Chapter 469: Merlin Plays With You

A hundred years ago, Britain's night was permeated by the fetid wind of vampires.

Tonight.

At the moment the bells rang, another war silently began.

Hong Yu stood before the shattered church plaza, his back to the high, cold moon hanging in the sky; silver light traced his silhouette in black robes and light wings, facing afar the Arthur King within the church doorway, who held the Gun of Destiny and cradled the Holy Grail.

Both remained silent, the air thick as iron.

The aura of death spread in the night wind, only the gathering footsteps of each side's followers broke the dead silence.

One side consisted of the other Round Table Knights who rushed here upon hearing the news, armor clanking, Holy Light flickering; as well as clergy and guardians of the Yingguo Church.

They formed a silent line behind Arthur King, like a wall of steel and faith.

The other side, black shadows writhed, black‑robed believers whose faces were hidden in deep hoods appearing like specters, silently gathering around Hong Yu.

Until no more newcomers arrived, the field formed a clear standoff between the two armies.

Arthur King was the first to break the silence, his voice low yet clear throughout the arena:

"Impostor, state your name."

He slightly raised the Longinus' Gun in his hand, its barrel pointing at Hong Yu:

"I, Arthur Pandragong, hereby challenge you to a duel!"

Hong Yu, hearing this, seemed to hear the world's most ridiculous joke, a low, mocking 'hehe' emanating from his throat, his two pairs of light wings behind him fluttering gently with the laugh.

As the laughter faded, he spoke in that flat tone:

"Arthur King… ha, open your eyes and see clearly, this age is no longer the age of knights and legends."

"You think that, by wielding these two holy artifacts, you have the right to stand before me and speak of a duel?"

"Being repelled by the Holy Grail just now was only because I didn't fully use my power!"

His gaze slowly swept over the people standing ready behind Arthur King—Round Table Knights, Church elites—and finally, a wildly arrogant curl lifted his lip as he uttered words that set every listener's heart ablaze:

"All of you—everyone, attack together."

His voice rang crystal clear in the night wind, bearing a detached contempt as if looking down on ants.

"I will make you personally feel… what despair is."

The moment his words fell, the black‑robed believers behind him seemed to receive a silent command, all stepping back in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized.

Simultaneously, they raised both hands, beginning to chant incantations rapidly and uniformly, their voices converging.

Above the night sky, an enormous Magic Array materialized out of thin air, like an inverted bowl, expanding swiftly, instantly enveloping the entire Westminster Abbey and the plaza ahead, together with everyone on Arthur King's side and the solitary Hong Yu standing before the formation!

The Magic Array's Light Screen rose like a barrier, separating inside from outside.

The black‑robed believers retreated beyond the Light Screen, standing quietly, showing no intention to intervene, merely observing everything within the barrier.

They were not unwilling to help, but knew that acting now would be a desecration and disrespect to Grand Archbishop Hong Yu's power and orders.

The Grand Archbishop need only carry out the Lord's command; they need only obey the Grand Archbishop's command!

Within the barrier, the atmosphere tightened to the extreme in an instant.

Before Arthur King could speak, the Round Table Knights beside him could no longer restrain their raging fury!

"Arrogant fool!" Laide shouted angrily, stepping forward:

"Brothers! Let this blasphemer witness what a knight's glory and wrath are!"

"Yes!" Lie Wen, Liruo Er, and the other eleven Round Table Knights answered in unison.

Twelve brilliant streams of Holy Light shot upward from them, echoing and linking, swiftly weaving and coalescing in the air!

In the blink of an eye, a massive sword forged of pure Holy Light, engraved with countless sacred runes and judgment seals, materialized!

The blade pointed directly at Hong Yu below!

"Judgment!"

The twelve knights shouted in unison, their voices like thunder!

The gigantic Judgment Sword tore the air, booming, and slammed down on Hong Yu's head with a fierce strike!

The brilliance of the light seemed to turn the entire interior of the barrier into daylight!

Facing this combined strike capable of grievously wounding or even killing a Tai Xu Realm master, Hong Yu didn't even blink, his face still bearing that disdainful faint smile.

He made no defensive or evasive move, only the pair of light wings behind him flapped gently forward.

"Boring technique."

"Disperse."

With his casual words, a raging wind howled out from beneath his wings!

