In the field, Thales calmed down a little, feeling the increasingly active sin of the Hell River flowing through his body again.
Since the adventure in the desert ended, he has discovered that the Sin of Hell River is more solid and sufficient. Compared with the previous "Ten Seconds of Real Man", it can now withstand longer consumption.
After the power of termination dissipates, the fatigue and numbness it leaves on the body will also be reduced accordingly.
Sure enough, Thales thought:
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Of course, this is not without cost - since being seriously injured by Nikolai, his left wrist is no longer as flexible as before, which has affected his use of the shield to some extent.
And if the sin of the Hell River is running, its temper will also become better accordingly, that would be even better.
"Your Excellency, my name is Gianluca Conmuto."
Conmuto is a short, stocky man with dark skin and a shy smile. At first glance, he looks like the Bensi uncle next door who has been through hardships and has been hit hard, but is still kind, optimistic and strong.
.
Thales noticed that the other party subconsciously glanced in Mallos' direction from time to time.
"I used to be a first-level security officer in the inner city security department, responsible for the protection of important people." Facing the Duke of Star Lake, Conmuto smiled brightly, even flatteringly:
"Fortunate enough to pass the assessment and selection and enter the royal guard."
"Now, I am one of the new security officers in your personal guard."
Vigilance officer.
Thales took a deep breath:
Well, he is quite familiar with this.
No matter it's those green-skinned men in Sai Wan District with their nostrils turned upward and colluding with the Blood Bottle Gang.
Or some stupid guy who doesn't have a bright mind and will unfortunately go back to inherit the title and property once he loses his job.
But before he could think deeply, the battle had already begun!
clang!
There was only a muffled sound as Thales' arm shield collided with Conmuto's sword edge!
Commuto was not as humble as Piloga before him. His fierce initiative in attacking was in perfect contrast to the flattering smile on his face.
Thales moved his steps, drew out his long sword, and exchanged several attacks and defenses with the opponent in the air.
During the metal collision, the Duke of Star Lake in the hell sense discovered that Conmuto's sword style was quite satisfactory. It was neither so sophisticated as Piroga that a few weapon exchanges could counter the opponent, nor was it as rough as that of the orcs.
The degree of opening up and becoming one will never come back.
The two men advanced and retreated offensively and defensively, and they were evenly matched for a while.
This actually surprised Thales.
but……
clang!
Thales once again used his arm shield to withstand the opponent's blow.
He gritted his teeth and steadied his steps, and the sins of the Hell River surged forward with all their strength, pushing the opponent away without showing any signs of weakness.
But at that moment, Thales screamed in his heart:
When he pushed it, he felt that the opponent's sword was light and fluttering, without any difficulty.
Sure enough, Conmuto was seen nimbly passing the shield in front of Thales, and the sword turned on the shield.
The next second, the sin of the Hell River exploded in his body again, bringing an indescribable trembling feeling.
But Thales only had time to turn around!
clang!
Boom!
The crisp sound of metal colliding and the dull sound of blunt impact on flesh came one after another!
"oh……"
Amid the low uproar of the guards, Thales gritted his teeth and staggered back, kneeling down on one knee with his shield propped on the ground.
The severe pain and numbness in his shoulders told him:
This round is over.
Conmuto, a former security officer and now a security officer, nodded with a smile, took back his practice sword, and did not continue the attack.
It's the hilt.
Thales gasped in pain and turned his aching shoulder and arm desperately, telling himself this.
At that moment, he used his shield to push away Conmuto's sword, but did not block the opponent's sword hilt.
The cross guard on his sword followed him like a shadow, taking advantage of the opportunity of pushing his shield forward and pushing his arm forward to spin heavily.
If Thales hadn't reacted in time, this blow would have hit the vital point in the ribs under the arm.
Then he basically lay down.
But even so...
Thales took a deep breath.
The hollow of his shoulder...
Ah, how uncomfortable it is.
