Michael pressed against the wall with one hand and held the knife in the other, gasping in pain.
Between his ribs, a wound that tore his robe was soaked with blood.
"Believe me, father," in front of him, Croache shook off the blood on his sword with a cold face, "I know what I am doing better than at any time in the past twenty years."
Michael gritted his teeth, pressed his wounds, and frowned.
After all, he is still old and is no longer a hand-held guard.
His sword skills are unfamiliar, his hands are sluggish, and his body is always slow.
And there are no weapons and equipment at hand...
Michael slowly walked away from the wall and sighed.
He held the handle of the knife backwards, protected his forearm with the back of the knife, held it in front of him, bent down to make a conservative counterattack, and said in a deep voice:
"Your mother wouldn't want to see us fighting each other."
The female swordsman's expression changed.
Chloe's expression was very complicated and subtle, half-smiling but not smiling, and the hand holding the sword trembled slightly.
"It's hard for you to still remember her," Chloe's voice was filled with sullenness: "Of course, to her, her man, her husband is everything..."
"How could we do anything bad to you?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Chloe stepped forward and stabbed through the air with her long sword like a poisonous snake without mercy!
Michael subconsciously raised his hand and lifted the tip of the sword away from his head.
"I know I'm not a good father, and I know you're very strong, but if this is to get back at me..." Michael withstood the edge of Croash's sword and gritted his teeth: "It's not worth it."
Chloe seemed to have heard the biggest joke. She snorted and said softly: "Don't be so arrogant, father, you are not that important yet."
The next moment, Kroesi slashed his sword downwards without any hesitation, reaching straight for Michael's thigh!
Michael struggled to dodge a step, but received another stab in the ribs.
On the face, thighs, ribs, and wrists, each of Kroesi's attacks seemed to predict the next attack point, constantly mobilizing Michael's movements to provide an effective prelude to the next attack and save the time to draw the sword.
time, moment, angle.
Michael knew that he had once again fallen into the opponent's expected rhythm - unless there was an unexpected change of tactics, he would lose if he stayed for a long time.
Sure enough, in the next second, Kroesh's sword cut through Michael's left shoulder, drawing blood!
Michael rolled to avoid the next sword and stepped back five steps in embarrassment.
Chloe nodded: What a pity.
Originally, the next sword could go straight to the throat without any effort.
Should it be said that he is worthy of being a former Blade Guard?
"What's that for?"
I saw Michael bathing in blood with a ferocious face, and said angrily: "Why stand on the side of the traitor, betray your monarch, and betray the creed of the Northlanders?"
Chloe looked at her father coldly and shook her head contemptuously.
"I have just been promoted to captain of the personal guard by His Excellency the Grand Duke," she said softly: "Of course I must be loyal and do my best and fulfill my duties."
Michael's eyes narrowed.
The former king's official shook his head.
"Sober up," he sighed slowly, looking at Chloe with disappointment in his eyes: "Do you think this is because he appreciates you? So you are loyal in return?"
Chloe's hand holding the sword tightened unconsciously.
"Rumba will not let a little girl be his personal guard captain for no reason," Michael said word for word: "I have been in the palace for too many years and know them too well - what they value is not your ability.
, it’s just your identity and relationship—whether it’s me or the Tower of the End.”
Chloe's pupils slowly narrowed.
silence.
"Thank you for reminding me, father," Crowley exhaled, gritted his teeth slightly, and said angrily:
"Just like the old days."
Michael frowned.
"Under his men, you are just a rare commodity that happens to be used in an incident, a tool that can be exploited, and a person who can extract value," Michael's voice continued: "The so-called guard captain is just a
It’s just false bait.”
The female swordsman spread her legs, lowered her waist, and seriously raised the sword's edge to her chest.
It's like facing the most terrifying enemy.
"Don't sink any further, Kroesh," Michael shook his head sadly: "Your mother definitely doesn't want to see..."
"Don't mention her again," Croash interrupted him decisively: "You don't deserve it."
