The Shepherds Are Dense – Chapter 799

Chapter 798
Alistair’s Style!
However, at this moment, a different situation occurred than before.
When the Night Demon manifested, the sky should have been replaced by a blood moon and blood rain.
But at this moment, the dark clouds and storms in the sky showed no signs of dissipating. Instead, they repeatedly cracked open as if torn and wounded by some power.
Those sporadic, mottled crimson light spots now looked like red stars under the night sky.
And the pattering blood rain connected into straight, deep red rain lines, falling sparsely! Beneath each leaky spot, blood pillars three to four meters in diameter formed—only the red gap that led directly to the dark clouds above flowed with thick, pillar-like fresh blood.
It was as if the dark clouds had been pierced with holes, drawing blood and flesh; or as if the dark clouds were the collapsing sky, and the vivid red pillars held it up.
Alistair narrowed her eyes slightly.
—This was the first time the Night Demon had not overpowered its opponent in terms of “Field Magic.”
As expected of a genuine High-level Phantom Demon…
Helchin’s level was sixty-nine, forcefully suppressed to level fifty by the game’s balance. Aside from the lack of authority brought by Heavenly Envoy Fragments and divine artifacts… his basic attributes were identical to a Heavenly Envoy pulled down by the Ouroboros Ring!
“…It’s truly unfair,” Alistair sighed softly, “The Night Demon has only just reached the threshold of the Sixth Tier and is being balanced by the Hourglass Deity. While you… your strength should be around the Seventh Tier, but you’re forcefully suppressed to the Sixth Tier? Yet you can continue to fight without worrying about balance…”
“Because I am the King of the Wild Hunt, the Spear of the Great. The Wild Hunt itself is a manifestation of Yin and Yang balance—and I am only permitted to fight for a slightly longer duration, not without limits.”
Helchin said as he lowered his helmet’s faceguard.
With a clanging sound, his voice became muffled and majestic: “But you actually know my true strength… and that the world is not limited to only the Sixth Tier. As expected, you have a deep connection with the Lord of Scales and Feathers.”
The next moment, two dim yellow lights ignited from the eyes of his helmet.
Immediately after, the edges of his pure white Pegasus wings also turned dim yellow. The radiant silver armor on his body also gradually dimmed, becoming the dim yellow of a statue illuminated by the sunset, like a yellowed old photograph, a faint afterimage only in memory.
According to the previous development, the white armor worn by the Wild Hunters should have also turned dim yellow…
However, to Alistair’s surprise, they showed no change. They remained a legion of pure white Ghost Cavalry, standing quietly in the distance.
“I met that lady in my dreams and know her combat style. She doesn’t know me, so this is not a fair fight.”
After putting on his faceguard, Helchin’s voice immediately became as deep and hollow as that of a Spirit Tower principal: “We are not mortal enemies, there’s no need to kill each other here. It wouldn’t be satisfying, nor would it have any meaning. A warrior’s blade never points at a friend.
“Besides, that lady shouldn’t be able to fight for too long. The existence of demons is not permitted by the Hourglass Deity, and she herself lacks divine authority for protection, therefore…”
Helchin said, pointing his spear at Alistair.
“We will not use followers—you and I shall have a fair fight.”
“Eivass” looked at Helchin blankly, subconsciously tightening his grip on the Thunderstrike Halberd in his hand.
—He did possess some combat skills.
This was the knowledge Helchin had imparted to himself from his dreams… it was Helchin’s combat style. From this perspective, Eivass and Alistair could be considered Helchin’s disciples.
How could a student defeat their master?
“I swear by my name as a warrior of the Twilight Kin, Apostle of the Great Philosopher, and King of the Wild Hunt, who obtained the power of storms—”
Helchin uttered a hollow and ethereal voice: “I will suppress my power and skills to be equal to yours.
“I will only use abilities below yours, and only the spear techniques I have taught you; while you may use any technique other than summoning creatures. If you earn my recognition, I will sign a contract with you, and you will continue to learn the art of undead martial arts from me; if you defeat me, I will be convinced and recognize you as my master… If you are defeated by me, then this matter will end here.
“—How about it?”
The same stats, the same techniques.
It seemed like a fair fight. Compared to Helchin fighting with his full strength, it appeared to be holding back a bit…
However, there was a crucial detail here.
That was [Experience].
