Eckstedt, the City of Faraway Prayers, the Land of Barren Rocks.
Under the sunlight, Thales and Monty stared at the uninvited guest in front of them with great caution and bewilderment.
'Why is it him?'
The Star Killer dismounted his horse with an expressionless face.
He walked slowly into a piece of rock that had spat out and tied the reins naturally, as if nothing had happened.
He gave off endless pressure.
"I heard what you said, Big Mouth."
"Why? Are you too confident in your abilities?"
Nicholas slowly tied the reins and turned to Monty, who looked as if he was facing a great enemy. He glanced at the short knife in Monty's hand.
"Do you think that after Isaiah left the White Blade Guards …" The Star Killer fastened the reins. His eyes were bloodshot. It was obvious that he had been working hard for many days, but the meaning in his eyes was chilling. "Do you think that after Isaiah left the White Blade Guards, there was no one else in Dragon Clouds City who could keep up with you?"
He shook his shoulder gently and moved the hilt of the Rising Sun Saber to the position where it was easiest for him to attack.
Monty's pupils shrank!
"Ah, I have to say," the experienced scout said softly and slowly spun the short knife in his hand, "I more or less thought that way."
Monty stared at his old comrade and did not move. His face was so cold that it looked like ice was about to form on it.
His eyes shone with a light that made Thales feel extremely uneasy again.
"You are an outstanding scout, Monty," Nicholas said coldly. "From the fake appearances, the route you chose, and the way you hid yourself, almost no one can compare to you.
"But it's only 'almost'."
Nicholas walked forward slowly, and the distance between him and Monty slowly shrank. His tone was dark. "Just like now. We chased after him for so many miles from Dragon Clouds City … From Rubble Hill, to Sunset Snow River, then to Spear City, and even here, the Land of Barren Rocks in the City of Faraway Prayers. We almost chased him into the desert …
Thales instinctively took a step back.
But Monty stood where he was and did not move. He only kept adjusting the angle of the short knife in his hand.
But Nicholas did not care. He was still closing in.
Thales' breathing became softer and softer.
Finally, when he was a few meters away from Monty, Nicholas stopped.
"But we still caught up to you."
He raised his eyebrows slightly and said faintly.
"Ned Monty."
The Star Killer and the Raven of Death's gazes met in midair.
One side was cold, while the other side was solemn.
It was as if an invisible shackle had been placed on the air.
Thales did not even dare to breathe loudly. He could only hold his breath and look at the two people in front of him while he anxiously thought of a countermeasure.
This situation …
The two men stood still, facing each other like heavy icebergs.
The Star Killer's pale face brought out the blood in his eyes.
The Raven of Death's eyes did not move at all. Other than being solemn, it was as if he was emotionless.
The sunlight shone on Nicholas' hilt and Monty's blade, and they reflected a strange light.
After a while, one side finally moved.
"Hehehe …"
Monty blew hard, and the solemn expression on his face disappeared.
It was replaced by a helpless smile.
"I have to admit, Spiky, you've improved. It's the same for the White Blade Guards." The old scout shook his head, as if he was meeting an old friend. He smiled and sheathed the shortsword at his waist.
"How did you do it?"
When Nicholas saw his old friend put away his saber, his gaze was no longer as terrifying as before.
At that moment, Thales breathed a sigh of relief, even though he thought that a fight was about to break out in the next moment.
"Since six years ago, the Archduchess' Guards reduced the training for charging and breaking through enemy lines, commanding the army, and even fighting alone."
The Star Killer, who did not do anything, but made people's skin crawl, said coldly, "The extra energy and money were all invested in the training of another skill."
He said flatly, "Sentries, reconnaissance, stealth, and tracking."
The air was silent for a moment.
Monty frowned. "Six years ago …"
"So exaggerated?"
Nicholas stared at him for a while before he nodded slowly.
"Yes, it was."
Thales' gaze froze in midair.
The king's death affected the former White Blade Guard much more than he imagined.
Monty sighed.
"Uh, this is a good thing, really."
"The reform of the guards." Monty smiled sheepishly as he raised his hand and waved it in the air. "You know, the old guards in the past … Kaslan's shadow is too heavy. Even if you've been the captain for twenty years, everyone still only remembers him …"
But Nicholas did not seem to have any intention of reminiscing the past with him. The Star Killer glanced at Thales, who was beside him.
