Chapter 8, Fighting Back Against the Flames
Rekawa was utterly perplexed; how could the enemy abandon a decisive strike just because they could not land a single blow on him?
The sound of hooves is unceasing
At last, the cavalry could not help but burst into laughter.
Child, what trouble have you gotten into? Do you need us to help you hide?
All thirteen riders are present. The refugees gather around the campfire, staring with terrified eyes at the standoff in front of the wall of fire
When ! ''
Rekawa struggled to stand up amidst the shaking, and before he could steady himself, he stumbled and ran in the direction where the horse had disappeared.
Rekawa walked straight to the campfire, unable to support himself, and collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.
However, he was unable to catch up; the reins brushed past his fingertips as the horse turned and reared, fleeing into the distance.
"The fire cannot be hidden!" the middle-aged man exclaimed anxiously in a low voice, while the sound of horses neighing echoed from the darkness behind.
The first cavalryman suddenly reined in his horse as he galloped to a distance where both sides could see each other clearly, stopping at the edge of the flames, with the horse's head raised high and turned to the side in the air
Although the slope is not high, it is quite steep. For the cavalry to pursue, they must either ride around on horseback or dismount and jump down the slope. Whichever option they choose will inevitably take some time.
In the night breeze, the laughter was piercing. The centermost cavalryman coldly surveyed the surroundings, and the laughter of the others immediately ceased. He nodded to Ruikawa, then dismounted, but before he could touch the ground, a slender cavalryman beside him patted his shoulder. He nodded again and returned to his mount, remaining still.
Behind him, the sound of hooves rose again. Ruikawa sighed and got up to leave
Regardless, the armor is the main force of burden.
Struggling to expel the foreign object from his mouth, he rose and walked with his aching and exhausted body, gasping for breath
Rekawa tore off the pouch of money from his waist and tossed it to the middle-aged man.
I want light
Before he could get up, Ruikawa's mount neighed in terror and began to jump around. His heart sank as he struggled to rise and reached out to grab the reins.
Having rolled over sand, stones, and grass, when Ruikawa finally came to a stop on flat ground, his mouth was filled with a mixture of mud and grass, leaving him feeling quite uncomfortable
The cavalryman hesitated, halting his horse in place, looking around without making any move. Before long, other cavalrymen arrived one after another, stopping and forming a line.
Life is your own; why throw it away lightly
I understand. Reikawa extended the torch into the grass, and soon, smoke ignited into flames. He was familiar with this grass, and it caught fire easily. He walked along the edge of the grassland until he created a blazing, bright wall of fire.
The shock of the cavalry's heavy strike has not yet dissipated, and another force is attacking from the other side
I stand in the light, unshielded and unprotected. You may choose to shoot me dead with an arrow. But surely, a knight has some honor? I am a dying man, with nothing more to seek, only wishing to die a glorious death in battle, to wash away my sins and humiliation with my blood. If you cherish honor, then please fight me, allowing me to witness the divine power of the blood knights before I perish. Of course, I am but a decaying being, unworthy of challenging the blood clan.
The movements of the blood clan are truly swift; an ordinary human warrior would absolutely be unable to interrupt their attack and successfully retreat in time to evade this strike.
No! The load is too heavy! The speed is restricted too much!
Is this little fellow really the leader? Reikawa looked him over with confusion: a half-helmet with a pointed top adorned with a silver mask, a brand new gold-embroidered breastplate paired with a blue cloak, and a scale skirt armor complemented by black leather boots, all of which made him stand out among a group of heavily armored cavalry in half-plate armor
His goal is the campfire closest to him
The Kingdom of Selinsburg has four territories, among which the Chulin Fortress belongs to the Earl of Sherlo, known for its fierce and robust customs
Having rested sufficiently, he took a torch from beside the campfire and walked straight towards the wild grassland
Not long after running, Ruikawa unfastened the quiver with one hand and tossed it to the roadside. The exquisite spoils, seized from the centaur nobility, were thrown out without hesitation, crashing heavily onto the yellow earth, rolling about as arrows of all sizes scattered across the ground. At least for tonight, no one would cast another glance at them
You cannot help me, so do not bring trouble upon yourselves. " Ruikawa said with a bitter smile, "Besides, I am not worth your help.
Because my life is of no value
A year ago, the region of Xieluoyi suffered from a severe drought, causing immense suffering among the populace. At the same time, the northern power of the Sairings, the Kingdom of Kasailia, was embroiled in internal strife among its nobles. Seizing the opportunity, the bold mountain dwellers, nomads, and mercenaries of Xieluoyi organized a cross-border raid, targeting the Keniya region of the Kingdom of Kasailia
The refugees in the camp were awakened. Men, women, the elderly, and children looked at Ruikawa with suspicion, a weak and suffering youth holding a knife.
The cavalrymen exchanged glances with one another
However, the pain from the stab to his chest did not come. To his astonishment, facing a certain victory, the enemy forcibly withdrew their offensive, retreating and dodging. Ruikawa's blade grazed his armor, missing its target.
The barren fields of the South Forest Tower yielded nothing during the drought, and Ruikawa had no choice but to go. Ironically, this plunder became his greatest achievement to date. Glory, wealth, friendship; for the first time, he deeply felt the sweetness of blood
On the way back, the knights of Konyas arrived, and the bandits were defeated and scattered. Reikawa fled in a panic. He devised various schemes in the mountains and forests, evading his pursuers for two days and two nights, and only then did he narrowly escape with his life back home
Before he had taken ten full steps, a massive shadow swept across in front of Ruikawa, startling him into a backward jump, causing him to fall again. Immediately after, he scrambled and rolled as he ran in the opposite direction
There is nothing to be afraid of anymore. Reikawa's response was irrelevant.