Although Alistair possessed Helchin’s three hundred years of combat memory, she had learned Helchin’s “Riding Technique” and “Spear Technique” from his “White Knight” era. However, Alistair had only “remembered” it through trickery, and might not be able to perfectly execute it.
It was like “watching a professional player’s recording, remembering every detail and mastering all the necessary knowledge and operational skills,” but this did not mean she possessed the professional player’s full power. When facing an emergency decision, because her instincts weren’t honed, her reaction would always be slightly delayed.
And Alistair’s combat experience almost entirely came from Helchin, meaning Helchin was Alistair’s “master.” Every move and every stance of his was clear to Helchin.
One could even say… Alistair winning under these conditions would be more difficult than directly challenging him.
Although the Night Demon itself could not match Helchin’s strength, Alistair still had card buffs. The two days of preparation were to re-apply BUFFs to the Night Demon.
With his assistance from the sidelines, the outcome of the battle would surely be reversed.
—Alistair knew all of Helchin’s mechanisms and abilities, while Helchin had no idea what Alistair could do. Helchin’s pride as the White Knight prevented him from bypassing the Night Demon to sneak attack Alistair.
Meanwhile, Alistair’s obtained Star Ice and Light of Eden could inflict devastating damage on the Wild Hunters other than Helchin—especially the Light of Eden, which had the ability of [Purification].
Once fully chanted, the outcome of the battle was already decided. Because this spell only needed to hit to permanently destroy those Wild Hunters, purifying them completely.
Even if Alistair could not break through Helchin’s spell resistance, he could easily pose a fatal threat to Helchin’s followers.
At that time, Helchin would have no choice but to obey Alistair. Because they were not mortal enemies, they would not completely fall out.
As soon as Alistair confirmed Helchin’s attitude, this possible future already appeared in his mind.
…However, Alistair did not want to accept such a future.
It was a normal tactic, and indeed a transcendent method of winning against a stronger opponent… but in Alistair’s eyes, it was too despicable.
“…Interesting.”
“Eivass” laughed, his blood-red eyes becoming incredibly bright: “This is it, this is exactly how it should be—”
Helchin’s suggestion was exactly what he wanted!
The deep, dream-like purple gradually seeped into Eivass’s pupils, and the light of the Transcendent Path manifested once more.
It was indeed an extremely difficult battle, one that was almost impossible to win. He was just a Priest, a Demon Scholar… he had barely fought in close combat a few times. And the current Alistair—though transformed into Eivass, this strong and tall body was merely an illusion and an empty shell. Once critically injured, it could shatter into a young girl.
In normal combat, Alistair’s true form would not have any disadvantages; rather, it would have an advantage due to its small size. Because she was a Caster unit at that time…
But now, Alistair had to wield this long weapon and fight people head-on… It was clearly extremely difficult.
Alistair’s true form was not even two-thirds the height of the Thunderstrike Halberd. It was inconvenient to even swing it!
This meant… if she suffered one serious injury, the battle would basically be over.
“—I accept.”
But it was precisely because of this that there was a challenge.
Alistair, now manifesting as Eivass, had interweaving purple and red colors in her pupils with intense excitement.
If Helchin had directly accepted Alistair’s invitation and become her and Eivass’s Beast of Sin… Alistair might have felt an emptiness.
—It would be like relying on “favor” and “gratitude” to coerce someone into doing something.
And if he had truly used the Night Demon to fight desperately by any means necessary, and threatened him by using the followers he valued, it would seem heartless and forget the brief friendship they had.
It was better this way.
No need to worry about anything, no need to shy away from anything.
Joyful and free—
“I will make you call me Master.”
Alistair pointed the Thunderstrike Halberd at Helchin and declared.
“Hmph…”
Helchin snorted, his body briefly disappearing, turning into an illusion.
This was not invisibility.
It was Helchin’s skill from the Wild Hunt—”Undead Charge” from the King of the Wild Hunt Tactics!
Helchin’s figure suddenly plunged into the world of the dead.
And in the void, thin frost marks bloomed like flowers, condensing into icy surfaces in the void!
“Eivass” suddenly gripped the Thunderstrike Halberd tightly. Under his focused defense, time seemed to slow down considerably.
He knew that he did have a chance to win.
Challenging a superior enemy who was almost impossible to defeat was a transcendence; but challenging an enemy who was completely impossible to defeat was an act of a fool.
—The key lay in the weapon!
Undoubtedly, the Thunderstrike Halberd was far more powerful than Helchin’s weapon. Although Helchin’s weapon was once forged from Fafnir’s dragon bone, the long passage of time had nearly destroyed it, and it was too fragile to channel too much power.
