434 Correcting the Mistake

There was a moment when Thales felt like he had returned to a period of time six years ago. He was back in Shield District in Dragon Clouds City. He was standing inside the hydra, Kilika and he was having his final showdown against Giza.

He had the same calmness and rationality. All emotions were isolated from him.

He still felt that marvelous feeling and his thoughts were barely discernible.

The Sin of Hell's River was incredibly silent.

There was another kind of energy silently surging in his body.

The Prince of Constellation looked at the Alchemy Ball in his hands as he sensed that marvelous feeling he had six years ago.

He could see the inner structure of the Alchemy Ball. There was unique energy contained under the countless round metal discs. They spun gently and constantly whirred like a sleeping beast.

He knew that he just needed to take out one of the triggers for the contraption, and the gentle energy would turn into fierce waves. It would flow out fiercely and force its way out while unleashing its ferocity and devouring everything around it.

Then he understood.

It was just that simple.

Thales raised his head with great satisfaction. He slowly scanned the assassins ahead of him.

The young prince happily moved his feet and walked forward.

The Alchemy Ball moved. His gaze moved with it. His enemies moved back in panic.

Zakriel frowned and looked at Thales who was moving forward. "Hey, you…"

"Don't worry," Thales said calmly. "Everything will end soon.

"You can just take care of whatever I miss."

Zakriel was struck dumb.

'Whatever I miss?

'What does he mean?'

He scratched his head, not quite understanding what was going on.

'Is this a new term in the kingdom?'

"Back off, Your Highness!"

Stake suppressed his nervousness, and shouted, "If you attempt to threaten us with the Alchemy Ball…"

However, Thales laughed softly. He put the Alchemy Ball into his bosom, then turned around and raised his longsword.

"Alchemy Ball?

"Do I look like someone who has such low taste?"

Stake was stunned.

In the next second, the prince stretched out his left hand, and his expression turned cold.

"First…"

Thales furled and unfurled his palm, as though he had scooped something up from the air. "Be careful of what's under you."

His expression was cold, and the assassins ahead of him instantly squared their shoulders, ready to fight him!

However, against their expectations, the enemies before Thales were unharmed. The ones who were attacked were the assassins on the other side.

*Thud!*

A muffled noise rose. The assassin who bound Yodel's right leg with a chain stumbled and fell on his face!

Stake's eyes turned cold. He shouted, "Be careful of that Masked Protector!"

But it was too late.

The assassins who bound Yodel tightly lost one of the corners, which allowed them to bind him, and the balance was broken.

The Masked Protector did not let that opportunity slip away.

In one second, he raised his right leg!

The chain, which originally bound him, shot up like an agile snake and tied itself firmly around the fallen assassin's neck. Then, it instantly tightened!

Thales sneered coldly.

He stretched out his hand once more and aimed at the chain restraining Yodel's right arm.

However, Thales frowned tightly at the next moment. A puzzled look formed on his face.

He furled his left hand twice in the air.

But nothing happened.

Yodel was still struggling against the three remaining assassins, and Stake was still moving back.

Thales sighed.

'Looks like… I still need to practice using this power.'

"Zakriel, give him a hand." The prince calmed down, and he waved his hand in Yodel's direction. He gripped his longsword tightly again.

Zakriel snorted in displeasure.

"Didn't you say that I was supposed to pick out the ones you missed?"

Thales snorted gently.

"Yes, I did."

The next second, Zakriel forced his way through like a beast and arrived next to Yodel. He knocked an assassin over with his saber!

*Bang!*

The saber "greeted" the assassin head-on. The assassin cupped his neck as he did not manage to dodge in time. He fell before the Knight of Judgment's blade.

The assassin only managed to leave a light scar on Zakriel's saber.

Thales did not reveal any weaknesses. He held his sword coldly and charged forward, straight towards Stake!

The situation became chaotic in an instant!

"Wait!"

Stake took a step forward in anger and seized Quick Rope's throat, making him moan in pain.

