Free Web NovelChapter 36: The Knight Who Refused to Die
All of the assassins moved while blending into the shadows, so even if someone saw them with the naked eye, they would only catch a brief blur before everything returned to normal.
As they drew closer to Luke’s campsite, the Silver Glove assassin made a series of hand signals. The Brown Glove assassins nodded in understanding before separating and moving toward their assigned targets.
Five Bronze Knights patrolled the campsite with vigilance, while the remaining knights slept nearby with their weapons still tightly gripped in their hands.
RUSTLE.
One of the Bronze Knights paused and looked toward the bushes ahead of him after hearing the sound of leaves rustling, as though someone had stepped on them.
The Brown Glove assassin immediately stopped and held his breath. He had failed to notice that the bushes were dry, and the sound he made had alerted the knight.
"Hey, what happened?"
One of the knights in the distance noticed his comrade’s reaction and walked over while asking the question.
"Huh?"
Hearing his comrade’s voice, the Bronze Knight paused slightly. Without taking his eyes off the bushes, he replied,
"I saw the bushes move."
Upon hearing that, the assassin hiding in the bushes felt sweat form on his forehead as worry crept into his heart. If they investigated any further, they might discover him.
"What?"
The approaching knight paused as well. After a brief moment, he signaled to his comrade.
"Alert everyone if anything happens."
The Bronze Knight nodded in response.
Then the other knight walked past him and slowly headed toward the bushes.
The other assassins hiding nearby also grew tense. Then they noticed a hand signal from the Silver Glove assassin in the distance. Understanding his order, they remained in position and waited.
STEP. STEP. STEP.
For the assassin hiding in the bushes, each approaching step made his heart beat faster. Even so, he remained motionless.
Waiting for a chance.
As the knight finally approached the bushes and pushed them aside with his sword, but the next moment his expression suddenly changed as his eyes widened.
"Ambu—"
But before he could shout the warning, the assassin hiding within the bushes lunged forward at incredible speed.
A brown dagger pierced straight into his stomach.
"Ugh..."
Before he could cry out in pain, a brown-gloved hand suddenly covered his mouth as another assassin appeared behind him and firmly restrained his body.
Worry filled the knight’s eyes, and only one thought echoed inside his mind.
Master is in danger. I need to warn him.
He desperately struggled, trying to alert the others at least once.
But he could not move. Only his eyes were able to shift sideways.
And what he saw left him hopeless.
All of the other knights had already been subdued. Two assassins stood beside each of them—one covering their mouths while the other held a dagger buried in their stomachs.
Not far away, a figure dressed in the same outfit but wearing silver gloves watched calmly from the side, as if waiting for the next step of the operation.
Despair filled the knight’s eyes as he realized he could do nothing to help the master who had brought him into this world.
Soon, he began to feel a strange weakness spreading through his body, as if something was invading it from outside. He struggled once more, trying to break free, but the assassins maintained their tight hold on him.
Poison.
The thought flashed through his mind as his body grew weaker and weaker.
Am I going to die?
The thought crossed his mind as he looked at his fellow knights, who were trapped in the same situation as him.
Yet none of the knights in the campsite had been alerted, and none of them had noticed that something was wrong.
"I can’t..."
He gritted his teeth as the final spark of resolve ignited within his eyes.
SHATTER.
The sound of something breaking echoed through the surrounding.
Yet nobody reacted. It was as if he was the only one who had heard it.
"What?"
His expression changed instantly as an ancient voice suddenly echoed within his mind.
"CHILD, CALL YOUR ORIGIN."
His pupils dilated as memories of an legend resurfaced in his mind.
An Origin could be something one was born with. It could be inherited from one’s bloodline. Under certain circumstances, it could even be acquired later in life.
"But..." freёwebnoѵel.com
Origins were never guaranteed. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Every Origin was bestowed randomly, which was why all of those methods were merely possibilities rather than certainties.
Because—
"Even the Gods cannot bestow an Origin."
There was only one entity capable of bestowing an Origin—
The Origin of the World itself.
"Valtharion."
A low whisper escaped his mouth.
The Brown Glove assassins holding him frowned in confusion, unable to hear what he had said clearly.
However, the Silver Glove assassin standing in the distance heard it perfectly.
His pupils instantly dilated.
The next moment, he raised his hand and prepared to kill the knight on the spot.
But it was already too late.
The fire burning fiercely within his eyes suddenly transformed into something else.
"Spirit Owl."
The moment the last word left his mouth, a thunderous owl screech echoed throughout the vicinity.
SKREEEAAAHHHH—!!!
In the next second, a huge owl spirit nearly two meters tall appeared high in the sky.
With the moon shining behind it, the spirit seemed even more ethereal and majestic.
The Silver Glove assassin was momentarily distracted by the thunderous screech, causing his aim to falter.
