Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 14 The Clash of Swords and Blades (Part 2)
Thales had never seen Yara's knife so angry, so imposing.

He vaguely sensed that the two wolf-leg knives contained a suffocating pressure.

Rolf mustered all his strength, crossed his two hidden blades at his chest, and retreated rapidly!

The female bartender charged forward with even greater ferocity, and in an instant, she unleashed a thunderous double slash!

The two figures moved in sync like a ballroom dancer, but it was far from elegant and civilized. Rolf's hidden blade turned into a phantom and in an instant met Yara's arms holding the knife.

“Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding!”

The sounds of gunfire continued.

The hidden blade repeatedly blocked the twin swords aimed at Rolf.

The twin blades also deflected the hidden blades that were thrust at Yara countless times!
Both were moving at breakneck speed, with signs and storefronts flashing by on the street, yet they seemed to be frozen in place of each other, completely focused on dismantling each other's moves.

Thales stared intently, almost forgetting to breathe.

However, the balance of power was very clear: Yara's twin swords were intended to attack the opponent's vitals, while Rolf's two hidden blades were only used to block the opponent's attacks.

One side attacks, the other defends; it's a competition of speed and agility.

But after the next clash of metal, Yara's wolf leg knife, amidst its owner's unstoppable momentum, suddenly exploded with a thunderous sound, as if ripples were spreading through the air, deflecting Rolf's blocking sword!
Yara's unexpected trump card took Rolf by surprise.

One step wrong, step by step wrong.

The failed interception of this sword strike left Rolf with no time to retract his other sword, exposing his vital chest and abdomen to Yara's left-hand blade!
"Draw!"

That's the sound of a wolf-leg knife slicing through clothing and tearing through a chest.

In that life-or-death moment, Rolf did not hesitate to unleash his full power.

The title "Ghost of the Wind" was well-deserved. With a slight pursing of his lips, the tattoo on his face emitted a faint white light, and a violent whirlwind was generated in the gap between the two of them, blowing Yara and himself away in different directions!

Rolf took a step and, surprisingly, used the strong wind to leap into the air, leaving only a few streaks of blood on the spot.

The female bartender was forced to stop, retract her arms, and adjust her body to adapt to the sudden gust of wind. Her thunderous double sword strikes were also interrupted.

Thales, who was some distance away, did not directly feel the gale, but that did not affect his judgment: both of them were affected by the wind at the same time; Rolf was thrown backward, while Yara was stopped in her tracks.

The wind didn't stop; instead, it continued to intensify. Rolf's figure floated in the air like a kite, the light from the tattoos on his face growing ever brighter.

The female bartender had to bend her knees to withstand the increasingly strong winds and take the opportunity to recover her strength.

Rolf's joking demeanor vanished; the pain in his chest left him shaken. The troublesome nature of this young girl was probably no less than that of any of the Brotherhood's Thirteen Generals.

Recalling the imposing aura of those two swords, the Ghost of the Wind resolved not to give her another chance to turn the tide.
Fortunately, her offensive had taken a toll on her as well.

The Ghost of the Wind's face turned cold, and with a flick of his wrists, two hidden blades appeared at his sides.

Wind blows.

Under the cover of the gale, Rolf once again revealed his ghostly figure.

The next instant, Rolf appeared above Yara's head!

Yara gritted her teeth and immediately swung her sword to parry.

"Keng!"

But Rolf retreated immediately after his attack, his figure disappearing like a gust of wind, giving Yara no chance to counterattack or launch a counter-offensive.

"Qiang!"

Rolf's hidden blade reappeared, this time to Yara's lower left. Once again, it missed its target, and Yara was sent flying backward!

"Once your sudden outburst and continuous offensive are interrupted, the Sarridon family's assassination sword, renowned for centuries, will no longer be effective."

Rolf's voice came again from the wind.

Yara struggled to fend off the enemy's guerrilla tactics, while the gusts of wind that kept swirling around her forced her to expend a great deal of energy maintaining her balance and movements, while also trying to predict Rolf's next attack.

Thales, who was watching the game, felt a surge of tension—what should he do?
Rolf's soft, feminine voice echoed around them again.

"However, if you tell me why your Surreyton family has infiltrated the Brotherhood, perhaps we can sit down and have a talk?"

Yara's expression turned solemn, and she actually closed her eyes at that moment.

It seems a decision has been made.

She held the two swords upside down and plunged the blades fiercely into the earthen bricks beneath her feet.

Rolf's hidden blade reappeared, still above his head!

