I Aggressively Stack Steel of the Heart in the Knight Order

Caught between the powerhouses of two factions, Florant’s expression was a sight to behold. The fear on his face was palpable, especially after seeing Warlord Nico.

This man was no fool from the Oreno Family.

Even though he and Nico were both Master Level Tier Two Wizards, Florant knew perfectly well that his opponent’s power was on a completely different level.

According to known intelligence, Nico possessed at least five Furnace Cast Level and one Spiritual Artisan Level Wizard’s Secret Treasures.

He even suspected that the man possessed a Void Divine Artifact bestowed by a Great Demon.

Nico rarely appeared on the main fronts of the grand war, but he had ventured deep behind the Imperial Administrative Region’s front lines on more than one occasion to carry out assassination missions, returning unscathed every time. His power was terrifying.

’Reinhardt alone is enough of a headache. Now another heavyweight has arrived, that cunning woman Irenia is still watching me from the shadows... I’m surrounded on three sides...’

Florant was still desperately trying to formulate a plan.

But the truth was, he was giving himself too much credit.

From the very beginning, neither Reinhardt nor Warlord Nico had paid him any mind. To them, Florant was, at best, a minor obstacle on their path to the Ancient Black Box.

Before Florant could even speak to ease the tension, Reinhardt erupted into action. A torrent of high-temperature energy carved a deathly, crimson-purple line through the Tomb Treasure Vault, its roaring wake scattering the rubble on the floor.

The Black War Axe, carrying an unstoppable destructive force, crashed down heavily toward Nico’s face!

But the handsome Tier Two Mage simply raised his right hand and effortlessly caught the descending Giant Axe—a blow powerful enough to obliterate a tank.

In that instant, his arm—alchemically modified and gleaming with a metallic sheen—was fully revealed to Reinhardt.

Every bone in Nico’s body radiated the Mighty Power fluctuations of a Wizard’s Secret Treasure!

Reinhardt frowned.

In a lifetime of battle, he had faced countless powerful foes, but aside from Demons, this Wizard was the first person he had ever met who could catch the Black War Axe with his bare hands.

Not even an Imperial Knight could withstand that level of power head-on with a body of mere flesh and blood.

At the same time, Agate’s grave voice echoed through the telepathic link.

’The skeletal structure of a War Witch Legion... The Mechanical Order was searching for this even before the Empire was founded. Lord Reinhardt, this guy is different from the other Wizards you’ve faced...’

Agate hadn’t even finished his warning, but Reinhardt already knew what was different.

After catching the blade of the Black War Axe, Nico’s eyes erupted with a powerful Spiritual Storm—a frontal feint. At the same time, using his grip on the axe for leverage, he launched himself into the air and aimed a twisting side kick at Reinhardt’s head!

The explosive force of the kick even generated a terrifying sonic boom!

Even with Reinhardt’s Earth Knight Level visual processing speed, the distance between them was too short. The kick was a direct assault, impossible to dodge! ’This guy...’

BOOM—!

The chains of the Black War Axe rattled loudly.

Reinhardt’s body, weighing half a ton with his Power Armor, became a blur in the air. Like a cannonball, he was sent flying, instantly smashing through rows of shelves in the Tomb Treasure Vault before slamming into the wall and becoming deeply embedded within it.

The ground itself trembled slightly from the terrifying force of the impact!

Seeing this, Raphael and the others paled in shock.

Never, since the Vengeance Angel Squad was founded, had they seen Reinhardt be overpowered in Body Techniques—let alone take a heavy blow to the head and be sent flying!

”Lord—!”

”Reinhardt!”

In that same moment, Florant, who had never imagined Reinhardt and Nico would actually fight, froze. A moment later, his gaze fell upon Raphael, silent and venomous as a viper.

’So much for plans.’

A sinister look crossed Florant’s face. ’Since I can’t get my hands on Irenia’s Death Star Bloodline anytime soon, taking advantage of this clash to abduct Raphael and steal the talents of a Mind Mage isn’t a bad alternative.’

He acted on the thought immediately.

The dust from Reinhardt’s impact hadn’t even settled when Warlord Nico, a living weapon, charged into the cloud. Each of his steps was unnaturally heavy as he moved to execute Reinhardt with lightning-fast brutality, giving him no chance to retaliate.

Simultaneously, Florant also burst into action. The Spiritual Storm of a Master Level Tier Two Wizard howled toward Raphael as Florant shot toward the Vengeance Angel Squad, flying silently at high speed just above the ground.

Raphael had been wary of Florant, but the gap between a Tier One and a Tier Two Mage was far too vast to be bridged by Secret Treasures or combat experience alone.

Moreover, for all his cowardice, Florant was still a Wizard Lord, a powerhouse who had been renowned for many years.

Raphael’s Mind Barrier shattered almost instantly. He froze as if electrocuted, his eyes vacant.

Matthias was the first to react, moving to intercept Florant, but the Wizard swatted him away with a wave of his hand. ”My target is him,” he said coldly. ”Don’t go looking for death, Imperial Knight.”

With that, he grabbed Raphael’s shoulder and tried to flee the Tomb Treasure Vault.

Manon roared, raising a Golden Shield Tower formed from Knight Power, and charged Florant like a battering ram.

Agate attacked at the same moment.

The Thermite Beam slammed into Florant’s Energy Protection Force Field, scattering terrifyingly hot embers. Even the rubble on the ground began to melt from the intense heat.

Though the Thermite Beam posed a clear threat, Florant didn’t waste time dealing with the other members of the Vengeance Angel Squad.

Despite cutting a pathetic figure as he fled, he managed to evade the Vengeance Angel Squad’s attempts to surround him and escaped the Tomb Treasure Vault in an instant, dragging Raphael with him.

”Bastard—!”

They had watched Florant snatch their teammate from right under their noses. The cunning Wizard hadn’t bothered fighting back; he simply absorbed their attacks and fled at top speed.

Veins bulged on Manon’s forehead.

Matthias reacted in a flash, his body dissolving into an electric current as he gave chase.

Meanwhile, with the absolute confidence of a superior power, Nico descended upon Reinhardt almost the instant he hit the wall. The oppressive feeling was overwhelming.

A Furnace Cast Level Wizard’s Secret Treasure, shaped like the handguard of a cold weapon, had discreetly appeared on his right hand. He clenched his fist and brought it down on Reinhardt with vicious intent.

In that moment, Warlord Nico’s combat intellect—his complete understanding and application of Body Techniques designed purely for killing in warfare—was on full display.

Although Reinhardt had taken the full force of his high kick, Nico knew from the feedback that something had absorbed most of its destructive power.

As a fellow Transcendent specializing in the Body Technique Stream, he knew it was impossible to kill Reinhardt with a single blow.

That was why his descending fist was still just a feint.

His real goal was to sever Reinhardt’s arm, crippling his combat ability or even delivering a fatal blow.

Because if Reinhardt’s combat instincts took over and he raised his arm to block, Nico would activate the Secret Treasure without hesitation. A Dark Energy Battle Blade would spring forth, severing his arm and hacking into his chest.