IRM Chapter 102

The summoning array appeared in just a few seconds. The people in the arena stands were still fighting, not yet reacting to what was happening, when they were enveloped by the faint red glow of the massive summoning array.

A summoning array was different from a pure, clean magic array—it was formed from fresh blood. Countless intersecting bloodstains evaporated in the arena, creating a faint bloody smell that, combined with the ominous blood marks spreading beneath their feet, provoked everyone’s nerves.

The Gladiolus Guild members and nobles who had just been locked in fierce combat immediately abandoned their attacks, hastily avoiding the places beneath their feet that flickered with light, raising their weapons as if facing a great enemy.

The Gladiolus Guild members were panicking now. They furrowed their brows, whispering to each other, “Who investigated the intelligence? How could there be such a powerful summoner among those wastes soaking in honey water! Do we still have enough people?”

“Hard to say, depends on what gets summoned… But with such a large array, the summoned creature probably won’t be too powerful… right?” A warrior who seemed to be a leader shook his head and said.

The nobles not far away noticed the vigilant and anxious expressions of the Gladiolus Guild members. Their faces lit up with joy, their eyes blazing red as they laughed loudly. “Did you see that clearly? This is the power brought by excellent bloodlines! You filthy commoners understand nothing! We created a peaceful country for you to live in, yet not only are you ungrateful, you’re greedy enough to want to monopolize everything——Kill! Kill them all! The Empire doesn’t need such despicable people!”

They cursed wildly with joy in the glow of the summoning array. Before the summoned creatures fully manifested, they were already arrogantly giving orders!

However, soon everyone noticed something was wrong. At this moment on the field, the bloody smell had gradually faded, replaced by an aura of death.

It was hard to describe what kind of aura this was. It wasn’t a scent that affected the sense of smell, but rather a kind of fear or unease that allowed those within it to vaguely glimpse what hell looked like.

The nobles and Gladiolus Guild members watched in shock as countless figures appeared from the blood-red light—silent and massive Death Knights, one after another. Their pale bone claws held a shield and sword, and the huge steel shields crashed down like solid walls between the two groups with a thunderous sound.

Nearly a thousand Death Knights raised the longswords in their hands vertically before their chests. A flash of blood appeared in their pale white eye sockets as they stood silently beside their shields. If anyone moved even slightly, they would turn their heads with clicking sounds, watching them eerily.

“How could it be the undead?!” Both the nobles and the Gladiolus Guild panicked. Only the undead from the Burial Grounds could summon the undead race, and to summon so many Death Knights at once—what kind of force was this? What did they want to do in the Empire?

With the intervention of the “undead force,” the arena instantly fell into cold silence. The gloomy, icy aura of death permeated the air, and everyone was in a strange stalemate. Even those nobles whose minds had been affected by the magic array instinctively stopped their movements, trembling before the threat of death.

Brandon was also quite frightened. He hadn’t seen Ji Chi perform summoning when he was at the Demon King’s castle. Now he stared wide-eyed, looking at Ji Chi anxiously and uneasily. “You, you’re an undead?”

He raised a trembling hand and carefully poked Ji Chi’s face, then quickly withdrew his finger. “That’s not right… The skin has warmth, the complexion isn’t deathly pale, only the thin body fits somewhat…”

Ji Chi was most annoyed by people making a big deal about his thin arms and legs. He glanced at him. “Do you want to be summoned by me someday?”

“How could that be…” Brandon swept his gaze around. He wasn’t too scared, just very confused.

Evan’s face was what you’d call deathly pale right now. The curse-like red glow on his body had stopped increasing the moment the Death Knights appeared and was slowly receding, but he didn’t feel fortunate. “You shouldn’t have done this… It’s too conspicuous…”

Ji Chi smiled, stuffing several empty blood recovery potion bottles back into his pocket, looking at the Death Knights standing silently below and the trembling humans.

“I’ve discovered a problem.” Ji Chi raised a finger, smiling like a villain. “Until now, this world has been missing one camp——chaotic evil, destroyers who break order.”

“Since none of us like the Church, don’t like the nobles, and don’t like the Gladiolus Guild either, let’s destroy all their order! New order is built on ruins, and what we need to do now is destroy the current twisted order into ruins!”

Evan and Brandon didn’t understand what he meant at first, but they soon witnessed firsthand what chaotic evil meant!

First, a nobleman cursed by the magic array couldn’t help himself. He crossed over the Death Knights who stood motionless like decorations, crackling electric light appearing in his hand. The pale purple lightning whip was about to smash down on a young man’s head!

