hp - 157

  Daina suffered only this negligible amount of damage. Given her 80% damage reduction, such a minuscule loss of health was but a trifling matter, scarcely worth mentioning in the grand scheme of things for Daina.

  However, had Kenley been on the receiving end of this damage, even with his defensive capabilities mitigating some of it, he would have lost at least over 380 hit points. And for a character with a relatively fragile constitution, taking such damage would essentially amount to being on the brink of death.

  As the knight commander of the illustrious Christophon family, Daina was still in the prime of her youth, with ample potential for further growth. Should she continue to progress at this rate, the prospect of her emerging as a new generation of hero was not beyond the realm of possibility.

  Nevertheless, Kenley was not one to merely spectate the entire battle passively. He was acutely aware that, as a formidable leader, the Black Sheep Knight possessed certain terrifying high - damage mechanisms. While Daina could afford to adopt an audacious and unrestrained approach, Kenley could not afford to simply sit back and watch the conflict unfold without taking any action.

  When Daina engaged in combat with the Black Sheep Knight Erdo, the moment Erdo's health dropped below 80% of its maximum, he would transition from the first phase of the battle to the second phase.

  Upon entering the second phase, Erdo would initiate the use of his first skill: the Ruthless Tempest. The Ruthless Tempest was a fearsome red heavy - strike skill that defied both blocking and countering. Evasion and strategic movement were the only viable means of avoiding its devastating effects.

  Moreover, as a mounted warrior astride a powerful warhorse, the Black Sheep Knight boasted exceptional speed. When the Ruthless Tempest was unleashed, it had a lethal range of a full 30 meters and a radius of 10 meters, making it an extremely formidable threat.

  Although the Silent Corridor had a radius of 20 meters, when the Black Sheep Knight actually employed the Ruthless Tempest, evading this skill proved to be no easy feat. The most critical aspect was that the Ruthless Tempest inflicted staggeringly high damage and possessed the attribute of physical penetration. Once struck by it, even with Kenley's robust defensive prowess, he would sustain at least over 1000 points of damage.

  For priests, divine officials, and mages, being hit by the Ruthless Tempest would be a catastrophic blow, instantly incapacitating them and leaving them severely wounded. And immediately following the conclusion of the Ruthless Tempest, the Black Sheep Knight would employ the [Broken Army] skill.

  The [Broken Army] skill was characterized by two crucial attributes: displacement lockdown and guaranteed hit. It would target the enemy closest to the Black Sheep Knight after the Ruthless Tempest had subsided, inflicting damage of over 800 points! This combination of skills was extremely perilous, as the high damage output of the Ruthless Tempest, when coupled with the follow - up attack of the [Broken Army], was more than sufficient to eliminate a character with a fragile constitution. This was a threat that Kenley could ill afford to ignore.

  In the game, players would typically adjust their positions in advance, well before the Black Sheep Knight entered the second phase of the battle. The first tank would draw the Black Sheep Knight's attention towards the Ruthless Tempest. After the Ruthless Tempest had concluded, the first tank would maintain the closest proximity to the Black Sheep Knight, while the other players would position the second tank in the second closest position, and the ranged and support characters would remain at the farthest distance.

  Daina, however, was unaware of the Black Sheep Knight's intricate battle mechanisms, and thus her combat actions were guided solely by her instincts and intuition.

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  Taking advantage of the fact that the Black Sheep Knight's focus was diverted by Daina, Kenley promptly issued a command to the group, "Everyone, maintain the maximum possible distance from the Black Sheep Knight! In the event that Daina fails to effectively pin down the enemy, I will assume the responsibility of distracting the Black Sheep Knight. Seize any opportunity to launch attacks against the Black Sheep Knight. Is that clear?"

  "But Mr. Kenley, this is a duel between knights. Ought we not to respect the integrity of their battle?" Fess inquired, his confusion evident.

  How naive... Kenley thought to himself, shaking his head slightly. However, he had to take into account the real - world relationships at play, and so he replied, "I hold the duel of Knight Commander Daina in high regard. However, should the enemy shift their aggression towards us, showing undue mercy would be our most significant vulnerability. Therefore, we must always be prepared for the worst - case scenario. Do you understand?"

  With this explanation, Fess was able to accept the situation. "Understood."

  Just as Kenley was conversing with Fess, he suddenly furrowed his brow.

  "Did any of you hear a strange sound?" Kenley asked.

  "A sound?"

  "Perhaps I was mistaken." Kenley scanned the surroundings, an uneasy feeling lingering in the back of his mind, as if something was not quite right.

  For some inexplicable reason, just a moment ago, he had the distinct impression of hearing a female voice singing. The melody was as ethereal and delicate as that of a southern bard, floating through the air with an otherworldly quality.

  Kenley recalled that the Abbey of Rest harbored a significant secret of the Black Sheep Society. In the game, some players had conducted extensive searches of the area, leaving no stone unturned, yet they had only managed to uncover a mysterious message related to the Blasphemous Dragon Cult were.

  As the main storyline of the game progressed, an increasing number of clues had emerged, suggesting that the Blasphemous Dragon Cult were and the Black Sheep Society had been colluding in secret. What grand and sinister scheme were these two heretical cults hatching? However, due to the incomplete update of the expansion pack, even Kenley was not privy to all the secrets of these two heresies.

  Kenley was certain that the Black Sheep Heresy had never employed alchemists. So, the question remained: why were there alchemists present in the Abbey of Rest? There was only one plausible explanation: members of the Blasphemous Dragon Cult were must have visited the Abbey of Rest at some point.

  Just now, the singing that Kenley had heard seemed to emanate from beneath the ground. Wait a moment... Didn't the mysterious message related to the Blasphemous Dragon Cult were in the game originate from the Silent Corridor of the Abbey of Rest? Could the secret lie beneath the surface?

  While Daina was engaged in combat with the Black Sheep Knight, he crouched down and began to examine the floor of the Silent Corridor with great care. After all, the battle between the two heavily armored knights was progressing at a sluggish pace, with each inflicting only a few hundred points of damage on the other. If left to continue in this manner, it would be highly unlikely for a victor to be determined within half an hour.

  Kenley lifted his head, intending to take a look at the ceiling of the corridor. Just then, something astonishing occurred. There was a hole in the ceiling, and a shadowy figure flashed past it, causing Kenley to start in surprise.

  The figure seemed to have been observing the group from above for some time. It was only when Kenley looked up that it quickly withdrew, disappearing from sight.

  Was this some kind of scene from a horror movie? Kenley wiped the cold sweat from his brow. With his ability to perform a double jump, and the additional boost provided by his Honor Paladin class, he effectively had the ability to perform a triple jump, which would allow him to reach the edge of the hole and climb up.

  According to the map, if the hole was indeed connected to other areas, it should lead to the bell tower of the Abbey of Rest. In the game, the bell tower had always been completely sealed off, and no player had ever managed to enter it.

  The hole was shrouded in darkness, and the ceiling of the Silent Corridor was equally dim. Without a thorough search, it was easy to overlook the existence of the hole. In the game, no player had ever mentioned this hole in the Abbey of Rest. It was quite possible that he was the first player to stumble upon it by chance.

  This discovery piqued Kenley's curiosity and desire for exploration. Since the mysterious figure had been able to move through the hole, it was reasonable to assume that the hole led to some other location. Perhaps he would make some unexpected discoveries if he were to venture inside and explore.