The terrifying sound of air being sliced rang out instantly as a deep azure magical greatsword, carrying a monstrous force, pierced straight through the blood mist.
However, the triumphant expression on Griff's face froze mid-motion. He felt no sensation of his blade hitting home; in fact, the silhouette of his opponent had already vanished from his path!
Boom!
Suddenly, a violent explosion erupted to Griff's front-left. Horuff's figure shot forth like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Blood Thrust!
"Not good!"
Griff's composure shattered. His current posture left his defenses wide open; retracting his blade for a perfect parry was physically impossible. Gritting his teeth, he jerked his shield to one side.
A heavy thud of a block was followed immediately by the ear-grating screech of metal sliding against metal. But those sounds were quickly drowned out by a far more distinct noise.
Pfft!
"Ugh..."
Griff took the hit squarely on the shoulder to avoid being skewered!
"Aaaargh!"
Horuff's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise, while the wounded Griff roared in agony. The magical greatsword, which had not yet fully dissipated, swept around in a desperate counter-slash.
Sensing the danger, Horuff didn't press his luck for a kill. He turned into a crimson shadow and retreated instantly, leaping out of Griff's reach.
Seeing the enemy forced back, Griff began to breathe heavily, desperately trying to stabilize his condition.
But just as Horuff prepared to close in once more, an incredibly brilliant azure light suddenly illuminated the entire area. Even the surrounding blood mist was forcibly dispelled by the radiance.
"Damn it..."
Horuff suddenly realized he had made a fatal error—a grave taboo for any assassin. Between these two, the sorcerer was the one who should have been prioritized from the start.
He had allowed the thrill of combat to cloud his judgment and chose the wrong target. It was an unforgivable mistake!
"Curse it!"
Horuff cursed under his breath. He abandoned the wounded Griff—whom he could have finished in short order—and sprinted directly toward Morillan.
"Professor Morillan!"
Griff's face paled. He shouted a frantic warning to the sorcerer.
Morillan had naturally noticed Horuff charging toward him, but he didn't seem particularly concerned. Instead, he increased his mana output. Dispelling the surrounding mist was his primary objective.
Judging by the enemy's behavior from the start until now, Morillan surmised that their strength wasn't overwhelming. In fact, in a direct confrontation, the Blood Warriors might not even be a match for the Carian forces. Once the blood mist was gone, the crisis would likely be over.
With that thought, Morillan raised his staff high into the air.
Glintstone Storm!
Faint azure mana manifested in the air before expanding outward, pushing the blood mist back. It then began to swirl slowly, forming a magical gale that swept through the camp.
Having completed the spell, Morillan let out a long breath. This sorcery had consumed a significant amount of his mana.
This was one of the reasons he rarely used this specific magic. Its damage was usually negligible—so weak, in fact, that he had nearly forgotten why he had developed it in the first place.
Finally, Horuff broke through the Glintstone Storm and the mana field to stand before the mage.
"Your scheme has failed. Leave this place at once," Morillan said calmly, looking toward Horuff.
Horuff didn't speak. He simply raised his crimson longsword.
Griff, meanwhile, finally saw the state of the battlefield. The soldiers, who had been scattered and confused, were rapidly regrouping now that visibility had returned. Although they had lost nearly a hundred men, the enemy was in no better position.
Just as Horuff was about to risk everything for a final strike, Mohg's voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
"It's time to retreat, Horuff. The objective has been achieved. Gather everyone in the center."
Morillan noticed a strange change in Horuff's demeanor, but before he could analyze it, the warrior turned into a red blur and vanished.
After sensing the area and confirming the enemy had indeed retreated, Morillan breathed a sigh of relief. Even if his strength was technically superior, his "compatibility" with that particular opponent was terrible. One had to be careful.
"Professor Morillan, what was all that about?" Griff asked, walking over with a look of utter confusion.
"I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps they knew when to quit..." Morillan shook his head, looking down in thought. Suddenly, a figure flashed through his mind, and his expression changed drastically.
"Not good!"
"What is it?" Griff asked, startled by the sudden shift.
"The leader of that group! He hasn't appeared once since the mist arrived!"
Griff realized the implications instantly. Without a word of hesitation, he sprinted at full speed toward the Ainsel River Well.
Meanwhile, Horuff had assembled all the remaining Blood Warriors. The Carian soldiers were closing in, surrounding them from all sides. Even though they had slaughtered many, the numerical disadvantage was still staggering.
Seeing that all surviving brothers had gathered, Horuff didn't hesitate. He crushed the crimson token Mohg had given him.
Instantly, a deluge of thick Accursed Blood seeped into the ground. A blood marsh formed, swallowing the residual blood and mist in the air, transforming into a massive blood pool in the blink of an eye.
Sensing the powerful suction pulling from within the pool, Horuff and his men offered no resistance. Instead, looks of joy appeared on their faces.
"Quick! They're escaping!"
Hearing the shouts from the distance, the warriors simply smiled and allowed themselves to be fully submerged into the blood.
By now, Mohg had already used the magic lift to descend into the entrance of the Ainsel River.
"Finally... finally, I've taken another step. Now, let me explore this underground world properly. I hope it doesn't disappoint..."
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Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (320 Chapters – Ongoing)
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