Chapter 99: Chapter 99
He is none other than Yurik, the White Wolf War God, the white flame of the Northern Empire in the depths of winter.
The Master of the White Wolf was tensely watching the duel between the White Wolf Knight and the Doomsday Bull, as flames and lightning continually exploded around the man and beast. As the battle went on, Tauros' spirit became increasingly frenzied, and the power of the Blood God Khorne on it grew fouler and more reeking.
But Laine was not showing any signs of weakness, as he had long surpassed the physical limits of ordinary humans. The White Wolf Knight's warhammer swept horizontally, blocking the bone blade stabbing from the side, and the war axe attacking from the front was deflected by Laine's strong wrist strength. This terrifying battle remained undecided for the time being, or perhaps the outcome was only moments away.
A golden silhouette appeared behind him, and without turning his head, Yurik said unceremoniously, "Ah, the scent of flowers and fresh springs, along with the fragrance of grass. I thought you would only hide in that damned lake, tricking your knights into facing the enemy for you."
The voice that responded was cool and indifferent: "My knight fell at the hands of this evil creature. This young man called out my name for a duel, and I have no reason not to appear." The most update n0vels are published on novel{f}ire.net
The battle on the mountaintop reached a fever pitch. Sweat and grime smeared Laine's face, and his warhammer, once flashing with golden lightning, now swirled with a vortex. Under these circumstances, the White Wolf Knight's hammer strikes became extremely swift, as he continually aimed each blow at Tauros' weak points. The Doomsday Bull was not to be outdone, dodging Laine's assault, its large war axe charging straight at Laine's face.
The Griffin Hammerhead clashed with the war axe once more.
"You have failed, White Wolf Knight!" Tauros advanced with its enormous bullhead, attempting to bite Laine's neck. Sensing the danger, the White Wolf Knight quickly pushed away the Doomsday Bull's massive body, but the Doomsday Bull's attack did not stop. It discarded the war axe in its hand and seized Laine's warhammer, while the long bone blade on its other arm stabbed downwards.
The Spiritual Shield held for less than a second before shattering in the face of the bone blade, which pierced deeply into Laine's right shoulder. Blood stained his chain armor and the shirt beneath. Laine too discarded his warhammer, grasping the bone blade embedded in his shoulder firmly with his left hand. From his right wrist, under his will, extended a long Spiritual Blade, severing the bone blade directly.
"Roar!" The intense pain forced Tauros to stagger backward. Laine pulled out the bone blade from his shoulder with all his might, completely disregarding the blood flow. His right hand's Spiritual Blade pierced the Doomsday Bull's knee, while the Doomsday Bull struck a punch to his chest. Laine's chest caved in from the impact, mouthfuls of blood pouring from his mouth. The White Wolf Knight reached toward the sky, and the warhammer landed back in his hand with incredible speed.
Brandishing the warhammer with all his remaining strength, the White Wolf Knight let out a hysterical shout: "The one who has failed is you!"
The Skull Shattering Strike, one of Laine's strongest combat skills, emitted a golden arc of light from the warhammer, imbued with unrivaled power, striking Tauros in the head. The beastman's skull shattered under Laine's immense force, with white brains and red blood flowing down.
The Doomsday Bull howled in agony as it retreated, the salty taste of brains in its mouth confirming that this was all real!
"Human... you're strong... I must have your skull!" Tauros suddenly ripped open its own chest and performed a bizarre ritual.
"Not good, it's praying to the Blood God for strength!" Laine wanted to rise but found himself unable, his mind reeling from excessive blood loss, his shoulder still bleeding. Laine quickly converted his Spiritual Energy into green healing energy, tending to his wound while racing to recover from the exertion of the Skull Shattering Strike.
In the void, something seemed to respond to the Doomsday Bull's prayer. Terrifying blood-red energy emerged from the void, and the Doomsday Bull's body began to undergo further mutations.
Its wounds healed amongst the crazily proliferating skin and beast horns, and more frighteningly, two new arms grew from its back, each ending in massive bone blades. Its consciousness was becoming less, inching closer to the creature of Chaos, evidently pleased the Evil God. This was a new gift from the Evil God.
It was the legendary Four-armed Bull Demon! Laine immediately recognized this fabled monster.
The terrifying legend from the Continent held that this dreadful creature had once annihilated several villages overnight, leaving no survivors. Each of its appearances required countless soldiers' and knights' lives to quell.
There's a famous story that when the current Emperor Carl Franz Friedrich was young, while hunting in the Blood Pine Forest, he encountered a fearsome Four-armed Bull Demon. If not for the sudden arrival of the Wood Elf army, perhaps the Emperor would be a different person today.
"Oh heavens, my lord never told me to expect this situation." Laine murmured to himself, facing dire straits. His organs had ruptured in multiple places, his shoulder injured, while his stamina was at its lowest ebb. Against the resurgent Tauros, he could barely defend himself and continuously retreated.
Until there was nowhere left to retreat.
Tauros launched another Barbaric Charge; this time, Laine could not withstand it. He was sent flying several dozen meters, the sharp bone blade tearing through his chain armor, and his inner clothing soaked in blood. Laine groaned in pain, his handsome face twisted, his warhammer lying more than a dozen meters away. After hitting the ground, he slid for over two meters, leaving behind a large streak of blood.
"Ugh~ so cold~" Struggling back to consciousness, Laine found himself lying atop an icy surface.
Ah yes, this is... a river, this river flowed through the fortress on the mountain and down to the valley below.
"You've failed... how pathetic... your Pseudo-God won't be merciful to you... he'll only mock your weakness... and cowardice... hahaha!" The towering Tauros was approaching step by step on the ice river, coming closer to Laine.
As if, the end of the world was nigh.
In the cold, dark void.
"Won't you help him?" The cool voice carried strands of confusion: "He has already fought to this extent for you."
"No, a weakling is not worthy of sympathy. If he dies here, that is his fate." Yurik shook his head dispassionately, "The fact that this Doomsday Bull could evolve into a Four-armed Bull Demon indeed surprises me. But a weakling is still a weakling. I have no obligation to pay the price for a weakling's frailty."
"It was your Oracle that forced this young man to face the Doomsday Bull, and now you watch as he's defeated by an enemy far superior to him, without any reaction?" The cool voice held a slight anger: "Then I shall~"
"Please stop your actions, outsider, remember, that boy is my knight, have you forgotten? You have no right to interfere in this matter, whether he lives or dies, it's my concern! It has nothing to do with you." Yurik prevented the mysterious visitor from acting further.
"..." The mysterious visitor said no more, once again casting their gaze on the battlefield. Yurik, seeing Laine kneeling on the ice, softly whispered, "Stand up, stand up! Boy, you haven't lost yet, stand up, pick up your weapon, and defeat the enemy!"
Although the White Wolf War God's call was from afar, it was not ignored. Laine truly felt something watching and calling to him from the void.
Yes, I am my father's son.
I came here with a great mission.
There are countless beings waiting for me to save them; I still have an important mission yet to complete.
How can I fall here?!
Under the empowerment of supreme willpower, Laine finally managed to stand, his gaze gradually converging into a single point, and his fighting spirit returned to his body. But Laine knew this couldn't last; his body continually sent warnings. He had not much time left!
How can I defeat this formidable enemy before me?
Laine noticed cracks forming on the ice-bound river as the Four-armed Bull Demon's iron hooves trampled down.