I Aggressively Stack Steel of the Heart in the Knight Order

Chapter 194: Chapter 159: Another Expert?

The initial rumors of a Radiant Holy Artifact appearing on Verne were confined to the highest echelcheons.

In a magnificent, cosmos-spanning Star Zone of seven hundred worlds and trillions of inhabitants, few even in the middle echelons of the Four Great Forces knew of this news. It was certainly unknown to the uninformed Wandering Mages and Free Knights.

Of course, they wouldn’t know that the greatest difference between a Radiant Holy Artifact and a Void Divine Artifact is that once a Holy Artifact leaves its user—one who has received the Divine Emperor’s blessing—it becomes useless.

But for a Supreme Holy Artifact—one of peerless strength, imbued with the Divine Emperor’s Mighty Power, and capable of rivaling a Void Divine Artifact or the Ancient Black Box—to not be tempted would be to lie to oneself.

The moment Florant’s voice fell.

In the distance, the Wandering Mages and Free Knights who had been storming the tomb entrance all stopped. They turned to look at Florant, and then, one by one, their greedy, vicious gazes landed on Reinhardt.

No Transcendent qualified enough to hear about Kemola and enter the depths of this tomb complex would be weak or have simply slipped in by luck.

Every one of them had a powerful trump card or two up their sleeve; their strength was not to be underestimated.

Reinhardt wouldn’t have been surprised if even a Mage at the Void Governor Level, driven to desperation, suddenly whipped out a Void Divine Artifact.

But now, these vicious predators had their eyes on him.

If everyone were still holding back, and if the war between the Space Dragon Race and the Demons wasn’t hanging over their heads like a Sword of Damocles, perhaps these Transcendents would have shown some hesitation.

But now, snatching the treasure and escaping Kemola was all that mattered.

Even if they couldn’t get the Ancient Black Box, a Radiant Holy Artifact was the next best thing.

With the situation as it was, with every inch of Kemola’s sky aflame with war, they didn’t have time to wonder about Reinhardt’s background or how he came to possess a Radiant Holy Artifact.

These Transcendents, already blood-crazed in their hunt for the Ancient Black Box, were outlaws who operated beyond the reach of Imperial law and the Four Great Forces. Some of the Knights and Wizards were even Interstellar Pirates in disguise!

And an old proverb circulated among pirates: see something you like, take it!

The next moment, an expedition team not far from Reinhardt, which had been observing from the sidelines, exchanged a series of brief glances and suddenly attacked!

A Tier Two Mage’s black Wizard Robe erupted with dazzling purple Spiritual Lightning. He raised his right hand, and a bolt of lightning, forged from a Spiritual Storm, screamed toward Reinhardt.

In an instant, the Power Backpack roared as if overburdened. Its faint blue Anti-Magic Force Field deflected the Spiritual Storm’s trajectory before shattering completely!

The Mighty Power of the Tier Two Mage slammed into the ground, and arcs of purple electricity spread rapidly across the heavily corroded steel floor!

Raphael levitated into the air, white bolts of Mental Power crackling across his body. The Imperial Combat Priest’s voice, muffled and solemn, echoed from within his Full Coverage Helmet.

He faced the attacking Interstellar Pirates and commanded loudly, "In the name of the Divine Emperor! Cease your aggression, or your actions will be considered a declaration of war and a provocation against an Imperial Administrative Region—!"

Raphael was, after all, a member of the Think Tank who had started as a professional Priest. Thanks to his years of study, even in a lawless zone like this, he didn’t forget to dogmatically invoke Imperial law. His approach was rigorous: issue a solemn warning to the enemy before engaging.

He did this to secure the legal high ground for Reinhardt and the Vengeance Angel Squad under Imperial law in the ensuing battle.

The result, however, was that his opponents were not only unafraid of the threat of an Imperial Administrative Region, but his identity as a Mind Mage was now completely exposed to the Interstellar Pirates and Wandering Mages!

"There’s a Mind Mage here, too—?!"

"Hiss... And it feels like the power of a Void Divine Artifact..."

When the Interstellar Pirates sensed the nature of Raphael’s power, the nearby Wizards became ecstatic!

If a Radiant Holy Artifact was a treasure worth fighting for, then Raphael himself was a walking, priceless artifact!

A Mind Mage’s Bloodline Power was one of the greatest Spiritual Talents in the entire Cosmos! Seize it, and ascending to Tier Three Mage—or even Tier Four Mage—would be a breeze!

For a Wizard, the temptation of a powerful bloodline capable of touching the Legendary Threshold far exceeded that of a mere Radiant Holy Artifact! And that wasn’t all—they had also detected the aura of a Void Divine Artifact within Raphael’s Mental Power.

Before Raphael’s voice could even fade, a Master Level Tier Two Wizard hidden in the crowd made the first move. His body seemed to collapse into a Space-Time Singularity, vanishing on the spot. He reappeared an instant later directly behind Raphael.

He ignored the white lightning of Mental Power, a chillingly greedy and cruel smirk on his face.

"Your bloodline is mine, Priest!"

With one hand, he tore the Full Coverage Helmet from Raphael’s armor, seized him by the neck, and prepared to flee the catacombs. But before he could move, a terrifying War Axe came whistling through the air, and his expression flickered.

But he quickly let out a cold snort and erected a polyhedral Protective Energy Force Field constructed from faint blue hexagons.

At the same time, he stared intently at Reinhardt and pointed his left index finger forward. A terrifying surge of Wizard’s Power slammed into the blade of the Black War Axe.

By the time Reinhardt registered the immense force traveling up the War Axe, it had been torn from his grasp. The chain connected to its handle rattled as the axe crashed to the ground.

Having succeeded, the Wizard shot Reinhardt a mocking grin.

"You dare come to Kemola with a mere One-star Military Rank? You have a death wish."

The power of a Tier Two Mage was far beyond what Agate and the others could handle. Matthias was the first to react, attempting to use his trademark tactic: a sneak attack from behind to kill the Wizard with lightning speed.

But his every move was perfectly clear to his opponent.

The Energy Protection Force Field was like an iron wall. Matthias slammed headfirst into it with a tremendous CRASH!

Though his tactic failed, Matthias remained perfectly calm. He sent a telepathic message: ’This guy’s Magic can bend the laws of physics. Conventional weapons will barely scratch him.

’Based on my experience, he can’t use spatial folding to blink twice in quick succession. Sir Reinhardt...’

Before he could finish.

A dark purple Energy Absorption Shield flared to life around Reinhardt, completely ignoring a Spiritual Storm from an apprentice Tier Two Wizard who was attempting a sneak attack.

Then, to the absolute horror of the Wizard holding Raphael, Reinhardt used the Energy Absorption Shield of the Defeated Demon to slam straight into his Protective Force Field, plunging both hands deep inside it!

Sparks and lightning erupted!

And by the time he realized what Reinhardt was trying to do...

...this Master Level Tier Two Wizard thought either he was going insane, or this Imperial Knight was.

’This guy is trying to rip apart a Protective Force Field—one with kinetic dampening properties—with his bare hands?!’