Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 449 Chaotic Army
When Sacelle's axe struck Barney's shield, the guard prisoners' reaction was unexpected by Thales.

Barney took the lead, his sword and shield simply blocking Sacel's attack and stopping the latter's assault on Belletti and Brie.

But the others...

"Step back, Samir!"

Amidst the rushing winds of axes and flashes of swords, the fiercely battling Barney, while deflecting a slash from Sacel and pushing away the axe handle that followed, roared at Samir, who was trying to approach the battlefield:
"I'll go for the first round!"

"Nai, cover me!"

Amidst Barney's furious roar, Nai stepped forward to join the battle.

But the rest of the royal guards, instead of rushing in, unusually stayed away from the battlefield:

Without a word, Naki and Brie forcibly pulled Thales to the left and leaned against the wall.

Barney and Nye, the only two people on the battlefield—or rather, only Barney on the front line—appeared somewhat clumsy as they faced Sackel's attacks, which were sometimes agile and swift, and sometimes stormy and fierce.

Naze, who should have been supporting him, stood motionless at a distance, holding a small knife and a dart in his hand, intently watching the two fighting fiercely.

what?
Thales didn't quite understand.

call!
Suddenly, the composed Sackel swung his arm horizontally, using his superior position to push aside Barney's shield, and the axe blade scraped towards the latter's neck!

"clang!"

Barney groaned and spun around, colliding with Sackel.

The two separated immediately after the initial clash, each dodging the opponent's next attack, but it seemed that Barney was at a slight disadvantage—he had a wound on his right arm.

Watching their fight, a bewildered Thales finally gave up struggling and turned to ask the person next to him:

"what happened?"

But before anyone could answer, Samir from the other side seized the opportunity to squeeze in.

As soon as he entered the ranks of his old colleagues, he pointed at Barney, who was locked in fierce combat, and asked in exasperation:

"What's he planning? Is he going to his death?"

Swish!
Another axe-like attack was neutralized by Barney's perfectly timed counter-attack, but he was immediately caught up in a series of subsequent attacks by Sackel, appearing overwhelmed.

Faced with Samir's blunt interrogation, the others all looked rather grim.

But Belletti paid no attention. He watched the two players locked in a tense battle, noticing the staircase entrance blocked behind them by Saxeel, and spoke calmly:

“Barney said that the first round is a test, and we will act according to the situation and try to break through to the next level.”

Samir frowned, looking displeased.

Amidst the sounds of fierce fighting, Thales could no longer contain his questions. He glanced at the rope and decisively asked:

Why don't you help him?

The prince was extremely anxious as he watched little Barney in perilous circumstances.
"There are clearly eight of you..."

But before he could finish his question, he was interrupted by Belletti's hoarse, broken voice:

"It can't be done."

Thales was taken aback.

Can't do it?
He turned his head and glanced at the others, only to find that they all had the same expression on their faces: solemn and helpless.

why?
Meanwhile, the duel between Sackel and Barney Jr. is intensifying.

The two seemed to be really angry, their faces contorted with rage, their movements fierce, and the fight becoming increasingly intense and unbearable.

Just as Sackel roared as he withdrew an axe strike that had nearly shattered a skull, Barney Jr. risked his life to launch an equally sharp and risky attack.

A strong wind swept across our faces, and the steel clanged in unison.

"We can't help him..."

Naki sighed softly, staring at the battlefield between the two, and said listlessly:

“Sakel is no ordinary person, much less an extreme warrior in the ordinary sense.”

Not an ordinary person?

Thales and Quick Rope were both stunned.

Nakimo stroked the weapon in his hand, staring at the two men who were fighting to the death, a deep melancholy hidden between his brows:
"His ultimate power is called 'Chaotic Army,' a rare variant of 'Pegasus Symphony,' the key to which lies in unparalleled perception."

When Naki mentioned this, the members of the royal guard were somewhat dazed.

The Pegasus Melody... Thales found the name somewhat familiar.

Wait, he'd heard Wyman—the real Wyman—say that it was Miranda's finishing power.

Thinking about this, Thales became serious:

"Chaotic armies? Perception? What do you mean?"

This time, it was Belletti who answered him.

"attention."

Belletti's voice was hoarse and disjointed, as if it had been washed by sandstorms.

But this didn't prevent Thales from hearing the anxiety in his words and seeing the hesitation in the other man's eyes:

"A person's energy and attention are limited, and it is impossible to do two things at once. Even when you are fully focused, you can only pay attention to one or two focal points at the same time. If you pay more than that, you will lose enough attention to the target, and you will be able to focus on the front but not the back, or on the left but not the right."

attention……

Thales chewed on the word.

On the other side, Barney, who was being suppressed, finally launched a somewhat successful counterattack:

He took a knee strike from his opponent to slash open Sackel's shoulder, narrowly missing a vital spot.

Thales thought to himself, "What a pity."

“But Sakel is different.”

Belletti's words grew increasingly somber, tinged with a mixture of pride and the pain of betrayal by an old friend:

"'Chaotic Army' takes the perception, observation and rhythm emphasized in the Pegasus Symphony and pushes them to the limit in another direction—Sakel can effectively allocate his attention within a certain range without being distracted, multitasking and mastering all the variables in a battle, with an unknown upper limit."

Is your mind multitasking?

Thales glanced at Sackel, who was skillfully wielding his axe, then at Barney, who was charging forward with all his might, and asked in bewilderment:

"What do you mean?"

Samir snorted and interjected:
"It means that the Knight of Punishment has countless eyes and can observe countless targets at the same time."

"He is no longer afraid of being surrounded, no longer wary of group battles. His focus when facing ten people is not much worse than when he is focusing on one person. He will never lose sight of one aspect when he is outnumbered."

Samir gripped his sword tightly, his gaze never leaving the battlefield, as if ready to strike at any moment.

His words made the guard prisoners even more worried.

Brie even grunted and pointed at Nai, who was still clutching the dart.

“No, Bri,” Tardin shook his head, as if he understood the other’s mumbling and indistinct sounds:
"We must not act rashly unless it is a matter of life and death."

"That could be bad for Barney."

We will never let the disparity in numbers cause us to lose sight of our own interests...

Thales carefully considered the sentence, and his expression suddenly changed.

what is this?
Why doesn't the knight die when he's alone? Is there no opening behind him?

He recalled the scene just now when Sakel faced five or even more shadowy assassins.

That invincible knight of punishment, who unleashed a series of attacks in a matter of seconds and dealt with the five men perfectly.

Another muffled sound.

This time, Barney Jr. barely managed to force back the seemingly hesitant Sackel with a near-suicidal charge.

The prince turned to look at the battlefield and asked urgently:
"So, whether it's one-on-one or one-to-many, it makes no difference to him?"

This time, Tardin's words, filled with desolation and helplessness, as if he had seen through the world, rang out:

“It’s even worse than that.”

Tardin shook his head, seemingly with a sense of melancholy and bitterness:

“Sakel is a genius of unparalleled talent. He has developed the advantage of ‘chaotic armies’ to the extreme: multitasking is not only reflected in dealing with enemies.”

“Whether it’s the enemy’s or our own bodies, weapons, intentions, actions, or the surrounding location, environment, situation, and state, from the increase or decrease of force during the duel to the small obstacles of sand and stones underfoot, or even sudden accidents, everything on the battlefield is within Sacel’s understanding, and even further, he perfectly transforms it into his strategy against the enemy.”

"In addition, his skills, honed through hundreds of battles, are in no way inferior to his eyesight..."

Tardin's face was tense as he stared at Sackel, who was using the terrain, the length of the axe handle, and even the weight of his opponent's shield to once again put Barney in a difficult position.
“Those who confront him are always at the greatest disadvantage: all factors and variables on the battlefield are under Sacel’s attention and observation. Standing on his side, they can control everything as easily as their own arms, as if divinely aided, and their cooperation is seamless.”

"You can't tell from normal times, but those who have fought against him all have the same feeling: that guy has no flaws and is unstoppable."

Thales' heart skipped a beat.

Everything was under their control, and this knowledge was transformed into strategies to counter the enemy...

All factors and variables on the battlefield...are observed and controlled with effortless precision...

Flawless, unstoppable...

He couldn't help but shudder.

Six years ago, that horrific night of carnage resurfaced in his memory.

Along with that came another person's murmured murmur:
Only those who have everything under control, who embrace the world in their hearts, and who have the whole picture at their fingertips... deserve to be called...

A true strongman.

Thales stared blankly at the duel, his eyes fixed on Sacel, who was fighting harder and harder, as if he understood something.

He realized it:
Barney's attacks seemed fierce, but his ordinary attacks were rarely effective. Sacel could always easily neutralize them with the most effortless, concise, and efficient methods. Only those desperate attacks that risked injury for injury, at a heavy cost, could leave some marks on the Punisher Knight. But unfortunately, every slightly effective killing move seemed to fall just short, leaving one sighing in regret.

But Thales realized that it wasn't as simple as a hair's breadth difference.

Tardin sighed:

"In this situation, it's not just that being surrounded by multiple people no longer works on him..."

"On the contrary, the more enemies there are in the melee, the more varied the variables, and the more chaotic the scene, the more likely Sacel is to find the most suitable position for himself, to take advantage of the flaws and gaps that ordinary people cannot think of, and to seize the opportunity and bargaining chips to survive and win..."

"The more we fight, the stronger we become."

The guards' faces grew increasingly grim.

Thales clenched his fists, while Quick Rope looked on incredulously.

“Therefore,” Thales turned around incredulously:

"The Executioner Knight, caught in the midst of a chaotic battle and outnumbered, is more formidable than Sacelle in a one-on-one duel..."

Naki nodded, his worried expression undiminished, and continued the conversation:

"...and countless times stronger."

"Our hasty entry into the battle will only give Sakel more leverage."

Thales was horrified, and even the rope next to him opened its mouth in an "O" shape.

and so……

So, is a one-against-eight situation actually more advantageous for Sackel?

He's practically a human version of a Blood Mage?