But this time, Yara turned around on the spot, and the two swords stuck in the ground suddenly spun around with her arm!
"boom!"

With a thunderous roar, Yara flung the earth and rocks on the ground, sending them flying several meters into the air!

The flying dirt and rocks blocked Rolf's view.

The glint of a blade was faintly visible amidst the earth and rocks!
Rolf roared as he retreated, the tattoo on his face shining even brighter. The gale in the air suddenly accelerated, swirling with terrifying force, scattering earth and rocks in all directions!

In the fierce wind, earth and rocks shot out in all directions!
At this moment, Thales, who was intently watching the battle while peeking out from his hiding place, suddenly heard a hoarse, indistinct voice:

"Lower your head."

Without even a moment to be stunned, Thales instinctively lowered himself.

"Wow!"

A barrage of earth and rocks hurtled from the center of the battle, hurtling past Thales' head!
Several shovels of dirt and rocks struck the side door of the shop behind Thales, denting the wooden door panel!
Thales stared at the door behind him, cold sweat dripping down his back as he patted his chest. If only he hadn't bowed his head—

Before he could react, a slender and graceful figure appeared at his hiding place.

"Go quickly."

Thales was dumbfounded.

The Yara before them was by no means "good." The once dashing bartender now appeared exhausted, her left arm trembling slightly as she breathed heavily.

"He found my weakness, and I couldn't launch a continuous attack, so I couldn't beat him."

The female bartender put her arm around Thales' shoulder and gave him an awkward smile.

"You'll be found out sooner or later if you keep going like this. I'll distract him, and then you can leave alone!"

"Walk along the left-hand alleyway with your body low to the ground, cover your breathing with a black cloth, and turn around immediately if you hear any noise."

"The Brotherhood didn't penetrate too deeply; once they crossed the center of Red Street, their numbers would dwindle."

"Kid, even if you're all alone, you have to survive!"

Thales stared blankly at the bartender who suddenly said goodbye.

Until her figure shot out, facing the eye of the raging wind outside the street.

Without realizing it, Thales reached out and grabbed her back.

Yara.

As the boy listened to the sounds of fighting rising again in the distance, the image of that night—the dog meat in the kitchen of Sunset Bar—came to mind.

"Eat slower, kid! I'm the one who took down this dog!"

"What's wrong with the bartender! I, Yala—I, Yala, am a well-trained bartender!"

"You can't have this dog leg! You can't bite it!"

Bye now.

Sister Yara.

Bye now.

JC.

Thales resolutely turned around and headed deeper into Red Street.

I need to survive—I still owe Yara a favor.

The sounds of fierce fighting behind us grew fainter and fainter.

------------------

A battlefield in complete disarray.

Cohen, leaning on his sword and supporting himself against the wall on his left, knelt and coughed violently.

The guard's chest was bleeding.

His left rib was pierced, his lung was damaged, and the wound almost reached his heart.

Moreover, the enemy's ferocious finishing power still lingered at his wound.

Even Cohen's prized finishing move, "Radiance of the Stars," couldn't withstand it.

His enemy, Cohen, looked up at the swordsman in red and black clothes who remained expressionless.

The red and black swordsman's left shoulder armor was pierced by Cohen's "Sharp Sword," and his shoulder was bleeding. He also had a cut on his left chin and the left side of his neck.

But it's much better than Cohen's situation.

Just as both swords were about to pierce each other, the two men displayed completely different fighting skills.

Cohen unleashed a portion of the Stars' Radiance, condensing it into a "Star Shield" to protect his heart, deflecting a deadly sword aimed straight at his vitals, and then thrusting his sword out with all his might.

The red and black swordsman, disregarding the silver blade aimed at his throat, instead, at the very moment the blade was about to reach his body, calmly yet frantically thrust his sword forward, a fraction faster than Cohen, and plunged the sword into his opponent's chest and ribs.

Then, taking advantage of the moment when Cohen's longsword trembled, the swordsman ducked to avoid his throat, leaving only a cut on his chin and neck. He then let Cohen pierce his shoulder armor, determined to push the sword in a little further.

Standing on top of each other.

“You are an excellent swordsman,” the red and black swordsman suddenly said.

"Faced with such a sword, many people avoid its edge and then plan a counterattack."

"But you insisted on thrusting that sword."

"As for the defensive measures, that's something the military taught you, right?"

Cohen coughed up a mouthful of blood and chuckled, "An old soldier once told me: On the battlefield, you must have a backup plan to save your life—that way you can outlive the enemy and be less injured than them."

