Dungeon King: A Lady Knight Offered by My Goblins

Chapter 451 449-Dart in a Frenzy

No sooner had Dart finished speaking than Ethan responded, "Dart, do you know why your plans have always been doomed to fail? Do you understand why you continually face defeat?" 

"The reason you've never been able to triumph is that you simply don't understand how to collaborate with others. You believe that being more powerful than everyone else is sufficient."

"However, I must tell you that the strength of an individual, no matter how formidable, can never be entirely safe from danger. It is only through cooperation and offering assistance to others that you can expect to receive help when you yourself fall into peril."

"This is why I continue to overcome you, and why Sherry has become the High Priest. We both understand how to work with others, while you fail to grasp the benefits of collaboration and the power of friendship."

Dart turned in disbelief, his gaze fixed on Ethan.

He couldn't fathom how Ethan had successfully broken free from his most potent curse, a curse imbued with not only Dart's formidable power but also that of the God of Curses.

Could it be that Ethan's strength had reached the level capable of defeating the God of Curses?

Dart refused to believe it.

He attributed Ethan's escape from the curse to mere luck, and luck, as he thought, would eventually run out.

Abandoning his assault on the Shadow Elf, Dart realized that defeating the elf no longer mattered.

His true objective was to defeat Ethan.

"Your luck is indeed exceptional! But luck always runs out, and today, yours has expired. Now, you shall witness my true power!"

Uttering these words in fury, Dart began to amalgamate all the Power of Shadow in his vicinity.

This power, merged with Dart's own Power of Curse, was absorbed into his body.

Such immense power was not something Dart's body could easily withstand.

His eyes turned a blood-red hue, and his body swelled, exceeding six meters in height.

Dart now resembled a colossal giant, his eyes expanding continuously until they merged into a single, enormous blood-red eye that occupied most of his face.

The remainder of his face was left with nothing but a mouth.

"Ethan, be extremely cautious! His strength is far greater than before! If you're not sure you can defeat him, it might be wise to evade him for now."

This advice came from the Shadow Elf nearby.

He had discerned that Dart's current state was unsustainable and thus suggested that Ethan should temporarily avoid confrontation.

The rationale was simple: once Dart's body failed to sustain such immense power and collapsed, Ethan could easily find and eliminate him.

Ethan, fully aware of the situation, was resolute in not retreating.

He felt compelled to seize this opportunity to confront and defeat Dart head-on.

"I appreciate your suggestion, but I believe running away isn't the right choice for me. Having already overcome his strongest curse, I am confident I can defeat him in his most powerful state."

"Please, take care of the other members of the Shadow clan. If it's possible to save them, do so. If not, find a safe place for yourself."

After hearing Ethan's response, the Shadow Elf quickly departed.

He had no desire to be entangled again in such perilous circumstances as before.

As Shadow Elf and Ethan conversed, Dart's stature grew even more immense.

His height now matched that of the main building of the Shadow clan's Valhalla.

To observe Ethan closely, Dart had to lower his head, peering down with his enormous, blood-red eyes.

"You're far too arrogant, Ethan! That's always been why I've despised you. You always believe you can defeat any enemy, handle any unforeseen situation."

"What gives you such confidence? What makes you think you can defeat me? Today, I'll show you that you're utterly incapable of beating me!" 

Dart's voice boomed, heavy with suppressed rage.

Even Ethan was taken aback, unaware until now of Dart's perception of him.

In Ethan's view, there had been no direct conflict between him and Dart.

Since arriving in the Shadow clan's territory, it had always been Dart who sought to provoke him.

"I don't know why you think that way. However, our battle must reach a conclusion now; these words are meaningless at this point."

Ethan spoke calmly, gathering Primordial Light in his right hand, while his left hand wielded his most powerful divine artifact, the Blasphemous Spear.

The Spear, paired with Primordial Light, was exceptionally effective against the Power of Shadow.

Although Ethan was uncertain about what type of power could counter the Power of Curse, the Blasphemous Spear was known to pose a significant threat to all negative forces.

Ethan decided to end the battle swiftly, knowing that awakening Sherry was of utmost importance.

Both Ethan and Dart were prepared for combat, poised for a decisive showdown.

Simultaneously, as their final battle commenced, the Shadow Elf found Eck, who was severely wounded.

To his surprise, Eck hadn't been annihilated by Dart.

Following Ethan's instructions, the Shadow Elf rescued Eck, taking him to a secure location to administer treatment.

Utilizing the Power of Shadow's Healing Spell, the Shadow Elf gradually restored Eck's vitality, leading to his eventual awakening.

Upon regaining consciousness, Eck was visibly terrified, mistaking the Shadow Elf for Dart in his initial disorientation.

"Why are you doing this?! Do you also see me as an enemy?!" 

Eck blurted out instinctively, immediately regretting his words upon realizing that it wasn't Dart but the Shadow Elf who stood before him.

Eck's words put the Shadow Elf on high alert.

He couldn't help but feel that Eck's statement hinted at a prior collaboration with Dart.

"What do you mean by that? Isn't Dart's sudden appearance in the Valhalla of the Shadow clan an indication that he considers us enemies? Did you know beforehand that he would be there, or had you been collaborating with him?"

The Shadow Elf bombarded Eck with a flurry of questions.

He wasn't concerned about Eck refusing to answer, as Eck was in a terribly weakened state and no match for the Shadow Elf.

If Eck chose not to respond, the Shadow Elf might well decide to eliminate him, especially since, in the eyes of everyone else, Eck was already presumed dead at Dart's hands.

Initially, Eck remained silent in the face of the Shadow Elf's interrogation.

However, he was aware that he couldn't keep avoiding these pressing inquiries indefinitely.

The Shadow Elves and the members of the Shadow clan had always been adversaries.

Even though this particular Shadow Elf was collaborating with Ethan, Eck didn't believe he would be met with much tolerance.

After pondering for a moment, Eck finally responded, "Dart was, after all, once a member of our Shadow clan. He was even considered by the previous High Priest as a candidate for his successor."

"As an elder of the Shadow clan, I lived alongside Dart for a considerable time. It never crossed my mind that Dart could betray our clan. When he initiated the rebellion, I was taken aback."

"That shock left me incapable of any action; I was neither able to stop Dart's insurrection nor assist him. Afterwards, High Priest Sherry and Ethan successfully helped our clan overcome its greatest crisis."

"I am deeply grateful to the High Priest and Ethan. However, I was also very concerned about Dart's situation. Only when I learned that Dart had chosen to flee far away did I finally feel relieved."

"Who could have anticipated his sudden appearance in the Valhalla of the Shadow clan? Moreover, he even launched an attack against our own people. Previously, Dart and I had a good relationship; even during his rebellion, he did not choose to attack me."

"But this time, the Dart who returned to the Shadow clan actually sought to kill me, which is something I find incredibly hard to believe."

Eck's explanation was a mix of truth and lies, as he was well aware that if he spoke only falsehoods, the Shadow Elf would easily detect them.

By blending truth with deception, he made it difficult for the Shadow Elf to discern the reality quickly.

Indeed, his plan seemed to work, as the Shadow Elf appeared to find Eck's words quite plausible.

"Alright, I accept your explanation. Let's not waste any more time here. We need to assist the other members of the Shadow clan. They too will likely face threats from Dart."

"Dart has completely lost his sanity now. He possesses not only the formidable Power of Shadow but also has the blessing of the God of Curses!"

These words from the Shadow Elf only heightened Eck's panic.

He fervently hoped that Ethan would succeed in utterly annihilating Dart.

That way, the plans he had previously orchestrated would remain hidden from Ethan.