At long last, the armored man let out a feeble howl and fell heavily to the ground. Its dark red energy had been suppressed by the holy light for an extended period, and the armored man was now covered in scars and cracks.

However, what puzzled Lin Sheng was the countless clouds of black smoke in the surrounding air. The black smoke, as though alive, tried to penetrate the armored man's body, but each time a certain amount of smoke seeped into him, the armored man would move forward, spurring the temple to emit more holy power, purifying the smoke inside. It was as if the man wanted to kill himself...

Soon, the armored man stopped moving completely and began to melt slowly.

The armored man's body, along with his weapons, was reduced to thick, black and red liquid. The liquid evaporated rapidly, turned into numerous black streams in a flash, and dashed toward Lin Sheng.

Lin Sheng's head felt like it had been hit by a heavy hammer. It was extremely painful.

A stream of graphic memories flooded his mind, and a large amount of dark red flame energy flashed before Lin Sheng.

"I can't be wrong! The Rioman Clan is one of the five oldest clans in Blackfeather City! We have ruled Blackfeather City's Blood Armor Corps for hundreds of years! And now, you! You're just a knight! How dare you question my decisions??"

"That was not what I meant..."

"Get out, now!" the Steel Lord ordered coldly and rigidly on his previous wooden throne.

"Lord, I saw with my own eyes how that man planted a powerful and strange plant that I couldn't understand! It is the kind of thing that will never be acceptable to living beings..."

"That is enough! Guards!" the Steel Lord closed his eyes and commanded. Two soldiers in heavy dark red armor rushed in.

"You'll regret this one day!" Ancellia took a deep breath.

"Regret?" The Steel Lord crossed his hands. His face was icy. "I will bear the consequences!"

Ancellia gave him a deep stare, and without being pushed by the guards, he turned and walked away quickly.

Lin Sheng was standing there and watching it happen.

The Steel Lord was the armored man. The old man was as stubborn as ever. He was not only stubborn, but also selfish, bossy, condescending, and contemptuous of anyone who was inferior to him. Ancellia's persuasion was taken by him as a sign of disrespect.

Lin Sheng watched Ancellia leave. He got the Ashen Seal – the Sanctuary from her.

Suddenly the scene flashed and everything changed rapidly.

The black fog rolled over the sky like thunderclouds, pressing down on top of each other. The whole Blackfeather city was like an island isolated in the black sea, helpless, afraid, confused, and lost.

Countless people were looking up at the slowly falling sky.

The Steel Lord stood at the city wall and gazed at the falling black clouds without uttering a single word.

"My Lord! We have not found the great knight, Korred!"

"My Lord, the a.s.sa.s.sin's Guild is empty! They're all gone! You should leave now!"

"There's a lot of hallucinogenic black fog on the moors! We're besieged!"

"No! The North. There's still a gap at the North!!"

"The people in the town are almost gone! My Lord, please go now! We will defend this place!!"

The Blood Armor elites were covered in blood. Dark spots were emerging on their skin. It was a sign that they were contaminated by the black fog.

The Steel Lord turned silently, went down the wall, and returned to the Warrior's Guild.

"Where's Ancellia?" He asked suddenly, standing in the hall.

"Ancellia, the Light of Hope, is leading the remaining knights to break through the siege, helping thousands of civilians to slowly retreat," answered one of the Blood Armor elites.

The Steel Lord looked at the Blood Armor elites in front of him. His fair skin was covered with black patches of varying sizes, but there's no fear in his expression as if nothing had happened.

"Is there anyone else in the guild who hasn't been contaminated?" He asked calmly.

"Only the son of Gore and his thirteen siblings. We have sent them, as you ordered, to the northern gap," answered the Blood Armor elite.

The Steel Lord fell silent. He closed his eyes, walked slowly up to the throne, and gently stroked the hard, cold arm of the throne.

"Do you hate me?" He asked in a low voice.

"We are always your most solid s.h.i.+eld!" The Blood Armor elites knelt on one knee, replying loudly and solemnly.

 "Please go, My Lord. As long as you are alive, the Blood Armor Corps and the guild will always be there!" Ladya, the vice president of the Blood Armor Corps, spoke loudly.

Ladya's face was half-covered with black spots. Intense pain and hallucinations invaded his spirit all the time, but he remained unmoved.

The Steel Lord calmly looked at the Blood Armor elites before him.

"I told Ancellia that I would bear the responsibility for all the consequences."

He slowly sat on the throne. A stream of black metal liquid erupted behind the seat. The metal liquid quickly enveloped him, transforming him into a huge, ma.s.sive, powerful armor.

"You are my sword and s.h.i.+eld. In this world, there are no soldiers who can live without their sword and s.h.i.+eld."

"Lord…"

"Remember when I put the Bloodmark on you?" The Steel Lord's eyes softened.

Suddenly there came a growl from the street outside. It sounded like the growl of some wild animal. Soon, countless growls grew denser and closer.

Outside the window, the black fog descended slowly, almost touching the tallest spire of the Blackfeather City. The light in the Warrior's Guild dimmed rapidly.

"Now." The Steel Lord bellowed as he laid his hand on the arm of the throne. "Tell me what you are!"

"The Burning Blood! The Blood of Order!! The s.h.i.+eld of Blackfeather City!" All Blood Armor elites stood up, pulled out their weapons and roared!

"Very well." The Steel Lord took a deep breath. "So... Activate the Shackles of Blood War, now."

"Activating the ritual of the Shackles of Blood War." A cold female voice slowly sounded in his ear.

Dark red cracks spread rapidly from around the throne.

"The blood of the Fire Dragon ignites the fire of the ritual."

"Activating the Absolute Binding Ward."

"Activating the Mind Ward."

"Activating Life Identification."

"Activating the Energy Reserve Pool."

"Sweep out the alien species, purge the wicked! Non-human species will never leave the city until they defeat you. The ritual begins."

The Steel Lord was gripping the arm of the throne tighter and tighter. He felt that his soul was being ignited and his blood force was being poured into the ritual circle.

His eyes seemed to see Ancellia, who was fighting and leading the people to flee, through the wall. "Just run, as far away as possible..."

Suddenly, his body burst into dark red flames.

"Lord!!" shouted the Blood Armor elites.

*Bang!!!*

The door of the guild was smashed open by a tremendous force. Dark figures rushed in, leaping at the Blood Armor elites.

"I... The Burning Blood! The Blood of Order! The s.h.i.+eld of Blackfeather City!!" The Steel Lord roared, and flames flew wildly from his body, shooting into all the Blood Armor elites to sustain their strength and preserve the last dignity of the warriors.

"Come on! Beat me!!!!!!! Destroy me!!" He stood up, pulled his huge battle-ax from behind him, and walked to a huge finger poking through the gate.