Thales flashed an unpleasant smile.
"I'll give you ten seconds, Monty.
"Disappear immediately." Nicholas' tone was very flat, as if he was just making a normal greeting. "I'll pretend that I never saw you today."
Monty's expression froze slightly.
He lowered his head, placed one hand on his waist, and scratched his neck with the other. He looked like he was in a very difficult position.
"Spiky, you have to let me explain about this prince …"
Nicholas' gaze suddenly shifted and landed on the Raven of Death.
"There's nothing to explain."
"This is just between me and him." Nicholas gestured at Thales with his chin. His gaze became cold again. "I don't care where you are, who you intercepted him from, and where you intend to send him."
Thales could not help but feel his nerves tense up again.
"You can leave now, old friend," Nicholas said mercilessly.
Monty's smiling face immediately stiffened.
He looked away and exhaled.
Thales could see that the Raven of Death was suppressing his anger and clenching his fists tightly.
But the next moment, because the prince was about to get angry, Monty exhaled deeply and smiled again.
"Listen, Spiky.
"Dragon Clouds City and the City of Faraway Prayers are allies when it comes to the Western Expedition." Monty bared his teeth and pointed at Thales with a troubled expression.
"He will go to the City of Faraway Prayers sooner or later. You don't want to see him fall into Black Sand Region and the king's hands, do you? For the sake of our old friendship, and for the sake of each other's superiors, we should stand together in this matter — "
But Nicholas interrupted him.
"Big Mouth," the Star Killer said softly. "Things are no longer the same now."
Monty paused.
"We have long since passed the age of fighting for a woman's favor and looking for prostitutes together."
Nicholas shook his head. His gaze was indifferent. "It's useless.
I said, I'll only give you ten seconds. Disappear immediately. "
Monty's smile disappeared.
The air suddenly became quiet.
A shadow flashed across Thales' heart.
Nicholas' pale face was expressionless. He only stared at his old friend quietly.
And for a few seconds, the muscles on Monty's face trembled slightly, showing his thoughts.
"You're right, Spiky." The old scout mulled over this sentence, nodded slowly, and repeated emotionlessly.
"Things are no longer the same now."
Nicholas did not say anything.
Suddenly, the Raven of Death laughed.
"Hahahaha …"
But it was not a happy laugh.
It was a cold laugh.
The Raven of Death's laughter was chilling. He nodded slowly. "Very good, Lord Nicholas."
An ominous premonition attacked Thales' heart again.
"Don't forget." The Raven of Death grinned slightly, and there was a faint threat between his teeth.
"This is the Land of Barren Rocks. It is already the City of Faraway Prayers' territory."
Monty sneered and took a step forward.
He stared straight into his old friend's eyes. "My City of Faraway Prayers."
Thales subconsciously turned his head around to look for a horse.
Unexpectedly, Nicholas also smiled.
As smile lines appeared on his pale face, the Star Killer lifted his foot gently.
He walked towards the other party.
"Your City of Faraway Prayers?"
He slowly walked towards Monty. The two of them were so close that their foreheads were almost touching, and they could almost kiss each other.
The Star Killer met the Raven of Death's sneer. His gaze was fierce, and his tone was unfriendly.
"So what?"
Monty's sneer gradually faded away.
"When was the last time we fought, Spiky? Eighteen years ago? "the Raven of Death asked softly.
The two old friends stared at each other for a moment without showing any signs of weakness.
"Eighteen years." Nicholas nodded.
"But today? I don't intend to fight alone. "
"You heard the signal arrow, old friend," Nicholas said coldly. "The Archduchess' Guards will arrive soon."
Monty's pupils froze.
"Many of them are your old acquaintances," the Star Killer repeated, emphasizing his words.
"Soon.
Do you know what this means? "
Monty's expression slowly turned cold.
The two of them were silent for five seconds.
A second later, Monty closed his eyes abruptly and exhaled heavily. He gritted his teeth and said,
"Damn it."
Nicholas snorted softly and revealed the smile of a victor.
"Yes, damn it."
