Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 301 Fight
That afternoon, Thales, clutching his longsword and shield, walked out of the Blood Courtyard and headed to the training grounds, accompanied by guards and attendants.

He stepped on the paving stones, crossed each step, walked past every tree and blade of grass in Valhalla, and looked at the palace guards or grand dukes' guards who were like statues or fierce-looking men, watching them dutifully clear the way and protect him.

These things...

these people……

this place……

And I.

Thales gritted his teeth slightly.

"What's the matter, Your Highness?"

Thales snapped out of his daze and looked at Wyman with a puzzled expression: "What? What's wrong?"

“Since yesterday, you have…” The prince’s attendant looked worried. He looked around before whispering, “Especially after talking with the people of Black Sand Territory.”

Thales paused slightly, then stopped.

As the prince suddenly stopped, the Grand Duke's guards around him seemed to sense something was amiss. They spontaneously spread out, fixed their weapons, and guarded any entrances or exits that could be used to break into the prince's vicinity from outside the courtyard.

Of course, the same applies if you reverse the direction.

"Your Highness?" Lord Justin's question came from among the guards.

Thales frowned.

The omnipresent protection used to make him feel safe, but now...

Since the dramatic changes six years ago, he had never felt that the current scene was so jarring and incongruous.

“It will be over in a moment, Lord. Say a few words,” Thales called out, raising his hand.

Lord Justin waved from afar, and the atmosphere relaxed somewhat.

The prince turned around and gave Wyman a forced smile.

"Is it so obvious?"

It seems I still need to practice more.

Beside Wyatt, Rolf let out a cryptic hum and made a gesture:
【fine. 】

Thales raised an eyebrow and nodded: "Then I'm relieved."

Watching the two exchange, Wyman sighed, "Others might not notice, but..."

He frowned, looking at the prince with concern, and said nothing more.

Thales smiled helplessly.

“Waiya, Midila,” the prince called out their names, resting his sword on the ground, and sighed, “Have you ever experienced this: waking up one day to find that your longtime allies may all be your enemies?”

Wyman paused for a moment, then quickly looked around.

Rolf, however, snorted coldly and gestured:

Look at my legs.

Thales frowned as he looked at the hatred in the eyes of the Wind-Walking Ghost.

“Relax, Midila,” he shook his head. “You’ve made your choice. You don’t have to live for the past.”

Rolf didn't say anything, he just stared at him.

“Your current condition greatly worries me, Your Highness,” Wyatt’s expression grew increasingly grim. “If we can share your burdens…”

“Wyatt,” Thales interrupted him.

The prince gave a bittersweet yet serene smile: "I remember you said: 'Treat every farewell as a final goodbye, so that we don't miss out on our lives.'"

Wyman nodded slightly: "From my teacher, she is a respectable person."

“Yes,” Thales chuckled, savoring the sentence, and gave a look of agreement.
"Life is wonderful, and we shouldn't miss it."

The attendant and the ghost with the wind were both taken aback.

"Where is Putila?" the prince asked calmly.

Wyman frowned: "He had his own things to do and went out early this morning."

“Is that so…” Thales hesitated for a few seconds, then looked up: “Get ready.”

Wyman looked puzzled: "Prepare what?"

Thales shook his head: "Don't ask."

“Whatever is about to happen, don’t panic,” he sighed. “Trust me, trust your prince.”

After the two looked at each other, completely bewildered, the second prince took a deep breath, started walking towards the training ground again.

The Grand Duke's guards then followed in large groups, their movements swift and decisive.

On the training field, Nikolai, dressed in sharp military uniform, raised his axe and glanced sideways at Thales, who had just arrived:

"I heard you caused trouble for Risban again yesterday—in Dragonsky City, you were having a leisurely chat with the people from Black Sand Territory?"

Thales regulated his breathing, loosened his joints, and calmly looked at the pale-faced man in front of him.

The Meteorite.

The one who took Horace Star's life.

