Chapter 106: The Failed Bet


    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion


    Liroque yelled and took a few steps back in an urgent manner to avoid Arra’s offensive move.


    Under hismand, the dozens of Eckstedt infrantrymen beside Liroque neither formed a formation nor retreated. Instead, they pounced directly at the Fury Guards nking Arra. Arra’s expression darkened.


    In the midst of the angry roaring and sounds of collisons, Eckstedt’s soldiers tenaciously wrapped themselves around the Fury Guards.


    Standing at the forefront, Arra was left alone in an instant with no one shielding and protecting him on either side. Seven or eight of Eckstedt’s warriors surrounded him with vicious expressions on their faces.


    Thales’s expression changed drastically.


    ’Oh no.’


    Arra relied heavily on the sacrifice and protection of the guards by his sides to maintain his absolute advantage in front to fight the enemies without a worry. Otherwise, maybe after Arra had killed up to ten people, his speed would decrease and he would be caught up in the imprable encirclement once again.


    Even a skilled supreme ss elite would have died after such a huge consumption of energy.


    Also, to face countless enemies, various types of attacks, and many weapons all at the same time on the battlefield... like Aida said, even a supreme ss elite could never be entirely unscathed. Just like Arra’s current situation, the gradual umtion of injuries and the increasing consumption of energy...


    Arra stared at the situation before him as he panted slightly.


    "Cover him!" Aida agilely made her way through the three well-coordinated Eckstedt infantries, but it was obvious that she was not used to the rhythm of the battlefield what with the swordsing from all directions, so she could not free herself for a moment.


    "Cover Arra!" she yelled exasperatedly, "Otherwise, they would drag us back into their tight encirclement once again!"


    Wya was held back by two enemies. He could not escape swiftly from battle due to him being injured, but it was clear that since Putray did not possess the same skills as they did, he could shake off his enemies calmly and easily to protect Arra.


    Because Arra’s Conical Attack Formation helped him to break through very quickly, the numerous Eckstedt soldiers that fell behind them ran and pursued after them once again.


    Ralf widened his eyes and a gust of strong wind hurriedly raged and blocked the first few rows of Eckstedt’s soldiers by using the scattering snowkes as a barrier.


    "Those soldiers carrying the Fury Guards’ equipment with them are all held back!" Putray was having a lot of trouble dealing with a fierce and violent infantryman’s attacks. "And it is obvious that our diplomat group, including you, have never fought in a war before—we are unable to break through!"


    "Are there any more people other than the Fury Guards and the diplomat group?" Wya used his sword to fight his enemy, but with very slow efficiency. "As long as we can break away from this encirclement, we can reach to the prince’s side!"


    A young soldier, and a veteran who held a sword and shield, suddenly turned around amid the fierce battle.


    .....


    If Arra had the soldiers of the Fury Guards by his side, he would not have to consider the threats beside and behind him at all. He would only have to face his enemy from the front. But now, he had to face the threats from all around him.


    *ng!*


    Liroque aimed and swung his greataxe sturdily onto Arra’s newly-snatched nail hammer! Arra bellowed like a beast in a low voice. Even Thales could feel the oppressive atmosphere.


    Then, the Kingdom’s Wrath could be seen with both of his eyes red. The nail hammer that was hooked onto the greataxe suddenly trembled as the power from his body exploded in an instant.


    *ng!*


    As the me and sparks flickered, Liroque clenched his teeth and retreated in a disheveled state.


    "Behind—" Thales anxiously yelled.


    But before Thales could finish yelling, Arra had turned his head back in an instant. He struck the sword attack away from his back while he roared furiously, to ensure that Thales would not be hit.


    The figure of the Kingdom’s Wrath whirled around soon after and avoided the tip of a spear that attacked at the same instant. He had already thrown out the nail hammer in his hand as he was turning back and pierced through the chest of the swordsman behind.