Northern military swordsmanship also uses sword hilt moves to defeat the enemy, but most of them are substitute attacks when the two are in a stalemate and other means cannot work. It is rare for Conmuto to be like this. All the preparations are for this situation of the sword hilt.
On the sidelines of the training ground, Doyle blew his hair in the air and poked Glover.
"Oh, Ji An's trick... I've seen it when the guards bully newcomers... In short, he is not easy to deal with."
Glover snorted softly.
The Guards audience murmured in low voices, and some people laughed lightly.
Mallos, who was watching the battle, turned his head, thoughtfully.
Commuto did not pursue him, but waited patiently for the Duke to regain his strength.
"I'm very sorry, Your Excellency the Duke," he held the sword in his hand and said with a smile:
"But I think you don't want me to hold back either, right."
Damn it.
Thales exhaled and felt the sins of the Hell River surge onto his shoulders, relieving the numbness and severe pain.
His left arm is now feeling better.
"Ji'an worked hard in the police station," Mallos's no longer unfamiliar voice sounded again:
“I have a lot of experience and skills on the streets.”
"Strictly speaking, his skills belong to the emerging trend of practical combatism in the country in the past century. It is especially popular among hedge knights and pioneering nobles, and is called the 'new wave'."
Thales turned his head, and sure enough, the watchman folded his arms, looking like he was watching a good show.
"In recent decades, the 'new wave' knights have also learned a lot of experience from wars at home and abroad, including mercenaries. They only seek to adapt to the war situation, win and survive, and for this reason their style is flexible and informal.
, a mixture of hundreds of schools of thought.”
"Of course, new trends are often criticized by other schools: they are disorderly in structure, disorganized in style, short-sighted, and have no focus."
The watchman smiled softly:
"On the other hand, it's also the hardest to deal with - you never know what surprises are down there."
Trendy?
Thales slowly calmed down and focused his attention on Conmuto again.
The other party still had that honest smile.
mercenary?
Thales was thinking and suddenly thought of someone.
Black sword.
The young man thought of the opponent on the cliff in the sky of Longxiao City, defending, escaping, luring the enemy, looking for opportunities, and defeating the enemy...
It reminds me of the scene where he used all kinds of tricks to fight against the energy magician without falling behind.
I even think of the other party "carrying" me (Tiles has always wanted to find a nicer transitive verb) himself, rushing towards the multi-headed monster Kilika in the sea of blood in the shield zone.
As he thought about it, the sin of the prison river surged again, as if he was dissatisfied with the frustration of this round.
"Sir, you are exaggerating. I am just a..."
Commuto responded to Mallos with a smile.
But before he could finish speaking, Thales' attack was right in front of him again!
clang!
Thales gritted his teeth and struck out with a sword, but Commuto expertly deflected it. The opponent then pressed forward and stabbed him with his sword.
The young man knew that the opponent was full of tricks, so he waved his sword to block, and retreated tactfully with his feet to prevent being attacked again.
But the next moment, the hell sense suddenly trembled, and the ominous feeling came over again.
Sure enough, Thales felt his legs shake.
He lost his balance!
Damn it.
The sin of the Hell River roared.
Without thinking too much, Thales used all his strength, turned over, and rolled out of the battlefield in an awkward posture!
Boom!
Commuto's knees hit the sand heavily, making a frightening muffled sound.
After this round, the guards once again let out a low uproar.
But the young man managed to avoid it.
Thales stood up in shock and looked at Conmuto, who had a slightly surprised look in his eyes.
Stumbling?
Thales wanted to ask if the other party had ever learned wrestling, or knew a former guard who also liked to trip in close combat.
but……
Thales took a deep breath and straightened up.
After this round, he understood something.
Thales didn't recognize the opponent's finishing power.
But he could feel: in the hell sense, the moment before the two people came into close contact, Conmuto's power of termination had already taken shape, gathered in a certain part of his body, and was ready to go.
Such as the wrist and the hilt, such as the waist and steps.
