Chapter 23: Chapter 23: The Storm Prayer
Gess Pasha charged into the burning barracks of Maple Leaf Town, leading the assault on his warhorse. He rode at the forefront, with Harlen the Knight and the personal guards trailing behind.
Though retreat was a viable option, neither Gess Pasha nor Harlen entertained the thought.
They were Storm Knights, the Storm God's chosen warriors and enforcers of strength on earth. Their ancestors had crossed mountains and seas, conquered foreign lands, and forged the Storm Kingdom from the domains of the Law God. Such lineage left no room for cowardice.
The Storm God favored the brave and strong. Only those with unyielding resolve and daily devotion to grueling training would earn the god's blessings to ascend as knights.
On the hillside overlooking the battlefield, Su Nan observed the advancing knights. He turned to Worick and Pella, his steadfast allies.
"The real enemies have arrived," Su Nan remarked. "Storm Knights are formidable—not the brightest, perhaps, but undeniably courageous. If either of you feels unprepared, I can handle this alone."
Worick chuckled. "Young master, how could you say such a thing? Robert and I have trained for this moment. Not stepping onto the battlefield would leave me with eternal regret."
"I've waited a long time to confront those traitors—Harlen and Gess," Worick declared firmly.
Pella, summoning her courage, added, "I'm with you, my lord. I won't let you face them alone."
Su Nan nodded. Internally, he commanded: "ZhinBrain, start recording combat data for our first encounter with official Storm Knights. Analyze their stats and prayer abilities. File this under 'Werewolf Army File 5.'"
To the group, he said, "Their forces are almost wiped out. I'll let the Wolf Messengers probe their strength and tactics first, and force them to reveal their Storm Prayers. We'll act once I fully understand their abilities."
Caution was Su Nan's strategy. Knowledge of one's enemies was key to victory.
Below, on the battlefield, chaos reigned.
In the center of the barracks, Gess Pasha led the charge against a Wolf Messenger. Yet as he neared, the beast turned its blood-red gaze upon his warhorse.
The horse neighed in terror, rearing back and refusing to advance.
Gess tightened his grip on the reins, attempting to calm the beast, but his efforts were futile. Unknown to him, the Wolf Messenger had unleashed its Control Wolf Pack ability, targeting the horse's soul. No amount of skillful riding could counteract this supernatural effect.
"Damn monster," Gess cursed, dismounting. The moment his feet touched the ground, the Wolf Messenger lunged.
With practiced precision, Gess swung his nearly three-meter-long dual swords, each as unwieldy as a lance for most knights. Yet in his hands, the blades spun like the fans of a windmill, carving deep gashes into the beast's body.
Through the exchange, Gess gauged the creature's strength, eyebrows raising slightly at the realization.
"This thing… it's almost as strong as me?"
The Wolf Messenger, empowered by its Berserk Mode, had pushed its strength to 3.0, a level that rivaled Gess Pasha's own. Yet while their raw power was comparable, the knight's decades of rigorous training gave him a decisive edge in technique.
Still, unease crept into Gess's heart as he noticed the beast's wounds healing at an unnatural pace.
"So much for that priest's damn holy water," Gess muttered bitterly. The creature seemed unfazed by its injuries, rendering the "blessed" weaponry useless.
With a growl of frustration, Gess severed the beast's left arm with one sweeping strike, then followed up by slicing off its right leg. Yet even as the severed limbs hit the ground, the creature swiftly reattached them, showing no signs of pain or fatigue.
Around him, more Wolf Messengers emerged from the shadows, seven in total. Ordinary wolves, their glowing green eyes brimming with menace, encircled the scene.
"Die, you abominations!" Gess roared, whirling his massive blades in a devastating arc. The sheer force of his attack sent a wave of air pressure outward, momentarily scattering his assailants.
The Wolf Messengers leapt back, evading his strikes. In mid-air, they reverted to their hound forms, deftly twisting and bounding off his swords before landing on the ground. They resumed their humanoid forms instantly, closing in once more.
For the first time, doubt flickered in Gess's mind. Was he truly fighting mere beasts?
These creatures weren't acting on instinct alone. The coordinated transformations, the precise timing of their attacks—there was someone controlling them.
And then he saw it. For a brief moment, a faint ripple of power emanated from the pack. Someone was orchestrating this from afar.
Gess Pasha's blood boiled with humiliation and rage.
"Am I… fighting the boy's dogs?" he spat, the word laced with contempt.
He swung his swords wildly, but the beasts dodged with unnerving agility.
"Who is Su Nan?!" Gess thought, a flicker of fear gnawing at the edge of his mind.
Suppressing his unease, he steadied his resolve and began the Storm Prayer.
With both swords raised diagonally—one pointing skyward, the other earthward—he chanted:
"Before the storm descends, I offer my prayer to the Storm God—"
"Grant me the clarity to seize every fleeting moment. Grant me the speed of lightning to outpace my foes."
"I pledge to vanquish all who stand against your will."
On the hillside, Su Nan signaled the Wolf Messengers to retreat. From his vantage point, the Storm Prayer's effects were evident.
At first glance, Gess seemed unchanged. But Su Nan's trained perception noted the subtle shift—an unseen force had infused the knight. It was as if his essence had been altered, a drop of ink staining the clear waters of his soul.
"Finally," Su Nan mused. "ZhinBrain, analyze and record the effects of Storm Prayer."
Back on the battlefield, Gess Pasha sprang into action, his newfound speed and reflexes allowing him to predict and counter every move of the seven Wolf Messengers.
Though their berserk strength matched his raw power, the prayer-enhanced Gess was now operating at a heightened neurological state, granting him unparalleled reaction time.
Within minutes, the Wolf Messengers were battered and bloodied, their regenerative abilities barely keeping pace with the onslaught.
Though Gess was clearly superior, Su Nan's careful coordination prevented him from landing any fatal blows. Every time he prepared to decapitate a beast, another would launch a reckless, sacrificial strike, forcing him to divert his attention.
"Still hiding, are you?" Gess bellowed, his frustration mounting. "Come out and face me, Su Nan! Or are you too afraid to fight me yourself?"
Just as the knight's taunts filled the air, Su Nan stepped out from the shadows of the barracks, his expression calm.
"Ah, Gess Pasha," Su Nan said evenly. "So that's how Storm Prayer works. It sacrifices stamina for enhanced reflexes—a fascinating trade-off. It must triple your reaction speed, if I'm not mistaken?"
The knight's gaze darkened as Su Nan continued.
"Tell me, Gess Pasha, how many variations of the Storm Prayer are there? And one more thing… Didn't you once swear loyalty to me, in the presence of the Storm God him
self?"
Su Nan's voice grew colder. "Using this power against me is not just treason—it's blasphemy."