Dragon Clouds City.
Under the eaves of a secluded house.
Nicholas, whose face was covered in blood, lay on his side next to a wooden barrel. He gritted his teeth and stretched out his hand with great difficulty. He broke an arrow that had pierced through his thigh from the tail. Then, he gripped the blood-red arrowhead that had pierced through his hind leg and exerted a little force.
* Rip! *
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead, but the Star Killer still gritted his teeth and did not make a sound. He pulled out the arrowhead while trembling.
Nicholas exhaled and threw the arrowhead away. He pulled a piece of cloth and prepared to bandage his wound.
'This is the last arrow.
'As for the two arrowheads left in my body …' Nicholas looked at his left arm and left leg.
Two arrow shafts that had been broken off by about an inch were abruptly left there.
The Star Killer's gaze was fierce as he clenched his fists.
Then, his unique Power of Eradication rose from his bones. He tightened his muscles and sealed the area around the arrow shafts.
'This should be able to hold on for some time.'
Nicholas took a deep breath. He sensed the terrible injuries in his body and frowned.
The Star Killer raised his head slowly and looked at the man who was also lying on the ground in front of him. He was covered in wounds. "You're the person Gleeward mentioned."
But the man did not respond.
"You're quite skilled. The way you blocked the arrow was very ingenious." Nicholas nodded slowly.
'Truth be told …' Nicholas gasped and told himself, 'This is a ruthless character.'
The man with the strange black sword snorted coldly and bandaged the last, larger wound on his body.
"You're not bad yourself," he said faintly and looked at the badly damaged arm shield on Nicholas' left arm.
Nicholas narrowed his eyes.
"You're the one who sealed the calamity?" The Star Killer dragged his body up laboriously and leaned against the wall. "You have … those weapons?"
"You can say that." Black Sword nodded with an indifferent expression. "That cripple left behind a spear, didn't he?"
Nicholas endured the pain in his arm and calf and sized up the man with the strange sword. His gaze swept over the other sword at his waist, and suspicion flashed in his eyes.
"You know us … Who are you?"
The leader of the White Blade Guards naturally placed his hand next to the Severing Souls Blade and said softly, "You know about Mystics and the legendary anti-mystic —"
But he was interrupted.
"Hey." The ordinary-looking man shook his head slightly. "Are you sure you want to waste time here?"
Nicholas frowned a little.
"You heard what the commoners said." Black Sword lowered his head and wiped his longsword. "Your king …"
He shrugged.
The Star Killer was silent for a while.
"Yes." Nicholas picked up the arrowhead of an arrow. His expression was unpleasant and his gaze was gloomy. "I have a feeling that the worst has happened."
The Shame of White Blade.
Perhaps …
Nicholas' gaze became colder and colder. He slowly clenched his fists.
Black Sword, who was wiping his weapon, glanced at Nicholas and observed his expression. "You don't plan to do anything? Shouldn't you at least send a message? "
Nicholas' gaze was focused on the arrow in his hand. He clenched his left fist tightly and trembled slightly.
"No matter who started this rebellion — Black Sand Region or whoever it was — they've been plotting this for a long time, and their plan is meticulous." The Star Killer gritted his teeth and uttered these words. The contrast between his pale face and bloodstains was especially strong. "Now, aside from my sworn brothers, I can't trust anyone else."
Black Sword snorted softly and hung his weapon back at his waist. He struggled to stand up while holding onto the wall. "Then I wish you good luck."
Nicholas raised his head and looked at the man who was about to leave.
"Hey." The Star Killer stopped the strange man and tapped his chin at him. "You're not a Northlander … Why did you save me?"
Black Sword turned around and cast a meaningful glance at Nicholas.
At that moment, Nicholas felt a strange emotion flow through the man's eyes.
"I can't stand despicable people who use crossbows to fight against others with numbers," Black Sword said flatly. He continued to turn around.
