Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 346 Silver Shadow
Thales gritted his teeth, his trembling slightly.

He looked up suddenly!
However, the strange man on the rock wall disappeared again.

Thales' breathing quickened.

No.

KZ...

He didn't care about any of that nonsense anymore. Thales frantically reached out towards the edge of the collapse, trying to grab onto something to climb down and find Kerz.

But as if Black Path was deliberately toying with him, the cracking sound came from above his head again.

"Crash-"

A rock fell down, and Thales instinctively lunged to the side. The rock hit him where he had been standing, scattering fragments everywhere.

Damn...

Damn!

"boom!"

Countless pebbles continued to fall from his sides and above his head. The boy could only clutch his head tightly, curl up into a ball, and roll around in the perception of the River of Sin, trying his best to avoid the larger stones.

"A rustling sound..."

Finally, Thales felt that everything around him had quieted down.

The prince, panting, lowered his arms, lay back, and tried to suppress the soreness and discomfort in his eyes.

KZ...

Recalling the seamstress's despairing face at the end, Thales couldn't help but clench his fist and slam it hard on the ground.

Just then, Thales suddenly felt a chill on the top of his head.

He sat up abruptly!

Sure enough, the prince was horrified to see countless figures reappear around him.

The wall in front, the protruding rock behind, the ground to the left of my foot, the cliff edge above my head...

Dry, withered skin, pale eyes, and rotting lips and teeth.

It is them.

It's them again.

Countless bizarre faces slowly emerged from the rock wall as if they were not physical entities at all.

Join us...

There were hundreds of them, covering almost all the visible rock walls, all staring at Thales with deathly pale eyes from all directions.

You don't belong there...

Join us...we are one...returning to the battlefield...

Thales felt a chill run down his spine and took a step forward to move away from the "person" behind him who was about to touch him.

More and more sounds entered his ears, and Thales instinctively covered his forehead—his headache was starting again.

Why...didn't victory come...?

Behind you are your fathers, wives, and children. For the sake of the North... hold this place to the death...

Remember, we didn't kill anyone. We are the army. When we go to the battlefield, it is the army that kills. So we are not the murderers. It is the Empire that kills. It is the Empire's responsibility. We are just following orders. We are innocent, innocent...

Forward...forward...until death...

There's no other way, we don't have enough food... Go to the villages to scavenge for grain, but remember to be polite and buy it...

No, anyone who dares to resist the grain requisition is an enemy... Let's eat the warhorses first, start with the sick ones, it'll be quicker... Bring the prisoners of war here, it's only right for us to devour the flesh and blood of the enemy... No more prisoners of war? Let's go to the villages, it's alright, we'll only pick the worst scum, we're doing a good deed...

[Follow Yus, let's pull this off... As long as we take down Duke Arend, the North will be ours... The fate of the Night Legion rests on this day!]

[Run... The emperor has lost... We have no hope. Run, run to the desert, run to Xitao Province, run to Longwen Province...]

I have to crawl back, crawl back... my daughter, my wife... they're waiting for me... no, I can't scare them, I have to find my head first...

Suddenly, the prince sensed something, and he shakily raised his head.

Thales froze.

is it.

It's that man.

The "it" that was just at the top of the rock face still stared with terrifying white eyes and bared rusty teeth.

At this moment, it floated in mid-air, surrounded by black mist, slowly "drifting" towards Thales.

You... belong to us...

Thales struggled to dispel the chill and fear, clenching his fists.

Recalling the expression on Krzysz's face as he fell, anger and hatred surged within him.

"Who are you!"

It didn't react at all, it just drifted in silently.

"What exactly are you—" Thales began through gritted teeth, but abruptly stopped.

It drew closer and closer, facing Thales directly amidst the gaze of countless faces.

Thales figured something out.

He took a few deep breaths, overcoming his trembling and goosebumps, and spoke stiffly in the ancient imperial language that Gilbert had once taught him:

"who are you?"

Thales saw that "it" paused slightly.

The swirling black mist slowly departed from its body.

"What...do you want?"

In mid-air, the most special "it" slowly raised its head and shook its head violently.

Thales noticed that its colors seemed a bit brighter.

