Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 255 Change of Hands
"Watch out for his attack!" Wyman's voice came from behind me. "Just hold him off!"

The blade sliced ​​across Cohen's head, bringing a burst of heat.

Remembering the weapon's capabilities, Cohen dared not resist or retaliate.

He could only frown, crouch down, and roll painfully on the ground to avoid the Rising Sun Saber.

This was the third time he had managed to dodge in such a sorry state.

The smell of burnt hair filled my nostrils.

Damn.

Cohen gripped the "Bearer" sword tightly in his hand in frustration, feeling that he had never encountered such a frustrating battle before.

Even when facing the gray monstrosities in the desert, each over two and a half meters tall, the guard dared to risk injury and endure a few blows, relying on his tall stature and superhuman strength, to create opportunities for his comrades to attack.

But facing that...

That weapon that can cut through everything...

"careful!"

Before Cohen could finish thinking, Rom Tuleha, the Fire Knight of Black Sand Territory and one of the Five Warriors of Exter, swiftly charged forward with his muscular body!
The officer's pupils contracted sharply as he once again scrambled to avoid the saber attack!
How could it be so fast...?

The blade slicing through the wall above his head made a frightening hissing sound.

But this time, after his slash, the Fire Knight delivered a solid punch, slamming it right into the center of the hilt of Cohen's hastily raised sword!
"Boom!"

The latter was so shocked that his chest ached, his body became unsteady, and his feet wobbled again!
Before he could even be surprised by the opponent's relentless attack, the scorching heat of the Rising Sun Saber once again assaulted Cohen's face.

Cohen, on the other hand, was in a predicament where he had just gained his footing and didn't even have time to adjust his posture, let alone defend!
Cohen was jolted awake.

Oops.

Having experienced many battles, Cohen immediately understood.

“Remember, fighting is not a game of exchanging moves, nor is it a turn-based boxing show where you see who can take more hits,” his teacher once told him. “Every time you give up an attack, counterattack, or defense and instead retreat or dodge, you are turning yourself into a wooden stake.”

"It's like giving your opponent an uninterrupted opportunity to attack: they can better control the rhythm, adjust their posture, and strike with confidence, stacking up their offensive and launching a more threatening attack—if you take a step back, it's like the enemy takes two steps forward, and many victories or defeats are decided in a single breath."

Cohen gritted his teeth: That's right, you can't switch hands in a fight.

Because he was wary of the opponent's superior weaponry, he kept dodging and avoiding attacks, so Tuleha's attacks were unimpeded, and each strike was more ferocious than the last.

In the end, the guards had lost all their advantages, were powerless to fight back, and were at the mercy of their opponents.

Unlike chess, in battle, exchanging hands means a dead end!

Cohen was filled with regret, but could only watch as the Rising Sun Saber drew ever closer.

"Hey!"

Seeing Cohen in dire straits, Wyatt roared and unleashed his single-edged sword, now only two-thirds of its length remaining, aiming for Tuleha's vital back!

The blade of no return filled his right arm, releasing the purest killing intent amidst the stinging pain.

Wyatt was determined to force Tuleha to switch to defense.

At the critical moment, Cohen was surprised to find that Tuleha's forward-leaning body swayed slightly, and the Rising Sun Saber stopped moving forward.

A ruthless glint flashed in the Fire Knight's eyes.

The guard felt a chill run down his spine.

"Watch out!" Cohen instantly realized the gravity of the situation. Forgetting his own safety, he roared furiously at Wyman, "His target is..."

But before Cohen could finish speaking, Tuleha’s body suddenly spun around!
Everything happened in a flash of lightning.

"laugh!"

Wyatt's broken sword was cut off again, and a third of the blade fell limply to the ground.

"Boom!"

Wyman stared wide-eyed as the Fire Knight, after slicing through his sword with a single strike, suddenly reached out with his left hand and grabbed Wyman by the neck!

They lifted him up and slammed him backward.

"boom!"

Wyman felt a sharp pain in the back of his head—he had been slammed against the wall by Tuleha.

"Clang!"

In excruciating pain, his single-edged sword, now only half intact, fell limply to the ground.

Cohen stared in disbelief as Tuleha subdued Wyman in an instant.

“Fighting is a matter of life and death,” Tuleha said, raising his bloodied left arm and coldly watching the prince’s attendant, whose vital organs he had seized, struggle in vain. “Young master…”

The guard roared in anger, struggling desperately to his feet, only to find it was too late.

