Katoli, Xiu Yin and Roland formed a solid triangular formation tacitly, and then slowly retreated to the two-person wide suspension bridge. The sword master immediately pressed on silently with his sword, and a dozen high-ranking knights pressed on. follow.
The cloaks of the soldiers were quickly soaked by the drizzle, and the crystal drops of water slid down the edge of the frosty lament, and then passed through the gap between the two planks, silently sinking into the roaring, churning In big waves. The friction of the steel cable produced deep groans, and the throbbing of the metal was directly transmitted to the depths of the soul, and made the fearless sword bearers hold their breath. The hunter and the counter-hunter stood forty meters above the giant snake's head, facing each other motionlessly like a statue.
There was a distance of five meters between Austin and the death knight. No matter how fast the opponent was, this distance was enough for the Juggernaut to defend and counterattack. Not only that, Thomas also applied a double-layer enchantment on him, and the power of the high-level mage lost its threat.
But now, before and after placing the narrow-edged sword horizontally on his chest, the leader of the Fahdoud Knights was helpless—the deterrent power of the sword fighting spirit can make the opponent stop and defend, but when facing the demon hunter When he had his sharp eyesight, he didn't know how to eliminate the last five meters of distance.
This is the last chance... What can I do to catch them? The Juggernaut asked himself anxiously.
Roland also couldn't break the deadlock. It wasn't until this moment that he finally realized that the Glendale River under his feet was completely different from what he had seen downstream in seventeen years. It was an enraged dragon~! The steel cables on both sides were shining brightly without any rust, which perfectly reflected the pure steel forging process of the dwarves, but... they were not favored by any defensive spells.
If there was a real fight here, maybe the drawbridge would be destroyed. What can be done to fight off these stubborn guys? The death knight's brain was running fast, but he couldn't find a suitable solution.
The surrounding moisture-filled air gradually stopped flowing, like invisible ice, condensing around people.
A shadow silently shuttled among the Fahdods on the shore. Before the knights could question him, he had already arrived beside the necromancer, and the strong smell of blood that followed caused the surrounding guards to panic. frowned.
"You failed, Emolo." Thomas said coldly, his eyes still fixed on the impasse on the bridge, "Not only did you fail to hold back the prey, but even the assassination that he claimed to be best at failed. No scratches."
"No, it's not over yet." The other party's pupils revealed uncontrollable madness, "You heard clearly, he is mine, and he will not be given to anyone."
As Emolo said, he took out a crossbow from under the cloak. This is a powerful weapon with magic. The sharp and strong arrow head can penetrate the steel armor 150 meters away under the push of it. The killer walked to the cliff, knelt down on one knee, and with his crossbow stretched, he precisely locked onto the ice sculpture-like figure on the suspension bridge in the distance.
Until now, the seasoned killer still can't believe what happened before the sun rose. After a whole night of fierce fighting, even the well-trained assassins felt tired, but the witcher didn't even catch his breath. Not only that, he can actually run on vertical walls, and easily jump onto the roof, cutting those stunned snipers in half~!
This guy is not human at all, but a monster beyond human comprehension~! This was the only thought in Emolo's mind when he fled in a panic—the assassination team of fifty people was broken up, only twelve people remained.
Let me see now, Kaos, see if you, a monster, can withstand the gnawing of this venom~! The assassin's finger was on the trigger, but before it did, a more diabolical thought flashed through his mind.
The intuition and speed of this monster are extraordinary. If it is shot directly, the arrow may be shot down by him again, but if the target is another person... Emolo's cruel eyes fell on Katori after Roland. The girl's attention was completely attracted by Austin, and she didn't notice any changes in the situation on the shore. She was the right target for sniping~!
If the demon hunter resisted for the girl, he would lose the time to shoot down the arrow... The tip of the crossbow turned at a subtle angle, and the crossbow firmly covered the girl's slender figure.
What if he didn't block the arrow? Forget it... Then let's treat it as a warm-up exercise, and the record of adding a sea blue paladin to the record is not bad. Emolo twitched the corner of his mouth, and the trigger of the crossbow made a soft click. The next moment, a silver-gray bright line pierced through the hazy rain and fog, and shot straight at Katoli's heart.
The demon hunter's keen eyesight immediately caught the flying god of death, and Roland immediately understood that the arrow was not aimed at himself, but Katoli~! The death knight's body moved before the brain's order came, and Roland immediately gave up the static posture of confrontation, and jumped up to block the girl.
