Chapter 310: The Face Under the Mask
"The Evil Dragon Follower with bloodred eyes is the Shaman Bishop Ana. We do not know the origins of the other one who is hidden under the armor."
Ciaran's face became strangely flushed red as he said, "Those four pillars are made of the bones of the Evil Dragon. They all have a strange sealing ability. This is why we haven't charged. If we do, we will all be sealed within them"
"What? That fellow who seems even younger than us is actually one of the Evil Dragon bishops?!"
"Those four massive crystal spires are actually the bones of the Evil Dragon King?!"
Ayrin, Rinloran, and Stingham were all astonished.
"Then what shall we do?" Stingham asked frantically.
"Originally, the four dragon bones were constantly condensing arcane energy to produce particles of the Evil Dragon's blood. But right now, their arcane energy structure has been deliberately destroyed by those three. Once all the remaining particles flow out, these four bones should collapse.
Stingham stared blankly, "Then we are just going to wait? And why are they releasing all the particles of the Evil Dragon's blood? What will that do?"
Ciaran shook her head, "We don't know."
"Isn't this when we all just run away?" Stingham cried out.
The particles of the Evil Dragon's blood were the greatest source of temptation for arcane masters.
Indeed, it was for these particles that arcane masters would forgo their beliefs and become Evil Dragon Followers. With these particles, one would be able to use the methods withheld by the Evil Dragon bishops to absorb, integrate, and ultimately obtain, some of the abilities of the Evil Dragon.
As a result, these bones which could continuously generate particles of the Evil Dragon's blood were one of the Evil Dragon Followers' most important treasures.
For the Evil Dragon Followers to deliberately destroy these bones, they had to be planning something like Lotton had surmised earlier. Even Stingham, who wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, was certain of it.
Although he had never come face to face with an Evil Dragon bishop before, they had experienced the powerful skills of both the Plague Bishop and the Undead Bishop.
Facing two bishops and one unknown figure who was likely of the same level, Stingham couldn't help but feel like it was impossible for them to win. His feelings were furthered by Lotton's complete disappearance.
"Run where?" Liszt calmly responded as he turned and looked at Stingham, who was on the verge of crying. He quietly continued, "If we lose this battle, then the Kingdom of Eiche might no longer exist."
At this moment, Dias shook his head and sneered from amidst the four towering bones as he said mockingly, "He's right. Where can you run to? This was a battle to the death to begin with."
As Dias spoke, the space atop the vast, valley like altar trembled as the peaks of the four seven-meter-tall bones ruptured, sending countless fragments tumbling towards the ground.
At the same time, streams of black particles releasing the Evil Dragon's terrifying aura erupted outwards like a fountain. From afar, it looked like streams of blood.
Each and every particle exuded a gas which immediately condensed upon contact with the air, resulting in the appearance of countless dark purple clouds of smoke which were about the size of a human skull.
Whoosh!
As Dias extended his hand, one of these smoke covered particles immediately descended into his palm.
"Such an intoxicating aura of power and potential ripples these particles! It is of the power and potential of the king who should have reigned over Doraster…"
Dias avariciously observed the particle within his hand, then sighed as he continued, "What a pity. My blood can only merge so much with these particles. Even with so many more, nothing will occur."
Dias slightly lifted his head as his gaze swept across Ayrin, Liszt, and the others before him. He faintly smiled as he said, "If you all surrender right now and join us in our endeavor, then I can allow you to experience just how intoxicating this aura and these particles can be. Think about it. The entirety of Doraster kneeling at our feet."
"Idiot!" Rinloran immediately shouted.
"There must be something wrong with your mind!" Ayrin followed.
"Ayrin, Rinloran, you two are actually swearing at someone else for once?" Stingham exclaimed.
"For the sake of power and potential, you are willing to abandon all of your convictions, and even forget about your brother's revenge?!" Ciaran's clear voice rang out.
Dias pupils abruptly contracted as the particle within his hand abruptly exploded, sending thin wisps of smoke scattering in all directions.
Whoosh!
At the same time, the space atop the altar violently trembled once more.
Beside him, the Shaman Bishop Ana, who looked even younger than Ayrin and Rinloran, uttered several syllables. It sounded like Draconic, but at the same time, it was distinctly different.
As he spoke, a massive ring of gray light emerged in the air above the altar.
All the particles of Evil Dragon's blood, including the one which had been burst by Dias, all began floating towards the light.
"Hatred can also be a driving force for obtaining power. Indeed, after so many years, nothing can distract me. There is no way of suppressing it any longer."
Dias' face became slightly twisted as an expression containing hints of cruelty and ridicule emerged. He turned his head and looked towards the tall armored figure beside him, and then back towards Ciaran as he sneered, "Just now, you told those youths beside you that the origin of this figure in armor was unknown. But I am not so sure."
"What does he mean?"
Ayrin, Stingham, and Rinloran exchanged looks. They all had a bad feeling from Dias' words.
"Ghost God's Enslavement!"
An ice cold flame appeared within Dias' palm and then scattered into a dozen or so clusters of light which disappeared into the air.
At the same time, blue flames erupted atop the tall armored figure beside him.
A strange, but powerful arcane energy fluctuation rippled from the figure as he abruptly rushed forward.
Boom!
"What is this strength?!"
"Is this their raw physical strength?!"
Ayrin's eyes widened to their limits as he watched the armored figure charge towards him, their feet pulverizing the ground with every step and sending waves of dust into the air.
He watched as the massive armored figure crossed fifty meters in the blink of an eye. There was already less than twenty meters between them!
"God of Death's Reaping Scythe!"
At the moment, Ayrin, Rinloran, and Stingham were all shocked into a daze by the armored figure's fierceness. As for Liszt and the other teachers, they remained calm and motionless.
Only the unknown cold and arrogant looking arcane master wearing a white robe who was standing beside Liszt made an invocation as he swung his right hand through the air.
A massive reaping scythe of ice which was several people in length abruptly emerged in the air before them and slashed towards the armored figure.
Everything occurred so quickly that Ayrin and the others didn't see it clearly.
A loud clink rang out atop the altar as the charging armored figure abruptly stopped in place, his feet digging into the ground as he steadied himself.
His two arms crossed before him as he welcomed the scythe.
Crack…
Numerous snaking cracks emerged atop the massive scythe as it shattered.
The white robed arcane master slightly raised his brows in surprise as a faint white light flickered atop the left side of his face and gathered to form a dragon-shaped seal.
Meanwhile, the tall armored figure stood up once more. It seemed like the white robed arcane master's attack hadn't done anything to them.
The smile on Dias' face became even more cruel as the silver mask covering the face of the armored figure slowly split.
Two large eyes and what seemed to be a righteous looking face appeared.
Sparks of blue light flickered atop his face, which exuded an intense aura of death.
Countless black marks condensed from particles of Evil Dragon's blood snaked across his neck like moving tattoos.
"It's an arcane master… who has already died?!"
"What method is Dias using… How can he control this arcane master to fight?"
Ayrin thought in a daze.
"Teacher Ciaran…"
It was only then that Ayrin realized that the breathing of Liszt and the other teachers had abruptly become heavier. His gaze swept across them, and eventually fixated on Ciaran. At this moment, her entire body was violently trembling.
"Could this arcane master be?" A thunderous thought emerged within Ayrin's mind.