What kind of person is he?
The prince recalled the arrogance of the other party when they intercepted him outside Dragon Sky City, their viciousness when they threatened him in the Hall of Heroes, their cold indifference when they watched that scene in the Hall of Heroes, and their tenacity and heroism when they single-handedly blocked the enemy army in front of the city gate.

What am I in his eyes?
And now...

“Dragon City has enough trouble of its own, there’s no need for me to cause any more trouble.” Thales finished his warm-up and walked expressionlessly onto the training field. A dozen steps away from them, Selma had already begun practicing dagger self-defense techniques.

The Meteorite narrowed his eyes: "Yes, because you yourself are a big problem."

“Heh,” Thales snorted, raising his shield and tapping it, striking a pose. “I generously forgive you, Lord. Who knows, I might even miss your foul mouth someday.”

Nicolai was slightly taken aback, then pouted: "You're unusually bold today."

“Come on,” Thales said calmly, but a hint of seriousness flashed in his eyes. He said softly, “This is the moment for us to fight. Don’t be careless.”

The next moment, the Meteorite's axe struck out like a thunderbolt!

Having anticipated this, Thales calmly observed his opponent's movements and was not misled by the feint.

He stepped back, not rushing forward, but steadily resisting the second wave of attack hidden under that axe.

Boom!
Thales braced himself against the axe blade, grinning, "Ha, once you get the hang of it, those unpredictable movements of yours aren't so hard to dodge... uh!"

With a muffled groan from the prince, Nikolai nonchalantly retracted his axe handle: "You're dead."

"The power of termination again," Thales, his face ashen and covered in cold sweat, gritted his teeth and forced out the two words:

“How cunning.” “Watch your footing,” Nikolai replied coldly, swinging his single-edged axe. “I haven’t even used ‘Fate’s Blow’ yet. This is just an appetizer—the power of endings is not just a momentary lifeline; it will shape a person’s fighting style over a long period of time.”

With a pained expression, Thales clutched his stomach and staggered back: "Is this your style? Floating around like that, unpredictable movements?"

“There’s only one like it in the North,” Nikolai said with a hint of arrogance. He swung his axe, which then miraculously veered off course, turning back to his left and twirling around his wrist before being firmly grasped by its master. “You should feel honored, because most of those who have seen it are already dead.”

Thales exhaled, easing the pain in his abdomen, and frowned as he looked at the other man, forcing an unpleasant smile: "So, the former captain of King Nunn's personal guard, the commander of the melee... even in battle, you're quite adept at acting and habitually deceitful, aren't you?"

Nikolai's expression changed slightly.

"You still have the leisure to provoke your opponent? You seem quite confident."

“In the past, the training would end after you died thirty times, but I’m in a good mood today,” Meteorite looked coldly at Thales and snorted, “How about we make it a hundred times?”

With an unfriendly expression, he slowly raised his axe.

Just now.

"They know."

Thales, leaning on his sword and shield, said, seemingly casually.

Nicolai frowned slightly: "Them? What do they know?"

The prince took a breath and looked up to stare directly at the meteorite before him.

“They already know,” Thales said solemnly, looking into Nicolai’s sharp eyes, “that Selma Alex Suril Walton is not a true Walton.”

At that moment, time seemed to freeze in the area around them.

Nikolai's gaze lingered in the air for a few seconds, his lips parted slightly, and the muscles on his pale face trembled slightly.

Thales patted his shield, looking back at him calmly but with a hint of worry.

"You mean..." The Meteorite's face was grim, but he quickly realized, "Yesterday, Black Sand Territory?"

"That's what they told you?"

Thales nodded expressionlessly.

Nikolai stared at him, motionless, even the heavy axe seemed to freeze in mid-air.

His expression was like that of a lone sailor on the high seas who had just discovered that his boat was leaking.

“The only saving grace is,” Thales said, looking at the Meteorite’s face, “that he won’t easily use this to blackmail us.”

