Chapter 105: The Battle Concludes — The Legend of Esdeath

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Of course, everyone was engaged in close combat without going all out. Six arms burst through the cheongsam, extending outward, with diamonds crystallizing into weapons matching their respective opponents: a long saber facing off against Scarlet Eyes, massive scissors dueling Hill, Brandt’s long spear, Tazmy’s broad blade, Rabok’s silk threads, and Leonai’s beastly paw—all materialized in turn.

“This is blatant provocation—using your own weapons to defeat you. That’s absolutely unacceptable. If we don’t beat him into a bloody pulp, you might as well find a block of tofu and commit suicide,” Maine whispered provocatively beside Najitan, who had just lost and served as the ranged attacker.

“Exactly. The losing side isn’t allowed to eat lunch,” Boss Najitan added fuel to the fire.

“What?” At these words, Scarlet Eyes trembled all over; her attack power instantly doubled. She suppressed Qi’s diamond long saber. If not for one free hand stepping in to defend, she might have been struck by the scabbard.

Scarlet Eyes’ blade was also an Imperial Artifact: the fatal slash [Murasame]. A single cut from this cursed blade would poison the wound with a deadly curse, killing swiftly with no antidote.

Thus, even facing an immortal comrade, she would never draw her sword lightly.

Similarly, Leonai and Brandt were also empowered by Najitan’s augmenting spell. The last free hand began to fend off Brandt’s furious assault. The only solace was that, surrounded by six opponents, their space to maneuver was limited, and fearing to harm comrades, they could only unleash about fifty percent of their power.

The fierce battle raged on for half a quarter of an hour before Hill began to show signs of exhaustion. Qi found a weakness and swiftly sealed his acupoints. For those whose combat strength relied mostly on Imperial Artifacts, having their acupoints sealed was not easily broken, especially by Qi’s technique.

After lightly tossing the immobilized Hill to Najitan’s side, the free hand began to retreat; his own energy had been heavily consumed.

The next to be taken down was the weakest, Tazmy. Since most of their focus had been on the three strongest, Tazmy had managed okay. But once Hill’s concentrated mental power turned to him, he was quickly incapacitated and thrown aside.

With two down, Qi was surprised to find his pressure increasing. The four attackers now had just enough space to unleash their abilities. At fifty percent power, they were far stronger than Hill and Tazmy had been.

Qi originally intended to deal with Rabok, the weakest among the four, first, but Rabok’s cunning and his Imperial Artifact’s cutting power foiled his efforts. One of Rabok’s silk threads could slice through even his compressed diamond.

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His spiritual energy was down to thirty percent.

“My strength is almost gone; time for a final burst,” Qi said, puffing out his cheeks and suddenly exhaling sharply—not towards any of the four, but at the ground.

In an instant, the earth froze over with a layer of frost that rapidly spread outward. Scarlet Eyes, Leonai, and Brandt leapt up to avoid the chilling ground beneath their feet. Rabok, who was closer and slower to react, was frozen solid just as his toes left the ground.

“Whoosh.” With Brandt’s aid, Scarlet Eyes and Leonai were hurled fiercely toward the bowing youth.

Qi opened his mouth again, this time releasing not cold air but a ghostly blue, scorching flame that seemed intent on burning the sky above.

The two in midair struggled against the overwhelming flames, dodging simultaneously. Upon landing, Leonai grinned wildly and let out a roar, seemingly preparing a sonic attack. Just as Qi braced himself, a sudden prickling sensation ran down his spine. Instinctively, he threw a punch.

A scabbard instantly sliced through the diamond, striking his fist. Time seemed to freeze as Leonai smiled victoriously, while Brandt, landing moments later, wielded his Imperial Artifact: Bound Demon [Operative Armor]—an armor-type artifact famed for its extraordinary defense, greatly enhancing physical abilities and capable of turning transparent. However, it placed a tremendous burden on the wearer; ordinary people would die wearing it.

“You lost. If the blade is drawn, just one slash and you’ll be cursed to death,” Scarlet Eyes said seriously.

“Actually, the curse probably won’t kill me,” Qi replied quietly, though he did not voice it aloud. They were merely sparring; there was no need for such seriousness. “I’ve gained some understanding of everyone’s strength and combat styles. We should be able to cooperate better in the future.”

“Good. Little Qi is indeed as versatile and strong as he claims. Your next task is to build camaraderie with the other Night Raid members. In Night Raid, strength alone isn’t enough; you must learn skills beyond power. So I’m entrusting that to you, Scarlet Eyes. If he doesn’t listen... just toss a naked woman into his bed. I hear he’s a contradictory man,” Najitan offered a cruel solution to keep the youth in line.

Qi’s face darkened. “One night, I’m going to strip you naked and throw you out on the street.”

“Hahaha, boy, I’m not afraid of such threats. Even naked, I have the confidence to stroll back,” Najitan laughed heartily and turned away. “Scarlet Eyes, get lunch ready. We’ve been rushing back and I’m starving, though I’m very pleased with the outcome.”

“Understood, Boss,” Scarlet Eyes replied. “Little Qi, come help prepare the food.”

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“Hey—wasn’t Boss the one who told you to prepare it?”

“Boss assigned you to me, so you’ll follow my lead,” Scarlet Eyes said, turning toward the stream.

“Ugh, what a hassle.”

...

“The flavor’s amazing. Didn’t expect it, kid. This is the best food I’ve ever tasted. Truly deserving of the name ‘All-rounder Qi,’” Najitan gave a thumbs-up.

“Don’t give me any more new nicknames. By the way, Boss, you always say that Esdeath is the strongest in the Empire. What exactly makes her so powerful? Is she an abnormal like me or an Imperial Artifact wielder?” Qi asked, chewing on meat from a dangerous species he’d never tasted before.

“She’s an Imperial Artifact wielder—the strongest. She controls ice. Years ago, when I joined her to suppress a foreign tribe, she merely pressed her hand on the water’s surface, and a river hundreds of meters wide froze in an instant. Then, the enemy’s city was completely encased in ice.

“You could say she singlehandedly wiped out an entire people, but she didn’t finish them off.”

“Did she show mercy? Or does she have some conscience?” Tazmy asked curiously.

“Mercy? Conscience? Hah. She just told the remaining captives to remember her face and keep their hatred alive, then released them to foment rebellion fueled by vengeance. Because she craves war, loves war, revels in trampling others, and enjoys the feeling of stamping her enemies beneath her feet,” Najitan said, covering her right eye, her expression darkening.

(The arrival of Queen Esdeath is imminent. Please consider voting!)