Dinora's expression became serious: "This strike is extremely wonderful!" Ge Zheng thought to himself: indeed, extremely wonderful, using force against force, just like a Magic Beast Knight smashing his own axe handle against the opponent's treasured sword, endlessly! It seems that I have underestimated the heroes of the world. The martial arts in this world have reached an extremely high level.
The Magic Beast Knight seemed to have lost for a while, but he did not appear panicked. Controlling the huge beast, the Magic Beast Knight once again faced the general. He shook the iron chain reins in his hand, making a rustling sound. He casually pulled, and the iron chain unexpectedly dropped from the giant lion's mouth!
"Woo woo" Under the swings of the Magic Beast Knight, the two ends of the chain swept past the saddle, each hooking onto a flying hammer. With a twist of his hands, the hammers' heads made a muffled sound, and the iron chains carved out a black streak in the air.
"Roar!" The giant lion roared, fiercely swiping its claws on the ground. With a crack, its previously damaged paw pads shattered, pulverizing the stone pavement. The lion leaped into the air, jumping eight meters high, and pounced on the general's head. The Magic Beast Knight quickly pulled the two hammers, each the size of a baby's head, from the sides, smashing them toward the general's temples.
This chain hammer was the true weapon of the Magic Beast Knight. The previous battle-axe was just a temporary substitute for convenience in the previous melee. These two hammer heads were different from the previous flying hammer, clearly of a higher quality, and the craftsmanship was extremely complex, not only covered with gilded patterns, but also with several holes on them. At this moment, the two meteor hammers emitted a ghostly and shrill sound as they spiraled down from high in the air, a sound that suddenly resounded in the brain, enough to startle anyone.
The general was not weak; he quickly found the weak spot of his opponent: the chain hammer was like a venomous snake, and the segment of the iron chain behind the hammer was the crucial part.
The general gripped the sword with both hands and made two precise strikes, chopping accurately at the two segments of the iron chain. Unexpectedly, the seemingly ordinary iron chain actually withstood two strikes from the treasured sword, making only "pu pu" sounds but remaining undamaged. The general's two strikes hit the vital points, and the meteor hammer was blocked and pushed back.
Dinora was astonished: "What is this iron chain made of, to be able to withstand eight strikes." Although the general seemed to have made only two strikes, he had actually moved eight times.
Ge Zheng heard the peculiar sounds and pondered for a moment, saying: "By the sound of it, the iron chain contains some deep sea iron and a few metal dragon bones, but it's hard to say about the specific composition." Dinora had originally asked casually, but she did not expect him to actually mention the ingredients, which made her have a higher opinion of him.
The Magic Beast Knight's double hammers were ineffective, and the giant lion, seeing that it was about to fall behind the general, unexpectedly lunged upward and landed on the lion's hindquarters, with the hammers changing direction sharply, flying back toward the general's head.
Dinora was greatly surprised: "Magic Beast Knight skill!" She thought to herself, that guy can actually use Magic Beast Knight skills. If she were on horseback, she definitely would not be a match for these two.
In fact, the knight's skill was quite useless, perhaps having some effect only in a charge; in one-on-one combat, it was completely useless. But if you had a magic beast as a mount, it was a different story altogether. Magic beasts were not only stronger than warhorses, but also more intelligent, able to cooperate with the knight and unleash unexpected Magic Beast Knight skills.
Just like the move the giant lion had just made.
This skill indeed caught the general off guard. He quickly retracted his head and his whole body, like a loach, swiftly slid under the warhorse. Unfortunately, the warhorse was not as fortunate; the meteor hammer hit it, breaking its spine with a thud, and it collapsed with a mournful cry. However, before that happened, the general had already dodged to one side.
"Roar!" The giant lion made a move that left the general in a sorry state, avenging the arrow that had just been shot at it. Filled with rage, it continuously clawed at the ground, roaring at the general.
The general's expression darkened, and with a swing of his hands above his head, he brought down the treasured sword, splitting his opponent's face in half.
Clang! A rainbow-colored radiance flashed on the blade, and the general's feet leapt into the air. In that instant, he struck dozens of times in mid-air, each strike carrying a powerful rainbow fighting spirit, shining like a brilliant firework in the sky. Seventy excessively powerful strikes surged toward the Magic Beast Knight, even the unruly giant lion couldn't help but take a step back.