Nicholas, who was resting with his back against the wall, sneered in disdain when he heard that.
"Come on." Nicholas shook his head slowly and flashed a sarcastic smile. "As a White Blade Guard, the king's sharpest blade, I've fought in many battles. I've been in his reserves, heralds, military judges, executioners, suicide squad, elites at the frontlines, palace guards … All the positions you can think of."
Black Sword did not turn around, but his voice traveled into Nicholas' ears.
"So?"
Nicholas sat up a few inches laboriously and took a deep breath.
"So, I've interrogated many prisoners of war, spies, traitors, and enemies. I can tell lies from the truth, and I've also seen how different people fight," the Star Killer replied to Black Sword. His eyes were sparkling. "I saw how you beat up Tolja — kicking up the snow and dust under your feet? You don't look like those righteous people who see injustice. "
Black Sword turned his head sideways and glanced at Nicholas, who was panting on the ground.
After a long while …
Nicholas snorted softly and shook his head. "If you're not going to say anything …"
At that moment …
"Is it this blade?" Black Sword asked softly.
Nicholas furrowed his brows.
"What?"
In the next moment, the Star Killer immediately noticed that the man's gaze fell on the Severing Souls Blade beside his hand.
Nicholas' breathing began to quicken, slightly aggravating the injuries on his body.
He subconsciously touched the hilt of the blade.
Fortunately, Black Sword only asked in his deep voice, "This is the blade that killed Horace Jadestar?"
Nicholas' eyes widened slightly.
'What?'
The two men stared at each other for two seconds under the eaves.
"Yes, the Severing Souls Blade."
Nicholas' gaze did not leave Black Sword's eyes. He nodded slowly and raised his guard to the highest. He adjusted his body to a position where he could attack or defend himself in time. Only then did he calmly say, "Twelve years ago, the Sword of Reversing Light died under this blade."
Black Sword breathed slowly. His eyes flashed with an indescribable emotion.
"Horace," he said slowly, "was he in pain before he died?"
Nicholas sucked in a deep cold breath. Holding onto the wooden barrel, he stood up shakily and gripped the Severing Souls Blade tightly in his right hand.
"Now I know why you saved me."
The Star Killer clenched his teeth. His gaze became fiercer.
But Black Sword only stared at him quietly without saying a word.
"If you want to avenge the Sword of Reversing Light, now is a good time." Nicholas panted in pain. He widened the distance between his legs and quickly calculated the time to attack. His Power of Eradication slowly gathered in his bones. His words were laced with deep hostility. "Of course, don't expect me to not retaliate."
However, the man before him only glanced at the Severing Souls Blade before he turned and left.
Nicholas furrowed his brows tightly.
He watched Black Sword's back as he slowly left. The doubts in his heart only increased.
"Wait."
The Star Killer finally spoke.
"What is your goal, you unknown fellow?" Nicholas said slowly, "There's a saying in Camus: 'Be wary of gifts that ask for nothing in return'."
Black Sword turned around and gave the Star Killer a profound look.
Black Sword shook his head slightly. "Compared to interrogating me, I believe you have more important things to do."
Nicholas furrowed his brows slightly. "Yes, believe me, I'm already doing it."
Black Sword twitched the corner of his mouth and shook his head. He turned around and left with unsteady steps due to his injuries.
Nicholas stared at him in a daze.
He stared at the man's departing figure.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Nicholas' brows moved. He seemed to be hesitating.
Until Black Sword's figure disappeared behind the wall at the corner.
After an unknown amount of time, the Star Killer sighed.
"Alright." He snorted softly, as though he had made up his mind.
His footsteps behind the wall stopped.
"Horace Jadestar's death," he said flatly. "In return, if you really want to know …"
There was no sound behind the wall.
Nicholas slowly slid against the wall. He lowered his eyes and his gaze drifted back to the past.
