding, or if Knight Tamika's patience had been better, forcing Ethan to make the first move himself, then Ethan would have undoubtedly died. But in the end, Ethan had won his gamble. He finally got to be the oriole, striking with all his strength.

  However, he had to admit that this Temple Knight's power was indeed profound, almost to the point of being on par with Lancelot. That his full-power strike, gathered and unleashed with such momentum, surprisingly couldn't kill him on the spot. Most of the destructive power and killing intent in that strike had been defused and neutralized by Knight Tamika. And he himself was instead nearly brought down by the force of the backlash and counter-shock.

  Fortunately, Knight Tamika had turned and fled, and fortunately, this was in the Whispering Woods. The fluctuations from the Sunwell were gradually strengthening. In just a few breaths, he slowly regulated his breathing and used a healing spell; his body slowly began to recover.

  The Leaves of the World Tree and the two jade pieces with sealed magic flew far away along with Master Aiden's two halves of a corpse. Ethan searched for a bit before gathering them up, and only then did he let out a sigh of relief. Looking at one half of Master Aiden's corpse, on that mangled half of a face, an expression of ecstatic joy was still perfectly preserved.

  "I already warned you, why couldn't you be more careful..." Ethan sighed, took one last look at the corpse of the strongest air mage on the continent, shook his head, and walked away.

  Luya had been frozen stiff, sent flying by the shockwave of the two's clash and lying on the ground. Just as Ethan went up to help her undo the restraints, she suddenly bounced up by herself.

  "Are you okay? Where are the Leaves of the World Tree?" Seeing the Leaves of the World Tree in Ethan's hand, Luya snatched them, then saw the two jade pieces in his other hand, and only then did her face completely relax. At the same time, an even more indescribable excitement appeared on her face. She placed her hands on Ethan's shoulders, her body suddenly swaying, but after a thought, she didn't move. Her face reddened, as if considering something, only then did she look at Ethan with a very serious expression and say, "Thank you."

  The sound of flapping wings came from above. Ethan looked up. A winged pegasus, enveloped in a blue, spherical water curtain, was descending. On it were Aimee and a blue-robed female mage.

  "Brother Ethan." Aimee jumped down from it before the pegasus had even landed. The layer of water curtain did not hinder her in the slightest. She ran straight over and threw herself into Ethan's arms, hugging him tightly, almost knocking Luya, who was beside him, aside.

  The female mage also dismounted from the winged pegasus. With a casual wave of her hand, the blue water curtain with a 'whoosh' sound contracted into a small, azure-blue sphere of water, which flew into her palm and disappeared. She frowned and looked around, then asked Ethan, "Where is that fellow Aiden?"

  "Half over there, half over there." Ethan pointed to the left and right, then pointed into the distance. "There seems to be another small piece over there."

  The heavy footsteps of the Withered Wood Wardens and the clamor of the elves could be heard. It seemed they had finally found this place and were surrounding them.