Chapter 146: Spread

Inside the ice cavern, candlelight flickered, reflecting Al Erjie's solemn face.

He remained silent for a long while, then abruptly tore open his collar, exposing his chest.

A single ice‑blue core emitted a faint glow; around it, silver‑black mechanical veins spread like tangled roots, expanding at a staggering speed, already occupying more than half his chest.

"Do you see these patterns?" Al Erjie twisted a mocking smile at the corner of his mouth, his voice hoarse and slightly self‑deprecating, "Whenever I use mechanical ability, this damned corrosion intensifies. When the core is fully enveloped…"

He heavily tapped his temple, "Then this place will become a complete puppet of mechanical thought, just like my 'great' father."

Ailina heard this and involuntarily inhaled sharply, her delicate face full of shock: "So that's why Grand Duke Frost Eagle…"

"Only so obsessed with the Mechanical God's gift?" Al Erjie snorted coldly, his laugh full of contempt, "Exactly, he naïvely believes that only divine power can reverse this dreadful corrosion. It's utterly absurd…"

Before the words finished, his mechanical eye suddenly turned toward Robin, a pale green light flickering in the darkness: "But now, I've discovered something more interesting."

Al Erjie extended a finger etched with mechanical patterns, pointing straight at Robin's Tang Sword at his waist, "Your sword can temporarily suppress this corrosion."

At that moment, a sharp, screeching metallic scraping sound came from outside the cavern, like nails on glass, sending a chill up the spine. The three instantly entered combat mode, nerves taut as strings.

Al Erjie's mechanical eye swiftly switched to thermal imaging mode, his expression changing abruptly: "Damn… hunting units! At least twenty!"

Robin reacted quickly, with a "swish" sound, the Tang Sword fully unsheathed, the dark‑red patterns on the blade pulsating rhythmically like breathing: "There are also two sources with extremely strong energy fluctuations."

"Legendary Knight." Ailina gripped the sword hilt, her knuckles whitening, "He's the Grand Duke Frost Eagle's personal guard."

As if confirming her words, a earth‑shaking roar erupted from the ice cavern's entrance, exploding with a thunderous blast.

Ice shards swirled across the sky, like a winter blizzard.

Two silhouettes slowly advanced through the icy mist.

The man on the left wore crimson armor; under the cavern's dim glow, the spikes on his armor glimmered with a cold light.

He wielded a serrated long blade in each hand, corrosive liquid constantly dripping from the blades, sizzling on the ice and leaving a series of charred pits.

The hulking figure on the right was clad entirely in heavy silver‑gray armor, his face concealed by a solid metal mask, exuding an unapproachable icy aura.

"Found you." Blood Blade Kaos stuck out his crimson tongue, licking the blade, his eyes greedy and cruel, "The Grand Duke wants that knife‑wielding kid… alive. The other two, dispose of them as you wish."

From Blood Blade Kaos's words, one could easily hear the Grand Duke Frost Eagle's ruthless indifference toward his own son.

Iron Wall Jia Ermu remained silent, slowly raising his right arm. With a clatter of gears turning, the armor on his arm swiftly reshaped, revealing a pitch‑black gun barrel.

A massive surge of energy gathered at the barrel, warping the surrounding air.

"Boom!" a deafening blast, the projectile engulfed in scorching fire, hurtling toward them like a small meteor.

Robin reacted swiftly, his body rolling to one side; the projectile skimmed his coat, exploding a massive hole in the ice wall, ice shards scattering.

Al Erjie's feet instantly spewed blue flame, his whole form charging toward Kaos like a bolt of lightning, fists clenched, the mechanical‑powered roar slamming into the opponent.

Kaos remained unhurried, crossing his two blades to easily block the strike, the metallic clash deafening.

Ailina swung her long sword, charging at Jia Ermu. Jia Ermu calmly raised his other arm, the armor reshaping into an impenetrable shield, fully blocking Ailina's attack.

Robin seized the moment to rise, the Tang Sword tracing an arc in his hand, the dark‑red pattern blazing brightly.

He could feel a strong vibration emanating from the blade, as if the sword itself craved battle.

He inhaled deeply, lunging toward Kaos, attempting a lethal side strike.

Kaos sensed the danger, sidestepping Robin's attack, then slashing back at Robin with a reverse strike.

Robin hurriedly raised his sword to block, the massive impact numbing his arm.

At that instant, Al Erjie timed it perfectly, ambushing Kaos from behind; Kaos turned to respond, and the three plunged into a fierce melee.

Meanwhile, on Ailina's side, Jia Ermu, relying on his heavy armor and formidable defense, constantly held the advantage.

Ailina's forehead was slick with sweat, her breathing rapid, yet her gaze remained steady, constantly searching for a flaw in Jia Ermu.

Suddenly, Jia Ermu let out a deep roar, the barrel once again aimed at Ailina.

At this critical moment, Robin let out a roar, swinging a crescent slash that interrupted Jia Ermu's attack.

This also gave Kaos the chance, and he slashed Robin's arm, blood spraying everywhere.

Fresh blood streamed down Robin's arm, spreading across the ice surface.

The intense pain made his arm tremble slightly, but it did not diminish the fighting spirit in his eyes.

At this moment Kaos pressed the attack, his serrated long blade riding a gust of foul wind, corrosive liquid dripping onto the ground with a "sizzle," Robin flickered his form, cleverly evading behind the ice wall's cover.

Al Erjie saw this, the thrusters on his back spitting out even brighter blue light, his whole body streaking toward Kaos like a meteor.

His right arm instantly reshaped, revealing a sharp mechanical spear, the tip glinting with cold light.

Kaos sensed the threat, murderous intent deepening in his eyes, he turned and swung his blade to block.

Sparks from the metal clash scattered between them, emitting a harsh sound; the powerful impact made the surrounding ice walls shudder, large chunks of ice constantly falling.

At the same time, Ailina did not sit idly by.

She seized the moment while Jia Ermu was distracted by Robin, her long sword whirling swiftly, a faint golden sheen spreading across the blade.

It was her family's inherited secret sword technique, designed to counter powerful foes.

Jia Ermu sensed the unusual power, instantly activating his defense protocol, his entire armor thickening in an instant; the previously pitch‑black barrel now flickered with light, ready to launch another round of attack.

Robin inhaled deeply, his gaze fixed on Kaos. He could feel the Tang Sword's agitation, the dark‑red pattern becoming ever clearer, as if a living thing roamed across the blade.

Suddenly, the Tang Sword emitted a low hum, a massive force surging from the blade; Robin rode the momentum, unleashing a gigantic blade aura, the aura carrying scorching energy, instantly dispersing the surrounding icy mist.

(End of Chapter)