Chapter 1351 - A True Infected
The fight between Arthur and Bryce was at a standstill, with both sides attacking and not one side being able to best the other in strength or find an opening. Still, Arthur believed he had the edge for a few reasons.
His sword still had plenty of power, more so unlimited. He could still use all of his abilities due to the effects of the blood armour he was wearing. His blood armour special effect was to allow him to infuse blood to whatever he was touching. It was an ideal matchup to his weapon, allowing him to use all its abilities whenever he wished. Unless Bryce could destroy the Armour, there was no way for him to stop using the abilities of the sword.
The good thing about it, was it also allowed him to use his blood weapon when fighting against non-human opponents. Although even then, it didn't help him out in a particular situation.
Although Bryce could control all blood, he could not control this, and eventually, even with the absolute blood control, its power would take its toll on one's body. This was what Arthur was waiting for.
Yet, in the middle of the fight, Arthur could feel something was happening, Bryce still was continuing to attack hard, but his shadow seemed to be reacting strangely.
'Is there another shadow user nearby? Is that why my shadow is reacting in a weird way?' Arthur thought, still holding onto the shadow shield. 'No, this feels different. My shadow feels like it almost wants to go over to where he is rather than come to where I am.'
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Kyle had done his duty, and there was no need for him to get close to the battle. Even as a Royal Knight, he was worried getting caught up in either of their attacks would finish him off in a single hit. Thankfully the vehicles he could set to an auto travel feature, sending them into the inner castle area.
Arthur, seeing the vehicles approaching from a distance, wondered what was going on. He could see that they were carrying bodies, dead bodies.
'What is he up to?' Arthur thought. The scene of the dead bodies just angered Arthur more, and he wondered if Bryce was trying to use them in some way to taunt him, but that felt silly. Bryce was someone who would do anything for his goal but wasn't a fool to think this would help beat the punisher.
"I bet even you didn't know about your shadows' full capabilities or the true origins of its power," Bryce said. "Let's see how you deal when your own power is used against you."
From the crystal, shadows started to escape and travelled to the bodies. Arthur, seeing the familiar shadow, was stunned for a few seconds. He had no clue how Bryce was able to do such a thing, nor did he understand, but seeing shadow, he thought naturally he would be able to take it for himself and control it, or at least intercept it.
The shield form had done him well so far, but with half the amount of flying swords attacking him, he could use the shadow as he did before. The condensed shadows changed, and now Arthur was sending his own shadow out to intercept what he could see going after the vehicles.
Before the two of them touched, against Arthur's will, his shadow started to move away and was heading directly to where Bryce was.
"Haha, excellent!" Bryce started to smile. "I thought there was a chance that it wouldn't actually work against your shadow, but it seems like it does."
Arthur, seeing what was happening, wanted to recall his shadow, and that he did, but he was only able to recall a part of it. Nearly half of the shadow that he had sent out looked to be in some type of trance, floating and continuing to move towards the king.
That's when Arthur could see it. There was something in Bryce's hand. The crystal was slightly dark in colour, and the shadow soon went into the crystal, making the colour darker than it once was before.
Arthur could feel that part of his shadow was lost and no longer in his control.
'What is that crystal, and why is it able to absorb my shadow?' Arthur looked at it confused. It was worrying. He didn't know if it was a one-off or not, but he would have to try and win this entire fight without using his shadow.
With absolute blood power, not allowing him to use his blood attacks, and now this. Arthur would only be able to rely on his sword skills and power. The fight was getting harder by the second, and that wasn't the end of it.
The shadow that had escaped from the crystal had now entered the bodies of the dead. It looked as if the shadow power itself was infusing with their bodies. They were becoming covered in shadow from head to toe, constantly shifting.
And then, they started to move. They got up from the pile, still with shadows constantly moving around, and walked towards the battle. This continued to happen until there were now twenty people covered in shadow.
'My shadow powers have never been able to do something like this before. Is he reanimating the dead with them?' Arthur thought.
Arthur was focused more on the Crystal in Bryce's hand, he needed to get it for himself or somehow destroy it. Thinking this, Arthur placed his sword on the ground, and certain areas on the floor started to light up.
He had set up his traps and just needed Bryce to walk into them. He then swung his sword, attempting to hit Bryce. Widely swinging it with the string and using the explosive ability at the same time. Even though Bryce had blocked the attack with his blood, the sheer power of the explosive was nearly getting through his blood wall now
It was moving Bryce ever so slightly from side to side, until the light shone beneath his feet. Bryce had stepped into one of the traps freezing his body for a few seconds.
It was the perfect chance to hit Bryce cleanly.
Arthur had been using around 90 percent of his strength in each attack so far. Still, knowing that Bryce probably had more, Arthur didn't want to tire himself out for unexpected situations like now.
'Now I have to use everything I have to shatter that crystal!' Arthur once again hurled the sword like a spear. It went faster than it did before, and the blood wall had come to protect Bryce.
The wall was successful in arriving in time but not successful in stopping the sword. It went through it as if it crashed through a wave splitting the blood to either side.
Yet, Bryce wasn't worried because all twenty of those with the shadow bodies lifted their hand, and just like Arthur, what looked like a wall now made of shadows had appeared.
'They can….control the shadow…' Arthur realised. The second his blade touched the shadow, he realised that it worked just like his.
He pulled the sword away via the string with strength, attaching it back to his hand, and was left even more perplexed as to how to get out of his situation.
Now, he couldn't use shadow or blood skills, and he was fighting against his own powers.
It was at that moment that the other leaders had arrived from the first castle.
They decided to stay quite far back as they watched the spectacle and could see the dead bodies, the bodies being used in the way they were.
"This was Bryce plan. How is he able to do this?" Sunny wondered.
"I'm not sure," Jin replied. "However, it seems like he might have Arthur pushed up in a corner."
As they watched this scene, the question on everyone's mind was, who should they try to help. Who was the villain? Would Arthur continue to attack those in the vampire settlement with the Dalki after this, or would Bryce descend further into madness, refusing to give up the throne?
Perhaps, it might have been a situation where none of them deserved to live. What the leaders didn't know was that the situation was about to become more dire, and far more complex. For at the king's castle, Leo had made a decision.
With no way out and wishing to save Silver's life, he had led Tempus to the first king's tomb. They stood on the underground floor in a certain spot. There was nothing to show that the first king was buried here, but Tempus destroying the ground where they were could see the round chamber. The specially designed tombs for those to go to sleep.
"Finally, finally!" Tempus said with excitement. "It's been a long time. It's finally time for you to take back what was always yours, my friend." Tempus said.
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