At that moment, Thales smelled the thick stench of blood with a heavy heart. A strange scene was reflected in his pupils.
In the dark and gloomy Black Prison, the cold corpses of the mercenaries were spread all over the floor between the two walls. The blood around them was warm, and it almost formed a puddle. Under the stingy and trembling torches, the scene before him gave off a strange feeling that was a mixture of red and gray.
With Barney Junior in the lead, seven ragged but tall men stood tall on the floor. They were like stubborn reefs that parted the red and black waves. They looked at the other side of the tunnel without saying a word.
There, the Knight of Judgment faced them quietly. His eyes reflected the light from the fire, and the brand on his forehead was faintly discernible.
In the narrow Black Prison, his body was like a towering mountain at the end of the horizon. His presence was imposing, awe-inspiring, and dignified.
But he could not touch him.
Zakriel's gaze swept across the area slowly. He did not point at anyone in particular, but everyone in his line of sight tensed up. They felt as if he was sizing them up, and they subconsciously tensed up.
They were like soldiers undergoing inspection.
But their expressions became even more solemn.
It was as if darkness had truly arrived in Black Prison at that moment.
Thales became even more nervous. He wanted to speak a few times to interrupt Zakriel, but he was forced into silence by the current atmosphere.
Countless ideas flashed through his mind, but none of them were suitable for the current situation.
Thales could only ignore the meaningful glances Quick Rope gave him and try to force himself to calm down.
"Don't be nervous.
I'm not here to carry out the punishment. "
As he watched his former colleagues tense up, Zakriel chuckled. There was a hint of sadness in his voice, which was as dull as ever.
"I will never do it again."
'Carry out the punishment.'
Once he said that, the seven prisoners who also had brands on their faces seemed to have their memories stirred up.
The sturdy Bruley let out a low snort. Tardin looked at the ground and twitched the corners of his lips. The others did the same. Their postures relaxed, and their nervous expressions softened a little.
Only Barney Junior remained like a rock that stood proudly in the cold wind. He stared at Zakriel coldly.
The silence lasted for a few seconds. A few figures swayed continuously under the firelight.
Thales and Quick Rope exchanged a worried glance.
'What's going on?'
He knew that they knew Zakriel, and he was worried that they might work together to harm him. 'But …
'Why are they in this state when we meet?
More importantly, what was he going to do?
The strange atmosphere made Thales even more anxious.
Then, the former Penal Officer Beldin sighed and broke the ice.
"It has been a long time." He stared at Zakriel with a slightly bitter expression.
"Sir."
When he heard this form of address, Zakriel sucked in a deep breath.
He paused for a second before he looked at Beldin, who had a complicated expression on his face.
"Yes," Zakriel said hoarsely.
"It's been a while."
Luton Belletti.
Zakriel stared at the figure who was very different from how he was a decade ago.
Beldin was an inconspicuous person among the elite Royal Guards. He had always been quiet and stubborn, but the old captain had his eyes set on this point. In this era where people's hearts wavered, they needed an experienced and steady penal officer more than anyone else.
He still remembered that a long time ago, when he handed over the badge that represented the penal officer, Beldin's hands were trembling and cold.
But Zakriel only immersed himself in the past for a few seconds before he pulled himself out of the sentimental state of meeting an old friend.
He looked past the crowd and nodded slightly at the young prince behind the seven people.
"Your Highness Thales."
His tone was respectful, but there was frost in his voice.
When they heard Zakriel's strange attitude, the seven prisoners exchanged glances.
Thales thought that this moment would come sooner or later. He ignored Quick Rope's shake of his head, braced himself, and took a step forward.
"Where is he?"
The prince stared at Zakriel's long and thin face. He tried hard to forget the man's deadly presence just now. He first asked the person he cared about the most.
"What did you do to him?"
Thales looked at the Knight of Judgment worriedly. He noticed that there were not many wounds on the man's body. But fortunately, Zakriel held a battle axe in his hand, and not the gray shortsword he was all too familiar with.
'Him?'
Barney Junior cast a glance at Canon, but the Royal Guard who was in charge of scouting only shook his head slowly.
Zakriel was silent for a few seconds. His eyes sparkled.
"He's fine, I assure you.
He just needs some time to recover. "
Thales breathed a sigh of relief without anyone noticing.
But it was too early for him to be happy.
Soon, the Knight of Judgment's mountain-like body pressed forward slowly. As he spoke more sternly, he closed in on the prince.
"But we —"
Zakriel's words rose along with his footsteps.
* Thud, thud, thud. *
Every step he took sounded like a terrifying war drum. As the number of steps he took increased, the killing intent within him grew stronger.
