Yodel quietly knelt on the spot. The pair of lenses on his strange, dark purple mask were dark and without light.
Thales suppressed all his thoughts and sighed softly.
"So, you were there."
Yodel's mask moved.
"Yes." A hoarse and muffled voice rose from under the mask.
"I am."
The man behind the mask gently extended his gloved right hand.
"I have always been there."
Thales was silent for a few seconds. The soreness in his arm gradually disappeared.
He sucked in a deep breath.
"Yes."
The prince raised his head and flashed a gentle smile. "I know.
I have always known. "
He grabbed Yodel's hand and stood up with the latter's help.
The torch in Yodel's hand swayed slightly and illuminated the area. But when it shone on Yodel, its color seemed to be restrained, and there were very few reflections.
It only made his mask look even more mysterious and profound.
Thales let go of Yodel's hand and stared at him quietly.
Not long ago, Nicholas and Monty's bloody battle in the Land of Barren Rocks was not only thrilling, but it also brought disaster to the innocent. Poor Thales was caught in the middle of the battle. He was the core bargaining chip that both sides wanted but could not obtain, and he was also the key method they used to control their enemy. He was even heavily injured and lingered between life and death.
With a rare opportunity, the Sin of Hell's River rose and devoured the teenager at that moment.
While Thales lay on the ground, dying, and suffered the uncontrollable pain of the Sin of Hell's River, his sensitive senses that were stimulated at that moment gave the Prince of Constellation new information.
Besides the Star Killer and the Raven of Death, who were fighting to the death, and himself, who could not move, Thales sensed a fourth person.
The fourth person's barely discernible breathing, the fourth person's footsteps rubbing against the ground, and the fourth mysterious figure hidden in the shadows, as if separated by a curtain.
It quietly leaned against the huge rock where the White Blade Guards fought. Its body was like a boulder, and it did not move at all. It was almost one with the environment. Even when Thales was in danger, it quietly lurked, indifferently and cautiously waiting for the victor between Nicholas and Monty.
But the two supreme class elites who were engaged in a fierce battle knew nothing.
'Just like … the past.'
Thales might not recognize that figure, but this did not stop him from recognizing that "curtain" through his temporarily strengthened hell's senses. It was a wonderful and unusual invisible ripple that separated color and sound, one that even the prince himself had experienced before.
Path of Shadows.
At that moment, Thales suddenly understood that if the scheming Raphael was right about one thing in the headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Department in Dragon Clouds City, it would be this.
"We will ensure that you have trustworthy forces and people protecting you from the outside of Dragon Clouds City to the Great Desert. Of course, the number of people won't be too many, but they are all elites rarely seen in the world …" "We will make sure that you have trustworthy forces and people protecting you from the beginning until the end.
It was Yodel.
That was why Thales was able to leave Nicholas and Monty alive before he moved forward with an indomitable spirit and entered the desert without looking back.
After they escaped from Dragon Clouds City, on the surface, Monty led Thales away from the threat of the pursuers as the most outstanding scout. In the dark, Yodel, who had snuck into Northland at some point in time, acted as a safeguard in the shadows and monitored their movements. Perhaps the Secret Intelligence Department had long suspected the Raven of Death's loyalty, or perhaps this was the final test for Monty.
In the Great Desert, Thales was in danger a few times, but in the end, he would always escape the Desert God's cold trap by some miraculous "luck". Be it when he lost consciousness and fell on the yellow sand after he ran out of food and water, or when he was surrounded by the orcs and was surrounded by enemies from all sides, or when the merchants' camp strangely burst into flames and attracted Constellation's army.
Now, it seemed that most of these luck and coincidences were in line with Yodel's usual style of hiding in the dark and attacking in secret.
'It's not just this. Maybe, maybe on the way out of Heroic Spirit Palace, maybe that black-robed swordsman who attacked with dual swords …'
In that second, Thales, who had a myriad of thoughts in his mind, quietly looked at Yodel's mask. He looked at the man who had always been a man of few words and remembered the first time he appeared in Red Street Market and the scene when he extended his hand to the little beggar.