Coupled with his little tricks, it can be activated instantly, catching people off guard.
And, it's not just the power of ending.
Thales panted and looked at the opponent in front of him.
As Mallos said…
Street skills, flexible style, informality, a mixture of different styles?
The sin of the Hell River began to burn again, more vigorously than before.
How... would he face such an opponent?
Thales took a deep breath and dusted himself off.
It's not that difficult, right?
At that moment, a figure from many years ago appeared in his memory.
The figure raised a golden saber, stretched out its muscular body, and used itself as a weapon.
That figure descended from the sky, strong and tough, ignoring the opponent's various methods, and withstanding countless blocks from the enemy.
The figure didn't change his expression, and without hesitation, he broke through Rolf's blockage one after another, countered Huaiya's killer move, cut off Raphael's weapon, knocked away Miranda's attack, and suppressed Cohen who was trying his best.
They were defeated continuously and had no power to fight back.
Finally came to Thales.
He seemed to be burning with flames, a wild horse running wildly.
Rampage.
Tough and fierce.
Go forward indomitably.
Break down all obstacles.
Thales closed his eyes.
The sins of the Prison River are self-taught. Following his thoughts, he wanted to imitate the finishing power of that figure, but he was pressed down by Thales on the way.
No.
Thales is not Tuleha or the Fire Knight.
The opponent's finishing power may not have such a good effect on him - nor can he support such a huge consumption.
And Conmuto was not the five people who were defeated instantly.
but……
The next second, Thales opened his eyes.
The sin of the prison river burned continuously, making crackling sounds, like a faint sneer.
Conmuto maintained a smile and watched His Excellency the Duke attack again.
The surrounding guards watched the two figures approaching again, but they were not very attentive. Some even yawned.
clang!
Two swords clash.
Conmuto smiled slightly and launched a counterattack with a sword twist that had the charm of Piroga's defensive counterattack.
In the senses of hell, Conmuto's final power is ready to go.
This time, the opponent's sword suddenly trembled.
Thales immediately felt that the shield was weak.
He also felt the trembling that the sin of the Hell River reminded him of.
Sure enough, Conmuto smiled, and his long sword cleverly bypassed Thales' shield and hit the young man's sword-wielding hand!
But this time, Thales' mind was clear.
He suddenly understood something.
How to fight.
It's the same thing he realized when he shuttled back and forth through different political whirlpools and struggled to survive in different desperate situations in the past few years.
What matters is not strength, not weapons, not tactical skills, not even finishing power.
But people.
people.
The opponent's finishing power is just like that of Comuto himself: he looks simple and honest, but in fact he is smooth and shrewd. He always thinks of clever countermeasures in advance, and only waits for the opportunity to follow the steps and reap the results immediately.
but……
The sin of the Hell River surged up, filling Thales' left arm!
The next second, Konmuto was surprised to find that the prince did not dodge or dodge, and used the most unfavorable posture to catch his sword.
Thales looked in pain, unable to bear it, and dropped his sword.
The guards let out low exclamations, and some people who had some expectations for the prince shook their heads.
Well, this is tantamount to admitting defeat.
Conmuto thought sadly.
He stepped aside to avoid His Excellency the Duke, who had lost his weapon.
He still has so many close-quarters skills that he can't show off...
But forget it, I planned to lose anyway...
But Conmuto's thoughts stopped at this moment.
Because in that second, he was surprised to see Thales' shield sliding down smoothly with several straps attached to it.
Revealing a left arm that has been clenched into a fist.
And the Duke's eyes - Conmuto stared blankly at the other man's face holding back the pain - were still determined.
Boom!
Another dull sound!
The boy's left fist hit Conmuto's right rib hard!
The strength is amazing.
At that moment, Mallos frowned while watching the battle.
Commuto only felt numbness in half of his body and no feeling in his right arm.
When he secretly thought something was wrong, the Duke's face with clenched teeth grew bigger and bigger in his field of vision.