The seemingly indestructible Judgment Sword, struck head‑on by that strange wind, crumbled like a sandcastle in a hurricane, making no resistance, and with a 'shhh' of melting, disintegrated inch by inch into countless Light Dots that swiftly vanished in the night sky!

"What?!"

"This is impossible!"

The anger on Laide and the others' faces instantly turned to shock, incredulously watching their proud combined technique being so casually dismantled by the opponent, as if child's play.

Hong Yu watched their terrified expressions, the curve of his smile widening, his voice laced with a beguiling mockery:

"Who told you… that I am an impostor?"

He spread his arms slightly, the light wings behind him emitting an even stronger divine resonance.

"This, then, is the true… Angelic Wisdom Power!"

His voice suddenly rose sharply, like a great bell striking each person's heart:

"See clearly! Feel clearly!"

"The Lord you worship, his power is now being used by me!"

"Give up futile resistance! Your Lord… may have already abandoned you fools!"

"You still cling to what meaningless faith and loyalty?!"

These heart‑piercing words, combined with the incomprehensible display of power just now, were like cold poisonous fangs, stabbing hard into Laide and the other devout believers' hearts.

If Hong Yu's words are not false, and the power he wields truly comes from the top of Heaven's celestial angelic force… does that mean the Lord is truly on his side?

If even the Lord has abandoned them, what meaning does this battle still have?

A wave of bewilderment and doubt, hard to suppress, began to grow in some people's hearts.

At that moment, Arthur King's steady voice rang out again, like the Divine Needle, instantly dispersing the fog in everyone's minds:

"Everyone, hold fast to your true hearts! Do not be swayed by his words!"

Arthur King raised the Holy Grail, its body emitting a warm glow that enveloped his allies: "The Holy Grail reveals to me that his 'angelic power' is tangled, impure, and bears marks of theft—it is far from whole! He is merely a…"

"How dare you babble here and insult me?! Looking for death!"

Before Arthur King could finish his revelation, Hong Yu's angry low growl cut him off!

Hong Yu's eyes flashed with ferocity as he thrust both hands forward!

The space before him rippled violently, and four massive spears, each formed purely from condensed Golden Holy Light, materialized instantly!

Destructive energy ripples coiled around the spears, and the tips locked onto the very person holding the Holy Grail and whose words pierced his pain—Arthur King!

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

The four light spears, moving at a speed beyond the eye's limit, tore through space, emitting a chilling screech, and in an instant spanned dozens of meters to strike Arthur King!

Their ferocious force and blinding speed left Laide and the others, who had just been shocked, no time to react at all!

"King—!"

"Careful—!"

The cries of alarm just began.

Boom—!!!

An earth‑shaking blast erupted!

The four light spears struck Arthur King's position almost simultaneously, unleashing a terrifying light tenfold, even a hundredfold brighter than the previous Judgement Sword!

That light instantly devoured Arthur King's figure.

Immediately, a massive mushroom cloud rose skyward, expanding wildly, and in an instant engulfed the unprepared Laide and the Round Table Knights, as well as a portion of the clergy behind them!

A destructive energy storm raged within the barrier, the ground cracked, shards of stone flew, and even the Light Screen of the barrier violently shook!

Hong Yu hovered in midair, coldly watching the area below completely drowned in destructive energy, a cruel, triumphant sneer curling on his face.

In his perception, Arthur King's aura and those of the Round Table Knights rapidly waned under this strike, nearly vanishing.

"Know nothing of life or death."

He snickered softly, waiting for the energy afterglow to subside a bit before descending to claim the two Holy Relics within easy reach.

However, just as the smoke had not yet fully settled—

A figure, moving with unhurried, even slightly lazy steps, emerged slowly from the thinning smoke and lingering light.

As he walked, he raised his hand and casually patted the seemingly ordinary yet dust‑free robe he wore, muttering under his breath with a hint of helplessness.

"Oh dear... really, I was sleeping soundly, and now this huge commotion... this old Bone of mine hasn't moved in ages, and I wake up right into such a lively scene..."

He stopped patting, lifted his head, revealing an aged face full of wrinkles yet vigorous, eyes flashing with the light of wisdom.

Most striking were his eyes; deep within the pupils, a complex, arcane magical array seemed to swirl and flicker!

The old man's gaze passed the lingering smoke, landing on Hong Yu's face, which had suddenly gone rigid in midair, and a knowing smile curled at his mouth:

"Worship of God Sect? Hong Yu?"

"What's bullying them about? Next... let me, Merlin, play with you?"