The throwing dagger veered off course and struck the ground to the side without injuring anyone.
"Damn it."
He cursed under his breath.
Because in the very next second, the fifteen sleeping knights suddenly sprang to their feet.
Powerful bronze auras erupted from their bodies as they freely released their Third and Fourth Stage Bronze Knight cultivation.
Their weapons were already drawn as they scanned their surroundings with vigilance.
The owl spirit descended from the sky and instantly reached the knight.
With a single sweep of its massive wings, it sent both assassins flying to the side.
THUD! THUD!
In the next moment, the spirit merged into the knight’s body.
A brilliant brown light erupted from him, illuminating the surrounding area.
Then another screech echoed through the night.
SKREEEAAAHHHH—!!!
As the brown light faded, a hybrid figure emerged from within.
He possessed a human body, but large owl wings extended from his back, while his face had taken on the features of an owl.
With a single flap of his wings, he shot into the sky.
The force of it caused the surrounding trees to sway violently.
Then his voice thundered across the entire campsite.
"IT’S AN AMBUSH!!!"
Then he shouted loudly.
Upon hearing his warning, the knights finally turned toward his direction.
Their expressions immediately changed as they discovered more than ten black-robed figures restraining their fellow knights.
Without a moment’s hesitation, all of them hurled their short swords toward the assassins.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
"Fall back!"
The Silver Glove assassin shouted the order.
The Brown Glove assassins immediately released the captured knights and retreated while dodging the incoming short swords.
BOOM!
A thunderous impact echoed through the area as the Owl Hybrid descended from the sky and crashed onto the ground.
The force of the landing shattered the earth beneath his feet.
Then he stepped forward and assumed a fighting stance while shouting.
"Protect the Master!"
CLANG! STEP! THUD!
The knights behind him moved as one.
They swung their swords forward in a show of force before taking a heavy step.
The ground beneath them trembled slightly from the combined impact.
My eyes snapped open as a loud screech echoed through the night.
"A bird?"
I muttered in confusion.
At the same time, Aurielle was jolted awake and immediately turned toward the outside with a wary expression.
Just as we were about to stand up to check, another voice echoed from outside.
It sounded strange, as if a human voice had been mixed with the cry of a bird.
"IT’S AN AMBUSH!!!"
My eyes narrowed and without hesitation, I charged outside.
Aurielle also moved alongside me, and a purple sword appeared in her hand from her spatial ring.
"Voidfang."
I summoned my longsword as well.
A few moments later, we arrived at the scene.
My knights were already standing in formation with their weapons drawn.
Meanwhile, the four injured knights were retreating toward the rear, staggering as they struggled to remain on their feet.
"They’re injured."
I muttered as I noticed blood leaking from their stomachs.
However, my attention was soon drawn to the figure standing at the front.
It was an owl-like hybrid man. Yet despite his appearance, he was still wearing the armor of Blackstone Territory.
Then my gaze shifted past him toward the enemy ahead.
Several black-robed men stood before us with their auras fully unleashed.
Most of them were at the Peak Bronze Knight stage.
However, the man standing at the front radiated the aura of an Early Silver Knight.
"This is bad."
I muttered after realizing how grim the situation was.
Then another thought suddenly crossed my mind.
"Who sent these assassins? Baron Cedric? Or Ashenford?"
I muttered while staring at the black-robed figures before me.
Beside me, Aurielle’s thoughts were moving in a completely different direction.
"Did they finally decide to remove me?"
A trace of sadness appeared on her face.
Then she turned her gaze toward the man who had entered her life.
Her only husband.
His face was grim as he observed the battlefield, clearly worried about everyone around him.
I will protect him at all costs.
With that final vow, Aurielle shifted her gaze toward the enemy group.
"Aurielle, help the knights. I’ll handle the Silver Knight."
I spoke without taking my eyes off the assassins.
The moment she heard those words, her expression changed.
"No."
She immediately shook her head.
"I’m not letting you do that!"
"This is suicide!"
Aurielle shouted the moment she heard my words.
However, I simply shook my head.
Then I looked into her eyes, which were filled with love and concern for me, then I said in a gentle tone.
"Don’t worry, I will handle it."
On hearing my words, her expression didn’t relax at all, so I added.
"So how about this? Deal with those Bronze Assassins as quickly as possible, then come help me, okay?"
After hearing my words, she hesitated for a few seconds before reluctantly nodding.
Soon, I reached the front line with Voidfang firmly gripped in my hand.
I knew my knights were willing to die for me.
But I didn’t want them to die.
So—
I raised my sword and pointed it toward the Silver Knight.
Then, I fully released my aura.
However, if someone were watching this scene, they would probably laugh at such apparent stupidity.
After all, a First Stage Iron Knight pointing his sword at an Early Silver Knight was nothing short of foolish.
To most people, it would look like a lamb challenging a wolf.
[Chapter End]