He stared at Monty, who could hardly control his emotions, and said softly,
"I will only count to ten."
Monty seemed to be enraged.
He opened his eyes abruptly, and his tone was agitated. "You —"
But Nicholas was not moved at all. He only stared at Monty coldly and uttered his next words.
"Ten."
Monty suddenly extended his hand and grabbed the Star Killer's collar!
Nicholas only smiled.
Monty seemed to be so angry that his entire body trembled. He took a step forward and roared furiously, almost touching Nicholas' forehead. "You! Spiky! "
"F * ck!"
But Nicholas only smiled. His pale face was as pale as ever. Thales sighed secretly.
'Looks like I can't count on Monty's old friendship anymore.'
Monty angrily and savagely grabbed Nicholas. He lost his composure and roared, "I'll remember you, Spiky, I'll remember you!"
The Raven of Death panted harshly. "One day, I will get back at you for what you did today."
* Bang! *
Nicholas also suddenly extended his hand!
His arm overlapped with Monty's, and he similarly grabbed Monty's collar.
"Then you have to leave first," Nicholas said coldly, giving him tit for tat.
"Then there's the saying of 'getting back at me'."
The Raven of Death and the Star Killer's gazes met again. Their gazes were burning with an unknown flame.
In the next second …
As if they had come to a tacit agreement, the two of them snorted coldly at the same time and let go of each other.
Monty turned around without hesitation and walked towards his horse.
Nicholas stared at him coldly.
Thales, who was watching from the side, was shocked.
"You're leaving just like that?"
Monty untied the reins and stepped into the stirrup. He turned around angrily.
"What else should I do?
"Are you going to wait here to be surrounded?"
Thales looked at the angry Monty, then at Nicholas, who was exuding a cold aura. He rubbed his forehead in pain.
'My God.'
"Aren't you good at talking nonsense, brat?" Monty turned his horse around and glared at the silent Nicholas with gritted teeth. "Help me. Be a competent gray magpie. Don't shut up. It's best if you annoy him to death."
Thales flashed an awkward smile.
In the next moment, Monty flung his reins angrily. The horse under him raised its hooves and swiftly galloped towards the west without any hesitation.
His back was hidden among the rocks, and he left their sight.
Then, the sound of the horse hooves disappeared, and the unpleasant smell disappeared.
The prince, who had held his breath in the tense atmosphere just now, turned his head around in annoyance.
He looked at the only person left.
"What a deep impression, Lord Nicholas." Thales sighed and said, "You caught up to me so quickly."
Nicholas crossed his arms and flashed a cold smile that chilled people's hearts.
It was just like the first time they met.
The Star Killer lowered his head and glanced at the dagger in his hand. He did not say a word.
The teenager shook the JC dagger in his hand and smiled helplessly.
Thales sheathed JC's dagger and stuffed it into his bosom. "So, before you wait for your companions to meet up and capture me, can you tell me how you did it?" Thales sheathed JC's dagger and stuffed it into his bosom.
"I thought you sealed off the city and were busy dealing with the important people to screen the people who might kidnap me.
Why did you suddenly appear here? "
Nicholas smiled.
With a certain look on his face, he nodded slightly. "Yes, your plan is not bad, young prince.
"Arrange for people to attack the team and create the illusion that you were kidnapped out of thin air.
"When the situation is at its most complicated, make everyone in Dragon Clouds City suspect each other." When he said this, the Star Killer's gaze turned cold. "Greatly slow down the efficiency of the search and mislead us.
"In reality, he secretly escaped by himself."
"If we really fell into your trap, even if we searched for half a year, we wouldn't be able to find you."
Thales felt dejected.
He still found out the truth.
"Then how did you find out?" Thales raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. He looked like he had completely given up on resisting.
"When did you become so smart, Dead Face?"
When he heard this nickname, Nicholas' smile became colder.
"It's true that I'm not that smart," he said coldly, "but compared to someone like you who can come up with ten clever ideas in a second, more than twenty years of being a guard, especially the last six years, have taught me at least one thing."
Thales furrowed his brows.
"And that is …" Nicholas put his hand into his bosom and said softly.
"When you face something you don't understand, you can never be too cautious."
The Star Killer took something out of his bosom.
He spread it out, then let go of it gently.
