Chapter 269: Chapter 255: Soul-Sucking Demon, a Surprise Attack from an Unknown Fiend

Jon made his judgment with a single glance at the scene.

"Soul-Sucking Demons... Everyone, to me!"

As he gave the order, he raised a clenched fist, unleashing a brilliant Aura.

A ring of light, like a fiery embrace from the sun, expanded to envelop them all. Wherever it reached, the sinister atmosphere was swept away, and the panic and nausea everyone felt from witnessing the horrific scene quietly dissipated.

Leona, right beside him, was stunned as she felt this power.

"Your Highness... you’re a Saint Knight of the Venerable God Poao?"

As a Knight from Apollonia, there was no way she wouldn’t recognize the Skill Jon was using.

Sunfire Aura! An ability only the most devout Saint Knights could master!

But Jon immediately denied it.

"No, I’m not... This isn’t the time for that."

He scanned the surrounding buildings while quickly issuing commands.

"Apprentices, form up around me. Radiant Knights, ignite your blades and advance with caution!"

"We’re about to face an invisible monster that attacks on a spiritual level. If you notice anyone near you acting strangely, knock them out immediately!"

"Understood!"

The Radiant Knights unhesitatingly drew their swords, murmuring short prayers as a searing white flame instantly spread from hilt to blade. They quickly fanned out, forming an expanding arc to shield the apprentices behind them.

The apprentices, in turn, piloted their Mechanical Bodies, quickly tightening their formation with Jon at the center.

While keeping an eye on his team, Jon continuously scanned the surroundings.

’Judging by the marks on these victims, they can’t have been dead for long... Could it be him?’

He was, of course, thinking of that treacherous bastard who had ambushed and nearly killed him once before.

From the moment he’d entered the city without concealing his presence, he had been prepared for his enemy to show up at any moment.

It seemed this Evil Magic ritual was just a test.

But...

’To think they could trap me with such a petty trick... They’re far too naive. Do they think I’m some kind of amateur?’

As his thoughts raced, Jon suddenly raised his hand, and three brightly shining Arcane Missiles shot out, striking empty air.

This was not a blind probe, but a targeted attack!

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, the three Arcane Missiles, trailing ghostly blue trails, moved like living vipers, carving erratic arcs through the air before slamming viciously into an empty shadow at the street corner!

SQUELCH! SQUELCH! SQUELCH!

Accompanied by a sickening, muffled ripping sound, as if of wet leather being torn, the air in that spot warped and rippled violently.

A nauseating silhouette was violently torn from its concealment—a massive, floating monster shaped like a grayish-white brain. Its surface was a web of deep grooves, and its body was covered in slimy, dark red tentacles.

One look at its shape, then back at the victims on the ground with their skulls hollowed out, made the "source" of their deaths self-evident.

"GRAAA—HIIISSS!!!"

After being hit by the missiles, the Soul-Sucking Demon let out an indescribably piercing shriek. The sound was like a thousand fingernails scraping a rusty iron plate, mixed with the agonized howl of a dying beast laced with spiritual corruption. It instantly sent a piercing pain through everyone’s eardrums.

And this piercing shriek seemed to act as a signal, stirring up more ripples.

Instantly, the air all around the street began to roil as if boiling. More and more nearly-transparent ripples materialized out of thin air!

At the thought that there were so many of these disgusting monsters, everyone subconsciously grew tense.

But Jon’s timely command cut through their rising fear.

"These monsters aren’t physically strong! Don’t spare the Mechanical Body’s ammo—lay down covering fire in all directions! Radiant Knights, protect the main formation!"

"As you command, Mr. Jon!"

Aaron was the first to respond loudly.

He forcefully turned the command Runes on the Crystal Disc, his breathing under his faceplate ragged but firm.

"WHIRRR—HSSSSSS—SSSSSS!"

The rotary Steel Nail Ejector on the "Guardian’s" shoulder let out a piercing whine as it warmed up. A dense spray of alloy steel nails tore through the air with a scalp-tingling screech, blanketing every suspicious ripple in sight.

The "Walker’s" multi-legged chassis planted itself firmly. The medium-sized catapult on its back glowed with a ghostly blue light as explosive shells shot forth, precisely piercing the gray-white silhouettes forced into view by the unending barrage.

Wherever the storm of steel passed, the Soul-Sucking Demons’ fragile bodies burst like overripe fruit.

Dark-red ichor, severed tentacles, and grayish fragments of tissue splattered everywhere in the narrow street, smearing the mottled walls and cold pavement and leaving behind profane stains.

A cacophony of agonized "GRAAA-HIIISSS" shrieks pierced the air, only to be mercilessly drowned out the next moment by the even more ferocious roar of steel.

"Hold positions! Stay focused!"

Leona shouted, the searing white Saint Flame on her blade flaring.

She and the Radiant Knights formed a tight arc formation, firmly protecting the apprentices operating the Mechanical Bodies at the core.