The Magic Beast Knight fiercely clamped his legs, and the giant lion let out a furious roar. The Magic Beast Knight's body also emitted a brilliant rainbow-colored radiance, resisting the general's aerial assault.
"Woo, woo, woo" The meteor hammer emitted a haunting sound as it spun slowly.
The rainbow-colored radiance in the air suddenly accelerated and plunged downward, like a meteor burning with rainbow flames crashing toward the ground. The giant lion, unwilling to show weakness, leaped toward the general, boosted by its owner's fighting spirit. The giant lion vigorously pounced, and the Magic Beast Knight wielded his twin hammers to deliver a series of heavy blows.
The general was entirely surrounded by a shining fighting spirit, caught off guard by the combined attacks of the man and the beast. The lion unexpectedly leaped another two meters in the air, landing directly over the general's head.
Dinora's face changed: "This is bad!"
The general also realized that the situation was not good, and his expression changed. But he had no time to make any adjustments, as the lion let out a roar, spewing out a rainbow-colored fighting spirit ball from its mouth—this was their ultimate Magic Beast Knight skill.
At the same time, the Magic Beast Knight's chain hammer turned into a rainbow-colored light beam, intercepting the general's neck, while the other hammer suddenly disappeared silently, only to reappear behind the general's head.
In a critical situation, the general also burst out with remarkable power, spurting out dense fighting spirit to block the chain. However, he could no longer avoid the fighting spirit ball above him. While pushing himself backward and swinging the sword, he launched an attack. This strike was clearly his limit, slashing seven times in a row!
The seven narrow and colorful sword energy lines combined, breaking through the fighting spirit ball.
"Bang!" The light ball exploded with a loud bang, sending the general flying dozens of meters. Before he could even land, the lion had already pounced on him again.
With the Magic Beast Knight about to bring down his chain hammer, the giant lion bit the general's treasured sword. The knight made a swift move, entangling the chains with the lion's body, and both hammer heads swished down together.
A sly look appeared in the general's eyes, as the hand holding the treasured sword suddenly pulled back, and a short dagger appeared from the sword's hilt!
The general shrank his body, swiftly diving under the giant lion's belly. A bright red flame suddenly burst from the short dagger, turning out to be a magical dagger!
"Hiss" The short dagger stabbed into the giant lion's belly, accompanied by a surge of bright fire magic, which dried up the blood, and a blaze ignited under the lion's belly, causing it to emit a painful howl and drop the treasured sword it had in its mouth. Sensing danger, the Magic Beast Knight urged the magic beast to flee the city as fast as it could.
With the situation taking a sharp turn, Dinora watched in amazement, and Ge Zheng couldn't help but praise: "The mother and son swords, with the son being a magical dagger. Although it can only unleash a second-level magic, it's still good."
Dinora suddenly realized that the term "mother and son swords" was definitely not something Ge Zheng had improvised, and she was surprised by how much he seemed to know about everything!
"Bang" The general fell from the air, and Ge Zheng stepped forward, saying, "Let's go take a look. Since we've encountered this, if we can help, let's do it." He silently added the second half of the sentence in his mind: This might also count as accumulating some good karma. Perhaps in the future, when activating the teleportation array, it might bring some good luck.
As he stepped forward, Ge Zheng spoke a bit loudly, at the very moment the Magic Beast Knight passed by him. The lion beneath him suddenly let out a mournful roar, fell to the ground with a loud thud, and crashed over ten meters away. A long scratch was left on the ground by the refined beast armor.
"Karn!" The Magic Beast Knight cried out in pain, and the giant lion raised its head weakly, then drooped it down. The life and death bond with the riding beast had been broken. Overwhelmed with anger and grief, the Magic Beast Knight suddenly leaped up and roared to the sky, his rage engulfing the city of Oba.
The first person he laid his eyes on happened to be the enemy. He fiercely swung the chain hammer, and the two hammer heads struck with a piercing sound, aiming them at Ge Zheng.
Dinora quickly leaped up, ignoring her own injuries, and stood in front of Ge Zheng. With a "clang", she unsheathed her horizontal sword and struck the chain hammer.
