Chapter 317: So-Called Knights
Margaret and the others had no intention of wondering what the Black Hole Knight was thinking. Since they had already decided to strike, they would never allow him the chance to fight back.
If they did not strike, fine. But once they did, it would be with everything they had.
Once again, Margaret's body radiated with the unique brilliance of the Nearl family's Originium Art. She shone like a miniature sun, stretching the shadows of everyone present long across the ground.
Viviana had already set down her candelabrum, instead taking up the ceremonial longsword she usually treated as mere ornament. Under the radiance of the Radiant Knight, the shadows she could manipulate grew even stronger.
Steven's shadow stretched, twisted, and distorted—until it turned into a mass of blackness. Though it still connected to his feet, the main body of the shadow gathered toward the tip of Viviana's sword.
In that instant, Steven felt his body freeze, unable to move as though locked in ice. And then he understood how Viviana had been able to hold off the Warden.
So, it was through controlling shadows… using a person's own shadow to bind them? A formidable Art indeed.
Binding a shadow was far easier than binding the body itself. Even if she couldn't completely restrain him, the interference alone was enough.
Steven's mind flickered with possibilities—could this power perhaps be used like the Kagemane no Jutsu from Naruto? Manipulating the target by manipulating their shadow?
But he had no time to dwell on it. From Młynar's blade, another wave of sword energy flew toward him.
That slash was powerful enough to decapitate a Warden in a single blow. True, Steven had helped them a little, deliberately weakening the Warden to help—but even so, Młynar's sword carried force that could not be dismissed.
With his body bound, dodging was no longer an option. But Steven had never planned on dodging anyway.
If holding back was an insult to them, then he would reluctantly let them taste true despair.
His palm fell to his waist. Even though the shadow binding slowed the motion of his hand, that was only relative. Compared to ordinary speed, he was still faster than most. And before Młynar's sword energy could strike, Steven had already turned the driver at his waist.
At once, a black rift tore open in the space before him—a void that swallowed Młynar's golden sword energy whole.
But because of that, his focus was locked on Młynar before him… and he forgot Margaret, who had already circled behind him at some unknown point.
A brilliant spear of light was in her grasp, her radiant wings now fully solidified—making her seem like a legendary angel, dazzling and resplendent.
And while Steven was occupied with Młynar, Margaret—charged with power like an arrow on the string—leveled her golden spear at Steven's unguarded back.
Light flared.
And in the next instant, she shot forward like a lightning bolt, her entire being transformed into a streak of brilliance as she closed the distance to strike.
At this moment, there was no such thing as "sneak attack" or "dishonor." This was a battle for the future of the entire Grand Knight Territory. In Margaret's heart, there was only one thought left:
Defeat the knight before her.
Just as Steven focused on holding the black hole steady to devour Młynar's attack, a faint smile curved across his lips.
A strike from behind? Did she not realize… that such a move only meant she had placed herself at the perfect distance for his counter-kick?
The hand resting on the driver at his waist never ceased its motion, continuing to twist the lever several times more. A flash of crimson gleamed in his visor, like the glint of a serpent's eyes.
Then, with a sharp lift of his hip, Steven spun and lashed out with a kick—at the exact moment Margaret, spear in hand, lunged into position behind him.
It was as if he had foreseen it all in advance. His foot, shrouded in the swirling pull of a black hole, struck cleanly against a figure.
But when Steven caught sight of who he had struck, surprise flickered across his face—quickly followed by a hint of genuine relief.
He had landed his blow, yes, and sent the target flying. But instead of Margaret, the one knocked back was none other than the Blood Knight, bracing with his axe to intercept the attack.
Out of the corner of his eye, Steven glimpsed the trail of fresh blood on the ground behind him, and it clicked.
So, he had used his own blood to shift his position—forcing his way behind him at the last instant, intercepting the kick meant for Margaret. Was it foresight? Or… was this simply the hand of fate?