Thales' pupils shrank!
That thing floated in the air for a few seconds.
Until it landed at his feet.
"This is …"
The teenager stared blankly at the thing the Star Killer took out. He almost could not believe his eyes.
Lying at his feet was a piece of paper.
It was a sky-blue, expensive piece of paper with ugly wrinkles.
Thales stared at the thin piece of paper, and the feeling in his heart was indescribable.
It was that piece of paper.
That invitation card that Asda wrote for him.
After they were intercepted by the highly suspicious Nicholas in Heroic Spirit Palace, under Thales' teasing and cover-up, the Star Killer angrily crumpled it into a ball.
'But …'
"I thought you'd thrown it away."
Thales frowned and looked at Nicholas. "Didn't you read the joke on the paper? Do you need me to repeat it?"
Nicholas let out a chilling laugh.
He took a step forward and stomped on the thin sky-blue paper.
There was a line of words written on the paper that had faded a lot. It was especially eye-catching.
"Star Killer, you big idiot."
"Yes, but that's just the surface."
Nicholas shook his head slowly.
Thales' image was reflected in his eyes. No matter how Nicholas shook his head, it never left the center of his pupils. "You can't imagine how I spent two whole months, paid a huge price, and mobilized almost all my information resources. From the quality to the source of the information, I wholeheartedly investigated the details of this piece of paper."
Thales was horrified.
"Rilan paper," Nicholas repeated word by word in a lifeless and rhythmic manner, as if he was reciting knowledge he did not understand at all.
"The raw wood comes from Norton Dukedom. The manufacturing and dyeing process comes from Dragon-Kissed Land. The material is excellent, durable, and can even be repeatedly erased. It's a special paper provided by the palace of Anlenzo Dukedom in the south of the Western Peninsula. It's specially used for writing nobles' invitations."
Thales stared at him solemnly.
Nicholas flashed a smile, and there was a hint of smugness from having caught his opponent. "In Northland, the rich and powerful nobles might spend a lot of money to forge a sharp sword or rear a good horse, but no one would use this kind of luxury. You can't buy this kind of paper anywhere. Even the Camian merchants are too lazy to transport it to Northland."
"And we've searched Constellation's diplomat group before, including Viscount Putray Nemain. There's no trace of this thing either."
Under Thales' complicated gaze, Nicholas pointed at the crumpled paper on the ground. "This thing.
"It shouldn't have appeared in Heroic Spirit Palace and in your hands."
The next moment, the Star Killer's voice turned cold. "This can only be brought in from the outside through a channel we don't know of. You even had to deliberately hide it from Heroic Spirit Palace's eyes and ears, because it must bear some secret and special mission."
When he heard this, Thales closed his eyes gently.
'Secret and special mission …
'Sigh.'
"Young prince, it's obvious that you've been hiding something from us for a very, very long time."
Nicholas curled his lips and revealed a hint of a cruel smile. "Although I don't know, you've indeed been secretly planning to complete it by leaving the palace every month to play chess. Obviously, there's something wrong with that chess room."
The Star Killer's gaze became unprecedentedly sharp. "So after you disappeared, when Count Lisban was still thinking about who kidnapped you, and when the major forces of power were still testing each other in bewilderment … I knew it, and I believed it without a doubt.
"I knew it, and I believed it. You were neither kidnapped nor carried away."
Instead, you escaped on your own! "
Nicholas shut his mouth and looked at Thales in disdain.
"At that time, I knew that all of this must have been a show you made up and acted out yourself. That's all."
At this moment, a light breeze blew across the Land of Barren Rocks, stirring up sand and making Thales' heart grow colder and heavier.
"When I think about it this way, it's very obvious where you went after you disappeared." Nicholas' words had never sounded so forceful before. They were almost as forceful as his blade.
"At that time, the forces of power that everyone suspected and deeply suspected were Black Sand Region, the City of Faraway Prayers, the Secret Room, and the forces of Dragon Clouds City's vassals. These were the places that you would never go to."
His words came one after another. Thales even had a feeling that Nicholas' words had almost forced him into a corner.
"So, the Archduchess' Guards sealed off the city on the surface and pretended to be suspicious of these forces. They were too busy taking care of themselves."