He suddenly realized that he was already as tall as the Masked Protector's shoulder.
At this moment …
"Who are you?"
A deep and drawn-out voice rose from the air. Thales subconsciously became vigilant, but he noticed that Yodel did not move. He only turned his head to look behind him.
He looked at the prison cell shrouded in darkness.
"What a terrifying ability to hide yourself." Zakriel's voice, which sounded old and tired because he had gone through too much torture, came from the darkness.
"Before you drew your sword, I didn't even feel anything strange."
Thales frowned. He noticed that Yodel was a little too quiet.
"But that mask …"
In the darkness, Zakriel said faintly,
"I recognize that mask."
'Mask?'
Thales' eyebrows twitched. He quickly looked at Yodel, and paid special attention to the strange, dark purple mask.
It was the thing that had piqued his curiosity since the first time they met.
Zakriel's cold laughter traveled into his ears. "'Bright God's Scheme' is also one of the dowries of the Elf Queen. It's not without reason that it has been classified as a 'forbidden item' in the royal treasury for three hundred years."
'Bright God's Scheme?
What kind of name is that? '
There were emotions in Zakriel's words that made Thales feel uneasy.
"Hiding, disguise, observation, insight, and even delayed damage …" the prisoner in the prison said slowly, "It can give its owner too many benefits …
"Almost as much as the price it demands."
'Price.'
Thales could not help but glance at Yodel again. But the latter only remained silent and did not say a word.
"Who are you?"
Zakriel seemed to be a little impatient. There was a hint of impatience in his voice. "Even without looking at that mask, not everyone is qualified to control the Supreme Sword."
"The Secret Intelligence Department? Or the royal family? "
Just as Thales widened his eyes and wanted to remind them of their current situation, Yodel suddenly spoke.
"I am just a nobody," the Masked Protector said faintly.
The prisoner in the darkness was silent for a while.
"No, you are not."
His tone was firm.
"You are not."
The eyes behind the mask named 'Bright God's Scheme' moved slightly.
Zakriel let out a long sigh.
He seemed to have thought of something.
"I've said it before …"
"A long time ago, when I taught you unarmed combat in Renaissance Palace, I said it." There was an indescribable desolation in the words of the former Watchman of the Royal Guards.
"You are not suited to be a royal assassin."
Thales saw the Masked Protector's body, which had not moved for a long time, sway after he said those words.
Zakriel sighed and uttered an affectionate name.
"Young Yodel."
The scene seemed to have frozen in the air. Only the light from the fire continued to flicker.
A few seconds later, Yodel slowly turned around. His hoarse voice rose laboriously.
"Long time no see."
"Sir."
Thales looked around awkwardly.
Obviously, this was a reunion that they had not met for a long time.
"You should not have worn that mask." Zakriel did not listen to Yodel's words. There was a faint sadness in his voice.
"You should not have."
These were his last words. With a rustling sound, his movements were lost in the darkness of the prison cell.
Yodel did not speak.
Thales, who had been affected by the atmosphere to the point that he did not even dare to breathe loudly, rolled his eyes. He carefully pointed at the path he came from, the dark tunnel.
"So, we are now …"
Yodel raised his head and no longer looked in Zakriel's direction.
"Do not worry. The Secret Intelligence Department is on the surface. They have prepared everything."
This time, it was Thales' turn to frown slightly.
"The Secret Intelligence Department? Did they know all along? Ever since I came back, about Shadow Shield, the Prison of Bones, about … "
He looked at Yodel suspiciously.
"Half." Yodel nodded, then shook his head. "They learned about half of it from the Tower of Eradication.
"I was the one who told them about the other half of Shadow Shield. Your journey back home was not smooth, and many people are very interested in you."
The Masked Protector said quietly.
Thales exhaled.
"That's good news." A faint feeling of vexation rose in his heart.
'This is bad.'
This was the prince's thoughts.
Thales tried his best to get rid of his irritation. He cleared his throat and said to Yodel,
"Listen, Yodel, erm, how should I say this? When I came back, there was a mercenary …"
While Thales was troubled, Yodel suddenly spoke.
