166 Surprise

Next to the tip of the sword, Thales tried his best to control his heartbeat and breathing. He looked at the Mystic with difficulty. "Mister Sakern, I reckon that you don't want to waste time here, am I right?"

"Yes," Asda said flatly. "I will kill this man right now. It's the fastest way."

"Hmph." Black Sword sneered. "Same here."

Thales' head hurt.

"Um… Mister Black Sword?" Panting, Thales said to the person holding him hostage, "You know… you know that this man cannot be killed, right?"

Behind him, Black Sword's breathing grew steady.

"Who knows?" Black Sword said flatly. "Perhaps, the very next strike might just kill him?"

Asda snorted in a mocking manner and stared coldly at Black Sword.

The fact that the both of them refused to give face to the other made Thales feel extremely awkward.

Thales sighed.

"I have a suggestion for the both of you…" Feeling the metallic chill on his neck, Thales forced a smile. "Mister Black Sword, perhaps you don't have to chop my head off…"

Asda narrowed his eyes, his gaze was indecipherable.

"Look, the both of you already had a fight." Thales could not see Black Sword's face, however he knew that his own expression was definitely horrible.

He tried his best to steady his voice amid the chilly air, "Mister Mystic here had a slight edge, but Mister Black Sword has always been full of surprises…"

Staring at each other, Asda and Black Sword's gazes were merciless as well as murderous.

"It will only attract Dragon Clouds City's attention if the both of you continue with your stalemate here…"

Thales trembled slightly. "Mister, why don't you let me go and just disappear?

"And Mister Sakern…" Thales smiled awkwardly. "Since my life is in his hands, why don't you have mercy and let him go?"

'The most important thing right now is to get myself away from the tip of his sword.

'I was counting on Black Sword's sudden appearance to work in my favor. Turns out… none of them are good people!' Thales thought.

Beneath the moonlight, the chilly wind slowly died down, and the surrounding snow became lesser and lesser.

Black Sword did not say anything.

Thales was numb with cold. He tried his best to maintain his smile.

"What do you think?"

Asda's eyes met with the prince.

Thales felt a chill running down his spine. Even though the Mystic's current state was a lot better than the time he was 'sparkling' earlier on, Thales could still feel the coldness in Asda's eyes.

"I refuse," Asda said coldly. "I've had enough of this cat-and-mouse game. He must die here today."

Thales' smile froze.

'Hey…'

Thales stared at Asda in disbelief.

'What about the love and fraternity between Mystics?'

Asda paid no heed to Thales' gaze. At this moment, the Mystic's heart was ice cold.

'Black Sword's ability earlier proves that he is totally qualified to become a part of those "Calamity Hunters" from over six hundred years ago. The only thing he needs is a legendary anti-mystic equipment...

'Long ago, those top supreme class fighters were carefully picked from various races. They were all well-seasoned, fearsome individuals. Each wielding a legendary anti-mystic equipment, they concealed themselves on the battlefield, waiting to strike a fatal blow.

'In the Grand Cleanup after the battle, they became fearsome trackers who hid in the shadows. They tracked everyone down, regardless of stance and faction.

'If it wasn't for the separation of the peninsulas and the political divide between kingdoms after the battle, which separated the Calamity Hunters…'

'Black Sword…'

Staring at his regenerated right hand, Asda narrowed his eyes.

'Black Sword must die here.'

"Look, child, of course I can let you go," Black Sword said softly in Thales' ear.

"But he doesn't want to."

The Brotherhood's leader shook his head a little and gently sighed. "You can only blame your luck."

Thales exhaled in exasperation.

Asda sneered and said, "Let's see how long a mere human can last in this Northland winter."

"True." Not showing any signs of weakness, Black Sword tapped Thales on the shoulder. "How long do you think he can last?"

Caught in between them, Thales furrowed his brows in resignation.

'What the hell…'

Thales took a deep breath and gritted his teeth.

Deep in contemplation, he glanced down at Dragon Clouds City.

'There's no other way.'

"I know."

Thales took a deep breath and licked his dry lips. Enunciating each word clearly, he said, "Why don't we do this, I have an idea…" 

Black Sword and Asda focused their attention on him.

With a sullen face, Thales slowly said, "Mister Black Sword, with this way, you will have enough time to flee. I believe that you can…

"While we can continue our journey, Mister Sakern…"

Listening to Thales' words, both Asda and Black Sword furrowed their brows.

"Hmph." Asda sneered. "Are you helping him?"

"No."

Thales felt the grip on his shoulder loosen. Once again, he curled up the corners of his lips and spoke with an even brighter smile, "I am helping all of us."

Asda's gaze became increasingly colder.

It sent another chill down Thales' spine.

A gust of cold wind blew past and Black Sword let out a soft sigh.

"I have been looking for such an opportunity since the beginning," Black Sword slowly said, next to Thales' ears. "Thank you for your suggestion, child."

"So, you agree?" Thales awkwardly inched his neck away from the serration on the sword's blade.