If Helchin were to discard it and condense a brand new spear purely with Twilight power, its destructive power would certainly be much greater, and most importantly, it would be sufficiently sturdy.
However, Helchin was unwilling to abandon it, instead choosing to protect it with his own strength… because he was, after all, a nostalgic undead.
In the past, his strength far surpassed that of the Prince of Giants, yet he had delayed killing him. Enjoying the thrill of hunting the Giant Royal family was the main reason… but there was another reason as well: his decaying spear could not withstand battles of too high intensity.
He did not wish for his spear to clash vigorously with the petrified skin, thereby damaging his weapon—for Helchin, who could not leave Eagle Cape Village, this was his only connection to his past. It was only after Eivass cast the Blade of Shadow on him that Helchin easily defeated the Prince of Giants with a few casual strikes.
—The reason for all this was that he wanted to protect his weapon.
A warrior protects his weapon with his own body. It was like buying a bicycle but then carrying it around while running…
And Eivass’s chance of victory lay here!
The Thunderstrike Halberd was, no matter what, much stronger than Helchin’s weapon!
Suddenly, Alistair thrust his spear like a dragon!
With a sudden clash in the void, Alistair’s surprise attack forcefully intercepted Helchin’s first invisible attack!
Flames bloomed like flowers, and Alistair staggered back.
In the stormy night, bursts of fire continuously emerged.
Eivass could barely block and parry each attack, but each time he became more disheveled. To avoid getting injured, he was forced to constantly lose his balance. And the Ghost Pegasus could charge at Helchin from any angle.
And the war aura Helchin possessed caused him to deliver a heavy blow to any enemy whose actions were impaired or who was flanked—this made his attacks heavier with each thrust!
—I need a mount!
A thought suddenly flashed through Alistair’s mind.
“Leviathan!”
He shouted aloud.
“Roar—”
In an instant, a ferocious dragon shark roared and flew into the battlefield.
Alistair flipped onto its back, his entire demeanor suddenly changing—Helchin had taught him mounted spear techniques, and this was the complete form!
“A bit of insight…”
Helchin’s voice sounded hollow: “But perhaps not enough.”
The next moment, a dim yellow radiance slashed through the air, and Helchin suddenly broke through the void!
The final segment of “Undead Charge” had almost pierced Alistair directly!
The spear tips of both individuals simultaneously stirred up gales—that was Storm Strike!
Howling winds intertwined, manifesting two clearly defined areas in the air. The storm was torn apart by it, the trunks of trees hardened by twilight bent, and even the dark clouds were ripped apart in both directions!
And then, two lightning bolts as brilliant as the sun!
—Wrath of Lightning!
Identical attacks, and the electric light on Alistair’s side was even more intense—
Because Alistair used the second effect of the Thunderstrike Halberd:
Using it again increases the Holder’s “Lightning Affinity” by +3 for one minute!
But these clashes of spear tip against spear tip lasted only six or seven rounds before the Thunderstrike Halberd in “Eivass’s” hand was knocked away.
He was pierced through the chest with a spear, directly knocked off Leviathan, and impaled on a tree as he was driven forward!
Seeing “Eivass’s” chest pierced, Helchin staggered slightly.
The shell of “Eivass” gradually became covered with mirror-like cracks. She tried hard to hold onto the spear piercing her chest but was completely unable to pull it out.
“—That’s it?”
After Helchin put on his helmet, his voice became hollow, cold, and slow: “I thought you would give me a surprise.”
Even using only Fourth Tier power, Helchin displayed performance that was enough to crush the Fifth Tier!
“There will be.”
And the weak voice of “Eivass” and Alistair overlapping sounded vaguely in the downpour: “Let Cardinal Fafnir…
“—Forge you another weapon.”
Her weak voice suddenly became calm.
The Thunderstrike Halberd that had been knocked away was suddenly recalled by Alistair.
Helchin immediately realized that she had deliberately lost to expose his weakness!
Thus, Helchin unhesitatingly swung Alistair backward, blocking his own Thunderstrike Halberd!
But he never expected that Alistair would not slow down the Thunderstrike Halberd—instead, she accelerated it further!
It directly entered Alistair’s own body from behind, piercing fiercely out of her chest!
—Thereby severing the decaying spear that Alistair had fixed in her chest at the waist!
(End of this chapter)