"'Quick Rope'."
He spoke in a simple and straightforward manner.
Thales was stunned.
"The Secret Intelligence Department doesn't know about him." Yodel seemed to know what Thales was thinking. "Let's see what we can do."
Thales opened his mouth, then closed it again.
He looked at Yodel and suddenly felt very grateful to the man.
He was grateful for the other party's understanding and understanding.
But Yodel obviously did not need the prince to thank him. He consciously nodded slightly and turned around.
"We should go."
Thales' eyebrows twitched.
"Oh, wait a minute."
Under the prince's signal, Yodel held the torch and followed Thales to Ricky's fallen body.
Thales looked at Ricky lying in a pool of blood. It was hard to imagine that just an hour ago in the tavern, this man had effortlessly taken him down.
'He's dead, just like that.
The leader of the Disaster Swords. '
The prince could only shake his head in resignation. He squatted down and pushed Ricky's body flat.
Ricky's empty and lifeless eyes were revealed. "Sorry to disturb you, honorable Crassus."
"Excuse me, honorable Crassus." Thales stared at Ricky's pale face with complicated emotions. He took out the dagger that had been confiscated from Ricky's bosom, waved it at the dead man, and buckled it on his waist. He did not care whether Ricky could hear him.
"I believe this is mine."
Yodel stared quietly at the sheathed dagger and watched the prince talk to a corpse. He remained silent.
Thales searched Ricky's bosom again. His movements were skillful, and he went straight to the point quickly and efficiently.
It was as if he had returned to his childhood, when he searched for unconscious drunkards or unclaimed corpses in the smelly gutters of Lower City District.
"And this …"
Thales sighed and took out an expensive piece of yellowed paper. He shook it open in front of him and looked at the inscription "H. N. Jadestar". He sighed a little.
"I believe it's not yours either."
The prince did not have the time to read it carefully. He took a deep breath, folded the unusual letter carefully, and put it away in his bosom.
Yodel suddenly spoke at this moment.
"Weapon."
"Hmm?" Thales turned his head around.
"You should take his weapon." Yodel's mask moved slightly. "We are not out of danger yet. You can't just rely on a dagger for self-defense."
Thales raised his eyebrows.
"Alright." The prince shrugged and looked at Ricky's waist. He stared at the long and slender saber that was wrapped tightly in a cloth and had never been unsheathed.
"I'm guessing that this sword is useless in his hands."
Thales pried open Ricky's belt and tore off his saber belt.
"You are a good man, Ricky. Thank you for your protection and … generosity."
Thales mumbled to himself as he unwrapped the cloth and revealed the longsword in front of his eyes.
'This is not an ordinary sword.'
Thales had this feeling the first time he saw it.
He saw that the guard of the sword was inlaid with a soft silver diamond, which gave the weapon an elegant, quiet, and noble feeling. Its carefully cast handguard and hilt formed a standard right angle, looking neat and strict. From the tip of the sword to the body of the sword, there was a beautiful arc, and even in the dim light of the fire, it looked smooth and glossy.
When Thales grabbed the hilt and lifted it, he immediately realized that the weapon in his hands had an amazing sense of balance. It was smooth when he swung it, without any sluggishness.
"Good fellow." Thales swung the sword a few times and clicked his tongue in admiration.
Compared to it, the weapons of the Northlanders looked like they were crudely made. Even the creations of the Constellatiates seemed inferior. As for the weapons of the orcs, hmm …
But what attracted Thales the most was not its shape, but the inscriptions carved on both sides of the blade.
"The language of the Ancient Empire," Thales muttered as he flipped the inscriptions on the blade back and forth.
But compared to the other language of the Ancient Empire, this time, he could only recognize a few phrases on the two lines of inscriptions.
"What do you mean by endless …"
Thales looked at the inscriptions, which were completely different from most written words, with a headache. "What do you mean by eternal …"
'My God.
I really need to cram on Constellation's culture. '
Thales shook his head and took out the last thing from Ricky's bosom. He only glanced at it before he casually tossed it to Yodel.
"Hey, take this. It will be useful."