Staring at Asda, who had an unpleasant expression, Black Sword tapped Thales' shoulder and nodded slowly. "Of course. But, there's an improvement that needs to be made."

Thales froze.

'Improvement?'

"I came to find him…" Black Sword widened his eyes. Grabbing Thales, he rose abruptly!

"I didn't come here to flee!"

Asda's expression changed. He immediately extended his right hand!

However, Black Sword was faster than him.

Swiftly, the legendary man from the Brotherhood picked Thales up by the collar and…

Flung him off the cliff!

"Aaargh!"

Thales could open his mouth. Wind and snow flooded his oral cavity.

"Is this a joke?!"

Feeling the wind, Thales was extremely terrified. Narrowing his eyes and looking downwards, Thales saw Dragon Clouds City at a bird's-eye view. He shouted loudly and indignantly.

"At least give me a signal!"

Growling in a low voice, Black Sword rose again!

He charged towards Asda.

The cold wind glazed past Thales' ears, preventing him from opening his eyes. However, he could feel his upward momentum reducing!

A ball of light appeared on Asda's left palm.

*Clang!*

With his blade, Black Sword slashed at the wall of air in front of Asda again.

After a fraction of a second, Thales realized that he was falling…

Towards Dragon Clouds City!

A chill ran down his spine. His forearm was about the distance of an adult's height from the edge of the cliff.

'Damn you, Black Sword…

'I didn't ask you to fling me so far away!

'And… I wanted you to take the opportunity to flee when Asda rescues me!

'What if Asda doesn't rescue me in time…'

Fortunately, Asda paid no heed to Black Sword. Raising his head calmly, he extended his right hand towards Thales.

The next moment, Thales felt a strange, but great force lifting his body.

He immediately stopped falling.

Floating mid-air and having escaped the fate of falling down a cliff that was almost a hundred meters high, Thales was badly-shaken. He had just avoided becoming a pile of minced meat.

However, the battle on the cliff was still ongoing.

Black Sword spun around. Relying on his inertia, his entire body burst forth with a strange power!

"Monster!"

Roaring furiously, Black Sword waved his sword with full force!

The blade of his sword approached the wall of air before the Mystic.

Under Asda's disbelieving gaze, Black Sword blazed the air with his sword!

There was also a shrill and intense sound of an explosion.

*Sizzle!*

With his eyes wide, Thales watched as Black Sword slashed the sparsest spot of the air wall, which sparkled with blue light.

It sent a shock wave across the air wall!

Black Sword then rapidly withdrew his long sword and thrust it forward again in the blink of an eye!

A sudden surge of immense, colorless energy was concentrated on the man's sword.

*Clang!*

The sword hit the air wall, which was already starting to become unstable.

Black Sword then spun his sword. His gaze was firm.

The massive energy converged in a tiny spot.

The next moment…

*Bang!*

Amid Asda's flustered and exasperated roars, the sturdy as well as invisible air wall…

Shattered!

*Whoosh!*

It turned into chaotic air currents that swept up countless flakes of snow.

Trying to create a new air wall, Asda conjured up some blue light on his palm.

However, at that moment, there was no more barrier between Black Sword and Asda.

Thales raised his brows. Black Sword did not wave his sword again. Instead, he placed his hand on his other weapon, which was tied to his waist. 

It was the weapon that was wrapped tightly in linen.

Within a fraction of a second, Black Sword unwrapped the linen cloth and took out the weapon.

It was a peculiar hand-and-a-half sword... No, it was slightly smaller than a hand-and-a-half sword.

It was only the same length as Black Sword's forearm.

Its tip was scarlet, and its blade was dark red.

Its hilt was black and it had a pretty big pommel.

A dark red stone was also embedded in the middle of its crossguard.

Its knuckle-guard was in a reverse arc and it extended towards the direction of the tip.

On the knuckle-guard, there were a few bulges that pointed in the opponent's direction.

'Those look like… fangs?'

For some unknown reason, the moment Thales saw the sword, his whole body broke out in goosebumps and his blood ran cold.

Thales felt an inexplicable and indescribable feeling.

'This feeling… why is it so familiar?' Thales felt puzzled.

However, before he could think any further, Black Sword began to thrust the little red sword into the middle of Asda's stomach.

It was as if time had stopped at that moment.

Asda stared at the little red sword as it pierced into his stomach.

There was shock and panic in his eyes.

"This is…"

He looked just like he did when Yodel pierced through his body in Red Street Market.

Floating mid-air, Thales was astonished. He had no more energy to care about the fact that he was in a dangerous position.

At that moment, he knew what the weapon in Black Sword's hand was.

"No, why do you have it? How did you know…" Asda stared at the little red sword in disbelief.

Black Sword did not answer.

Twisting his hand, he moved the sword upwards!

The blade of the sword sliced Asda's upper body open, starting from his abdomen and exiting the top of his head.

Soon after, Asda's sliced body emitted a bright blue light.

*Tear!*

Without mercy, Black Sword waved his sword again and chopped Asda into two by the waist.

Severed into two, Asda fell to the ground. He had a shocked expression.

"Farewell."

With one sword in each hand, Black Sword turned around coldly. "Monster."

The next moment, the force, which had been lifting Thales up disappeared.

'Sh*t!'

Thales felt a surge of panic.

'Asda's ability has lost its effect!'

He plunged towards Dragon Clouds City.

Thales' heart palpitated as he looked at the tiny city beneath him.

His body continued to fall.

At this very moment...

*Cling!*

The sharp sound of metal rubbing against stone rang.

Raising his head, Thales' entire body quivered!

He saw Black Sword charging towards him.

And then…

With a steely gaze, Black Sword extended his right hand.

However, that hand was holding a long sword!

He thrusted the strange black sword towards Thales, who was plunging downwards in the air.

Thales pupils contracted.

'What?'

The sword did not stop.

It was going straight for his head!

The wind glazed past Thales' ears.

Within a fraction of a second, he experienced an array of emotions.

'Why?

'Why does he want to kill me?'

In a trance, Thales stared at the sword that was about to pierce his head.

Amid all the surprise, fear, bewilderment and fury, he could only shut his eyes helplessly in the end.

*Tear!*

The strange sword pierced through Thales' clothes.

His pupils immediately contracted.

However, the expected sensation of pain did not arrive.

The wind roared.

Trembling, Thales opened his eyes.

He was still up in the air, and Dragon Clouds City lay quietly about a hundred meters beneath him.

Shivering, Thales turned his head.

To his astonishment, he saw that the blade of the strange sword had pierced through his collar. He was hanging from its reverse hook!

Dangling from the sword, Thales swung back and forth in the air.

Cold wind continued to glaze past him.

He stared wide-eyed at the plain looking man on the other end of the sword.

Black Sword was holding on to his little red sword, which had been lodged into the rock of the cliff. Just like that, his entire body hung beside the cliff.

His other hand was extended parallel to his body and it held the strange black sword with little Thales hanging on its hook.

The plain looking man gritted his teeth and slowly lifted the sword.

Still in shock, Thales stared at Black Sword in a daze.

The latter flashed a smile and flatly said, "I gave you a signal before I flung you off the cliff."

Widening his eyes due to the fear and shock, Thales could not reply at all.

Feeling the pull on his collar, Thales did not dare to look down. He could only press his hand against his chest.

It felt as though his heart would have jumped out if he had not done that.

Black Swords' expression remained the same. He lifted the sword up steadily with his strong arm.

A few seconds later, Thales finally felt a little less anxious, seeing that he was getting nearer to Black Sword.

*Phew!*

He breathed a big sigh of relief.

At that moment, Thales only wanted to throw insults at Black Sword.

'What the hell was that?!'

Panting heavily, Thales weakly said, "Next time, can you..."

However, before he could finish his sentence, Thales widened his eyes again.

Feeling a chill down his spine, he raised his head and looked behind Black Sword.

'It can't be.'

There, a strange blue light was coalescing.

Under the moonlight, an eccentric figure began to form.

Standing to Black Sword's left and staring at the little red sword, the figure's expression was full of complexity.

Thales' mouth was wide open.

'Is this really happening?'

Hanging next to the cliff, Black Sword saw Thales' expression. His face froze.

He soon realized what was happening.

Furrowing his brows, Black Sword turned his head slowly and looked up the cliff.

There, Asda Sakern stood, completely intact.

The Air Mystic's expression was extremely unpleasant. However, his tone was still a mocking one, "Next time, before you frighten me…

"Make sure you have an actual legendary anti-mystic equipment…

"Instead of a counterfeit."

Black Sword's expression changed.

He glanced to the left at the completely intact Asda, and then to the right at Thales. Hanging from the sword, Thales did not know whether to cry or laugh.

Black Sword heaved a loud sigh.

Hanging by the cliff, Black Sword shut his eyes and shook his head in resignation. His tone was indecipherable, "Lance, you f*cking set me up again…

"Even the legendary anti-mystic equipment…

"Has counterfeits?"

Thales furrowed his brows.

Whereas, Asda narrowed his eyes.

Black Sword on the other hand, had a gloomy expression on his face.

In the midst of the chilly wind, all three of them stayed silent for a while.

Facing such a situation, they seemed to be at a lost for words.

Asda glared at Thales and spoke in a scary tone, "Child, you are really mischievous."

Thales flashed a sour smile at him.

But before he could say anything, Black Sword moved again!

Black Sword raised his legs and planted his feet at the edge of the cliff.

He then pulled the little red sword out with his left hand!

No longer having a hold on anything, Black Sword started to slowly descend along with Thales.

Asda's expression suddenly changed!

Conversely, Thales was so shocked that he forgot to breathe!

"A surprise for you," Black Sword said flatly.

"You!" Asda raised his hand furiously. Planning to lift them up, he moved the air current around them.

However, Black Sword did not give him the opportunity.

In less than a second, Black Sword's power surged and he kicked the cliff's edge, falling backwards together with Thales.

At a speed that Asda was unable to react to, he plunged down the cliff!