Its expression shifted, and the stiff muscles around its lips trembled as it opened, emitting a chilling laugh.

But the next moment, it suddenly opened its mouth wide, revealing sharp teeth!

【Aa ...

A piercing roar suddenly rang in Thales' ears!
He instinctively covered his ears and recoiled in pain.

As it howled mournfully, hundreds of faces around it stirred, opening their mouths as if they were about to rot, responding to the howl!

The next second, countless "people" left their original positions, revealing their bodies in addition to their heads amidst howls.

Like a predatory beast.

[The Prison River, what does the Prison River look like...? Mother, can I see you there...?]

[To die loyal to the Iron-Blooded King is a death without regret...]

No, our deaths will not be meaningless... This corrupt so-called empire, that arrogant and shameless tyrant... must be overthrown!

Avenge them!

Believe me, as long as we wipe out all the enemies, leaving none alive, peace will come... What? New enemies? Then keep killing... until the day peace arrives...

[My God, a dragon, that's a dragon... How could we possibly defeat a dragon...]

After the war, I'll be promoted to captain, and then I'll go home and marry Ellie...

I am... who am I...?

No, we took up arms for them... I'd rather go to the gallows than harm them...

I joined the army to win the war... so that my son, and my son's son, won't have to serve in the army anymore...

Countless voices, like whispers, pierced through the howls without hindrance and poured into Thales' ears.

Thales covered his ears tightly, in great pain.

The closest one to him, a "person" with only half a face, roared and stretched out a withered, branch-like hand, first touching Thales' left arm.

"Ahhh-"

Thales cried out in pain!
That feeling...

Just like...

It's like being immersed in boiling water and then having ice water poured on top!

A sensation of both coldness and burning heat spread simultaneously to the arm that was being touched.

The River of Sin began to operate wildly, instinctively strengthening his arm muscles, hand bones, filling his joints, and accelerating his blood flow.

Thales roared and swung the JC dagger with all his might, but...

Useless.

The intangible monster's arm passed through Thales's hand without any obstruction, leaving behind a wisp of visible smoke.

Thales roared, the pain persisting, and as the monster seeped in, the agony in his arm intensified.

Not only that, but hundreds of monster faces on the rock wall stretched out their limbs and climbed up the rock wall towards him!

She reached out her hand to him tremblingly.

Not just the arms, but also the legs, neck, and head...

No.

no no!
Every time Thales came into contact with them, it was like he was being tortured; he could only roar in vain, and even the Sin of the River of Hell could not help him.

Amidst the excruciating pain, Thales' consciousness gradually faded.

Oops.

I……

It seems... it's almost time.

Just as he struggled to raise the dagger, trying to slash his own palm in a final desperate attempt.

"Beep——"

Thales suddenly felt a pain in his ear.

tinnitus!

An incredibly piercing tinnitus struck abruptly!

It almost overshadowed the pain throughout his body!
Stimulated by tinnitus, Thales convulsed continuously, feeling as if his body was no longer his own.

Along with the tinnitus came a blinding silver light.

It lit up the dark cave, illuminating this narrow corner.

As if they had encountered their natural enemy, hundreds or even thousands of "people" covered their pale eyes in agony the moment they saw the silver light.

[It hurts...]

It was him...

【It's him! 】

They released the desperately struggling Thales and retreated!
The silver light drew closer.

The tinnitus is getting stronger and stronger.

Their pitiful howls rang out again.

But this time, Thales sensed fear and disgust in their emotions.

No, it hurts so much...

That northerner...

It was him, and his power...

He'll be ours sooner or later...

[Hurry up...]

【escape……】

Before the silver light, they eagerly released Thales, retreated, and disappeared back into the dark rock wall.

The silver light was so bright that Thales couldn't open his eyes.

His tinnitus hadn't lessened, but Thales was slowly getting used to it.

But as the monsters left, Thales breathed a sigh of relief: the pain in his body had subsided.

Soon, the deep, murmuring voices stopped ringing in Thales' ears.

It was as if the window to the bustling city had been closed. Finally, the bottom of this dark pit was devoid of monsters, leaving only pitch-black rock layers.

And Thales.

