Chapter 297 - 271: Going Solo, Bizarre Change

Chapter 297: Chapter 271: Going Solo, Bizarre Change

For an ordinary Professional, crossing this threshold meant a smooth path all the way until the Ascension Level!

And for a monster of this level, it meant incredibly high Energy Resistance and various bizarre, unpredictable auxiliary abilities!

Add to that a body animated from the entirety of Red Crying Castle, and its health was likely an astronomical figure that would make any assault team’s scalp crawl. Even if surrounded by multiple powerhouses of the same level, it could rely on its terrifying size and incessant, profane attacks to hold out for a very long time.

Just as Jon turned to the two powerhouses from the Sun Church beside him, intending to coordinate this difficult assault, a hoarse voice cut in—

"Everyone, allow me to scout ahead and ascertain the monster’s attack patterns and the flow of its Energy."

It was Bagget.

The eyes of this "Night Owl" from the Imperial Ministry of Internal Affairs, a man who hid astonishing Power behind an unremarkable face, glinted with a cold light.

Before his voice had even faded, and without waiting for a response, his figure melted silently into the shadows like a drop of ink in water, leaving behind only the faintest breeze smelling of smoke and dust.

Finian, who had been standing quietly to the side, let out a soft sigh.

"The Empire still doesn’t trust us, after all."

Jon was left speechless when he realized what had happened.

’Is this really the time to be playing games of power between the Crown and the Church?’

’There are four Advanced Level powerhouses here. If we fought shoulder to shoulder, even if we couldn’t kill this monster quickly, we could severely restrict its movements. But no, Bagget just had to go off on his own. What about the other three of us?’

’Are the lives of everyone in this city not enough for the Royal Family to swallow its pride for a moment?’

"Truly... unbelievable..."

After silently cursing Bagget’s rigidity, Jon decided to proceed with his own plan.

He raised his hand and fired a streak of light-purple light into the air, which formed a string of characters only his people could understand.

Immediately, an agile, purple-clad figure shot out from the distant ruins, closing in at an incredible speed.

It was Dolores.

With a bow on her back and twin swords at her waist, she executed a light flip in mid-air and landed steadily before Jon.

"Boss! I’m here! What are your orders?"

The girl’s short purple hair fluttered in the strong wind, her pretty face flushed from the intense exertion. But when her gaze swept over the two Saint Professionals beside Jon, who were exuding a vast, holy aura, her usual bold and playful demeanor was reined in.

"You want me to go tickle that big rock?"

"No, go find Esra."

Time was short, so Jon skipped the pleasantries and gave his order directly.

"Take her outside the city and bring the [Fortress] in! Immediately!"

Seeing Jon’s serious expression, Dolores realized it was no time for jokes. She instinctively straightened her spine, snapped off a less-than-standard but energetic military salute, and said in a crisp voice,

"Understood! I’m on my way!"

Just then, Claudio, who had been standing as still as a pine, took a half-step forward.

The Elf Mage’s deep gaze swept over the distant rock Giant, which was slowly turning, its countless massive eyes scanning the ground like searchlights. He spoke lightly.

"Time is precious. The [Fortress] is massive; getting it into the city will be a considerable effort. I will go with her. A direct spatial transfer will save a great deal of time."

"That would certainly be much easier..."

Jon looked at Claudio, concerned.

"But Teacher, the energy you used maintaining the portal before—"

"It’s nothing. It’s of no consequence to me."

Claudio waved a dismissive hand. He then tapped a slender finger on the empty air, and imperceptible threads seemed to stir, creating faint ripples.

"Let’s go, little one."

"Oh—!"

In the next instant, his and Dolores’s figures vanished without a sound, as if wiped away by an invisible eraser.

Jon blinked, marveling at his teacher’s profound power. He then looked away, turning his full attention back to the center of the battlefield.

There, Bagget had already engaged Red Crying Castle!

Compared to the behemoth with a body like a mountain and a torso like a castle, this ’Night Owl’ from the Imperial Ministry of Internal Affairs was utterly insignificant, like a speck of dust.

And yet, he stood in Red Crying Castle’s path, unleashing his aura without reservation. Like a drop of ink in a clear pond, he instantly stained the area around him, creating a viscous sea of Shadow!

This act, of course, drew the attention of Red Crying Castle.

The countless eyes on its head, all glowing with an eerie light, writhed and locked onto the figure below. Then, it raised a colossal claw, intending to crush the tiny insect that was making it uncomfortable.

However, just as the colossal claw—literally the size of a house—was raised, several Shadow Blades shot out from the shadows around Bagget. They were as thin as a cicada’s wings, their edges rippling with a dark light, silent as poisoned needles crystallized from the deepest night!

Their target was not the Giant’s hard, rocky shell, but the joints of its massive stone limbs—the crevices from which a profane red light flowed!

SHIIINK! SZZZZT—!

The sound of tearing was faint, but uncannily clear!

The Shadow Blades precisely pierced and sliced into the writhing, dark-red "flesh" within the stone crevices!

The damage seemed insignificant, like a gnat biting a mountain, but Red Crying Castle’s sudden shudder proved the attack was effective!

"ROAR—!!!"

A terrifying roar exploded forth!

Immediately after, the jagged, colossal claw, formed from the twisted foundations of the castle, accelerated its descent, slamming down with the terrifying force of a collapsing mountain!

Dust and debris surged into the air like a tsunami, obscuring half the sky!

A tremor like an earthquake instantly spread through the entire city. Jon, who was watching the battle, was thrown into the air for a moment, and the remaining survivors were filled with terror.

But Bagget was no longer there!

In the split second before the sky-blotting claw crashed down, casting its shadow of destruction, his unremarkable figure had already transformed into a phantom deeper than the night itself, flowing upward against the violent air currents and through the gaps in the falling debris!

Before the heavy stone claw even touched the ground, Bagget had already landed on its back, which rose like a small hill!

The Shadow beneath his feet spread and clung like a living thing, making his every step silent. Only the constantly condensing and extending Shadow Blade in his hand, like the Grim Reaper’s razor, swept at high speed across the rough "skin" of the claw’s surface, a surface embedded with rock fragments and building debris!

SHRIIIP—! KRAK!

Rock and twisted metal components were as fragile as rotted leather under the edge of the Shadow Blade!

Huge swathes of "skin" were peeled away and shattered. However, what the Shadow Blade exposed was not a cold, stone core, but the profane "flesh" beneath—writhing madly and emitting scalding sulfurous steam and the thick stench of blood!

Moreover, as soon as this flesh was exposed to the air, it began to undergo a disturbing transformation.

The wounds began to multiply and stretch at a terrifying, visible rate—tens of thousands of stiff, dark-red feathers burst from the "flesh," layering themselves over the exposed joints!

"ROAR—!!!"

Red Crying Castle roared again, but this time, its cry was mixed with a strange, sharp screech, like the wailing of a thousand birds.

The scarlet feathers trembled with its movements, emitting a harsh, scraping sound like metal on metal. Bagget’s subsequent Shadow Blades struck them, only to throw up a spray of blinding, dark-red sparks, leaving a faint white scratch before being violently repelled!

Jon watched this, his pupils contracting sharply.

’Feathers... Could this be related to the Heta family’s Red Vulture?’

After all, the crest of the Heta family was a Red Vulture, a symbol of honor and valor!

The transformation this castle-behemoth was now undergoing could not be a coincidence!