Man on the ark, forced to become king

"I have a leg injury and can't run anymore."

The girl leaned against the wall, her face smeared with blood and dirt, making it impossible to see her expression. Judging from her voice, she must be very weak.

"Can I help you?"

Although she couldn't see her face clearly, Lin Lu judged from her intuition that she must be a pretty girl. Since she had met her, she figured she might as well help her if she could.

"Thank you, but no need. I'll repay this kindness in the future."

"I'm afraid I won't live to see the day you repay me, given how you are now."

The girl was clearly still wary, and probably usually a bit aloof, unwilling to accept help from strangers. Lin Lu wasn't surprised; everyone has a sense of caution.

He estimated his remaining mental energy and felt he could recover with a Prayer, so he took out his amulet from his pocket, stuck it on his forehead, and started the prayer.

A golden rune ring lit up, and a faint mist of light fell on the girl. The wound on her shoulder, which had just been cut by a throwing knife, healed rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye. For this kind of superficial injury, the recovery effect was quite good.

"Thank you, I am... Texas, thank you for your help."

Whether it was due to her naturally strong physique or the remarkable recovery, once the light and mist dissipated, the girl who called herself Texas was able to stand up from the wall quite nimbly, regaining her mobility, and thanked them with gestures that were difficult to understand.

"You're the Texas that Dassim and the others are chasing? You escaped from them? Where is he now?"

Lin Lu didn't care much about her identity; he was only concerned about where Dasmi was now.

After all, they've come for revenge, and a few small fry are far from enough. To deal with this kind of enemy, it's best to eliminate them as soon as possible to avoid any further trouble later.

"...It was me. I encountered Dassim's men ahead, and he should be catching up soon."

The black wolf girl nodded, a hint of hatred flashing in her brown pupils, perhaps her heart was not as calm as it appeared.

"Is there such a good thing?"

“They have a lot of people, and Dasmi himself is a master from a prominent family, so they are not easy to deal with.”

Texas's eyes were a little strange, and she couldn't quite understand this person's thoughts. Although the battle just now had indeed ended cleanly and efficiently... Dassim himself was not so easy to deal with. Why was he not only not trying to avoid the other party when he heard that they were coming with people, but was actually quite happy?

"Not counting those on the ground, there are still eight of them, all elites in the team. Dasmi... even if I were at my peak, I wouldn't be confident of victory. Using that kind of spell must have taken a toll on you. Aren't you afraid?"

She couldn't help but ask, only to see Lin Lu twirl the staff in her hand and laugh even more happily.

"Of course I'm scared. I'm afraid he won't come."

"..."

Seeing the smile on the man's face, Texas shuddered involuntarily, a chill creeping into her heart.

She was all too familiar with that expression; the chilling killing intent and thirst for battle hidden beneath the calm exterior revealed that this man was far from the gentle and polite person he appeared to be.

She had met many people who craved battle, enjoyed battle, and reveled in the joy of defeating their opponents; each one was considered a madman by outsiders.

He... is dangerous.

But since this man didn't want to leave and intended to confront Dasmi head-on here, she naturally had no reason to back down.

snort~

A faint sound pierced the air. Lin Lu turned her head and saw Texas holding two sword hilts. Orange-red beams of light extended from the hilts, forming thin blades.

"Lightsaber?"

Lin Lu raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised; he had never seen such a weapon before.

There were two rune swords at the border, but their craftsmanship and principles were different from this lightsaber. This thing... looks pretty cool, and it makes him a little tempted.

What man could resist the allure of a lightsaber?

I just don't know how expensive it is, or where I can buy it...

Do you have any extras? Can I borrow them?

At this moment, Lin Lu's free-to-play spirit began to stir again, mainly because the two lightsabers looked really cool, and he just couldn't refuse!

No one can resist the allure of a lightsaber, not a single one!

"No."

Texas shook her head, seemingly hesitant, and after a moment of silence, extinguished the lightsaber in her left hand and handed it over.

These two swords are of great significance to her. She has used them since the family was still around and has never lent them to anyone else. They also bear the family crest, so it wouldn't be wrong to say that they are half of her identity documents.

But the debt of gratitude for saving my life is right before my eyes; if I only need to borrow a weapon...

"You can borrow it."

Chapter Twenty-Two: One Man Holds the Pass

"Then I won't be polite."

With the sword hilt in her hand, Lin Lu immediately beamed with joy.

It wasn't that he was unsophisticated; compared to the weapons he had used before, this lightsaber was just average. But it was undeniably cool!

Given the choice, who wouldn't want to use a better-looking, cooler weapon?

"How...do you use this?"

