"You idiots really think any amount of planning could save you," Klaus said, summoning a new sword. He somersaulted and landed on the ground just in time to unleash a wide sword arc at the spear hurled at him.

The plan was very simple... Tahl was supposed to distract Klaus for a few moments so the others could overwhelm him with powerful attacks.

However, what they didn't know was that Klaus had already anticipated their thoughts, so when the so-called flame lord appeared, he had already started creating a countermeasure.

Initially, he merely wanted to hold him back while he waited for the main attacks. However, out of nowhere, a memory from his 9th incarnation surfaced about how he and Daniel met.

This gave him something he never knew he had — how to fight like a flame lord.

Flame lords are beings who have cultivated the flame element to an extreme level and have even gained the recognition of the Origin Flame.

Daniel from his past life, when he was the Star Monarch, was a flame lord... a true flame lord, not Tahl, who hadn't even gained the recognition of the Origin Flame.

Klaus met him when he was at death's door.

Of course, he wasn't in the business of saving humans back then; however, he saw how Daniel fought, and for a paragon who understood how to defy fate and the heavens, he saw something in him.

This thing led to him saving Daniel, and later they became friends.

Thanks to this friendship, Klaus knew how to kill Tahl.

Killing a flame lord is not easy at all. However, thanks to these memories, Tahl is now dead on the ground, and Klaus could only smile as his sword transformed into a bow.

"Ice Dominion." He fired an arrow, creating a trail of ice as dozens of Life Stage warriors were immediately frozen from the impact.

However, before Klaus could get close to killing them, three Death Stage warriors created a triangle around him, each wielding a sword.

"Die, worm."

They attacked, each unleashing a beam of sword aura from their swords. However, Klaus defended by raising metal shields from the ground.

He had now awakened all elements, so harnessing the power of the metal element was something he could do now.

"Three more to the slaughterhouse, I see," Klaus chuckled, watching as the others stepped back for these three to have their moment.

They didn't immediately attack, which allowed Klaus to check on the status of the battles happening all over Earth.

His divine sense spread far and wide, allowing him to see everything.

He saw his side wasn't doing too well, but it wasn't at the point where all hope was lost. However, with Asmodeus gone, the dead weren't rising back up, so as more of the Earth warriors died, the pressure bearing down on them kept increasing...

Of course, part of the reason this was happening was due to the Life Stage and a few Death Stage warriors occupying the powerhouses in the Earth Army.

The likes of Nyxthar, Nari, Queenie, Veylor, Lord Trench, and many more were either facing a Death Stage warrior or a few Life Stage warriors.

That prevented them from killing like they were meant to.

However, Klaus saw this coming and prepared them for it.

Despite thousands already dead, many were adapting, and thanks to warriors like Nadia, Asha, Aoi, Hanna, and Lulu, the enemy wasn't having it easy either.

However, as long as this continued, Earth would soon be nearing its breaking point.

Of course, Jane was doing a great job. She was using the Gravity Planet and Janei 001 to handle as many warriors as she could. This was lessening the pressure somehow.

His mom was also doing her best, targeting both Life and Domain Stage warriors, making sure her attacks either killed or severely injured them.

In a way, they were adapting... but looking at the millions of enemy warriors still left to join the battle, Klaus could only sigh.

'Something has to change,' Klaus said. However, for now, he knew he couldn't take down the dome. Doing so would spell doom for his side.

'Asmodeus, buddy, I hope you are doing well down there.' Klaus turned his focus to the three Death Stage warriors who were ready to fight.

The moment the three Death Stage warriors lunged forward, the ground trembled beneath their combined might — a clear sign of the power of the command.

Klaus stood calmly in the midst of it all, keeping a calm expression.

His icy breath curled from his lips as his bow shimmered with a chilling aura. He is now facing three powerful warriors, each proficient in close combat.

However, Klaus, instead of using a sword, chose a bow — a rather peculiar choice of weapon for such a battle.

The first warrior, clad in black armor with glowing crimson eyes, dashed toward him like a shadow.

The second swung his blade from above, creating a blazing arc of energy, while the third unleashed a wave of compressed air that cracked the earth open.

Klaus didn't move.

Instead, he raised his hand, and the air around him froze solid. The sound of shattering frost echoed as a thick mist of ice spread outward.

"Frost Reversal," he whispered.

Instantly, the flames from the second warrior's attack froze midair, turning into crimson ice crystals that glimmered beautifully before crashing down like frozen shards of glass.

The first warrior's blade struck Klaus's barrier, sending waves of frost spreading up his arm. He pulled back in shock, his sword freezing and breaking apart.

"Surprise," Klaus muttered, a grin forming at the corner of his lips. He exhaled, and his breath froze a fly speeding past him.

The ground beneath him cracked as icy spikes erupted upward, piercing through the mist and targeting all three enemies.

The third warrior leapt high, spinning his blade and summoning a storm of wind to deflect them. The gusts roared, tearing through the frozen earth — but Klaus only smiled.

The wind froze mid-spin.

"Did you really think your elements would obey you in the presence of a forbidden Ice User?" Klaus asked coldly. "Everything bends before my Ice; that is why it is forbidden."

He thrust his hand forward, and countless icicles materialized in the air, each humming with spiritual energy.

The sky turned pale blue as the temperature plummeted.

"Retreat," one of the masked figures shouted, but it was already too late...

"Blizzard Judgement."

The icicles rained down like a storm, creating a humming and whistling sound...

The three warriors screamed as they struggled to deflect the barrage. Klaus timed and executed his move flawlessly, a sign that he was always planning and plotting while also doing his best to keep his life.

One managed to form a fiery shield, but the moment it touched Klaus's frost, it cracked and shattered. The other tried to burrow into the ground using earth qi, but the soil itself froze, trapping him halfway.

The third warrior, the strongest among them, roared. He was Klaus's main target simply because the Paragon System placed him at the 19th spot on the strongest Death Stage warriors list.

His aura burst forth, shattering the ice around him. "You think your frost can kill me? I am Lord Garron of the Obsidian Flame Mercenaries."

"And I am Lord Klaus, who has a whip."

WHIPLASH

A painful scream escaped Lord Garron's lips, bringing an end to another powerhouse...

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