    Without others to shield and cover him, Arra was unable to continue attacking. He limped with slowed footsteps as he retreated. He managed to dodge the de that was aimed for the vital organs in his left side, but his waist was still cut open and blood bled from the wound.


    "Maybe we should retreat and meet with the guards!" Thales yelled in pain due to an earlier injury to his back.


    The beastly man did not pay attention to the prince. He turned around and roared in a low voice. With a shoulder m that exerted a force as strong as a volcano’s eruption, he knocked over the de and shield soldier who could not put away his de in time with the shield was wedged between them.


    *Rip!*


    Arra forcefully seized the opponent’s de and sliced open his throat. The blood sttered all over Arra’s body.


    Without any time to rest in between, the Kingdom’s Wrath lowered his waist as he swiftly turned around. The broad sword that attackedterally from behind could only cut into his shoulder slightly.


    Arra immediately aimed a low-angle kick right onto the opponent’s knee. Thetter grunted and lost his bnce after he heard the sound of his bone fracturing. The de of the Kingdom’s Wrath sliced through his neck, and caught his falling sword in a smooth motion.


    The wind howled right at this very moment!


    *Dang!*


    A tremendous noise made Thales’ eardrums vibrate with pain.


    Arra was seen raising the de and the sword over his head while his feet sank into the ground. With an unwavering force, Arra resisted the greataxe by Liroque that forcefully hacked downwards.


    "You have meticulous control, so your energy is always just right and never wasted... is that not so, the Kingdom’s Wrath of the supreme ss?" Liroque exhaled sinisterly, "Even though we attacked at the same time, you still managed to kill three of us."


    A longspear charged towards Arra’s heart. The Kingdom’s Wrath used both his hands to fend off the greataxe. With unimaginable skill, he managed to turn his chest around to avoid the sharp tip of the spear and forcefully pinned the attacking longspear between his torso and his left underarm.


    Another longspear attacked from nowhere. Arra unleashed his Power of Eradication in an instant and avoided the spear tip. Then, he stomped on the attacking longspear ferociously with his foot.


    Thales felt his skin crawl when he watched Arra firmly hold and block the two spearmen back. The spearmen were clenching their teeth strenuously and their faces were flushed red from the exertion of trying to kill Arra.


    ’This is not good.’


    As expected, the enemy did not give him any chance to breathe. Two Eckstedt soldiers, along with their two longswords, attacked Arra’s torso and head.


    Arra spared no effort as he deflected the sword aimed for his chest, then he firmly held on to the other sword to stop it from attacking.


    *Whoosh...*


    A howling sound came when the greataxe swung down again.


    "But this is a battlefield! The battle has never been just one-to-one!" Themander of the enemyughed sinisterly. He swung his greataxe in a wide arc to attack. "Supreme ss elites also have limits!"


    The few of Eckstedt’s infantrymen howled in anger. They appeared from behind Liroque and surrounded Arra.


    Thales hovered his hand over his dagger in shock as he yelled, "Be careful!"


    In the next second, the sound of an axe piercing into flesh and a fear-inducing nging sound of the weapons rang through the air!


    *Ssh!*


    *ng!*


    Thales felt shivers down his spine and his eardrums were in excruciating pain. ’No...’


    The prince panted and, with his widened eyes, he witnessed the de of the greataxe firmly chop into Arra’s left shoulder. The greataxe broke through the breastte and cut open Arra’s flesh before it stopped between Arra’s shoulder des and vicle.


    The greataxe was only an inch away from Thales’ shoulder.


    Arra panted heavily while blood flowed out of his wound and soaked through Thales’ shoulder.


    The sword in the right hand of the Kingdom’s Wrath had already disappeared without a trace. With just one hand, he blocked Liroque’s greataxe by the hilt. His whole body trembled as he was engaged in a life-and-death battle with the enemy’smander.


    But he was not alone.