With Wyman's unwilling gaze upon him, the Rising Sun Saber in the right hand of the Fiery Knight emitted astonishing heat and stabbed towards Wyman's chest!

Just now.

A hand suddenly appeared in front of Tuleha.

"Snapped!"

The Fire Knight's weapon was "grabbed" by this hand.

The Rising Sun Saber cut through the palm, leaving the palm connected to the hilt.

A terrifying sizzling sound came from between the blade and the palm, the flesh was charred black, and even sparks flew.

“Got you,” a young and calm voice said, with a slight pant: “Fire Knight.”

Cohen and Wyman both turned around in surprise.

Raphael Lindbergh stood before Tuleha, his face expressionless, his charred right hand outstretched, his five fingers gripping the hilt firmly, ignoring the threat of the scorching blade.

He seemed oblivious to the flames igniting on his opponent's palm.

Tuleha was slightly startled.

He didn't even notice...

Was the other party too adept at stealth, or did they appear at the perfect moment?
“When you lose the Rising Sun Saber, Rom Tulha,” Raphael’s left hand gripped Tulha’s wrist, his two hands, one in front and one behind, firmly controlling the Rising Sun Saber in front of him, and he said softly:
"Are you still the same Fiery Knight?"

Tuleha's pupils contracted as he looked at Raphael's right hand, which was scorched beyond recognition but still gripped the hilt and blade tightly.

No one was more surprised than him when he saw that hand, which was charred and damaged but still intact.

Although it looks pitiful... the high temperature of the Rising Sun Saber can even be used to cast iron and melt gold!
Tuleha was shocked: There's something wrong with this guy's hands...

Who exactly is he—no, what exactly is he?
“In a game where lives are at stake,” Raphael, who had suddenly appeared, glanced at Cohen and spoke coldly to Tuleha, “whether they are at the extreme level or the mortal level, their lives—are no different!”

The next second, Cohen, who had worked with him for many years, roared and sprang up!

The brilliance of the stars shimmered on his skin and blade as he seized the opportunity created by Raphael and moved closer to Tuleha!

Tuleha's left hand held down the struggling Wyah tightly, while his right hand tried to pull back, only to find that his right arm was still firmly controlled by Raphael—strange rustling sounds and constant tremors came from the young man's arms, which was extremely eerie.

The knight frowned.

His right arm only moved a few inches before the young man used a clever angle and point of force to firmly hold it down, making it unable to move!

wrong!

The Fiery Knight could not hide his shock: This strength was completely disproportionate to his size!
With the next breath, Tuleha revealed a fierce expression, twisted his right wrist, and tried to use the sharpness of the Rising Sun Saber to cut through everything and force Raphael back.

With a flick of his wrist, the blade slashed out!
However, Raphael, who was holding the enemy's arm, simply adjusted his body and nimbly dodged to the outside of the enemy's forearm, in the blind spot of the Rising Sun Saber.

Only one piece of clothing was sliced ​​off by the blade and burned to ashes.

Tuleha felt a chill run down his spine.

Oops.

His left and right hands were both restricted, and he had no way to control the Rising Sun Saber.

Unable to move, unable to dodge.

The weapon was disabled, and there was no way to parry.

Is this a strategy planned by this young man?

Lost in thought, the Fiery Knight felt a chill run down his spine—behind him, Cohen resolutely raised his sword "The Bearer," the power of termination filling his arms.

Aiming at the back of Tuleha's neck, the guard roared and unleashed a powerful, diagonal slash!
"laugh!"

The sword pierced through Tuleha's neck.

It brought out fresh blood.

----

“This girl may be of Walton’s blood,” Lumba said coldly, “but she is just a woman and has no right to inherit the position of Grand Duke of Dragonsreach – let alone stand here and question us!”

The Black Sands Grand Duke's terrifying gaze fell upon Selma, causing the girl to shudder slightly and unconsciously reach for the "Triumphant" in her hand.

"Put away your unnecessary sympathy and habitual fear, dukes," Rumba said in an unquestionable tone. "She is not one of us, and this girl has no right to decide Exter's future."

Grand Duke Trudida shrugged slightly, seemingly quite approving.

Just now.

Under the watchful eyes of several dukes, Thales released Selma and slowly but decisively stepped forward.

"So you've finally said it, Your Excellency Grand Duke of Lombardy."

Thales said softly, "For Exter?"

Rumba's expression shifted slightly.

