Chapter 25 : Delay


    Whooosh


    Suddenly, Noah propelled himself toward the faltering Onyxium. His movements were so fast and out of the blue that it caught Onyxium off guard. As Noah closed the distance, his weapon gleamed with such intensity in his eyes that made him almost choked up, seemingly ready to deliver a final blow.


    "Delay him!" he commanded, his voice reflecting the urgency of the moment.


    "Hold him back, give me time!"


    Summoning his fading strength, Onyxium urgently gave out orders to his remaining guild members. Despite his weakened state, his voice still carried an air of command that had once united them all.


    His words echoed across the chaotic battlefield, reaching the ears of those who still stood. They hesitated briefly, torn between their fallen leader and the hard hitting force embodied by Noah. But after realizing that Noah had somehow become passive a few moments ago, they became more confident.


    “Go!”


    “Tank and warriors, come with me!”


    “Assasins, get him from the sides…”


    With this resolution, the members of Wreaking Havoc went forward to confront Noah. Their moves aimed at halting his advance.


    The vanguard of Wreaking Havoc surged forward as one, a wall of armor and bloodlust formed to bar Noah’s path. Massive swords swung in unison, and shields raised up in a protective barrier as they charged head-on.


    Simultaneously, a band of agile looking fighters split off from the main force. Like predators stalking their prey, they crept along the flanks of the battlefield. They knew that while the heavy hitters bore down with brute force, their subtle advance could encircle him, cutting off any unexpected movement and disrupting his rhythm. And their objective was clear, bypass the front-line defenses and catch him from the side, where his attention would be divided.


    Overwhelm him head-on and trap him within a tightening circle of aggression, that was the idea of their whole strategy to stop his intention toward their commander.


    Their moves look impressive and on point toward their objective, just intending to delay and not to be ambitious and going out of proportion. But whether that would work or not, it was hard to tell as suddenly a massive fireball roared into existence, hurtling toward the advancing ranks.


    Bhhaaaammmm


    When it exploded, a searing shockwave tore through the enemy lines, setting the front ranks ablaze and scattering fighters at the front.


    Claankk


    With a twist of his body, Noah deflected an assassin’s initial lunge, a swift parry that sent the hidden threat’s dagger clanging harmlessly off his barrier. Noah followed right away with a jagged bolt of lightning arced from his outstretched arm with the spear staff in his hand, crackling with ferocious energy.


    Kzzzzsssttt…


    It slammed into a nearby area, the electric shock rippling outward, briefly disorienting the agile attackers and forcing them to retreat into the chaos.


    At the same time, the heavy warriors still pressed in. A particularly burly fighter broke through the front line with a mighty swing, aiming to shatter Noah’s guard with sheer brute force. Noah faced it by spinning his spear staff with the staff’s sharp tip thrust forward, which made the enemy’s momentum abruptly halted by a well-placed strike that sent him staggering backwards.


    “Ohhhhh!”


    “Get him for me!”


    The front-line combatants engaged in a desperate brawl, their collective roars melding with the hissing of dissipating spells. The spirited shouts that came out from their mouths made them more adrenalized and they could only hope that their objective could be achieved soon.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    It was just that each parry and thrust from Noah was very impactful, a blend of martial prowess and the explosive force of his magical attacks.


    His response was nothing short of meticulous. He sidestepped and deflected their strikes which could somehow prevent them from encircling him. His movements were economical yet each blow he landed was lethal.


    Especially as they fought on, the awareness of their Commander''s absence cast a shadow over their morale. Some of their strikes became less coordinated, their actions less cohesive.


    The members of Wreaking Havoc fought with a fervor born of desperation. They attacked Noah from all sides, aiming to overwhelm him with their sheer numbers once more.


    Arrows whizzed through the air, and spells filled with energy as they sought to disrupt Noah''s movements. Some attempted to be a sacrifice, hoping to exploit any opening. But he seemed to possess an almost preternatural awareness of their intentions, blocking their strikes in a calm looking manner.


    "Faster, don''t let him slip away!"


    "He''s tackling everything! How is he doing that?!"


    "Just keep on surrounding him from all sides!"


    "He doesn’t even seem to be breaking a sweat, this is humiliating..."


    "I will reach you in a beat, don''t worry..."


    Onyxium''s eyes widened with panic as he saw Noah''s intent clear as day, just from hearing the not so clear remark amidst the chaotic battle. The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning, and he instinctively raised his weapon in a desperate attempt to defend himself.


    “Ice Barrier…”


    “Elemental Channelling…”


    Noah’s spear staff began to hum with a potent energy. The outer blade glowed with an ethereal sheen, while the inner core pulsed with magical intensity. He planted his feet firmly on the ground, summoning the elemental forces at his command.


    Claankk Sriing Kraannk…


    The surrounding players attacked Noah either close ranged or long ranged. Some of the attacks even landed on their own allies, but they couldn’t care less at this point because they could see that Noah was about to do something.


    Sadly, the white bluish barrier standing around Noah blocked their attacks like a strengthened wall. Somehow, the barrier seems to be tougher than the previous ones.


    Whooomm


    With an explosive burst, Noah thrust his staff forward, unleashing a shockwave of fire and lightning. The explosion of elemental power fractured the enemy formation, the brilliant flare of magic illuminating the battlefield in a momentary blaze. The searing heat and electric fury tore through the circle’s front line, sending a cascade of bodies tumbling backward as if caught in a violent tempest.


    Dasshh


    Not giving his foes a chance to regroup, Noah seized the opening. He darted forward, his movements a blur inside the smoke of the explosion surrounding him.


    With high speed, Noah closed the gap between himself and Onyxium. The latter''s eyes widened as he saw Noah''s spear descending toward him all of a sudden. Desperation and realization dawned on him.


    Bhaaammm


    The clash of powerful energy resonated through the battlefield as Noah''s strike met Onyxium''s defense. But the force behind Noah''s blow proved overpowering, causing Onyxium''s arms to tremble under the impact.


    The seconds that followed seemed to stretch into an eternity. Onyxium struggled to hold his ground, his strength failing him with each passing heartbeat. The weight of defeat hung heavy in the air, and the realization that he couldn''t hold out any longer crept into his consciousness. The panic in his eyes was a reflection of the impending doom that he couldn''t escape.


    Krraaannkkk


    And then, Noah''s weapon broke through Onyxium''s defense. With another thrust, Noah''s weapon found its mark around the latter’s chest, and Onyxium''s form crumpled to the ground.


    Grakk…


    The blow struck true, the impact reverberating through Onyxium''s body and followed by an overwhelming darkness that seemed to close in on his vision. As he fell to the ground, his world started to become grey, leaving behind only the echo of his defeat.


    “******* hell…”


    Onyxium''s weakened form was a stark contrast to the commander who had once exuded confidence and authority. Despite his efforts, he was again no match for the pursuit of Noah''s strikes.


    The members of Wreaking Havoc froze in disbelief. Their commander, their leader, had fallen. The once fierce battle cries had turned into shocked silence.


    "Not bad," Noah''s voice cut through the silence. "It''s over I guess. Still, a paladin huh..." He said as his voice trailed off while shaking his head.


    Onyxium''s eyes were bloodshot as he looked at Noah, hearing the seemingly down toning of the latter''s voice. His health bar plummeted, reaching zero in an instant and a burst of light engulfed Onyxium''s form.


    He vomited blood right before he turned into light, and it was hard to say whether he vomited blood because of his injuries or because of something else.


    "Fu*****..." With the curse, Onyxium''s avatar shattered into countless fragments, vanishing from the battlefield.