Chapter 86
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Chapter 86: Breakthrough
Suppressing the center and flanking both sides—a textbook tactic. Yet Midi never imagined someone could execute this with just a sniper rifle.
If only Fina and Alice were here.
He knew battles didn’t allow choosing opponents or terrain, but the thought lingered. No, he didn’t need both—even one companion would give him over fifty percent odds against a "Hand of Nightmare"-level foe.
With Fina beside him, the Queen of Magic’s firepower would dwarf any sniper rifle. Midi wouldn’t charge—he’d just watch the red-haired girl reduce the enemy’s high ground to rubble.
Had Alice been present, a wave of her hand would blanket the area in fog, creating their ideal battlefield. The mist might even unveil clues about the Palace’s heritage.
But "ifs" meant nothing. Now, four unknown adventurers followed him, and claiming the Palace’s heritage was his burden alone.
Fina and Alice had given him absolute trust.
What to do?
Midi glanced at his approaching companions but found no answers.
“Go kill that sniper,” Odel said bluntly.
“Leave this side to us, Mr. John,” Alyn added. “We’ll use guerrilla warfare—that’s what adventurers do best.”
“I won’t slow you down,” Norton interjected.
“I came to help, not be baggage,” declared Kelvin, leader of the Mountain Wolf Mercenary Group.
They’d noticed. Midi grimaced—his acting skills were lacking.
He could break the sniper’s blockade, but it would repeat what happened at the Teleportation Arrays: he’d leave his team stranded in Blood Blade’s encirclement.
He’d hesitated, seeking better options. Now he knew none existed.
Their gazes held no desperation—only calm resolve.
When Morning Star claimed the Palace’s heritage, she too must’ve faced impossible odds.
Every adventurer embraced death. His role wasn’t to protect, but to try his hardest.
Midi nodded.
“I’ll handle the sniper. Hold here.”
He vanished mid-sentence, leaving an afterimage.
Demon Shadow Flash—an advanced form of the Ghost Cry skill.
His Ultimate Intent surged, fueling this theoretical technique. He expanded his awareness, ready to flash away at the slightest killing intent.
The Black Sky sword shot blade after blade toward the high ground.
Interference. Detection. Evasion. Three actions merged.
Snipers usually struck before their intent manifested—yet against Midi, that intent became a beacon. Often, they couldn’t aim before he Demon Shadow Flashed elsewhere.
After multiple misses, the sniper fell silent.
Midi’s expression darkened.
Even though he momentarily gained the upper hand, true danger still lingered. Midi knew full well the sniper’s sole reason for such tactics was to await that one genuine, unavoidable kill-shot.
Though pushing forward using Demon Shadow Flash, Midi understood his reaction window shrank with each step closer. The narrowing gap between the gun’s intent and its strike would soon become indistinguishable.
That’s when the sniper would fire.
Yet Midi’s pace never slowed. He charged ahead recklessly, as if unaware of retreat. The high ground loomed closer—charred obstacles and dead towering trees fell away, revealing the thin figure above.
The sniper wore a heavy cloak, only his black pointed ears betraying his dark elf heritage.
He aimed a metallic black rifle, its silencer discarded to maximize destructive power. Position no longer mattered—only delivering the killing blow.
The instant Midi spotted his foe, the dark elf’s piercing gaze locked onto him through the hood.
No time to react. The rifle spat fire before its report could be heard. The bullet arrived faster than sound.
An unavoidable death-strike.
Midi didn’t dodge.
Silver flames in his eyes narrowed to a thread. Surging Ultimate Intent channeled through his right arm—shoulder to forearm, wrist to fingertips, then into the hilt of his sword. It flooded the blade, concentrating at the Sword Edge.
The Black Sky sword became an Afterimage, thrusting forward at inhuman speed.
Air resistance formed a visible barrier that shattered silently, as if sound itself couldn’t keep up. An invisible force erupted from the supersonic blade.
It tore through atmosphere, creating vacuums that vaporized dust into glowing particles. The armor-piercing bullet disintegrated mid-flight.
Unchecked, the Ultimate Intent arrowed toward the dark elf’s heart.
Sword and intent arrived as one. Midi radiated killing intent like the Grim Reaper incarnate.
This was his plan—lure the enemy into thinking him cornered, then strike with full force.
Mason’s eyes widened. Death’s iron taste flooded his mouth. Teeth gritted, desperation sparked in his gaze.
His chest pendant trembled, unleashing something massive.
A mountain-sized fire meteor element materialized, intercepting Midi’s strike.
Nothing withstands Ultimate Intent—Arad’s sharpest force. It pierced through meteoric iron flesh, magma-blood gushing from the gaping wound.
But the elemental’s colossal size dissipated the attack’s momentum. Emerging weakened, the strike still shattered Mason’s rifle.
Midi remained utterly calm. A Hand of Nightmare-level foe naturally possessed life-saving measures. Notably, the rampaging elemental turned on its summoner first—Mason clearly couldn’t control it.
Chaos erupted.
The wounded elemental swung magma-coated arms, scattering debris and flames. Neither combatant paid it heed.
Midi alternated Demon Shadow Flash and Demon Shadow Step, closing in while dodging fiery blows.
Mason drew twin pistols, unleashing a bullet barrage engulfing both elemental and swordsman. He circled the flaming giant, using it as living cover.
The roaming gunslinger’s Hawk Dive and suppressive fire reached masterful levels—yet Midi kept advancing through the storm.
For one frozen heartbeat, the battlefield held terrible clarity: roaring flames, silver trajectories, clashing steel, the snarling dark elf, and the ice-cold swordsman.
Then the ground rippled like water, magical brilliance swallowing all.
"Teleportation!" Midi recognized instantly.
When the light faded, he stood above an endless black abyss.