"They… Your servant is still in my hand, Your Highness! As long as you let us—"

However, immediately after, Thales suddenly appeared in front of Stake even though he was previously several steps away from Stake!

It was as if he had instantly leaped forward by a few steps.

It made Stake break out in cold sweat!

*Rustle—*

Thales swung his sword, and his expression remained unchanged. The sword formed an arc in the air and went straight for Quick Rope and Stake's heads!

The leader of assassins felt a mix of shock and anger as he held Quick Rope hostage. He did not manage to dodge in time. He had to push Quick Rope to the front and deliver him into Thales' range of attack!

In fright, Quick Rope instantly felt his soul leave his body!

"No, no, no, wait, Your Highness, Your Highness—" As he felt the wind stirred up by the sword get closer to him, Quick Rope started to ramble. He even shouted madly in the end, "I am you loyal and dear…"

However, Thales could not care less.

He just proceeded to swing his sword with a cold expression!

*Whoosh!*

The wind stirred up by the sword came charging at him mercilessly!

Stake rolled on the ground in a disheveled state and narrowly dodged the tip of the sword.

When Quick Rope saw that he could not dodge the fatal strike, he instinctively closed his eyes. But he still did not forget to shout.

"—Wya Casoooooooooooo!"

*Whish!*

The tip of the sword grazed past Quick Rope's neck!

*Splat!*

Blood gushed into the air.

A head flew.

"Thales!"

Quick Rope shouted in pain and in despair. He sensed the pain of having his neck cut as tears streamed down his face.

"I will hate you forever—"

At that moment...

*Slap!*

A clear sound rose.

Quick Rope's words died in his mouth as he felt a burning pain on his face.

'Huh?'

"Wake up!" Thales' voice rang coldly.

*Slap!*

He was slapped again. Quick Rope finally opened his eyes while he shivered. He saw Thales with his hand held high in the air. Surprise appeared in his eyes.

Quick Rope was stunned.

"Didn't you cut off my head…"

He twisted his head, drenched in cold sweat. He found to his surprise that… his head was still on his shoulders!

'Oh my God!

'I'm still alive!'

Quick Rope's face turned from that of mourning to great joy.

'Oh, this is great!

'Huh? Earlier…'

*Slap!*

He was slapped yet again. Thales said with a frown, "Wake up! You're not the one who's lost your head."

Quick Rope instinctively lowered his head, and he saw another head lying in a puddle of blood next to him.

It was the head of the assassin who previously held him hostage.

Quick Rope was stunned.

'Strange...

'Didn't the sword just cut through my…'

On the other side was Stake, who got up in a pathetic fashion, using his subordinate's arm as support. He stared at the murdered assassin in disbelief.

'Impossible.

'I saw it with my own eyes…

'That boy's swords cut through…

'How did another person's head end up falling on the ground?

'And they were so far away from each other…

'What trickery is this?'

"Stay put." Thales impatiently pushed Quick Rope to the side and lifted his sword once more. "If you stay put, it won't hit you!"

The confused Quick Rope fell on his face, and he cried out in pain.

"If you don't want to untie me, so be it… but can you at least be a little gentle!"

Zakriel had already swiftly defeated the two people who bound Yodel on the other side of the hall. The Masked Protector regained his freedom, and he was untying his chains.

'Damn it!'

Stake was nervous and angry.

By the time he turned his head, Thales had already charged at him again!

"Stop him!" Stake ordered.

*Whoosh!*

An assassin behind Stake immediately threw an ax with his hand!

It drew close to Thales.

But Thales twitched his mouth and just said one thing.

"It's off track."

'They don't know what I can do now,' Thales thought.

He was exceptionally calm and rational in that amazing state. He had a feeling that he would not panic or act on impulse.

He could even feel that everything around him was in his control as if they were very close, and he could touch them if he just reached out to them.

'Such as… the enemy's weapon.'

Thales silently stared at the hand ax flying at him.

In the next second, that hand ax strangely vanished without a trace!

The hand ax appeared again out of nowhere beside Thales and flew into the distance.

*Clang…*

The hand ax fell to the ground powerlessly, letting out a loud clank.

Just as Thales had said… it was off track.

Stake's pupils trembled again.

'No.'

He saw it clearly. The moment the ax was thrown, he could tell that it would not miss.

'So what is it this time…?'

When they saw the bizarre situation ahead of them, an uproar broke out among the assassins again!

"Nice trick you pulled there."

Zakriel stopped moving his hands. He watched Thales' performance with a contemplative expression.

"Many years ago, a circus came to Eternal Star City. There was a Psionic known as Flying Blade Clown among them. He could whip out daggers out of nowhere, even retrieve something from a distance. Even Princess Constance was entertained by him… Then, that circus annoyed someone important, and it was destroyed by Blood Bottle Gang…"

*Clang!*

Thales spun his longsword decisively and parried another assassin's attack. He held off the assassin's weapon.

'No.

'It's not the same.'

He knew that what he did was not the same as Flying Blade Clown.

It was not a simple change in position.

In the next second, Thales' longsword suddenly disappeared, then reappeared in front of the assassin's chest!

*Splat!*

Thales did not even use the Power of Eradication. Under the assassin's shocked gaze, he just pushed the sword forward gently and ended his life.

'How very convenient.'

Thales grinned.

'This manner of attack where I would never miss… is just too convenient.'

*Whoosh! Whoosh!* The sound of air being sliced through arrived next to his ears.

Thales swung his hand gently. Three darts that flew towards him disappeared right before him. Then, they crashed into another wall. 

He swung his left hand again. Two daggers shot out in a distorted direction and went straight to the assassin to threw the darts. It was Thales'"return gift" for him.

The prince did not stop, and within two or three steps, he arrived in front of Tampa.

The assassin who was behind the tavern owner was still searching for the daggers he lost out of the blue in shock when Thales easily stabbed his throat… And that assassin swore that before he died, he should have been able to avoid the sword's trajectory.

Against Thales' expectation, the originally dejected Tampa suddenly had a fierce expression appear in his eyes. When another assassin was in a state of confusion, he violently threw his head backwards and rammed the back of his head against the assassin's nose!

Tampa gritted his teeth and fell to the back. His back rammed against the assassin's chest!

"Last time someone who did this to me was an orc… His bones still hang in my bedroom even to this date!"

Tampa cursed up a storm and stood up, even though he was a hostage just a moment ago. His face was fierce, and he kicked the assassin's neck bone!

*Crack!*

A hair-raising crack rose into the air. Thales frowned when he saw the sight.

Tampa spat out a mouthful of blood before he shook his head at Thales. "Don't go daydreaming. Do what you should do."

Thales then raised his eyebrows and turned around.

On the other side, Zakriel went for a direct charge to break through the encirclement. Regardless of how many people blocked his path, none of them was his enemy. After freeing himself from the chains, Yodel disappeared into the air. However, sometimes, some of the assassins would mysteriously fall to the floor dead, and they bore the testimony to the Masted Protector's presence.

Stake stared at the situation. The tides had completely turned against him. He felt his heart grow colder.

Thales moved steadily forward. He might seem as if he was fighting alone, but he was breaking through the encirclement without any difficulties whatsoever.

None of the projectiles hit him. All swords which were aimed at him would have their trajectories mysteriously change. All the weapons that stabbed him did not possess any strength.

Even if assassins arrived before Thales, they would discover that their weapons had mysteriously disappeared.

Compared to them, Thales' longsword seemed to be fated to never miss, and it could not be stopped. Every time he swung his sword, he would definitely break through all defenses, ignore all people who tried to evade his sword and hit his target.

The eeriness present on him caused the assassins to be in fear.

In a few moments, the number of assassins were reduced to less than ten.

Stake struggled and gritted his teeth.

He knew that he needed to make a decision.

Thales did not notice Stake's increasingly unpleasant face. He did not notice the complicated looks on Zakriel's face. He just poured his mind and soul into sensing his new power.

He could easily take away the dagger from the hands of the enemies before him, as easily as he picked up a teacup from the table.

It was as if distance was non-existent to him.

He could even change the positions between him and the longsword.

He could make it appear in places where it should be.

He could even make the projectiles they threw at him, such as the hand ax just now, change positions.

He could do it as if he was tugging at a fishing line on a fishing pole.

As his movement became more experienced, Thales slowly came to a realization.

Taking objects through a distance and shifting various objects around was no big deal to him.

But he did have some limitations.

Shifting the still dagger compared to the hand ax in the air was easier…

Shifting the longsword in his hand compared to his entire person was easier…

It was easier for him to use his power the lighter and smaller the target was, the shorter the distance between them was, and the slower the target's speed was.

'Very good.'

"Retreat!"

The sudden shout interrupted Thales' train of thought.

The ferocious-looking Stake seized the struggling Marina, he held her before him as a hostage and moved back.

His gaze when he stared at Thales was full of wariness.

'If this prince has this kind of power…

'Then his actions in the tavern…

'Was to let us fall into his trap.'

"Retreat!" Stake roared angrily.

Thales narrowed his eyes. He saw assassins moving as if they had been released from their burden. They retreated in a well-trained manner.

They were about to hide in the darkness again.

"This is why I hate playing hunting foxes, they will run" Zakriel seemed to have turned into a human-sized forbidden zone. Wherever he went, the assassins would flee.

'But they cannot run away,' Thales said in his heart.

'No matter where they run to, all are in my control.'

In the next second, Stake discovered to his shock that Thales appeared in the blink of an eye before him, even though he was previously five steps away from him!

'How did he…'

Before he could think too much into it, Stake repeated his old trick. He pushed Marina before him and used her as his shield!

*Whoosh!*

Thales' gaze was still fierce. The longsword sliced through Marina's waist! The woman's gaze at that moment made her seem as if she was no longer afraid of death.

Stake shouted in pain. With blood pouring out of him, he rolled one meter away.

Marina thought that she had definitely died, but opened her eyes while shivering to discover that she was completely unharmed. Even the rope binding her hands had been cut at some unknown point of time.

"You are fine, madam."

Thales stretched out his hand to her and said with a cold sneer, "It seems like you need some help?"

Marina swatted his arm away and stood up on her own. She gritted her teeth and snorted angrily. "I don't need you rescuing me!"

'Okay then.

'What a bad temper.'

Thales raised his eyebrows. "By the way, about the incident that happened just now in the tavern…"

However, Marina's first reaction when she heard this sentence was...

*Slap!*

There was pain on Thales' face!

"Pervert!"

Marina gritted her teeth and retracted her palm. She pushed him away with her elbow. Then, she rushed off to find her weapon.

"Bastard!"

As he watched her back, Thales turned around with an unpleasant expression. He mocked himself. "Ah… you're welcome."

He bore with the pain and pretended that he did not see Quick Rope mouthing a "wow" with his lips.

Zakriel and Yodel efficiently reaped the assassins' lives. In the few seconds, Thales was delayed in his actions because he went off to rescue Marina, almost all the assassins were killed. Only the blood-drenched Stake was left running for his life.

'He can't escape.'

When Thales thought of this, he decided to vent all of the grievances he suffered just now on the culprit.

He instantly appeared in front of Stake!

*Clang!*

Thales' longsword parried the shortsword Stake drew out of nowhere. He forced the incredibly disheveled Stake to take a step back while his face was covered in blood!

"You know that you could let me go… you know it!" Stake's arms were shaking as he said these words in a ferocious manner.

Thales replied him coldly, "Eighteen years ago, you, too, could have let Herman Jadestar go."

Stake was first stunned before his expression became even fiercer.

Thales chuckled. He continued to sense the mystic energy he 'lost control' of and was prepared to deliver his final strike.

'As long as I shift the position of my sword to…'

At that moment, Thales suddenly jolted!

'Pain.'

A pain that went deep into his bones shot up from within his ribs!　

'Aaaaaaarghhhh!'

Thales was in such great pain that his movements contorted. His whole body shook, and he went down on one knee on the ground.

He sucked in a sharp breath!

'No, no, no!'

He was familiar with this kind of pain.

He felt this sort of pain before when he faced the assassination in Eternal Star City, when he withstood the Mystic Guns before Broken Dragon Fortress, and when he faced off the Blood Mystic in Dragon Clouds City.

But the pain he felt back then was not as severe as it was currently.

But without a doubt, this was the… price of using mystic energy.

At that moment, Thales felt as if he woke up from a dream. He was taken out of that amazing state.

'I am…'

He sensed the pain in his chest, and Thales leaned against the blood-stained longsword. He examined his body from top to bottom in a disbelieving manner.

'I am… I truly…'

It was as if all his feelings: panic, fear, and hesitation surged back into his mind in just one breath.

At the same time, the emotions he had while he was in his logical state: calmness, fearlessness, and decisiveness no longer came to him naturally.

Pain was not the only thing he sensed. He saw dust and blood, heard the sounds of battle and a jumble of other sounds. Not to mention, he saw the dark tunnel. He instantly perceived all those things through his eyes, ears, throat, and mouth. They reminded him of his current situation.

He wiped the blood on his face away, only to discover that he was completely covered in blood, and he was sticky and wet.

Not far away from him were the heads and limbs he chopped off from his enemies, whom he slew. Their missing parts also lay all over the floor around him.

There were eight to nine of them.

Thales suddenly shuddered in fear.

'This is… my doing?

'That's right.'

His memories were still clear.

'But… when I look back at the process of the battle just now, it's as if I was watching another person doing those things.'

Another version of a calm Thales.

"Thales!"

An anxious shout traveled into his ears.

Thales came back to his senses.

*Whoosh!*

It was the sound of wind coming towards him!

Thales instinctively wanted to use his mystic energy, but the pain increased in his chest, and it made his face contort. He fell to the floor weakly.

'Sh*t.

'Sh*t!'

*Bang!*

At that critical moment, Quick Rope came crashing into him from the other side and knocked Thales away from the tip of Stake's sword!

Quick Rope carried him and rolled a few steps away. When he stood up, he slapped Thales!

"What's wrong with you?"

Quick Rope looked at Thales. He was in a daze. Quick Rope gritted his teeth and said, "Just now, you were being all stoic, and now, you're daydreaming…

"Have you taken drugs?"

The pain called Thales' attention to what was happening. While badly shaken, he stared at Quick Rope as the man sat on his body. He recalled the entire process from the moment he lost control until the moment now.

'Mystic energy.

'Knocking on the Door.

'Taurus.

'Girls.

'Anchor point.

'Decision.

'It's as if I was in a dream.'

"I… I don't know," Thales said in a daze.

'Maybe.'

On the other side, Stake struggled to his feet while he endured the pain in his body. He then plunged into the dark.

When he left, he did not forget to throw a projectile weapon at the two of them!

*Swoosh!*

Thales was shocked. He pushed away Quick Rope, and he instinctively went to touch his longsword!

But after half a second, Yodel suddenly appeared in front of them!

*Ding! Ding!*

His grey shortsword danced in the air. Metallic clangs rose into the air, and Yodel managed to block all the projectiles.

Thales felt relieved. His hand, which grabbed the longsword a little too late, was no longer tense.

However, Stake had already disappeared into the dark. He vanished without a trace.

On the other side, as Zakriel dealt with the last assassin, the last assassin's torch fell on the ground.

Their surroundings instantly became dark!

Thales then realized that the battle had ended.

The pain in his chest, caused by activating his mystic energy, was slowly disappearing as well.

He then slowly registered what had happened.

The passage was silent.

"Wow." Quick Rope let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the wall while in pain.

"Finally…"

On another side of the corridor was Marina, and she stared at the corpses on the floor in a daze. Tampa sat at a corner. He shredded his clothes through gritted teeth before he began expertly bandaging his wounds.

In the darkness, Thales silently stared at Yodel, who was before him. He then looked at all the blood on his own body, and he suddenly felt awkward.

"I… Just now…"

But right when Thales opened his mouth, he was interrupted.

"I know," the Masked Protector said calmly. He lifted up Thales from the ground.

"I know."

For some unknown reason, Thales felt relieved.

He looked at the ground angrily and rubbed the blood on his face. It was still hard for him to believe what had happened just now.

'Why…

'How could I adapt so easily to the killing just now…?'

"A happy day, isn't it?"

"This is the last one… if we do not take into account of the one who ran away."

On the other side, Zakriel picked up the torch, and started counting his kills while he spoke to Yodel, "I suggest that you catch up to him to prevent any possible future complications… Your power is the most suitable to handle Shadow Shield."

Yodel turned his head around and cast a deep glance at the depths of the tunnel.

"Don't worry, he can't run away," The Masked Protector said coldly.

"Then go." Zakriel gestured at him with his chin.

"I am still here."

Yodel gently nodded. He then turned and patted Thales' shoulders.

Thales forced a smile on his lips.

"Go, do what you must do."

Yodel nodded, and in the next second, he disappeared into thin air.

As he watched by the side, Quick Rope sucked in a sharp breath.

He covered his mouth with one hand and pointed at the place where Yodel disappeared in terror. His gaze flitted back and forth. "He-he-he… Man… Ghost…"

Thales did not pay attention to him, he just waved his hand in an unconcerned manner.

"Quick Rope, go and find something to do, please.

"Jokes are what we do not need the most right now."

Quick Rope's fear was frozen on his face. He turned his head around in an embarrassed manner.

On the other side, Tampa and Marina stared at each other hostilely.

But Thales could no longer care about all these.

Perhaps Marina had an awkward identity, perhaps Tampa was well-informed of matters, but keeping them here was not a good thing. However, right now, Thales just wanted to get a good sleep.

The Disaster Swords lost their leader, and they suffered terrible losses. The remnants of Shadow Shield were destroyed here. The Northlanders did not have enough men to cause a stir. Besides, the Secret Intelligence Department had also set up an ambush on the surface.

The only problem was perhaps Quick Rope...

With the longsword as his support, he leaned against the wall behind him and sighed heavily.

'Oh my God, mystic energy.'

Today, he had consciously used his mystic energy.

'But…'

Even though it was better than randomly vomiting blood in the past, this state had its own limitations as well. There was a huge limit placed on how long he could his mystic energy. There was also a limit on the things he could do.

"Ha."

Thales scoffed softly. He suddenly felt tired.

It was not just his body that felt tired. His spirit, too, felt tired.

Zakriel slowly walked forward. He looked disheveled. The man frowned.

"Hey, boy."

Thales raised his head tiredly and stared at the brand of criminals on Zakriel's forehead. He forced himself to smile at the man. "You did a pretty good job in shaving your stubble. And...

"...thank you."

But Zakriel frowned.

"That psionic ability of yours is not perfect, right?"

The Knight of Judgment placed his torch on a corpse to light up the place. He then used his sleeves to wipe the very much chipped saber.

"Or else, you would have used it when you were held hostage."

Thales knitted his brow deeply.

'As I expected, I still need to explain it to him…'

Thales sighed, and he placed his forehead against the sword hilt.

"Let me guess. There is a time limit, and it would damage your body greatly?" Zakriel asked calmly as he leaned against the wall beside him.

Thales sneered gently. He believed that all the people around him had seen his current state.

"You could put it that way."

But Zakriel's next question made Thales slightly stunned.

"Why didn't you save him?"

'Huh?'

"What?" Thales lifted his head in shock.

"You could have saved young Yodel right from the beginning," Zakriel said with a chuckle.

"But you gave up. Instead, you had me help him."

The Knight of Judgment turned his head around. "Why?"

'Save… Yodel?'

Thales tried hard to recall the amazing experience that seemed to have happened a century ago, even though it JUST happened. He tried to recall what he was thinking during that time.

At that time, he seemed to have wanted to mess up the positions of the enemies who bound Yodel, and then...

The Thales who was rational, calm, and decisive…

"Urk… perhaps you were more suited for the task? After all, there were four of them…"

But Zakriel shook his head.

"No, I can tell that you value him highly. He is also very loyal to you," Zakriel sighed and said while he tapped the wall behind him.

"If you could save him, you would never have given up that easily."

Thales frowned.

'Wait.'

"It was not that you did not wish to save him." Zakriel stared at the light from the flame. He then said in a profound manner, "But you could not save him."

Thales' eyelids twitched.

"What do you mean?"

'I couldn't save him?

'Wait.

'Just now, I think I tried defeating the second of the four enemies holding the chains, but..'

Zakriel turned his head around and grinned at the prince. His disheveled and unkempt appearance made him look rather ugly.

"That sword."

Zakriel said calmly, "He kept holding on to it with his right hand."

Thales shook a little bit.

'That sword?'

His first reaction was to look at Ricky's sword, which he held in his hand.

But in the next second, Thales understood what Zakriel meant.

When Thales realized something, his face turned pale, and it made his hair stand on end.

'That sword.'

The Knight of Judgment sighed. "It's precisely because of the legendary anti-mystic weapon, the Supreme Sword…"

'The Supreme Sword.'

At that moment, Thales began breathing in an absent-minded manner.

'What is he talking about…?'

"...that your power was useless against the chain on his right shoulder," Zakriel said calmly.

Thales opened his mouth laboriously.

"Zakriel, you…"

The Knight of Judgment leaned against the wall and lowered his head. He chuckled, "It's not strange. I met something similar before this… Prince Thales, did I call you by the right name?"

Thales turned his head around stiffly, like a rusty watch. He met Zakriel's eyes in fear.

'He knows…'

Zakriel's smile was sincere. It was apologetic.

"Please understand this, boy.

"This is no personal grudge."

At that moment, when he saw Zakriel's smile, Thales suddenly felt his hair rise!

The Sin of Hell's River instantly multiplied in his body, as though he had just met his greatest threat!

'Danger, danger!' There seemed to be a voice warning him.

The next second...

Thales' face froze. Without having the need for anyone to teach him, he reacted automatically. The muscles in his thighs and his waist tensed!

He lunged at the corner of the wall like an arrow fired from a bow!

*Whoosh!*

A gust of wind stirred due to a sword being swung. It cut into his face, and it was painful!

The tip of the sword that came charging at Thales like an avalanche took away a few strands of his hair.

*Clang!*

The saber hit the wall.

Debris flew everyone!

Thales shook in disbelief.

He stood up in pain and in a disheveled manner while he stared he looked at the person before him in shock.

Zakriel had just attacked him with his sword, and he was murderous. As of right then, he stared at Thales with a complicated look on his face.

His saber had struck the spot where Thales was just now.

It was just a few millimeters away from Thales.

"Nice dodge."

*Clank.*

The Knight of Judgment frowned. He pulled out the sword. It seemed that he was not pleased about missing his target.

Their movements even attracted the trio on the other side of the hall, who had been wary of each other just moments ago.

"Zakriel…"

Thales was incredibly shocked. He held his longsword tightly. Even his breathing quivered.

"You... What are you doing?"

'Maybe…

'Maybe he's just testing his own skills?

'Testing his skills in fighting?

'It has to be that, right?'

As Thales thought of that, he could even feel his mind trembling in fear.

Then, Zakriel turned around and answered him expressionlessly, "Correcting… a mistake."

One second... Two seconds...

"Why?"

Thales stared at him in a dumbfounded manner.

Zakriel shook his head. His gaze was sad, but hidden under the sadness was endless killing intent.

"You know why, boy.

"As I've said, this is not a personal grudge."

The Knight of Judgment stared at the young man before him quietly. He slowly lifted his sword. Agitation and disconsolate befuddlement filled his chest at the same time.

'Rest assured, King Aydi, Prince Midier. No matter how many years have passed, this mistake will be corrected.

'I swore that I would protect our kingdom till the day I die, just like I did in the past.'