Michael's face darkened.
But then he looked up.
"What about Lady Adele?"
Chloe's expression changed.
Michael's voice was very steady and calm, but there was a different kind of sadness: "After your mother passed away, my wife took you with her, raised you, loved you, and treated you as her own..."
Chloe lowered her head, hiding her face in the gloom, and slowly grasped the hilt of the sword with her left hand.
"She paid to send you to the Tower of the End, not so that you could bleed for a certain lord," Michael continued sadly: "Becoming their tool without knowing it..."
Before he finished speaking, Croash suddenly rose up and struck with a sword!
"clang!"
Michael pressed the back of the sword with his left hand and blocked the sword forcefully.
In front of him, the female swordsman looked crazy, holding the sword with both hands, and she was more powerful than before!
"Adele?"
"She is a good person," Kroesh gritted his teeth and stared at his father, "But she can't even save herself."
Michael, who was wrestling with his daughter, suddenly felt sad.
Michael also gritted his teeth and his hands began to tremble.
"So she sent you to the Tower of the End so that you can protect yourself, don't have to rely on others, don't have to be controlled by others, and can live freely and happily," Michael said painfully: "Stay away... stay away
The darkness and misfortune she faced herself."
To his surprise, when Chloe heard this sentence, she took a breath slowly.
At that moment, an expression of ridicule or disdain appeared on her face.
"You've never changed, have you, Byrne Michael?"
Just listen to Kroesi say calmly and disappointedly: "Just like everyone else."
Michael was slightly startled: "What?"
The next moment, Croash suddenly activated the power of termination, and the long sword suddenly let go!
Just when Michael felt that the long sword had lost its barrier and that it was impossible to recover, Kroesi's sword twisted on his sword and miraculously circled back to its original position, going straight to his throat.
But at this moment, a long sword radiating cold light poked out from behind Michael!
Hitting the spine of Croash's sword impartially.
"Ding!"
Michael felt a soft ringing in his ears, and Croash's sword edge missed his left ear, sending a slight chill.
The long sword did not stop, but continued to attack, piercing Croash's wrist!
Chloe immediately sheathed her sword and took several steps back to avoid the sword's attack.
The three of them distanced themselves.
Michael looked behind him in surprise.
"You?" he asked with difficulty.
Crowley's eyes were on fire as he stared at the new troublemaker.
The visitor held a sword flower and spoke softly.
"Let's go," Miranda Arend stood beside Michael with a solemn expression: "You go and help others - there are not many enemies, but they are widely distributed, trying to stop us."
Miranda stared at Chloe: "Let me deal with her."
Chloe sneered.
Michael looked at his daughter, then at Miranda, with a struggling look on his face: "I..."
Miranda interrupted.
"You can't make up your mind, and you can't be an enemy of your own daughter," she said calmly, her eyes always staying on Chloe's face: "Being here will only make the situation worse."
"Then let me do it."
Michael was stunned.
He looked at his daughter, but Chloe didn't pay any attention to him and just stared at Miranda.
Finally, Michael sighed deeply and turned to leave.
Michael's figure is getting further and further away.
Miranda took a slight step forward.
Chloe also walked towards her.
The two female swordsmen faced each other in silence.
"You've changed a lot, you all have," Miranda broke the silence, calling her friend's nickname softly: "Ashe."
Chloe's face moved slightly.
"You and Raphael."
Chloe looked at her friend at the same time quietly.
"Not everyone is as unchanged as Cohen." After a while, Croash smiled: "Mira."
Miranda shook her head.
"you are wrong."
"Cohen used to be very cheerful and optimistic," Miranda said calmly, "but he was far less deliberate and exaggerated than he is now."
Crowley looked stunned.
Miranda continued to whisper: "He has also changed, trying to hide and deny some things he is unwilling to face with that heartless smile."
Miranda raised her eyes.
"And you, Ai Xi?" The girl from the Allende family looked solemnly into her friend's eyes: "What are you hiding and what are you denying?"
