I was a knight in the Middle Ages

Chapter 421 Greed, the Source of Desire

The sky was like a torn piece of black silk, and Alpha's roar accompanied by thunder exploded the world. His white-knuckled fingers tightly grasped the Bloodthirsty Spear, and the dark red lines wrapped around the spear twisted like a living thing. As he stabbed with all his might, the tip of the spear tore through the void and sank into the boiling slime under his feet.

Dark purple bubbles surged on the surface of the mucus that was as thick as asphalt, and every explosion released a black mist that corroded the space - that was the flesh and blood that collapsed when the Dark God fell. Even though it was suppressed by the light of the Uncrowned Ring, it was still roaring unwillingly with the residual power of energy.

"Absorb everything!" Alpha's roar was filled with a desperate determination. He knew that the huge energy required to activate the Uncrowned Ring was like a bottomless abyss, and the flesh and blood of the Dark God under his feet was the sacrifice that could fill this abyss.

Under Alpha's urging, the Bloodthirsty Spear turned into a greedy glutton, with a dark blue vortex lighting up at the tip of the spear, swallowing up the dark energy within reach like a whale. The energy rushed along the lines of the spear, forming a circulating energy ring around him, and finally all of it was injected into the Crownless Ring suspended on his chest. The ancient runes on the surface of the ring lit up one after another, like an awakened god, releasing a more dazzling light to suppress the darkness.

In the center of the battlefield, Alpha was like a chess player in control of the overall situation. He watched coldly as the power of the Dark God and the brilliance of the Uncrowned Ring collided fiercely, allowing the two divine powers to consume each other in the energy closed loop he had built. Whenever the Dark God's energy tried to break through the suppression, the Uncrowned Ring would draw more power to fight back; and every counterattack became a bargaining chip for him to further control the situation. In this game between gods, humans have become the most dangerous spoilers.

As time passed, the roar of the battlefield gradually subsided, but the surrounding space became more and more bizarre. The originally distorted time and space began to return to normal, but this strange silence was more suffocating than the previous battle. The void seemed to have been drained of all sounds. Alpha wanted to shout but found that his vocal cords were bound by invisible shackles. The surging emotions in his chest turned into silent roars, rushing through his body.

"Darkness, you have failed after all." Chaos' voice came from the depths of the void, carrying the majesty that existed at the beginning of creation. Wherever the sound wave passed, spider web-like cracks appeared in the space. "Back then, you two traitors took advantage of my unpreparedness, cut off my hands and feet, and sealed the Uncrowned Ring. Now, your power has become the key to my rebirth. This is the reincarnation of fate!"

The remaining consciousness of the Dark God condensed into an illusory face in the black fog, with a mocking arc at the corner of his mouth: "That's not necessarily true. Although the Uncrowned Ring has been activated, it has already recognized this human as its master. You are just doing useless work. As long as there is desire and fear in the world, I will be reborn." Although his voice was weak, it carried the stubbornness of fighting against chaos for a thousand years.

Chaos let out a deafening laugh, and in his laughter was the joy of his conspiracy succeeding: "Stupid! I asked him to perform a secondary activation, which not only requires a huge amount of energy, but also a soul sacrifice. When the sacrifice is completed, the Uncrowned Ring will completely belong to me!" Before he finished speaking, countless black chains emerged from the void and coiled towards Alpha like poisonous snakes.

"Despicable!" The Dark God roared with resentment, but he could not stop the approach of the chains. As the last bit of power dissipated, his shadow gradually became transparent, and finally turned into a point of light and sank into the void. Perhaps for a thousand years, perhaps for ten thousand years, the darkness will lie dormant in the long river of time, waiting for the opportunity for revenge.

"Your soul is bound to the contract, hand it over!" Chaos' whispers rang in Alpha's ears, and cold chains penetrated his body and entangled his soul.

At this critical moment of life and death, an unyielding flame ignited in Alpha's eyes. He thought of the hardships he had gone through, and the moments he had fought for protection, and amazing power erupted from the depths of his soul. He vowed to break this outcome predetermined by the gods and fight for freedom in this battlefield of the soul.

The embers of darkness and light flickered in the void, and Alpha's soul was undergoing an unprecedented tempering. The chains of chaos pierced his consciousness like thorns, and every inch of his struggle was accompanied by a tearing pain.

On the brink of collapse, memories came flooding back like a tide - the determination of the heroic dream of protecting his companions in the ruins when he was a child, the determination when he signed the contract with the Bloodthirsty Spear, and every sword he swung to protect the weak. These memories turned into bright starlight, bursting out from the depths of his soul, and started a desperate battle with the chaotic black fog.

"I will never surrender!" Alpha's soul ignited with golden flames, burning the entangled chains with a sizzling sound. He mobilized every bit of strength in his body, trying to break through the cage of fate.

However, the power of chaos was far beyond imagination. Countless dark tentacles penetrated his spirit body like living creatures, dragging him into the abyss of the Uncrowned Ring that swallowed everything. Finally, with a desperate roar, his soul was completely bound by the ring, and all resistance turned into nothing in the face of absolute divine power.