Thales clenched his fist.

Selma used her identity to open a door for him to break the deadlock, and he had to seize the opportunity and press forward step by step.

He used the last of his chips.

Defeat them!

Thales took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes: "As the Grand Dukes of Exter, you must stand together in the face of the immense threat posed by the Star Kingdom, right?"

The moment he spoke, the atmosphere in the hall changed.

People's breathing began to become erratic. The way the dukes looked at him changed.

Grand Duke Ronnie frowned slightly: "What?"

“Look,” Rumba scoffed, “he knows better than we do.”

Grand Duke Lecco, realizing what was happening, coughed lightly: "I must admit, our two countries have always been rivals..."

To everyone's surprise, Thales interrupted Lyco with a strange response at this moment.

"Correct!"

“On this point, I wholeheartedly agree with you, Your Excellency Grand Duke Lyco,” the Prince of the Stars said calmly. “In order to prevent the future of Exter from being destroyed by the stars, you should all point the finger at me and the kingdom behind me—even if it violates the oath of co-governance, even if it goes against your conscience.”

“Your choice is correct,” Thales said firmly.

Upon hearing this, Grand Duke Ronnie frowned slightly, while Grand Duke Lombard's gaze froze in mid-air.

The dukes exchanged glances, their eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and surprise, seemingly doubtful of Thales's words.

Selma, who was behind him, was slightly startled and tugged at his sleeve.

Thales ignored her and looked directly at the only expressionless person in the room—Grand Duke Lyco, the guardian of the city.

The old duke's eyes flickered with a peaceful yet complex light, which contrasted sharply with the pure coldness in the eyes of the grand duke of Lombard.

"But have you thought about it?"

Thales slowly adjusted his speaking speed, steadying his breathing and heartbeat: "Have you thought about it?"

He knew that what he was about to say was the key.

“What you are doing now will ultimately not benefit your Exster, Your Excellency Grand Duke Lyco,” Thales said softly, slowly turning to Ronnie, Trudida, and Aurelius in turn: “nor yours, yours, or your Exster, the four dukes.”

Grand Duke Lecce narrowed his eyes slightly.

Under the complex gazes of the four grand dukes, Thales continued:
“Everything you have compromised and fought for while standing here is for ‘his’ Exter.”

In the hall, the weathered and rugged Grand Duke of Black Sand suddenly widened his eyes!

He stared intently at Thales!
It felt as if it wanted to tear his entire body apart.

But Thales was completely unaware.

Thales stepped forward, looking calmly at the Grand Duke of Black Sands:
“It is exclusively for Charman Rumba, exclusively for him alone, Exter.”

Rumba slowly clenched his fists, meeting Thales's gaze, a boundless rage welling up inside him.

That boy.

That biggest surprise!

“For his own Exter,” the Prince of Stars said calmly, “Grand Duke Lombard has the most thorough understanding; he is capable of sacrificing everything.”

He turned sharply to look at the four grand dukes, his tone resolute:
"For example, from the very beginning, he was prepared to sacrifice those who had sworn oaths with him..."

"But they were kept in the dark the whole time..."

"Allies."

The dukes' eyes all froze.

Boom!
Grand Duke Lombard's sword sheath slammed heavily to the ground!

It immediately attracted the attention of many people.

“I’ve really had enough,” Rumba’s voice held a hint of barely perceptible anger. “Don’t you think this is absurd?”

"Have we dukes just been standing here like idiots watching his performance from the moment we arrived until now?"

The Grand Duke's gaze swept toward the Grand Duke of Black Sand.

Thales pursed his lips—he knew that the attitude of the Grand Dukes would determine the course of the war.

"Don't forget the heavy responsibilities we bear, and the still daunting future."

Rumba warned the four dukes in a tone of warning and impatience: "Please remember that he is our enemy, and judging from his behavior, he may be the most terrible enemy."

The dukes remained silent.

Thales felt Selma suddenly tighten her grip on his hand because of tension.

Rumba looked at the silent grand dukes and nodded.

He turned his head: "Guards..."

Thales' heart tightened!
He looked at the several dukes, his heart filled with anxiety.

Quick.

Hurry up!

Just now.

"Chaman!"

A voice, clearly old and hoarse, sounded like heavenly music to Thales, just in time to interrupt Rumba.

Grand Duke Lecce stroked his bald head, closed his eyes, and slowly exhaled.

