Imperial Crown.

Chapter 517 The Real Devil

"Raven! Your tone is far too arrogant!" Rudolph roared angrily.

This condescending contempt completely enraged Rudolf! Keep in mind, even in his prime, Raven was only a fourth-tier mage! Now, so old and frail, he still dares to be so arrogant! He's showing far too little respect for Rudolf and Fedorti!
However, the next moment, he screamed like a goose whose neck had been grabbed tightly, "No! No! You're not old! You're not weak, are you?! It's all a disguise!" Rudolf's voice was suddenly filled with extreme terror, and his wrinkled, withered old face changed drastically! It turned into a pancake that looked like it had been branded with a hot iron, which showed how agitated his soul was and how horrified he was!
In his eyes, the previously hunched Raven suddenly straightened his spine, his aged body swelling as if inflated, and even through the thick woolen fabric of his luxurious clothing, the bulging muscles beneath were clearly visible! All this changed in the blink of an eye, and when Raven's eyes emitted a swirling golden light, his entire demeanor underwent a complete and transformative change, as if sublimated! He reached his peak at that moment! Like…like a humanoid dragon! Especially those eyes that shone with dazzling golden light!
"You realized it a little too late!"

The moment Raven spoke, he moved, vanishing from his spot like a ghost, reappearing before Feltzoti. The Stars Rapier in his hand, forged by the legendary master swordsmith Hyperion from the Grand Duke of Eivor's treasury, shone with dazzling brilliance, and thrust straight towards Feltzoti's head!

"Bone Shield!!"

Rudolf wasn't the only one horrified. When Feruti realized that Raven's aged appearance was a complete deception, he was practically scared out of his wits! What kind of cunning, what unfathomable depths of scheming could someone possess to feign old age for three or four years?! What grand conspiracy was brewing, what intricate scheme was being orchestrated, requiring such a self-destructive disguise day after day?! But Feruti had no time to ponder these questions. The fighting spirit on Raven's rapier surged, containing an extreme storm, and swiftly thrust towards his head like lightning. A mere, ordinary thrust was enough to make this fifth-tier transcendent feel the warning of impending death! Yes! Raven was not just a fourth-tier mage, but a peak third-tier transcendent! His martial spirit instantly activated, and a massive skull emerged from the cold gray mist, emitting a piercing howl! And in his heart, the name of his combat technique roared!
Kua kua kua

As the sound exploded, a shield formed from layers of solidified white bones appeared before Fei Zhuoti. With the powerful enhancement of fifth-order battle qi, the distinct layers of white bones emitted a shimmering, jade-like luster! It could be said that this bone shield was even harder than third-order star mithril!
Fifth rank is fifth rank! If it were any other fourth rank transcendent, let alone condensing a combat skill in such a short time, they probably wouldn't even have time to react before Raven's longsword pierced their head, causing them to perish and their souls to be destroyed!

But all of this was clearly in vain!
Because Raven not only possesses extraordinary battle aura, but also unparalleled terrifying power! The rapier Stars in his hand is an enchanted weapon of the fourth tier!
Boom!
The rapier struck the bone shield, unleashing an unimaginable roar. The bone shield was pierced, and the rapier's blade pierced through, heading straight for Fe Zhuoti's body.

His black and red armor was as thin as paper; when the rapier approached, it was like a hot knife through butter, offering no resistance whatsoever! Fei Zhuoti could only watch helplessly as the swords of the stars pierced his body.

puff
A dull thud, like the sound of something being wrecked, rang out!

Although the bone shield and armor couldn't stop the stars, they reduced the mountain-like force of the sword by seventy or eighty percent, so the sword tip only pierced half an inch into Fezhuoti's body! But before Fezhuoti could even feel joy, she suddenly opened her mouth and let out a shrill wail: "It's the Light God Oil! It's the third-tier potion, the Light God Oil!"

The golden-yellow potion entered Fei Zhuoti's body through the tip of the Star Sword, like a tiny flame on a large puddle of gasoline, instantly igniting the burgeoning fifth-tier battle qi within him! It caused him excruciating pain, as if he had been stripped naked and thrown into a scalding hot oil pan!

That's right, the golden potion was the Light Oil Lux had given to Raven years ago. He had distributed most of it, keeping only two bottles for himself. It might be less effective against orcs, but using it now was simply perfect timing!
"Skeleton Guardian!"

Taking advantage of the moment, Raven drew his Stars, channeling his magic to unleash the second-tier necromancy spell, Skeleton Guardian. The shattered bones scattered on the ground rustled and coalesced, forming two graceful skeletons—one wielding a bow, the other an axe! These were real skeletons, not just skulls! The skeleton named "Little Blackie" leaped backward, its massive bone bow creaking and vibrating in the air. A bone arrow, pieced together from fragments, coalesced and shot towards Rudolph in the distance. Meanwhile, the other skeleton, named "Kun," opened its jaws, letting out a silent roar, and swung its mottled giant axe fiercely at Fedorti, who was rolling on the ground!
"Raven! You've insulted me beyond measure!!"