The boy struggled to sit up, desperately blocking the blinding silver light shooting towards him, enduring the slightly less piercing ringing in his ears, and first looked at his own body.

To his surprise, despite still vividly remembering the pain, he had no injuries from the monster on his body other than the scrapes and bruises he had sustained while fleeing.

So, those things really are...

Just now.

The silver light dimmed.

The tinnitus then disappeared.

and many more.

Thales shuddered!
The strange tinnitus he had just experienced... gave him a strange sense of familiarity.

Yes, tinnitus...

I have experienced it myself.

Twice, once in the stars, once in the north.

Once during a bloodline ritual.

In a sacred duel.

and so……

The prince seemed to have figured something out, and he slowly turned his head.

Two steps away from him, at the center of the dazzling silver light.

There, a figure emerged as the silver light faded.

This is a man.

A man made of silver light.

The other person watched him silently.

Thales stared blankly at the figure in the silver light and came to the next conclusion: he was a warrior.

The outline of the other person was adorned with silver light, except for the facial features, which were dark and deep.

The silver light formed his light armor, even depicting the strong muscles and slender figure exposed between his armor plates.

However, what impressed Thales the most was the heroic spirit, majesty, grandeur, and charisma that the silver-clad man exuded when he stood before him.

They seem like figures from myths and legends.

But the other side was still just a transparent silver light, and Thales could even see the rock layers behind it through its body.

Thales looked at him in surprise: So, who exactly is he...?

The next second, the figure took a step and slowly spoke.

His voice was cold and sharp, and his enunciation was like iron.

"So, you are the culprit."

What reached my ears was a common language that was half ancient and half modern, with a northern accent.

Thales blinked: "What?"

The figure in the silver light shook its head and stepped forward:
"You don't belong here."

Thales felt a surge of tension as he watched him slowly approach.

“I don’t really belong here, I’m sorry,” Thales said, scrambling to his feet and shaking his wrists, feeling the pain from the River of Hell. “So who are you?”

The silver-clad figure paused slightly in his steps.

Who am I?

His handsome face tilted to one side, and his dark eyes distorted slightly.

Seems to be thinking.

"who am I?"

But Thales could only sense a deep sense of bewilderment in his words.

The silver-clad figure shook his head: "I don't know."

"I can't remember."

Thales was taken aback.

The silver-clad figure suddenly looked up, his tone resolute: "But I must protect this place..."

"And you, you've come to the wrong place."

His deep, dark eyes seemed to possess a power that could pierce through people's hearts, making Thales' heart tighten.

The silver figure walked up to him, then suddenly stretched out his strong right arm, made of silver light, and touched his face!
"what!"

Thales cried out in pain, startled—the Silver Shadow's touch felt tangible, and wherever the silver light touched, his skin felt a stinging pain!
The prince gritted his teeth and took two steps back, pulling away from the other man's arm. He gripped the dagger and watched the man warily.

His tinnitus started again.

“You’re different…” The silver-clad figure seemed increasingly puzzled: “An ominous aura permeates your body, even the power of the mountains repels you…”

"but……"

Thales stared wide-eyed, indicating that he could not understand the current situation.

The tall, silver-clad figure shook his head abruptly.

It was as if it was trying to shake something off.

When he looked up again, his mood had turned cold, and his tone was solemn:

“No,” the silver-clad figure said resolutely, his features, framed by silver light, slowly coalescing as if trying to convince himself, “you are nothing more than their new trick…”

"It is a byproduct of their chaotic consciousness."

"It's the other side of evil!"

The next second, a brilliant silver light shone!

The silver shadow figure instantly transformed into a silver light figure, closing in on Thales in a flash and grabbing his neck tightly!

and many more……

How is this going……

But his thoughts were quickly interrupted.

Thales felt an immense pressure coming along with that arm, rendering him completely immobile!
Tinnitus and stinging pain instantly reached Thales' nerves, even more intense than before, causing him to scream.

"Ah ah ah..."

"No!"

Unlike the intangible monsters, the silver-haired man's arm was almost imperceptible. When he firmly pressed down on Thales's neck, it actually made the latter feel a phantom sense of suffocation.

