Chapter 52: Praise the Sun!
To the distant left, winter descended upon this land, a sky-covering blizzard pouring down like the heavens themselves collapsing. The cold wind, mixed with frost, surged like a torrent around a pair of translucent, enormous wings flickering with ice-blue patterns. As the great wings beat and stirred, nearly infinite ice-type and negative magic bombarded Joshua and the Dragon Spider indiscriminately!
At the same time, a long, hoarse dragon roar echoed from behind the warrior. In the forest, the purple-black mist had completely dissipated. Violent chaotic mana fluctuations surged through the Black Forest like a tsunami, and a black dragon breath tore through the fierce wind, shattered the atmosphere, and shot toward the warrior's back with the speed of flowing light!
The Chaotic Black Erosion Dragon and the Ice Butterfly! Besides the Dragon-Hunting Spider, two other Gold-rank magical beasts had appeared simultaneously!
Gold-rank magical beasts were indeed not foolish; at least they understood that ganging up was far better than fighting alone. Since Joshua's individual combat power surpassed each of them, and none could defeat him alone, they would all three attack together.
Only then would it be interesting.
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish!
The sound of piercing air rang out. What arrived first on the battlefield were nearly infinite ice spears and frost blades, flying like snowflakes and raindrops. The weather was bitterly cold in the depths of winter, making this magic not only low in consumption but also quick to form. Countless shards of steel-hard ice shot forward at subsonic speeds, their impact force enough to pierce any flesh-and-blood body. Among them were also countless negative spells like Weakness, Binding, and Slow.
If it were anyone else, facing this terrifying evocation magic that nearly filled their field of vision, along with the hidden negative spells, they would surely feel fear and try every means to dodge and escape. But in reality, neither Joshua nor the Dragon Spider paid any heed to the frost, continuing their fierce exchange of blows!
"Still, three is too many."
Swinging his longspear, raising a silver-white iron wall, Joshua blocked the Dragon Spider's sudden, reckless, all-out attack meant only to pin him in place. Having identified his target, the warrior revealed a savage grin. Staring intently at the monster before him, his battle qi began to burn fiercely, more vigorous and intense than before, even sparking off scorching embers that traced conspicuous lines across the cold world.
Take one out first!
Crimson branded steel covered the warrior's arms. At the same time, black-red flames, as if kindled from hell, ignited on the silver-white greatsword. His entire body's battle qi seething, as if truly burning, Joshua let out a sharp shout. Then, with a single step, he shattered the ground beneath him, kicking up countless clouds of dust. Like the golden giant spider, he completely ignored the attacks against him and struck with his strongest sword stroke!
Ultimate Essence: Hell Blade!
—Crackkkkkkkkkkk!!!!
The Dragon-Slaying rune patterns flashed violently, while the hellish doomsday fire flowed over the divine mechanism. Facing the Dragon Spider's raised crystalline limbs, the giant banana-shaped blade cleaved straight down. Its sharp edge cut through the spider's thick carapace, comparable to a giant king crab, like slicing through a cookie. Another limb was severed, and a massive wound was carved into the magical beast's head. All five of the deep blue eyes on its left side were shattered, splattering blue-green ichor.
And that wasn't all. The hellish doomsday fire, originally coiled around the silver-white greatsword, still spread wildly within the wound, burning fiercely as if trying to drain every last trace of life force!
"—!!!"
The silent howl of pain completely interrupted the counterattack that had been brewing. The flames igniting on its head and eyes brought this Gold-rank magical beast an agony so intense that even the Chaotic Erosion, which had made it ignore most pain, could not withstand this soul-piercing torment.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!!!!
At that moment, the flying ice spears struck the ground, exploding into bursts of white-and-black mixed snow dust and earth. Countless conspicuous craters appeared on the ground. The two beings at the very center of the attack also took these hits. The semi-transparent ice struck the carapace of the pain-wracked Dragon Spider, and its immense magic resistance directly dispersed the magic that had shaped and solidified the ice. Instantly, all the frost spears collapsed into fine ice shards. The warrior, paying it no mind, also used his body to endure the blows.
Smack, smack, smack, smack!
The ice spears struck the warrior's black armor, leaving deep dents. At the armor's weak points, the semi-transparent ice easily pierced through the black armor—yet no blood flowed. Though it was a collision of flesh and magic, it produced the clanging sound of swords and shields clashing, of steel vibrating against steel!
But now was not the time to stand still. After the ice spears came an intense pressure, carrying a rumbling roar, sweeping in from behind Joshua. It was a chaotic aura, mist-like yet so thick it was nearly tangible. This was the scorching breath formed by the Black Dragon, condensing all the chaotic mana within several hundred meters!
This attack was nothing like those feeble ice spells. Instantly, accompanied by a sharp, ear-splitting screech like iron spikes scraping against glass, the black dragon breath swept through the thickets, scoured the ground, blasted the hard black giant trees and endless sand and rock into the sky, melting them into ash and magma, and shot straight toward Joshua, who had just severely wounded the Dragon Spider!
Ring-shaped shockwaves spread through the air. But the warrior paid no heed to this attack, which could very well severely injure him. He roared, raised his longspear again, and thrust it toward the temporarily defenseless Dragon Spider. The air boomed, the sound barrier easily broken. Joshua prepared to pierce the magical beast's brain with the steel cavalry lance in his hand!
Now was not the time to hold back. Whether it was the web magic or the terrifying charge, both were the greatest threats under siege.
Since the Dragon Spider was already severely wounded, how could the warrior retreat because of this one dragon breath? Even if he had to take the hit, he could not allow the Dragon Spider to recover and let the enemy complete their encirclement!
"Die."
Turning his back to the terrifying breath surging from behind, crimson flames in Joshua's hand gradually transformed into golden light and lightning, radiating a divine radiance like a miracle, all converging onto the longspear in his grasp.
Praise Order, praise Wisdom, praise Humanity, praise Courage.
Of course, the most important thing was not these.
Now, with the Black Dragon's arrival, the purple-black mist condensed and gathered around it, gradually dispersing due to the chaotic breath. In the distance, golden sunlight pierced the earth like a holy lance, illuminating Joshua's target—the location of the spacetime gate.
With a sword in one hand and a spear in the other, the warrior's battle qi shifted to black-red, reacting explosively like magma. A ferocious killing intent was released, but on his left hand, it transformed into golden lightning, coalescing into a dazzling radiance, then solidifying onto the steel longspear.
Order is eternal, Wisdom endures forever.
Joshua, holding the longspear gleaming gold and brilliant like the blazing sun, revealed a smile.
"Praise the Sun!"