The Paladin in the Abyss

Necaross the demon lay on the ground, swallowing water with difficulty, nodding gingerly.

"Very good," Lancelot retracted Glacier, but the sword wind still left streaks of blood on Sagla's neck. He stepped back two paces and watched the immense Necaross rise, shaking his still groggy head.

"Kill him! Kill him!"

"How do you feel?" Lancelot continued, "Do you think you've fulfilled your obligation to Satugura?"

"Well, I guess I don't owe him anything anymore." Sagla finally shook off the dizziness completely, "You really don't plan to kill me? If I had the chance just now, I certainly wouldn't have held back."

"I don't see the necessity," Lancelot shrugged, "You can go."

"Kill him! Kill him!"

"A loser's fate is only death!"

"Sir Lancelot! Let's see how many stomachs he has, hahaha..."

The shouts that erupted from the crowd made Sagla's face grow uncomfortable, but Lancelot just shrugged his shoulders and kicked the battle axe back to the just-surrendered Necaross demon.

"I said, as long as you surrender willingly, I have no interest in killing you," his voice was not loud, but it clearly reached every spectator's ears, "After all, this isn't your native plane, what's the point in killing you?"

"Thank you." Sagla nodded, standing up with the support of the battle axe, "You are the strongest warrior I have ever met. Take this, perhaps you'll find a use for it one day."

The tall Necaross demon pulled out a golden card from his chest, and to show no hostility, he handed it over with a very slow motion. Lancelot hesitated for a moment, his Divine Sense briefly scanned the card, confirming there was no danger, before carefully accepting it and asking:

"What is this for?"

"This is our mercenary team's... business card," Sagla's face revealed a slightly embarrassed expression, "It contains our service list, pricing, and summoning method. Also, holding this golden card entitles you to a discount of 99.5%."

"I'm also the leader of a mercenary group, we're colleagues after all," Lancelot couldn't help but laugh and cry, "And what's with this 99.5% discount?"

"That is the highest discount we can offer, only the most respected employers can enjoy it," Sagla's cylindrical body bent forward, bowing comically to Lancelot, "You can take a look at the services listed whenever you're free. Sooner or later, you'll find yourself needing us as long as you're in the Abyss."

Lancelot thought for a moment and decided to keep the card.

Seeing this, the defeated Necaross Demon nodded his head and, dragging his battle axe, slowly walked to the edge of the arena. The circle of Maizeros Demons made way for their powerful comrade, while the restless crowd of demons around did not dare to attack him as they had done with the previous loser, since several other Necaross Demons were already there, escorting their leader away from the crowd.

"That's the second one," Lancelot clapped his hands, drawing the attention of everyone present again, "I believe I have adequately demonstrated my strength. Does anyone else wish to try? If not, I'm planning to check out the food quality at the Tears of Lazzaka for tonight's dinner..."

The crowd looked to each other in silence, thoroughly quiet now. If some were still unconvinced after the first fight against the Magor Demon, the second round had quashed any unrealistic notions they had—the crater-like dent in the ground silently narrated the terrifying power of the Human Knight.

His prowess undoubtedly suited the title of Lord of Withering, but Lancelot had just made it clear that he did not intend to take over as the Governor of the Spray Plains, which left the vast audience somewhat at a loss, unsure whether to cheer for him or to shrug and disperse.

Lancelot stood at the same spot for nearly a minute, waiting for a possible third challenger. The surrounding spectators started buzzing again, with several spots seeming as if a new challenger would step forward any second, but ultimately, nothing happened.

"Those of you who are contemplating, save your strength and lives for the next Lord of Withering!" Lancelot shouted once more, "Alright, disperse, there are no more..."

"Hehehehe, no rush, Sir Lancelot of Twin Bridges Town..."

A voice as grating as metal scraping against bone rang out, painfully sharp to nearly unbearable levels, causing many spectators to cover their ears first, rather than turn to see who had issued the challenge.

Lancelot's heart sank; he recognized the voice and knew that this time, trouble was truly at hand.

The audience that had formed a circle was rudely pushed aside as a troop of demons walked through. Leading them was a massive beetle-like demon, appearing as a cross between an ant and a rhinoceros beetle, with three pairs of sharp insect-like claws on either side of its body, and a pair of longsword-like claws protruding from its upright torso. Atop its helmet-like tough carapace was a horn, shaped like a warship's ram, skewering a broken body, triumphantly standing before Lancelot.

The newcomer was none other than 'Piercer' Dugba, the current Governor of Hive Valley. Lancelot glanced at the corpse hanging from the giant horn on its forehead, which looked like a shriveled, charred human with a smooth scalp and long claws, along with a skeletal frame of wings on its back that barely had any flesh to catch the air.

Lancelot had once seen a Fireburn Demon in an envoy group from the Volcano Fortress led by Prince Kailon—a type of demon that burned eternally, said to be the form of those who failed in their attempts to ascend to becoming a Barlow Flame Demon. If their flames extinguished with death, then the corpse mounted on Dugba's horn was likely what a Fireburn Demon looked like post-mortem.

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Lancelot, recalling information about the Lords of Withering, suddenly narrowed his eyes. Mogrondale comprised five major regions, and aside from the Barracks Area, the other four were each governed by a Lord of Withering. Among the current Lords, there was one he had never met—'Digger' Vagramore, the Governor of Beggars' Cliff, rumored to be the weakest among them, having fortuitously acquired a powerful magic wand and lucked into his position as a Lord of Withering.