"I'm blocking this for you. I guess I've repaid my debt to you." Dinora had come to a realization; the Magic Beast Knight was a tenth-level warlord, and even at her peak, she wasn't his match, especially with her current injuries. She was taking this stance in a desperate attempt to help Ge Zheng. After all, he was an alchemist, and among this group of people, she was the only warrior. Even if she knew she was facing certain death, for the honor of a warrior, she had to stand up, let alone considering that she owed Ge Zheng her life.
"Clang, clang!" Both hammers were blocked, and the haunting sound of the chain hammer abruptly ceased. Dinora felt no vibration in her hands. In front of her, a row of shields appeared.
Ge Zheng pulled her behind himself with a reach of his hand. "I don't need you to block this for me. Although it might embarrass you to hear me say this, you're really getting in the way standing here…"
As Dinora moved behind Ge Zheng, at that moment, she felt a strange emotion in her heart: besides her father, she had never hidden behind a man before. Dinora had always fought at the front, never shying away like a woman behind a man.
She was very tall, almost as tall as an orc, and Ge Zheng was even shorter than her. However, standing behind this man who had just saved her twice, she suddenly felt a warm sense of security. If this feeling were allowed to develop further, it might very well lead to something called love.
However, this feeling was abruptly interrupted by Ge Zheng's unkind words, leaving Dinora seething with anger. "That damned man, does he think that saving me gives him the right to insult the honor of a warrior! One day, I'll make him understand that I, Dinora, am more powerful than him!"
This thought only lingered briefly in Dinora's mind before being crushed by the harsh reality.
The fury of a tenth-level warlord was truly terrifying. The Magic Beast Knight wielded his chain hammer, and horrifying ghostly cries echoed in the sky as he continued to overwhelm everything in his path. The chain hammer almost crushed everything in its way, collapsing houses, breaking trees, and shattering a stone monument at the entrance of a lane. The Magic Beast Knight had reached the peak of his power, his rainbow fighting spirits towering, and the chain hammer, now even more frightening under the influence of the rainbow fighting spirits, could not find a way through Ge Zheng's Matrix Shift Shields.
The Warcraft Knight roared with a continuous and thunderous frenzy, but he just couldn't handle Ge Zheng. He repeatedly burst out his own fighting spirit, but time and time again, he returned empty-handed.
"Ah!" The Warcraft Knight opened his arms and roared angrily, his hands swiftly spun around the iron chains, and two chains danced in the air, drawing out a huge black ball. The diameter of the ball was about two meters long, and the Knight's colorful fighting spirit burst out, filling the two balls in an instant. This was his most powerful combat technique! Compared to this move, the previous Fall Moon Slash that broke through the defense of the Long Street was not even worth mentioning.
"Rainbow Double Sun!" The Warcraft Knight shouted loudly, lifting the two two-meter diameter rainbow balls, leaping up ten meters, and smashing down from the sky!
The massive energy accumulated in the air caused electric sparks to flicker and crackle, making a crackling sound. The two sun balls fell, but Ge Zheng seemed not to have seen them. In an instant, the defensive matrix of the Matrix Shift Shield changed from a rotating matrix to a double-line matrix.
"Boom boom" two loud noises, a surge of airflow rolled in, and Dino-la, who had just stuck his head out from behind Ge Zheng, was blown into a dizzy spell, his muscles twitching, and the black rope holding his long hair snapped, letting the hair float.
The shockwave crushed all the scattered objects within six meters of Ge Zheng into powder, and turned into a hurricane six meters away, blowing trees and tilting houses!
However, after the chaos, Ge Zheng, under the protection of the Matrix Shift Shield, appeared unscathed in front of the Warcraft Knight. He flicked a trace of ice-blue flame on his fingertip, but upon closer inspection, it was not a flame, but a magical character shaped like a flame.
Alchemy Attack! Ge Zheng had been preparing the Alchemy Attack all this time.
Ge Zheng considered himself competent in combat skills, but only to the extent of being "competent." It was impossible for him to defeat the Warcraft Knight. Ge Zheng was different from the usual alchemists; he had far better fighting ability than most alchemists, and the standard Matrix Shift Shield.
Normally, alchemical attacks were not fast enough to deal with warriors, but Ge Zheng's were. Additionally, standard alchemical attacks could not reach far enough to hit mages, but Ge Zheng had the skill level of a Level-7 Warlord.