Boom!
Conmuto felt a pain in his forehead, a burst of stars in front of his eyes, and he lost his balance.
thump!
They both fell to the ground.
Two muffled sounds were heard - Thales's shield and Conmuto's sword both fell to the ground.
After a few seconds, everyone came to their senses.
Conmuto was already lying on the ground.
The former security officer was shocked and angry. He struggled to get up, but found that Thales had already sat on him at some point.
"Your Excellency...the Duke?"
The young man's left hand was against his neck, and his right arm was dragged to his side by the sword that had been knocked down, trembling slightly.
The crowd, which had already relaxed, once again let out waves of suppressed exclamations.
On the sidelines, Mallos was deep in thought, turning around and saying something to a member of the guard next to him from time to time.
"You did well, Guardsman, Gian Conmuto."
Facing Conmuto who looked ashamed and angry, Thales gasped and showed a weak smile:
"I just relaxed in the end and gave me a chance to take advantage of it."
The exhausted young man stood up tremblingly and looked at the ashamed Conmuto:
"A little tip."
"Don't do it—especially not when you're facing an orc."
Conmuto got up obediently, not daring to look at Mallos, apologized incoherently, and left in a hurry.
Only then did Thales exhale.
The sin of the Hell River was still rushing through his veins, gaining momentum, like a flood behind a dam, waiting to pour down at any time.
But Thales finally stopped his hand.
The young man staggered back and turned around, gasping and picking up the water bag to calm the churning of the Hell River.
"Although Ji'an has let the water go, but what should I say..."
Doyle squinted at Conmuto's faceless figure facing the crowd:
"In actual combat, Ji'an will lose his throat, but our prince will also lose his right hand."
D.D shook his head helplessly:
"This desperate move, as well as the previous method against Piroga... As expected, our prince came back from the north."
However.
"No."
Glover said coldly and answered simply:
"In actual combat, the prince will lose some saliva."
Doyle was stunned:
"What?"
"saliva?"
Glover looked at him with burning eyes:
"Then, Ji'an will be swarmed by us... and beaten to a disability."
Amid everyone's discussion, the two of them were silent for a while.
"Well, you can say..."
Doyle blinked, then nodded awkwardly and answered:
"Is this so real?"
Glover ignored him and turned around.
"But I still can't see it," Doyle stared at Thales and said doubtfully:
"Does he really have the power to finish?"
But if he didn't...how did he do it?
In full view of everyone, Thales took a deep breath and put down the water bag.
Feeling the emptiness and excitement that existed in his limbs at the same time after the sin of the Hell River faded away, he ignored everyone's comments and glances, and looked at Marius, who said nothing.
"Is it enough?"
"Have you confirmed my finishing power?"
Thales said angrily:
"My dear leader of the bodyguard?"
All eyes were focused on Mallos.
The watchman discussed with the guard members around him for a few words, and then looked at Thales.
"I think I have some clues, Your Highness," he narrowed his eyes:
"But we can't confirm it yet."
Thales let out a breath.
Some eyebrows.
Can't confirm?
That means……
Sure enough, Mallos nodded and gave the order:
"Mike!"
"Come on."
As soon as this was said, the guards exchanged surprised looks back and forth.
Soon, a man in his thirties walked out of the guard, with a smooth face, soft eyebrows, neat clothes, and meticulous care of his body.
Thales sighed again, lamenting how time passed so slowly.
Is this going to be a wheel battle?
"Oh no, he is no longer calling people from the Guard Wing and Logistics Wing," Doyle's expression changed and he pointed at Mallos to Glover:
"This is not a good sign."
A man in his thirties came to the venue and saluted respectfully.
"Mike Zonevid, Your Highness," although the Zonevid knight known as Mike is soft and elegant, his accent has the roughness that Thales is familiar with:
"Nine years ago, I officially joined the royal guard."
Thales nodded helplessly in return.
Zoneved uses concise words and cautious words:
"By the way, I'm left-handed."
