Chapter 28: Hunting Snow Demons

After observing the Fantasy Beast Knight, marveling at the Nightmare Ghost Horse, and admiring his four sprite grubs, Russell concluded his nightly patrol with the Little Dream Dragon.

There were no pearl-bearing river clams by the river, nor were there any sprite grubs developing in the nearby flowerbeds.

Without camping outside the manor’s guest house, it seemed unlikely that Russell would leverage his Golden Cheat skill to acquire further treasures.

“Good morning, Master Russell.”

“Good morning, Sir Chris.”

Sunlight streamed through the windows as Russell and Chris enjoyed a leisurely breakfast.

Morris, the steward, approached with a cheerful report.

“My lord, the Dusklight River has risen – spring has indeed arrived!”

“That is excellent news. Spring means the renewal of all things. Let’s hope for a bountiful harvest this year,” Russell replied.

The morning saw Russell practicing the Radiant Sword Technique in the courtyard, using it to guide his martial arts energy, carve out his meridians, and better grasp martial arts energy penetration.

Charles, serving as his sparring partner, clashed swords with him while Chris, dressed casually, occasionally offered pointers to improve Russell’s combat techniques.

Before long, it was noon.

Just as the manor prepared for lunch, armored knight Jack rode in on his warhorse, his voice urgent.

“My lord, the snow demons have invaded! Sir Eric is holding them off!”

Russell’s expression hardened. “Sir Chris!”

“At your command, Master Russell,” Chris replied promptly, already leading out his contracted fantasy beast, the Nightmare Ghost Horse.

The manor sprang into action.

Valet William struggled under the weight of a gleaming silver suit of armor, assisting Chris in donning his gear.

Meanwhile, Russell’s personal valet, Ram, carried an ornate set of dark gold ceramic armor – a gift from Baron Roman – and helped Russell don his gear. The armor, made of interwoven metal and ceramic plates, wasn’t overly heavy, but it was strong enough to withstand the attacks of fantasy beast knights.

“My lord, your sword,” another servant, Fox, presented Russell with a silver-gray longsword. Its hilt was set with a brilliant emerald gem.

This was the Green Ceramic Sword, Russell’s personal weapon.

As the son of a baron – even as the second born – Russell was equipped with first-class equipment, a clear advantage from the start.

Clad in his dark gold ceramic armor, sword at his side, and astride his black warhorse, Russell transformed from a genteel nobleman into a valiant armored knight.

“Jack, lead the way!”

“Yes, my lord!”

The armored knights led the charge, with Russell and Chris riding side by side. Charles, though past his prime, also joined in, clad in his armor. Once a promising knight, Charles had long since ceased carving new meridians, resigning himself to the limits of a common knight.

The rhythmic clatter of hooves echoed as they rode swiftly southeast, toward the edge of Black Waist Snake Manor.

Here, the contrast between the seasons was stark.

To the north, the ground was moist with tender green shoots of grass.

To the south, snow still blanketed the ground, growing thicker with distance until it stretched into an endless, undulating expanse of snowfield.

The occasional clump of snow-covered trees broke the monotony, but beyond that, the landscape was barren.

“There!” Chris pointed ahead.

Where the muddy earth mingled with the snow, Eric was fighting alongside three armored knights against a group of grotesque creatures.

The creatures were humanoid in form and wielded weapons that appeared to be carved from ice. Tattered scraps of clothing clung to their frozen, unnatural bodies.

Russell’s eyes narrowed. “Snow demons…”

The battle grew fierce as the knight formation advanced, their determination like tempered steel. The air seemed to hum with energy as the knights, their martial energy now in perfect harmony, charged at the towering Great Snow Demon.

The snow demons, humanoid with ashen-blue skin and gaunt features, had unnervingly elongated ears and vampiric fangs. Among them, the Great Snow Demon, standing three meters tall, commanded the others. Although the regular snow demons were already taller and more agile than Eric and his knights, this behemoth loomed above them all. Its massive ice-shaped weapon moved with precision and ferocity, smashing into the armor and weapons of the knights.

“Only twelve snow demons, and not even a single snow beast,” Chris observed from atop his Nightmare Ghost Horse, his calm voice carrying a hint of amusement. “And only one big snow demon. Russell, would you like to take the lead and test yourself?”

“I would love to!” Russell wasted no time, urging his warhorse forward and plunging into battle.

Watching this, Charles hesitated momentarily, his gaze darting toward the ever-composed Chris. Gritting his teeth, he followed Russell into the fray.

Russell shouted as he entered the fray, “Eric!”

With his green ceramic sword, he delivered a practiced downward slash toward the neck of an unsuspecting snow demon. Just as the blade was about to strike, the creature, seemingly aware of the attack, raised its ice-sculpted spear to parry.

Clang!

The resounding impact sent shards of ice flying. Though the spear didn’t shatter, small pieces of ice flaked off, evidence of the force behind Russell’s attack.

Eric bellowed, “Fall into formation, my lord!”

The Great Knight and his three armored knights pushed back the surrounding snow demons, creating an opening to incorporate Russell, Charles, and Jack into the group.

Now a team of seven, they formed a classic charging wedge formation. With Eric at its center, the Knights made coordinated thrusts at the circling snow demons, attempting to isolate and eliminate them one by one. But the snow demons gathered protectively around their massive leader, refusing to be drawn apart.

“Target the leader! Take out the big snow demon!” Eric commanded, his voice firm and decisive.

“Understood!”

The knights spun their mounts around and focused their attacks on the hulking Great Snow Demon. Lance and sword struck its towering figure in unrelenting waves, clashing against its icy armor and thick, unnatural hide.

Despite the knights’ onslaught, the Great Snow Demon remained undeterred, wielding its enormous ice-formed spiked club with brutal efficiency. It shattered the knights’ weapons and shields with raw, unyielding power, meeting their attacks head-on.

Eric unleashed a martial arts energy blade aura, his glowing sword slicing clean through the snow demon’s frozen armor, leaving a jagged, bone-deep gash across its icy blue skin. Yet the wound neither bled nor seemed to weaken the creature significantly. The lifeless appearance of the flesh beneath it resembled withered wood, eerie and unnatural.

“Again! Gather your strength – strike with precision and power!” Eric called, his steely gaze fixed on the Snow Demon leader.

Again and again, the knights charged, their attacks carving deep, skeletal wounds into the great snow demon’s massive frame. Even so, the towering creature continued its relentless counterattack, its chilling roars echoing across the snowfield.

The other snow demons followed suit, opening their mouths to let out low, rasping howls that sounded like a chorus of poisonous snakes.

Russell felt a shift within the team as their martial energy began to synchronize, flowing together in a powerful resonance. It was as if their combined energy had been amplified many times over. The sheer force surging through his body filled him with a sense of invincibility-his sword seemed capable of cleaving anything in its path.

“Charge!” Eric’s voice rang out, commanding the final charge.

“Charge!” Russell echoed, his confidence unwavering.

“Charge!”

Charles and the other knights roared in unison, their voices merging with the pulsing rhythm of their synchronized martial energy.

As one, they channeled this tremendous power into their weapons – the knights’ swords and lances glowing with energy and brimming with destructive intent.

With a collective roar, they propelled their mounts forward, charging at the Great Snow Demon in a final, decisive charge!