In the next instant, the arrow had already buried the demon hunter's right chest, leaving only a quivering tail feather outside.
But the accident had just begun—Roland's actions made Austin mistakenly think that he was planning to launch an attack, so the Juggernaut shook his wrist without hesitation, and multi-layered wind blades shot out from his blade, spanning five years in an instant. meter distance. The death knight who hadn't recovered his balance reluctantly swung his sword with one hand, Frost Wrath accurately wedged into that air blade, but couldn't completely destroy it.
The Sword Fighting Qi shattered like glass and turned into countless flying fragments, which not only tore Xiu Yin's robe, cut off Roland's long hair, but also cut the steel cable without any hesitation. A gust of wind blew, and the suspension bridge screamed, and then suddenly broke in the middle. Katoli, Huin, Roland, Austin, and the dozen or so knights were all thrown into the air, and then quickly fell into the giant snake's blood basin big mouth.
After chanting the necromancer's incantation, a flower woven of white bones immediately bloomed on the rushing river, wrapping the falling sword master in the middle, forming a solid ball, but a few seconds later, the ball was destroyed The monstrous waves were hit underwater and disappeared from people's sight.
Ren on the other side of the cliff happened to finish off the last assassin, but when the paladin turned around, he could only watch his companions fall into the thick fog, but he was helpless.
"Katori~!" Ren ran to the edge of the cliff desperately, leaned down to search with his eyes wide open, and then, a small black spot came into the sight of the paladin—Huin successfully activated it at the last moment. Flying technique, was able to escape the catastrophe.
"This...how..." Emolo couldn't find any words to justify, but he didn't need to. The surrounding knights swarmed up and pressed him to the ground, and the necromancer on the side immediately put his hand on his forehead, After chanting a short incantation, the assassin's stomach immediately swelled up like a balloon. A few seconds later, Emolo was blown into two pieces from the middle by necromancy.
"For a guy like you, it's better to clean up early than late." The necromancer dropped this sentence in disgust.
Thomas leaned out from the cliff again, stared at the rising high-ranking mage for a while, and finally gave an order to the terrified knights: "Everyone go downstream to search immediately, we must find the leader~! "
A few minutes later, Xiu Yin finally reached the opposite bank by relying on the flying technique. As soon as the panting mage landed, Ren grabbed him tightly, as if he was afraid that the mage would be swallowed by the giant snake again.
"Katori... How about Katoli?" The paladin's voice was full of trembling and fear that could not be hidden.
"I only had time to apply waterproofing to them, which can ensure that they will not sink to the bottom of the water. I also cast a buffering technique on Katoli..." The high-ranking mage stared blankly at the raging rapids, and then suddenly punched He slammed into the ground and roared hysterically, "Damn it~! How did it become like this~!? I should have brought you here with the flying technique, even if you will become the target of arrows, it is better than the current situation , damn it~!"
"We have to go downstream to search... we must find the two of them... definitely." Ren said resolutely, subconsciously clenched the hilt of his sword.
The weather is clear, with white clouds lazily floating in the sky against the blue background, flocks of birds circling among them, and the towering Yahvi Mountain overlooking the land peacefully. The width of the Glendale River here reaches 300 meters, three times that of Enoch Village. The water here has changed from a violent beast to a tame lamb. The river surface is like a flat mirror, reflecting Green and dense forests on both sides.
Katoli opened her eyes in a daze, and subconsciously sat up, the cloak wrapped outside the chain mail slipped off her shoulders.
What exactly is this place? The girl looked around, feeling a little confused for a moment: there was a piece of soft vegetation under her body, a barrier made up of tall emerald green trees in front of her, and a few pure white clouds floating in the blue sky above her head, everything looked like a place in a paradise. scenery. But the sound of gurgling water from nearby told Katoli everything—she was lying in a jungle not far from the Glendale River.
The girl recalled the battle not long ago—at that time, she was concentrating on monitoring Austin's every move, but without any warning, Kaos suddenly jumped in front of her, and then, following the coming sword Dou Qi, she tore it apart. The fragile steel cable was cracked, causing everyone to fall from a height of 40 meters. Katoli still clearly remembered that at the last moment, the witcher hugged herself tightly in order to relieve the impact of the fall.