Before Steven could puzzle it out, Margaret, already charged to her very limit, did not waste the chance. While Steven's body was still mid-motion from the kick, unable to adjust, her crystallized spear thrust forward and struck his chest dead-on.
From that single point of contact, a dazzling light burst forth. An explosion of Originium energy followed, engulfing Steven's figure in a violent storm.
The radiance was so intense it blinded everyone present, their vision seared white. Yet none dared to look away. Even through the pain of staring into that brilliance, every gaze remained fixed on the center of the storm.
And then… they finally saw.
Margaret's crystalline spear had pierced straight into Steven's chest. His body was locked in place, frozen as though the moment itself had come to a halt.
But the next sound crushed all their hopes.
Crack
The sharp, crystalline snap came from Margaret's weapon. A fissure spread rapidly from the spearhead embedded in Steven's chest, crawling like a spiderweb across the entire shaft.
This was the same weapon that had effortlessly pierced the impervious hide of the Warden—now splintering to pieces before their eyes.
Steven stirred at last. He lowered his gaze, glancing at the spear lodged in his chest, then casually lifted a finger and flicked it.
With that effortless tap, the already-fractured golden spear shattered completely, scattering into countless motes of light before vanishing.
"Not bad," Steven said softly. "For a team's first time working together, you've done well."
Margaret fell to her knees before him, utterly spent from giving everything she had. For a moment, Steven found himself at a loss for words.
How could he comfort her? Tell her she had done enough? That breaking through his Evol Armor to land two full hearts' worth of damage was already more than commendable?
If he said that aloud… it would only sound like cruel mockery.
But clearly, that one strike—where timing, circumstance, and resolve had all aligned—was not something even Margaret herself believed she could repeat. And looking at Steven now, it was obvious: that blow had failed to inflict any decisive harm.
"If this is all you can do," Steven said with a faint trace of regret in his voice, "then you have no hope of stopping me."
He shook free of Viviana's bindings. Without the Radiant Knight's radiance to empower her shadows, her restraint dissolved into little more than a feeble tug.
Casting his gaze over the battlefield, Steven saw the Blood Knight lying unconscious once again, felled by the full brunt of his counter-kick; Młynar, barely able to remain standing, propped up only by his sword. Steven could only sigh and shake his head.
"Not enough… Your resolve, I've seen it. But sadly, these people of the Grand Knight Territory are not worth the devotion you give to protecting them."
He raised his hand once more, intending to pull the black hole above closer, but just as his palm began to lift—another hand, trembling and weak, pressed down to stop him.
Puzzled, Steven looked down.
It was Margaret.
Though her body was drained to the limit, she forced herself upright, her slender frame trembling as she braced against him. Without her radiant power, she looked for all the world like the girl of her actual years—just a young maiden in the spring of her youth. And yet, the determination blazing in her eyes was so unshakable that even Steven found himself hesitating.
"Is this really worth it?" he asked softly. "Do you truly believe… that those who have long since forgotten what it means to be knights… are worth all of this sacrifice?"
His voice gentled, no longer an interrogator but almost a guide, coaxing the girl whose consciousness wavered on the edge of fading.
And as if to prove his words true, Margaret's eyes fluttered shut from exhaustion—only for her to bite down hard on her own tongue, dragging herself back to awareness through the sting of pain.
"Of course it's worth it," she whispered hoarsely. "Because I am a knight. And a knight… is one who does not fear sacrifice, so long as it is to bring light to this land."
Those words—her creed, the principle by which she lived—rang out resolute even as her body failed her. Though she could no longer fight, her sheer will alone still barred the way of the knight before her.
And through the drones watching from above, her declaration carried across the entire Grand Knight Territory.
"…I see." Steven's expression softened further. "Then it seems… there's nothing more I can do here. The rest—"
A voice, warm and familiar, spoke up behind Margaret.
"—leave it to me."
Her fading consciousness trembled at the sound. Forcing her eyes open one last time, she turned—and there, standing behind her, was a black-haired boy.
That same reassuring smile she knew so well was upon his face.
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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