    Before the edge of the axe, a ck-haired, brown-eyed young soldier of Constetion knelt on one knee beside Arra. He clenched his teeth tightly and raised both his hands over his head. He held a pair of even-length pikes in each hand as he used all his strength to withstand the axe de that had hacked into Arra’s left shoulder.


    "Damned bastard!" Liroque’s eyes strained with redness while his Power of Eradication burst out. He gradually pressed down on the axe de in his hands.


    At the same time, the two spearmen who wrestled with Arra had also exerted themselves, hoping to kill the Kingdom’s Wrath here. "Don’t even think about it..."


    Willow Ken’s hands trembled as he held the twin pikes with all of his strength to withstand the greataxe above him—under gravity’s pressure and Liroque’s strength—to ease Arra’s burden.


    Arra was panting hard and he was in excruciating pain while he stared at Willow with aplicated gaze.


    Strong wind howled in the air when Ralf’s figure glided towards them. Ralf swept past the Eckstedtians’ weapons with great effort. He brought along two Constetion soldiers dressed in the apparel of the fortress’ soldiers to fight with Liroque’s subordinates—who were preparing to enter the battlefield.


    A sturdy veteran of Constetion abruptly dashed over. With his shield, he knocked the Eckstedt soldiers who were fighting with Arra just now onto the ground.


    Genard, the veteran from the Starlight Brigade, held down his madly struggling enemy. The both of them held each other’s sword hand andpeted against each other with their strength and stamina, wanting to bury their swords into each other’s vital organs before the other does.


    "Is there anyone else?" Thales asked anxiously while he pulled out his dagger with great effort. He hesitated on whether he should cut the rope that fastened him behind Arra.


    "There are only a few of us left. The Fury Guards and your subordinates are all being entangled!" Genard yelled as if his life depended on it while he wrestled with his opponent, "You had better be useful, you twin pike wielding army deserter!"


    Willow’s face was flushed red and his hands shook continuously as they withstood the greataxe.


    "I said this before..."


    The Eckstedt infantryman whose longspear was wedged between Arra’s left arm and torso roared as he threw down his longspear. The infantryman pulled out a dirk from his back and charged at Arra who was caught in a deadlock. Arra loosened his left arm and held on to Liroque’s greataxe with both hands. His eyes were burning with rage.


    "I am not an army deserter!" Willow spat out those few words through clenched teeth.


    The soldier charged frantically at Arra and Thales with his dirk in hand. Thales trembled as he cut the rope.


    Willow pulled back his right arm that was holding a pike while he withstood Liroque’s greataxe with his left handboriously. He yelled desperately, "Also... I really know how to use... twin pikes!"


    Willow’s right hand suddenlyshed out! The Eckstedt soldier, dirk in his hand, stepped away from Willow’s single pike.


    Thales had a cold feeling in his chest. ’This is bad. He missed the target.’


    But Willow’s hand suddenly trembled. The spear tip shed while the pike shaft flew from his hand.


    *Rip!*


    The Eckstedtian lowered his head in shock and the dirk fell from his hand.


    Willow’s pike was no longer in his hand. The tip of the spear was already lodged in the soldier’s throat.


    Thales exhaled a long breath and his mind began to unwind and rx. ’What a close call.’


    With all his strength already used up, Willow panted while his left pike trembled and dropped from resisting the greataxe. He then copsed onto the floor, exhausted.


    But Liroque’s greataxe did note down.


    Once more, Thales felt newborn power explode from the body of the man carrying him.


    Liroque stared at his own greataxe in surprise as the Kingdom’s Wrath lifted his axe up inch by inch with his arms.


    The beast-like man slowly stood from the ground like a volcano at the point of eruption.


    "Did yourmanding officer not tell you?" Arra breathed heavily and he trembled like a beast. A scary strength exploded once again from his arms and pushed the greataxe forward. Liroque stumbled and almost fell to the ground, but his subordinate was there in time to support him from behind.


