The Adventures of an Overpowered Knight in Another World Chapter 595- A Knight Till The End (3)

Similar to the previous pair, the third artifact was no less extraordinary.

The halo currently shielding Cecilia bore the true name of Aegis. Forged for ultimate defense from the rarest materials across the cosmos, it held two distinct modes.

The initial mode, now hovering over Cecilia’s head, was known as the Halo Form.

In this form, the halo floated above the user’s head, reacting automatically to any incoming dangers.

Though its defenses were at their lowest here, it countered attacks with near-instant speed.

Even better, it demanded no mental focus at all. It acted as a tireless sentinel, guarding you around the clock.

That was merely its passive mode. The item's true potential emerged in its second transformation.

Indeed, a full transformation. In the second state, it shifted into an entirely new shape.

The Divine Shield Form.

Under the Divine Paladin’s command, the halo would expand and morph into a gigantic glowing shield, condensed from pure divine essence.

A weapon born in the heavenly forges of the gods.

A barrier able to endure powers beyond mortal understanding.

The shield’s protection was outrageously powerful; Reinhardt believed it could even block one of his ultimate skills, [Spear of the Last Judgement], with minimal damage.

It seemed unbelievable, yet the shield’s prowess was unquestionable.

Naturally, no scenario would ever arise where his own power turned against him—it was purely theoretical.

Ever since entering this world, Reinhardt hadn’t faced a single foe able to pierce his innate defenses, much less compel him to unleash the shield’s maximum strength.

With his superior stats, divine armor, and myriad protective skills, such a moment had never arisen.

Thus, for most of his journey, the item had languished unused in his [Dimensional Storage], untouched by the world.

Yet today, he deployed it not out of fear for himself against Giacomo, but worry that Cecilia might suffer in their clash or fall victim to the nest.

True to its legendary name, the Aegis excelled in safeguarding Cecilia.

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Meanwhile... the tension outside thickened by the moment.

Within a command tent, leaders from the knight orders of the seven kingdoms and lesser realms gathered around a central table.

Soon after Reinhardt’s order plunged into the Nest’s maw, knights from other nations reached the site.

And like all before them, upon beholding the enormous nest and identifying it, shock and worry gripped them too.

So they established a nearby camp, drawing all commanders into this crucial meeting.

"The longer we wait, the worse it gets."

"Our scouts confirmed that the demonic density inside is increasing."

"We cannot allow a fully mature nest to exist this close to our borders."

At the table’s head, Erza Crimsonstar folded her arms, shooting irritated looks at the fellow knight commanders.

Irritation etched clearly across her face.

She knew exactly how this discussion would unfold.

A commander from the Kingdom of Paradoxis voiced his thoughts.

"The Divine Paladin’s request was unreasonable. We cannot gamble the safety of our nations on the possibility of survivors. We need to destroy the nest before it matures."

As anticipated, the moment arrived.

Erza clicked her tongue in annoyance. Though it grated on her, she followed Reinhardt’s instructions regardless.

For hours now, she had dragged out proceedings and stalled them. But this time, not even she could back Reinhardt further.

The nest displayed ominous developments.

Tendrils emerged from its surface, its growth accelerating wildly.

This shift fueled the commanders’ unease.

Consequently, they held a vote.

The decision was unanimous: the Abyss Nest must be eradicated.

Erza eyed them briefly before flicking her hand in resignation.

"Do whatever you all want."

With those words, she spun on her heel and exited the tent.

"Why do I have to listen to that annoying man anyway..." she grumbled under her breath with a vexed sigh.

That infuriating guy strutted like he commanded the entire battlefield. Charging his forces into peril’s jaws while saddling her with that absurd demand.

Muttering complaints, she approached the brink of a lofty cliff, gazing down at Lunaris’ capital—or its ruins.

The Abyss Nest’s shadowy dome devoured the horizon, throbbing rhythmically like a gigantic beast’s heartbeat.

Merely observing it weighed down the very air.

"Tsk... this feeling... It’s annoying."

Erza crossed her arms tightly.

"You better not die in there, Reinhardt."

Her tone held clear vexation. Yet beneath it lingered something more, a feeling she hadn’t yet recognized in herself.

It was then that, from the edge of her vision, she spotted motion.

The fleshy exterior of the Abyss Nest rippled, exposing a rift.

Figures stepped forth from the rift into the open air.

Clad head to toe in gleaming platinum armor and bearing the insignia of a sacred temple, these were unmistakably warriors from the Temple of Light.

Knights from Reinhardt’s order emerged from within the nest.

Upon witnessing this, Erza leaped from the cliff, touching down right in front of the knights.

Gazing upon their wounded forms yet unbroken resolve, Erza, herself a knight, felt a surge of admiration.

All of them had escaped the nest’s stomach unscathed, with zero losses.

"Wait."

Just as admiration for their feat washed over her, something caught her eye abruptly.

The Temple of Light knights had entered to save survivors, but returned empty-handed.

Even worse, one person was absent.

Her eyes fixed on an Elite Knight from the Temple of Light as she demanded answers.

"Oi... where is your commander?"

Out of every knight crawling from the Abyss Nest, the individual she most anticipated...

Was completely absent.

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Deep inside the nest, oblivious to the commotion beyond, the duo of heroes clashed with savage intensity, reshaping the city’s entire layout.

Their ferocious clash ripped apart the nest’s flesh, forcing it to accelerate its metamorphosis.

In a spot amid the city—now reduced to a massive pit gouged into the meat-draped ruins—the fight reached its conclusion.

Right in the heart of the destruction stood the silhouettes of two knights.

One stayed upright as the other sprawled in a puddle of his own blood.

It went without saying that the vanquished one on the ground was Sir Giacomo.

One arm was lopped off entirely, while a vicious slash rent his armor and torso, baring the demon heart inside.

Naturally, the man clung to life still.

Facing him, Reinhardt held back from striking right away. He poised his sword steadily by his side and scrutinized his foe with keen focus.

Despite the clash that demolished the royal palace and flattened half the nearby area, Reinhardt remained unshakable like a towering peak.

His stance betrayed no fatigue whatsoever.

Throughout from beginning to end, it seemed he’d barely tapped his true power.

Nevertheless, victory brought no glee to his expression.

No delight or fulfillment stirred in his soul.

The sole sentiments present were icy calm and bewilderment.

Indeed, Reinhardt felt puzzled since an oddity plagued this confrontation.

Right from the outset, he’d probed his rival, steadily cornering him until demonic powers had to erupt.

The proof was irrefutable, after all.

Giacomo’s change stemmed from implanting a demon heart—and not some ordinary one.

Reinhardt detected the horrifying demonic aura pulsing from that heart.

Ancient and immense, it echoed the aura of demonkind’s highest ranks.

His goal in combat was to identify exactly which demon’s heart it belonged to.

Knights knew well that stronger demons yielded greater might upon heart implantation.

If Giacomo had tapped that strength, the outcome might’ve stayed the same, but it would’ve forced Reinhardt to get somewhat earnest.

However, from duel’s start to this moment, Giacomo never deployed it.

Not a single time.

On the contrary, he’d restrained it fiercely instead.

The whole ordeal saw him battling Reinhardt solely with knightly prowess and skills.

"...Is this what you wanted?"

Gazing at the downed legend, Reinhardt grasped the truth.

"You wanted to die like a knight until the very end."

Those words stirred the knight to respond.

Silence gripped him initially, before Giacomo burst into laughter.

"Ha... haha... so my intentions were seen through huh..." Blood trickled from his mouth’s edge while his shoulders trembled.