"How is this possible? The Uncrowned Ring has recognized its master!" Chaos's shock and anger resounded through the void. He looked at the ring floating on Alpha's chest. The artifact that was supposed to be the container for his rebirth was now emitting a light that repelled him.

According to common sense, only those with the purest souls can pass the test of the Uncrowned Ring, otherwise their souls will be torn apart in an instant, and he will be able to take advantage of the opportunity to sneak in. But this human in front of him, who is obviously greedy and ambitious, how can he break this iron rule?

Just as Chaos fell into madness, Alpha's soul slowly floated back to his body. The moment his consciousness returned, he felt the long-lost reality - the touch of his skin touching the air, the warmth of his beating heart. These ordinary perceptions were extremely precious at this moment. "I'm still alive..." He murmured to himself, with the light of surviving a disaster flashing in his eyes.

"Impossible! How can your soul have a pure heart?" The shadow of chaos twisted violently, "Only the purest soul will be recognized by the Uncrowned Ring!"

Alpha clenched his fists and raised a cold smile: "Have you forgotten? My body has no soul. I have no greed or selfish desire for the world. This is the purest 'nothingness'." The indifferent aura emanating from Alpha's body formed a sharp contrast with Chaos's brutality. It turned out that it was this seemingly incomplete soul that became the key to cracking the conspiracy - he was a special existence with two souls, which completely disrupted Chaos's plan.

Chaos' roar gradually turned into a cold whisper: "Do me a favor, and I can teach you how to fully activate the power of the Uncrowned Ring." A hint of calculation flashed in his eyes, "The second level of power of the ring is plunder, which can take everything in the world for oneself. As long as you help me destroy the Church of Light, I will teach you how to use it, and you will become the new God of Chaos!" His words were filled with promises that were enough to tempt any living being, but they could not hide the tremendous hatred behind them - that was the thousand-year resentment of the betrayed god towards his two disciples, "Light" and "Darkness".

"No." Alpha answered firmly, "I will not intervene in the grievances of the gods, nor will I become a tool for your revenge." He reached out and gently stroked the crownless ring. The runes on the surface of the ring were slightly hot, but not agitated. In this life-and-death contest, he had already seen the trap of desire and understood that true strength does not lie in plunder, but in sticking to one's original heart.

As time passed, the sound of chaos became weaker and weaker, and finally dissipated into the endless void. As long as Alpha did not touch the second seal of the Uncrowned Ring, the ancient god would sleep forever. Alpha looked at the rising sun in the distance and clenched the Bloodthirsty Spear in his hand - his fate, from this moment on, Alpha wanted to control it in his own hands.

Damp mist rolled in the abyss, the smell of humus mixed with the rusty smell of blood, making people sick. The first monkey that woke up staggered and propped himself up, the wound under the fur was still bleeding, it shook its head, trying to dispel the chaos in its mind, and asked in a hoarse voice: "Master Alpha, we are all fine, what happened? Why don't I have any memory of it?" The scarlet eyes stared blankly at the familiar figure in front of him, as if looking for the answer from the other party.

Alpha half-knelt on the cold rock, holding the unconscious Fanxing in his arms. The girl's pale face was bloodless, and her breathing was so weak that it was almost unnoticeable. He carefully felt her pulse, and after feeling the faint beating, his tense shoulders relaxed slightly. "Don't worry, everyone is safe." His voice was as gentle as if he was coaxing a baby to sleep, and his fingertips gently brushed away the messy hair on the girl's forehead.

Suddenly, the monkey's body tensed up, and its fingers dug into the rock unconsciously, making a harsh scraping sound: "Master Alpha, they are here too!" Its eyes were like torches, fixed firmly on the depths of the shadows.

More than twenty imperial knights wearing heavy gilded armor, surrounded by ten black-skinned wild boars with protruding fangs, slowly stepped into the light. The knights' long swords at their waists had not yet been unsheathed, but they had already created a suffocating sense of oppression in the air.

The confrontation in the abyss fell into an eerie silence, with only the boar's heavy breathing echoing between the rock walls. Alpha's thumb unconsciously rubbed the hilt of the sword, his eyes wandering over the opponent's lineup. With such a power comparison, if a war really broke out, the chances of winning would be slim. However, the opponent did not launch a direct attack as expected, and this abnormal restraint made the smell of gunpowder in the air even stronger.

"The elves have perished, and our mission is complete." The Knight Commander took off his ruby-studded helmet, revealing a face covered with hideous scars. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk, staring at the long sword inlaid with seven diamond-shaped gems behind Alpha - the legendary Sword of the Empire. "Hand it over, and we will go our separate ways."

"How can I trust that you won't hunt us down after you leave?" Alpha's voice was steady, but his mind was calculating rapidly. He knew that this sword was the source of the other party's fear and their biggest bargaining chip.

The knight leader smiled bitterly, blood seeping from the gaps in his armor dripping down his boots: "The Elf Forest has been reduced to scorched earth, and the remaining elves have become slaves. Our mission has been completed, and there is no need to increase casualties for a sword." His tone was filled with fatigue that was hard to conceal, as if he had just experienced a brutal battle.