Zoneved took off the sword he wore on his back and picked up a practice sword from the weapon rack:
"The attack will be more violent and...unexpected."
"Be careful."
Thales showed a weak smile and started to dress up again.
"Wait a minute, Zonevid, this last name..."
Doyle on one side scratched his head:
"I seem to have some impression?"
Glover responded silently beside him:
"'Kurosone'."
Black...what?
D.D looked confused.
Glover didn't even look at him, he just said silently:
"The executioner family during the Red King's period was once among the seven servants of the Brilliant Star. No less than three imperial earls died at their hands."
"Until the virtuous monarch was crowned and in the rebellion trial, they were convicted one by one, accounted for, and deprived of their titles and fiefs."
Doyle looked suddenly enlightened.
Glover said expressionlessly:
"But you should know better than me."
Doyle frowned again:
"Why?"
Glover slowly turned to Doyle:
"Because of 'Kurosanai, White Doe'."
Doyle was slightly startled.
"'The red king has two attendants, and the lonely widow cries day and night.'"
Glover said coldly:
"Two hundred years ago, your family was as famous as them."
Danny Doyle blinked.
"Wow," after a long while, D.D turned back in embarrassment and numbness:
"Yes, really?"
You know this as well?
They are still chatting here, but Thales has already met Zonevid's sword!
Like Comuto, Zoneved was not polite at all and took the initiative to attack.
But this time, Taylor's expression changed from the first blow!
Zoneved is different from his two previous opponents.
Dang! Dang! Dang!
Three sharp sounds!
With a calm expression on his face, Zonewed fired the sword in his left hand continuously, threatening Thales's chest, calves, and arms!
After three blocks, Thales was forced to take three steps back, surprised and struggling to resist his opponent's attack.
Compared with the older Piloga and the stocky Conmuto, this well-groomed knight has an expressionless face, but his offense is simple and direct, without any fancy!
With a familiar feeling, Thales, who had no time to breathe, had not yet stood firm, Zonevid's offensive came again!
The sin of the Hell River roared unwillingly and surged up Thales' arm, but it could only support him to quickly defend himself.
clang!
Zoneved's expression was indifferent, but the sword in his hand became more and more fierce. He was impartial and straight forward, and the tip of the sword was aimed at the parts of Thales's last defense that were slightly difficult and unstable - his footing and wrists - and he continued to attack.
The most terrible thing is that Thales rarely fights with enemies holding swords in his left hand. In his opinion, every attack by Zoneved comes from a tricky angle, making it unexpected and difficult for him to defend.
However, it was also very powerful, making it difficult for him to defend, and he could only retreat continuously to avoid the sharp edge!
So much so that Taylor's eighth defense was almost out of position, and it was made during an embarrassing retreat that approached the limit.
Even so, Thales' arm was lifted an inch by his opponent's blunt sword without a sharp edge, and he was in pain.
But before he had time to rest, Zoneved's next stab came right along the area where he was teased!
Forcing Thales to grit his teeth and activate—perhaps almost crazy due to repeated setbacks—the sin of the Hell River was once again...
Back up.
And every time he takes a step back, Zoneved's next offensive advantage will increase, making Taylor's defense more and more thrilling every time!
Thales felt the tremors on his shield and sword and the pain and numbness in his muscles. The more he fought, the more frightened he became:
He was beaten passively all the way without even a chance to fight back.
This couldn't help but remind Thales of his years in the Palace of Heroes. The attacks from the Northlanders were so violent and swift, giving him no chance to breathe.
Zoneved's attack obviously shocked the Guards audience. Many people were pointing and talking about something.
Even Mallos nodded repeatedly.
"Fuck," Doyle on the side stared wide-eyed:
"Is there still such an awesome person in our team?"
Even Glover was quite surprised:
"Either the opponent is too weak, or he is hiding his clumsiness."
"When I was still in Fuxing Palace, I had never heard of such a person in the Pioneer Wing."