So now I'm safe and sound, and I can survive that kind of rapids, all because of his protection... The girl subconsciously hugged the witcher's cloak tightly. Kaos, where are you now? It was you who covered me with a cloak, but now why have you disappeared
I should do something, he may be injured and needs to go to the river to wash, Holy Light will definitely help at this time~! I must act quickly, the sooner I find him the better. Katoli told herself, then stood up and walked quickly following the clear sound of water.
She is actually very close to the Glendale River, but the forest is so dense that it feels like a maze. After a while, after turning seven or eight turns in the forest, a wide river like blue silk and satin spread out in front of Katoli, and at the same time, the figure that made the girl worry about was also reflected in her emerald green river. colored eyes.
The girl eagerly wanted to run over, but the next moment, she stopped abruptly. Katoli rubbed her eyes vigorously, and looked carefully into the distance again, but everything that was burned into her eyes was still the same.
This... this is impossible~! Kaos, he... this is not true~! The girl hurriedly hid behind a tall tree. In order not to let herself scream subconsciously, she had to cover her mouth with her hands desperately. The surrounding scenery turned into endless and cold darkness in an instant, tightly wrapping the girl's trembling body, making her feel the pain of suffocation and the irresistible despair when her blood froze.
It was indeed Kaos who caught Katoli's eyes, but it wasn't the witcher she knew well.
His naked upper body is covered with large and small wounds, from which dark red blood is slowly oozing; a sharp arrow is buried deep in his chest, which is an absolutely fatal blow to humans; his hair It was no longer the brilliant pale gold, but dead ash with icy shards flowing; the tender gaze in his eyes was gone, only the cold flames were burning unscrupulously.
For the girl, these facts were enough to reveal the cruel truth—Kaos was a death knight.
Roland looked down at the wounds all over his body, and a quivering flame flashed across his water-colored pupils.
It is true that the current of the Glendale River is more turbulent than imagined, even surpassing the power of magic during the Battle of Iss, but the death knight knows another thing better - if it is not because of the girl, Even under such a raging attack, it is absolutely impossible for him to be so embarrassed.
Katoli lost consciousness the moment she fell into the water. The only thing the witcher could do was to hug her tightly, and at the same time use his free hand to fight against the roaring waves. Due to the waterproofing technique applied, Roland believed that he would be dragged to the bottom of the water by the sleeping beauty in silver armor, and then silently be turned into a pile of fragments in the blade-like vortex.
But even with the help of magic, it was still bad—again and again the sinister rapids grabbed Roland and Catori and hurled them against the jagged rocks. Every time, the death knight put himself in the front without hesitation. Although Frost Lament absorbed part of the impact behind him, those dark and sharp fangs bit deeply into the flesh that could not be protected by the sword. , and then tore wide bloodstains on it.
When the witcher finally took Katoli ashore with difficulty, he felt that he didn't even have the strength to walk: too many muscles were torn and damaged, and almost half of the bones in his body were broken. Roland couldn't imagine how the girl would react if she saw this zombie-like self after waking up, and he couldn't even imagine what would happen if the girl tried to use holy light to heal her. Tori returned to her original form before opening her eyes.
So, after the girl was settled, the witcher took off the blood-stained leather armor and jacket, and rinsed them in water to remove the evidence. Not only that, he also took off the "sincere deception" - this middle ring ring will not affect the power of the death knight, but in order to make the user's appearance closer to ordinary humans, it suppresses to a certain extent That kind of powerful resilience that is completely incompatible with human beings - what Roland needs at this moment is exactly this kind of ability.
But now, when Roland hurriedly finished these cover-up actions and calmed down to wait for the wound to heal, he had to re-examine what he had just done.
How could I do this for her
When his gaze moved to the sharp arrow still stuck in his chest, the witcher couldn't help questioning himself like this. The next moment, Roland pulled it out abruptly.
Before this, even when facing the King of the White Dragon, Klaferrig, or the Guide of Light, Uther, Roland had never been dismantled by them. That was his glory as the top swordsman. . But now, the poisonous arrow shot by a weak assassin easily passed through the iron wall that could stop the dragon king and the head of the paladin.
How could I protect her at all costs... A bitter smile appeared on the death knight's mouth.
A long time ago, when the blood sacrifice that changed Roland's life was still burning brightly, he had longed to turn back time countless times, so that he could get the chance to protect the long-lasting. But he is also very clear that such thoughts are just babblings after nightmares. Facing the cruel reality, the only thing he can do is to abandon Lu Weisi and embark on the road of revenge that cannot be turned back.
