Chapter 89: Ch:89 Marco vs Paladin’s

*Thud-Thud-Thud*

*BOOM*

“Master!” Jerald Shouted.

The shamans froze, eyes wide in shock. The paladin slammed its mace into the ground near Marco, sending a shockwave rippling outward like a miniature earthquake, kicking up clouds of dust that hung thick over the impact site.

Inside the swirling dust, lightning sparks danced in every direction. The shamans felt a flicker of relief at the sight.

Before the paladin could lift its weapon, a devastating bolt of lightning struck its chest.

*BZZ!-BWHOSH-BOOM!*

The moment it collided, the force radiated outward in a cone, hitting with such power that it sent the paladin flying before crashing him hard into the ground.

Daniel’s eyes widened. ’Wait… that move… It was the same move as that mister mysterious guy.’

“Status,” he murmured.

—————

Mana: 1900/4000

—————

’What?! That strike only cost ten mana,’ Daniel thought, utterly flabbergasted.

Meanwhile, one of the paladins struggled to its feet while the other remained down. But instead of charging fully, the rising paladin swung its mace and hurled it straight at Marco.

Some shamans tried to shout, to warn their master, but the moment passed too quickly—their voices caught, dying in their throats.

*BZZST-KABOOM*

Yet instead of dodging—though he easily could—Marco met the weapon head-on, shattering it into pieces.

Without missing a beat, he unleashed another thunderbolt straight at the paladin’s chest, sending it flying as its armor splintered and cracked under the impact.

*DSH~ THUD—CLANG*

’Heh… got you,’ Marco thought, charging toward the fallen paladin.

Once its chest armor was shattered, a red, glowing orb was revealed inside—it was the paladin’s energy core.

Without wasting a second, Marco leapt high and fired a lightning bolt straight at it. The core shattered like glass, the paladin’s eyes extinguishing their red glow as its body convulsed violently, jerking like a beheaded chicken.

“Master, you did it!”

“Master, that was so… cool!”

The shamans stared in awe, mouths slightly agape, their earlier fear giving way to a mix of admiration and disbelief.

But the fight wasn’t over.

A strange red aura, flecked with white sparks, flowed into the other fallen paladin. Its dull armor gleamed like freshly forged silver, and even its mace shone with a deadly brilliance.

The moment the aura stopped flowing from the dead paladin, its body crumbled like an empty vessel. From the living paladin, a gap in its armor glowed red as it rose to its feet. It lifted its mace and twisted the handle, revealing a chain attached to the ball.

’Hmm… now the annoying part starts,’ Marco thought, charging another thunderstrike.

*BZZ-BOOM!*

Marco fired another devastating thunderbolt. It spread in a cone the moment it struck, but to his surprise, the paladin only took a single step back before hurling its chained mace at him.

“Status,” Daniel whispered, his eyes wide.

——————

Name: Corrupt Vassal I

Race: Unknown

HP: 4690/6000

Mana: 1390/1500

Description: A creature renowned for its brute strength, unwavering will, and absolute loyalty to its master. When one partner falls, the surviving paladin gain a 50% boost to damage and speed.

{ Buff: Damage increased by 50%, Movement Speed Increased by 50% }

{ Temporary Buff: Incoming Damage is reduced by 60% [ 2m15s] }

——————

Marco dodged the mace strike and quickly closed the distance between them. To his surprise, the paladin yanked the chained ball back almost instantly, swinging it toward him from behind—but Marco sidestepped at the last moment.

“Oh gosh, that almost hit Master,” said Pise, his eyes narrowed.

“Yes… you’re right,” Jerald murmured.

Belinda smiled faintly. “No. Your master is just enjoying himself—after years of teaching, it’s been a while since he’s fought a dungeon boss.”

The shamans shifted their gazes from Belinda back to Marco. He was dodging every strike the paladin threw at him.

The ground trembled each time the mace slammed into it, sending vibrations through the battlefield.

’Hmm… if I remember correctly, it should be a minute or two before I can destroy this scrap of metal,’ Marco thought as he evaded another blow.

*Swoosh-BANG-Whoosh-STOMP*

The paladin tried everything it could to land a single blow, yet Marco dodged each attack with effortless precision. Vertical swings, horizontal strikes, crushing stomps—every one of them missed.

…

*BZZRTT-BOOM!*

The moment the red glow faded from its armor and the silver sheen dulled, Marco unleashed a thunderstrike straight at its chest.

The paladin was sent flying into the air before crashing down with a heavy thud.

*Tang!-Clang*

“Finish it Master!” Bernard barked.

“Yes Master… finish it!!” Zushio shouted.

Hearing his student’s words, Marco immediately leapt toward the fallen paladin. Its body lay flat from the impact, momentarily stunned. It struggled to rise, but Marco landed firmly on its chest—right where his lightning had struck.

Cracks had already begun to spread across its chest. Marco pressed his palm against the fractured armor and unleashed another blast.

*BZZ-BOOM!*

His attack didn’t destroy the chest armor—it passed straight through it, bypassing the metal entirely and shattering the energy core within.

“Status,” Daniel whispered almost immediately.

—————

Mana: 1710/4000

—————

’Oh… that move consumed a lot of his mana. It must be some kind of special technique,’ he thought, his eyes fixed on Marco.

Slowly, the red glow in its eyes faded. The armor began to crumble, each piece detaching and falling away, revealing nothing inside—the core had already been destroyed.

The mini-boss had been defeated.

“Let’s move, students,” Belinda said softly.

Some of the shamans immediately ran toward their master, while others approached at a normal pace. The guards and Belinda followed behind, walking calmly.

Suddenly, a glowing stone from the ceiling broke loose and dropped down like a rectangular platform.

*DSHH!*

Dust billowed upon impact. As it slowly settled, a chest was revealed at the center of the platform, glowing stones embedded beneath it and casting an eerie light across the chamber.

“What the? *cough* Hey, it’s a chest!” Jerald exclaimed, immediately rushing toward it.

The chest was wooden, reinforced with a metal bands wrapped tightly around it, green gems embedded along its edges.

’Wait… don’t tell me it’s going to jump,’ Daniel thought as he dashed toward it.

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