Nicholas' smile became more and more terrifying. "In reality, during the hour you disappeared, we had already poured all our energy and resources into one direction."
He spoke slowly and enunciated his words clearly.
"Constellation's Secret Intelligence Department."
Nicholas laughed coldly. This was an expression that he had never shown during his previous outdoor training.
It was as if this was the moment he completely defeated Thales.
"Yes, Thales, we caught up to you outside the city. We found the tracks of you and that packhorse in the thicket where you stopped. It was within half an hour after you left."
Thales' heart tensed.
"If it weren't for Monty's interference, you would have been in Heroic Spirit Palace by now."
Nicholas shook his head as if he did not care. "But you have to know that you can't escape."
The Star Killer's cold laughter continued.
It made Thales feel even more gloomy.
The teenager stared quietly at the piece of paper under Nicholas' foot. He did not say a word.
It was as if it was not a piece of paper.
It was his pride.
After a long while, Thales said with difficulty and hoarse, "I can't believe it was this.
"Even if you beat me to death, I wouldn't have thought that it was this piece of paper. There's a problem with the source of this piece of paper."
He sighed dejectedly.
"Damn it …"
'Damn it …'
The Asda Puppy Thales added in his heart in a daze.
Nicholas responded with a chuckle.
"Look, once the key point is exposed …" The Star Killer's boots moved slowly, and he slowly ground over the thin piece of paper.
"The famous Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department is nothing more than this."
"Your escape plan is full of mistakes. It's childish and laughable."
Thales sucked in a deep breath.
The sun finally rose above his head and began to set in the west.
The wilderness was still quiet. Only the whispers of the breeze blowing through the cracks in the stones and a few sporadic bird cries could be heard in the distance.
"Very impressive, Star Killer.
"You said that you were cautious." Thales let out a long sigh. "You did not underestimate me, and you made me pay the price."
He slowly raised his head and enunciated each word clearly.
"But you underestimated the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department."
Nicholas' gaze froze.
Thales did not continue speaking. He turned around with a smile, and his eyes lit up.
"Wow, he left me a horse before he left." Thales looked happy as he stared at Monty's remaining horse.
"And a longsword and shield.
I guess he did it on purpose. He probably doesn't like you. "
Under Nicholas' increasingly hostile gaze, Thales walked towards the horse without hesitation.
"Hmph." The Star Killer's smile this time was rather unique. He smiled and shook his head.
"Really?
You and me? "
Thales smiled as well.
He drew his longsword from the saddle, picked up his shield, and turned to Nicholas, who had a strange expression on his face.
"Speaking of which …" Thales looked at the other party in high spirits. He swung his longsword, tested the weight of the shield, and nodded happily. "We've been sparring for a long time in class, but we haven't really fought with our lives on the line, have we?"
In the next second, Thales put away his smile and put on the starting stance of the Northland Military Sword Style.
He raised his shield and moved his sword forward, waiting for orders.
The teenager's expression was solemn. He faced the strongest opponent he had ever challenged, aside from the Mystic.
The supreme class Star Killer.
Soray Nicholas.
This was probably not the battle with the greatest disparity in strength he had ever experienced.
But it was definitely the most difficult battle.
'You only have one chance.' Thales focused his attention on the person in front of him and said to himself quietly,
'Thales.
Only once. '
Nicholas' smile slowly faded away as he watched Thales, who had his weapon in hand and was fully prepared.
"This is a bad idea."
He was expressionless, and his words were concise. "What right do you have to win against me?"
Thales snorted coldly and shrugged. "Why? At this stage, do you still expect me to surrender obediently?"
The Star Killer furrowed his eyebrows tightly.
The wind howled, and the cold blade reflected the scorching sunlight.
Nicholas' eyebrows relaxed, and he suddenly spoke.
"You … use your right hand to eat, right?"
Thales narrowed his eyes. "What?"
Nicholas' pupils shrank slowly.
"Don't worry."
He cracked his knuckles, twisted his neck, and exercised all the joints in his body. His bones let out terrifying cracking sounds.
The Star Killer clenched his fists and slowly walked towards Thales, who was ready for battle.
"No matter how badly I beat you later …"
The former commander of the White Blade Guards said coldly,
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