The red and black swordsman was silent for a moment, then chuckled softly: "He must have never been a suicide squad member."

Cohen, panting, frowned: "On the western front, in the suicide squads that charged the Bone Men and Orcs—did you do that?"

The swordsman nodded:
"three times."

"Which guard?" Cohen licked the blood from his mouth and looked up.

"Skull Guard, Seventeenth Suicide Squad."

“Falkenhausen’s suicide squad, three times?” Cohen gave a familiar smile. “Looks like you’ve offended someone important.”

"And you, Guardian?" the red and black swordsman asked silently.

"Raven Guard, Second Assault Team."

"'The Ravens of Thunder'? The Second Assault Team?" The swordsman frowned as well: "Hmph, no wonder the name Kalabyan sounded so familiar. Looks like he's a nobleman."

Cohen coughed up blood and said with a bitter smile:
"Actually, I always wanted to ask, is the Chaka wine before the charge delicious? My father never let me drink it."

"It tastes awful. That damned quartermaster, he even skimps on the wine meant for the dead to drink." The swordsman replied coldly.

"Is it."

"Yes."

Their conversation suddenly stopped. The red and black swordsman suppressed his madness and violence, and Cohen also suppressed his helplessness and panting.

“Grubon Remer, Skull Guard, Seventeenth Suicide Squad, Sword and Shield Soldier,” Groudon, the red and black swordsman, said in a cold voice, “That is my name. It is an honor to fight you, Your Excellency, Guardian.”

“Cohen Karabyan, Raven Guard, Second Assault Team, Operations Captain,” the guard chuckled bitterly, “This honor belongs to me, uh, you little gangster?”

The next second, Cohen's smile vanished.

They both looked at each other seriously and intently.

On Cohen's sword, the brilliance of the stars flickered.

On Groudon's right arm, a violent power surged, causing the veins to bulge.

The final sword strike that decides life and death—this is the moment for the final swordsman.

It is glorious and sacred, and must not be desecrated.

But the next moment, their expressions suddenly changed!
Suddenly, the sound of howling wind came from next door.

A slender and graceful figure, wielding two swords, tumbled from the air and landed on the street!

This distance should be enough.

The female bartender, panting, looked at the two people, one kneeling and one standing.

Until she saw Cohen's clothes.

Hopefully that brat can—wait, Kingdom Guardian?

This is a gang war, so why are the gangsters here?
Cohen and Groton also looked at her with suspicion.

"Someone from another gang?" Cohen thought, hoping it wasn't the Blood Bottle Gang.

"I don't think I've ever heard the adults mention this woman before," Groudon thought to himself. "Is she a pawn that's been brought in from outside?"
"You can't escape, bartender!"

The wind howled, and accompanied by a soft, feminine voice, Rolf appeared at the street corner, where he also saw the two swordsmen.

“Groudon? You should be guarding the adults,” Rolf said, frowning as he looked at the swordsman. “Why are you here with a—green-skinned guy?”

"Very good," Cohen thought to himself, "they're in cahoots, so..."

The guard turned to the female bartender: Since this woman is an opponent of his enemy, she shouldn't be a member of the Blood Bottle Gang.

“Focus on cleaning up your rats,” Groudon, the red and black swordsman, said coldly, seemingly unwilling to exchange any more words with Rolf. “I’ll get my job done.”

After saying this, Groudon coldly raised his sword at Cohen.

Cohen slowly stood up, gritted his teeth, and held the silver sword across his chest.

Rolf pursed his lips, and the wind beside him continued to churn.

Yara took a deep breath, knelt down on one knee, and adjusted her angle.

All four understood the situation on the field.

Two Blood Bottle Gangs, one Brotherhood, and one Greenskin—oh, I mean, the Watchman.

The next moment, all four of them started moving!
Groudon's longsword flashed red as it relentlessly pursued Cohen's heart!
Cohen's face paled, and facing Groudon, he drew his longsword into a defensive ring!
Rolf's figure disappeared again, but the sound of the wind rushed towards Yara!

Yara leaped into the air, her twin blades slicing through the air as she advanced, but unexpectedly hurtling towards—

Cohen!

------------------

Thales carefully covered his face with a black cloth, concealing his breathing as he fled, avoiding the two teams of elite thugs who were locked in a fierce battle.

Among the crowd, a figure nearly two meters tall stood out. Wherever his iron fist struck, the members of the Blood Bottle Gang with red headscarves flew out.

It's probably one of the Brotherhood's top fighters; I don't know if it's one of the Thirteen Generals or the Six Giants.

It couldn't possibly be one of the three legendary assassins.

But Thales simply walked around quietly.

This is not his fight.

He wanted to escape.

For myself, and for Yara.

For the beggars of the sixth house.

Thales turned a corner, only to be met with an air barrier.

At that time, he did not know that this was the famous "invisible wall" among masters.

He angrily slammed his fist on the barrier.

Damn mage.

We have to take a detour again.

I hope I don't run into anyone.

Thinking of people, Thales couldn't help but recall the voice that had just reminded him to "lower his head".

He initially thought it was Yara, since she appeared right in front of him immediately.

But he later realized that the voice couldn't possibly be Yara's.

It was a hoarse, indistinguishable voice.

I wasn't the only one there, Yara and Rolf.

That was the fourth person.

Thales felt a chill run down his spine. He suddenly realized that the person who had just spoken up to remind him to lower his head was a fourth person present.

Why were Yara and Rolf completely unaware?
Mingming Yara appeared in front of Thales immediately after the earth and rocks were thrown.

Without a doubt, Thales concluded that his strength was far greater than that of Yara and Rolf.

But since he has no hostility towards me, why doesn't he offer to help?
"Bang!" Thales crashed into an invisible barrier again.

He patted his head in frustration.

There are more and more of these weird things out there. They're free and don't cost any mana!

Thales turned in one direction and ran forward.

"collapse!"

Another barrier!
This time, Thales couldn't stop himself and fell to the ground, hitting his left forehead on the side of the house.

Thales grimaced as he rubbed his broken head, then raised his bleeding head and looked at what was in front of him.

Something's not right.

This was a crossroads. Although it was pitch black all around, according to his memory, he was probably close to the center of Red Town Street.

Even the sounds of fighting gradually faded into the distance.

Thales moved his feet slightly in the other three directions and reached out his hands.

Then, he touched two barriers in two directions not far away.

Three routes blocked? Thales was shocked.

It truly combines the eeriness and allure of a horror film.

Thales remained silent for a moment, then turned to the only direction without a barrier.

He silently reached out his hand, and sure enough, this time, he walked more than ten meters without any hindrance.

It's like an exit that was deliberately left out.

Thales' heart sank deeper and deeper.

I never expected this, even though we've already come all this way.

Hey.

Fate, you're such a bitch.

He abruptly flung his right hand away from his forehead, letting the blood drip onto the ground.

The boy resolutely walked another dozen steps down the empty street until he approached a house.

In the center of the house is a half-open double wooden door.

Thales looked up. There was a large sign on the door. The boy, who didn't know many words, could only barely recognize one word, because he used to beg at the Black Gold Casino.

The word is:

Chess and card games.

Thales turned around and looked at the other three blocked directions, remembering the pain of blood flowing from his forehead.

Is there nowhere else to go?

“This invitation is really crude,” Thales muttered.

But he still sighed, stopped hesitating, pushed open the half-closed door, and walked into the chess and card room in the center of Hongfang Street.

The room was pitch black, with only a few faint lights in the distance, like old-fashioned candles.

They really know how to create an atmosphere.

"Welcome to my playground, my little friends."

As Thales walked past the chess and card tables (bumping into quite a few), he heard a cheerful and relaxed voice.

"My name is Ashida Sakorn, and my colleagues usually call me: the Air Mage."

a long time.

Thales used all his strength from two lifetimes to calm the panic in his heart.

In the darkness before them, only a single candle flickered faintly; that was the entrance to the cellar of the card room.

Thales took a deep breath, went down into the cellar, and then held his breath, pressing down on his wildly beating heart.

Before him sat a handsome man in a blue shirt with long, dark brown hair, sitting at a long table, smiling and nodding at him.

"As for the invitations, I will pay attention to that next time."

------------------

The inner altar of the Temple of Sunset.

The middle-aged nobleman with gray hair could not hide his excitement. Before him, the lamp on the altar, which bore the future of the kingdom, was growing larger and redder.

He picked up the lamp and strode out of the inner altar of the temple.

The elderly priestess behind her was startled and reached out to stop her, but then she remembered something and her hand suddenly froze in mid-air.

The priest sighed, watched the nobleman's figure disappear into the distance, and slowly sat down.

After a while, the elder priest summoned Nia, the intern who was still half asleep.

"Make preparations. Starting tomorrow, the inner altar will be open to the public."

(End of this chapter)