Chapter 59: The Battle of Shield and Hammer

Lei En spoke in agreement, and De Lis's mouth corner showed a triumphant smile.

Da Wen Lahe felt a bit regretful, seeing that the youngster couldn't join the Demon Extermination Squad; but since Lei En had already agreed, he couldn't object, and said, "Bo Luo Ke, take Lei En to the squad's armory; let him pick whatever weapons and gear he wants."

"Yes, Chief," Bo Luo Ke said with a helpless expression, "Lei En, follow me."

The two left the office and headed to the first‑floor armory.

Bo Luo Ke reproached with displeasure, "Lei En, how could you accept De Lis's request? He's a Level 4 Demon Swordsman, you're only Level 1—how will you fight? Winning or losing is secondary; De Lis is clearly hostile, aren't you afraid of getting hurt?"

"Captain, rest assured, I can't claim victory, but I'm confident I can protect myself," Lei En said confidently.

Bo Luo Ke, however, didn't believe it, thinking Lei En was too arrogant.

De Lis was a full three levels higher than Lei En, a difference of one rank!

In comparisons among transcendants, within the same rank many gifted individuals can challenge a higher rank, but cross‑rank challenges are almost impossible; the power gap between different ranks is crushing, leaving no chance to retaliate.

Moreover, De Lis was not an ordinary transcendent.

Although only Level 4, De Lis was already a rising name in Longshande, just over thirty years old, rising rapidly, the strongest among the five captains, and considered the top candidate to succeed as the next Chief.

Bo Luo Ke didn't even dare claim he could defend himself against De Lis.

Sigh, the youngster just couldn't stay calm, and fell for a few provocations.

Bo Luo Ke felt conflicted, regretting having recruited Lei En.

If Lei En takes a heavy loss here and reports back to Master Luo Jie, causing trouble for the Security Bureau, how should he explain it?

Now all we can hope is that De Lis spares his face for Master Luo Jie and doesn't strike too hard; if he does get a chance to act, he should give Lei En a hand so the matter doesn't blow up.

Lei En was completely relaxed, asking, "What's De Lis's background, Chief? You value him highly?"

Bo Luo Ke's face froze, astonished, "You don't know De Lis?"

"I only learned about him today," Lei En replied honestly.

Bo Luo Ke was even more surprised, "You just met De Lis, so why is he at odds with you?" He was baffled, suspecting, "It can't be because of me, right? I never held a grudge against him before."

"How would I know why? Maybe he just dislikes me," Lei En shrugged, unwilling to mention Viola.

Bo Luo Ke saw at a glance that Lei En wasn't truthful, but didn't press further.

"The armory is here."

The Demon Extermination Squad's armory was small, just a room filled with various weapons and armor; Bo Luo Ke said, "Most squad members have their own gear, this is spare, so the quality is average—pick whatever feels right for you."

Lei En nodded; if he had brought a refined‑iron war hammer, this hassle wouldn't be needed.

He looked around and found most were long swords, only a few war hammers, and they all seemed too light to be handy.

Considering De Lis's transcendent profession, Lei En quickly made a choice.

He went over and lifted a large round shield, forged of pure steel, nearly a meter in diameter, weighing over a hundred pounds, able to cover more than half his body when held.

Shield in his left hand, he chose a one‑handed war hammer for his right.

The hammer head was square, the handle only half a meter long, very simple in design, the whole hammer weighed just over sixty pounds—somewhat light, but the most suitable.

"All set?"

Bo Luo Ke looked at Lei En; he looked exactly like a steel guard—who would think he was a Wizard?

He assumed Lei En was being timid, only using defensive gear to protect himself, and suggested, "Since we still have time,

do you want to put on another set of heavy armor? I'll help you put it on."

"No need, this is enough."

Lei En shook his head, refusing; ordinary heavy armor's defense might be inferior to his own steel body, and wearing it would be a burden, hindering his agility.

The two left the armory and arrived at the training ground in front of the office building.

By then, many members of the Demon Extermination Squad were already waiting at the training ground, having come to watch the commotion.

De Lis stood at the edge, a long sword hanging at his waist, chatting and laughing with a few squad members, his face relaxed and indifferent, clearly not taking the upcoming duel to heart.

When Lei En appeared, everyone's gaze fell on him, and they all froze.

They had heard that the opponent for De Lis would be a battle Wizard; although few understood battle Wizards, Lei En's appearance was so far from the typical Wizard image!

In people's eyes, Wizards are imagined wearing robes, exuding mystery, erudition, wielding powerful spells, symbols of authority and wisdom.

No one had ever seen a Wizard wielding a large shield in one hand and a hammer in the other!

Someone couldn't help but ask, "Is he really a Wizard? Could there be a mistake?"

"If he put on heavy armor and claimed to be a steel knight, I'd believe it."

"This is not a Wizard at all!"

Da Wen Lahe, seeing Lei En's look, couldn't help but grin silently; he actually admired Lei En's choice, which resembled his own steel knight.

