The arc of the blade tore through the air, its edge boring down with a roar more terrifying than that of a beast. The sheer momentum of it made the earth tremble. The Paladin had only a heartbeat to look up, eyes wide with disbelief, before the blade struck.
There was no resistance.
The impact crushed him from helm to boot. Bone cracked and organs ruptured in an instant. Blood sprayed outward in a burst of red mist, coating the leaves, the soil, and the stunned faces behind Ludwig. A single, brutal stroke had turned a man into pulp.
The silence afterward was overwhelming.
A notification chimed within Ludwig's vision.
[You have slain Templar of Order, level 65]
[You have obtained, {Hopeful Soul} -400-]
