The Adventures of an Overpowered Knight in Another World Chapter 684- [Radiant Phalanx] (2)

CRACK!!!

The ground beneath the laboratory split apart. Everything started exploding simultaneously. Pillars shattered, metal melted, and entire sections of the labyrinth vanished in violent eruptions.

The destruction spread at terrifying speed.

With his thoughts accelerated to extreme levels, Reinhardt looked around. He searched for a silhouette.

However, no matter how much he searched for that figure, he could not see her. His expression changed.

Leona was not inside the range of his [Radiant Phalanx].

BOOM... An explosion sounded.

Turning his eyes, he saw Leona’s body getting hurled into the air by the blast. Blood bloomed, and a sea of flame slowly engulfed her.

Everything slowed down to a pause.

The sight of her delicate body flying through the air, blood blooming from her mouth and body, painted a beautiful yet tragic picture.

Seeing this scene, rage boiled within him.

"NO!!"

The next moment, three pairs of radiant golden wings exploded from his back. The space around him distorted, and his speed transcended its limits.

"[Aetherial Stride]."

He vanished.

Then, in less than a fraction of a second, he appeared before Leona. Her black hair danced amidst the flames and collapsing debris.

Without hesitation, Reinhardt pulled her tightly into his arms. Then, before the sea of destruction could engulf them both, he roared, "[Aegis]."

A golden halo appeared from his [Dimensional Storage]. The next moment, it turned into an ancient shield.

Looking dilapidated, it was covered in cracks. Yet despite looking incredibly fragile, it was this shield that was regarded as the greatest defense in the universe.

In that instant, an indescribable divine pressure descended, as though an artifact that had protected the world since ancient times had awakened once more.

Then the explosion swallowed everything. Blinding white engulfed the entire labyrinth. The world disappeared beneath overwhelming destruction.

.

Outside, far beyond the labyrinth, the ground shook violently.

A colossal pillar of light erupted from beneath the earth. Mountains shattered, and large swathes of land caved inward.

A gigantic explosion bloomed in the distance like a newborn sun inside the darkness of the Tainted Lands.

The shockwave swept across the wastelands for miles, uprooting everything and even scattering the blackened skies.

Back at the fortress, feeling the intense vibration, Seraphina suddenly stood up from her seat.

"What in the..." Windows rattled and swung open. When she saw the scene outside, her jaw dropped open.

It was not just her; the knights throughout the fortress looked toward the distant horizon in alarm.

All of them saw it, a radiant sun blooming amidst the darkness of the Tainted Lands.

A few seconds later, Seraphina came to herself and hurriedly shouted out.

"Brace for impact!" Her voice echoed across the fortress.

The knights reacted immediately. Some raised their shields, while others hurried behind structures to take cover.

A few seconds later, the shockwave arrived, rattling the entire fortress.

Walls groaned, loose equipments were blown away, and dust filled the air. The shockwave was like a fierce hurricane sweeping through the stronghold, nearly sweeping away the knights.

Fortunately, the fortress had been reinforced countless times over the years. Combined with the preparations of the Fifth Division, it managed to withstand the impact.

Slowly, after the dust settled, Seraphina emerged from the haze.

"Is everyone alright?"

"W-We are fine."

"No casualties here."

Hearing the responses, Seraphina released a small breath of relief. Then her expression hardened. She immediately turned toward the distant horizon.

The dazzling light had already faded. In its place now stood a colossal mushroom cloud that rose into the sky.

As shocking as the scene was, this was not what she was concerned about.

"That explosion came from the labyrinth."

That’s right, the explosion came from the place where the Fifth Division had gone. Realizing that something had gone awry, her expression became grave.

Was it really a trap?

Without wasting time, she started giving orders.

"All units prepare to move. The Fifth Division will immediately reinforce the area. Move!"

"Yes, Commander!"

The entire fortress sprang into action. Thousands of knights mobilized at once. Within minutes, the Fifth Division departed.

As they drew closer to the explosion site, the atmosphere grew heavier and heavier. Nobody spoke. A suffocating silence accompanied the march.