The two of them stopped at the same time - one more step forward, and they would be within the attack range.
Crowley didn't answer.
"Or let me ask in another way," Miranda said calmly: "Why do you play for Rumba?"
"Don't tell me about 'honor', 'loyalty', 'repay' and 'ambition'," Miranda shook her head decisively before the other party spoke: "From what I understand, these things are not enough to make you betray your friends and betrayal of your beliefs.
, betraying the pride of being a Northlander."
Chloe looked at her old friend with a complicated expression.
A few seconds later, the Exeter girl sneered: "This is not the right way to ask questions."
Miranda raised her eyebrows.
She glanced at the other person's left wrist - it was a wound made by herself and was wrapped with a bandage.
And his abdomen, where he was injured by Kroesi, was still aching.
"Very well," Miranda chuckled, "Then let's talk."
In front of Croache, Miranda's face became solemn, she threw away her sword and her eyes flashed coldly:
"In the swordsman's way."
————
A strange rustling sound came.
"Devil's flesh and blood," Kaslan frowned, looking at Raphael struggling to get up from the ground, his eyes resting on his arms that didn't understand the surge: "Sure enough, just like the legend, he recovered so quickly.
"
Raphael exhaled slowly and shook his arms: "Are you ready for the next round?"
Kaslan just looked at him quietly.
"It must be uncomfortable, kid." After a while, the old man sighed: "There is always a price to pay for living with limbs that don't belong to you."
Raphael's expression changed.
The next moment, the young man suddenly burst into violence!
Clang.
There was a metallic sound and the sword was unsheathed!
The speed is so fast that it is almost difficult to react.
But Kaslan didn't move his soul-killing gun at all, letting it lean against the wall and watching coldly as the enemy's sword edge got closer and closer to his face.
The next moment, the old man suddenly tilted his head, and his body dodged the direction of the sword's thrust.
Raphael snorted in his heart.
At that moment, the power of termination in his body was stimulated at the same time as that thing, bursting out with unusual strength and speed!
In the gap that ordinary people could not detect, the muscles and bones of Raphael's whole body were groaning in pain and under tremendous pressure.
At that moment, Raphael's body speed and strength increased to the extreme, completing an impossible change of direction, and the sword edge turned sharply!
Make sure to get in Kaslan's dodge path and kill the enemy in one fell swoop.
This is the inspiration he got from the Pegasus movement - forcing the enemy to dodge, and then using his unique finishing power and physical advantage to turn abruptly at the moment when it is impossible to change moves, killing the enemy unexpectedly
.
Simple, direct, and often effective.
But the next second, Kaslan moved his steps expressionlessly and kicked the soul-killing gun on the wall.
The soul-killing gun flickered and then slipped away.
In the process of falling, it slowly rotates with two-thirds of the gun body as the axis.
Raphael's expression changed drastically!
There was no other reason than that: the blade of the soul-killing gun fell on the path he took after he transformed!
Following this trajectory - Raphael was inexplicably frightened: before killing Kaslan, he would be hit by a gun blade as he was unable to stop his momentum.
That's...
Soul-killing.
At that moment, the power of termination that Raphael had activated was reversed again and forcefully collided with the things in his body.
Raphael took two painful steps, abruptly stopping his body's tendency to change direction.
The inertia tortured his bones, and Raphael almost spit out a mouthful of blood.
The gun blade scratched a piece of his sleeve.
But Kaslan's fist had already reached his chest!
Raphael knew that this was a critical moment of life and death, and the thing in his body cooperated like never before, bursting out energy at any cost.
His right hand swelled with a strange rustling sound, and his blood vessels dilated, blocking Kaslan's fist.
Boom!
But Raphael's expression changed again - Kaslan's fist was light and weak.
Sure enough, the next moment, Kaslan turned his fist into a palm, grabbed Raphael's sleeve, pushed him in the original direction, and pushed him suddenly!
Raphael lost his balance and fell to one side.
What shocked him inexplicably was that Kaslan pushed him in the direction where the soul-killing gun fell.
