Chapter 152

"Keeek!"

Theo scratched the back of Umbra’s neck as the shadowy steed let out a delighted sound, though his brows furrowed in thought.

“I made it outside, but… the mana consumption is too severe.”

After casting Eclipse twice, his mana reserves were nearly dry. The sheer power of the technique consumed his energy at an overwhelming rate.

The bigger problem was that it wasn’t enough to finish off O’d or the leader of the Cheongak Corps. While the lesser swordsmen and weaker warriors had likely been eliminated, the true masters remained standing, and his attacks had been too dispersed to deliver a decisive blow.

As expected.

Amid the settling dust, the rubble began to shift. From the debris came a volley of sword energy aimed directly at Theo.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Theo deflected each attack using his Aura Vision, his eyes gleaming with spiritual clarity. Through the thick dust cloud, he could see O’d and the Cheongak leader emerging. Bloodied but alive, they glared at him with murderous intent.

"I’ll kill you…!"

O’d’s furious declaration was cut short as she sensed an attack from her blind spot below. She twisted her body just in time to avoid it.

The Death Beasts Theo had left behind had reappeared.

Before escaping into the sky, Theo had intentionally left traces of the beasts. Now, they transformed into Thunder Dragons, their gaping jaws snapping shut on O’d’s right arm.

"Aghhh!"

Her sword hand flew into the air, leaving her weapon clattering uselessly to the ground. The Cheongak leader was equally helpless. Three Thunder Dragons swarmed him, each infused with the essence of the Yeoiju Sun. Their enhanced power tore into him relentlessly, one sinking its fangs into his neck.

"Kurghhh!"

The Cheongak leader staggered back, his face twisted in frustration. Normally, he would never have fallen so easily. But the explosion of the Eclipse had already left him severely wounded, and the surprise attack ensured his defeat.

Still, one unwelcome truth remained: among their forces, one individual had taken no significant damage.

"This is why one should never rely on heretics who don’t believe in the Great God for grand endeavors. Tsk!"

Before Theo could finish O’d, a new figure appeared. A blood-red blade, radiating divine energy, intercepted his attack.

"The Holy Church…"

Theo muttered under his breath as his eyes landed on the newcomer.

"Indeed, heretic. You’ve caused enough chaos. It ends now."

The man’s mocking smile and cold gaze revealed his identity as Kali, a bishop-level master from the Holy Church. Theo’s heart sank. He knew the fight had just become much harder.

“A bishop-level master… I’d struggle even at full strength. But in my current state…”

Theo felt the pulse of his racing heart as he tightened his grip on the Drake’s Blade. Summoning his remaining strength, he swung the blade downward with all his might.

Boom!

Another Eclipse unfolded, its devastating force slamming Kali into the ground. Theo staggered, his mana utterly depleted, but he pushed through the dizziness and drew the Moonlight Blade with his left hand.

A vertical flash of light split the ground beneath Kali.

The next attack followed, a chain of explosive strikes shaking the battlefield.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"A mere heretic dares…!"

Kali growled as he staggered to his feet, his face contorted with rage. The aura surrounding him flared into a monstrous form—a Blood Specter, a divine shadow that only bishops of his rank could summon.

As the yellow sparks of Theo’s lightning clashed with the blood-red energy of the specter, the battlefield exploded with chaos.

Theo leapt off Umbra, landing gracefully on the ground. With both the Moonlight Blade and the Dragon Slayer Blade in hand, he charged directly at Kali.

Clang!

The Dragon Slayer Blade clashed with the specter’s massive claws, halting its advance. Spinning his body, Theo closed in on Kali’s chest with the Moonlight Blade.

Before the strike could land, O’d intervened. Despite her severed arm, she deftly parried the attack with her left hand, her swordsmanship just as sharp as ever.

“As expected of Ragnar’s rightful heir.”

Theo silently acknowledged her skill, though his retaliation was immediate. He aimed a strike at O’d’s neck, forcing her to retreat. Meanwhile, Kali seized the opportunity to target Theo’s side.

Theo parried with the Moonlight Blade, maintaining a flawless balance despite the relentless assault.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The three of them—Theo, Kali, and O’d—engaged in a deadly melee. Their blades crossed countless times, each clash sending shockwaves through the battlefield.

Even against two master swordsmen, Theo held his ground. His movements were precise, his strikes unyielding.

“I can see it.”

The image of Ragnar’s legendary vanguard captain flashed through Theo’s mind, inspiring him. The insights from the Sword Orb sharpened his perception, allowing him to predict his opponents’ every move.

[Stat Increase: Stamina +10]n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

[Stat Increase: Stamina +30]

[Stamina: 90 → 100]

As Theo funneled his earned stat points into stamina, his body surged with renewed strength.

[Stamina Multiplier: 100 Achieved]

[Hidden Ability Unlocked: Vital Energy Amplification]

With his newfound ability, Theo’s body became a weapon unto itself. Even with his mana depleted, his stamina carried him forward.

The confidence on Kali and O’d’s faces wavered. Their strikes, once precise and deadly, began to falter.

"Now!"

Theo seized the moment, his blades crossing in an X-shape.

Slash! Slash!

The Moonlight Blade tore into O’d’s neck, while the Dragon Slayer Blade cut deep into Kali’s chest. Blood sprayed into the air as both opponents staggered back, their faces pale with shock.

But before Theo could deliver the finishing blow, a roar erupted from behind him.

"Theo Ragnar! I’ll kill you!"

It was the Cheongak leader. His body battered and broken, he charged blindly, his eyes red with rage.

“Damn it!”

Theo cursed inwardly. He hesitated for a fraction of a second, weighing his options.

Should he finish off O’d and Kali, or retreat to avoid the Cheongak leader’s suicidal attack?

“Retreat.”

Deciding against unnecessary risks, Theo released his swords and turned to face the charging leader. Using telekinesis, he summoned the Drake’s Blade to his hand.

Boom!

The blade cleaved through the Cheongak leader, sending him crashing to the ground in a bloody heap.

The battlefield fell silent.

Despite being outnumbered, Theo’s presence dominated the field. His opponents—O’d, Kali, and the defeated Cheongak leader—could do little more than glare at him in frustration.

"The ancestors… have raised a monster."

O’d muttered through gritted teeth, clutching the remains of her severed arm.

Kali, seething with rage, struggled to contain his fury at witnessing the return of an ancient heretical legacy.

The Cheongak leader, his body barely clinging to life, let out an animalistic growl.

As the standoff continued, Theo’s grip on the battlefield remained unshaken. He knew his time was short—his buffs would last less than a minute.

But for now, victory was still within his grasp.

Theo used telekinesis to lift the Moonlight Blade and the Dragon Slayer Blade, spinning them in tight arcs around his upper body.

Whirrr—

The gates of his mind, the Thunder Gate, opened even wider.

Heat surged through his head, a sensation so intense that Theo wondered if his very consciousness might burn away entirely. Yet, this overwhelming flow of power brought with it extraordinary clarity.

Images—faint traces of possibilities—flashed before his eyes, only to vanish an instant later. Each scenario was filled with countless permutations, potential outcomes, and attack patterns.

It wasn’t unlike Cassandra’s foresight, the glimpses she claimed of future possibilities.

If Theo had only two opponents, he could manage. But with three?

“The odds aren’t in my favor.”

The conclusion was clear.

He needed another ally on his side.

Reluctant but without options, Theo committed to the course he had sought to avoid.

Fwoosh—

Theo shifted positions, sending the Moonlight Blade and the Dragon Slayer Blade hurtling toward the Cheongak leader and Kali, respectively, using telekinesis to direct their paths. Meanwhile, Theo turned his focus to O’d.

"You think losing an arm means you can defeat me easily?"

O’d sneered, her aura flaring higher. She believed Theo had underestimated her and raised her remaining sword with renewed vigor.

Theo offered no response. With a single swing, he brought the Drake’s Blade crashing down.

BOOM!

O’d’s weapon clashed against Theo’s, locking the two into a fierce contest of strength.

CRACK—

Theo leaned into his attack, channeling his formidable physical strength into his blade. The force was enough to push O’d back, her heels scraping against the ground.

"What the hell are you doing!"

O’d wanted to shout her frustration, but Theo’s sheer might left her struggling to breathe, let alone speak.

And O’d wasn’t the only one.

The Cheongak leader and Kali found themselves in similar predicaments, helplessly pushed back by the relentless assault of Theo’s telekinetically controlled blades.

“What is he planning?”

The realization dawned too late.

As the three tried to dodge and reposition, Theo made his move.

HAAAAAH—!

The atmosphere shifted dramatically.

A foul, greasy odor filled the air, stinging their nostrils. O’d’s eyes snapped upward, and her face paled.

Above them, the sky, earth, and every inch of space around them filled with glowing magical formations. Each formation spun like the cogs of an enormous, interlocking machine.

"A magic array? How could you possibly…?"

O’d’s voice trembled with disbelief.

The intricate network of magical circles, known as a Magical Array, was something only the most elite magicians could create. The complexity and sheer scale of this array were beyond anything she’d ever seen.

It wasn’t just magic—it was a realm. A Mental Domain.

Only a Grand Archmage, a magician who had ascended to the 9th tier, could summon such an overwhelming display of power. It was an achievement reserved for those who had transcended the limits of ordinary mortals.

And now, it had manifested right before their eyes.

Creak, clank—

The magical formations began to fade, leaving behind an endless sea of gears and mechanisms. Large and small, the gears turned together, filling the battlefield with an almost deafening rhythm.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The ground beneath their feet transformed into the face of a massive clock. Its hands—the hour, minute, and second—moved at varying speeds, creating a surreal, otherworldly scene.

At the heart of it all stood Cassandra.

The Archmage Empress of a yet-unseen future, her pride and symbol—the Clockwork Array—had emerged, as if pulled backward through time to this very moment.