"As for him …"
Thales glanced at the unconscious Samel lying on the side. Remembering his sensitive and complicated identity, he sighed. "Let the Secret Intelligence Department handle it."
At this moment, Yodel's figure suddenly flashed!
* Whoosh — Thud! *
There was a swift sound. Before Thales could react, he was pushed to the ground!
"Hold him down!"
An anxious and angry shout rose from the passageway, "Don't hurt our target."
Thales panted heavily. Leaning on Ricky's sword, he pulled Yodel's arm and stood up. With lingering fear, he looked at his original position. An arrow was nailed to the ground, and the tail of the arrow trembled slightly.
But now was not the time to be glad.
In the next second, a flash of sword light as fast as lightning came from the air!
It met with another dark sword in the air.
* Clang! *
A piercing sound rang in the air.
Thales felt a burst in his eardrums. He was immediately pushed back by Yodel, and he took more than ten steps back!
The Masked Protector's figure flickered in the air many times. He tried his best to avoid the two subsequent attacks that were faster and fiercer than the first one. With a backflip, he landed in front of Thales.
He looked more or less disheveled.
When Thales saw the attacker who appeared out of nowhere, his heart tensed.
'This is bad.'
Klein, the middle-aged swordsman from Northland, stood coldly in front of them. He glared at Yodel with resentment, and the Twilight longsword in his hand trembled nonstop.
He was not the only one.
* Thud! Thud! Thud! *
Multiple footsteps rose from the other end of the passageway, and they swiftly approached the area.
As a Disaster Sword, Josef appeared at the entrance of the passageway. Behind him were more than a dozen fierce mercenaries.
"My God!"
Josef put down the crossbow in his hand and stared at the scene in a daze.
He stared at his leader, who lay in a pool of blood, and the unconscious Samel. Like his companions, he was shocked.
"This … Ricky …"
"No …"
From shock to indignation, from anger to hate, the Disaster Swords looked at Yodel and Thales, who were the only ones left.
Thales gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
'They're here too … too fast!'
Just now, when Yodel knocked down two people, he was practically silent throughout the entire process …
'And it took a long time to pass through this passageway.
'How could they be so fast …'
"Encirclement formation!"
When he saw the situation clearly, Klein shouted. His face was full of anger.
The Disaster Swords spread out in a semicircle. Their gazes were fierce, but they carefully surrounded the prince and the protector.
Thales subconsciously raised Ricky's sword in the face of countless hateful and murderous gazes.
Yodel bent his knees slightly, and the Supreme Sword in his hand was switched to a reverse grip.
"Ricky was right."
Klein stared at the leader's corpse on the ground with hatred, then at the special longsword in Thales' hand. "He was right."
In the end, he raised Twilight and pointed it at Yodel, the Masked Protector.
"As expected, you sneaky bastard. You've been following us in the dark and causing trouble!"
Thales thought of something.
"He knows?"
He stared at the leader of the Disaster Swords on the ground in disbelief. "Ricky knows?"
Klein spat hatefully. He was extremely indignant.
"Of course he knows."
The middle-aged swordsman from Northland said coldly.
"Just now, when we were facing off against Shadow Shield, you were the one who launched the sneak attack and started the fight, right? You wanted to see both sides suffer and benefit from it. "
Yodel did not say anything.
Klein gritted his teeth and said, "Ricky has been suspicious since then. The battle started too quickly, too suddenly, and we were caught off guard. It doesn't seem like Stake's style of coercion and temptation."
Thales understood something, and his face turned pale.
'That means …'
"So, Ricky deliberately withdrew his men and brought me here." The prince stared at Ricky's corpse in a daze, then at the empty hall.
"Just to, just to …
"To lure out this rat who secretly caused destruction." Josef coldly threw away his crossbow and pulled out two strangely shaped hand axes from his back.
"An expert assassin who lurks in the dark, and even has the ability to hide his body."
All the Disaster Swords stared fiercely at Yodel.
"The only thing Ricky did not expect was that this rat who hid himself had the ability to kill him." Klein stared at Ricky's corpse on the ground. His eyes were filled with hatred. "He didn't even have time to send out the ambush signal."
