Chapter 19: The Young Fox of the Phantom

The Bull-Headed King let out a thunderous roar, its entire body suddenly shrouded in a vast, golden-red radiance akin to sunlight, as though engulfed by the breaking dawn. Its strength and speed seemed to surge exponentially—a single sweep of its massive axe split a just-attacking mercenary in two, the fierce energy tearing the remains to shreds.

Such a blood-soaked spectacle proved a severe test for the minds of most present. Hani nearly vomited, but Vinigo, quick-eyed and quicker-handed, pulled her behind him before she could take in the grisly scene.

Sophie’s greatsword crashed down. Sword met axe; the shock drove Sophie back three steps, her face paling as she braced the sword into the earth to absorb the blow.

The Bull-Headed King, by contrast, seemed unfazed. Raising its axe high, it dipped its head, preparing to gore Sophie with its horns.

“Time’s up. Construct… begin!” Vinigo, already changed into new attire, stepped forward. His getup was simple—a cloak and a slightly curved short staff. Role selected, analysis complete… construction begins. Level five Phantom, construct complete!

With the faintest motion, Vinigo’s body vanished; when he reappeared, he was behind the Bull-Headed King, staff striking down.

Given the staff’s attack power and the Phantom’s innate strength, the blow was little more than an itch. Vinigo clearly understood this; as soon as he struck, he drifted backwards.

The long axe swept past, slicing the air with pain. Vinigo was startled, but otherwise unharmed—indeed, Phantoms have strong resistance to physical attacks. What would have shredded a normal person merely hurt for him.

He retreated several meters, raised his staff, and dark power enveloped the Bull-Headed King.

Black Magic: Drain Life.

He siphoned the enemy’s vitality to heal himself, the effect determined by the difference in intelligence between Phantom and target—here, a vast gulf.

The result was outstanding, especially with the Moonlight Cloak’s bonus to dark magic. The spell’s effect coursed through Vinigo like a rush of exhilaration, leaving him wholly invigorated.

“Hani, get clear!” Sophie shouted, swinging her greatsword in a full charge. The girl’s all-out blow, powered by sheer momentum, actually drove the Bull-Headed King back a step.

“Beautiful!” Vinigo murmured in praise, his voice strange and chilling in his Phantom form. As he spoke, he clapped his hands softly and flicked his staff.

Black Magic: Mind Drain—simply, Mana Drain.

Again, the effect depended on the intelligence gap, but the mana drained could not exceed the target’s maximum. But did the Bull-Headed King even possess mana?

And if not, what would happen?

Vinigo did not know, but he intended to find out.

Sure enough, the Bull-Headed King merely shook its head slightly. The spell had some effect, possibly making its mind momentarily sluggish, distracted.

Sophie suddenly leapt high, her greatsword whirling aloft before crashing down.

Like a thunderbolt from the heavens!

“Is that… the Ship-Cleaver: Lightning Slash?” Vinigo muttered.

The sword fell, immediately followed by a sweeping blow. The greatsword, broad and heavy, had such length that even a wooden replica would have been formidable. Sophie’s blade, though, was solid steel, blended with other metals to reduce weight and enhance strength—a terrifying mass, and due to the sword’s long lever arm, its impact was doubled.

When it struck, lightning itself seemed to split the heavens.

Sophie, evidently, was not in the habit of naming or shouting her techniques. Still, she took no issue with Vinigo’s offhand reference to “Ship-Cleaver: Lightning Slash” or any other such grandiose titles.

It mattered little what the move was called—so long as it felled the foe. Lightning Slash, Sundering Cloud, or the End of Dawn—names were irrelevant.

The greatsword crashed down, tearing a horrific wound across the Bull-Headed King’s belly, nearly spilling its entrails.

Yet golden light flickered faintly across the creature’s skin, as if healing itself.

No doubt this was a magical gift from the Temple of the Sun—self-regeneration.

And the speed of this regeneration was several times more potent than the effect of Vinigo’s own amulet.

Vinigo gave a low exclamation, slipping several meters aside to dodge the rampaging axe, then unleashed Nightmare—a black magic spell.

But his target was not the Bull-Headed King, but the priests of the Temple of the Sun.