Roland Strife, Orin of Ishutori, what are you doing now
Catoli Orlande... the person she hates the most is the Dark Eagle, not only that, but there is also the blood that originally belonged to the ancients flowing in her body~! Seventeen years ago, I couldn't protect the one I loved, but now I would do anything for the descendants of my enemy
He searched hard for fragments of memory, but couldn't get an answer. When he realized that the poisonous arrow was aiming at Katoli, he resisted instinctively, not after weighing the pros and cons; when he was struggling in the torrent, the death knight just hoped to send the girl safely. Going to the shore instead of questioning why he rescued her; when he found that his identity might be exposed, the only thought of the witcher was to cover up quickly instead of asking why he was disturbed by it.
Has it become a habit? Roland shook his head. Was it because she was attracted by her tenacious and unyielding will? Was it because she was swayed by her suffocating rhetoric? Or was it because she was bound by her obsession that she was unwilling to commit herself to hatred no matter what
Exactly... when did it start
Maybe a long time ago, after that snowy morning, her shadow was already embedded in my gradually cracking soul. And everything today is just the result of that seed sprouting and growing.
What is the reason? The death knight subconsciously clenched the pendant on his chest, and the gentle breath passed down his palm to the depths of his soul.
Is this the truth you want me to see, Ishutori
Long time, can you tell me the answer
Roland sighed softly, and the stream of water-colored flames gradually filled his pupils, and slowly flowed along with the trembling soul of the death knight.
There was a slight rustling sound in the bushes, and this slight vibration brought the meditating witcher back to reality. Immediately, two long water-colored arcs appeared in the air—they were the trails drawn by the death knight's burning eyes. Roland jumped up in an instant, grabbed the Frost Whisper that was stuck on the ground like lightning, and then faced the forest with a defensive posture as if he was facing an enemy.
"Who's there? Come out~!" The death knight asked sharply, hiding his anxiety.
A gray hare poked its cute little head out of the bushes, and then galloped away, quickly out of sight of the witcher.
The death knight froze for a moment, then laughed desperately.
Am I so afraid of revealing my identity~! ? It's too deep already, Roland... I must make an end... Before I reach the end of the journey, I must make a clear end to everything~! A gloomy cold fire flashed across his eyes, Roland lowered his head, and told himself in a resolute voice: "No matter what happens, Ishutori must become a god, and that is the reason for me to remain in this world."
He lowered his weapon, muttering to himself, and put the "sincere deceit" back on his left hand. After just a few minutes, the figure and appearance of the demon hunter Kaos was once again reflected in the mirror-like river water, but in the water-colored pupils, there was solid ice that could not be melted.
Roland weaved forward in the dense jungle, and the familiar terrain soon came into sight again. Katoli was still curled up on the soft vegetation, and seeing all this, the death knight was relieved.
Are you still sleeping? The death knight knelt down on one knee, quietly watching the girl with flushed cheeks and closed eyes. The witcher remained in this position like a statue, motionless until the girl's beautiful eyelashes fluttered.
"Are you finally awake, Miss Sleeping Beauty?" the death knight teased.
"Kaos?" Katoli sat up sleepily, "Where are we?"
"In the lower reaches of the Glendale River, we were washed to the nearby shore by the current." Roland explained, "We were lucky, we had Shuyin's magic protection, and I just caught a very Big drawbridge wreckage, so it survived the onslaught of that kind of rapids."
"... Yes, I'm really lucky." After a while, the girl replied in a low voice.
"From the shadow's point of view, it's already past noon. You must be hungry, right? I've already prepared the ingredients for the food." The demon hunter showed the other party the gray hare he caught, "Wait until I get rid of this prey." , you take a rest first. After recovering our strength, we will set off to find Xiu Yin and Ren." He stood up after speaking.
But the next moment, Katoli suddenly squeezed Roland's hand.
"Kaos's hand... very warm..."
"It's because of the hunting just now." The demon hunter knelt down again, the girl's flickering eyes made the death knight a little puzzled, "Catori, what's wrong with you?"
"No, it's nothing." The girl shook her head, and let the ends of her black hair cover her swaying gaze, "I'll just wait for you here."
Roland nodded and got up to find a suitable place to start the fire. But the girl who watched the death knight go away couldn't help biting her lips tightly.
