Chapter 547 – Injury

The Female Knight who had once again entered a life-or-death state radiated an imposing aura. Punk could tell that Audreylinda was likely using a secret technique that consumed life force to forcibly enhance her Battle Aura output.

This technique undoubtedly came at the cost of a significant amount of life force. Even though life force could be restored through Alchemical Potions and prolonged rest, the Female Knight would inevitably enter a period of weakness lasting several hours after the technique’s activation. In fact, the best way to deal with such “short-term burst methods” employed by Female Knights was to follow Kane’s approach in Red Roy City—evading and defending to buy time while taunting and provoking the enemy until their burst of energy was completely exhausted, then moving in for the kill.

However, Punk couldn’t employ that conventional method of dealing with enemies. After all… he was pressed for time. Smile’s strength was too weak—a Stalker girl who had just reached the Apprentice-Level and hadn’t even experienced a single bloody battle probably couldn’t even defeat an ordinary tar beast. With no one to protect her now, Punk, who was preoccupied with the “Crimson Sand God’s treasure,” couldn’t rest easy.

Thus, even though the Female Knight now appeared to have at least doubled her combat power, Punk decided to kill his opponent head-on as quickly as possible!

In combat, striking first is paramount. Punk didn’t share Audreylinda’s habit of announcing his name before a fight. Almost as soon as the Female Knight roared “Sanction Evil!” in a resounding voice, Punk’s spell was already unleashed:

“Master Conjuration – Velocity Kinetic Cone” ×2

Metamagic – Dualcast!

“Despicable!”

Seeing that her words hadn’t even finished, a palm-sized cone—spinning so rapidly it faintly cracked the space around it—was already flying straight toward her forehead, the furious Female Knight hurriedly slammed her shield, coated in icy blue Battle Aura, sideways against the terrifying projectile.

“Master Ice Combat Skill – Frost Shield Strike!”

As the Combat Skill activated, the shield in Audreylinda’s hands seemed to transform into a massive, weighty iceberg. The diamond-hard shell formed by Douqi Condensation was undoubtedly a manifestation of the Battle Aura shield’s sturdiness. Under Audreylinda’s full-force swing, both of Punk’s “Velocity Kinetic Cones” began to distort along with the surrounding space. If nothing unexpected occurred, this “Shield Bash” from the Female Knight would at least be enough to alter the cones’ trajectories, allowing her to avoid being hit directly, even if it couldn’t deflect both Kinetic Cones entirely.

But… Punk, who never underestimated any enemy, would hardly let Audreylinda have her way?

From the very beginning, the cold spellcaster had cast his spell with the intention of a one-hit kill. Punk’s goal wasn’t to probe or capture—he aimed to kill the Female Knight before him!

“Vector!”

“Caw caw, no problem, Boss, caw caw.”Indeed, Punk immediately played one of his most powerful trump cards—Vector. As several azure feathers on the magic raven perched on his shoulder suddenly flashed, a ring imbued with an extremely mysterious aura abruptly appeared on Audreylinda’s left arm. The moment this ring materialized, the shield that Audreylinda had just fiercely swung toward the two “Velocity Kinetic Cones” abruptly reversed direction at the same speed, rapidly “retreating” backward.

In less than a millisecond, Audreylinda’s shield ceased obeying her commands. The Female Knight could sense with astonishment that her ice-blue Battle Aura-covered arm had not paused in the slightest, nor had its speed diminished. Even the force she had rapidly channeled remained entirely intact. Yet, the reality was abrupt and unbelievable: the Shield Bash that had been swiftly striking toward the “Velocity Kinetic Cones” a second ago was now moving far away from the two spells it had nearly hit. The entire process flowed seamlessly… as if… this Combat Skill had always been intended to strike in the opposite direction.

Without a doubt, only one factor could explain such a bizarre occurrence—the activation of the “Legendary Conjuration – Directional Interference,” the sole spell the Magical Raven Vector could employ!

Crack!

“Ugh… Damn it!”

Clang… Thud!

The first crack was the sound of the Female Knight’s abruptly redirected arm dislocating its own joint. Since Audreylinda had channeled immense force into this “Shield Bash,” even her own arm could not withstand such a violent reversal.

As her entire forearm jerked in the opposite direction, her elbow joint was instantly fractured by her own power. Thus, the second sound was Audreylinda’s gasp of pain from the sudden agony.

With the “Shield Bash” failing to intercept the two “Velocity Kinetic Cones” under the effect of “Directional Interference,” the final two deafening impacts were easily understood.

The crisp clang was the sound of the Female Knight desperately using her Shortsword to block one of the “Velocity Kinetic Cones.” In Audreylinda’s emergency reaction, one of the two spells was narrowly deflected off course. Amid a burst of dazzling violet light and the shattering of the Shortsword, this “Velocity Kinetic Cone” left a deep, bone-exposing gash on Audreylinda’s right shoulder before soaring far into the sky.

The other “Velocity Kinetic Cone,” however, was ultimately unavoidable. By now, the Female Knight had lost any chance to defend with her weapon. The final spell struck Audreylinda’s chest unimpeded. Instantly, a terrifying energy shockwave formed into a violet ring, and amid the deafening roar, Audreylinda was sent flying backward in a blood-streaked blur.

Thud!The unrelenting “Velocity Kinetic Cone” forcibly propelled the Female Knight backward for over ten meters. The shockwave it generated along the way carved scorching trenches across the moonlit Tundra. Only after the “Kinetic Cone” pierced through Audreylinda’s body and flew far into the distance did the struck Female Knight collapse at the trench’s end, drenched in blood.

“It seems your strength is merely this, righteous lady.”

Observing the disheveled Audreylinda from afar, the composed Punk casually taunted as always. Of course, while mocking, Punk was also rapidly preparing a new spell—because… the battle was far from over, or rather—it had only just begun!

Though the Female Knight now appeared as shattered and pitiful as a broken doll, Punk could sense that Audreylinda had not yet lost all her combat capability. After all, her “all-out resolve” was no empty boast. Having suffered such a heavy and unexpected blow from the outset, the steadfast Audreylinda showed no fear. Instead, her eyes grew even more resolute and determined under the glint of blood.

“Evil………”

Clang!

Leaning on a Shortsword broken by a third, Audreylinda staggered to her feet from the blood-soaked crater. Her trembling silhouette shuddered faintly under the light of the risen moon.

Then… the next instant…

Boom!

With a roar no less deafening than the “Velocity Kinetic Cone” striking iron armor, Audreylinda—her eyes blurred with tears and bloody trails streaming down her cheeks—suddenly charged toward Punk at supersonic speed, dragging her wounded body. Following her hyper-sonic movement came a roar brimming with grief, fury, and absolute resolve:

“I am a true knight! I am Audreylinda! In the name of justice, evil… you shall be punished!”

(End of Chapter)