    "If you have a chance to kill me, it is best that you kill me in one strike. If you do not manage kill me... Heh..." Arra sneered through clenched teeth as his countenance suddenly changed.


    Filled up to his eyes with the fluctuations, Thales watched in surprise as the previously stirring ripples and explosions within Arra’s body start to boil vigorously likeva!


    Liroque furrowed his brows and stared at the faint red light shining from Arra’s eyes. The muscles on his injured shoulder began to contract and block his wound to stop the bleeding.


    ’What is that?’ He recalled the legend of the Kingdom’s Wrath again. ’No... Impossible. He is only human after all, isn’t he?’


    In the surrounding noise of carnage, Liroque roared angrily. He used all the strength in his body and charged at Arra with his few most trusted subordinates. Seven or eight weapons thrust out at the same time.


    .....


    Count Levan asked the military courier before him in surprise as his face was filled with disbelief, "Four minutes? That man charged at the forefront alone... and he used only four minutes to break through our battle formation?" The count grabbed the courier’s cor in one swift motion as he angrily yelled, "Impossible! Those are six military units! Almost two thousand and five hundred people! nking from all directions!"


    "It- it has yet to break throughpletely." The military courier gasped for breath and it seemed as if he, too, was extremely irreconcble. He could be heard hatefully saying through clenched teeth, "Soldiers from the other directions are also trying to fill in the gap... We-we can drive him to death by exhaustion..."


    He did not continue to speak. For a valiant Nortnd Soldier like him, saying the phrase "driving him to death by exhaustion" was already close to disgrace.


    "Do not be surprised." From the side, Viscount Kentvida walked forward, ced his hand above the count’s hand and sighed. "We have been looking forward to meeting the Kingdom’s Wrath for a long time. Even the White de Guards could not hold back his beast-like frontal attack."


    "But... four minutes..." Count Levan had a solemn look on his face. "This is too..."


    "Arra Murkh and his strength was originally part of our n." A steady voice from behind was heard. Both Kentvida and Levan bowed down. "If he takes the lead in attacking, he can certainly break through even further on with Constetion’s prince."


    On his warhorse, Archduke Lampard stared at the distant battle and sighed. "If they want to break through to the direction of the fortress, the psychological shock delivered to the fortress will be stronger... Then the chances of sess for our n in luring Sasere will probably be higher. By that time, the fortress’ morale would not depend on whether Sasere wants to send her troops out or not.


    "What a shame. Whose idea it was that actually made them face north instead of the fortress and attack in the opposite direction—it is unknown." Archduke Lampard shook his head with an abnormally regretful look on his face.


    Count Levan resumed his calm state and said with his brows furrowed together, "Does the seven-year-old prince also agree to court death like this?"


    "There is no point in overthinking." Lampard steeled his expression and shook his head resolutely. "It is already impossible for us to take back the fortress."


    "There is another problem. So long as Murkh brings along his bow, it will be very hard for the infantries to exhaust his physical strength through sheer numbers." Viscount Kentvida furrowed his brows and pondered. "The infantry’s encirclement on the north side is not as tight as the south side. There is arge possibility that he might rush out until he stands before us. That would be very awkward. How should we handle Murkh and that prince?"


    "If the light infantry cannot surround and stop him..." Count Levan’s eyes sparkled and he said in a serious tone, "But he still has a baggage with him, and he cannot enter or leave the battlefield at will! Let the light infantry continue holding the others back and transfer the main force prepared to attack the fortress back here. Regardless of whether it is the Doppels?ldners’s attack or the heavy cavaliers’ long-distance indiscriminate charge, either one can easily kill them all... including Murkh."


    "It is not like we do not have any experience before. Based on the battlefield skills of Kingdom Wrath’s, his efficiency in killing light infantry and Doppels?ldners are the same." Viscount Kentvida shook his head. "And even if we seed, it is very likely for us to kill the Constetion’s prince along with him. This is not a good choice... I am afraid we have toe up with another n."


    "Please, let ME go, Your Grace." Behind Lampard, Lord Tolja held a peculiarly shaped saber, and bowed down slightly from his horse. His eyes were glinting with an unlimited desire to fight. "From Murkh’s dead body, I will surely seize back the bow that belongs to Eckstedt. If we cannot dispatch our main force... Then I am the only person here who can confront Murkh." Tolja stared at the archduke with his burning gaze. "Let the Rising Sun Saber confront the Motionless Bow."


    Lampard caressed the sword at his waist as he thought carefully. After more than ten seconds, Lampard slowly shook his head and declined. "No, I do not wish for any ident to happen to you. Even if Murkh does not bring along that bow, he is still too valiant."


    Disappointment shed across Tolja’s eyes.


    "After all, he must already be covered all over with cuts and bruises since he has fought for around eight minutes. This will make him even more dangerous." Viscount Kentvida vigntly continued the archduke’s speech.


    "We all know the legend of that man. I heard the Tower of Eradication specifically gave his mutated Power of Eradication another name?"


    Lampard lifted his head and sighed faintly, "Yes, the Wrath of the Dark Sky—the Power of Eradication that was born for the battlefield."


    Tolja clenched the knife tightly in his hand. The archduke was heard saying faintly, "The more he fights, the more injuries he will have. The more injuries he has, the stronger he will be."


    .....


    When Thales regained his sense, he watched in surprise as Arra charged at full speed towards the seven or eight people in front of them.


    Without any protection by his side, he started his breakthrough once more. Faced with the opponents’ des, Arra’s body suddenly moved in a peculiar motion. The movement seemed to have brought a fluctuation in the air. On his back, Thales suddenly felt dizzy.


    A sword sliced through Arra’s breastte and left a deep wound between his ribs. A hammer-and-chain brushed past his raised right leg and tore away a piece of flesh. Countless sparks burst out when a saber was deflected by the gauntlet on his right hand.


    On the other hand, Liroque’s greataxe swung past Arra’s head when he suddenly turned his head around and the motion of the axe blew a wind past his ear. A longspear missed and slid over his thigh by a few centimeters. Finally, a knife cut into his unprotected left bicep, but not much blood gushed out.


    It seemed as if Arra only moved slightly, avoiding all attacks to his vital organs during the attack from all the weapons in an instant. But Thales knew that this was definitely not a simple, slight movement.


    Arra appeared as if he did not care how many wounds were added to his body. He only rushed forward and attacked with a feverish look on his face... Until he barged right in between his enemies.


    "Kill him!" Liroque retracted his greataxe andmanded in exasperation.


    But it was obvious that the somewhat fric Eckstedtians could not keep up with Arra’s rhythm anymore.


    In the next second, Arra unleashed a furious roar that could shake the skies. An astonishing heatwave exploded from his right fist and he punched that fist into the face of a swordsman. A clear sound of bone breaking was heard. The Eckstedtian howled frantically.


    Arraughed heartily when the Power of Eradication erupted violently and exploded from his body. With a zealous power, Arra used his shoulder to knock into the shield of the hammer-and-chain wielder. Thetter let out a miserable shriek as he flew backwards.


    The Kingdom’s Wrath grabbed the hammer-and-chain released by the opponent in one swift motion. With the hammer-and-chain, he turned around and mmed it into the saber aimed for the back of his head and sent the saber flying into the air. The hammer-and-chain flew around without slowing its momentum, until it mmed into an enemy’s skull.


    Red and white fluids sttered in all directions. Arra made another turn and urately used the chain to lock a knife, then pulling his next enemy to him. He then used the enemy’s lower abdomen to block a longsword that had immediately followed afterwards.


    The swordsman that idently killed his ownrade was stunned for a second before Arra grabbed his clothing and pulled him closer to crush his trachea.


    All five Eckstedt soldiers fell at Arra’s feet in an instant. Liroque roared furiously as he swung his axe downwards!


    Arra immediately retreated with an astonishing speed and avoided the axe’s arc with precision. Thales was already dizzy from the battle that involved rapid left and right movements, he almost passed out when Arra retreated.


    But then, an astonishing explosion was heard from the body of the Kingdom’s Wrath.


    That force from the explosion instantly rose up and, like a swallow that suddenly turned around and darts back, that force rushed towards Liroque, who could not pull back his axe in time!


    Thales could see stars and his vision blurred. Both of Arra’s hands pressed on the long hilt of the greataxe.


    "I like your axe."


    Thales vaguely heard the heartyugh from Kingdom’s Wrath, and Liroque’s angry howl of despair.


    When he raised his head again, he could see Arra waving Liroque’s double-sided axe valiantly, then mmed it into the face of its original owner.


    Thetter flew off like a kite with a broken string.


    With his face covered in blood, Arra brandished the greataxe and yelled at therades behind of him, "Follow me!"


    Arra waved the double-sided axe and barged into the crowd before him like a fierce beast, ughtering a bloody path through.


    Everywhere he went, the blood sttered in all directions and body parts flew in the air. The surrounding Eckstedtians began to be chaotic after witnessing theirmander’s death and the ferocious anger of the Kingdom’s Wrath.


    But in the next second, the body of the Kingdom’s Wrath suddenly swayed!


    He nted his axe on the ground and red at the Eckstedtians before him while he panted. The Eckstedtians still stood in their orderly rows with hesitation on their faces.


    Thales was quite shocked. "Hey... Baron Murkh, are you still strong enough to hold on?"


    "This is only an attack at a formation of light infantry," Arra pantedboriously and replied with dissatisfaction, "I have to go so far as to use this toy. If only I was ten years... no, five years younger..."


    Thales was momentarily stunned.


    Right at this very moment, a cold metallic sensation... one so cold he had never felt it before, went through his senses.


    It was the bow. The bow Arra carried on his back!


    Following Arra’s words, the great, silver-ck bow pressed against Thales’ skin suddenly began to vibrate. The boy quivered.


    In that instant, Thales suddenly felt a burning sensation erupt from within his body—just like the greatbow that suddenly had a faint electric current passing through it. As if it was repelling his touch.


    In the next instant, the exhausted Arra took a deep breath and his entire frame started to shake.


    Eckstedt’s infantrymen stared at the Kingdom’s Wrath in disbelief when he slowly stood up and waved the greataxe with ease, as if his energy was once again replenished.


    "Let them reminisce the good old days." Arra revealed a scary smile as he stared at his enemies, who woreplicated emotions on their faces.


    That ufortable feeling that was like an electric shock slowly disappeared from Thales’ body. Thales endured the ufortable feeling caused by the greatbow and asked, "What is this?"


    Arra exercised his neck and, once more, revealed his murderous spirit to the enemy.


    "This is the most unbelievable weapon in the entire world," he grinned as he said, "Each weapon will bestow its user their corresponding powers."


    Thales was surprised, then he scrutinized that silver-ck, metallic greatbow again.


    "The legendary anti-mystic equipment?" He suddenly realized that this bow did not have a bowstring.


    "Right." The Kingdom’s Wrath nodded. "Motionless Bow."


    "Then... what is its ability?" Thales asked in puzzlement, even though he already had the answer in his head while watching Arra’s physical strength return to him like a phoenix rising from ashes.


    He only heard Arra snorting. "Perpetual motion."


    Thales was slightly stunned. After he understood the meaning of this word, his expression changed drastically.


    ’Perpetual motion? If it is the literal meaning... That is too ridiculous!’


    Memories from the past suddenly emerged in his mind...


    "Archers always die? Hey, what does that mean?"