Even non-combat alchemists in Ge Zheng's hands could participate in battle. The Flaming Ice Glyph was an alchemical attack, using the easily encrypted complete magical language of the Minos Magic Language, and it did not need to be heavily encrypted. Because the Warcraft Knight was not an alchemist, he would not be able to counter the Alchemy Attack.
Inside the ice-blue flames, magical characters flickered. Ge Zheng's fingertips were performing a deadly dance!
The Warcraft Knight was by no means prepared for Ge Zheng to emerge unscathed under his attack. When Ge Zheng appeared in front of him, he was visibly stunned. However, upon seeing the flickering flames on Ge Zheng's fingertips, a sly smile appeared behind his mask. His armor was imbued with an anti-magic attribute by a certain noble, and this small flame, or even a Level-5 Magic Flame Mountain, would not break his anti-magic defense!
Ge Zheng waved his hand, and the ice-blue flames roared out.
This hastily made alchemical attack could not compare to the dazzling flame giant sword of the Dark Alchemist, but it was more than enough to deal with the Warcraft Knight.
At the moment the flames flew out, a gap appeared in the Matrix Shift Shield. The Warcraft Knight rejoiced, as his previous attacks had been futile because of the insufferable ubiquitous shield. This was a prime opportunity, and the Warcraft Knight roared, a burst of fighting spirit shining to protect himself as he lunged.
That small flame? It was dismissed entirely! It was resisted with armor and fighting spirit.
The ice-blue flame floated, bypassing the Level-4 magic-resistant seven-colored fighting spirit, rendering the armor behind the fighting spirit useless. The little flame, like a malnourished child, had learned how to pass through walls using a magical spell and darted in!
The Warcraft Knight's body suddenly jerked. After all, he was a Level-10 Warlord, and he realized that something was amiss. He abruptly halted his charge, struggling backward. The ice-blue flame scorched his chest but he managed to shake it off. His speed was far beyond Ge Zheng's, and while the Alchemical Attack did not fully succeed, it had left a patch of frost on his chest.
"Ah—" The Warcraft Knight let out a pained cry. Although the alchemical attack had only slightly scorched him, the damage was not insignificant! The chilling cold in his chest not only froze his body but also spread towards his fighting spirit!
For a warrior, if his fighting spirit was frozen, even if he were a Level-13 War God, he would be rendered helpless! He dared not linger in battle and turned to sprint into the city gate tunnel, quickly speeding into the forest outside the city.
Dino-la watched in astonishment: a Level-10 warlord had been driven off! When did alchemists become combat-oriented professionals! What were the blue flames on Ge Zheng's finger, certainly similar to magic, but definitely not magic—she had clearly seen the magic-resistant totem patterns on the armor of the Warcraft Knight.
Based on Dino-la's understanding of this world, it was difficult to explain the necessity of Ge Zheng's existence. In the end, the female warrior reached a conclusion in her heart: this guy was a freak.
Ge Zheng casually extinguished the ice-blue flames, walked over to the injured Knight, and leaned over to check on him. The Knight removed his helmet, then loosened the buckle behind his chest plate to ease his discomfort. "I'm fine," the Knight managed a smile. He glanced at his sword lying not far away, which had already twisted and deformed under the lion's sharp claws. "What a pity for my sword..."
Ge Zheng could see that the Knight's armor was expensive, indicating his wealth. A thought crossed his mind, "If I help you repair your sword, how much would you be willing to pay?"
In the background, Kang Ming expressed great joy, "A big deal as soon as we enter the city, ha ha, good fortune is coming!"
Dino-la shook her head, "This weirdo lacks the demeanor of a master. He should value the talents of this Knight, who has been touched by his courage and offered to help him repair his weapon without accepting any payment. It would be best if he could take the weapon to the next level!"
Kang Ming looked at her strangely, "How do you know these details?" Dino-la wrinkled her nose, "Just because I don't look like a girl doesn't mean I don't read romantic novels about girls!"
Ming said, "..."
The Knight looked at Ge Zheng with some confusion, "Are you an alchemist?" Ge Zheng pointed to the certification badge on his chest with his finger. The Knight hastily apologized, "I'm sorry, I thought you were a powerful warrior after seeing you defeat the Warcraft Knight earlier." He apologized but his strange look betrayed his uncertainty. "If you can repair my sword, I'm willing to pay you six thousand gold coins."