"We should go."
"Your Highness."
'Time to go.'
At that moment, Thales' face turned pale. His heart, which had just relaxed, tensed up again.
Barney Junior looked at Zakriel, then at Thales behind him. He furrowed his eyebrows tightly.
* Thud, thud, thud. *
Zakriel moved forward step by step. The blade of the axe in his hand was illuminated by the light from the fire.
His gaze sharpened again, and he stared at Thales intently.
It was as if he could no longer see anyone else.
Thales clenched his teeth and subconsciously held the hilt of his sword.
But in the next second, two sturdy and strong figures moved at the same time, and they suddenly joined the strange confrontation!
The light from the fire flickered.
* Thud! *
Zakriel's figure froze. His heavy footsteps, which could destroy mountains, stopped on the spot.
He narrowed his eyes and sized up the obstacles before him.
Thales' eyebrows twitched.
It was Beldin and Bruley.
One of them was sturdy, and the other was strong. They were like huge rocks that blocked the Knight of Judgment's path.
Their gazes shone, and their expressions were calm. They showed no signs of backing down.
Zakriel's eyes slowly focused. He glanced at the axe and mace in Beldin and Bruley's hands, and looked at the man behind them.
It was Barney Junior, who was as still as a statue.
"Is this how you welcome your old colleague and senior officer?"
Zakriel stared at the expressionless Barney Junior and tilted his head.
"No hugs?"
His tone was joking, but he did not sound relaxed at all.
Thales noticed that at that moment, the seven prisoners had stern expressions on their faces, as if they wanted to reject him.
'What's going on?
Do they have a grudge against each other? '
Unexpectedly, at that moment, Quick Rope, who was beside him, patted his shoulder and secretly gave him a smug thumbs-up.
This made Thales even more puzzled.
But Barney Junior soon answered his question.
"I don't know how you came out, watchman."
Barney's voice was as calm as ever. His head was slightly lowered, and his pupils were raised above his eyelids. He stared at the Knight of Judgment, who had an awe-inspiring presence, in a chilling manner.
He flicked his head behind him.
"But the one beside the prince … Attendant Wya Caso told us bad news when he let us out."
Barney Junior said coldly,
"It's about you going insane and chasing after the prince with Shadow Shield."
The moment he said this, Zakriel furrowed his eyebrows. The seven prisoners, on the other hand, did not lose their vigilance. They pursed their lips and exchanged looks.
What?
Insane? Chasing after the prince?
In his surprise, Thales gave Quick Rope an inquiring look.
The latter winked proudly and curled up one side of his lips.
Thales could not care about anything else. He quickly lowered his head and whispered to Quick Rope.
"What did you tell them about Zakriel?"
Quick Rope looked like he wanted to take credit, but pretended to be reserved. He glanced at Thales absentmindedly and chuckled.
"Of course …"
But he immediately noticed that the talkative Nalgi was staring at them with a burning gaze. This made Quick Rope stop talking, and he subconsciously put away his playful expression.
Quick Rope puffed out his chest in an awe-inspiring manner and raised his voice so that everyone could hear him.
"Of course I told them the truth!"
Thales felt a headache coming on as he watched Quick Rope's loyal face. He watched the latter stare at Zakriel in the distance with indignation. Thales clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
"How can the noble Jadestar bloodline be buried in the filthy hands of a lunatic?!"
Quick Rope's righteous shout echoed in the small tunnel.
'N-Nalgi?'
The corners of Thales' lips twitched. Even the nervousness in his heart at that moment faded away.
Nalgi, who was staring at them, stopped looking at them as if he was looking at an idiot. He looked at Barney Junior with a strange expression, as if he was asking for his opinion.
But Barney Junior did not say a word. He only stared at Zakriel.
Zakriel also did not move in front of them. He stared back at Barney Junior from the distance.
Quick Rope's echoes disappeared into the air. The confrontation between Zakriel and the seven people continued. The desolate and suffocating atmosphere in Black Prison returned.
After a while, when Thales felt so uncomfortable in the suffocating atmosphere that he wanted to interrupt, Barney Junior, who had the highest status among the seven, finally spoke.
"Watchman, you are not crazy, are you?"
His gaze was calm, and his tone was indifferent. He addressed Zakriel by his former position.
"At least, I am not that crazy."
When he heard the man's words, which contained a profound meaning, Zakriel was silent for a while before he spoke airily.
"That depends on the definition of crazy."
He stared at Thales, but he seemed to have seen something else. His gaze was unfocused.
The seven prisoners frowned almost at the same time.
Thales felt that he could not remain silent any longer. If this continued, it would only be a matter of time before his secret was exposed.
So he cleared his throat.
"Everyone, please listen to me —"
However, before he could finish his sentence, Barney Junior suddenly spoke!
"I do not mean to be disrespectful to you, Your Highness, whom we do not know!"
His voice was cold, and he rudely interrupted the Prince of Constellation.
"But please do not open your mouth, lest we deepen the misunderstanding."
Thales was rendered speechless by the interruption.
He stared at Barney Junior, who turned his head sideways to look at him. He felt that the latter's gaze was a little scary.
"Misunderstand?"
Thales was stunned.
Barney Junior snorted coldly.
"Yes."
Barney Junior pressed his hand on the hilt of his sword and turned his gaze to the other side. He stared at the equally puzzled Quick Rope, who could not help but shudder.
"For example, the so-called 'Attendant Caso' beside you, who impersonates others, lies, and only wants to sow discord between us and Zakriel."
His words echoed in the dungeon. They were hollow and piercing.
Thales took a few seconds to digest these words.
'Impersonates others.
Full of lies.
Sow discord.
'The so-called Caso …
'Wait, does that mean …?'
Thales turned his gaze away in a daze.
As expected, Quick Rope was dumbfounded. He could not believe it. He stared blankly at Barney Junior, whose eyes were as sharp as knives.
The man's gaze was very cold, as if it could pierce through everything.
At that moment, Quick Rope felt a chill run down his spine.
'No way.'
"Hey, Thales." Quick Rope flashed an ugly smile. He tugged at the corner of the prince's shirt awkwardly, whispered, and slowly retreated.
"I think we should leave for a while so that they can catch up in private …"
However, the moment Quick Rope turned around, the other two people appeared behind the rookie mercenary like shadows and blocked his path of retreat!
That was not all.
At some point in time, Tardin, Nalgi, Canon, and Naer surrounded Thales and Quick Rope from four directions. Two of them were in front, and the other two were behind.
They had more people than the number of people who intercepted Zakriel.
The four of them sized up Quick Rope, whose smile was even uglier than his crying face, with vigilant and scrutinizing gazes.
The sudden incident caused Thales to be unable to help but be thrown into disarray.
'How …?'
"Please stay where you are. Do not act rashly, 'Attendant Caso'."
Tardin held a knife in one hand and a sword in the other. There was a mocking tone in his voice as he looked at Quick Rope, who had an unpleasant expression on his face.
"By the way, Wya."
Tardin shook his head in contempt. His gaze was hostile.
"Your mother, Viscountess Gilbert Caso, is my sister."
'What?'
Quick Rope's eyelids immediately twitched, and his heart sank.
"She died eighteen years ago, and it was precisely because she protected her young son during the turmoil in Eternal Star City."
Tardin's gaze flickered slightly. He slowly raised the weapon in his hand, and Quick Rope was so frightened that he took a step back.
"That is you, 'Wya Caso', my dear nephew."
'Nephew?'
Quick Rope's face became even paler and more unpleasant.
Even Thales was stunned.
'Tardin is Wya's … uncle?'
"Obviously, your 'mother' is not as' healthy 'as you said, and she is definitely not' hehehe '."
Tardin stared coldly at his' nephew '.
"Also, liar, next time, remember to change your Camian accent. Constellatiates do not speak like this."
The moment he finished speaking, the seven prisoners stared at him in an extremely hostile manner.
At that moment, Quick Rope's smile completely froze.
As he endured the scrutinizing gazes of the prisoners and was exposed, he cast an innocent and awkward look at Thales, asking for help.
'Um …
'Are we … going to be unlucky?'
But even Thales could only sigh silently in his heart. He wanted to slap himself on the head, or Quick Rope's face.
'This bastard who thinks he's smart!
'Sh * t.'
Thales sensed the seven men's doubtful and unfamiliar gazes again, and he instantly felt a great deal of pressure.
Just now, the unfriendly atmosphere between the seven men and Zakriel had made him feel slightly lucky.
But now, after Quick Rope was exposed, he had lost the trust of the seven men, and he had fallen back into the most dangerous situation possible.
On the other side, Zakriel watched Thales, who was surrounded from afar. He did not say a word.
Barney Junior snorted softly and shifted the topic of the conversation back to the opposite side.
"As you can see, Zakriel, everything that happened today is full of suspicious points."
Barney Junior gestured with his chin.
"For example, this strange and mysterious prince, his attendant who is full of lies, and you, who are behaving abnormally now."
His words brought everyone's attention back to the present.
"We believe in you, Zakriel. You never do meaningless crazy things."
Barney Junior glanced at Thales and said softly, "So, what is the reason why this so-called 'prince' must die?
Why did you target him the moment you were released from prison? Why did you target the last bloodline of the royal family? "
"Is that why you targeted him, the last bloodline of the royal family, the moment you were released from prison?"
"The reason why he must die …" He seemed to be immersed in his own thoughts as he muttered and repeated.
At that moment, Thales' face turned pale with rage, and his heart was filled with bitterness.
At that moment, Thales' face was livid, and his heart was filled with bitterness.
The reason why he must die … '
'The reason why he must die …'
Even Quick Rope realized that they seemed to be facing imminent disaster.
The seven prisoners stood quietly in their spots. Two of them stood in front of the Knight of Judgment, four surrounded the prince and Quick Rope, and Barney Junior stood in the middle, waiting for Zakriel's answer with a composed expression.
Zakriel snapped out of his daze and glanced at Thales again. The meaning behind his gaze was indescribable.
Thales' heart was gloomy. With a sorrowful expression, he watched Zakriel clench the battle axe in his hand. The wrinkles on his face rose and fell.
But something unexpected happened.
Zakriel shook his head impatiently and uttered a few words in a nonchalant manner.
"I'll explain it later."
Thales' heavy heart instantly froze.
The moment he finished speaking, Zakriel stepped forward without hesitation.
He walked towards Thales.
The seven people waiting for his answer, including Thales, were shocked.
'Explain it later?'
Barney Junior frowned.
Beldin and Bruley looked at each other. They saw surprise and puzzlement in each other's eyes.
But in the next second, the two former members of the Royal Guards moved at the same time and raised their weapons.
* Whoosh! *
The cold blades sliced through the air and stopped in midair!
Their movements were smooth and clean.
They were only an inch away from the Knight of Judgment.
He had no choice but to stop walking towards the prince.
"I'm afraid that I would prefer you to explain it now, Zakriel."
Barney Junior stared at him sternly.
"We have been in prison for so many years, and we are a little clumsy.
But if we want to spar, which we haven't had for a long time, it is not a problem. "
The situation in the field became tense again.
Zakriel did not even look at the weapons in front of him. He only lowered his head, took a deep breath, and curled up the corners of his lips.
'Ah, Quill Barney Junior.
He's still that stubborn person.
He's still that paranoid person. '
In front of the Knight of Judgment, Beldin's gaze was gloomy and calm. Bruley's expression fluctuated, and his eyebrows rose and fell.
"If I explain it clearly …"
Zakriel looked away and sighed.
"Will all of you help me?"
His words made Thales tremble in fear.
He looked around, but to his anguish, he found that the Royal Guards had never relaxed in their protection and surveillance of the prisoners.
Zakriel swept his gaze over each of his former colleagues and continued to speak in a hoarse voice.
"Even if this means pointing your sword at the blood descendants of the Jadestar Royal Family?"
His voice was like a sharp blade, and it was incredibly piercing.
When he said this, the former Royal Guards' breathing became disorderly, and they frowned.
Beldin subconsciously turned to look at Barney Junior.
As expected, only Barney Junior remained calm among the seven. He answered him in an unusually calm manner.
"That depends on how you explain it."
"Everything happens for a reason."
During the tense confrontation, Zakriel fell silent.
"Yes," he said dejectedly.
"Everything happens for a reason."
Seeing him like this, Thales could not help but remember the Knight of Judgment who went berserk in prison and spoke to the other world.
When he saw that Zakriel was showing signs of compromising, Barney Junior nodded slowly. Under his signal, Beldin and Bruley put down their weapons and waited for Zakriel's response.
This made Thales even more nervous.
'That's right.
Zakriel only needs to explain his identity as a Mystic to them … '
He was a highly respected person among the Royal Guards. As long as he gave a slight explanation, they would have no reason to help him.
'And these Constellatiates who were born as nobles … Their attitude towards the legendary calamities in the Battle of Eradication …'
Thales closed his eyes. The more he thought about it, the heavier his mood became. He even began to think of a way to break out of the encirclement by force.
'But what about Quick Rope?
'Should I try using mystic energy?'
"I'm sorry you had to see this, Your Highness."
Zakriel's sudden voice interrupted Thales' thoughts.
Thales opened his eyes and was surprised to see that the Knight of Judgment, who was filled with murderous intent and wanted to kill him not long ago, was now standing in the distance. He was staring at the Prince of Constellation with a gaze that Thales could not understand.
"This is due to my incompetence and incompetence."
Zakriel's face was filled with sorrow and pain, but he still flashed an ugly smile that was covered in wrinkles. It complemented the ferocious brand on his forehead.