As a high‑rank transcendent, his combat experience was extremely rich, accustomed to wearing heavy armor for years; Da Wen Lahe immediately sensed Lei En's extraordinary nature.

The large shield plus war hammer weighed over one hundred fifty pounds; even Mid-stage transcendants not strong in brute force would find it arduous to equip.

Yet Lei En seemed completely at ease, his steps still light as he moved, as if the heavy shield and weapon didn't affect him at all.

"This doesn't look like a newly‑made transcendent youngster."

Da Wen Lahe made a mental judgment, feeling some anticipation for the upcoming duel.

He clapped his hands to draw attention, shouting, "De Lis, Lei En, you may begin. But remember, this is only a strength test; there's no need to decide life or death—watch your limits."

The words were actually addressed to De Lis, hoping he would show mercy.

"Yes, Chief," De Lis replied cheerfully, his expression calm, revealing nothing of his true thoughts.

Lei En merely gave a slight nod, walked straight to the center of the training ground, and stared at De Lis.

De Lis also stepped forward.

His gaze swept the training ground's perimeter, he closed his eyes slightly and inhaled, seeming to relish the attention.

Then he looked at Lei En, his eyes turning cold, lowering his voice, "I don't know where you came from, nor care about your connection to Viola; as long as I'm in the Demon Extermination Squad for a day, you won't get in."

Lei En's expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn't heard.

De Lisi let out a light hum, thinking Lei En was merely feigning composure, a flash of ferocity in his eyes: "Rest assured, I won't kill you, but I will make you truly savor the taste of pain."

After speaking, he drew the long sword at his waist.

It was an enchanted long sword, ornate in appearance, with a row of runes along its spine; once unsheathed, De Lisi's hand trembled, and the blade turned a fiery red, exuding heat.

Lei En assumed a defensive stance.

He held a great shield before him, shielding his main body, his waist slightly lowered, exposing only half his head and his feet; his right hand, gripping a war hammer, swung gently back and forth, ready to unleash a thunderous strike at any moment.

His Soul Eye had long been activated, seeing De Lisi's illusion and reality with crystal clarity.

De Lisi sneered contemptuously, took a few steps forward to close the gap, and with a sudden boom, his figure flickered like fire, charging at Lei En with both body and sword.

Flame Rush!

It is the most commonly used sword technique of flame‑wielding demon swordsmen, where speed peaks at short range, gathering soul power onto the blade to break the enemy's defense in a single strike.

De Lisi's strategy was simple: first shatter Lei En's great shield, then slowly torment Lei En.

In the blink of an eye, a mass of high‑temperature heat surged to the front.

Lei En had long been prepared; the instant De Lisi launched the Flame Rush, he sensed De Lisi's intent from the Soul Element, and instead of retreating, he lunged forward with a massive step.

That step closed the distance between them and greatly surprised De Lisi.

Bang!

A deafening blast like thunder on flat ground erupted, flames spewed, and a heat wave spread outward.

Under the shocked gazes of onlookers, De Lisi was flung backward, landing more than ten steps away, stumbling and nearly losing his footing.

Lei En, however, remained where he stood, his body as steady as a mountain.

The great shield in his hand bore a dent in the center and black scorch marks from the flame, yet he was unscathed, not even a piece of clothing missing.

In this power contest, Lei En clearly held the advantage.

Bo Luo Ke and the demon‑exorcising squad members were all dumbfounded, unable to comprehend why this result occurred; the massive power gap between level 1 and level 4 had somehow been erased.

Only Da Wen La He's eyes lit up, apparently understanding what was happening.

The reason lay in Lei En's huge forward step, timed perfectly, causing De Lisi's Flame Rush to lack sufficient distance and thus fail to unleash its full power.

It is an exceptionally skillful defensive combat technique!

What seemed like a simple collision nonetheless displayed Lei En's precise mastery of technique and his own formidable strength.

Yet Da Wen La He was somewhat puzzled; even with Lei En's great strength, it shouldn't produce such astonishing results.

He failed to notice that at the moment of contact, Lei En's skin dimmed briefly, his whole body hardened like steel, his power surged, and he became as if a statue nailed firmly to the ground.

Lei En's full‑power activation of his Iron Body lasted only an instant before shutting down.

De Lisi also sensed something amiss, no longer daring to underestimate, his expression turning cautious.

"This pretty boy might be rather tricky…"

His complexion darkened as he resolved to unleash his greatest strength, needing to defeat the opponent first.

De Lisi surged toward Lei En again, accelerating, leaping high ten steps away, his long sword blazing with fire, and from above he swung a massive sword arc downwards with fierce force.

Aerial Slash!

The attack range of this sword was vast, the scorching blade light pressing down from overhead; Lei En, unwilling to meet it head‑on, could not evade even with his speed.

He suddenly withdrew the great shield before him, swung his arm with full force, and hurled the over‑sixty‑pound war hammer upward.

