Translator: CinderTL
Roland followed the hoarse call and looked over.
Amidst the smoke-filled ruins of broken walls and collapsed buildings, a familiar figure leaned against a half-standing stone wall.
It was Graham.
But this Transcendent Knight now looked completely different from his former majestic and powerful self.
The backlash from forcibly wielding forbidden power was clearly visible.
Where his body had once been covered in hardened scales, most of the scales had now peeled off, leaving behind vast, blistering scars that resembled burns from a red-hot iron. The skin was a grotesque mix of charred black and raw crimson, with some areas revealing the underlying muscle tissue, oozing a pale golden fluid.
His hands, which had once transformed into deadly claws, had regained their human form, but were now covered in lacerations and lingering patches of hardened skin, swollen and distorted as if violently reshaped.
Especially at the fingertips, charred marks and cracked nails remained, trembling uncontrollably.
Most striking was his hair.
As if drained of vitality in an instant, the left temple and half of his hair had turned completely frost-white, creating a jarring contrast with his original dark strands.
Graham gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently. Each breath seemed to pull at the wounds across his body.
Just then, a giant stone, half the height of a man, broke free from the collapsing tower above and hurtled toward the ground where the group stood.
"Watch out!"
Roland instinctively reached for his sword to block.
But Graham moved faster.
Or rather, his combat instincts moved faster.
The knight's longsword, his companion for years, flashed from its scabbard, arcing through the air to meet the falling stone.
Yet the expected sight of the stone being sent flying by a tremendous force never materialized.
A deafening clang of metal against stone erupted.
Graham grunted, his body shuddering violently.
Sparks flew as the sword blade grated against the rock.
The knight, who had previously shattered giant stones with a casual strike, now struggled to merely deflect the falling boulder.
The massive stone scraped past the group's edges, crashing into the already crumbling building ruins beside them, triggering another wave of collapsing roars and billowing dust.
"Cough! Cough! Cough!"
Graham coughed violently, a trace of blood foam spilling from the corner of his mouth, his sword-wielding hand shaking more violently.
"Quick!"
The Knight Academy Dean, using his relatively intact hand, pointed toward a narrow path through the dust-filled ruins, leading toward the city's edge.
"This way! No time!"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, Roland had already hauled Galvis to his feet, immediately leading his companions in a desperate sprint after Graham.
Behind them, the thunderous roar of collapsing ruins echoed, and in their peripheral vision, the silhouettes of sinking buildings filled the horizon.
The group dared not stop until their feet sank into the slightly soft, damp earth. Only when they confirmed that the area was no longer unstable did they finally halt.
"Huff! Huff! Huff!"
The prolonged battle and strenuous spellcasting had left Roland utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally.
Having asked Freddy and Avril, who were still relatively well-rested, to keep watch, Roland slumped against the giant stone, panting heavily.
"Here you go, Mr. Roland."
"Thank you, Theresa."
Roland accepted the waterskin from the silver-haired woman and murmured his thanks before tilting it back and draining it in one long gulp.
The cool liquid slid down his throat, slightly easing the bone-deep exhaustion.
"Mr. Roland..."
Theresa pulled a loaf of bread from her pouch and offered it, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"The situation is still unclear. I'll go help Avril and Freddy with the watch."
"I'd appreciate that."
With a slight nod, Roland crushed the bread into a ball with both hands and stuffed it into his mouth.
As he struggled to chew, Graham approached slowly, his heavy steps echoing on the ground. He sat down beside Roland.
"Kid..."
The knight coughed deeply, wiping a fleck of blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Back at the top of that High Tower..."
Recalling the blazing sphere of light that had blotted out the sky, almost rivaling the sun in its intensity, he took a deep breath, suppressing the tremor in his heart.
"You were the one who cast the spell that defeated that Lich, weren't you?"
Roland swallowed his food and hesitated for a moment before nodding gently.
"Just as I suspected... cough, cough, cough..."
Graham raised his hand and slapped Roland's shoulder heavily.
"Excellent! If it weren't for you, this old bone would have been buried today. So..."
The knight's tone shifted abruptly.
"Who else knows about this?"
"Lord Jashu, Instructor Reggie, and... my companions."
"I see..."
Graham fell silent for a moment, as if carefully choosing his words.
"Young man, I don't know how you... conjured such a powerful spell, but you're not a spellcaster with extraordinary power, are you?"
Seeing Roland nod, the knight continued.
"In that case... I understand a young man's desire for glory and praise, but I advise you to keep this matter from spreading further."
Graham's voice carried a serious warning, and as if reminded of something, he sighed softly.
"Otherwise... this matter won't bring you any benefit, but will instead invite endless trouble, even... drag you into a vortex from which you can't escape."
"I understand, Lord Graham."
Roland nodded solemnly.
He was fully aware of his own limitations.
His earlier victory over the Lich had been entirely due to the High Tower's nearly inexhaustible magic.
If others were to mistakenly believe he possessed strength far beyond his actual capabilities, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Even if Graham hadn't warned him, he would have taken steps to keep it secret.
Seeing the calm in Roland's eyes, Graham nodded with satisfaction.
"I'll speak with Jashu and Reggie myself. As for your companions..."
"Rest assured, Lord Graham."
"Hahahaha..."
Seeing Roland's complete agreement, even eagerness, Graham's admiration grew even more apparent.
After laughing heartily, he continued, "Of course, even if this matter is suppressed, I will never forget your contributions to this war."
"After we return to the capital and rest, come to the Knight Academy. I will grant you the rewards you deserve."
"Thank you, Lord Graham."
"Alright..."
Graham struggled to stand, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead as he glanced at the sky, which was nearing nightfall.
"We'll rest here for the night and rejoin the main force at dawn."
"Yes, sir."
Watching Graham's retreating figure, Roland closed his eyes to conserve his strength. After recovering a bit, he silently recited the mental incantation.
The next moment, a transparent panel materialized before his eyes.
The blood-and-fire-colored text had vanished, replaced by a line of characters as black as ink.
Veil of Shadows
Seeing the name of this trait, Roland couldn't help but twitch his eyebrow.
As expected, he soon caught a glimpse of Shar's name in the trait's description.
Like the [Shar's Favor] trait, the description of the [Veil of Shadows] was laced with mockery and even a touch of dark humor.
But compared to the previous concise wording, this description was somewhat lengthier.
(End of the Chapter)
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