The explosion made Sitana jump in fright, while Anselm sighed helplessly, "They can't even wait a day, am I really that terrifying?"
"Sitana."
He turned to face the snow-haired girl whose gaze was fixed on the explosion site, and asked her, "Answer me, why did Viscount Lundbeck, a mere mortal, perish before my arrival, yet Viscount Howlingwinds remains alive?"
"It's because the beyonder are not easy to kill."
"Is there really a difference?" Sitana asked, looking unimpressed.
"If he wants me to believe this is a genuine assassination without any pretense, then the best choice is not to put on an act, but to actually engage in a desperate fight and die at the hands of the assassin."
"Watch closely, Sitana," Anselm said softly, leaning on his cane and narrowing his eyes.
"This is no mere game of combat as seen in the academy, but a genuine... battle for survival between beyonders."
"Remember the details of this battle, and you will thank me later,"
In the next instant, an enraged roar instantly dispersed the smoke and dust caused by the explosion.
Sitana witnessed, at that high point, a man stripped to the waist, his blood spurting uncontrollably as he swung the war hammer he held firmly, striking a blow directly onto an assassin clad in light armor.
"Hey, he's toast!"
Sitana couldn't resist taking another jab at Anselm, figuring she'd face punishment later regardless, so she might as well let it all out now: "This is the 'detail' you wanted me to see, huh?"
"...Sitana, what exactly did you learn at Skytfrost Tower?"
Anselm rubbed his temples: "Do you think warriors who rely solely on physical strength have no other resources to draw upon besides their body?"
"In any case, the ability to instantly negate magic is a technique that any dedicated warrior ought to master,"
A fiercely burning mass of fire, like a massive cannonball, slammed into Viscount Howlingwinds!
"It appears he thinks that even from a distance, it's not enough to allay my suspicions, so following the script, the landing spot for this Viscount after being hit..."
Anselm couldn't help but chuckle as he shook his head, not even bothering to watch the trajectory of Viscount Howlingwinds as he was sent flying through the air.
"—Should be right around us."
Lifting her head, Sitana gaped in disbelief as the smoldering Viscount Howlingwinds plummeted with a whooshing sound, landing roughly ten meters away. Stray sparks from above scattered haphazardly, setting several patches of grass on fire.
Seriously?! You're all a joke, totally figured out by that pervert like complete morons!
"After all, he wants me to see for myself that he's dying in battle. If it were too far, I might begin to question the authenticity."
"Then wouldn't he be afraid that you might just shoot the assassin again?" Sitana's thoughts were now sharp and quick,, "If you kill the assassin, then his whole act is for nothing."
As the roar of the gunfire echoed, Sitana saw, about ten meters above and to the side of Viscount Howlingwinds, an inexplicable explosion of flame blossomed.
"...With fists and feet."
He continued to maneuver the hand cannon, firing another shot towards the castle wall behind him without even turning his head.
Sitana instinctively ducked her head a bit and glanced over, only to see nothing but a gap blasted open on the castle wall.
"Just now, that thing just now—"
"A sniper, is it strange?" Young Master Hydra waved the brutal weapon in his hand, "Although there's only one Gleipnir in this world, it doesn't mean there's only one firearm."
"Sharpness, lock-on, acceleration, poison, bleeding, and even more dangerous effects... As long as the enchantment on the bullet is powerful enough, theoretically, even the Empress could be killed with a single shot,"
Anselm chuckled at his own words: "Of course, it's just theoretical."
Sitana fell silent, even a bit dazed.
As Anselm had pointed out, she was struggling to comprehend... unable to accept the reality unfolding before her.
At the Skyfrost Tower, all the battles Sitana had experienced were confined to small arenas.
Be it a arcanist or a warrior, once she closed in, they were in for a beating.
But now? In this vast world, she couldn't detect any hostility or malice. She was clueless about the enemy's tactics and didn't even know where they was.
If she were in Viscount Howlingwinds' shoes, what could she do? Just stand there, waiting for death? Stupidly remain still, only to be shot down?
Why can that jerk Hydra pull it off? Why is everything happening as he said? Is he just that much better than me? Compared to him, I feel like I'm nothing.
In this daze, Sitana heard the annoying bastard say, "Don't space out, Sitana, the assassination of Viscount Howlingwinds isn't over yet."
Coming back to her senses, Sitana spotted the gap of the safe room up there where an arcanist in a black robe was brandishing his staff. In front of Viscount Howlingwinds, a radiant, intricate circular pattern appeared, and from it, a warrior clad in heavy armor, wielding a sword and shield, stepped forth slowly.
"Then, this is a predetermined fact, Sitana."
With Sitana's eyes growing increasingly glazed, Anselm unfastened his wide wolf cloak and casually tossed it to the ground. His upper body, now revealed in a black vest and white shirt, was both elongated and robust, while his broad shoulders dispelling any notion of frailty. Sitana could even notice the shirt sleeves straining against the muscles beneath.
Amidst the mechanical chorus of praise, Gleipnir transformed into its chilling whip-blade configuration.