The Death Knight finally moved. It turned sideways to block the lightning whip for the Gladiolus Guild youth, extended its long bone claw, grabbed the noble by the collar, and threw him forcefully into the distance, thunderously smashing a deep pit into the hard granite floor of the stands!

The Gladiolus Guild youth got excited and laughed loudly. “Did you see that? They’re here to help us! Today you arrogant and cruel nobles are doomed!”

He raised his fist and swung at a noble young lady. The force of the punch created a whistling wind. The noble young lady screamed and covered her head!

The Death Knight moved again. This time it extended two white finger bones, lifted the youth up, and while he looked puzzled, it quickly hammered him once with its broad sword pommel. After confirming he had passed out, it discarded him to the side like a rag.

The nobles: “…”

The Gladiolus Guild members: “…”

Were these ghost things here to cause trouble?!

Unfortunately, they were indeed here to cause trouble.

The nearly thousand Death Knights were like nearly a thousand unreasonable bratty children, finding everyone unpleasant and wanting to beat up everyone they saw. However, they were very measured in their strikes. Except for the nobles who had been completely eroded by the curse and lost all reason, not a single innocent person died in the arena where wails and bodies flew about.

The already chaotic arena became even more chaotic, leaving people completely baffled.

“This is ch-chaotic evil?” The young master’s feelings were very complicated.

Ji Chi nodded and introduced matter-of-factly, “Bratty children are like this. Whether it’s faith, spirit, or body, they have the ability to break everything down.”

Catherine was indeed about to break down. She had planned everything so well! She knew the hatred in Linton’s heart, she understood Evan’s determination!

In her imagination, Linton would be unable to control his burning fury and use the equipment they had refined to force the nobles into a desperate situation; Evan would decisively activate the magic array and coldly watch the nobles fall into madness… And she would sit and wait to reap everything, including awe, status, and power.

But now everything had gone terribly wrong!

She didn’t understand why Linton had let go of his hatred and instead went to guard the old dwarf’s side. She also didn’t understand what that arrogant young master had said to Evan that made him start to waver in his long-held convictions…

She understood even less about that mage called Ji Chi who should have been guarding his teammates’ side… Was he really a damn mage?!

Catherine vented her frustration by kicking William, knocking him to the ground where he moaned continuously.

William collapsed on the ground in a daze, also feeling that all of this was like an absurd nightmare. From the moment Ji Chi refined the legendary equipment, everything had become uncontrollable. First the arena erupted in riots, then his father died at Catherine’s hands, then he was captured by guards he had trusted and thrown bound hand and foot before Catherine…

Catherine glanced at him with disgust and stopped looking at him. She furrowed her brows in contemplation for a while, took a deep breath, and walked toward Evan.

She stopped in front of Evan, and when she raised her face again, it was once more an innocent and sincere expression. “Mr. Evan, are you going to break our contract? I don’t mind you using our power to fight against the Church, but you also need to show sincerity for this.”

Evan glanced at her, then hesitantly looked at Ji Chi. To be honest, he still felt that using the Gladiolus Guild as cover was the best method. Ji Chi now wanting to oppose three forces was really too risky.

Catherine seemed to see his concerns and spoke at the right moment, “You’re the most talented mage I’ve ever seen. If you’re still willing to help us, I can overlook your friend’s offense this time, and no one will know what happened today.”

As she spoke, she glanced subtly at Ji Chi, only to see him smiling mockingly at her, his somewhat pale lips slightly parting——

Catherine felt very uneasy from his smile. Her intuition told her something was wrong. She wanted to interrupt him, but it was already too late. A clear voice rang out like a demon’s.

“I’m very grateful for your understanding, but young master Brandon is also our friend. Can the merciful Princess Catherine also forgive him and stop sending people to assassinate him?”

Ji Chi emphasized the word “stop” very heavily.

Catherine’s pupils constricted. Apart from attempting to kill Brandon at a banquet a year ago, she had never made another move since. She didn’t understand why Ji Chi was bringing this up now.

However, she immediately understood why.

“What did you say?” Evan asked softly. He slowly raised his eyes to look at Catherine, his transparent blue pupils now as cold and piercing as ice from the Northlands. “You wanted to kill Brandon?”

“Mm, she also framed me. I almost got confined.” Ji Chi shamelessly continued tattling, adding fuel to the fire.

Evan was thoroughly enraged. The surrounding magic arrays flickered madly under the surging magic power. “Do you know why I’m helping the Gladiolus Guild?”

Catherine’s face turned pale. She seemed to understand now.

“Because I wanted to protect them…” Evan approached her step by step. “And you, what exactly have you done?”