Niall and Jerren snapped out of it, both flushing with embarrassment for a moment.
But before the two veterans could say anything, Niđhöggr had already spurred his steed and charged straight towards Radahn.
The group of spirit ashes followed behind him.
The spectral steed Torrent galloped joyfully towards Radahn, just like its master, showing no fear at all.
Niđhöggr patted Torrent's mane with a slight smile and said, "It's been a long time since we fought side by side."
The spectral steed neighed in response.
At that moment, Radahn made his move.
He pulled the Lion Greatbow from where it was stuck in the ground and reached out to yank a spear embedded in his own flesh, nocking it to the bowstring.
Drawing the bow and raising the arrow, the spear shot forth like a massive bolt from a ballista, thundering towards Niđhöggr in the air!
The great spear was even coated in dark violet gravity magic, making it fly further and hit harder!
Niđhöggr squeezed his legs against the horse's flanks. The spectral steed sped up like a flash of silver light streaking across the Wailing Dunes, evading the incoming spear from afar.
Radahn's spear soared through the air and plunged deep into a sandy mire, exploding in a burst of scarlet dust.
Niđhöggr glanced back, rode his spectral steed, and continued closing in on Radahn.
"Roooar—"
The Glintstone Dragon was clearly a step closer than Niđhöggr.
He beat his wings and hovered above Radahn, without hesitation exhaling his icy crystal breath, enveloping Radahn's body!
Half of Radahn's form was quickly covered in ice crystals, showing signs of freezing.
However, it proved futile.
The next moment, with a crackling sound, countless shards of ice crystals burst from Radahn's body!
He roared like a madman, snorted, pulled another great spear from his back, drew his bow, nocked the arrow, aimed at the Glintstone Dragon in the air, and fired the spear with a thunderous boom!
The Glintstone Dragon dared not take a spear from Radahn blessed with gravity magic. He immediately beat his wings and soared higher, retreating and evading the spear shot.
This gave Niđhöggr time.
He rode to a short distance in front of Radahn, raised the Dark Moon Greatsword, and unleashed a skill that had to be seen!
Numerous flaming dragon meteorites rained down from the sky, roaring and crashing towards Radahn!
Radahn had lost his sanity but possessed an almost instinctive battle sense.
He swiftly pulled several great spears from his back, calmly nocked them to the Lion Greatbow, and shot them towards those flaming meteors!
These great spears, wrapped in dark violet gravity magic, flew out densely like a storm, unerringly striking down all those flaming meteors, exploding into sparks in mid-air!
Seeing this scene, Niđhöggr remained calm.
He rode his spectral steed, circling the giant's body. The Dark Moon Greatsword in his hand swung in volleys, sending one cold, silver lunar wave after another crashing towards Radahn.
This time, Radahn simply cast aside the Lion Greatbow in his hand. Instead, he pulled out with both hands the two Starscourge Greatswords embedded in the sand dunes, charged forward, and spun in a circle with both blades, shattering the lunar waves one by one!
Niđhöggr frowned and used the moment to ride his spectral steed to a distance.
Meanwhile, among the spirit ashes, Engvall, Oleg, and the Lone Wolf Ashes arrived first, followed by Lhutel and the Twin Sorcerers. The Spirit Jellyfish lagged behind.
The three lone wolf ashes unhesitatingly rushed at Radahn's legs.
Engvall and Oleg both conjured storm winds, raised them on the spot, and also fearlessly engaged Radahn.
Radahn roared. The Starscourge Greatsword in his left hand slashed horizontally, easily cleaving the three lone wolves into bursts of powder with a quiet whimper!
But Engvall and Oleg managed to get close—one with a halberd, the other with twin blades—leaving bloody scars on the war god Radahn's body!
At this time, Lhutel and the Twin Sorcerers also launched their attacks: the former hurled a golden spear at Radahn, the latter shot a glintstone comet at Radahn. Both also struck Radahn's body!
It was just that these wounds did not slow Radahn's movements; instead, they fueled his fury.
He crossed the two Starscourge Greatswords and suddenly struck them together. A terrifying stellar gravity instantly attracted all the surrounding spirit ashes towards him, as if pulled by magnets!
Immediately after, Radahn raised the two Starscourge Greatswords. Among these spirit ashes, involuntarily drawn in, he delivered four consecutive slashes, cleaving all four spirit ashes into smoke with a single, continuous motion of his blades!
Finishing the kill, Radahn roared wildly!
Fwoosh——
Suddenly, the shadow of the Glintstone Dragon swept low through the air.
He bit down with his moonblade and mercilessly slashed Radahn across the back. The sharp silver light was like a lunar arc, drawing forth a shocking spray of blood!
Radahn felt the pain, and his eyes turned crimson.
The Glintstone Dragon beat his wings again and soared into the air.
Radahn roared like a beast at the Glintstone Dragon in the sky.
Then, he seemed to realize he was not alone. He suddenly raised his hand, and the Starscourge Greatsword pointed directly at the pony's corpse nearby.
Some terrifying force was drawn forth by the tip of his sword!
Flashes of turquoise light rose from the pony's body like smoke, coalesced, and gradually formed into a giant object!
It resembled a gaunt deer of pure bone, its antlers stretching out like the branches of a tree. It even seemed massive enough to crush an entire body.
It was the Ancestral Spirit!
The Ancestral Spirit raised its head and let out a clear, ethereal, and prolonged deer call. Then, with a crash, it landed on the ground, and its enormous body easily leaped into the air!
It took several consecutive steps and indeed jumped through the air, landing right before Radahn!
Radahn did not hesitate. He swung himself over and mounted the Ancestral Spirit, holding high the two Starscourge Greatswords, menacing and feeling invincible in the world!
It seemed this was the compromise the Ancestral Spirit had to make to appease Radahn's wrath.
The Spirit Jellyfish, which had been belatedly and naively poisoning Radahn, became the first victim of their strange partnership.
The Ancestral Spirit spat blue spirit fire at the Spirit Jellyfish, instantly consuming and destroying it.
Niall and Jerren had also rushed forward—one carrying his war banner, the other his longsword—but they were stunned by this scene.
Lord Radahn had changed into riding such a giant deer. How were they supposed to fight this?
Whoosh——
At that moment, to the incredulous stares of the two Redmane veterans, Niđhöggr took the initiative to ride his spectral steed directly under the four hooves of the Ancestral Spirit.
He... Is he mad?
Even the Redmane veteran was stunned by Niđhöggr's audacity!
As he drew close, Niđhöggr raised the Dark Moon Greatsword in his hand, but he coated the greatsword with the golden light of the Sacred Order skill and slashed three times in succession, lightning-fast, at the Ancestral Spirit's hooves!
Almost exceeding everyone's expectations, those three strikes of Sacred Order, which didn't seem particularly remarkable, made the Ancestral Spirit let out a sky-piercing cry. It staggered forward and collapsed onto its knees on the ground!