Chapter 202


    Though individually stronger, the bandits were quickly overwhelmed by the ck-clothed figures.


    The ck men’s exquisite teamwork purely focused on ughter, and even formed battle


    formations. With one rotation, more than thirty bandits fell dead on the spot.


    Oda and the others watched in terror, huddling close together. They felt as fragile as leaves in a


    storm.


    "Fear not, I am a friend of vin," the portly man approached them.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "My brother?" Oda''s mouth hung open in surprise.


    "He should be here soon as well."


    "What... what''s happening?" Helna asked, shocked by the chaotic scene.


    At that moment, a ''bandit'' burst through the lines, leaping skywards a hundred meters with a cry,


    swooping down with his right leg smashing heavily upon the ground. "Earth Fiend! The Great


    Splitting Stomp!"


    A powerful energy ripple emanated from the point of impact, sweeping across hundreds of meters.


    Following it, a st of air surged, knocking over a dozen ck-d figures who spat blood in


    midair. Their hearts shattered, and they were dead before they hit the ground—meanwhile, a web of


    deep cracks spread violently as if rending the earth itself.


    "Ah!" The women screamed as the st and cracks hurtled towards them. The wind covered the


    sky, and the fissures fractured the ground, leaving them nowhere to run.


    Dozens of shadows raced forward, intent on rescue.


    In the nick of time, a formidable figure descended from above, crashing down in front of them with a


    roar. mes burst forth as he swung his great sword, slicing a trench into the earth a few dozen


    meters ahead, halting the advancing cracks. His powerful aura stood firm against the oing


    st.


    "Lucan!!" The women cried out, tears streaming down their faces in relief. Their trust in Lucan ran


    deep in their hearts.


    "And who might you be?" Lucan rose to his feet, ring at the portly man before him with fury in his


    eyes. The scene before him was a stark provocation, the kind of disaster he had wished to avoid at


    all costs. If something befell the Mallister family under his watch, how could he face the deceased


    lord, and how could he face vin?


    “Uncle Lucan, he... he’s here to save us,” Oda said softly.


    “Are you Lucan? I am a friend of vin,” said the plump fellow, who was none other than Balder. He


    gazed in surprise at the towering giant before him, a man standing two meters tall with mes


    billowing around him, his presence majestic like a beast of fire exuding an overwhelming force. This


    formidable figure was the captain of the Mallister family’s guard, mentioned by vin—a man


    whose aura suggested he was at least a Master Mage at Stage VIII.


    Lucan’s three-hundred-strong guards rushed to the scene, stunned by the chaos. Was this an


    attack by bandits? Could bandits possess such a fearsome aura and Combat Magic?


    “They are Protégés from Cobalt Strike, ordered to assassinate the people of the Mallister family.”


    Balder was now somewhat in awe of vin, who had predicted that the Grand Elder would not let


    the Mallister family off easily and would resort to foul y. Fortunately, vin had been prepared, or


    else, given the current situation, the Mallister family might have faced annihtion.


    “Why?” Lucan turned to look at those ‘bandits.’ Was Cobalt Strike so intent on destroying the


    Mallister family that they would disguise themselves as bandits to assassinate them? Why not


    simply execute them? Why did they go through all this trouble?


    “To cut a long story short, vin participated in The sh of Eight Orders and secured a top five


    position among the Eight Orders. He made a deal with the Commander of Cobalt Strike, granting


    pardon to the Mallister family and absolving Stormcast of all punishments. The Grand Elder couldn’t


    bear it and thus sought to deal with the Mallister family before the pardon could reach Azure


    Mountain.”


    “What??” Lucan was shocked, as were his guards, Oda, and the others.


    The sh of Eight Orders? A top five spot? A pardon for the Mallister family?


    "vin should be arriving soon. He''ll exin then. For now, should we...?" Balder gestured towards


    the battlefield.


    Lucan could hardly fathom it, but the chaos was intensifying. Protecting the Mallister family was


    paramount. He assigned two hundred Protégés to guard them closely, while he led a hundred men


    into the fray of battle.