The tip of the gun was pointed directly at him.
Raphael had no support and could no longer dodge the gun blade.
The ferocious tip of the soul-killing gun was getting closer and closer to his face.
At that moment, Raphael decisively let go of the long sword in his left hand, and the blood vessels in his left arm became swollen and turned dark!
His left hand instantly drew back and punched the soul-killing gun.
Before the gun blade cuts the tip of his nose, knock this notorious weapon away!
thump!
Raphael fell to the ground, coughing out another mouthful of blood in pain, but he did not dare to stop and rolled backwards twice in embarrassment to avoid Kaslan's attack range.
Bang!
The soul-killing gun fell to the ground and kept making noises.
The sound of metal echoed in the corridor.
Kaslan sighed and shook his head: "I saw your expression - you are probably suffering from pain all the time, feeling their rejection and denial of you."
Drenched in cold sweat, Raphael gritted his teeth, feeling the riot of the thing inside his body, his hands trembling, and the pain penetrated his heart.
His red eyes stared at Kaslan with an expression of disbelief.
impossible.
This time, there is not even a chance?
Is it really what the teacher said...
Kaslan Lemba - cannot be defeated head-on?
"You think you can control them, and you think they are just insignificant embellishments and insignificant additions to you."
"but……"
"It's like a rebellion that never subsides," Kaslan continued with a gloomy face: "When you become weak, when you start to compromise, they will attack in large numbers and bite you back."
Kaslan raised his head and kicked up the soul-killing gun on the ground.
He beat his chest twice and coughed, his voice hoarse and sad: "I've tried it too... cough cough... I know."
"When you abandon your pure self, compromise with reality, and accept something that does not belong to you," Kaslan raised his head in pain, "this is the consequence."
"Sooner or later, you will become something inhuman that even you can't recognize."
The old man watched Raphael struggling and moaning on the ground, and said sadly: "I apologize to you on behalf of Shao and the Tower of the End, child."
Raphael's expression changed.
"Apologise to me?" He gritted his teeth silently.
"You self-righteous old man," Raphael trembled and managed to raise his head. He was sweating coldly but still sneered: "You are so ignorant, what do you know?"
Kaslan sighed and shook his head.
"I know Shao."
"He is a good person who always wants to shoulder the mistakes of others and make up for his mistakes," Kaslan looked at his opponent sadly and coughed: "But many times, the cruelest decisions are made by good people.
"
Raphael looked at the old man blankly.
"Don't worry," Kaslan said after he regained his breath. He pulled up the tip of the gun and walked closer to Raphael step by step. His tone was full of apology: "You won't have to suffer soon."
The old man raised his soul-killing gun and pointed it at Raphael on the ground.
At this moment.
Tread! Tread! Tread!
Rapid footsteps came from behind Kaslan.
Getting closer.
"call!"
What followed was the sound of sharp blades breaking through the wind!
Kaslan's expression was calm. He turned back suddenly and swiped his spear sharply!
"Bang!" The spear hit the wall on one side, causing gravel to fly.
Kaslan frowned: he didn't hit the enemy - the sneak attacker had already raised his head and slid towards him, avoiding the sweeping radius of the soul-killing gun and sliding to his side!
The battle-experienced old man's face immediately became solemn, his legs quickly retreated, and he avoided two sword flashes on the ground one after another.
The enemy did not continue to attack after forcing Kaslan back. He half-knelt on the ground and slowly stood up.
Raphael saw the appearance of the person clearly and his eyes widened.
"Why are you here? Where are the pursuers?"
Kaslan also saw the person coming. The old man had a complicated expression and his throat was trembling.
"I'm lucky." The person waved the knife in his hand.
"As for you, it seems like you haven't been on the battlefield a few times," the visitor said coldly to Raphael. His unceremonious words made people feel uncomfortable: "You don't even know how to kill someone."
"Also, you're welcome."
Raphael sighed, tremblingly supported the ground, and stood up.