The hesitant voice of the silver-clad figure pierced through the ringing in my ears: "I have a responsibility, I must protect..."

"I will eliminate the threat..."

The opponent raised his left arm, and the silver light on his arm grew stronger and stronger, piercing straight into Thales' chest!

The silver light pierced straight into Thales' chest.

In that instant, Thales was jolted awake, feeling a chill surge from his heart!
It caused a stinging pain all over my body!
Even the Sin of the River of Hell seemed to be firmly suppressed, showing no reaction whatsoever!

Tinnitus, stinging pain, and chills were like three tortures tormenting him at the same time!
"Aaaaaah!" Thales squeezed his eyes shut, his face contorted, and howled in pain a hundred times more agonizing than before.

Just now.

"what?"

Abruptly, the silver-haired man stopped what he was doing.

He pulled his left arm out of Thales' chest.

The silver-haired man's dark eyes slowly approached: "This is..."

Thales, who was being held down, stopped shouting. He was covered in cold sweat and panting heavily, and he looked like he was about to collapse.

The light emanating from the silver-clad figure dimmed, and he transformed back into the silver shadow figure, catching the limp Thales in his arms.

What...what is he trying to do?!

Repeated torture?
Sadistic?

Thales felt the stinging and tinnitus disappear, but he felt as if he had just gone through a great battle, his body was exhausted and his mind was scattered.

The silver figure gently laid him flat, placed his left hand on Thales' left chest, and touched his chest, causing Thales to feel waves of discomfort from the stinging sensation.

The next second, the silver-clad figure raised his head, his tone serious: "Who are you?"

Thales could barely maintain even the most basic thinking. He lay helplessly on the ground, feeling as if every cell in his body was screaming in resentment at the abuse inflicted by his master.

Damn it.

you this……

Neuropathy……

“I,” he gasped, a cold laugh escaping his lips, his words a mixture of resentment and frustration, “was just a lost traveler, a poor lamb who went astray and stumbled upon a pervert…”

Just then, the silver light on the Silver Shadow Man intensified once more!
The stinging pain and tinnitus returned, causing Thales, who had just recovered, to tremble again.

"I hate brats the most."

“So, you son of a bitch, I’ll ask you one more time,” the Silver Shadow said coldly.

The silver shadow figure pressed his palm firmly against Thales' chest, pushing down hard, and the silver light seeped in again!
"Who the hell are you?!"

"Aaaaaah—" Tinnitus, stinging pain, pressure, suffocation, chill... Tormented by a barrage of sensations, Thales decisively gave up resisting and roared in utter terror:

"TalesTalesTales—"

"Tales Shining Star!"

"I am Thales Shining Star!"

Bearing all the grievances and frustrations of the day, he looked up to the sky and roared, "A cursed prince from a certain cursed kingdom!"

Thales' voice carried far, and the echo was deafening.

The prince, panting heavily in a cold sweat, was astonished to find that the silver sadist's hand had left his chest.

The unsettling silver light emanating from the other person also subsided.

The silver shadow figure slowly stood up.

"Brilliant Star?"

He looked at the dying prince, seemingly chewing on the name.

“Brilliant Star…”

The silver shadow man raised his head:

"A familiar surname."

He turned around, walked away from Thales, leaving him with his back turned.

The dazed Thales struggled to his feet and noticed that the armor on the other person, made of silver light, had a rough and simple decorative style.

This style is like...

“Even if the memories of the past have long since crumbled like rotten wood,” the silver-clad figure slowly raised his head, and for the first time, a strange emotion appeared in his icy tone:

"Yet it can still ring the bell in my consciousness, stirring ripples in my thoughts..."

“Brilliant Star…”

Despite the pain that gnawed at every part of his body, Thales stood up, leaning against the rock wall, filled with awe and doubt, wanting nothing to do with this sadist.

The silver-clad figure whirled around, his features sharpening, and he looked serious.

"So, young Shining Star..."

"You shouldn't have come here."

"You shouldn't have woken them up either."

"Awaken this cruel and inhumane curse."

By the way, the previous section on the day of the hearing has been revised.

Most legitimate channels should be updated in real time.

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(End of this chapter)