Thales stared at Yodel with an unpleasant expression.
But he could only see the dark purple mask.
"Did you know, the one wearing the mask?"
Klein's longsword trembled slightly. Thales could see the Power of Eradication gathering in his body, bursting forth along with his anger. "I promise you, you will pay for this."
The Disaster Swords got into formation, and the hall was filled with murderous intent.
Thales immediately felt a headache coming on.
Yodel slowly raised his head.
His faint voice came from under the mask, "I know.
I knew from the beginning. "
In the next moment, the torch in Yodel's hand was extinguished and fell to the ground!
The Masked Protector disappeared without a trace like morning dew. He instantly disappeared from everyone's sight!
It was incredibly strange.
"He's invisible again!"
The Disaster Swords were obviously very experienced. They were not confused by the scene in front of them. Klein roared.
"Don't use your eyes, use your Power of Eradication to feel that murderous intent!"
At that moment, Thales' hair stood on end with his hell's senses. He felt the dozen or so Disaster Swords in front of him lift their swords and prepare for battle.
Their Power of Eradication spread out from their bodies. They were all different. Some gathered in a certain place, some surged endlessly, some ignited a rhythm, and some grew endlessly. But all of them were turbulent, ruthless, and crazy. Even Thales felt an inexplicable pain when he looked at them from afar.
They were very different from ordinary people.
"Take down the small one first!
"No matter what trick it is, if he wants to attack, he must first show himself and show his murderous intent!" Klein calmly ordered. He had the mercenaries surround the exit and pay attention to every corner.
Klein observed his surroundings and said coldly, "The moment he shows himself, he will die."
"The moment he shows himself, he will die."
Thales' eyelids twitched. He instantly felt that something was wrong.
"Eighteen." Thales slowly retreated and counted the enemies in front of him. He moved his lips and whispered to the empty air, "Eighteen of them.
There are also a few elites who are not inferior to Ricky.
Can you do it? "
A unique hoarse voice rose quietly in the air. It was the same as six years ago. "They have numbers, a formation, and are prepared. They also know of my existence. If I break through them head-on …"
Thales' heart sank when he heard what Yodel meant.
"I am not the Kingdom's Wrath," Yodel said dejectedly.
Before him, the Disaster Swords were wary of their surroundings. They closed in on Thales step by step.
"So the answer is no."
Thales was very dejected. He frowned, but he could only brace himself and think of a way. "Alright, then I will try —"
But Yodel's words continued to travel into his ears and interrupted him.
"But someone can."
Thales was stunned.
'Huh?
'Someone can?'
In the next second, the wind howled!
* Thud! *
One of the mercenaries holding a torch stumbled back, the torch falling from his hand and crashing into the wall along with an incoming rock.
It was as if a gust of wind had blown past, and the three remaining torches in the Disaster Swords' hands were blown away!
"Over there!" Klein shouted angrily. His sword flashed like a bolt of lightning!
Thales only had time to see Yodel's figure flash in the air. Their weapons clashed against each other.
* Clang! *
The Masked Protector's ghostly figure forced one person back. Then, he retreated pathetically under the pincer attack of three people.
After he dodged countless enemies, he rolled, but his back was pressed against the stone pillar in the hall. He had nowhere to retreat.
"Surround him and kill him!" Klein's murderous voice was merciless.
But in the next moment, Yodel's figure disappeared from the stone pillar again.
* Bang! *
A heavy hammer smashed against the stone pillar where the Masked Protector had disappeared, and stone chips flew everywhere.
"F * ck!" Josef cursed, having failed at the last moment.
The Disaster Swords calmly turned their heads around, got into formation, and waited for another chance.
But a few seconds later …
* Crack … *
A strange sound traveled into the air not too far away!
The Disaster Swords were stunned.
Klein frowned and turned his head around. "What's going on?"
But right after that, another Disaster Sword discovered the enemy's tracks and shouted a reminder to them.
"Over there!"
The mercenaries turned their heads and found Yodel's figure by the wall behind the hall.
"Kill him!"
