At the edge of the forest, the battle had erupted into a frenzy of steel and blood. Roderick''s men, Awakened warriors, tore through the bandit ranks with precision and ferocity.
While they were not the strongest, as many of the town''s forces were sent to the battlefield, they were all trained warriors who had worked under a knight like Roderick.
Their des gleamed in the early light of dawn, cutting down bandits left and right as they surged forward toward Korvan''s hideout.
The forest floor was slick with blood, and the cries of the dying echoed through the trees. Bandits fell one after another, desperately calling for reinforcements, but the attack hade too swiftly. They hadn''t expected such a well-coordinated assault, and their panic was palpable.
"Help! Get the others!" one bandit screamed as he clutched a gaping wound in his side, his face pale with fear.
Another stumbled backward, his sword slipping from his hand as he copsed into the dirt, his body trembling. "We''re being overrun!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the sh of steel.
Roderick''s men pressed forward relentlessly, their faces grim and focused, cutting down anyone in their path. One soldier, an Awakened, swung his sword with brutal efficiency, his de slicing through a bandit''s torso, leaving a spray of blood in its wake.
It seemed like nothing could stop their advance.
But then, a shadow loomed over them from above.
"YOU BASTARDS!"
A voice, deep and filled with fury, roared from the treetops. The ground trembled as a figure came crashing down from high above,nding with a thunderous impact that sent a shockwave through the clearing. Dirt and debris exploded outward, forcing the attackers to momentarily halt and shield themselves from the force of thending.
As the dust cleared, a man stood tall amidst the carnage. His broad frame was covered in scars, his muscles rippling beneath his tattered armor. A wicked grin spread across his face as he hefted a massive spear, its de gleaming menacingly in the early light.
"I''m going to tear you all apart!" the man shouted, his voice echoing across the battlefield. The spear in his hand crackled with energy, the air around him practically vibrating with his raw power. He was one of Korvan''s lieutenants—a 3-star Awakened who had gained a fearsome reputation among the bandits for his ruthless efficiency inbat.
The bandits, emboldened by the appearance of their leader, began to rally around him, their fear turning to desperate resolve.
The lieutenant mmed the butt of his spear into the ground, his eyes zing with fury as he pointed the tip toward Roderick''s forces. "You think you can waltz into our territory and take us down? You''re dead wrong!"
One of Roderick''s men stepped forward, his sword raised, but before he could strike, the lieutenant lunged with incredible speed. His spear shot forward like a bolt of lightning, skewering the man clean through the chest. Blood spurted from the wound, and the soldier crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
"Anyone else?"
SWOOSH!
"I am here, you bastard!" A powerful voice rang out as a figure moved with incredible speed,nding just beyond the fallen soldier. His de gleamed with a radiant golden light, cutting through the haze of battle like a beacon.
It was Roderick, the knight of Baron Wyndhall, his massive sword held firmly in both hands as he faced the towering lieutenant. His eyes locked onto the man standing before him, a flicker of recognition shing through his expression.
The lieutenant''s grin widened as he lowered his spear slightly, eyeing Roderick with dark amusement. "Roderick," he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "I should have known you''d show your face here. Still ying the baron''s loyalpdog, I see."
Roderick''s jaw tightened, his grip on his sword tightening as well. "Gorak," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "I should''ve put you down when I had the chance back in Raithe Forest."
Gorak chuckled, his spear crackling with energy once more. "That''s your mistake, Roderick. You never finish the job. And now, look where that mercy''s gotten you." He gestured to the carnage surrounding them, the bodies of Roderick''s men strewn across the battlefield.
"You''re going to pay for this," Roderick said, his voice filled with cold fury. He raised his sword, the golden light radiating from the de intensifying as he channeled his mana into it. "I let you go once. That was a mistake I won''t make again."
Gorak twirled his spear, his expression darkening. "We''ll see about that. Come on then, knight! Show me what you''ve got!"
SWOOSH!
With a roar, Roderick charged forward, his sword cutting through the air as he brought it down with incredible force. Gorak met the strike head-on, his spear shing against the golden de with a deafening ng. The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, causing the surrounding bandits and soldiers to stumble back from the sheer power of the two shing Awakened warriors.
For a moment, the two stood locked in a brutal contest of strength, neither giving an inch. Sparks flew as their weapons ground against each other, the air crackling with the raw energy radiating from their mana-infused strikes.
Just as Roderick''s sword began to overpower Gorak''s spear, the knight''s technique shone through. He twisted his body, channeling his mana into a precise arc, sending Gorak stumbling back, his defenses faltering. Roderick pressed the advantage, his golden de surging forward with lethal intent, aiming to finish the fight.
"You''re finished, Gorak!" Roderick roared, his sword just inches away from cutting through the lieutenant''s chest.
But before the de could make contact, a shadow loomed behind Roderick. The sound of rushing wind filled the air, and then—
SWOOSH!
A sharp de, gleaming with dark energy, cut through the space behind Roderick, aiming for his unprotected back.
Roderick''s eyes widened slightly as he realized the danger, but it was toote to block. Gorak''s smirk widened as he saw his ally arrive just in time.
"Did you really think this fight was fair?" Gorak spat,ughing as he saw Roderick''s predicament. "You''re not leaving here alive, knight!"
The second lieutenant, a wiry man named Sorn, his face twisted in a sinister grin, lunged forward with his sword, ready to deliver a fatal blow to Roderick''s exposed back.
But just before the strike couldnd—
CLANG!
Just as Roderick''s sword began to overpower Gorak''s spear, the knight''s technique shone through. He twisted his body, channeling his mana into a precise arc, sending Gorak stumbling back, his defenses faltering. Roderick pressed the advantage, his golden de surging forward with lethal intent, aiming to finish the fight.
"You''re finished, Gorak!" Roderick roared, his sword just inches away from cutting through the lieutenant''s chest.
But before the de could make contact, a shadow loomed behind Roderick. The sound of rushing wind filled the air, and then—
SWOOSH!
A sharp de, gleaming with dark energy, cut through the space behind Roderick, aiming for his unprotected back.
Roderick''s eyes widened slightly as he realized the danger, but it was toote to block. Gorak''s smirk widened as he saw his ally arrive just in time.
"Did you really think this fight was fair?" Gorak spat,ughing as he saw Roderick''s predicament. "You''re not leaving here alive, knight!"
The second lieutenant, a wiry man named Sorn, his face twisted in a sinister grin, lunged forward with his sword, ready to deliver a fatal blow to Roderick''s exposed back.
But just before the strike couldnd—
CLANG!
Another figure appeared out of nowhere, their de intercepting Sorn''s with incredible speed. The impact sent sparks flying, and the dark energy around Sorn''s sword dissipated instantly. The neer stood tall, his face obscured by the shadows of the trees, save for the scar running down his right eye.
The young man with the scar had arrived.
"I don''t think so," he said, his voice cold and calm, his eyes glowing with a faint purple light as he stared down Sorn. The two locked eyes for a moment and Sorn''s grin faltered, the confidence draining from his face as he realized he had just been stopped by someone far beyond his expectations.
Roderick, now free from the imminent threat, stepped back, his breathing heavy as he nced at the young man. "You…," he muttered. "You arete."
The young man didn''t respond, his focus entirely on Sorn and Gorak. "This fight," he said softly, "is over now."
Gorak''sughter died in his throat as he saw the fierce determination in the young man''s eyes, realizing that this new yer was no ordinary warrior.
The tides of battle had shifted, and the fight was now finished.
"You are the one who killed Loren and Lothar."
He had realized this guy was the one who had been taking down the other lieutenants.
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