The Ghost Knight raised his long spear for the third time, its speed noticeably reduced. Hu Que seized the opportunity and shot an arrow before it could launch its attack.
The sky blue Wind Binding Arrow hit the Evil Spirit right in the front, the green light shattering and dispersing, encircling its four hooves like a layer of green wind. The binding effect took hold, and the Ghost Knight and its evil war horse slowed down.
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Brand knew the effect of this strike from the number projected onto his retina. He couldn't help but glance at Hu Que: this arrow was incredibly accurate, the binding effect nearly fully realized. Although the Ghost Knight wasn't at full speed, its movement trajectory wasn't something a Black Iron-level person could catch—even so, Hu Que had relied purely on instinct. The reputation of the Rubis Mercenaries was well-deserved.
Upon landing a hit, Brand immediately grabbed the Mercenary Captain and retreated swiftly, the Ghost Knight's strike landing right where they had just been. Although its speed had decreased by nearly one-tenth, it was still far superior to the two of them. The only advantage they could rely on was the distance, which was almost equivalent to time.
The duration of the Wind Binding Arrow and Ice Split Arrow each exceeded five minutes unless actively dispelled. Despite the penalty for low-level spells on high-level targets, Brand was confident the effect would last no less than two minutes and twenty seconds.
They were less than fifty meters from the preset ambush spot.
After the Ghost Knight missed its strike, it immediately initiated a thrust, the spearhead creating what seemed like a gravitational collapse point, intensifying the flowing air and making a sonic boom, visually distorting the space—the surrounding trees immediately inclined towards the center, creaking and snapping as if drawn into a storm.
Seeing the Ghost Knight's preparatory move, Brand exclaimed in alarm. The Thousand Army Strike was the Ghost Knight's signature move for creating team wipes; many players had fallen to this skill in the game's early stages. But it no longer scared him.
He dragged Hu Que into the crevices between interlocking boulders and showcased Energy Drain—a flash of a green card, and the Ghost Knight's hollow shell shuddered, inflicting over three hundred points of self-damage.
Brand couldn't help but laugh hysterically inside. He had guessed correctly: Energy Drain was indeed effective against this move. The Thousand Army Strike was, in fact, a soul attribute magic effect. Though powerful, players later discovered it was quite simple to dodge; a Barrier Wizard's Stasis Barrier or an Elemental Mage's Confinement Spell could nullify the attack.
Since Energy Drain was a counter spell, he figured it might work against this move, and it did.
The Ghost Knight's strike almost depleted a third of its life. According to its programming, it would enter a stunned state for about two seconds, then enter a full combat stage. However, these high-level undead were quite intelligent. After suffering a setback, it certainly wouldn't use the Thousand Army Strike again, so Brand wouldn't have to worry about consecutive powerful attacks.
Two seconds was more than enough time for Black Iron-level individuals to run fifty meters. When the Ghost Knight recovered, Brand and Hu Que, panting heavily, were already waiting at the ambush site.
All previous actions were completed under extreme conditions. Even for Brand and the seasoned Mercenary Captain, their stamina was wearing thin. However, Hu Que knew the Ghost Knight had not yet exerted its full strength. Sweating profusely, he glanced at Brand, pondering what method this Travel Mage might have to counter the power disparity.
Not only was he thinking this, but everyone on the scene had similar thoughts at this moment.
In fact, when the Elf Element Masters saw the Ghost Knight attack for the first time, they felt chills down their spines. This level of combat was beyond their imagination—despite the Rubis Mercenaries being renowned for their valor and prowess, it was like talking about war among mortals. Above the Silver Middle, the ways of combat had long surpassed ordinary understanding.
There was a famous event in 'Amber Sword,' a conflict triggered by players, occurring in the late First Epoch in Kruz's White Lud City. Eleven Gold-level players participated in this battle, resulting in nearly half of the city, with a population of fifty thousand, being destroyed.