But compared to the audience's contentment and comments, Thales was not in such a good mood.
He gritted his teeth and used his shield to withstand Zonevid's full blow, then activated the Hell River Sin at all costs, and finally struck a counterattack.
At least Zoneved's offensive was forced to slow down.
However, the opponent only paused for a moment, without blushing or panting, and then attacked again, dragging the battle back to its previous rhythm.
Thales is going crazy!
At this moment, he was like a small boat floating in the stormy waves, trying hard to hold the sail to ensure that the boat did not capsize.
But the water at the bottom of the boat was getting deeper and deeper.
Out of sight!
However, the opponent's finishing power was continuous. In the hell sense, Thales could even see the opponent's skin shining with starlight!
"Your Highness, you should be familiar with this style, right."
Soon, that familiar, yet annoying voice sounded at the moment.
When Mallos's voice fell, perhaps because of his own concerns or out of respect for his superior, Zonevid sheathed his sword and retreated, stopping his attack.
Thales finally got a breather. He no longer had to work hard to defend. He gasped for air. At the same time, he put his shield and sword on the ground. The sins of the Hell River surged up unexpectedly, relieving the soreness and the little pain from fighting all the way.
Injury.
Mallos spoke slowly and nodded to Fubi, the flag officer next to him:
"Although he was born in the Central Territory, Mike had a cruel stepmother. He was sent to live with poor relatives in the North to be raised as a child, and he followed a Northern knight as a squire."
After the words fell, many members of the guard cast their eyes on Zonevid.
"Sir, you actually..." Mike Zoneved smiled reluctantly:
"Don't mention the stepmother."
Mallos smiled apologetically, then looked at Thales and said seriously:
"Since the founding of the Star Kingdom, the martial arts of the Northern School have been spread among the knights in the North and Clifflands. They have absorbed many years of experience in fighting the Exeters, and have become their own family over the years."
Thales gasped in pain and shook his head towards Mallos to show that he heard him.
"It not only has the advantages of attacking the whole court and advocating suppression like the Yankees, but also retains the traditional knight skills of the stars. It strives to integrate offense and defense, balance and complement each other, and pay special attention to the transition between offense and defense and determination of will at critical moments."
Mallos' tone was filled with joy:
"Therefore, the knights of the 'Northern Faction' in the kingdom are also called the 'Offensive and Defensive Faction'. Their offensive is fierce and fast-paced, but the transition is smooth. They combine defense with attack and attack with defense."
"If you are not careful when fighting against him..."
"Then you will be completely defeated and lose everything."
Northern faction?
Offensive and defensive faction?
The attack is fierce and fast-paced...
Attack while defending, defend while attacking...
Thales' breathing became smoother at least. He raised his head in confusion and looked at Zonevid across from him, who was not breathing and was at ease.
The other party nodded respectfully towards him.
"As for the typical representatives among them..."
Mallos crossed his arms easily and said a nickname that made many people ponder in silence:
"I believe you must have heard of 'Wrath of the Kingdom'?"
Thales paused slightly.
Wrath of the Kingdom?
Years ago, the scene of the breakout at Broken Dragon Fortress flashed back in his mind.
To confront the enemy, if you are a little careless...
A complete defeat, a total loss...
The prince took a deep breath.
hehe.
Thales curled his lips.
Not only have I heard of it.
but……
etc.
Thales looked at Zonevid in front of him and narrowed his eyes.
No, not just Wrath of the Kingdom.
It's not just him.
Several different figures appeared before his eyes.
In the dungeon, there is Barney, who is fighting for his life, and Bree, who has lost the ability to speak and is running rampant like a big bear.
It's them.
A "Northern" knight, right?
Thales took a final breath and stood up.
"Let's see, Your Highness," Mallos smiled slightly:
"In the past six years, you have faced Exeter-style martial arts..."
Mallos's eyes seemed to be shining, shining directly on Thales's sweaty face: