Parallel Memory

"Umm… I will take it myself!"

I said as I moved forward.

"Guards! Attack him! Don't let him take the Scepter!"

Priestess Helena ordered.

-WHOOSH!

There were 6 Holy Knights with Priestess Helena and they all came to confront me. Though Priestess Helena herself stayed behind near the Nexus Scepter.

The first Holy Knight charged at me with his sword raised high, but I swiftly sidestepped and countered with a powerful punch to the knight's gut. The knight stumbled back, gasping for air.

-GAK!

Despite the two of us being in Rank-A, my speed was higher than his. And his moves were easily predictable which made it easier for me to counterattack.

-CLANK!

The second knight came at me from the side, but I saw him coming and blocked his attack with my sword before delivering a swift kick to the knight's chest, sending him crashing to the ground.

If it was an individual fight, the two of them would have already been killed by me. However, I couldn't take advantage of their situation because the other four knights were still there.

[ "Divine Strike" ]

The third knight tried to take advantage of the situation and attacked when I was occupied with the first two knights. Unfortunately. It didn't take much time for me to take care of two of them. Otherwise, if I was still fighting with them and he attacked, I could not have responded.

[ "Shadow Slash" ]

I canceled out his attack with my own. They were really good at taking advantage of the number and were attacking me one after another giving me no time to rest.

However, I was not the one to just stand and keep on being attacked. After taking care of the third knight's attack, I immediately switched from my defensive position to an attacking position.

-WHOOSH!

I quickly closed the distance and tried to take out the third knight with my sword. He tried to block my attack but was overpowered. He stumbled and I tried to finish the job.

-CLANK!

However, before I killed him, another Holy Knight came and saved him.

-CLANG! -CLANG! -CLANK!

The fourth Holy Knight did not stop at blocking my attack but continued to attack me with a series of quick strikes. But I dodged and weaved around them, moving with lightning-fast speed.

-CLANK! -CLANG!

I must say that taking on Six Holy Knights was not very easy. Even if I had the upper hand in the fight, I couldn't take them out completely because other knights would come and save them when they were about to be killed.

However, I could still win. They were all Rank-A Holy Knights but individually they were weaker than Captain Zain.

Their stats also don't seem very high, though of course as Rank-A fighters they are strong. However, comparatively, my stats were much higher than them. And don't forget that Cryomancy Art is the highest level in this world.

Compared to that, they were using standard level-4 Holy Art and their stats were also average for Rank-A.

[ "Ice Shard" ]

I attacked six of them at the same time. While they could easily block this attack, it did manage to buy me some time and disrupt their formation.

-WHOOSH!

I then quickly grabbed the closest knight's arm and twisted it behind his back, causing the knight to cry out in pain.

-SLASH!

Before the others could help him, I quickly took him out.

The fight continued, and I faced the remaining five Holy Knights. They were becoming more nervous with each passing moment, but they refused to give up.

The first knight charged at me again, but I was ready for him. I blocked the attack and quickly counterattacked. I delivered a swift punch to his jaw, sending him tumbling to the ground again.

[ "Holy Slash" ]

The sixth knight launched a powerful strike at my midsection, but I was too fast for him, and I dodged the attack with a graceful spin. It seems, however, that he is using this move to surround me with his comrades and surround me with them.

Other knights were all lined up for a simultaneous attack on me at the same time.

[ "Ground Freeze" ]

I immediately unleashed my Cryomancy Art and tried to freeze every one of them. However, with their powerful mana barrier, they managed to come out unscathed.

However, I didn't give them time to surround me again.

[ "Shadow Dance" ]

I appeared behind the second knight. Not only did I manage to get out of the situation where I would be surrounded, but I would also be able to take out the second knight. Although he immediately detected my presence and turned around.

[ "Dual Art: Glacier Shadow Slash" ]

I struck him with a powerful strike. The knight tried to block the attack, but the force of the blast knocked him off his feet and sent him crashing to the ground. He should be unable to get up anytime soon.

Unless a healer helps him which luckily they did have. But Priestess Helena was staying out of the battle and even though she could help the knights who were injured, she didn't dare enter the battlefield.

-CLANK! -CLANG!

The fourth and third knights immediately pounced on me and tried to take me out with a sudden attack. However, I already expected an attack from them and reacted quickly.

-WHOOSH!

I quickly got out of the fight with the two of them. It was disadvantageous for me to be stuck with two of them. Only four of them are left now.

The sixth and fourth knights were starting to look nervous now. Their confidence seemed to have shaken as their number was being reduced. But they refused to give up, and they came at me with a flurry of blows.

[ "Ice Wall" ]

I created walls of ice, blocking their attacks and buying myself a moment to catch my breath. Anyway, it also made it so that they couldn't see my next move.

As they tried to break through the ice wall, I launched a surprise attack, striking them with a burst of freezing energy.

[ "Dark Ice Embodiment" ]

It seems that one sword is not enough to deal with so many strong enemies. On the one hand, was my usual sword and on another, I created sharp ice on my right hand which has a similar length as my sword.

-CRACK!

The Holy Knights burst open the Ice Wall and began making their way toward me.

-CLANK! -SLASH! -SLASH! =CLANG!

The fight between me and the four of them lasted quite a bit. I will confront them and attack them whenever I can.

However, they would always try to support them and try to make the fight four vs one. But I avoided fighting them at the same time.

When the situation is becoming four vs one, I quickly retreat or make some distractions. I still clashed with them many times. I had injured them at the same time, but they also managed to land a few attacks which were negated by my Dark Ice armor.

The four of them were starting to get slow, although I had also spent quite a bit of stamina and mana.

However, because of my situation in the Tower Of Obelisk, I learned how to fight many enemies while limiting my stamina and mana. Moreover, I have the Mana Manipulation skill which helps me to save mana.

That's why even though the situation looked disadvantageous to me, in reality, I was doing better than my enemy.

[ "Shadow Cryo Bomb Generation: Activate" ]

When the four of them seemed to have let down their guard, I activated the Shadow Cryo Bomb that I planted when I was fighting them.

"Chance!'

With that move, I managed to find a gap in their defense and make a surprise attack. The attack was devastating, freezing the fourth knight in his tracks with a hole in his chest. Usually, others would have saved him but they were trapped in the Shadow Ice, though soon after they got out.

[ "Divine Strike" ]

[ "Holy Slash" ]

[ "Divine Strike" ]

The remaining three Holy Knights tried their best to quickly kill me. They panicked and were thinking of taking care of me quickly. Although rather than killing me, they were just depleting their mana quickly.

I used the Dark Ice Wall to block their attack. Sometimes they would get past the barrier but I had my armor which protected me.

After waiting for a bit more time, their mana soon became empty and I quickly took care of them.

With all six Holy Knights defeated, I stood triumphant, my body slick with sweat and my breathing heavy.

It would have been a lot easier if I used Dark Energy but I don't want to use Dark Energy unless I want to. Even though my body can handle Dark Energy, it seems to affect my mind somewhat.

Anyway, there is no need to reveal your Trump card when it is not needed.

I walked to the Nexus Scepter. Priestess Helena stood there shivering with a wand in her hand.

She seemed to be trying to prevent me from taking the artifact. Though I doubt she could or even had the determination to.

I walked past her and held the Scepter in my hands.

( Should I destroy it? )

It was undeniably a powerful artifact but the fact that it can only be used on humans means that this artifact will also be something that is always used against humans. If in the future, it falls into the wrong hands, it might cause more chaos.

-SHIIIING!

Before I could decide, something shone from the hands of Priestess Helena. I thought she was planning something or using an artifact to attack me but the next thing that appeared was a hologram of Cardinal Hildred.

I widened my eyes in surprise.

Not because of the image of Cardinal but because beside Carindal Hildred was Saintess Amelia tied up.