Chapter 1570 — 1570: If looks could kill

The Reaving Dread was a mercenary group, but describing them as such would be quite inadequate. They were not mere mercenaries - they were the best of the best, the most ferocious and capable fighters, able to outperform anyone within their rank.

It was quite common for members of their mercenary group to fight above their level, and with the special augmentations provided by the Condottiere, they were also especially difficult to kill.

It was exactly those features of theirs that allowed them to survive for so long in Abaddon, while everyone else who tried to accompany them died. That was not to say the reinforcements were weak, or didn't help. They were quite strong, and relieved a tremendous amount of pressure off of them. But ultimately, they all fell short.

Now, though, Kaemon was really questioning whether they really were the best of the best. He always knew that they were destined to never get the elitist fighters in the realms, for they usually did not become mercenaries. They usually had organisations to back them up, or powers of their own to rule. But the difference should not have been great. It should not have been. Really, the Reaving Dread were supposed to be awesome.

Yet as Kaemon looked upon the human who had once again begun to fly above the rampart with baton in hand, killing an army of locusts with a wave of his hand, he could not help but feel inferior.

In truth, it wasn't Kaemons fault. If after being baptised by numerous star realm changes, and the energy from a newborn realm, and receiving the inheritance of a human king, as well as the numerous other advantages the Inn offered him, if Z couldn't even do this much, then it would be a real waste.

It wasn't for nothing that the Midnight Inn had become recognized as the spot with the humans with the greatest potential in all the universe. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that in the future, if the human race ever got Dao Lords, there was over a 90% chance that they would come from the Midnight Inn.

A cape made of orange energy began to emerge from behind Z as he continued to wave his baton, slowly raising the tempo of the music reverberating through the canyon with each wave.

Clouds began to gather in the red sky above Abaddon and an ominous pressure began to build, as if a destined showdown was about to begin. As Lex watched Z build up his momentum for his battle, something unexpected happened.

He gained a new black bead! Lex was slightly confused about why watching Z fight would get him a bead, but he didn't waste time thinking about it. Instead, he deployed all the beads he had gathered so far, choosing to completely surround one of the lone white beads.

As soon as he was done, Lex began to receive feedback from the board, slowly learning more about the game, and finally got a hint as to how he could retaliate! His latest bead, the one he got from watching Z, was placed directly over the surrounded white piece, crushing it much like the Rook piece crushed his beads!

Lex felt a sliver of a cool energy flow into his body and disappear. He had no idea what that energy was, but he got the feeling that… he had stolen a hint of his opponents destiny!

Two battles were taking place, one silent and hidden, and one out in the open.

Just as the black knight was about to reach the castle walls, the music reached its zenith, filling Z with a level of excitement he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Behold… the beat drop," Z exclaimed, and waved his baton downwards, causing it to disintegrate and mix in with the music that had filled the canyon. Just as the name implied, the beat dropped, and with it, Z dropped onto the black with his first punch.

Just like that, the battle began. Thunder roared in the clouds above as purple lightning snake through the black clouds that had gathered. The ground trembled continuously, as if shaking in fear. The very air was sharp with anticipation - a result of the unique intent that Z had mastered.

But those were just the more obvious repercussions of their first clash. Through Lex's eyes, the world had turned into a jungle of chains as Z manipulated the laws with his tenets. The black knight, similarly, caused a reaction in laws as well.

He was not using tenets, as far as Lex could tell. Rather, his very armor contained the power of laws, as a result of which his every move caused a ripple through the laws.

Lex could see that Z's combat strategy involved gaining momentum, and everything he did served to raise it. From the music, to his attacks, even to defending against attacks, everything Z did continued to raise his momentum, empowering him.

The black knight, on the other hand, was a force of destruction. As he attacked, he not only targeted Z directly, but also targeted his momentum, reducing it as much as he could.

Unfortunately for Z, the black knight was inherently much more powerful than him, so whether it was in their direct fight, or in their fight to manipulate laws, the knight was winning.

"He is not as strong as the Chimeras," Kaemon said, surprising Lex with his words. "But his ability to manipulate laws is greater. I suspect he is also more intelligent than the Chimeras, making him a huge threat."

As if to emphasise on that very fact, the black knight landed a vicious kick right on Z's face, throwing him back and causing his body to crash into the castle walls.

"You don't have time for a long fight," Lex said calmly, his voice reaching Z down below. "Your strategy of momentum gain is a good one, but it doesn't suit a battlefield. More enemies are on the way, you need to think of something else."

Z opened his eyes, ignoring the blood dripping down his forehead, and looked at the black knight the way he wanted to look at his boss every time he had to work an extra shift. If looks could kill, the knight would already be dead.