“Clang”
The broken blade danced in the darkness, and as it separated with a piercing sound, the shattered blade fragments scattered everywhere like stimulating projectiles, but they didn’t hit anyone.
Because the speed of the two figures moving at high speed and attacking each other had already surpassed the speed of the falling fragments.
Joban’s heirloom sword cane had perfectly fulfilled its duty. It had become even more deadly in the hands of its new user, leaving wounds that deepened on the assassin’s body. Unfortunately, against supernatural beings like vampires, the mere number of wounds couldn’t determine victory.
Necessary Evil thrust forward with a shriek, but was quickly deflected by Black Wood’s staff.
After this parry, the wolf-headed sword cane, carved with unusual vividness, unsheathed again, dodging and counter-attacking towards Murphy’s heart. Unfortunately, this strike was precisely caught by the Count of Kadman, who transformed into a swarm of scattered bats at the moment the blade came, perfectly evading it.
Again, this strange evasion!
Korando’s gray eyes were filled with disgust.
Previously, he thought that as a powerful Silver Hunter, dealing with a Black Iron Blood Vulture wouldn’t take much effort, but after actually engaging, he found that this Murphy was indeed quite troublesome.
“Such exceptional talent, it seems my child didn’t die in vain.”
He didn’t rush forward to attack but stayed in place, holding the staff horizontally in front of him with his left hand, and gripping the sword cane low at his side with his right. The protective leather armor he wore was of quite good quality, probably high-level protective gear, as even Necessary Evil’s blade only left insignificant scratches after multiple attacks.
However, the fatal wound on his neck, which was rapidly healing within seconds, was a bit eye-catching, both for him and for Murphy, who was reforming his shape in the darkness ahead.
Judging solely by the current appearance of the two, Murphy seemed to be at a disadvantage.
He had more wounds, and even his massive Blood Wings had been torn apart, slowly healing under the influence of Dark Spirit.
“What if I told you that Joban actually died in an accident?” Murphy said in a low voice. “At that time, I didn’t have so much power at my disposal. I was weak then, no match for him, just like now between you and me, the gap is visible to the naked eye.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Korando said, stretching his neck.
His human form was gradually disappearing, replaced by the wolf-bat true form released in battle. It was a true Wilderness Transformation, more ferocious than any Wolfsbane Murphy had seen before.
It was a monster formed from the fusion of a giant wolf and a bat, a perfect blend of night and wilderness.
The wolf-bat-like head and neck with flying mane, the hunched but muscle-bulging body, the reversed legs and strange arms connected to wings, and the constantly extending claws all made Korando’s aura more wild and fierce.
This indicated that the Greyclaw leader was gradually losing interest in the battle of techniques and began to pursue victory through absolute power crushing, which was the way of fighting that Wolfsbanes preferred.
“I don’t really care how my child died, not because I’m cold-blooded,” Korando’s voice became turbid in the release of Wilderness Transformation, like a beast’s roar. He said, “His death at your hands proves you’re stronger than him. I’ve always respected the strong, just as you should respect this power that’s about to kill you now. It’s strange. Even at this point, you still don’t show a bit of fear. Isn’t this power worth your fear?”
“Sorry, I was born with a big heart, and I’ve seen scarier things than you,” Murphy narrowed his eyes.
He knew he couldn’t drag this out any longer.
Further away from his battlefield, in the shadows of the sewer-filled area, the Astral Direwolf George was fighting side by side with the Spirit Vulture Revnor against the Astral Realm wolf pack summoned by Korando. Although it was stronger than ordinary Astral Direwolves, facing the enhanced summoning talent released by more racial potential under the Silver rank, it was fighting very hard.
Obviously, George, like its master, was also in a tough battle.
Korando and his wolf pack were no ordinary opponents. In terms of combat experience, fighting skills, and absolute strength, he was superior to the young Murphy.
He indeed had the right to act arrogantly.
Activating Shadow Step, Murphy charged forward, raising Necessary Evil in his hand, but it was knocked back by Korando’s faster and stronger sword strike. However, Murphy didn’t stop.
He let go of the repelled weapon and called forth Night Claws. The flying demon sword smoothly entered the “Two-Person Tango” mode.
When no one was holding it, its attacks became even more fierce, but this method, which had been very effective in the past, didn’t work as imagined. Korando seemed to have been prepared for this move.
The Night Claws, carrying real damage, pierced into the Greyclaw leader’s body, but Necessary Evil, attacking from the flank, was deflected by the sword cane. The ferocious demon sword wasn’t angered but accelerated its attack. However, in the clanging of weapons, all of its killing moves were blocked by Korando.