"But don't worry, it will be over soon."
He nodded slightly. His tone was gentle, as if he was comforting a dejected child.
"Everything will be fine."
It will be. "
As Zakriel spoke, he lowered his head slightly.
Thales was completely stunned.
'He is …
'Caught in his' other world 'again?'
The seven people who were confronting each other looked at each other.
When Barney Junior saw Zakriel like this, he seemed to become more and more impatient.
"Zakriel, the watchman."
He spoke again. This time, Barney Junior's tone was not as polite as before. It sounded stiff and unpleasant to the ears.
"Answer my question.
"Is there anything we need to know about this prince?"
Barney Junior's words were very cold and sounded more like a threat.
Thales gritted his teeth. Even Quick Rope, who was beside him, tightened his grip on his crossbow in fear.
One second. Two seconds.
In the small tunnel, the light from the torches waned, and figures could be seen everywhere.
Finally, Zakriel raised his head slowly. He flashed a cold smile and uttered the word that surprised everyone.
"No."
The Knight of Judgment swept his gaze over everyone in front of him coldly.
"You have nothing to know, Chief Vanguard Barney.
You only need to know that I have to do this.
That is enough. "
At that moment, everyone was stunned.
Thales himself was the one who was the most shocked.
'Why?'
Thales blinked.
'He wanted to kill me, didn't he?
'Because I'm a Mystic.
'He only needed to say this reason …
'But why? Why did he keep my secret?
'Isn't it better to explain the truth and use righteousness to convince them to target me instead?'
Thales stared at him blankly. He could not understand it.
'Why is this person … so strange?'
"Zakriel!"
Finally, Barney Junior could not hold back anymore. He shouted angrily.
"Don't force me!"
Barney's roar echoed in the area, but in response, Zakriel chuckled softly.
"Force you?"
"I know. I have been a penal officer for a long time, and I have offended many people." His gaze swept past Beldin and Bruley, who were frowning, and their weapons.
"But has my popularity deteriorated to this extent?"
He sounded like he was joking, but also like he was mocking them.
"Including you, Barney. Why? Are you still jealous that I snatched the position of watchman?"
At that moment, Thales saw Barney Junior clench his fists with a pale face.
Behind him, Nalgi sighed softly, and Tardin shook his head secretly.
'This is bad.'
When he saw that the situation was bad, Beldin exhaled and spoke through gritted teeth.
"It is precisely because you are popular, commanding officer." Beldin still insisted on addressing Zakriel respectfully.
"That is why we cannot believe it."
His expression was tense, as if he had something he could not say. He spoke through gritted teeth.
"That is the Jadestar bloodline, commanding officer. It is an existence we once swore to protect."
Beldin pointed at Thales and spoke in a suppressed voice.
"Why did you do this?"
When he heard his former subordinate's question, the originally smiling Zakriel's expression slowly turned cold.
'The Jadestar bloodline …
An existence he once swore to protect. '
He paused for a few seconds, and the ghost of a smile appeared on his face.
"Because … this is my mission."
Zakriel spoke softly. His voice was gentle and calm.
It was as if he was saying good night before bed.
"Enough, Zakriel!"
Barney Junior's angry shout interrupted Beldin, who was about to speak again.
"I am not in the mood to beat around the bush with you!"
When he heard Barney Junior's angry rebuke, Zakriel did not react. Instead, he snorted softly, as if he was sleepwalking, and nodded.
This made Barney Junior even more resentful.
"I don't know what you are hiding, but if you think that you can brush it off by being vague …"
The atmosphere began to change.
But as he listened to them arguing about his secret, Thales, who was the center of the conversation, suddenly had a feeling.
'No.
'They are not talking about me.
'At least …
'It's not just me.'
When he saw that the conflict was becoming more intense, Nalgi, who stood at the back, coughed violently.
"Urk, Barney? Chief Zakriel? "
He extended a hand to both sides, forced a smile, and tried his best to ease the conflict.
"If you ask me, we should all calm down …"
But Nalgi misjudged the situation.
In the next second, Thales felt his hair stand on end, and a figure flashed before his eyes!
* Whoosh! *
The wind howled, and the light from the fire trembled!
"No!" Barney Junior roared in exasperation.
* Thud! *
Thales tried his best to open his eyes.
But the next scene he saw was Beldin and Bruley. The two strong warriors grunted and fell to the sides under the heavy blows until they crashed into the wall.
And the opponent who knocked them down — Zakriel, who had been calm and composed just now, had long since turned into the Knight of Judgment with a fierce expression and murderous intent!
He broke through the two people in an instant, and with an aggressive momentum, he charged forward like he could destroy mountains!
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