Was Ge Zheng really at ease? He didn't even himself know. He picked up the double-bladed sword from the ground and helped the Knight to his feet. Around them, footsteps and clattering of armor resounded as a well-equipped group of soldiers emerged from the streets and alleys - the true elite force of the city, the First Legion of the Royal Guard had finally arrived.
This was a conclusion, no matter which world, reinforcements always arrived after everything had ended.
...
Dekmont was not of the Maris Principality; he held a high position in the Austar Empire's royalty. His visit to Oba City this time was simply a routine inspection on behalf of Emperor Meiji IV. Unexpectedly, he encountered a group of audacious and powerful thieves who had raided Oba City. Not only had he lost all his guards, but he had also lost his handy weapons and had been injured himself.
When the Maris Grand Duke heard that Dekmont was injured, he was greatly alarmed. He did not concern himself with calming the panicked residents of the city and promptly took a horse-drawn carriage to visit this esteemed guest of the Emperor.
The Maris Grand Duke, middle-aged with six wives and many mistresses, led a life of luxury, but his lean figure and middle-aged balding appearance made him look less like a grand duke and more like a sharp, ruthless pawnbroker within the court.
"Baron Dekmont, on behalf of the entire Maris Principality, I offer my sincerest apologies to you!" The Grand Duke said, placing his hand over his chest, making a standard noble gesture. He was a grand duke, yet he did not dare offend this noble figure by the Emperor's side.
Dekmont's injuries were not too serious. After receiving treatment from a human cleric from the Temple of the Bright Odin, he had improved significantly in complexion, lying on a couch resting.
"Your Grace, you are too polite. Dekmont is a military man, and in such circumstances, it was only natural for me to take action," Dekmont said with a noble aura, following it with a touch of sorrow, "It's just my guards, who lie buried in a foreign land, leaving behind their elderly parents, wives, and children..."
The Maris Grand Duke immediately assured, "You need not worry, Baron. We will bear the compensation for your guards. It will be two thousand gold coins per person!"
Standing nearby, Ge Zheng was shocked to hear this. With a loss of over two hundred men in this battle, at two thousand gold coins per person, that equaled four hundred thousand gold coins. The Grand Duke didn't appear generous, so Ge Zheng didn't expect him to be so generous.
"Moreover," the Grand Duke continued, "the losses you have incurred will be borne by me personally. I'm willing to present you with five hundred thousand gold coins, for you to establish your private guard once again."
Even with the most exquisite dwarf equipment, accompanied by a purebred warhorse from the Orc Grasslands, the cost per knight was no more than a thousand gold coins. This private guard of two hundred men would only require two hundred thousand gold coins to reestablish. Even including the training costs, it would not exceed three hundred thousand. Despite this, the Grand Duke, "generously," was offering five hundred thousand. Ge Zheng didn't know much about the nobility of this world, but he was beginning to sense the politics behind the scenes.
Dekmont chuckled and didn't refuse, "I am truly honored. Oba City's southern charm is enchanting. After my recovery, I will honestly inform the Emperor of how well you have governed the Maris Principality."
The Grand Duke's face was relaxed, and he seemed to have grown a few centimeters taller. "Hehe, when you have recovered, I will personally take you to tour the beauty of the southern part of the Empire."
Dekmont's expression dimmed, "It's a pity that my twin crescent blade has been damaged, but it is fortunate that your Master Ge here is willing to repair it for me. He also saved my life. If he can restore my crescent blade, then he has saved me twice." Ge Zheng stood at the side, nodding slightly to the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke politely returned the gesture while looking at Ge Zheng, who seemed unimpressive and without any exceptional skill. However, Dekmont's twin crescent blade was one of the top ten famous weapons in the capital, reaching the level of a quasi-sacred artifact. The palace alchemists who only idled away their time surely wouldn't be able to repair it. Since someone was willing to shoulder the blame, it was a great thing.
When thinking about this, the Grand Duke showed a very friendly smile to Ge Zheng: "This young master is able to repair the works of the master craftsman Arnold Welanlova, who was honored four hundred years ago. It is truly admirable! Your lordship, please rest assured, your benefactor is also my benefactor, and I will definitely take good care of Master Ge." The Grand Duke muttered to himself: "I don't know if this person has the ability, but his name is really difficult to pronounce."