“Chaman, Chaman, as a Grand Duke of the North, your courage, strategy and methods are rare among your peers, and I admire you greatly,” Grand Duke Lyco said slowly. “I think even Solon III the Whisperer could not have done better than you.”

Rumba remained silent, a sense of foreboding rising within him.

The next moment, Grand Duke Lyco opened his eyes, which had become clear again after being cloudy, and looked at Thales: "But why are you so afraid of him?"

"Is it really just because he has the Star Kingdom backing him, or because he is exceptionally talented?"

Rumba was slightly taken aback.

“We are not blind, Chaman,” the eldest duke sighed.

“From the moment this boy appeared until now, everything you’ve said, regardless of your stance, has been aimed at preventing him from speaking.”

Rumba turned to the eldest prince in disbelief, then looked at the others.

But they all stared coldly at Rumba, without saying a word.

In that instant, Thales' heart, which had been pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst out of his chest, finally returned to its place.

"Is this child really that terrifying?" Grand Duke Leko's words were soft, yet they carried throughout the hall.

"Could it be that he really only needs a casual remark to pin all five of us dukes down here?"

Thales raised an eyebrow slightly.

In fact—Thales took a deep breath, recalling the options Ashida had given him, and silently thought to himself:

You're absolutely right.

"Or rather," Grand Duke Lyco, like an ordinary village elder, curled the corners of his mouth into an unpleasant smile on his wrinkled face, but his words were profoundly shocking:
"Will he actually say something that will interest us all?"

Rumba's face fell.

He had never felt more strongly than he did now that the grand dukes before him were so foolish.

"If you want to hear what he has to say, you can wait until later and interrogate him thoroughly in prison," the Grand Duke of Black Sands coldly replied. "But we have pressing matters to attend to. Don't forget that Dragon City is still in chaos! Don't forget Prime Minister Lisbon..."

Grand Duke Lecce interrupted him loudly: "The Prime Minister of Lisbon will understand!"

The eldest prince had a serious and sharp look in his eyes: "The problem is, Charman, as an ally, why don't you understand our concerns?"

Rumba gritted his teeth, glancing at the calm Thales, then at Leko.

"And you?" Grand Duke Black Sands turned to the others: "Are you also going to go this crazy?"

The one who answered him was Aurelius.

"For six hundred years, the Aurelius family has been constantly reminding our descendants," the Grand Duke of Weyland stared at Thales with a subtle gaze, "Never underestimate any star, no matter how down on their luck, how submissive, or how weak they may be."

Thales gave an innocent and helpless look.

“So,” Aurelius changed the subject, “I’d rather hear him finish before I hang him.”

“I fully support you, Chaman,” Trudida said with a slight sigh behind Aurelius, “but rather than disagreeing, I think what we need at this time is unity and consensus.”

In that instant, Rumba gripped his sword tightly, his face expressionless.

He turned his head and found Grand Duke Ronnie staring at him, giving Rumba a malicious smile.

“Go on, child,” Grand Duke Lyco said, ignoring Lumba’s reaction and setting the stage for the next meeting: “Especially the part about sacrificing allies.”

Thales smiled.

He knew that from this moment on, the game had changed hands.

The scales tipped again.

Gently patting Selma's hand to soothe her, Thales turned around and nodded slightly to Grand Duke Lyco.

"First, we all need to understand one fact."

“The assassin that Chaman Lumba bribed, Baannet Sarridon, has been hiding on Skycliff,” Thales took a deep breath, recalling the conversation he overheard in the carriage, and spoke slowly and deliberately:
"His plan was to infiltrate Valhalla from there and, taking advantage of the distraction of the White Blade Guard, assassinate King Nunn within the palace."

Rumba closed his eyes.

For the first three seconds, the dukes did not react.

But soon, the four dukes looked at each other.

They exchanged surprised and doubtful glances.

"Yes, that was part of Rumba's original plan."

“King Nunn will die here inexplicably, in this heavily sealed Valhalla,” Thales’ voice was calm, yet filled with solemnity and sorrow:

"To die beside you four grand dukes."

I revised the content of Volume 1 today, but it's not finished yet, so the update is late.

Starting tomorrow, I will resume daily updates!
I'm serious!

By Wujian, who looked completely serious.

Thank you Ranmeng Yeyu for the 20000 Qidian Coins reward!
Oh, before I knew it, I'd become the number one leader of the alliance, even though I don't want a nickname anymore!
Well... then it's time to keep your promise.



(End of this chapter)