78: Chapter 78 Count Farrell, Dead! The Priest Under the Setting Sun!

Rowan looked at Count Farrell's back as he turned to flee, his eyes narrowing slightly, thoughts racing.

The strength of a Great Knight's protective battle aura was somewhat beyond his imagination; ordinary means could hardly shake it, but...

He thought of the attack method he had recently comprehended, which fused the two opposing characteristics of [Frost] and [Blazing].

It was not a simple explosion, but an effect that triggered structural [Annihilation] at a microscopic level. Perhaps...

It was worth a try!

If that failed, he would force it no further.

His mind made up, Rowan no longer hesitated.

He spoke loudly toward the figure about to disappear into the mist:

"Count, aren't you curious why the Church knew the exact time and location of this ritual?"

"I found quite a few interesting things in Viscount Gladstone's secret chamber."

As the words fell.

The fleeing figure ahead suddenly stiffened, stopping dead in the mountain forest.

Count Farrell turned around slowly.

The horrific wound on his chest was still sizzling, the flesh at the edges constantly dissolving under the residual power of the Source Fire.

His face was as pale as paper, but his eyes projected extreme coldness and resentment, staring fixedly at Rowan.

"So it was you..." His voice was hoarse and broken:

"You have truly... angered me!"

He suddenly bared his teeth, revealing blood-stained fangs, his smile hideous and insane: "Don't you want to kill me? So, what are you waiting for?"

Dragging his broken body, he stopped running and instead took a step toward Rowan:

"Come!"

"I am right here!"

"Come and kill me!"

Count Farrell roared, approaching Rowan.

But...

As he advanced, Rowan retreated.

For every step he took, Rowan retreated the exact same distance, not a hair's breadth off.

Count Farrell: "..."

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

But there was no mirth in his eyes, only bottomless resentment and hatred.

He stared fixedly at Rowan; it was this seemingly insignificant country Baron who had ruined his family's foundation and destroyed his path as a Great Knight!

And that fool Gladstone!

Deserved to die!

Bone-deep hatred surged in his eyes!

But he had to leave.

Count Farrell turned away again without hesitation.

Preparing to flee with all his might...

That was the moment—

A sharp light flashed in Rowan's eyes!

He instantly raised his [frost speaker] longbow!

An [extreme cold star-fall arrow] appeared out of thin air on the string!

[Insight] was fully activated, locking onto the weakness created the moment Count Farrell turned.

The [Frost] and [Blazing] characteristics attached to the arrowhead, ice-blue and crimson lights flickering!

The [Wind Breath] characteristic wrapped silently around the arrow shaft, granting it speed and stability beyond limits.

Finally, [Blood Rage] linked with [Blazing]!

He burned the qi and blood within his body in exchange for the most extreme burst of power!

The bow body trembled, the string pulled into a full moon.

Release!

Rapid fire!

"Boom! Boom! Boom—!!!"

Three shrieks that sounded like the tearing of space exploded!

He fired three arrows in succession, connecting head to tail!

Wind Breath, Annihilation, Frost Bridge Chain Shot!

The first arrow slammed into the layer of protective battle aura on Count Farrell's back!

The Flame Purple light and dark gold battle aura collided violently!

There was no deafening explosion.

Only silent annihilation!

Lights of various colors flickered at the point of contact, dimming and brightening.

The second arrow arrived without a moment's delay, precisely piercing the weak center created by the first arrow!

A more intense energy explosion!

The Flame Purple light flared, carrying a characteristic that seemed to erode all things, completely annihilating the protective battle aura in that area and revealing an extremely unstable void!

The third arrow, the fatal arrow!

It followed the void opened by the first two arrows and shot in with an extremely tricky angle!

Pfft—!

It was no longer the dull sound of energy annihilation, but the tearing sound of a blade entering flesh!

The Flame Purple power of annihilation erupted in Count Farrell's back!

No explosion, only the purest power of annihilation!

Count Farrell's chest was completely pierced!

A terrifying, transparent hole instantly appeared!

No flesh or blood splattered from the hole, only fine powder drifted about!

"Urgh—ah—!!!"

Count Farrell let out a scream of extreme misery, his momentum of flight coming to an abrupt halt.

He stumbled forward, his eyes filled with incomprehensible shock, horror, and endless pain.

He looked down and saw the gaping hole in his chest.

He felt his vitality flowing away frantically from that breach like a bursting levee.

He... was pierced by a Peak Knight...

With one arrow...?

How could this be?!

He turned his head with difficulty to look at Rowan, who stood holding the bow behind him, his lips moving as if wanting to say something.

But only black-red blood foam bubbled from his mouth.

The last glimmer of light in his eyes faded rapidly, filled with endless unwillingness, resentment, and absurdity...

His burly body fell heavily into the gravel and withered grass of the mountain path, twitched twice, and became completely still.

The uncrowned king of Gino County, a Great Knight-level powerhouse, Fergus Farrell...

Died in the desolate mountain forest of Mount Elbrus!

Rowan slowly lowered the [frost speaker], breathing slightly.

Those three arrows just now were not that simple.

They had almost exhausted his current Peak Knight-level battle aura and mental energy.

The weakness from using [Blood Rage] and [Blazing] together also began to emerge.

If he hadn't killed the opponent, he would be the one fleeing now.

However, he had succeeded.

The Annihilation Arrow, fusing [Frost] and [Blazing], possessed the formidable power to break a Great Knight's protective battle aura!

Although the target was a Great Knight already heavily injured.

But that was still a Great Knight!

He stepped forward, preparing to check on the situation.

Just at this moment—

Boom—!!!

A terrifying, massive sound, far greater than any previous battle, suddenly came from the direction of Mist Whisper Town!

Even on Mount Elbrus, Rowan could feel the slight tremor of the earth beneath his feet, and the violently chaotic energy in the air!

He turned sharply, looking toward Mist Whisper Town.

And saw—

The pale red mist covering the small town was violently torn open by a slash of pure white light!

The light of the setting sun, like a waterfall of molten gold, pierced the gloom and spilled down.

And in the center of the sky, where gold and blood interwove.

A shocking scene came into view—

That hideous blood-colored giant python was erupting with endless, pure white, and Blazing flame light from within!

Wherever the flame light passed, sticky blood evaporated, and the phantoms of wriggling internal organs turned to ash!

The python body, dozens of meters long, exploded section by section in the air like a lit firecracker!

Exploding into a rain of blood and scattering points of light across the sky!

And in the sun wheel of the sunset.

Atop the python's most hideous, blood-colored head.

A figure stood silently.

The pure white priest robes were spotless, fluttering in the golden radiance and the crumbling rain of blood-colored light.

The snow-like silver hair broke free from the restraints of the crown, pouring down behind her like a waterfall, drifting gently in the wind...

She lowered her eyes; in her ice-blue pupils, there was neither sorrow nor joy, neither anger nor resentment, only an absolute calm like a god descending.

...

Sacred Era 1853, late autumn.

Aria, in the blood-colored twilight.

Slew the Scarlet God-Descended Body at Mist Whisper Town.

Silver hair like snow, white robes whiter than Frost.

...