"Lord Alpha!" The elf Maven suddenly rushed out from the shadows, his emerald eyes burning with vengeance, his vine whip rustling behind him, "They have slaughtered so many of our people, we must not let them off easily!"

"As long as I give the order, the black armor beast will come to support immediately." The Knight Commander raised his hand calmly and pointed to a hidden corner above the abyss, where the sound of metal friction could be heard faintly. "You have no capital to negotiate." His words were like a heavy hammer, shattering the last bit of luck.

Alpha was silent for a long time, his eyes sweeping over his exhausted companions: the injured monkey, the unconscious Fanxing, and Evelyn with red eyes. Finally, he slowly drew out the Imperial Sword from behind, drew a cold arc of light under the dim light, and threw it to the opposite side. The dull sound of the sword falling to the ground seemed to put an end to this silent game.

"Lord Alpha, how is my mother?" The elf Evelyn suddenly grabbed his sleeve, her voice trembling like a leaf in the wind.

The Knight Commander glanced at the parchment scroll in his arms, and his tone was rarely gentle: "The Elf Forest has been destroyed, but some elves managed to break through. We... tried our best." His deliberately vague words could not hide the guilt that flashed across his eyes.

Alpha took a deep look at the knight who was also covered in scars, and turned around, bringing with him a gust of blood. When his figure disappeared into the dark corner, he heard the roar of wild boars and the sound of metal sheathing. This unexpected confrontation ended in a strange peace. But everyone knew that this was just a brief calm before the storm.

The real battle has just begun. What awaits them ahead is a future darker than the abyss: enslaved elves, an empire coveting power, and the power of chaos sleeping in the Uncrowned Ring... Alpha clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force.

The damp rock wall glowed blue in the moonlight. Alpha and his party walked on the gravel toward the natural platform. The abyss below still echoed the footsteps of the imperial knights, but it could not cover the sighs of the team. The elves hung their wrists worn by chains. Evelyn clutched the silver leaf hair ornament left by her mother, and tears were still condensed in her emerald eyes.

"Don't be discouraged!" Alpha suddenly stopped and turned around. The stars on his back shook their heads and his hungry stomach growled. His voice echoed among the rock walls. "The Knight Commander said that another group of elves escaped. It is very likely that it is the Elf King! As the saying goes, 'You can't build without breaking'. Now that the shackles are broken, as long as we leave here, the whole continent will be ours!"

The bonfire crackled, sparks shot up into the night sky, illuminating everyone's tired but gradually bright faces. Alpha formed the dead branches into a cone, and the light blue flames on his fingertips accurately lit the dry moss, and the warmth instantly dispelled the chill of the abyss. The stars slid down from his back and sat down closest to the fire, staring at the jumping flames and swallowing saliva, the ends of her hair were still stained with mucus left over from the battle.

In fact, the siege that lasted for a century had already overwhelmed the Ottoman Empire. The Knight Commander's whisper as he wiped his sword before leaving was still ringing in my ears: "The gold coins in the treasury can't even be exchanged for horseshoes." The jeweled sword that symbolized the dignity of the empire, though without actual divine power, became the sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of the elves. Now that the forest has become a scorched earth, the knights are happy to turn a blind eye and let the survivors escape into the darkness.

"Try this!" Meiwen suddenly opened the animal skin backpack, and the dried meat and nuts inside still had the fragrance of the forest. The food was passed from hand to hand. Fanxing directly held half a piece of bacon and started to chew it. The grease slid down the corners of his mouth. Monkey reached out to grab it, but he dodged it flexibly. The flames reflected the smiling faces of everyone, and even Evelyn couldn't help showing a shallow dimple.

"Remember the slime attack?" the monkey suddenly said, reaching out to grab a nut, "I thought it was going to be digested and turned into fertilizer!" His exaggerated expression caused everyone to laugh, and the topic was opened.

Some talked about the thrill of seeing their shields shattered during clashes with knights, others imitated the charge of a black-skinned wild boar, their laughter startling the night owls perched on the rock wall.

As the night progressed, the laughter faded to whispers. The stars dozed off on Alpha's knees, while the others gazed at the dancing flames in deep thought.

The elves stroked the scars on their wrists and discussed whether to look for the lost tribesmen; the monkey scratched his head and said he wanted to see the legendary ancient talking tree; and Alpha stared into the distance, the light of the campfire reflected in his pupils.

"No matter what lies ahead," he suddenly broke the silence, his voice as steady as a bell, "we will all go on together." This sentence was like a stone thrown into a deep pond, stirring up ripples. Everyone looked at each other, nodded, and their clenched fists shone in the firelight.

When the last piece of dried meat was eaten up, the bonfire gradually turned into dark red charcoal ash. The humming of the stars mixed with the night wind, but Alpha was soberly looking at the starry sky. He knew that after dawn, they would take the warmth and courage of tonight and step into a wider and more dangerous world. And the flame burning in their hearts would never go out.