Chapter 214: The Scorching Blade
Thales took a deep breath and stared at the Red Witch on the opposite side of the room.
Even though Asda answered his questions regarding Mystics, a heavy haze of doubt still shrouded Thales when it came to matters relating to his own physique.
His mysterious mother remained as the primary target of suspicion in regards to his physical constitution, especially after hearing the inexplicable words of the Queen of the Sky.
The second prince’s chest undulated slightly. "Why have you mentioned this name?"
’She’s lying,’ Thales thought to himself.
’The Prince of Constellation’s first middle name is a rare one—it’s no secret.’
Calshan’s eyes narrowed, turning her smile into a gentle and friendly one.
"At the banquet, you talked about the pain of a mother longing for her son." Calsan widened her eyes slightly as she gazed at Thales amusingly. "Of course, she would have wanted to repay you..."
The Red Witch’s gaze shifted. In a somewhat meaningful manner, she faintly said, "... in the same way."
Thales clenched his fist lightly.
’Oh God.
’She knows something. At the very least, she knows that’s my birth mother...’
"Prince Thales!"
Thales was slightly stunned. He raised his head and looked at Raphael.
With a serious expression, the latter shook his head. "Please bear in mind that whatever she is doing and saying now, it is all for her own objective."
"If you need to clear up your doubts, the Secret Intelligence Department will be at your service at any time—we have sufficient intelligence stored."
Thales turned his head around. He glanced past a severely worried Miranda, a dignified Raphael, and a doubtful Kohen.
He frowned, took a deep breath and nodded.
’That’s right. At least, not now.’
Calshan sighed faintly.
"Sometimes I admire Morat’s ability to teach his students." The old lady turned her gaze around and looked straight at Raphael. "Every one of his students are so outstanding.
"Regardless of whether it is those who are loyal to him or those who rival him."
Raphael snorted coldly.
Miranda slowly walked towards the front left of the Red Witch, while Kohen moved to the other side.
In the face of such obvious movements, Calshan seemed indifferent.
It caused even more uneasiness in Thales’ heart.
"Prince Thales"—the Red Witch’s gaze sharpened in a rarely seen manner—"remember my advice at the banquet? All the plights you have experienced are nothing compared to what you have to face with Morat.
"His loyalty is the deadliest poison," Calshan solemnly said. "The more loyal he is, the more dangerous he becomes.
"I believe that you have already realized this."
Thales shut his mouth and frowned.
"These words coming from the person who betrayed King Nuven." Raphael shook his head. "It really is a little too ironic."
Calshan laughed.
"The grief of the Secret Intelligence Department lies in the fact that your master is only Jadestar." The Red Witch shook her head without concern. "The Jadestars who perpetually rule Constellation.
"But Eckstedt’s monarch is always in rotation.
"So the Secret Room is only loyal to Eckstedt." Calshan paused for a moment and her smile turned cold. "When the king cannot represent Eckstedt anymore...
"We will then choose the path most favorable to Eckstedt."
Thales’ heart moved.
’When the king cannot represent Eckstedt anymore,
’Could it be that...’
"Betrayal is betrayal," Kohen could not help but say, "Especially when Nuven was still king."
His footsteps got closer to Calshan.
"I didn’t want to take this step either."
Calshan cast a glance at Miranda and Kohen who were nearing from both sides. She shook her head and sighed. "But when we found out..."
"Everything was too late."
Thales furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"
"I mean..." Calshan raised her head and her expression was a rare solemn one.
"Now!"
The Red Witch raised her voice abruptly. At the same time, her body rapidly retreated backwards!
Kohen and Miranda were stunned.
*Rumble!*
Before everyone else could react, a huge explosion came from above their heads!
The tremor made Thales’ whole body tremble. His ears began to ring as well.
The ceiling then cracked open.
Countless rocks brought along clouds of debris as they poured down in torrents from the top of their heads!
Amid the airborne debris, Thales coughed in the thick of the dust, while he instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes.
’This is... What’s going on?’
But he had no time to react at all as he was pushed by Wya, who had quick reflexes. He fell backwards.
Wya unsheathed his single-edged sword, and its blade shone as he slashed into the crushed rocks above their heads.
Several crushed rocks were forcibly sliced open as they smashed into the surrounding space and walls. This brought up even more debris, which covered Raphael and the rest.
Thales and Little Rascal both lost their balance, falling one meter back onto the ground at the same time.
"Forget about her!" Raphael’s urgent shouts came faintly from the front. "Get back to defense!"
Ralf swung his remaining left arm violently, generating a cyclone in an attempt to sweep the debris away.
However, a sturdy, armored figure descended from the sky.
He stopped right in front of Ralf.
Amid his blurry vision, Thales could vaguely see the figure calmly evading the strikes cast by Ralf’s hidden blade. Ralf’s figure then flew to the side due to the effects of his psionic ability.
But at the very next moment, the sturdy figure immediately attacked, striking Ralf with his elbow!
Ralf’s figure came to a swift halt.
*Thud!*
Among the debris, the body of the Phantom Wind Follower flew backwards, crashing into a prison cell.
"No!" Wya’s bellow rang in his ears.
The Power of Eradication surged into the attendant’s sword wielding hand. He stood in front of Thales and rushed towards the figure shrouded in the debris. Under the influence of endless pain, he struck a blow with his sword, disregarding all consequences of doing so.
The slashing action of the sword sent a gust of wind across Thales’ face and he could not help but shut his eyes.
"Impulsive." A resounding male voice was heard.
The sturdy figure did not retreat, instead he advanced, approaching Wya’s blade aggressively!
Wya’s single-edged sword struck the enemy’s shoulder.
*Clank!* The sound of a blade striking metal was heard.
But the lofty figure immediately threw out his right arm, grabbed Wya’s neck and pushed with great force!
*Thud!*
Wya’s body was flung backwards, his skull firmly slamming into the prison cell wall.
The attendant then fell feebly to the ground.
’This is bad.’
Thales gritted his teeth. As he coughed, he pulled Little Rascal, who was equally at a loss, up.
Once he raised his head, he saw the lofty figure amid the debris.
The enemy drew out Wya’s sword from his pauldron and simply flung it off before he began to walk towards Thales.
It was too late for Thales to panic. He subconsciously retreated.
*Clang!*
Raphael emerged from the debris, and slammed the back of the enemy’s head with a swift strike of his sword.
His arm trembled and a strange sound reverberated from his muscles. His blade immediately blurred as it emitted an ear-piercing whistle in the air.
The imposing enemy suddenly turned around.
Following the turn of his head, a thin-edged blade with a flowing arc was immediately unsheathed from his waist!
*Slash!*
It was a light cavalry saber, which radiated with golden luster; something rarely seen in the Western Peninsula.
The moment the enemy pulled out his weapon, Thales felt the surrounding air quake in subsequence and begin to heat up unprecedentedly!
The instantaneous rise in temperature was akin to someone suddenly lighting up a huge fire in the air.
It caused him to recall the bombardment of the Mystic Guns.
The enemy made a backhand strike, hitting Raphael’s blade.
*Sizzle!*
The saber and longsword clashed, emitting not the usual clashing sounds of metal, but an ear-piercing sizzling sound!
Raphael’s sword snapped instantly.
The broken blade slammed into the wall and immediately bounced off.
"Aargh!"
As Raphael gritted his teeth and groaned in pain, his left hand, which he held his sword with, ignited in flames. This forced his entire body to retreat.
Amid the debris, the enemy swung his saber nonchalantly. Bizarrely, the edge of his blade, which was originally not burning drew a string of sparks in the air.
In astonishment, Thales watched the formidable enemy defeat three people in an instant. There was terror in his heart.
Miranda and Kohen appeared by Raphael’s side at the same time with their swords were flung out.
The former’s sword wavered, seemingly able to evolve at any time; whereas Kohen’s was fierce and offensive, its stance great and powerful.
The enemy was calm and composed. He moved his right shoulder down and approached Miranda intimidatingly, in the same way he had dealt with Wya and Ralf.
’There’s something fishy about that weapon—can’t cross blades with him.
’Capture the rhythm, force his actions.’
Miranda’s gaze shifted and Pegasus’ Music was unleashed as she aimed the tip of her sword at the enemy’s groin.
However, subverting her expectations, the enemy actually did not shun or flee, but rammed straight into her sword!
Under Miranda’s astonished gaze, her sword pierced into the enemy’s waist.
As the tip of her sword was about to deeper into him, the enemy moved his waist. The sword’s blade then slipped out from the side of his waist, drawing a stream of blood. Nevertheless, it avoided his vital organs.
At the next second, the enemy lowered his body and pushed forward, striking Miranda’s right chest fiercely with his left shoulder with an intensity as if he was made of iron!
Amid the stumbling swordswoman’s muffled groaning, the enemy ferociously struck her with the hilt of his sword.
*Thud!*
With the acute pain in her chest and abdomen, Miranda was unable to endure the force of that strike, and she fell to the ground.
Kohen’s sword came attacking from behind the enemy.
But the enemy snorted coldly.
*Clang!*
The blade of Kohen’s sword stabbed into the joint between the enemy’s backplate and pauldron. Blood poured out.
Before the tip of the sword could penetrate into his body, the lofty enemy swiftly turned around. He pushed two parts of his armor together, and the tip of Kohen’s sword was violently flung to the side!
Then, he swung his blade.
However, out of the enemy’s expectations, Kohen was not stirred by his strange actions.
The police officer released his grip over his sword the moment the enemy turned around.
Kohen pounced towards the enemy with a ferocious expression and lowered his body to dodge a vicious strike from the other party’s blade.
The police officer clutched his enemy’s waist tightly and held the enemy’s forearm that was wielding the blade. Then using both his legs, he kicked with great force!
Seemingly surprised, the enemy gasped.
*Bang!*
Under Kohen’s terrifyingly strong assault, the two heavy men fell to the ground at the same time, bringing up yet another cloud of debris.
*Clank!*
The enemy’s saber fell due to the sudden impact.
"Aargh—"
Kohen, who was pressing down on the enemy’s body, roared with a ferocious expression.
He had his elbow perform a downwards strike and struck the enemy’s abdomen.
*Thud!*
The enemy let out a muffled groan.
However, Kohen subsequently had his shoulders locked by the enemy, and the other party suddenly sat up.
With an abrupt and powerful strike, the enemy headbutted Kohen in the bridge of his nose!
*Bang!*
The police officer who was now seeing stars wanted to strike upwards with both arms and break free from his enemy’s grip. Yet, the other party reacted quickly again as he pushed forward and kicked Kohen as he stumbled to catch his balance!
*Thud!*
While the both of them wrestled intensely, Raphael exercised his left shoulder several times.
After a peculiar squeaking sound from his arm, the flames on his left hand strangely became extinguished.
Raphael gritted his teeth as he kicked up a sword from a guard’s remains. He grasped the sword and moved forward.
But ahead, Kohen stumbled and fell. Raphael could not help but support him first.
Miranda struggled up from the ground and joined their ranks.
The next second, Raphael’s footsteps halted in place. He was motionless.
"What happened?" Kohen braced his abdomen, panting painfully as he asked.
Raphael did not answer. He only had an unpleasant look on his face.
The smoke and dust dispersed.
The imposing figure was already wielding his golden saber again.
The edge of his blade stopped right at a little boy’s throat.
Behind them, Little Rascal was watching and shivering.
Miranda heaved a sigh.
On the other side, Wya helped up a violently coughing Ralf. He looked at the state of affairs in disbelief.
"Retreat," the enemy who came alone said coldly. "You’ve all lost."
Raphael and the rest frowned collectively.
Feeling a chill across his throat, Thales revealed a helpless smile as his skin crawled. "Uh, how are you, Lord Tolja?"
The lofty man, one of Eckstedt’s special Five War Generals in full scale armor, the Fire Knight of Black Sand Region, Romel Tolja, was coldly gripping the saber in his hand.
He nodded and replied, "How are you, Prince Thales?"