Texas's hilt looked like a ruler-like metal strip with a small exposed crystal at the end and an unidentifiable emblem on the side. There was nothing else on it, and Lin Lu looked at it over and over for a long time but couldn't find the switch.

After thinking about it, he decided to ask the original owner.

"..."

Texas paused for a moment, beginning to doubt whether lending the sword was the right decision. This person was carrying a staff and looked like a sorcerer, but whether he could actually use a sword was still unknown, let alone control the more difficult Originium sword.

However, since everything has already been lent out, there's no reason to take it back now. She paused for a moment, then pointed to the crystal on the hilt of the sword: "Injecting energy into this will activate the blade. Be careful when using it, as the blade of this sword is actually a materialized Originium Arts. It can hurt people from the back or the side."

"Yes, yes."

After hearing her explanation, Lin Lu held the sword hilt in his hand and tried to channel some of his spiritual power into it. He didn't know what kind of energy the Terrans used, but since he could use the staff of this world to cast magic, there was no reason why he couldn't use this sword which was based on a similar principle.

Swish!

As mental energy was injected, the exposed crystals lit up with a crystalline luster, and the narrow, orange-red blade instantly sprang out.

Unlike ordinary weapons, this sword's blade is made of Originium Arts, so it only has the weight of the hilt when held, making it very light to wield.

Lin Lu swung the pen twice, quite satisfied, and felt it was necessary for her to try it out herself.

As for the one in his hand, it belonged to someone else after all. Although he really wanted to get it for free, he didn't have that kind of shamelessness.

Of course, if Texas insisted on giving it to him, he wouldn't refuse.

"coming!"

The blade popped out and then retracted. Lin Lu was having a great time when she heard Texas shout from the side. She looked up and saw a group of people running over from the other side of the passage. The leader, a Lupo, had blond hair, with even his wolf ears and tail having a faint gold tinge. He was dressed in a black suit and looked very respectable, which seemed out of place in the dilapidated slum. He looked more like a corporate employee than an assassin lurking in the shadows.

"Is he Dassim?"

"Yes, be careful. His sword is very fast, and he's quite famous in Syracuse."

Texas took a few steps forward, sword in hand, her light brown eyes narrowed slightly, her expression grave, as if facing a formidable enemy.

"Oh? Then I'll see how fast this sword is. You can have the henchman, I'll take care of him."

Lin Lu licked her lips, casually tucked her staff behind her belt, and held her sword in one hand with a slightly excited expression.

The long-awaited battle really made him feel a little excited.

Since arriving in this world, he hasn't encountered any decent battles. His previous sparring with Wei Yanwu was just showing off his skills, and the difference in strength was too great to be comparable. But this Dasmi... if Texas wasn't exaggerating, then he should be considered an opponent who is on par with him now.

Fighting with others is endlessly enjoyable; his sword, it seems, is itching for a fight...

"Heh, you little wolf cub, looks like you've found some help."

The passageway wasn't long; in just a few dozen seconds, the person opposite had already rushed up to them. Dasmi's gaze swept over the Lupo lying on the ground, and he drew two straight swords that looked similar in shape to Texas's lightsabers, only shorter.

Behind him, the assassins, also dressed in suits, all drew their weapons.

"You're Dassim? Dressed so formally for a fight, anyone who didn't know better would think you were going to a ball."

Texas remained silent, and Lin Lu was the first to start the mockery.

In fact, he wasn't lying. Who would dress so formally when going out to hunt down or assassinate someone? Are such clothes really convenient for movement?

"Hmph, kid, I advise you not to meddle in other people's business."

Upon seeing the gleaming lightsaber, Dassim's expression changed, and he uttered a vicious threat.

"Coincidentally, I have one advantage: I don't listen to advice."

Lin Lu walked forward, sword in hand, his smile growing wider. As he approached, a gentle breeze seemed to rise in the already dark passageway, making the air feel a bit colder.

"Enough with the nonsense. Texas says you're strong. I want to see just how strong you are."

"Arrogant! You lot, go and bring that little wolf cub back. I'll deal with this guy."

"Sorry, this road is blocked."

Although he said he would deal with Dasmi and leave the others to Texas, Lin Lu had no intention of letting anyone pass at this moment.

The passageway is only so wide; how could he possibly make way?

Facing the Syracuse assassin charging at her with a weapon, a flash of bloodlust seemed to appear in her eyes. Lin Lu gripped her lightsaber, turned to the side, and easily dodged the oncoming curved blade. She reversed her grip on the hilt and struck the man directly under the armpit. The dazzling blade of light drew an arc through the air, and blood splattered everywhere. The arm that was holding the knife immediately rolled to the ground.

"roll!"