Murphy’s claws constantly created wounds on the Greyclaw leader’s body, but the latter, with his thick blood, could endure and take these attacks.
He seemed to have truly transformed into a beast.
With keen perception, he made his body dodge fatal wounds each time, and in constant attacks and evasions, he made it difficult for Murphy’s claws to perform a one-hit kill.
After each heart-piercing claw thrust, those wounds would heal rapidly. Obviously, Korando’s self-healing ability under his wolf-bat true form had reached a level that Murphy found difficult to “break through”.
Great strength, fast speed, unparalleled self-healing ability, beast-like danger perception – this was the fully formed battle style of the Wolfsbane thugs now before Murphy’s eyes.
Murphy decided to call it “Thick-skinned” for now.
Apart from not being able to fly and having an ugly appearance, there were almost no exploitable weaknesses.
Indeed, “kiting” is the correct way to fight warriors. However, just as Murphy took out the miser’s crossbow to start the second phase, a chilling wind suddenly blew into this dangerous battlefield.
The Count of Kadman looked back and saw Andrei appearing in the enveloping cold wind, holding the Frostfang blade.
He waved his hand, throwing 5 ice-sealed wolfsbane hearts to Murphy, then the Count of White Mountain said softly:
“Although this is a bit abrupt, I ask you to give your enemy to me, Count of Kadman.
I need this perfect wolf-bat heart to submit to my ancestors, proving my growth and my hunt, to seek the qualification to rebuild my faction.”
“Say, when I was entangled with Korando earlier, you were hiding nearby peeking, right?”
Murphy threw the ice-sealed hearts in his hand into the spirit bag, saying in an unfriendly tone:
“Were you planning to be an oriole? Or did you think the fisherman profession really suits you?”
“It’s not as despicable as you think. I had no intention of killing two birds with one stone. I just used your brilliant battle to obtain a way to defeat this undead beast, after all, his strength far exceeds mine.
But I also have my ambitions!
I don’t want to die here, so I must find an opportunity to survive and get an excellent trophy.
Killing Korando is just an optional victory for you, but it means a lot to me. Moreover, the blood pact between Duchess Shani and Duchess Tris also needs the blood of a common enemy to embellish.
It’s better for both of us if I personally give this blood pact item.”
The Count of White Mountain replied quite frankly:
“Please give me this opportunity. I promise that my faction and I will be your loyal subordinates in the upcoming Black Disaster battle.
I swear in the name of my ancestor, the hero king Boris!
We will fulfill our promise.”
“Whoosh”
Murphy nimbly dodged the pounce from the deadly wolf-bat in the air, then smashed another charged spirit lightning bolt on it, refreshing the “paralysis and slowdown” negative status that had just faded.
He glanced at Andrei, who had obviously activated some kind of winter power not belonging to vampires, and said:
“Although Korando’s weak magic is a known weakness, with his destructive power in his wolf-bat true form, you might die if his claws touch you.
Do you really have the resolve to dance on the knife’s edge?”
“I can only answer you that I have my ambitions!”
Andrei stepped forward, holding Frostfang.
As he stepped into the darkness, the cold wind entangling around him suddenly intensified. Layers of swirling frost swept across the ground like an extreme freezing tide, causing visible white frost to extend and descend.
“He’s yours, ambitious one.
You still owe me a dawn poem of Transia. Don’t die here, otherwise, it would be hard for me to explain all this to Lady Shani and your sister.”
Murphy flew away from the battlefield in the frost impact, landing and reaching out to grab Korando’s sword cane, which fell into his hand and was then sheathed in his cane. He left without looking back.
He gave up this victory in exchange for a temporarily usable force. The role transition from warrior to ruler was smooth, and he didn’t need this victory to prove himself.
But Andrei really needed it.
In the place where Murphy had fought, he held Frostfang, looking at the ferocious wolf-bat covered in layers of frost before him. This was the most dangerous creature he had ever faced from childhood to adulthood.
Second only to his sister.
“The winter wolves patrolling the great wilderness are as dangerous as you, but they’re much more handsome than you.”
The Count of White Mountain said in a low voice:
“I will make you into a gift. Your heart will be sent to my ancestors, your head to my sister. She will see my growth allowing me to get closer to her... allowing me to become the shadow under that throne, the only shadow.
I will eventually catch up with her steps.
And you!
You are the first step of this ambition!”