Chapter 328: The Wraith Knight
"It's true. The Brotherhood indeed has such magical wine."
"Does it work on divine-level sages?"
"As long as the target is alive, it works."
Hearing this, Helena's eyes lit up.
---
Meanwhile, on a small hill outside Rogue Town...
"First they were enemies, and now they're teammates. What kind of situation is this?"
Standing on the hill were over a dozen individuals, all members of the Water Dragon Knights. Matthew glanced in the direction of Rogue Town and sneered slightly.
"There are no eternal enemies, just mutual interests and exchanges," Irithis said matter-of-factly. After all, life-and-death battles among divine-level warriors were rare. Negotiation and compromise were the usual methods for resolving conflicts.
"But Silver Mask embarrassed the Merchant Alliance. Do you think Buniel will just let that go?"
Matthew knew Buniel's personality all too well. Despite being a mere upper-ranked swordsman, Buniel held a high position in the Merchant Alliance and was notoriously vindictive. Being humiliated in his territory? Matthew doubted Buniel would let that slide.
"People like Buniel always encounter someone they can't afford to offend. Buniel didn't get to his position through sheer stubbornness. Merchants who don't know how to compromise never fare well."
Silver Mask's strength might have been underestimated before, but after recent events, it was clear to everyone. Crossing someone like Silver Mask would bring nothing but harm. Irithis was confident Buniel understood this well.
"Matthew, Miss Helena is here!"
At that moment, Li Meng and Helena appeared at the bustling town entrance, walking side by side as they left Rogue Town. The group on the hill turned to watch the pair approach.
"That's Silver Mask?"
Seeing Helena with Silver Mask, the onlookers showed a variety of expressions. Matthew grinned.
"Well, this could work. Maybe we'll finally deal with that Radiant Angel."
---
Soon, Li Meng and Helena reached the hilltop.
"Everyone, this is Silver Mask. From now on, he's our teammate," Helena introduced him to the group.
The team scrutinized Li Meng. He wasn't unfamiliar to them—this was the man who had fought three divine-level warriors at once.
Matthew, carrying a large axe on his shoulder, grinned. "Li Meng, I never thought we'd end up as teammates. I'm looking forward to fighting alongside you."
Irithis nodded in agreement. "They say you don't truly know someone until you've fought them. I'm honored to explore that mysterious space with you again, Silver Mask."
Helena smiled and glanced down at the dodo birds waiting below. "Let's set off."
---
Dodo birds, large, ostrich-like mounts, were popular among adventurers. Though not as fast as four-legged magical beasts, they were stronger and more durable, making them reliable for long journeys.
The group descended the hill and mounted their dodo birds. Although Li Meng had never ridden one before, his ability to communicate with animals made the experience seamless. Riding confidently, he joined the others as they raced off in a cloud of dust.
---
The next afternoon, the team reached a massive cave entrance. Slowing their mounts, they approached the site.
"This is the only passage to the 41st floor," Helena explained, gesturing toward the entrance.
Li Meng examined the cave. The entrance, located at the base of a mountain, was vast—over fifty meters wide.
The team entered the cave, riding their dodo birds at a steady pace. As they ventured deeper, Helena began to explain.
"The labyrinth on the 41st floor is inhabited by undead creatures called Wraith Knights. These are adventurers who died in the maze and were transformed. They retain the combat experience they had in life, making them as powerful as saint-level professionals."
Though strong, Wraith Knights posed little threat to this team.
---
At the end of the tunnel, the group emerged into a vast, open space. Everything was shrouded in shades of gray. The terrain flattened into an endless desert interspersed with withered, ash-colored trees.
Looking up, they saw the ceiling of the cavern had risen even higher. Without pause, the team urged their dodo birds into a gallop across the desolate landscape.
"It's a Wraith Knight!"
From the left, a shadow shot across the desert toward them. The figure was clad in black armor, with two glowing red lights in the eye slits of its helmet. It carried a massive sword and charged forward with feral intensity.
"I'll handle this!"
A Light Emperor Archmage raised his staff, chanting loudly. "Holy Lance: Piercing Strike!"
Holy light burst from the crystal atop his staff, forming a five-meter-long glowing spear. With a gesture, the spear shot toward the charging Wraith Knight.
Light magic, the bane of undead creatures, streaked across the desert in a flash. But the Wraith Knight swung its sword, unleashing a black energy slash that collided with the Holy Lance. Both attacks exploded, releasing a shockwave of magical energy that sent sand flying.
The Wraith Knight paused briefly, then charged forward again.
"Hmph, Holy Sword: Judgment!"
Seeing his first attack fail, the Light Emperor Archmage snorted coldly and began chanting again. Above the Wraith Knight, a massive, twenty-meter-long glowing sword materialized from the void and plunged downward.
With a deafening crash, the sword struck the Wraith Knight. The explosion of holy energy obliterated everything in its path, leaving nothing but ashes. The dodo birds let out distressed cries as sand and debris settled.
When the dust cleared, a large crater remained. At its center lay a radiant blue magic crystal, smaller than usual but of significantly higher quality than those found on upper floors.
"Let's move on."
The team continued their journey, encountering more Wraith Knights along the way. However, the divine-level warriors in the group refrained from intervening, allowing the emperor-tier members to handle the threats.