    "Oh, oh, oh! Master Qiren—who only has the heart to study the Four Books and Five ssics [1]—is going to join the world of anime, too?! Come here, I have an amazing piece that I want to introduce to you because of what you said just now... It is a story about the love-hate rtionship between a Master and his Servant [2]..."


    "Eh, I’m just a little curious after reading this post... Hey- you- don’t snatch my mouse from me!"


    Thales shook his head and forcefully suppressed the flickering memories, as well as the nausea caused by the smell of blood on the battlefield, back inside himself.


    Genard finished off his opponent and pulled up the exhausted Willow. Each of them stood on either side of Arra. Ralf followed behind them with aplicated expression on his face.


    Liroque’s death brought chaos to thisrge Eckstedtian troop. The Fury Guards also finally broke from the infantry’s entanglement.


    "Hey, the brat with the twin pikes." Arra suddenly turned his head around and looked at Willow.


    Willow shuddered suddenly. Three days ago, this man wanted to send him up to the scaffold.


    "It seems that you truly are not an army deserter." Arra snorted lightly.


    Willow’s face became joyful.


    "But your skills in dual-wielding pikes are rubbish."


    Willow’s expression froze.


    "Do not mind it." Thales gave him a smile from behind Arra. "This is his way of saying ’thank you’."


    Arra snorted coolly as he swung the greataxe and walked forward withrge, quick strides.


    "Next time you should switch to a long pike and a short one." the Kingdom’s Wrath voice came from the front. "Even-length pikes... are much too foolish."


    Willow was stunned, but a smile immediately spread across his face. He followed them immediately.


    Already, the Eckstedtians before them were not as dense as before.


    Lampard’s military camp was just a small distance away.


    .....


    A member of the Fury Guards howled in anger as he stabbed his sword into the body of a soldier of Eckstedt who was beside Arra. At the same time, he pulled an axe out from his lower abdomen. He panted twice before he nced at Arra powerlessly, then fell to the ground.


    Arra trembled slightly, but he still broke through thest line of enemies without looking back.


    The surviving Fury Guards and members of the diplomat group finally made their way out of the siege.


    It was as if the light infantrymen behind them had received somemand and did not pursue them anymore once they managed to break through the encirclement.


    They could already see the thick mass of the Lampard Family’s army before their eyes. Thales had hardly recovered from his shock when he raised his head.


    Arra threw Liroque’s axe from his hand, and ripped the rope that was fastened around Thales when he asked quietly, "Are you sure that this is our chance?"


    "We must make a bet." Thalesnded on the ground and felt the change in his bnce. He retched for a moment. "Bet that Lampard does not dare to kill me. The stake is my life."


    However, he was immediately lifted up by Arra and ced back on Arra’s back. Arra then continued to move forward.


    Putray’s body was covered entirely in blood when he hurried to them from behind. He rushed as he said exhaustedly, "At least Lady Sasere does not have to hesitate between you and the fortress anymore, Your Highness."


    Thales grasped Arra’s shoulders and nodded. He turned his head around and suddenly saw Ramon, who was still in the troop.


    "He is still alive?" Thales furrowed his brows.


    "Yes, even though I saw him in grave danger a few times. But each time, his luck had been pretty good," Putray said with an apologetic expression on his face.


    Thales exhaled and stared at Ramon, whose face showed that he still had lingering fear from earlier.


    ’I knew it.’


    Putray continued. "But the Fury Guards have had substantial damage, and almost half of the diplomat group’s veterans were sacrificed..."


    Thales’ face darkened. He suddenly felt Arra’s body tremble while carrying him.


    "You had better be right, young prince," Arra’s tone was shaky as he spoke in a low and deep voice, "Because of you alone..."


    He turned his head around with an ill expression on his face and looked at the scarred soldiers and the numerous corpses behind them.


    Thales also turned his head around and stared at the path Arra had broken through. From there to here, there was an almost straight line of the dead bodies of the Fury Guards.


