Chapter 309 - The Great Expedition (11)

Chapter 309 - The Great Expedition (11)

“You!”

“Yes, the one you’ve been looking for is right here!’

Swoosh-!

Along with his response, McDowell skillfully showcased his unique spell, Sword Drawing. His sword energy extended like a whip, hurtling toward Gluttony.

The apostle swiftly raised both arms to block the attack.

Crack!

“...!”

The moment the sword energy made contact with his forearm, Gluttony came to a painful awakening. The impact of the sword energy wasn’t ticklish like before; it actually hurt, which made Gluttony realize that something had changed.

‘What in the...?’

Although it was subtle, McDowell could tell that he had thrown off Gluttony, his pupils dilated from the surprise.

He wouldn’t let this chance go to waste.

While Gluttony was still stunned, McDowell took the opportunity to propel himself forward once again with the intent of taking Gluttony’s head. His eyes burned with such determination that it seemed like he would split the earth in two with his sword.

Rumble!

This time, McDowell didn’t use Sword Drawing. Rather, he unleashed his sword strike with all his might, the attack rushing at Gluttony akin to a raging dragon, eventually swallowing him whole.

True to his moniker of Sonic McDowell, it all happened in an instant. Gluttony couldn’t avoid the barrage of Aura blades, so he had to withstand all of them.

‘...’

The consecutive attacks formed an Aura storm that whirled past Gluttony, leaving slithering marks on the ground behind him that resembled the tails of fierce dragons.

At the end of his barrage of attacks, McDowell landed gracefully and raised his blade over his head, his expression full of determination and vigor.

“It’s good to see you again. So tell me, how do you like the gift I've prepared for you?” McDowell asked with a wide grin, his eyes glistening with confidence.

However, Gluttony remained silent with his arms crossed against his face, frozen like a corpse after withstanding all those Aura blades. Smoke was coming off the wounds left by the vicious attacks.

After a few moments, Gluttony finally lowered his arms, his expression somber.

“I see.”

Gluttony, known for his jovial attitude, was uncharacteristically stern. He then muttered to himself, “Is that what you meant, Sir Arthus?”

Arthus hadn’t said anything to Gluttony in particular, yet it seemed like the apostle had arrived at some realization.

He continued to mutter to himself, “Yes... I knew it. This must be a test from Sir Arthus. He’s giving me an opportunity! The opportunity to prove myself and my loyalty for him!”

Seeing Gluttony mutter to himself like a madman, McDowell furrowed his brows. A chance to prove his loyalty? He clicked his tongue at this nonsense. He thought for a second that Gluttony had lost his mind, but then he realized that he was just a fanatic, like all the other apostles.

They were all frantically obsessed with Arthus, which explained why Gluttony was acting like that.

“That’s why you don’t mess with fanatics like them...”

McDowell touched Herabola’s rings that his colleagues had given him and carefully placed them back in his pocket. They had given him three rings, making it four with his own. Even though he wouldn’t have been able to tackle Ayla with the divine power of four rings, he decided to give it a try against Gluttony.

Despite not knowing how much divine power Gluttony had, McDowell thought he stood a chance, given that his previous attacks had worked. Moreover, he believed that the way in which he would attempt to kill Gluttony didn’t depend on the divine rings.

After grasping the situation, he took a few steps forward and told the Sages, “Please back me up.”

“Yes!”

Seeing this, Gluttony sneered, “Of course, you wouldn’t be able to handle me on your own. Forming groups is a common habit of weak humans.”

“Funny you say that, given that you used to be human yourself.”

“Hehe, the past is irrelevant. Only the present matters. In any case, you better put on a good show! I'll give you a chance to show me how much you’ve improved in just one month!” Read updated stories at novelhall.com

And with that, Gluttony vanished, using his special skill of going invisible and erasing his presence.

‘I knew it...!’

McDowell felt the same resistance in his feet he had felt in his hand earlier. He knew there was no way Gluttony would be affected by his kick, given that his Aura-infused sword couldn’t even scratch him. Noticing what he was trying to do, Gluttony scoffed and grabbed his right ankle.

“Did you really think your footwork would work on me?”

Swoosh!

Gluttony hurled McDowell with all his might high into the sky. He then leaped into the air to intercept McDowell.

Swoosh!

Gluttony was fast, perhaps even faster than a falcon in flight. As McDowell continued flying high in the air, Gluttony shouted with a wicked grin, “You’re done for!”

Bang!

Enraged, Gluttony brought his hands together and hit McDowell in the abdomen, specifically in his solar plexus.

Following the impact, McDowell felt like he couldn’t breathe at all. After all, the solar plexus was a vital point.

“Gha!”

Gluttony’s attack sent McDowell plummeting toward the ground at a higher speed than when he had ascended. Gluttony watched him drop helplessly with a sinister, cruel laugh.

However, the Sages intervened just moments before McDowell hit the ground.

“Reverse Gravity!”

Woosh—!

Thanks to the Sages, McDowell barely avoided becoming a blob on the ground.

“How dare those bastards...!”

Gluttony was furious at the Sages for saving McDowell. He had momentarily forgotten about them as he soared in the air to strike McDowell. He huffed, veins bulging on his forehead.

People hated mosquitoes, not because they sucked their blood, but because they were pesky despite being insignificant beings. And to Gluttony, these Sages were nothing more than a bunch of mosquitoes waiting to be squashed.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll take care of you first.”

In Gluttony’s mind, everything that had occurred in this fight was merely part of Arthus’ test. Thus, he was determined to kill every single member of Henry’s expedition, regardless of how much time it was going to take.

In other words, the Sages had just become the apostle’s new targets.

With a change of heart, Gluttony turned in the air and descended rapidly toward the Sages. As he made his way down, Gluttony brought his arms together, shaping them into a colossal spear.

But just before he reached the Sages...

“Desert’s Castle!”

Rumble, rumble! Roar!

A pile of sand that did not match the surrounding soil rose like a wave and swallowed up Gluttony from the sky.

“Ghaaa!!”

His body turned red and sizzled with smoke as the sand engulfed him. The sand that rose from the ground was actually extremely hot, close to boiling oil.

Gluttony let out an agonized scream.

Something wasn’t right, but it worked out in the Sages’ favor.

The apostle hadn’t even blinked at the explosion magic of the 7th-Circle Sages, but he was screaming in agony as he was being swept away by the sands of Desert’s Castle, which showed just how powerful this spell really was.

But none of the Sages had cast this spell... The caster was none other than...

“Everyone, now!”

“Y-yes, sir!”

He was Herarion Khan, the sole guardian of the Shahatra desert and ruler of its kingdom, the new Sword of La.