Josef roared and charged forward with his men. Four weapons were drawn at the same time, forcing Yodel to be flustered.
But Klein saw more.
He saw the masked, dark, and strange person put his left hand on the wall and gently let go of a ring.
'Ring?'
Beside the ring was an iron plate with words carved on it.
Klein's expression changed!
He instinctively turned his head and saw a familiar emblem on the stone pillar where Yodel had disappeared.
'That eye.
'The eye that leads to omniscience.'
At some point in time, the long crystal-green key that originally belonged to Ricky was inserted firmly in the center of the emblem.
'No.'
That was Klein's first thought.
In the next moment, rough metal scraping against metal and the clear sound of machinery rang out continuously!
* Crack … crack … crack! *
The Disaster Swords were so shocked that their movements became chaotic, allowing Yodel to escape from the encirclement again. He hid in the shadows and even knocked away a torch.
* Crack … crack! *
The noisy and piercing sound of machinery rang out for a few seconds, tormenting everyone's ears.
* Thud. *
Then, with a muffled sound, it disappeared abruptly.
It was as if the blade of an axe on a guillotine had gone through the friction of death and blood. With a loud bang, it fell to the ground.
Klein and Josef turned their heads around in shock. Under the barely illuminated light of the last torch, they looked at the back of the hall.
It disappeared.
Klein's eyes were wide open as he stared at the infamous Black Prison cell.
It disappeared.
At some point in time, the mysterious bars that isolated and tortured the prisoners in the dark cell at the back of the hall …
They were gone.
Only dozens of round holes were left on the ground, telling them where they had gone.
Only the quiet darkness behind them served as a foil to the eerie silence.
"Oh no," Klein blurted out subconsciously. He did not even have time to care about Yodel's whereabouts.
As they stared at the ominous darkness that was supposed to be separated by the mysterious bars, the Disaster Swords instinctively retreated and gathered together.
They looked at each other at a loss. Many of them felt an inexplicable uneasiness in their hearts.
A second later, a long and distant sound of inhaling could be heard slowly from the deathly silent darkness that no one knew about.
"Haa …"
The sound was a little heavy, and the breathing was a little hurried.
It was as if a person who had not breathed for a long time had just breathed in for the first time.
Even the dim light from the fire flickered slightly.
At that moment, the mercenaries who were immersed in the strange Power of Eradication felt their skin crawl, and their hair stood on end!
Their Powers of Eradication went berserk at the same time, like restless animals.
How —
"Stay steady!" Klein gritted his teeth and shouted, "Formation!"
Under the surging Power of Eradication, the mercenaries had to restrain themselves with all their might. They suppressed their uncontrollable anger and the inexplicable panic that attacked them.
Then, they looked at the mysterious darkness.
The sound of exhaling rose again in the darkness.
Compared to before, the aura this time was much more dull and steady.
"Whoosh …"
It was also a little boring.
Rustling sounds came from the darkness.
Beads of sweat rolled down Klein's forehead. He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and suppressed the Touch of Greed that was operating madly in his body. He was on guard against the unknown darkness in front of him.
'What's going on?'
He knew that there were not many situations that could make the Disaster Swords' Power of Eradication go berserk.
'And that is …'
At that moment …
"Ah …" A dull and ordinary male voice traveled faintly from the darkness.
"I really should shave."
His accent was pure, and there was sadness in his voice.
Puzzled and terrified, the Disaster Swords looked at each other at a loss. Their breathing quickened.
Klein's eyelids twitched a little.
The moment he heard the voice, he suddenly had an illusion.
It was as if a terrifying beast had just woken up from its hibernation in the darkness in front of him.
It exhaled its first languid and unhappy breath.
Klein gripped the sword in his hand even tighter. He swallowed hard.
"So …"
The dull male voice rose again. This time, there was a little more life in it, and there was even a hint of a smile in it.
"Do you … have a razor?"
* Thud! *
With a muffled sound, the only torch in the hall was extinguished. The light disappeared before their eyes.
The entire hall, including the eighteen Disaster Swords, sank into dead silence and deep darkness.
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