    Three days ago, they held their sword hilts with serious expressions on their faces in a tense confrontation with Sonia and her Starlight Brigade at the fortress.


    Three dayster, they will never return.


    "You want me to prove to you that I am the most valiant warrior of Constetion?" Arra said in a low voice. Thales was stupefied.


    Arra furrowed his brows and his breathing sped up. "This is the proof... I was never the Kingdom’s Wrath, there was only the Fury Guards and their sacrifices."


    Arra turned his head around and continued to carry the stunned Thales onwards. The Iron Fist g was just a short distance away from them.


    "Dunn, Losa, Gillian, Pend!" Arra shouted one name after another through clenched teeth. "Without them, I would have already died ten thousand times.


    "They... since the past, the present, and the future, all the members of the guards who gave up their lives... THEY are the true Kingdom’s Wrath."


    Thales lowered his head with aplicated expression. Right at this very moment—


    "Wait!" Arra suddenly yelled!


    Thales was startled and immediately raised his head.


    From one side of Eckstedt’s military camp, a troop of soldiers—with very few members but were armed heavily—were seen walking out in an orderly manner ahead of them. Everyone also raised their heads to look in front.


    The survivors from Constetion suddenly burst into an uproar; almost everyone was shocked.


    "Damn it!" Aida punched her fist at Putray and said angrily, "What exactly did you do?"


    "Do what? No." Putray stared at the troop in bewilderment. "Everything that happened today is not right! It should not be like this!"


    Ramon screamed and threw himself onto the ground. "I knew it! To follow this prince... is simply..."


    Wya was terror-stricken and rushed towards Thales. "Your Highness, please seek cover immediately!"


    Ralf was nervous and seemingly out of his wits. He kept shaking his head.


    In the crowd, Willow poked Genard beside him with a strange expression on his face. "What is that?"


    "What is that?!" Genard also furrowed his brows while he harshly replied, "The ferrymen of Hell’s River!"


    Willow shook his head with a dumbfounded look on his face.


    On the other hand, Thales looked at everyone with a confused expression on his face, ’What is going on? That troop of sparse soldiers...’


    "Arched light shield!" Arra ced Thales down and roared frantically, "Form a formation immediately! Adjust the angle of deviation!"


    Every soldier of Constetion began moving frantically. The Fury Guards and the fortress’ veterans rapidly took the shields from their backs, especially the shields that glinted with a metallic sheen.


    The soldiers arranged themselves into a battle array with differentyers, they then raised their shields in front of themselves.


    Even though it was tradition to use the infantry battle formation that Constetion had inherited from the empire, it was different from the usual array. This time, the battle formation was particrly concentrated. There was only one row where the soldiers were either squatting or standing. They stuck tightly together while facing the direction of the small, peculiar troop of Eckstedt soldiers.


    While he watched the situation, Thales asked aloud because he was unaware, "What is happening? Who exactly... are those soldiers?"


    Everyone suddenly fell silent.


    Arra broke the silence and asked through clenched teeth, "You said you bet that Lampard does not dare to kill you?"


    Thales looked at Arra’splexion in bewilderment.


    "It seems that this is a failed gamble." Arra wore an angry expression on his face as he pointed at the troop of soldiers in the distance. "Do you see the onesing to greet us?"


    Thales narrowed his eyes. He suddenly realized that the soldiers were holding peculiar but heavy long strips in their hands. They ced one hand on the front and another on the back as they aimed one end of the long strip at them.


    ’This position...’ His heart suddenly trembled!


    He could hear Arra’s low roar as the man forcefully suppressed his anger.


    "That is... the Mystic Gun unit."


    Trantor’s Note:


    1. Four Books and Five ssics: The authoritative books of Confucianism in China. For more information, please go to this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Books_and_Five_ssics


    2. Master and Servants: From the Fate/Stay series, all of them.