Seeing that even a fifth-tier necromancer like Fezzotti couldn't withstand a single blow from Raven, Rudolf cursed him inwardly as a complete waste! And to see Raven actually use their Death Hand Church's necromancy in front of him, a fifth-tier necromancer, was like slapping him in the face! Rudolf's gold teeth trembled with rage. He stretched out his five fingers, grabbed the bone arrow aimed straight at his face, and with a forceful squeeze, crushed it into dust. He roared, "Let me show you real necromancy!"

"The Gate to Immortality! Open!!!!!"

A furious roar erupted from Rudolf's throat. As magical elements whistled from his fingers, the void before him suddenly trembled violently. A series of bubbly sounds, like those of Kayako, echoed endlessly in the empty hall, sending chills down the spine! Clumps of cold, gray mist, like ghostly spirits, swirled wildly in the air like headless flies. Tiny points of starlight converged, then were drawn away and twisted, transforming into tadpole-shaped phantoms, swaying with long, thin tails of light! Then, Rudolf waved his staff, and countless imprisoned souls flew out, mostly human, mixed with a small number of orcs, howling, screaming, and filled with resentment… They were absorbed into his staff, becoming sacrificial energy to accelerate the opening of the so-called "Gate of Immortality"! "Raven, this is magic!" After breaking through to the fifth rank of magic power, one can cast magic spells. Any magic spell is forbidden on the continent of Midlers! From this, one can imagine that the power of this magical spell must be incredibly terrifying! "Raven! It's not too late to beg for mercy!" Rudolph roared ferociously. After all, a dead Raven was of no value to him!
Raven sighed inwardly. Although his own strength couldn't be judged by ordinary standards, two fifth-tier powerhouses were not insects to be easily crushed. Therefore, Raven's first thought after injuring Feltotti was to interrupt Rudolph's spellcasting. However, he underestimated the strength of a fifth-tier mage! Or perhaps he underestimated Rudolph's abilities! Rudolph ultimately used necromancy! And a forbidden spell at that! This undoubtedly indicated that what followed would be a tough battle, not the blitzkrieg Raven had pre-planned in his mind!

It's going to be a tough battle! It's been a long time since I've properly stretched my muscles!
Lei Wen calmed himself, his golden eyes gleaming as he looked at Fei Zhuoti, carefully observing the flow of her battle qi. While the Divine Oil of Light was effective, the quantity was too small. In just a short while, Fei Zhuoti had recovered, a massive surge of battle qi rising in her chest to suppress the pain caused by the oil. But it could only suppress, not truly eliminate. The wounds sizzled and hissed like oil being poured into cold water! Transparent, hot blisters even seeped from the cracks in her armor! This was a true "natural enemy"! It was a pity the Divine Oil of Light was only third-tier; if it were fifth-tier, Fei Zhuoti would already be crippled!
"Raven!"

Fei Zhuoti's eyes darkened, and he hated Raven to death. With a roar, the skull-shaped martial spirit immediately rushed towards Raven, accompanied by the sharp howls of the dead and the sound of air being torn apart.

Raven saw through his bluster at a glance. His face was sinister and ruthless, but in reality, he had just suffered a hidden loss and was already terrified. He dared not let Raven get close to him again.

"Shut up!!" Raven stood still, waiting until the skull-shaped spirit was right in front of him before letting out a loud shout. He thrust his rapier, Stars of Light, forward, and at the same time, threw something from his left hand. It was a brand-new bottle of Divine Oil of Light! After being pierced by Stars of Light, it made a "crack" sound like shattering glass! Raven's rapier danced, and his body swayed from side to side with agile steps. With the blessing of the Eye of Truth, neither the fifth-tier Fezhuoti nor his skull-shaped spirit could move as slowly and sluggishly as an old man in front of Raven! So, although the skull was very fast, it could never hit Raven. Instead, Raven struck it again and again with his rapier, leaving terrifying cracks that reached the bone! He even had the strength to use his rapier to spray the Divine Oil of Light that exploded in the air onto the skull.

From a distance, this scene was truly a breathtakingly beautiful sight, like a graceful swan or a swimming dragon! It left Rudolf and Fedorti, two men who had clearly come from the clutches of death and dealt with souls year-round, with expressions on their faces as if they had seen a ghost – absolutely astounding!
"Is he even human?" Both were simultaneously filled with utter terror. To dodge a Martial Soul's attack—the entire Middles Continent had never heard of such an ability! Raven wasn't a sixth-tier transcendent, and he couldn't fly! Could it be some kind of mysterious, unknown, bloody combat technique?!
The most tragic case is Fei Zhuoti's martial soul. When it arrived, it was perfectly fine, the entire skull was ferocious and terrifying, smooth as jade, and its soul fire was eerily bright; but when it returned, it couldn't go back! It was covered with cracked bone seams and golden light oil! The originally vibrant green soul fire had also visibly dimmed, and it looked like it was about to go out!

Bada
As if on cue, the skull let out countless silent wails before finally collapsing from the air and landing on the ground. Its mouth, filled with gleaming white teeth, remained open and closed as if trying to speak. A luminous oil continued to slowly trickle down its head.

"It's your turn!"

Buzz

The next moment, Raven was suddenly enveloped in shimmering light, as if he were shrouded in seawater, making it difficult to see his figure clearly! This was the scene created by the Illusionary Light Shell, which he obtained from the orphanage's headmistress, Nightingale. Back then, when the Hand of Death wreaked havoc in the Nord Province, the orphanage could not survive, so Raven moved it to his own territory. In return, Headmistress Nightingale gifted Raven this item along with the Nether Serpent Ring.

When the Illusionary Light Shell activated, in Fezhuoti's eyes, Raven's figure rapidly shifted 30 centimeters towards him, as terrifyingly as if some kind of void combat technique could teleport him! Adding to this was Raven's preparatory actions before activating the Illusionary Light Shell—his deliberately spoken words and vicious gaze—which also had a psychological effect! This terrified Fezhuoti, who scrambled backward, screaming as he ran, "Get out! Get out of here! You real devil!"

"Idiot! That's an illusion! He's still in the same spot! Don't run around!" As a necromancer, Rudolf's mental power was naturally far stronger than Felt's. He saw through the illusion created by this low-level enchanted item at a glance! However, he was casting a magic spell and had no time to help Felt.

Felix was completely terrified by Raven and ran around recklessly, which inadvertently exposed a weakness that Raven could exploit to pursue! Sure enough, the next moment, the cunning Raven turned around menacingly and quickly chased after Felix!
"Pfft," Raven couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing Fei Zhuoti's words. A necromancer warrior from the Order of the Death Hand actually dared to call him a true devil?! It was utterly outrageous!

Of course, Felt wouldn't sit idly by. When Rudolf's words of warning rang out, he snapped back to reality! After all, he was a fifth-tier powerhouse! A being powerful enough to annihilate an entire rank of earldom or noble family! It wasn't because he was weak! It was because Raven, this demon, was too strong! Too powerful! Absurdly powerful! Incredibly powerful! Terrifyingly powerful! Since Raven didn't possess any void combat techniques, he was largely relieved. His only concern was Raven's Light God Oil! Gripping his bone knife tightly, as a fifth-tier transcendent being, he had already absorbed a considerable amount of necromantic law essence! The reason the Hand of Death was considered a cult was because its cultivation was too smooth! Too simple! Whether it was necromantic magic, necromantic combat techniques, or even the necromantic law essence, all it took was sacrificing the souls of various races to take a shortcut and ascend to heaven in one step! That's why Raven compared them to demonic cultivators in the immortal cultivation world!

"Die!!" Fei Zhuoti roared like thunder! Although Raven's Starry Rapier was a fourth-tier enchanted weapon, Fei Zhuoti's bone knife was infused with a large amount of necromantic law essence! Its sturdiness was at least comparable to a fifth-tier enchanted weapon! Otherwise, his battle qi wouldn't have been able to completely suppress the Light God Oil! Raven, this demon, was pursuing him too fast, leaving him no time to use any combat techniques. He could only coat his bone knife with the pale glow of fifth-tier battle qi and slash fiercely at Raven!

"The heart of fear!"

Raven, who had returned to Feruti's side, suddenly unleashed a thunderous roar! This low-level necromancy spell, originating from one of the shepherds during the Hand of Death's rampage in the Nord province, was now forcibly activated by Raven using fourth-tier magic power! To put it bluntly, the spell's effect was to bewitch the mind and stir up inner fear! However, such low-level spells should theoretically have little effect on high-level experts, but Feruti's fear of Raven was very real! So when the red light swept over Feruti's head, his expression instantly became one of intense terror, as if he had witnessed something utterly horrific!
scoff!

The instant Fe Zhuoti's clone appeared, Raven's rapier rolled down. One strike deflected the bone knife in Fe Zhuoti's hand, and another slashed at Fe Zhuoti's arm! His right arm was severed at the root! With the Light God Oil, he would never be able to regrow it using necromancy again!
At the same time, Raven's left hand shone with magical light, magical elements surged, and magical runes flickered... He forcibly used the low-level necromancy spell Bone Spear, also obtained from the shepherds, with his peak fourth-tier magic power! A thick bone spear suddenly condensed from his left hand, carrying the immense power unleashed by his body, which had been strengthened countless times, and stabbed fiercely towards Fezhuoti's chest! With a bang, it directly smashed into the battle aura armor that had been formed outside, shattering it into dust, dissipating completely, and utterly annihilating it!

The next moment, the bone spear pierced straight through his breastplate!
"what--"

A pig-like scream erupted from the mouth of the fifth-tier expert, Fei Zhuoti, as blood gushed out!

……

(End of this chapter)