Legacy of the Dark Sage

The moment Kyran appeared before the three newcomers, they closed in on him at the same time.

All three already had their Divine Armaments summoned: a diamond longsword, dual nunchaku, and a flaming whip. The one using the flaming whip, whose body structure suggested she was female, rushed at Kyran from the right, while the former two rushed in from the left, and the middle respectively.

The female aide flicked her wrists and whirled the flaming whip above her head before swinging it at the Imon-spawn. An air-splitting sound filled the air as the flaming whip came forward, seemingly after the latter's leg.

At the same time, the aide coming from the middle, spread out his arms and struck the dual nunchaku. The nunchaku's chains extended, with their end going straight at the Imon-spawn forearms.

Both aides succeeded in wrapping their weapons around Kyran's forearms and legs. After which, the one using the dual nunchaku pulled his weapons, seemingly intent on bringing Kyran to his knees. While the female aide simply ensured Kyran could not move from his spot.

The aide with the diamond longsword waited before the two succeeded in binding the Imon-spawn into place, before suddenly disappearing. He then reappeared right behind the latter, whose body slightly leaned forward after getting pulled by the nunchakus, his arms raised and aimed at the latter's exposed neck.

Kyran's eyes narrowed as he sensed something strange from the newcomers' Divine Armaments. Their levels were no different from the two before them, but their Divine Armaments seemed sturdier compared to them.

In a way, Kyran guessed the King of Armakea sent out two unconventional-type Divine Armament to ensure they would not be destroyed easily. A whip and a nunchaku might be considered melee weapons but they also had binding abilities, which was why they could be considered unconventional weapons. As for the aide using a diamond longsword, it was very easy to understand the King of Armakea's intentions.

Diamond is considered one of the sturdiest substances out there. It could even cut a thick steel like cutting tofu. From this, the King of Armakea likely believed that a diamond longsword could easily cut Kyran.

Moreover, Kyran sensed the three aides' Divine Armaments were enhanced using an Array. As an Array Saint, he could discern if a weapon possessed array formulas. Apart from that, the three aides appeared with their Divine Armaments already summoned. It was likely that before the King of Armakea sent them out, he gave them an accessory that could be used as an ornament to their Divine Armaments, thus, enhancing their durability and defenses.

CLANG!

"!"

The aide using the diamond longsword was shocked when his mighty strike failed to cut the Imon-spawn's neck. His hand was even forced back from the impact.

To think that an Imon-spawn's skin was thick enough to withstand even a strike from a weapon made of diamond.

Seeing that the diamond longsword-using aide failed in their attempt to behead the Imon-spawn, the female aide willed her flaming whip to erupt in flames. Her action gave the former a chance to retreat, avoiding a solo confrontation with the Imon-spawn.

With the flaming whip wrapped around his legs, Kyran's lower body was instantly engulfed by flames.

The dual nunchaku-using aide pulled harder, still intent on bringing the Imon-spawn to his knees. 

Unfortunately for him, he failed the second time.

Kyran pulled the nunchaku, instead, forcing the dual nunchaku-using aide toward him. The latter was quite decisive. When he noticed he could not overpower the former, he unsummoned his Divine Armament and retreated.

The female aide also retracted her flaming whip after seeing her flames did nothing to the Imon-spawn's lower body.

Kyran did not pursue the three aides. He simply stood there and waved his hand to cancel out the flames that covered his lower body.

The three aides observed the Imon-spawn for a few seconds before suddenly disappearing.

Kyran raised his brows in surprise. But then he squinted because he realized the King of Armakea must have sent those three to test him out rather than kill him. If that was the case, the King might have expected the diamond longsword-using aide would not succeed in his attempt to behead him.

The knights inside the Void domain were also surprised at this turn of events. At the same time, they believed it was to be expected. Their King might have used brute force to subdue the other nations and take their lost technology, but that did not mean he was all brawn with no brains.

The King of Armakea knew when to attack and retreat. That was how he got to where he was now.

[Master.]

Filren's voice sounded in Kyran's head.

[Please be careful. Knowing King Aran, this probing meant he was considering taking those out.]

'Those?' Kyran asked with a slight frown. He received some of Filren's memories after becoming his Sigil, but when the latter spoke of those, he did not seem to ring any bell.

[Automatons.]

Kyran raised his brows. Apart from Loar, Kyran had yet to meet anyone who could create Automatons. He, himself, had yet to create one, which was why he was thrilled to hear that the King of Armakea possessed them.

[The real inheritance that a King of Armakea receives is not us, Knights, but those Automatons.]

'Meaning the way to activate those Automatons has something to do with the things the King of Armakea possessed,' Kyran surmised. 'Or is it a knowledge passed on from the previous King?'

[Apologies for my lack of knowledge, Master. But I am not privy to the details of those Automatons. The only thing we know is that, even if we die in battle, King Aran will still have an army that could turn the tides against the enemies— and that is his Army of Automatons.]

Kyran took a deep breath. He now understood why Layla was more interested in having a deal with the King of Armakea than the fake Somuli Sovereign.

Layla's objective was not only the Knights but also those automatons.

Thinking back on it, Kyran recalled Axil had Dusk investigate Armakea's lost technology. Could it be that she knew about the automatons and was also interested in retrieving them?

Unlike Layla who needed someone to activate the automatons, thus, wanting to strike up a deal with King Aran, Axil had Loar. So long as Loar saw those Automatons, he could tweak their settings and make them his.

Kyran remembered the blueprint he saw at Dusk's hideout. He had an inkling that the location where the King hid those automatons was shown there.

'That's fine. I don't think he'll send those out at once. Not until he understands the current situation in Larkring.'

[Yes. I am sure he planned to rally the other aides to scan the situation in Larkring. If he had not done so yet.]

Kyran fell silent as he added this factor and reassessed his plan.

Initially, he had wanted the King to dispatch his aides against him, which was why he came and appeared in such an overbearing manner. This way, his group could do their task without having to worry about confronting one of the King's aides.

In the end, Kyran miscalculated because he was unaware of the existence of the Automatons.

There were eight aides to the King left. If he rallied them all over Larkring, once they discovered where the rest of Kyran's forces were, he might split them up into three groups: with a ratio of 3:3:2.

Three would definitely go to the military district with the rest going to the other two locations Kyran sent his forces to. Among those two other locations, Kyran was not worried about Achim's group, who went to meet with his father, Ravan. What he was most worried about was Malek and Nahir's group, simply because he knew the King of Armakea would send three aides there.

Kyran trusted Malek's strength. Even so, he knew it would not be easy for him to fight three aides at once. Though he had far more knights and officers among their ranks, the latter might end up becoming cannon fodders once an all-out fight broke out.

Most important of all, Kyran was worried that the aides would aim at the Eidums because their support magic was far more troublesome than the offensive might of the knights with them.

Kyran took a deep breath and tried to push aside those negative thoughts. After all, the real reason he was worried about them was that Cyneah was with them. She might not be a damsel in distress, but that did not stop him from worrying about her safety.

'I'm going,' Kyran told Filren after a short pause. 'I'll let you know once I retrieve your Divine Armament.'

[T-Thank you.]

Without further ado, Kyran teleported in front of the huge oak doors that led to the castle's main hall.

The castle building itself had anti-teleportation and even anti-warp array formulas around it. It was for this reason that Kyran could not directly warp inside. Besides, he only saw how the interior of the castle looked from Achim and Kesiah's memories. It was not a memory of his own, thus, even if those array formulas were not present, he could not warp directly inside and meet the King.