"Can't you speak properly?" the young man from the secret department said unhappily.
The visitor snorted coldly and turned to face Kaslan.
"Go away, boneless boy."
Raphael raised his eyebrows: Obviously, this guy has no intention of "talking well".
"Meteor" Lord Serui Nicolai, the commander of the White Blade Guards who was supposed to block the pursuers at the palace gate, stood aloof in front of Kaslan, his eyes full of anger and hatred.
"From now on, this is the internal affairs of the White Blade Guards."
Kaslan and Nikolai looked at each other.
One side is complex and subtle, the other is cold and resentful.
It's as if they want to see something in each other's eyes.
Raphael picked up his long sword and frowned slightly: "Can you defeat him by yourself? This guy is very difficult..."
"Come on." Nicolai snorted impatiently and interrupted him.
"A shabby old man in his sixties or seventies who doesn't know when he will die." Under Raphael's strange expression, the meteorite man said disdainfully: "Those who will lose to him are probably idiots."
(In a corner of Longxiao Palace, a short man wearing a cloak sneezed hard while biting a chicken leg.)
Listening to the other party's deliberate sarcasm, Raphael's brows furrowed more and more.
Kaslan looked at their interaction and smiled bitterly.
That kid.
As always, he deserves a beating.
Raphael coughed.
"I guess," he reminded Nicolai calmly, and at the same time counterattacked cleverly: "The young and brave Archduke Perfitt, before his duel with the old and frail King Nun..."
"That's what I thought too."
Nicolai turned around.
What followed was a murderous look.
"Okay then," Raphael raised his hands, took two steps back, and raised his eyebrows: "You guys can chat without interrupting."
The young man from the Secret Service disappeared at the turn of the corridor.
Kaslan and Nikolai were the only ones left in the corridor.
There was a faint sound of fighting in my ears.
Nikolai silently looked back at Kaslan.
He opened his mouth and wanted to speak, but finally closed it weakly.
Kaslan also hesitated to speak at the same moment.
The two commanders of the White Blade Guards faced each other in a strange and tense atmosphere.
Finally, Nicolai gritted his teeth.
"Long time no see." Fallen Star Man spoke first, with anger in his voice that he was struggling to suppress.
With difficulty, he called out a title that he had not called out for many years:
"Boss."
Nicolai grinded his teeth, his eyes complex.
In twenty years, only others have called him that.
I almost forgot when I called others this.
Boss.
Kaslan sighed and lowered his head.
"yes."
"I'm still thinking about when I can see you," Kaslan said gently, and also called out a name he hadn't used in many years: "You're late, Thornhead."
Nicolai's expression changed slightly.
He snorted coldly.
"I was delayed in front of the palace gate for a while," Nikolai shook his head and looked at Kaslan with an increasingly unkind look:
"It's a pity that you can't punish me for running laps anymore."
At that moment, Kaslan looked at Nikolai in front of him, feeling a little dazed.
It's like going back in time.
"In front of the palace gate?" The old man moved slightly.
"You blocked those soldiers, didn't you?"
"You used the ability of the Soul-Severing Blade..." Kaslan sighed slightly, with a deep meaning and a double entendre: "You know, 'You can't escape'."
Nicolai nodded slowly.
"Yes," the meteorite's face was pale and his expression was cold. He also responded to him with the name of the soul-breaking ability: "'You can't escape'."
Nicolai took a step forward, his face as cold as ice: "'Shake the Earth', the former captain of His Majesty Nunn's personal guard, the former commander of the White Blade Guards."
"His Excellency Kaslan Lumba."
The two were silent for another second.
Silent sadness struck Kaslan's heart.
"Tou," Kaslan sighed, his expression lonely and sad: "Are you here to question me?"
Nicolai looked at him coldly.
Looking at his former commander.
"No."
The Fallen Star said briefly and forcefully:
"That's what your Majesty only has to do."
Kaslan frowned slightly.
"Don't worry, boss," Nicolai said coldly, his eyes mixed with pain and hatred: