Lord: I can see loyalty.

The horses' hooves thundered past, kicking up sand and gravel, as the group sped deeper into the desert. The further they went, the stronger the eerie winds that swept through the desert at night became.

After traveling for an unknown amount of time, they finally bypassed the increasingly frequent appearances of the giant scorpions and arrived at the boulder.

Before they could actually enter, the sound of clashing swords came from the air, followed by inhuman roars.

Vio and Heinrich exchanged a glance.

"Speed ​​up!" Vio shouted, and the Azure Knights instantly gripped their weapons and charged toward the entrance to Stonehenge, which resembled the gaping maw of a monster.

The scene that greeted them upon entering the formation was nothing short of horrific.

Between the massive circular stone pillars, dark golden sand was trampled and swirled, and dozens of figures were engaged in a frenzied battle... if it could be called a battle.

On one side was Duke, all alone. His light armor was covered with dents and puncture marks, and beneath his exposed skin, the golden patterns brought by the curse surged violently as if they were alive.

He brandished a nicked longsword, his steps unsteady yet nimble as he dodged attacks, each swing carrying an air of suicidal intent.

His enemies were a dozen or so members of the Longevity Army who resembled him in appearance but had no rationality in their eyes.

They too wore tattered armor, their skin writhing and healing like scales, their eyes filled only with the pure golden madness of the God-Eater's Mark.

Like Duke, they are immortal, and now, relying on their indestructible bodies, they are frantically attacking the only one who is resisting, the "traitor."

On the sandy outskirts of the battle, several broken bodies lay fallen, their heads pressed against the wounds, thick golden liquid seeping out and slowly seeping into the sand with a soft hissing sound.

"Support Duke!"

Before Vio could finish speaking, Jimmy Murphy had already led the Sky Peak Knights into the battlefield with unstoppable momentum.

Heinrich no longer hesitated, raised his warhammer, which shone with a holy white light, and swept it across the Immortal Army.

The next moment, smoke began to rise from the body of the immortal army that was neither alive nor dead!

In a short while, his eyes and golden patterns lost their color, leaving only a corpse from hundreds of years ago.

Pastor Arya also recited a prayer, which transformed into a gentle barrier that enveloped Duke, temporarily relieving the pressure he was under from the curse and the enemy's attacks.

However, the next moment, everyone's attention was involuntarily drawn to the scene at the center of Stonehenge.

At the very end, on a rough black stone platform, the huge crystal that should have completely sealed the body of the God of Eclipse is now covered with spiderweb-like cracks.

Within the crack, a golden light, seemingly alive, surged.

Inside the crystal, the blurry yet enormous body of the Eclipse God began to struggle and expand violently. Each throbbing caused the crystal to crack under its strain, and more fragments peeled off.

What's most unsettling is the gaze that vaguely shines through those eyes of the Soul Eater.

There was no physical attack, but rather psychological oppression that made it difficult for everyone to think.

Vio's system panel flickered violently, forcibly capturing a distorted piece of information:

[Name: Umm Bral]

[Status: Unlocking progress: 98%, Power weakened]

[WARNING: High-intensity mental pollution.]

"Lord...you've arrived?" Duke braced himself on his sword, breathing heavily as his body rapidly healed. "This Eclipse God summoned the Immortal Army...and is trying to erase my 'curse'...the sealing crystal is about to give way!"

As if to confirm his words, the shadow in the crystal suddenly struck the inner wall.

Click—!

A massive crack pierced through nearly a third of the crystal, and surging golden light instantly spilled out, landing on the ground and transforming the sand in front of it into a magic circle that shimmered with an eerie glow.

The immortal soldiers who touched the magic circle simultaneously let out sharp howls, and their attack became even more frenzied.

The magician from the capital stared intently at the shattered crystal and the swirling shadows within, his face tense. He quickly pulled out several strange instruments and tools from his robes, speaking rapidly:

"We can't let this guy out... but few of us are skilled at sealing. There's another way: eliminate him before his power recovers after he emerges!"

Heinrich stepped forward, brandishing his warhammer to create a stable aura before him, resisting the mental pressure that was pressing down on him. He spoke in a deep voice to Vio:

"Count, we must make a decision immediately: should we prioritize reinforcing the seal, or prepare for battle?!" His gaze swept over the crazed Immortal Army and the shattered crystal.

Vio's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his cold gaze sweeping across the battlefield.

There was no time to hesitate.

"Jimmy, take your men and cooperate with Lord Heinrich to wipe out the entire Immortal Army!"

"Ms. Arya, please provide shelter and treatment to Duke and the injured as much as possible."

Vio then looked at several mages, including Luca Winnie: "Prepare for battle."

"Knights." He slowly drew his longsword, and the Dune Sword Technique began to merge with the aura of his basic swordsmanship, the tip of the sword pointing at the increasingly shattered crystal.

"Stop him the moment he emerges, buying time for the magicians!"

The final battle, in this ancient, sealed land, suddenly and inescapably descended upon us.

After a moment of silence, the crystal on the stone platform emitted a strange sound and then shattered with a loud bang!

boom--! ! !

A black aura, composed of pure malice and necromancy, suddenly spread out in a spherical shape from the stone platform!

The air crackled and exploded, the sand and gravel on the ground were instantly blown away, and the nearest few Azure Knights were thrown back as if struck by a giant hammer, armor and all.

Vio felt as if an invisible mountain was crashing into him, and a buzzing sound filled his ears. He couldn't help but kneel down on one knee, the tip of his sword deeply embedded in the sand, carving out a furrow several meters long before finally stopping.

"Ugh!" A metallic taste rose in his throat.

"Hold your ground! Form ranks!"

Jimmy Murphy's roar echoed in the aftershocks of the shockwave. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but he quickly stood up again and raised his sword.

The Azure Knights struggled to their feet. Despite their armor being covered in dust and suppressed groans coming from beneath their visors, their formation quickly regrouped as they staggered, with Vio and Jimmy as the spearhead, aiming intently at the source of the shockwave.

The smoke and dust slowly descended, allowing people to see more clearly.

On the stone platform stood a humanoid monster about three meters tall.

His body resembled a skeleton draped in a massive gray cloth, with countless arms radiating deathly energy beneath. His head remained covered by the gray cloth, revealing only countless pairs of golden pupils.

It slowly turned its gaze, finally fixing it on Vio, who was struggling to stand up.

Those pairs of golden eyes seemed to flicker slightly, and a voice, as if a thousand people were stacked together, carrying the texture of rolling sand, echoed in the vast Stonehenge, filled with weariness and undisguised contempt:

"Human courage is as dull as sand. You have a familiar scent that I find repulsive. Fine, I'll take you as my first offering upon my return to the world."