Hani’s Rage could not control all the priests at once; Vinigo had to assist. Nightmare not only harmed enemies, but also had a chance to put them to sleep. Given Vinigo’s high-intelligence Phantom and the Moonlight Cloak’s blessing, the success rate was impressive—especially when facing ordinary priests of the Moon Temple.

So, those priests nearest were driven mad, those further off succumbed to sleep under Vinigo’s curse, while the other followers and mercenaries, cowed by the Bull-Headed King’s murderous aura, could not muster even a third of their strength—hardly a threat.

Now the only real challenge was how Sophie might defeat the Bull-Headed King.

After all, this was the Bull-Headed King—its sheer physical power was rivaled only by dragons.

But Sophie showed no fear. She raised her greatsword, blade angling across her shoulder, poised and ready. In her eyes, the Bull-Headed King was but an evenly matched foe—nothing more.

Never reckless but never afraid—this was true, rare knightly demeanor. Not merely a matter of shining armor and a fine steed, but of courage, compassion, and steadfast resolve—perhaps the true symbols of knighthood.

And this was Sophie.

Though a bounty hunter, in Vinigo’s eyes, she was a true knight—or at least, possessed one of a knight’s most essential qualities.

“Why does she seem so familiar?” Vinigo mused to himself, dodging several Sun Priest’s arrows of light. “I could swear… I’ve never met her.”

Followers of the Sun, unlike those of the Moon, were adept at basic light magic. For a Phantom, light arrows were especially effective—Vinigo’s form was perfect against the Bull-Headed King, but against the Temple of the Sun…

Thus, he relied on Hani. With her mass fear, rage, and enslavement spells, the battlefield could be controlled, ensuring the fight unfolded to Vinigo’s advantage.

His own role was limited: Nightmare, Life Drain, Mind Drain—cycling these black magics to harry the Sun worshippers. He also had to keep reminding Hani to choose the right targets and cast the most effective divine spells.

The giant axe crashed down before the Sun Temple, sending the stone-paved road exploding into a hail of flying debris. Sophie, too, had to raise her greatsword to block the shards threatening her vitals.

At that moment, the Bull-Headed King charged, lowering its head to ram Sophie’s chest and abdomen. One mustn’t forget—bulls have long, deadly horns.

With a resounding clang, Sophie’s face went pale; she and her sword were sent flying several meters. Her sturdy alloy sword was left with two deep dents from the King’s horns.

Sophie’s pallor abruptly flushed bright red, as if painted with vivid rouge. Then she raised her greatsword straight toward the sky, closed her eyes, and bit down, crushing a pill she’d kept in her mouth and absorbing its power entirely. She leaned forward, letting the greatsword fall in a smooth arc.

The instant the blade became parallel to the ground, Sophie moved—her speed suddenly explosive, almost like instantaneous movement.

In a flash, the greatsword lunged forward—just as the Bull-Headed King, roaring, swung its axe to attack.

A blur, bodies crossing—Sophie’s slender figure was completely engulfed by the King’s massive bulk.

But in the next moment, the wide blade tore through, and the Bull-Headed King staggered back, howling in pain, retreating from Sophie’s strike.

She had wounded the Bull-Headed King—seriously!

Strike when the enemy is down. Without hesitation, Vinigo cast Life Drain on the King’s wound, summoning Hani to follow with wave after wave of mass fear.

Except for the Bull-Headed King, no enemy could withstand little Hani’s psychic spells for long.

Thus, after six consecutive mass fears, all foes save the Bull-Headed King and the Sun High Priest were fleeing in confusion.

“Help me!” Sophie called out in a low voice.

“I’m coming,” Vinigo replied, momentarily stunned before teleporting to stand before the Bull-Headed King.

He did nothing but use his cloak-shrouded, misty form to block the King’s view.

Enraged, the King swung its axe—Vinigo immediately teleported away again. The wind of the axe’s swing tore at his Phantom form, the pain like being ripped apart. But fortunately, as a Phantom, Vinigo was highly resistant to physical attacks.

Only his Moonlight Cloak was damaged. Though magical items were much sturdier than ordinary ones, this was, after all, the Bull-Headed King’s giant axe.

With Vinigo’s interference, Sophie’s attack was ready.

No flourish—just a single, straight thrust, the shortest line between two points.

As if to rend the earth, to pierce a mountain’s heart—unstoppable, all power focused on the central axis, not a jot wasted.

The most powerful thrust—piercing through!