Chapter 156: Recovery

Melinda's voice seemed to pierce the endless void, ringing clearly in Robin's ear: "He hasn't fully recovered yet; his current strength is only a little stronger than that of an Order Knight. You still have a chance, and this is also your last chance!"

Robin inhaled deeply, the Order Power within him surging wildly; golden law chains flickered faintly around his body, emitting a holy and majestic glow.

He lifted his gaze toward the Frost Eagle Grand Duke, with no hint of fear in his eyes; now he could only grit his teeth and press on.

"I just want to give up! I don't want to fight for my life like this."

Gares gripped his massive sword tightly, the silver‑white heavy armor's Rune flared again, and a powerful Magic Wave radiated outward.

He and the Sun and Moon Twin Guardians formed a triangular formation, shielding Robin and Morre in the center, like an impregnable fortress.

Morre clutched the remnants of the Magic Gem in his hand; although his staff was shattered, a resolute light gleamed in his eyes, ready to unleash Magic Power again for a lethal strike.

The Frost Eagle Grand Duke stood before the Mechanical Throne, his mechanical body trembling slightly, as if excited for the upcoming battle.

He let out a sharp laugh, the sound projected through a mechanical speaker, echoing over South Stone Village and sending chills down everyone's spine.

"You think you can stop me?" the Frost Eagle Grand Duke snorted coldly. "Today, you will all become stepping stones for my ascent to the Divine Throne!"

As soon as the words fell, he swung his arms violently, countless silver‑black mechanical spider threads shooting from his hands like a dense hail of arrows, rushing toward everyone.

The threads glimmered with eerie blue light, containing potent corrosive power; wherever they passed, the ground was instantly etched with deep corrosive scars.

Gares, seeing this, immediately brandished his massive sword, the Order Power forming a golden shield that protected everyone within.

The spider threads struck the shield, producing a "sizzle" sound and scattering sparks, but they could not breach the defense.

Robin seized the moment, his figure flashing as he surged toward the Frost Eagle Grand Duke like a bolt of golden lightning.

He raised the Order Blade high in his hand, the golden Rune on the blade blazing, bearing world‑shattering power as he slashed toward the Frost Eagle Grand Duke.

The Frost Eagle Grand Duke's gaze hardened; his mechanical arm instantly reshaped into a massive mechanical Shield, blocking Robin's attack.

A loud "clang" rang out, sparks flying, and the powerful impact numbed Robin's arm, yet he did not flinch; instead, it sparked an even greater power within him.

The Sun and Moon Twin Guardians also struck simultaneously: the Sun Guard's massive hammer blazed with scorching white flame, while the Moon Guard's twin blades were wreathed in ghostly blue frost; together they launched a fierce assault on the Frost Eagle Grand Duke.

The Frost Eagle Grand Duke moved with agility, weaving through their attacks, his mechanical body intermittently flashing defensive shields that repelled their onslaught.

Morre, from behind, unleashed his magic at full force, crushing the Magic Gem residue in his hand, and a torrent of Magic Power erupted again.

Streams of blue Magic Power beams shot from his hand, striking the Frost Eagle Grand Duke with precision; though they could not deal fatal damage, they disrupted his movements.

The battle entered a fevered stage, each side trading blows without yielding.

Each attack carried immense force, shaking the surrounding air. The ground of South Stone Village was riddled with countless wounds, houses crumbled in the battle's aftermath, raising clouds of dust.

Robin clenched his teeth, holding a single belief in his heart: "I must stop the Frost Eagle Grand Duke; once this hurdle is cleared, I can return to Viscount Wilk's domain and give up again!"

He continuously adjusted his attack rhythm, searching for a flaw in the Frost Eagle Grand Duke's defense.

Finally, during a fierce clash, Robin spotted a gap in the Frost Eagle Grand Duke's defense.

He hesitated not, unleashing his strongest strike; the Order Power roiled within him, converging entirely onto the Order Blade.

The golden light on the blade reached its zenith, like a dazzling sun.

"Watchful Verdict!" Robin roared, bringing the Order Blade down with force.

The blow, bearing incomparable power, pierced the Frost Eagle Grand Duke's defense and struck his mechanical core.

The Frost Eagle Grand Duke's body jolted violently; the mechanical core flashed with intense light, and then cracks spread across his body as components fell away.

"No... this can't be!" the Frost Eagle Grand Duke shrieked in despair, his voice filled with resentment and fear.

As the mechanical core shattered, his body gradually lost control and collapsed to the ground.

Robin and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief; they had succeeded in stopping the Frost Eagle Grand Duke's mad scheme.

As the Frost Eagle Grand Duke crashed down, it was as if the dominoes of fate were toppled.

The inverted clock tower and Mechanical Throne faded like illusory bubbles, and the terrifying gloom that shrouded the North receded.

The soldiers and believers once assimilated by the Mechanical Church suddenly emitted white smoke from their bodies without warning, as if their souls had been ripped out, collapsing one after another.

When the first thread of consciousness slowly returned, soldier Eric felt his head as if struck by a heavy hammer, a dull ache pulsing.

He slowly opened his eyes to chaos: ruined walls, lingering smoke, and his former comrades beside him wearing equally bewildered and pained expressions.

"Where... is this? How did I end up here?" he muttered, his voice hoarse like sandpaper.

Memories surged like a tide; during the days he was controlled by the Mechanical Will, he wielded Sharp Blade, slashing at innocent civilians, blood splattering his hands, and cries of agony echoing in his ears.

He had personally burned villages, watching the terrified eyes of children, yet felt no compassionate heart.

Now awake, those scenes were like Sharp Blades, stabbing his heart mercilessly. "What have I done..."

Eric collapsed to his knees, his hands tearing at his hair frantically, tears streaming from his eyes.

When the believer Lisbei awoke, she lay on the cold mud. She struggled to rise, looked around, and saw a tattered doll of a little girl nearby, its appearance strikingly similar to the neighbor girl she had once killed by her own hand under the Mechanical Church's sway.

In an instant, guilt and remorse overwhelmed her completely. She recalled preaching the doctrine of the Mechanical God on the streets, deceiving the lost, dragging them into this mad abyss.

"I am a sinner, an unforgivable sinner..." Lisbei sat paralyzed on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, her body trembling violently from the agony.

The former commander Karl, after regaining consciousness, looked at his blood‑stained hands, raised his voice to the heavens and roared, his tone filled with despair.

He recalled how, in the war, he led assimilated soldiers in relentless brutal charges, countless lives perishing under his orders.

"I betrayed my faith, betrayed this land..." he punched the ground; his hand was cut by a sharp stone, blood gushing, yet he remained oblivious.

(End of Chapter)