Every swing of her burning sword stirred up a wave of scorching air, severing and charring the broken tentacles that occasionally broke through the barrage and tried to pounce.

Jon stood at the eye of the storm, his gaze sweeping over every shadow and distortion in the air.

His right hand maintained the Integration Seal. A complex pattern of interwoven ghostly blue and pale gold light flowed steadily above the group, shielding them from the spiritual corruption carried on the Soul-Sucking Demons’ shrieks.

Sheltered by this light of order, the apprentices’ faces were pale, but their eyes were free of fear. They stared intently at their Crystal Discs, keeping the barrage impenetrable.

And in a lull during the battle between unthinking steel constructs and spirit-eroding fiends, a faint, unusual sound suddenly reached Jon’s ears.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he clenched his fist and unleashed the Integration Seal again. This time, it was the strongest version—empowered by the "Integration" effect to simultaneously wield the power of six Dharma Seals!

Order, Balance, Anti-Magic, Deterrence, Repulsive Force, and Stability!

The six effects fused with a roar in the crucible of his unified will, forming an incredibly condensed and complex Array that shot up to collide head-on with the terrifying shadow descending from the sky!

"THOOM—!!!"

A dull, heart-stopping boom exploded over the narrow street!

The air was violently compressed and torn, creating visible waves of distortion. The massive descending shadow slammed into the invisible field of Repulsive Force, letting out a piercing, metallic shriek upon impact.

Though the Array trembled violently, boosted by the 50% effect enhancement from "Integration" and a buff that granted Resistance to all abnormal statuses, the monster ultimately failed to break through.

Its momentum was brought to a dead stop in midair. After a brief stalemate, it was completely thrown back by the irresistible, orderly Repulsive Force.

The monster’s huge body tumbled backward, smashing heavily into the wall of a stone house at the corner of the street, sending rubble and dust flying with a loud crash.

When the dust settled a little, everyone’s gaze was firmly captured by the monster crouching on the ground.

That was by no means an ordinary fiend.

It had a humanoid torso and thick, lizard-like lower limbs, its entire body covered in dull, keratinous Scale Armor like cooled volcanic rock.

And the most terrifying part was its back—it wasn’t jagged with bone spurs, but densely packed with dark-red eyeballs, crowded together like ripe, poisonous berries.

Dozens, hundreds of eyeballs swiveled erratically, an inhuman, purely malicious light burning deep within their pupils. They coldly scanned everyone present, making them all gasp as if an invisible hand were choking them.

Jon’s eyes narrowed slightly, staring intently at the strange monster before him.

The creations of Evil Magic were always unpredictable. Even with all his experience fighting across the continent, he couldn’t recognize what this thing was.

Still, the sheer force of its descending attack was proof enough of its power.

"Careful! It’s an enemy comparable to a High-tier Knight!"

At Jon’s warning, the apprentices barely reacted, but the Radiant Knights, who had been composed until now, all grew tense.

As Professionals, they were all too aware of the Power gap between different tiers.

A High-tier Knight, while not a match for a Grand Knight, was by no means an enemy to be underestimated.

However, after landing, the monster did not attack again.

It just lowered its head, breathing heavily, its crimson eyes on its back locked onto Jon with a cold focus, as if sizing up an important sacrificial offering.

After a brief pause, its powerful hind legs suddenly kicked off the ground, its long, thick tail carving a deep groove in the rubble. Its huge body turned with surprising agility and, without hesitation, it crashed through a rickety wooden window, disappearing into the deep shadows of the building.

It actually ran away!

"Gah...hsss..."

As the last Soul-Sucking Demon exploded into filthy meat paste under the volley of the "Walker’s" explosive steel nails, the street instantly fell into a strange, dead silence. All that remained was the faint hissing of the Mechanical Bodies’ cooling joints and the soft crackle of the Saint Flame burning on the Radiant Knights’ blades.

The apprentices froze, their hands still on the controls of their Mechanical Bodies, their breathing under their faceplates heavy and labored. Esra’s face was as white as a sheet, her eyes behind her lenses filled with terror.

The oppressive presence of that red-eyed monster had been far more suffocating than the overwhelming swarm of Soul-Sucking Demons.

Leona took a step forward, her sword burning with Saint Flame held protectively at Jon’s flank.

"Your Highness, that thing... I’m afraid it was coming for you."

"I know."

Jon slowly withdrew the arm maintaining the Integration Seal, the ghostly blue and pale gold light slowly fading in his palm.

His ice-blue eyes, like a frozen lake, reflected the dark opening in the building where the monster had disappeared. His gaze then swept over the walls on both sides of the street, covered in profane symbols, and the cold corpses with their hollowed-out skulls. Finally, his eyes settled on the end of the street—on the solemn, pointed silhouette of the Sun Church against the gray sky.

"But our objective hasn’t changed. Pick up the pace!"

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