Faced with the puzzled and worried Nikolai, Thales gently tapped his shield: "The Grand Duchess was one of the people who chose the king, and her vote was crucial to the new king, ensuring the legitimacy and validity of that election."

“Once she loses her throne due to her bloodline, King Chaman’s crown will also be in jeopardy—that is the only reason we are still safe.”

Nikolai seemed still reeling from the shock, muttering, "So..."

Thales nodded heavily: "The current situation is like that of us—a sword is hanging over the throat of both Dragonsky City and Black Sand Territory, the hilt of which is in each other's hands, ready to destroy each other at any moment."

The silence lasted for a long time.

Until Thales took a step without warning, tilted his shield forward, and thrust his longsword out!

clang!
Even in his daze, Nikolai still possessed terrifying instincts and awareness. With astonishing speed, he swung his axe backhand, cleaving Thales' longsword in two, then spun around and elbowed the prince's shield!

Thales's hand jolted, and his vision blurred.

thump!
A soft gasp of surprise rippled through the crowd of onlookers.

By the time Thales came to his senses amidst the pain and could see clearly what was in front of him, he had already been pinned to the ground by the Meteorite, his sword and shield slipping from his hands.

Meanwhile, Nikolai's axe handle was pressed firmly against Thales' chest.

“Rumba and Black Sand Ridge,” Nicolai tightened his grip, gritting his teeth as he whispered in Thales’ ear:

How did they know?

Thales contorted his face and forcefully moved his throat out of the reach of the axe handle.

“Kambida mentioned the dark room,” the prince said, forcing out the words through clenched teeth. “I suspect that Mrs. Cassan hasn’t been idle these past few years…”

Boom!
Nicolai delivered a cold punch to the floor near Thales' ear, using the momentum to get up from him.

“How is that possible?” Nikolai frowned and reached out his hand to Thales, who was panting heavily on the ground.

Thales took a couple of breaths, but he kept his eyes fixed on the face of the Meteorite.

You know.

You knew very well back then: the Scarlet Witch knew this secret.

But your reaction was, "How is that possible?"
His doubts deepened, and Thales took a deep breath.

“I recognize your expression, and I’m very familiar with it,” the prince said, grabbing Nicolai’s hand and helping him to his feet. “It’s surprise and confusion.”

Thales dusted himself off, turned his head, and said solemnly:

"But it wasn't worry or tension."

“You seem quite confident and not worried at all, Lord Nicolai.”

Nicolai paused slightly: "What are you talking about?"

“You remind me of six years ago, Lord Nicolai,” Thales repeatedly referred to the Fallen One’s official title, unconsciously tightening the somber atmosphere once again: “When we, the old king, and the Grand Duchess witnessed that scene together in the Hall of Heroes, there shouldn’t have been a fifth person.”

Thales sighed, picked up his sword, and said, seemingly casually:

"Theoretically, no one else should know the secret of 'Little Sly' anymore."

Nikolai switched the axe to his left hand, and his eyes slowly turned terrifying.

What are you trying to imply?

Thales chuckled softly, lowered his head, and said in a low voice:

"Do you remember? It was six years ago, when we met Mrs. Cassandra in the secret passage beneath the city gate..."

The Meteorite's brow furrowed more and more deeply.

"Of all these people, you are the only one who has ever made a secret deal with the Dark Chamber and with the Scarlet Witch, Lady Cassandra, Serena Nicholas."

Thales sighed, his gaze still fixed on the other's face, not wanting to miss a single detail: "The contents of your deal remain in doubt. And yesterday, the Black Sand Territory learned the truth about the Grand Duchess through a secret room."

laugh!
Nikolai's axe blade slammed into the sand.

An unnatural red flush appeared on the Meteorite's pale face; his gaze sharpened, and his tone was filled with danger:
"Are you doubting me?"

He was met with Thales' merciless, sweeping double-handed slash!
In the TI finals, Liquid swept all three Chinese teams, and they did so in a way that the Chinese teams had no chance to fight back...

I stated that I am emotionally stable.

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(End of this chapter)