CHAPTER 182 - FIGHTING THE IMPERIAL KNIGHTS

“A Diamond token!” Xiong Zhan exclaimed.

Saurman’s breathing quickened at the sight. Diamond tokens were nearly impossible to obtain. Even seasoned Diamond adventurers struggled to obtain one, let alone a Gold adventurer like Han Wu.

“You worthless bastard... How did you get it? Did you steal a Diamond token?” Xiong Zhan’s mind jumped to only one conclusion—Han Wu must have stolen it.

Lady Mei scoffed. “Steal? Do you really think anyone would be careless enough to lose a Diamond token that way?”

Saurman cleared his throat. He knew she spoke the truth. Diamond tokens were guarded by powerful Diamond adventurers or massive groups of monsters.

Could Lady Mei and Han Wu have taken down a horde like that on their own? Considering Lady Mei’s unique skills and Han Wu’s spatial ability, it seemed plausible under certain conditions.

Xiong Zhan did not share Saurman’s thoughtful approach. He stared greedily at the Diamond token. The Diamond token was worth 32 points and symbolized true strength. It could not be compared to the other tokens.

“Give me the Diamond token, and I will forgive all your past and future offenses. Hmph!” Xiong Zhan said while rubbing his knuckles. His intentions were clear.

Han Wu spoke up this time. “I’ll give you another chance, but remember to be kinder as my teammate—or else. Hmph!”

Xiong Zhan’s anger flared. Han Wu had just copied him. “Do you think I’m a pushover? I’ll show you my true strength now!”

Xiong Zhan roared and turned into his Bugbear form. His body swelled, sharp metallic fur sprouting across his skin. His arms thickened to the size of massive tree trunks.

Saurman didn’t intervene this time. He wanted to test Han Wu’s true power, using the brainless brute as his proxy.

Han Wu decided to teach Xiong Zhan a lesson today and gently pushed Lady Mei back. Then, under Xiong Zhan’s arrogant stare, he transformed. Black scales spread over his body, and his energy suffocated the people around him.

His regal presence and overwhelming strength made Lady Mei worship him all over again when she saw his dragon form. Saurman stepped back, fear evident in his eyes. He sensed that Han Wu’s strength and magical resistance far surpassed anything Xiong Zhan could muster.

Xiong Zhan stared dumbfounded at Han Wu with beady eyes. He finally realized he had challenged a stone wall this time. Just as he was about to give up, Han Wu struck first.

Han Wu moved faster than lightning, hoisting Xiong Zhan over his shoulder and slamming him into the ground. His dragon claws clamped down like iron traps, immobilizing Xiong Zhan completely. The transformed Xiong Zhan could not fight back and became little more than a sandbag, pummeled without mercy.

After a few minutes, Saurman stopped Han Wu. He hoped the beating would calm Han Wu’s anger. Xiong Zhan still served as a useful meat shield; they could not afford to lose him just yet. Han Wu nodded respectfully to Saurman, then shifted back into his human form and settled on the ground to rest.

Xiong Zhan growled in pain, rolling across the ground. To avoid further conflict, Saurman changed the subject. “The time is up. Why is Xue Feng still not here?”

Lady Mei was confused as well. She found it hard to believe that Xue Feng and Alice would be late. That meant they had likely run into trouble. Before they could process this, a strong wind swept past, and Xue Feng tumbled out of it, barely clinging to life.

“Save... Save Alice. She’s... caught by the Imperial Knights...” he gasped, weakly pointing back the way he had come.

Han Wu considered them his teammates, so he sprang to his feet and sprinted toward the direction Xue Feng indicated. Saurman told Lady Mei to tend to Xue Feng before following Han Wu using his Sandwalk ability.

They traveled several kilometers before catching up with the Imperial Knights. Alice was bound and carried by a man in golden armor, her eyes filled with despair.

Han Wu clapped his hands, instantly switching places with Alice. Then he clapped again, swapping with a stone on the ground nearby. In two simple moves, he freed Alice from the golden-armored captor.

“Enemy attack! Protect the Crown Prince!” the silver-armored Imperial Knights shouted as they closed ranks around their companion.

One more elderly man stood outside the protective circle. He wore a linen robe, and Han Wu was certain that this was the Diamond adventurer the Imperial Knights had picked.

The old man glanced at Han Wu with a playful smile. “Young man, this is not how you rescue a pretty lady. I’ll let you go since you have spatial abilities and a promising future.”

Han Wu brandished his greatsword and taunted, “What if I don’t?”

The old man’s eyes sharpened. “Then I will teach you a lesson and show you the strength of a Diamond adventurer.”

Suddenly, the old man conjured a staff out of thin air. Four large stones, each the size of a human head, were embedded along its length. Each stone pulsed with the energy of water, fire, earth, and wind.

He slammed the staff’s base against the ground, and everything within a 1,000-kilometer radius lost its color. The four elements had been repelled and isolated outside this space.

Saurman instantly lost all his powers, including his famed sand-controlling techniques. Han Wu felt a heavy restriction pressing down on him; he could no longer access any elemental abilities.

“Young man, there’s still time to leave,” the old man warned again.

The golden-armored man spoke up. “Master, don’t let him go. His spatial ability will cause us great trouble if you release him now.”

The old man sighed deeply. “Young man, you have bad luck today. You won’t live past this day since the Crown Prince wants you dead.”

He approached Han Wu slowly. Alice’s muffled wails rang out as she tried to warn him to run. They could only use their abilities once they escaped the staff’s range. Unfortunately, Saurman was too weak to move and collapsed.

“You should feel honored to die by the hands of the Imperial Knights’ court mage,” the old man said as he stood before Han Wu and brought his staff down on his head.

Naturally, Han Wu wasn’t about to take the blow quietly and swung his greatsword in a vicious arc. Even though the old man’s senses had sharpened to perfection after becoming a Diamond adventurer, he couldn’t avoid it completely. The blade grazed his chest, and blood poured from the wound.

Han Wu yawned. “You’ve been rambling for so long. I’m starting to get sleepy. Are you done yet?”

The old man clutched his bleeding chest, his expression twisted with disbelief. “Who are you? How are you unaffected by my Four Elemental Isolation?”

Han Wu cracked his knuckles. “Why don’t you take a guess?”

He was under heavy restrictions, but they did not stop him from attacking the old man standing before him. With a swift move, he swapped places with a pebble behind the old man and swung his massive greatsword without pause. The blade cut through cleanly, and the old man’s head flew into the air.

The prince and the Imperial Knights froze in horror. The moment the old man fell, it felt like death had gripped their legs.

“You four, stop him!” the prince ordered cruelly and fled in panic.

Unfortunately for the prince, Han Wu was faster. He clapped once and vanished, reappearing beside a rock near his target. In the same breath, he drove his greatsword forward and landed a solid hit. But instead of cleaving the prince in two, the greatsword only sent him crashing to the side. Some kind of protective treasure had blunted the blow.

Han Wu switched places once more and appeared before the prince. He knew the Genocider greatsword could cut through anything, even the prince’s protective treasure.

The prince tried to use his authority to threaten Han Wu. “You cannot kill me. I am the Myriad King’s sole son. My father will never spare you if you kill me!”

Han Wu couldn’t care less. He could only sleep soundly after his enemies were dead. Without hesitation, he swung his greatsword down and severed the prince’s head the moment the protective treasure gave out.