Erhardt suddenly flashed behind Elmenhilde and Valerie, whispering softly in their ears:
"Hello, two beautiful young ladies."
The two women were startled at first, then coordinated their positions. Elmenhilde was in charge of the offense, while Valerie provided support and healing from the rear with her Longinus, [Sephiroth's Cup].
Elmenhilde extended her right palm, and a crimson vampire magic circle unfolded, attacking Erhardt.
Erhardt, however, remained indifferent. With just a single glance, he shattered the magic. Then, a blood-red crimson Cosmos, unlike that of other Specters, erupted from behind him.
"Crimson Cross Ray!!" Erhardt crossed his arms into the shape of a crucifix, releasing a beam like the finishing move of a Giant of Light. The cross-shaped light, condensed from blood-red Cosmos, struck toward the two women.
The two joined forces to deploy a defense, but it was immediately shattered by the Crimson Cross Ray, leaving a linear wound on their slender arms.
"Blood Drain!!" Erhardt raised his hand and made a grasping motion. The blood flowing from the wounds on their arms flew to his side, turning into blood droplets that circled around him.
Toying with the blood droplets floating beside him, Erhardt said, "Although I am a vampire like you, I am somewhat different. I can freely control any blood that flows out."
"Now, I'll return your blood to you. Crimson Tidal Wave!!" Erhardt clasped his hands together in the shape of a flower bud, releasing blood-red Cosmos that merged with the blood droplets beside him, forming a massive wave of blood that surged toward Elmenhilde and Valerie.
Seeing this, the two flew into the air, but Erhardt had long since anticipated their move. He flew above them and struck them with a powerful punch, knocking them down into the tidal wave.
Elmenhilde and Valerie were knocked into the blood-red tidal wave below. They felt the damage brought by the surging waves; every flow hit them like a thousand cuts. Their consciousness gradually blurred, and they collapsed onto the ice field.
Sairaorg's remaining peerage members targeted Fedor. Remembering how Sairaorg had stayed behind in the Hot Sand Hell to cover their retreat, Kuisha's anger flared. She charged at Fedor, roaring:
"I'll defeat you despicable Specters!!"
Fedor crossed his arms and said indifferently, "Let's have you experience the Mandrake's Scream."
"Mandrake? Could his technique be...?"
"Everyone, be careful!! That Specter's attack must be—!!"
Coriana Andrealphus of Sairaorg's peerage remembered that the name of Fedor's underworld armor was Mandrake. Suddenly recalling the legends about the Mandrake plant, she warned her companions.
"Strangle Shrill!!" Before Coriana could finish, the human face on the left chest of Fedor's underworld armor opened its mouth and let out a wailing scream.
The scream transmitted directly into their minds, instantly causing Kuisha and the others immense pain. They began to bleed from their seven orifices. The armor and weapons on Liban Crocell and Beruga Furcas were all shattered by the scream. The entire team suffered concussions from the Strangle Shrill and fainted.
Hyakki Goshu Ouryu and the Current Incarnation of Sha Wujing attacked Rook. Rook paid no mind to their assault; instead, he calmly reached out his hand, emitting a powerful Cosmos. Various plants began to grow from the ice.
"Earth of the Lily!!"
The "Flower of the Underworld," the lily of the valley, grew from the ground beneath their feet to entangle the opponents, severely wounding the bodies of Hyakki Goshu Ouryu and the Current Incarnation of Sha Wujing with its thorns.
Then, Rook stepped in front of them and waved his hand. Some beautiful but toxic powder flew out. Seeing this, the two immediately held their breath.
Seeing the actions of Hyakki Goshu Ouryu and the Current Incarnation of Sha Wujing, Rook said with a hint of helplessness:
"It's useless even if you hold your breath. This powder enters your body through the pores of your skin. Although it's a chronic toxin, it allows you to die without any pain."
After he finished speaking, Hyakki Goshu Ouryu and the Current Incarnation of Sha Wujing fainted. Rook left after offering a lily of the valley flower before them.
On Cao Cao's side, he was being forced back continuously by Ayeris. The Specter before him was simply like a demon filled with rage and a tiger burning with flames. His offensive was extremely fierce, with every move aimed at Cao Cao's vital points.
"Ha!!" Ayeris constantly threw punches at Cao Cao with a ferocious momentum. Every move was incredibly fast, leaving Cao Cao with no chance to counterattack. He could only use the shaft of the True Longinus to repeatedly block Ayeris's attacks in defense.
'What's going on... Is this Specter just a beast... A fire beast that wants nothing more than to burn everything in the world to ashes...' Looking at Ayeris's face, which resembled an angry tiger, a drop of sweat rolled down Cao Cao's forehead as he thought with difficulty.
"Savage Lava!!" Ayeris changed his attack pattern, striking the ground with his hands in a claw-like shape.
Boom!
The ice surface shattered instantly, and scorching lava erupted, transforming into various beasts that attacked Cao Cao. Startled, Cao Cao quickly retreated several steps.
Ayeris pounced out of the lava like a fierce tiger and grabbed Cao Cao directly. He then swung him around like a towel, repeatedly slamming him against the ice, causing Cao Cao to cough up a pool of blood.
Finally, Ayeris grabbed Cao Cao by the chest and threw him onto the ice, causing Cao Cao to pass out from the pain.
"Roar!!" Ayeris let out a beast-like low growl and then turned to leave.
The others were also being overwhelmed by the Heavenly Spirit Specters and were nearly wiped out. Just as the words on the Gate of Hell said, "All hope abandon, ye who enter here," for those who come to the Underworld, hope gradually fades into despair. And this Cocytus was the end of that despair; they would all be buried here.
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