"Get ready for the second lesson, my dear Sitana."
The young Hydra loosened his collar, his golden hair wildly fluttering in the cold wind, shining as brightly as the fiery sun.
"I'll teach you the essence and soul of deadly combat."
Author's Note:
ps:
The second chapter is late, sorry sorry, I actually finished writing around six o'clock, but as I was writing, I suddenly thought of a better plot, the more I thought about it, the better it seemed, so I took the opportunity to slightly modify the outline of this volume and rewrite this chapter. I promise that when this series of plotlines is fully written, it will be super exciting!
Thank you all for your support, I've been reading the comments and the forum, and I'm quite flattered by everyone's recognition, so I'm very grateful for your support! Thank you to everyone who has bookmarked, commented, voted, and tipped! Happy New Year!
"Sitana."
He turned to face the snow-haired girl whose gaze was fixed on the explosion site, and asked her, "Answer me, why did Viscount Lundbeck, a mere mortal, perish before my arrival, yet Viscount Howlingwinds remains alive?"
Still stunned by the explosion, Sitana took a moment to process the question. After a pause, she tentatively replied, "Perhaps... because ordinary people are easier to kill?"
"It's because the beyonder are not easy to kill."
"Is there really a difference?" Sitana asked, looking unimpressed.
"Of course," Anselm replied, looking up at the thick smoke above the castle. "Because you need to understand one thing: only those who reach the third stage of beyonder truly step into the realm known as 'Beyonder'."
"Watch closely, Sitana," Anselm said softly, leaning on his cane and narrowing his eyes.
"This is no mere game of combat as seen in the academy, but a genuine... battle for survival between beyonders."
"Remember the details of this battle, and you will thank me later,"
In the next instant, an enraged roar instantly dispersed the smoke and dust caused by the explosion.
Sitana witnessed, at that high point, a man stripped to the waist, his blood spurting uncontrollably as he swung the war hammer he held firmly, striking a blow directly onto an assassin clad in light armor.
She saw the other man's body explode upon impact, the ferocious energy from the hammer ripping apart muscle and bone. However, as the assassin was pulverized by Howlingwinds' blow, the blood splashed from the shattered corpse immediately congealed, threading through the remains to create a crimson, eerie net that firmly ensnared Viscount Howlingwinds!
Trapped by the blood net, Viscount Howlingwinds struggled to respond, looking as if he was caught in a deadly impasse. With her exceptional eyesight, Sitana could discern through the blasted gap a vivid orange-red hue, and inside the safe room... it appeared that a fireball was violently combusting!
Trapped by the blood net, Viscount Howlingwinds struggled to respond, looking as if he was caught in a deadly impasse. With her exceptional eyesight, Sitana could discern through the blasted gap a vivid orange-red hue, and inside the safe room... it appeared that a fireball was violently combusting!
"Hey, he's toast!"
Sitana couldn't resist taking another jab at Anselm, figuring she'd face punishment later regardless, so she might as well let it all out now: "This is the 'detail' you wanted me to see, huh?"
"...Sitana, what exactly did you learn at Skytfrost Tower?"
Anselm rubbed his temples: "Do you think warriors who rely solely on physical strength have no other resources to draw upon besides their body?"
A fiercely burning mass of fire, like a massive cannonball, slammed into Viscount Howlingwinds!
"It appears he thinks that even from a distance, it's not enough to allay my suspicions, so following the script, the landing spot for this Viscount after being hit..."
Anselm couldn't help but chuckle as he shook his head, not even bothering to watch the trajectory of Viscount Howlingwinds as he was sent flying through the air.
"—Should be right around us."
Lifting her head, Sitana gaped in disbelief as the smoldering Viscount Howlingwinds plummeted with a whooshing sound, landing roughly ten meters away. Stray sparks from above scattered haphazardly, setting several patches of grass on fire.
Seriously?! You're all a joke, totally figured out by that pervert like complete morons!
"After all, he wants me to see for myself that he's dying in battle. If it were too far, I might begin to question the authenticity."
"Then wouldn't he be afraid that you might just shoot the assassin again?" Sitana's thoughts were now sharp and quick,, "If you kill the assassin, then his whole act is for nothing."
"That's why, Sitana, that's why I had to bring you with me on this journey."
Anselm sighed, "The Skyfrost Tower was meant to be a great opportunity for you to broaden your horizons, but unfortunately, you didn't cherish it. I can only take it step by step now."
"The battles in the beyonder world are far from what you're accustomed to. Regardless of the stage or the approach, it's not just a simple matter of exchanging blows..."
Anselm sighed, "The Skyfrost Tower was meant to be a great opportunity for you to broaden your horizons, but unfortunately, you didn't cherish it. I can only take it step by step now."
"The battles in the beyonder world are far from what you're accustomed to. Regardless of the stage or the approach, it's not just a simple matter of exchanging blows..."
Gleipnir morphed into a grotesque and exaggerated hand cannon. The handsome young nobleman, while lecturing the girl beside him, fired a shot into the air without so much as a glance.
As the roar of the gunfire echoed, Sitana saw, about ten meters above and to the side of Viscount Howlingwinds, an inexplicable explosion of flame blossomed.
"...With fists and feet."
He continued to maneuver the hand cannon, firing another shot towards the castle wall behind him without even turning his head.
Sitana instinctively ducked her head a bit and glanced over, only to see nothing but a gap blasted open on the castle wall.
"Escaped?" Anselm raised an eyebrow slightly, "Using ‘beacon jump’ huh, of course it wouldn't be that simple. Anyway, he shouldn't be back on the scene for a while."
"Just now, that thing just now—"
"A sniper, is it strange?" Young Master Hydra waved the brutal weapon in his hand, "Although there's only one Gleipnir in this world, it doesn't mean there's only one firearm."
"Sharpness, lock-on, acceleration, poison, bleeding, and even more dangerous effects... As long as the enchantment on the bullet is powerful enough, theoretically, even the Empress could be killed with a single shot,"
Anselm chuckled at his own words: "Of course, it's just theoretical."
Sitana fell silent, even a bit dazed.
As Anselm had pointed out, she was struggling to comprehend... unable to accept the reality unfolding before her.
At the Skyfrost Tower, all the battles Sitana had experienced were confined to small arenas.
Be it a arcanist or a warrior, once she closed in, they were in for a beating.
But now? In this vast world, she couldn't detect any hostility or malice. She was clueless about the enemy's tactics and didn't even know where they was.
If she were in Viscount Howlingwinds' shoes, what could she do? Just stand there, waiting for death? Stupidly remain still, only to be shot down?
Why can that jerk Hydra pull it off? Why is everything happening as he said? Is he just that much better than me? Compared to him, I feel like I'm nothing.
In this daze, Sitana heard the annoying bastard say, "Don't space out, Sitana, the assassination of Viscount Howlingwinds isn't over yet."
Coming back to her senses, Sitana spotted the gap of the safe room up there where an arcanist in a black robe was brandishing his staff. In front of Viscount Howlingwinds, a radiant, intricate circular pattern appeared, and from it, a warrior clad in heavy armor, wielding a sword and shield, stepped forth slowly.
As the heavily wounded Viscount Howlingwinds kept coughing up blood, this time, Sitana finally noticed... the shadow beneath his feet was wriggling strangely, as if something was about to break through the surface, emerging from his shadow!
"How many times are you going pull this stupid stunt!"
Howlingwinds roared and swung a fist backward, the assassin leaping out of the shadow was struck and disintegrated into nothingness, vanishing without a trace.
"How many times are you going pull this stupid stunt!"
Howlingwinds roared and swung a fist backward, the assassin leaping out of the shadow was struck and disintegrated into nothingness, vanishing without a trace.
Three against one.
An arcanist ready to support from a distance, an assassin hidden in the shadows, a heavily armored warrior, and if not for Anselm's intervention... there would have been an additional sniper ready to blow his head off at any moment.
This guy's done for—Sitana thought to herself.
"Your face is telling me you think Viscount Howlingwinds is done for."
Anselm, standing beside Sitana, tilted his head to observe her expression and said this.
"..." The girl just remained silent, as the pressure was making it hard for her to speak.
"But you should remember what I told him, that no one can take his life from me."
An arcanist ready to support from a distance, an assassin hidden in the shadows, a heavily armored warrior, and if not for Anselm's intervention... there would have been an additional sniper ready to blow his head off at any moment.
This guy's done for—Sitana thought to herself.
"Your face is telling me you think Viscount Howlingwinds is done for."
Anselm, standing beside Sitana, tilted his head to observe her expression and said this.
"..." The girl just remained silent, as the pressure was making it hard for her to speak.
"But you should remember what I told him, that no one can take his life from me."
"Then, this is a predetermined fact, Sitana."
With Sitana's eyes growing increasingly glazed, Anselm unfastened his wide wolf cloak and casually tossed it to the ground. His upper body, now revealed in a black vest and white shirt, was both elongated and robust, while his broad shoulders dispelling any notion of frailty. Sitana could even notice the shirt sleeves straining against the muscles beneath.
Amidst the mechanical chorus of praise, Gleipnir transformed into its chilling whip-blade configuration.
"Get ready for the second lesson, my dear Sitana."
The young Hydra loosened his collar, his golden hair wildly fluttering in the cold wind, shining as brightly as the fiery sun.
"I'll teach you the essence and soul of deadly combat."
He declared this, yet his steps were as graceful as if he were walking towards the center of a dance floor.
ps:
The second chapter is late, sorry sorry, I actually finished writing around six o'clock, but as I was writing, I suddenly thought of a better plot, the more I thought about it, the better it seemed, so I took the opportunity to slightly modify the outline of this volume and rewrite this chapter. I promise that when this series of plotlines is fully written, it will be super exciting!
Thank you all for your support, I've been reading the comments and the forum, and I'm quite flattered by everyone's recognition, so I'm very grateful for your support! Thank you to everyone who has bookmarked, commented, voted, and tipped! Happy New Year!
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