As expected, after carefully listening, the knight quickly determined Locke's true location through sound and breath, and immediately launched an attack at that spot.
Sure enough, once the attack was released, the mage in front of him shattered like an illusion.
And in front of his sword, like a mirage, a figure in a blue mage robe appeared.
"Boom!"
The Light Knight's Battle Qi Slash cut through everything before him.
Even Locke wasn't exempt.
But to the knight's shock, the mage he had just split in two vanished like the previous illusion.
"No… I've been deceived!"
The thought barely crossed the knight's mind before three words reached his ears—and then his vision went black, and his hearing vanished.
"Celestial Dance Treasure Wheel!"
"Vision—Stripped!"
"Hearing—Stripped!"
"Boom!"
Only then did the knight realize how this mage had wiped out seventeen squads.
Mastering magic that strips an enemy of sight and hearing was nearly invincible on the battlefield!
Without breaking this magic, all soldiers were little more than lambs to the slaughter.
The moment he lost his vision and hearing, the knight immediately unleashed his Battle Qi, enveloping his body in a defensive aura.
A flicker of relief rose in his heart.
Fortunately, no other warriors of the same rank were nearby.
Otherwise, he might have been killed in an instant.
Additionally, he wasn't entirely alone.
If he could hold out for a while, the two clerics behind him would arrive, using light magic to dispel his abnormal state.
Through the mist, Locke observed the knight standing in a bow stance, his Battle Qi forming a solid, armor-like shell around him, and frowned.
As expected, Level-7 warriors weren't simple opponents.
Although Locke had momentarily blinded and deafened him, the knight immediately assumed a defensive stance, enhancing himself with Battle Qi.
But now, it was Locke's home turf.
Locke's spirit force instantly fused with the Profound Mystery of Illusionary Fog, entering the Heaven-Man Unity state.
He then channeled the law he had grasped, beginning to chant a spell that infused his magic with The Force of Heaven and Earth.
The Force of Heaven and Earth—this is what a Level-9 warrior must comprehend to ascend to Sanctuary.
Without mastering it, a Level-9 warrior remains just that—a Level-9 warrior for life.
Only by grasping The Force of Heaven and Earth can a peak Level-9 warrior break through to Sanctuary.
This force represents the profound laws and mysteries of the world.
Locke had only comprehended a fragment of the Profound Mystery of Illusionary Fog, but even a fragment of a law's essence can dramatically amplify attacks.
The closer a spell aligns with the law, the greater the amplification.
At this moment, Locke chanted a Level-6 spell: Water Dragon Roar—his most powerful single-target attack so far.
As he chanted, immense amounts of water elements converged at the tip of his wand.
Three seconds later, a water dragon, over ten meters long and as thick as a water barrel, coalesced, spiraling around Locke.
Thanks to the Profound Mystery of Illusionary Fog, a few wisps of mist surrounded the dragon, further enhancing its majesty.
"Water Dragon Roar!"
"Hah!"
With Locke's roar, the dragon emitted a resounding roar, rushing toward the Level-7 knight.
If the knight were fully aware, he could have countered the Water Dragon Roar with a Battle Qi Slash, using a skill to destroy the dragon.
But now, blind and deaf, he could only defend passively.
He couldn't see or hear where the attack came from, making him nothing more than a target.
The dragon circled above the knight before crashing down on him.
"Boom!"
Even with Battle Qi defenses, the knight's head took the brunt of the strike, leaving him dazed.
Unable to defend with his weapon, he had to release all his Battle Qi to resist the attack.
"Boom!"
The dragon continued to strike, forcing the knight to kneel, cracking the ground beneath him.
During this, Locke didn't pause.
The Water Dragon Roar was a Level-6 spell; even with the amplification from Illusionary Fog, it equaled the power of a Level-7 spell at most.
Without the knight's Battle Qi, Locke could have severely injured or even killed him.
But the careful knight had immediately unleashed his Battle Qi, mitigating the attack.
Still, for Locke, that was enough.
With a wave of his wand, dozens of ice spikes as thick as arms appeared beside him.
A Level-5 ice spell: Ice Arrow Rain!
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…"
The ice spikes shot forward like artillery, striking the knight before he could fully react.
"Thud!"
"Thud… thud thud thud…"
Although the knight had just endured the Water Dragon Roar, the barrage of ice spikes knocked him back.
"Pfft…"
While the spikes couldn't fully penetrate his Battle Qi, the force of the impact made him spit blood.
Moreover, the spikes solidified into ice upon impact, attempting to freeze him.
The knight had to burst his Battle Qi again to shatter the ice.
But Locke's next spell had already arrived:
Another Level-6 Water Dragon Roar.
"Hah!"
"Boom!"
"Pfft—"
The ten-meter-long water dragon, brimming with might, once again struck the knight.
(End of Chapter 5)