Kaos' hands are indeed very warm, but... that is just a phantom created by the power of the ring, just like his blond hair and eyes, all are just illusions used to deceive human beings~! He is a death knight and a companion of the Dark Eagle. That huge sword has been soaked in the blood of countless human beings, and it has turned countless cities into ruins~!
Like the one I'm wearing, the pendant on his chest must also contain Ishutori's blood. If the death knight appeared on the way to the capital of stars, then the purpose must be the World Tree, and Kaos must have come here to make Ishutori a god~! As a paladin, maybe I... should kill him
If I attach the holy light to the sword, and then attack unexpectedly from behind, maybe... I can kill Kaos~!
This thought was like a huge black sharp claw, grabbing the girl tightly at once, her whole body couldn't help trembling. Katoli pressed her bloodless lips tightly, and slowly drew out the dagger at her waist. The cold and ruthless sound of metal penetrated the girl's eardrums, and the radiant sword reflected the girl's pale expression.
However, in the next instant, the silver mirror in the girl's eyes seemed to be awakened by waves of ripples, and when it calmed down again, it reflected a handsome face with golden long hair and water-colored pupils .
This glassy phantom can easily hide in the crevices of people's hearts, and then end everything while Katoli and her party are asleep. But the fact is completely opposite, Kaos has saved himself more than once, from the beginning of the journey to the present, it has been like this.
In Belial Village, he could completely ignore the battle that took place, but Kaos stayed and faced the extremely powerful abyss lord with him. In the hills of Stantyr, the death knight stood in front of the angry sword master in order to save himself from captivity. From Lysander City to Mount Rubis, relying on his leading team to avoid the meeting point between the Underworld and the present world, otherwise, he might have already become food for demons. Not only that…
Katoli recalled what she had just witnessed. In addition to the gray hair overflowing with icy shards and eyes burning with fire, the most proving that Kaos is a death knight is the scars all over his body and the sharp arrow buried deep in his chest.
That was proof that Kaos saved himself again.
"We were lucky, we had Xiu Yin's magic protection, and I just happened to catch a large wreckage of the suspension bridge, so we were able to survive the impact of that torrent."
In fact, this is not the case at all~! It was you who blocked the cold arrow for me, and also used your body as a shield to protect me from harm in the torrent~!
The dagger slipped from Katoli's hand, and the blade of the sword, which was emitting cold light, sank into the ground in an instant. The girl subconsciously hugged the witcher's black cloak tightly, then closed her eyes, quietly listening to the breathing of the forest and her own heartbeat.
If you had shown your identities and confronted each other with swords from the beginning, this situation would not have happened now. If I hadn't invited you to join the team, this situation wouldn't have happened. But it's too late, you and I have been sucked into the vortex. Kaos, what are you thinking? Why do you want to do this? We are clearly mortal enemies, but why are you unwilling to reveal your identity, but silently guard me
What should I do? Continue to hide the truth? However, when it comes to the World Tree, the truth is...
At that point... what should I do
A big warm hand gently touched Katoli's shoulder, and Roland smiled and shook the fragrant leg meat in his hand: "It's been a long time, the rabbit meat has been packed, let's eat together?" But the next moment, When the girl turned around, the death knight's expression froze.
Tears, big drops of tears were pouring out of Katoli's eyes, the girl hurriedly rubbed her eyes vigorously, but she couldn't stop the tears from rolling down.
Is it because of Freund's relationship? Still... Roland didn't know how to deal with it for a while, but when the girl's cheeks were covered with tears, he couldn't help but think of Jiu Yuan who was also crying seventeen years ago.
"What's the matter with you?" the witcher asked tentatively.
"No, nothing..."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Help? I'm only asking this kind of question now, don't you think it's too late?" Katoli finally burst into tears desperately, "I just want to be alone now, please leave here immediately, okay~! "
"Of course, I'll patrol over there for a while, and I'll be back soon... No, I'll stay there forever." Roland finished his diplomatic speech incoherently, then turned his head and left.
But the next moment, he stopped in his tracks—the girl grabbed the death knight's sleeve tightly.
"I really don't know what's going on in your idiot's mind," the girl's voice gradually lowered, "but now... your shoulder, lend me a moment..." she said, burying her red eyes from crying into Roland's arms .
The familiar and reassuring breath spread to Katoli's cheek through the leather armor. It was just a phantom created by the ring to confuse human beings, but...
very warm.