Having witnessed the destruction on their way here, they had a bad premonition. Everyone was thinking the same thing. However, no one spoke it out loud.

Before long, they arrived at the scene. In that moment, a chill ran down their spine. The scene before them could only be described with one word.

Erasure.

That’s right. The labyrinth was gone; the land itself had disappeared.

As far as the eye could see, the earth had been scorched black. Massive fissures stretched across the landscape.

Several regions were still glowing red. Magma bubbled beneath shattered layers of rock. Smoke continuously rose toward the sky. The very air felt distorted from the lingering heat.

Some sections had even melted into vast seas of glass. The scale of destruction was beyond comprehension.

Unable to hold it in, one knight asked in shock.

"Just what happened here? It looks like an explosion went off. However, what explosion could cause this much destruction?"

No one answered. Because they were all thinking the same thing.

The destruction stretched beyond the horizon. The crater alone was so vast that it rivaled entire provinces.

If measured against the kingdoms of Valdonia, it was nearly half the size of a small kingdom. A natural disaster. That was the only description that fit.

Seraphina’s face grew increasingly grim. If the outskirts suffered this much... what happened at the center?

She instinctively looked toward the deepest part of the devastation. Toward the place where the labyrinth had once existed.

The Sixth Division and the Divine Paladin... they had all been inside when this happened. Could they have survived all this?

Nobody wanted to think about it. For the first time since the Dawnbringers entered the Tainted Lands, a sense of unease spread through the ranks.

The Fifth Division pushed deeper into the devastated region. The air here was so hot that it burned their lungs.

Even veteran knights found sweat pouring down their faces.

Before long, they reached the heart of the catastrophe. And when they did, they froze.

A gigantic hole stretched before them. It was so large that one could not see the opposite side clearly.

Deep below, molten magma churned like a raging sea. Gigantic bubbles erupted continuously.

Columns of lava shot hundreds of meters into the sky. The entire crater glowed crimson.

"This... could anyone survive this?"

No one refuted him. The heat radiating from the crater felt like standing before the sun itself. And this was just the aftermath.

How high was the actual temperature of the explosion?

Many lower-ranking knights lost their nerve. The reality before them was too cruel. The Sixth Division was gone. And so were the heroes and the Divine Paladin.

The veteran knights fared better. Years of battle had hardened their hearts. Yet even they could not suppress the heaviness in their expressions. This was a disaster... a true disaster.

Humanity had only advanced into the Tainted Lands for a month, yet they had already suffered what appeared to be a catastrophic loss.

If the Divine Paladin truly fell here, the consequences would shake all of Valdonia.

Even Seraphina stood silently. Her gaze remained fixed on the sea of magma. As a hero, it was her duty to remain calm and lead everyone.

Yet right now, even her eyes were filled with uncertainty.

What would she report to the frontlines? What would she tell the other divisions? To the rulers who had entrusted humanity’s future to the Dawnbringers?

Without Reinhardt, who could lead the expedition?

Seraphina’s fists slowly tightened. "This move from the demons... is truly heinous."

Had she known things would develop like this, she would never have allowed Reinhardt to come alone. Regret gnawed at her heart.

Just as she was going through all sorts of complicated emotions, a clear, powerful voice echoed across the crater.

"[Heroic Road]."

The moment those words fell, the magma churned. Below, the lava parted to give way to a dazzling golden light.

Looking carefully, everyone realized that the golden light looked like a bridge, or rather a road.

A magnificent road woven from pure golden light. It stretched upward from the depths of the crater like a bridge connecting the underworld to heaven.

The scene was extremely shocking. However, the real surprise came next. It was so shocking that the knights’ jaws practically hit the floor.

Thud... Thud... Thud... Heavy footsteps echoed as figures began emerging from the lava. Clad in golden armor and shields, they appeared like an army from myth. Golden light appeared out of their shields and pushed back the lava.

And behind the mythical army walked the knights of the Sixth Division. They were all alive and without any injuries.

The scene was so surreal that the Fifth Division could only stare blankly like idiots.

Someone rubbed their eyes. Another slapped himself. They genuinely thought they were hallucinating. .