No need for anything, thank you
"Don't come over here," Ruikawa shook his head and said, "I will leave soon."
Rekawa, who was completely distracted by the previous enemy, had no time to react. He only felt a sudden, forceful blow to his lower back from a stick, so powerful that it knocked him off his horse, leaving him dazed and his insides shaken.
I am tired and do not want to run anymore. After all, we are all going to die; what difference does it make whether we put down our weapons or not?" Ruikawa said with a feigned lightness in his voice
The slender cavalryman gracefully dismounted from his horse, drew the slender sword from his waist, and approached Ruikawa.
With bloodshot eyes ablaze, the slender cavalryman pointed his sword at Ruikawa
Oh!
Driven by hunger, Ruikawa finally relinquished his steadfastness as a warrior, gritting his teeth as he unfastened and discarded his armor
Well, is it Master Lanruos who will take action himself... Rikaawa helplessly crossed his sword above his head, indicating his willingness to fight
Rekawa let out a bitter laugh
Wearing the helmet, Ruikawa was suddenly startled; before him lay an expanse, yet there was no path beneath his feet. On the vast wilderness under the starry sky, scattered campfires dotted the landscape, and he found himself above a hillside. Without a second thought, he threw off the helmet behind him, leaped forward, curled up, and rolled down the slope.
"Child! Do not be afraid! If there is anything, speak to everyone! We will help you," said the middle-aged man with a sigh as he approached.
Young Master Lanruos, you truly are a unique member of the vampire clan. Just the grudge of a mere servant is enough to make you chase me out of the city in the middle of the night, pursuing me for several miles. Fine, I concede, you are impressive, and I cannot provoke you.
Then, Ruikawa dropped the scabbard.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" he cursed loudly, turning to continue running. The sound of hooves behind him urged him to run faster and faster.
After the armor, there is the helmet
As the days pass, the once devastated land of Putaikete is becoming increasingly vibrant year by year, much like a child growing up. Outside the city, his peers are pioneering, building houses, marrying, and having children; inside the city, his peers are taking over some of their parents' or masters' work, dreaming of the future with their loved ones in every corner of the city. Meanwhile, the blood money of Ruikawa is being collected with growing proficiency. Outside the city, his peers are pioneering, building houses, marrying, and having children; inside the city, his peers are taking over some of their parents' or masters' work, dreaming of the future with their loved ones in every corner of the city. Meanwhile, the blood money of Ruikawa is being collected with growing proficiency
Ha... Ha...
Another shadow
There is no need for these anymore. Ruikawa leaned back and sat down.
"That's right," the centrist cavalry responded
Unfortunately, his cries were of no use at all. The horse disappeared into the darkness, leaving only the sound of its hooves fading away
Rekawa took a deep breath and then said: "My grievance with you stems solely from the injury I inflicted on your servant's arm. In light of this, allow me to settle the matter with a duel against him. Considering his injury, this battle would be unfair, so I would like to challenge your other servants instead. They are all excellent warriors, are they not, Lord Lanruos?"
Ah... ah... finally, he has arrived. In the camp shrouded in firelight, there are two tents and nine people, with a patch of tall wild grass behind the camp.
Under the starry sky, reflecting on life in the wilderness, Ruikawa found himself in a state of both laughter and tears
The night breeze brushed against the face, and the heart of Ruikawa, which had been beating violently, finally stabilized
What are you doing?" exclaimed the middle-aged man
I do not wish to be killed by a bastard in the wilderness at night like a wild dog
There is no time left. Ruikawa assessed that the speed of the enemy's thrusting sword was astonishingly fast; before the blade could reach the opponent, his chest would be pierced.
"You must not! Child, what are you doing?" the middle-aged man asked anxiously
The flames surged, illuminating everything in front of the fire wall, including Ruikawa, the camp, and... the cavalry charging in on horseback
"Come back!" Ruikawa shouted frantically, "You beast, get your ass back here now!"
Lay down your weapons!" commanded the imposing cavalryman in a deep male voice, standing in the center.
"Child, what is wrong with you?" a middle-aged man crawled out of the tent and asked with concern
It has been proven that the uncle's failure to teach Ruikawa more useful knowledge for making a living is purely because he himself does not possess it. He hastily cultivates the barren land, occasionally poaching in the lord's hunting grounds, and then goes missing, reappearing each time with a sum of money, most of which is blood money. While other elders educate their children to broaden their horizons, adapt to the world, and pursue a happy life, he teaches Ruikawa hatred and suspicion, killing and death
Since he could remember, he had been without parents, living in a remote tower with his eccentric uncle who would occasionally go missing. From a young age, his uncle taught him horseback riding and combat, even building sandboxes and drawing maps to explain tactics and strategies to him, a boy who could barely read. Are you out of your mind? What kind of joke is this? My family is not a knightly household! Isn't there something better to learn than this?
"You are the leader, the knight, right?" Reikawa asked
He grew up in an environment that influenced him deeply, and his personality and beliefs became increasingly at odds with those around him, resulting in few friends. Many people kept their distance from him due to his hostility, while even more mocked his naivety and rebellion, as he truly could not change the world
If one strike leads to death, then so be it. The armored blood clan faces the unarmored decayed slow, and there is no need for a second strike.
The warrior's instinctive sense of danger quickly roused Ruikawa from his shock, as he raised his sword to the left and forcefully blocked the heavy sword of the cavalry charging from the side.
Swift as the wind and thunder, the slender sword of the blood knight pierced through with a purple light. At the same time, Ruikawa showed no intention of dodging or blocking, swinging down the blade. With a heart set on death, there was no need to evade or defend.