“He instructed me in swordsmanship,” Samir said coldly from the side.
"So I know that when you face him, you're not just facing Sacel, but the entire battlefield called Sacel, the battlefield that truly belongs to him—"

"Chaos Army".

His words were forceful, yet they left one with a heavy heart.

Thales frowned deeply:
"Like a legion?"

Samir looked at him, paused for a second, and then nodded:

"Like a legion."

In the distance, Barney flashed and roared, crashing into Sackel's body with a dueling style that held almost no reservations and without any fancy moves!

Boom!
The two fell to the ground at the same time, then jumped up at the same time, both panting.

“Let go, Barney, this won’t be the ending you want,” Sackel said softly.

Barney snorted coldly:
Why didn't you let go back then?

The next second, the two moved and their weapons clashed again!

The rope skipper on the side could no longer hold back:

"Isn't it too exaggerated?"

The rookie mercenary rubbed his face, stared with eyes the size of pigeon eggs, and pointed at the silent, fighting Sacel:
"Can he take on a hundred men single-handedly, or even an entire army by himself?"

Faced with Kuaisheng's somewhat disbelieving words, the guard prisoners stared at him with unfriendly expressions.

This made Kuaisheng shudder, remembering the grudge he had against them, and he took a step back awkwardly.

Thales looked at the crowd and sensed that they had something to say.

Sure enough, Naki curled the corners of his mouth into a smile:

Do you know about Saxeel's breakout match?

The battle that made him famous.

The prisoners in the guard all stiffened.

Quickly blinked, his eyes immediately showing a wary look, as if to say, "I'm not taking the bait."

Naki looked at the Executioner Knight, whose expression remained unchanged even amidst the fierce battle, and a look of longing appeared in his eyes:

“When he was young, Sakel accompanied Prince Midil on a mission to Dragon City. His Highness was so eloquent that he displeased the people of the North, who then used force to make things difficult for them.”

Midil...

Dragon Sky City...

The scene flashed through Thales' mind.

"Barney told me that at that time, Sackel, who was only seventeen years old, faced the enemy alone."

Naki clicked his tongue and shook his head, half with pride and half with wistfulness, and said:

"It took him more than ten minutes."

"one person."

"They took down forty melee guards."

Quick rope paused for a moment.

Thales' thoughts paused for a moment.

next second.

"what!"

His large, gaping mouth opened and closed, as if he wanted to scream but couldn't make a sound.

Thales realized what was happening, and a feeling of shock and fear rose within him.

Four...forty?

Melee Guards?

He recalled the group of masked, knife-wielding warriors from six years ago.

Those elite soldiers who fought to the death under the fierce attack of the Black Sand Territory, and even launched a counterattack, left the Rumba people in a sorry state with many dead and wounded.

Those brave guards who risked their lives to shield him and the little rascal from the crossbow bolts.

White Blade Guard.

Nicole, Michael, Monty, and Justin.

One person, taking down forty?

Thales's face stiffened.

How can it be?

Clearly, the fast rope was hit harder.

He looked incredulously at Sacelle in the distance, then at the grim-faced guards and prisoners, their cheeks contorted, their words incoherent, a forced smile playing on their lips.

"Are you kidding me? Forty... bayonet? Those are all veterans..."

Quick Rope waved his hands blindly in the air, as if that would throw his question further away.

"Impossible, something this big..."

Kuaishou stared blankly, mouth agape, as if his worldview had been severely shaken:
"Why, Nico—why didn't anyone tell me this?"

He looked at everyone blankly, finding it hard to accept this shocking news.

No one answered him.

Thales sighed inwardly.

“Get ready, Tardin,” Belletti said coldly at this moment:
"Barney is leaving."

Everyone's expression tightened: in the distance, Barney's offensive had slowed down.

"So he can take on a hundred men without any problem?" Thales frowned.

The guards prisoners were noticeably more courteous to the prince than they had to to "Wyatt Caesar," Samir said softly.

"It should be understood that no matter how large the battlefield is, its impact on each individual is limited."

“Apart from special formations, even if a thousand people surround one person, only the six or seven people in the innermost circle can engage in close combat and attack the enemy with all their might at the same time.”

He looked at Barney from afar and said sternly:
“As long as he is physically and mentally fit, there is no reason for Saxeel to lose.”

Thales' heart sank.

No.

If that's the case, then the royal guards present are simply not enough...

There's no hope.

Barney, what are they doing?
“You know, someone in the Royal Guard once made up a rhyme out of boredom.” Naki shook his head.

Behind him, Brie raised a finger and pointed at Naki with a blank expression.

"The last sentence is..."

Naki cleared his throat and said solemnly, "Tony stands firm, and nothing can harm him..."

"The punishment is without regret..."

"The entire army perished."

A swordsman who updates daily is invincible!
When I write this chapter, I always think of the scene in Dota 2 where Chaos Knight activates his ultimate, chasing down five people all by himself, making the opposing team run around in chaos, crying and screaming, and trying to escape.

PS: Do you know why Caslan's nickname is "Earthshaker"?
Sigh, I've fallen to fourth place in the monthly ticket rankings for fantasy games. I'm not happy.

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(End of this chapter)