The Devil’s Cage

“Argh!”

Zoyedark immediately let out an excruciating cry after being bathed in the light of [Seal of Dawn].

The pain level of the cry was far worse than the repulsion from his shadows.

After all, one was a simple repulsion, but the other?

It was a lethal bane of his life.

It was self-explanatory on which one was worse.

Pride’s way of battle was similar to Kieran’s. He would not leave any window for his enemies to breath.

The moment Prime Viper gave that excruciating cry, the black greatsword swung down from his head.

The cry stopped abruptly. It wasn’t death but Zoyedark catching the black greatsword with his bare hands.

The sharp and heavy black greatsword was stopped by a palm of flesh. Even with that sharpness, it hadn’t landed a cut on the palm.

And!

The damage [Seal of Dawn] inflicted on Zoyedark was rapidly decreasing. He seemed to have gotten used to the bane of his life, which was supposed to be lethal.

“You really have no idea what Prime Viper means! I…”

PUK!

Zoyedark was ready to lecture Pride but the moment his words escaped his mouth, a sharp, long rapier from the shadows pierced his throat.

[Dandelion’s Pierce] swung around after the stab, thus cutting Zoyedark’s head and sending it flying toward the sky. However, the headless body, too, jumped up to the sky as if it was going to catch its head.

Wung!

The black greatsword in Pride’s hand swung out again.

Bang!

The black greatsword slashed at the jumping body but it was like a rod beating a cowhide. Only the strength imbued into the greatsword was effective, the sharpness of the edge was completely disregarded.

Not just the black greatsword, even [Dandelion’s Pierce], which was quite effective a moment ago, lost its effect as well.

After the black greatsword smacked the jumping body, [Dandelion’s Pierce] lunged out repeatedly but other than producing a series of sounds like cutting hide, it didn’t do anything.

“Didn’t your teacher teach you to never interrupt people when they’re talking? It’s rude.”

As the body caught the head and reconnected itself together, Zoyedark’s voice came again.

The Prime Viper stood up, exercised his neck and looked at Pride with a gaze worth ruminating over.

“Do you know why the leader of Viper Sect is known as the Prime Viper? As a matter of fact, during the early days, Prime Viper was actually known as Round Viper. Why, you may ask?”

As Zoyedark explained, he used his right index finger to draw a circle in the air.

“Because it’s ab Ouroboros! The head represents life, the tail represents death. When the head bites the tail and combines both life and death, the line is blurred. So, I am indestructible and unkillable!” Zoyedark’s voice became loud and clear as he said this as if he was making a declaration.

In reply?

Pride gave another slash.

Pride himself was also a special existence; from a certain aspect, he was also indestructible and unkillable.

But his indestructibility and inability to be killed was actually a trick to the eyes. If Kieran were to die, Pride and the others would also die.

They would also suffer a catastrophic fate if the heart that housed them were to be damaged; therefore, Pride didn’t believe in either of the two things or Zoyedark’s words.

The reason why Zoyedark appeared to be so was nothing more than two crucial points.

First, the damage accumulation wasn’t enough.

Second, his true weakness hadn’t been found.

Sloth absolutely agreed to Pride’s perspective.

Lying down on the ground and popping out his head, Sloth watched Pride’s fruitless attempts one after another. He couldn’t help but sigh.

“I thought I could win by just lying down. Troublesome.”

After the ranting, the sleepy and blurry eyes of Sloth suddenly opened wide, its dark pupils glimmering with unusual brilliance.

His hands, which he hid in the land, burst out, and his fingers danced like they were playing a piano, or rather, calculating!

The calculating was absolute madness. Those dancing fingers brought Sloth’s body up to a standing position and when Sloth stood up straight, his wide eyes looked sleepy again and he appeared more dispirited.

Resisting the will to sleep, Sloth shouted loudly, “Oi, if one attack couldn’t work, it doesn’t mean that all attacks won’t work. Don’t you know how to attack all together?”

After that loud shout, Sloth fell to the ground and ceased to move as if that one shout had exhausted all his energy.

Zzz Zzz…

Snores sounded again and Sloth slowly vanished.

Once again being smacked away by the black greatsword, Zoyedark looked at the vanishing Sloth. His calm face showed a sense of emotion.

“Your teacher didn’t just acquire the Dragon Sect Ultimates, he even calculated to this extent? Independent intellect, special abilities… A combination of the wolf-driving technique of Wolf Sect? Not bad at all, but… what use is there in knowing it now? Even if you attack with all the weapons in your hands at once, you won’t be able to cause any damage to me!”

Zoyedark was praising loudly but he shook his head at Pride, who was charging at him.

He looked at that black greatsword and the flying [Dandelion’s Pierce], then stood there without moving an inch.

His body had familiarized itself with the attacking patterns.

That black greatsword was not bad, neither was the flying rapier, but all they were was “not bad”.

He still wasn’t concerned about them.

Bang!

After a united slash and pierce from the black greatsword and [Dandelion’s Pierce], a loud bang occurred the moment they struck Zoyedark.

Just as Zoyedark expected, the combined attack was useless against him.

Zoyedark shook his head again when he saw that Kieran was still holding tight onto the greatsword. Kieran didn’t want to give up, still wanting to perform a charging stance.

“It’s useless. The gap between us… Ugh!”

That commanding voice was stopped abruptly before it could finish because…

The black greatsword revealed a bit of bewitching and arrogant purple.

Pak!

As if it had unsheathed itself, the black outer layer disintegrated and revealed [Arrogant Word] inside.

“FURY SLASH!” Pride shouted loudly.

Zoyedark’s strong as iron body was slashed in half a moment later.

Blood splattered once more. Pride put away the sword and stood up. [Dandelion’s Pierce] flew back to his side and swirled around as if Kieran was around.

Pride looked down at Zoyedark, who hadn’t truly died.

“Not bad, not bad. As expected of the White Wolf. But the ultimate victor will be me! You really think this is the place that I want to fight you? Naive! My initial goal has always been… Riverdale!”

Zoyedark laughed out loud again when he voiced out his delight.

“Shut up.”

Pride threw the greatsword down on Zoyedark.

A moment later, the weird noises around the area were gone.