Empowered by Lei En's strength, the war hammer cut through the air with a sharp whoosh and instantly struck in front of De Lisi; without hesitation, the sword light continued its slash, as if to cleave both the hammer and Lei En in two.

With a "thud" sound, De Lisi felt a sharp pain surge through his right hand gripping the sword, the web of his thumb bleeding, nearly having the sword knocked away.

The war hammer lost a small portion of its head, which fell away.

De Lisi's Aerial Slash lost much of its power, the fiery red sword arc shrinking to less than thirty percent, and the final cut struck Lei En's great shield, leaving a deep blackened scar.

As the sword descended, De Lisi also landed, now only three steps from Lei En.

But before he could retreat, Lei En, still holding the great shield, charged forward like a raging bull, the heavy shield slamming into him; De Lisi managed only a slight step back, yet he was still hurled into the air.

A massive force struck, and De Lisi felt as if he had been hit head‑on by a car, pain coursing through every part of his body.

Before becoming an advanced demon swordsman, he was a ranger with a strong sense of balance.

Suspended in mid‑air, De Lisi barely managed to adjust his posture and land, realizing he had been flung more than ten steps; his throat tasted sweet as a surge of fresh blood welled up.

"What a powerful force!"

De Lisi forced himself to swallow the blood; had he not stepped back at the moment of impact, shedding some of the force, he might have been seriously injured.

"He's clearly only level 1, why is his strength so great?"

"Could a combat Wizard really be that formidable?"

It wasn't just De Lisi; everyone present shared the same thought.

In just a couple of exchanges, Lei En displayed power far beyond his own rank, managing to suppress the high‑level 3 De Lisi!

The demon‑exorcising squad members' eyes were filled with astonishment or disbelief.

Bo Luo Ke finally understood that Lei En had not been arrogant before; he truly possessed the strength to spar with De Lisi, and he quietly rejoiced, subtly moving his hand away from the soul gun.

Lei En still kept the great shield before him, took a few steps aside, picked up the war hammer now weighing under fifty pounds, and grasped it again.

Seeing the battle evenly matched, Da Wen La He was about to speak, urging the two to cease.

De Lisi, however, unwilling to stop, seized the moment before Da Wen La He could finish speaking; his eyes blazed, and he transformed into a high‑temperature silhouette, dashing straight at Lei En.

This time, he neither leapt recklessly nor launched a Flame Rush.

He simply attacked at ordinary high speed toward Lei En, his long sword streaming red light, a sweep of sword shadow covering the area like a fiery tornado, engulfing Lei En and his great shield alike.

"North Wind Sword Technique."

People instantly recognized it as De Lisi's signature sword style, originating from the Empire's northern Maehaya sword school, which emphasizes fluidity and rapid sword delivery.

Lei En also recognized the technique; although he hadn't practiced it, he knew how to counter.

Amid the sky‑filled sword shadows, his gaze remained calm, instantly pinpointing the true location of De Lisi's long sword, he shifted his footing and, unhurriedly, swung his great shield.

A clang rang out.

The red sword light faded, scattering large sparks across the large shield.

Lei En stepped back to relieve force, and Delis seized the opportunity to advance, thrusting with his longsword; the large shield happened to block the sword tip.

Clang clang clang, three times in a row.

Lei En retreated three steps, and three more scorch marks appeared on the large shield.

He couldn't help but admire; Delis's swordsmanship was indeed impressive, combining the Northwind Sword Technique with the 'Triple Strike' Element skill, each strike faster than the last, greatly increasing power, making it quite strenuous to block.

After Delis's three swords combined their effect, he paused briefly, then swung his sword again to attack.

Only seeing a scorching sword shadow frenziedly launching an attack, firelight scattering, heat waves rolling, but each time it was about to strike Lei En, it was always blocked by a large shield by a hair's breadth, causing the longsword to come to nothing, merely adding another scorch mark to the large shield.

From the scene, Lei En had fallen into a disadvantage, able only to defend, with no strength to counterattack.

Davenlah had originally wanted to call off the match, but seeing Lei En's shield defense technique, he instantly became interested, wanting to see just how far Lei En could go.

Watching the battle, Boloke couldn't help but break into a sweat for Lei En; this large shield was merely cast from pure steel, without enchantment, and its material was quite ordinary, making it hard to hold out much longer.

Once the large shield was destroyed, Lei En would have no chance.

Delis also realized this, the firelight on his sword grew brighter, he increased his soul power infusion, attempting to destroy this annoying large round shield.

Lei En in the battle, however, seemed unaware of this.

The sound of metal clashing rang incessantly in the training ground, Lei En's large shield covered in scratches and heated red by the high temperature, as if it might burst at any moment.

Finally, after a piercing explosion, the heavy large shield shattered into pieces!

"An opportunity has come." Delis rejoiced in his heart.

"An opportunity has come." Lei En thought to himself.