Chapter 148: Red and Black (Ten)
This punch landed solidly in the opponent’s chest, causing his armor to cave in, while Dead Smoke and Infernal Fire erupted into chaos.
Even with the protection of the “Berserker Body” golden light, under such a powerful hit, Cardinal Nero still spat out a mouthful of bl**d, his charred face contorting into a dreadful grimace.
Crack, crack.
Countless cracks spread with the force of my punch, the bright golden armor suddenly shattered, and Dead Smoke swirled rapidly around the golden light, while Infernal Fire blazed fiercely from the Pope Knight’s cloak.
“Ahhh—”
Cardinal Nero’s eyes bulged, and with a scream that seemed to echo from the depths of hell, his bloodshot gaze turned feral, his expression a mix of madness and torment, like a wounded beast. Upon seeing this, I furrowed my brow.
What’s going on? He’s acting sluggish…
Did Angel hurt him earlier?
In that moment of hesitation, Cardinal Nero, ignoring the swirling Dead Smoke and the Infernal Fire wrapping around him, seized my right arm.
“Everyone d*e…”
bl**d dripped from his chin, evaporating in the intense heat before it could hit the ground. The raging Infernal Fire burned his cloak away, continuing to engulf him as the golden light flickered. Bands of Dead Smoke coiled around him, slithering like thick serpents, constantly attacking the golden light.
Sizzle, sizzle—
Cardinal Nero’s expression twisted further in pain, yet a determined will glimmered in his eyes.
“Uh ha ha…”
He was grinning maniacally, raising a severed arm with a look that could fray nerves, and the thin golden aura around him suddenly swirled, bursting forth with unprecedented brilliance. Sharp “whoosh” sounds erupted from above as brilliant lightning crackled around him, cleaving through the thick Black Mist and opening numerous gaps.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
As specks of light gathered above, Cardinal Nero lunged forward, his grip on my arm surprisingly strong.
I jerked back, my shoulders and abs straining with effort, yet I couldn’t break free. Instead, I inadvertently pulled him a step closer, while the white light atop him grew more intense, almost blinding me.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning! Carlos’ figure darted through the Dead Smoke, appearing behind Cardinal Nero. His lifeless eyes suddenly sparked with intensity, and his blade transformed into a swirling dragon, darting in from the left to stab at Cardinal Nero’s head.
Clang—
The sword, charged with lightning, emitted a low hum, slicing the air as it nicked the edge of Nero’s white hair.
My heart thudded; I couldn’t help but lean back.
Cardinal Nero ducked just in time to avoid the sword, but it forced him to abandon his partially released Divine Miracle. His grip on my arm didn’t loosen, but the golden light around him dimmed slightly. In the next moment, Carlos tossed the sword handle into his left hand, caught it, and swiftly turned the blade to stab beneath Cardinal Nero’s arm.
Thud!
The sword pierced through bone.
“Ugh…”
Cardinal Nero grunted, finally letting go.
How dare he grab me…
I focused my waist, tightened my fist, and swung a punch at his face.
Boom!
bl**d sprayed out like waves splashing in front of me.
At the same time, Carlos withdrew his sword, twirling it like a dancer, shining like a dragon as he swung it toward Cardinal Nero’s face.
Clang!
Once again, the metallic sound rang out.
The sharp blade, crackling with lightning, struck Nero’s cheek, but was blocked entirely by the now-resilient golden light, unable to penetrate.
Sizzle, sizzle—
Carlos’ silver armor finally couldn’t bear the heat anymore, his skin starting to glow red. He frowned slightly, shot me a glance, and then transformed into a flash of lightning, zipping away.
The Infernal Fire grew larger in front of me, quickly engulfing Cardinal Nero, nearly turning him into a human torch. Wrapped in the flames, his grotesque, charred, and bloodied face looked utterly monstrous.
“You b*stard…”
He trembled, his lips forming a chilling grin.
Buzz—
In the next moment, the white light above surged, accompanied by piercing sounds, rapidly coalescing into a massive pale orb, the “buzzing” of energy resonating like an ear-splitting hum.
Danger…
My instincts kicked into high gear, a wave of adrenaline surging through me as every hair on my body stood on end.
Haha!
Without flinching, I grinned, my left hand morphing into a black blade aimed at the hand Cardinal Nero hadn’t pulled back yet. I leaned forward, my right palm pressed against his cheek.
The dark blade swung down suddenly, and the burning Infernal Fire erupted outwards.
Boom!
Whoosh, whoosh, kaboom—
A huge sound echoed in my ears, rocks crumbling beneath me. Cardinal Nero’s remaining hand was severed at the wrist, his body tumbling in the flames.
But the next moment, the trembling energy orb shot towards me.
“Angel—” Carlos shouted from a distance.
Then, the golden light flashed, and I saw the back of Angel in his nightgown, standing amidst the Infernal Fire, shielding me from the glaring white light.
He extended his palm forward.
Buzz—
With a quiver of Divine Miracle, the swirling Dead Smoke around us instantly parted as if blocked by an unseen force, racing to the sides. Even the burning Infernal Fire was divided by where Angel stood.
The searing flames surged to the sides of the street, while the blinding white light surged forth with astonishing momentum, only to be effortlessly split by the Pope, as if an invisible power cleaved through it, sweeping away houses and debris, instantly transforming the street behind us into ruins.
I squinted behind him.
What the heck is this…
Two seconds later, the onslaught faded.
The bluestone beneath my feet began to crack and collapse. Angel retrieved the golden orb, raising the shattered bone necklace in his left hand, countless golden lights swirling around him like rushing water, coalescing into a tangible form.
“Little Black Charcoal…” he said casually, not even glancing back, “Don’t move around, okay?”
As his words fell, everything around us began to shake.
!
The warmth from the necklace sent a wave of comfort through me.
“Stay still with me…”
But just as Angel was about to finish his sentence, a deep toll of a bell suddenly jolted me awake.
Ding—
Bam!
As the golden light showered down, I took a Moon Step back a good thirty meters, escaping the golden bell’s radius, only to see Angel being suppressed underneath it, seemingly unable to move.
This guy…
I glared at the absurd figure mired in the dazzling golden glow of the nightgown, not caring to scorn, focused instead on scanning my surroundings for Cardinal Nero’s figure, when suddenly I spotted a flash of azure lightning darting across the street.
The old man ran that way!
Whoosh—
A wild wind howled past my ears.
I took another Moon Step, chasing after Carlos as I leaped over the crumbling ruins of houses, instantly appearing in mid-air across the street.
Clang! Clang! Ding—
Below, the street exploded as lightning and golden light clashed, sparks flying like fireworks, with Cardinal Nero’s insane laughter ringing in my ears.
He hardly flinched, meeting Carlos’s sharp sword with wild abandon, as bl**d and small flashes of lightning erupted from the center of their clash. He remained unfazed, eyes glued to me, raising his other severed hand skyward.
Buzz—
The white light erupted above the street, and suddenly the world turned a stark white.
Can’t see…
I couldn’t help but shut my eyes against the stinging light, my forward momentum slowing, my hand instinctively reaching up to rub my eyes.
“Watch out!”
Suddenly, I heard Carlos’s urgent shout.
I instinctively tried to dodge, but before I could take a Moon Step, a massive force slammed against my chest like a roaring wind.
Boom!
“Ugh…”
I couldn’t help but let out a muffled groan, my body flying backward and crashing into the house behind me with a resounding “crash.”