"That night, that battle …"
Nicholas mumbled, "Horace, that callous butcher, dressed in his black armor with his personal guards. His armor was covered in wounds and shattered pieces …"
"That was a real bloody battle. Everyone went mad."
Nicholas' gaze drifted, and he was already looking at another place that was not in front of him.
That mountain pass filled with rocks.
He spoke in a flat tone, "Terende, Jules, Tolja, and the people from Constellation … All of us have forgotten everything in the midst of swords and blood. Other than killing and death, there is nothing else that we can feel. I feel the blood in my veins boiling."
"Tolja was injured and left. We roared in anger. Jules was at a disadvantage, but he laughed instead. Terende died in battle, and we became even crazier … That was the final battle, so the Constellatiates were the same …"
"The living bled and fell one by one. The dead were carried away one by one …"
Nicholas lowered his gaze. "Everyone went mad. On the battlefield, you know."
He snorted inexplicably. His emotions and intentions were unreadable.
It was still silent behind the wall.
It was as though Nicholas was talking to himself.
But the Star Killer knew that someone was naturally listening to his narration.
"But Horace was different." Nicholas raised his head again. He changed the topic, and a subtle change appeared on his face. "When all of us went mad like wild beasts, he did not have any expression on his face. It was as though he did not care about the battle in front of him at all."
Nicholas lowered his head and said softly, "He died peacefully.
"He died peacefully."
As soon as he finished speaking …
A second later, a low but messy breathing sound came from behind the wall.
"Peacefully?" Black Sword's trembling voice came.
Nicholas nodded and let out a sneer that was either sarcastic or helpless. "When he fell into my arms … his expression was as though he was finally freed."
Behind the wall, Black Sword did not speak. The sound of his breathing gradually disappeared.
Nicholas lowered his head, sighed, and said, "Killing Horace was not satisfying."
Because it was not like a battle at all. "
There was still no movement behind the wall.
But Nicholas was still talking. His expression was cold, and he smiled sadly.
"That feeling … it's as if he's looking for relief," Nicholas said quietly. His voice was desolate. "Have you ever seen a person on the battlefield who is seriously injured beyond cure, but does not die for a while …?"
"It was that feeling … that gaze of his that was looking for relief …"
The sound of fingers rubbing against the hilt of a sword came from behind the wall.
Although it was very soft, Nicholas heard it.
That breathing sound became coarse again.
"Relief?" Black Sword's voice came. His voice trembled slightly, and he seemed to be struggling to speak.
"Why?"
The Star Killer sighed. "I don't know."
"And I don't want to know either." Nicholas shook his head. His gaze was absent-minded. "I guess, before people die, they will have this or that kind of thought that they don't usually have. The prince is no exception."
'Perhaps.
'Especially the prince.'
When he thought of King Nuven and Prince Soria, Nicholas' gaze darkened.
He took a deep breath and braced himself.
The breathing sound behind the wall disappeared again.
Nicholas' gaze drifted into the distance. In his absent-minded state, he chuckled softly. His words were filled with ridicule. "Star Killer … Star Killer … Haha, haha …"
Under the eaves, the two men on both sides of the corner did not move. They were speechless.
After a long while …
"Thank you." Black Sword's voice came from the other side of the wall.
Nicholas snapped out of his daze. He shook his head and snorted coldly. "It's just to repay you for saving me. There's no need to thank me —"
But he was interrupted.
"No, it's not for me," the man behind the wall said flatly.
"It's for Horace."
Nicholas was slightly taken aback.
'Why?'
He really wanted to ask.
But a few seconds later, Nicholas shut his mouth. He seemed to have understood something. He nodded as if he understood something.
There was no sound behind the wall.
The Star Killer leaned against the wall behind him. His gaze was still. "Alright."
"I wish you good luck," Nicholas said in a low voice. "The man who uses Black Sword."
On the other side of the wall, Black Sword did not reply.
The desolate-looking man raised his head and cast a profound glance at the Northland sky.
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