Rampage

The Carrion Beast pounced at Lilith. Upon seeing this, the Holy Knights immediately raised their cross shields and stood in front of her.

“Protect Lady Lilith!”

“Raaawrr!”

The Carrion Beast crashed onto their shields, and the Holy Knights launched a combined shield bash, sending the creature flying backward. After regaining its footing, the Carrion Beast did not resume its attack, instead issuing a series of hostile growls at its original spot.

“Grrr… grrr… grrr!”

Everyone fixed their gaze on the Carrion Beast, feeling the powerful aura of death radiating from its body.

“It’s an undead monster, prepare to purify!”

A Holy Knight captain declared, and then the holy light flared. Their shields and weapons became cloaked in holy light power.

“Don’t be rash. There’s another creature behind it.”

Lilith spoke up. Hearing this, the Holy Knights glanced at her, then looked behind the Carrion Beast. Moments later, a man slowly walked forward.

The man was clad in a black robe and wore a mask. Although his appearance was concealed, everyone could sense the immense death aura surging from within him—and there was something special about that power.

His first words upon appearing were:

“Let the woman go, and I’ll go with you.”

Leklis spoke. Hearing that familiar voice, julie, whose mind was a little hazy, opened her eyes.

“It’s… it’s you. Get out of here, don’t worry about me!”

Julie was clever enough not to say Leklis’s name out loud.

“Look at her. She’s just an innocent woman—she shouldn’t be judged. Let me take her place.”

“You?”

“Yes. I’m the undead mage you all have been hunting. If you catch me, not only can you claim merit, you’ll also receive a hefty bounty.”

As Leklis spoke, lilith felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity from the man standing before her.

Black cloak, black mask, that unique aura of death…

“May I ask your name?”

“I have no name, but you prefer to call me… Death!”

As he said this, all present—including Lilith—widened their eyes.

Did they hear that right? Was this guy really Death?

“You’re Death!”

Lilith found it hard to believe that the formidable undead mage who once wiped out a full 50-member cleric rescue team alone now stood right in front of them. For a moment, lilith became extra vigilant.

“Yes, I am. So let’s trade—me for her. That’s a fair deal, isn’t it?”

Leklis continued. Hearing this, lilith glanced at Julie.

“No, no! Go… just leave!”

Although the girl contained an aura of death within her, she was clearly unimportant at best—a mere apprentice of an undead mage. Compared to Death himself…

Lilith hesitated. Sensing her hesitation, Astor felt something was amiss. What he wanted was a battle between Death and the Holy Knights to stall them, not for him to simply surrender right away.

“It really is quite a deal, so—”

“So it’s absolutely impossible! All filth in this world must be purified!”

Suddenly Astor sprang out, grabbing Julie and pressing a dagger to her neck.

“Stop!”

Leklis panicked, and Lilith was also baffled by Astor’s sudden appearance.

“What are you doing? Stand down!”

“Holy Maiden, don’t be fooled! If someone can make Death offer himself in exchange, do you really think this woman is ordinary? We must not release her.”

“You don’t get to speak here.”

Lilith grew angry. Astor’s constant meddling would have upset anyone.

Seeing that Leklis refused to leave, julie knew that as long as she stayed, this idiot would never go. So, while Astor argued with Lilith, she bit down on Astor’s hand.

“Argh!”

Astor screamed and let go. Julie scrambled desperately toward Leklis, but a Holy Knight ahead blocked her with shield and sword. Astor took the opportunity.

Holy Light!

A blast of Holy Light struck Julie’s shoulder, sending her flying. At that moment, the blocking Holy Knight raised his sword blade.

Slash!

The blade pierced Julie’s abdomen. She looked down. Warm blood soaked her plain clothes. She stared dazedly in Leklis’s direction.

“Run… go…”

“Julie!!!”

Leklis screamed in utter anguish. Lilith glared at Astor in fury.

“You!!!”

Astor feigned panic and clumsiness, retreating a few steps under Lilith’s gaze.

“I’ll kill you!”

But Leklis was already out of control. He had promised Julie never to use that power again, but today…

He would make those bloodthirsty dogs of the Church pay for their crimes!

“Ahhhh!!!”

He gripped the pitch-black and purple power of the netherworld in his hand, then countless wailing spirits born of that power rushed toward the Holy Knights.

“Defend!”

Noticing the impending attack, lilith quickly gave the command. The shields, infused with holy light power, came up, yet everyone was stunned as the spirits crashed against them.

They had always thought the power of death would be completely suppressed by holy light, and thus this blow could not possibly hurt them much. Yet now the black-purple death magic was different—though holy light could still purify it, the purification was extremely slow, and the strength of the holy light was restricted.

The knights were pushed back, and with more spirits attacking, all they could do was defend.

Taking advantage of the chaos, leklis rushed to Julie’s side. She lay on the ground, a cross-shaped sword still embedded in her abdomen.

“Julie!”

“D… Death…”

Even then, julie wouldn’t reveal Leklis’s name. She reached out, trying to touch Leklis’s face. Leklis took her hand and comforted her, while retrieving a vial of healing potion.

“This is a potion from the Queen. Drink it, and you’ll be fine. Hang in there!”

Leklis helped Julie drink the potion, then looked at the sword blade in her abdomen. Not daring to pull it out recklessly, he conjured a cluster of netherworld fire in his hand.

Crack!

He snapped the knight’s sword, hurriedly bandaged Julie’s wound, leaving the broken blade within her abdomen.

After tending to her, he saw the Holy Knights had broken free from the spirits’ harassment and now surrounded him.

“Surrender at once, or—”

“No more ‘or.’ Today, every one of you will die here!”

Facing Lilith, leklis clenched his teeth in fury. No one had ever made him this angry.

“Wailing spirits and undead of the nether, I summon you in the name of Death—burn everything to ashes!”

With a fierce grip, four dark-purple spell circles floated around Leklis.

“Death descends!”

Four groups of shadowy darkness, entwined with souls and death’s aura, appeared.

Legends said that these soldiers who served Death could descend into the world through the power of the nether. They were…

Reaper Guardsmen!

(To be continued…)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep