Chapter 222: Blackened Core

Varkhaz’s body had been overloaded from repeatedly using Ash Crown and Hellfire abilities.

His demonic core might still have been intact, but the enormous amount of demonic energy flowing through his body had damaged or destabilized several mana channels connecting his core to his Ash Crown and limbs.

Normally, these channels were protected by his dense demonic body.

But Purification Beam and Divine Illumination had suppressed his demonic energy enough that those channels temporarily became exposed.

Owen’s Radiant Deadeye could perceive them as thin, unstable cracks of darkness running beneath Varkhaz’s chest armor.

With Jeremiah’s Radiant Precognition, he perceived what Owen had seen.

Hence, when Solomon’s Purification Beam struck Varkhaz, the latter’s demonic energy was instantly suppressed.

The Divine Illumination then prevented his demonic energy from recovering.

Owen identified the exact weakened channel and, by Jeremiah’s confirmation, accurately struck Varkhaz’s lower-left chest, slightly beneath his rib cage.

Varkhaz’s primary demonic channel connecting to his Ash Crown was obliterated by Owen’s arrow.

Under Jeremiah’s command, Sebastian aimed his Arcane Lance at the same wound, albeit penetrating deeper.

Sebastian’s Arcane Lance damaged the area surrounding Varkhaz’s demonic core.

Varkhaz felt a wave of weakness travel through his body.

He could no longer grip the Ashrender, inevitably losing his grip as the weapon fell to the floor.

Varkhaz felt suffocated as the radiant mana wore him down.

The Purification Beam and Divine Illumination’s effects lasted primarily because his demonic energy could not recover.

His Ash Crown had completely depleted his demonic energy.

Now that he was heavily injured, the hope of defeating Max dissipated into nothingness.

He was already closer to his goal.

Just one more battle, and he could have been rewarded for killing three bearers of Divine Authority.

Just as he lamented his impending doom, Helena finally arrived.

She struck first, swinging her greatsword at Varkhaz under Jeremiah’s command.

She struck directly at Jeremiah’s Ash Crown, severing every horn.

Jeremiah feared that the Ash Crown might possess a self-destructive ability, so he had Helena disable it first.

As Helena passed through Varkhaz, Darius arrived.

His greataxe was enchanted by Theodore and was as brilliant as a sun, just like before.

His greataxe was trembling—its durability was depleting at a rapid rate.

It hadn’t been given enough time to rest, and yet here it was again, being used.

But the thought of killing a peak Greater Demon actually enlivened it, aiding Darius in delivering the final strike to end Varkhaz’s life.

As Darius arrived, having been given enough time to rush toward Varkhaz with increased momentum, his strike was more terrifying than before.

Darius leapt and swung the greataxe above Varkhaz’s head.

The severed crown posed little obstruction to the greataxe, and with Varkhaz weakened by Purification Beam and Divine Illumination, even his armor could not completely stop the greataxe from cutting through him.

The greataxe passed through every primary channel of demonic energy, barely grazing the demonic core in the process, as it successfully split Varkhaz in half.

Darius’ greataxe pierced through the dried ground, releasing a wave of radiant mana that affected the demons frozen by the death of their commander.

At the same time, the demon hunters perceived the radiant mana and shouted at the top of their lungs, chasing the demons who thought of fleeing from the scene.

Fiora and Damon took the chance to annihilate the Greater Demons, with the former single-handedly ending the lives of Vexir and Belzura.

Varkhaz was dead, and his legions soon faced complete annihilation.

Once the radiant mana from the greataxe shrank, with the greataxe actually returning to normal after being exhausted, the other half of Varkhaz’s body suddenly grabbed the Ashrender.

Darius was stunned.

He could no longer lift the greataxe, so he let go of it and prepared to block the Ashrender with his fist.

However, a Radiant Spear pierced through Varkhaz’s right shoulder, stopping its attempt to strike one last time.

Darius’ gaze went past Varkhaz and saw their Master.

Without hesitation, he immediately knelt and bowed.

Max, on the other hand, continued to cast Radiant Spear, primarily targeting the part of Varkhaz’s body that could still move without the command of Varkhaz’s mind.

Varkhaz’s split body was covered with Radiant Spears, pushing it forward until it landed near Darius.

Darius was at the center, kneeling, while the split body of Varkhaz fell to the ground on either side of him.

His back was covered with Radiant Spears—a truly magnificent sight that every Radiant Knight could not help but glance at and desire to worship their Master.

Max, on the other hand, grinned and confirmed that Varkhaz was dead.

[You have slain a peak Greater Demon.

You have received 20,000 EXP.

You have killed 10 Greater Demons.

You have received 150,000 EXP.

You have killed...]

Only now did the system finally notify him of his rewards after the battle had finally concluded.

[You have leveled up 21 times.

You have received 21 Free Stat Points.]

He smiled and glanced upward.

He closed his eyes and recalled the images of his master and Branna.

May both of you finally rest in peace.

He thought as he opened his eyes and focused on Varkhaz.

He grinned savagely and walked toward his body.

As the Radiant Spears dissipated whenever they were about to collide with him, Max stopped at the back of Varkhaz.

He knelt and clawed his way through Varkhaz’s body.

Despite how Varkhaz’s flesh and blood tainted his gloves, Max decisively wanted to find one of the most valuable parts of killing Varkhaz.

His hand finally reached something hard buried deep within Varkhaz’s flesh.

It wasn’t bone.

His fingers wrapped around an irregular object roughly the size of a human heart.

The moment he pulled it free, a strange crimson light illuminated his gloves.

A blackened core rested in his palm.

It resembled a crystal at first glance, yet its surface pulsed faintly like living flesh.

Thin crimson veins spread across its surface, while several portions had already turned gray like cooled ash.

Even after Varkhaz’s death, the core continued to beat...

End of Volume 2: Inevitable Radiant Knights.

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