After I died, my personal maid rebelled.

Armored in fine steel, armed with cold iron spears and Molotov cocktails, if it weren't for the heavy rain affecting their field of fire and reducing the strength of their bowstrings, the two would likely have been subjected to a fierce barrage of arrows before the cavalry even got close.

The earth trembled, and the sound of horses' hooves blended into three short, sharp drumbeats, shattering the cacophony of the rain. Suddenly, a roar erupted, and fully armed elite cavalry charged out of the rain, fiercely thrusting their lances forward.

Drawing his sword from his waist, Thorne flipped over and deflected the spear. The impact of the high speed made his joints crack. In that moment of distraction, several Molotov cocktails were thrown at him like moths to a flame.

boom!

Thorne rapidly increased his speed, unleashing a burst of flames with a single sword strike, then leaped forward to block a fierce thrust.

The Northern Army's strength exceeded his expectations of ordinary soldiers. These soldiers may not have had any outstanding talents, but these battle-hardened soldiers, once they appeared on the battlefield, were war machines capable of slaughtering even the most talented.

"Don't get entangled with them, a troublesome guy has his eye on us!"

Before she finished speaking, a spear gleaming with a cold light pierced the sky and instantly exploded into a cloud of blood mist on Sylvie's shoulder. Sylvie's expression remained unchanged as the blood spikes she conjured pierced through her armor and cut down two mounted warriors.

After recovering from their injuries and drawing blood, the two quickly jumped onto their horses and, taking advantage of a gap in the cavalry's maneuver, broke out of the encirclement in a reverse breakout.

"Captain, the lead cavalry squad has been completely wiped out; they only lasted two minutes!"

Having received the latest intelligence, Lucas grabbed a lance again, turned his horse around, and gave chase. Six people, three different escape routes... If the hero's group escaped into the forest, finding them again would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

The veteran's words echoed in his mind once more, and Lucas's eyes gradually hardened as he loaded his crossbow and fired the red and black signal flare.

The smoke dissipated in the wind, and the infantry formation did not hesitate for a moment. They passed on intelligence layer by layer, constantly adjusted their calculations, and reloaded the steam cannons.

"put!"

Boom! A thunderous explosion echoed through the valley, and the steam-powered projectile emitted eerie whistling sounds.

As the neat array of cannonballs flew overhead, Thorne and Sylvie immediately tightened the reins. Amidst the soaring hooves, the forest ahead burst into a raging inferno in an instant...

The scorching wind dried her wet hair, the heavy rain couldn't suppress the raging flames, and the warhorse shrank back, not daring to move forward. Sylvie let out a long sigh and turned to face Lucas, who had come into view.

The plan may have gotten a little out of control, and if Nicole were still here, Sylvie wouldn't be facing such an awkward situation.

"Thorne, I need time to prepare for the ritual." Without immediately opening the psionic space, Sylvie also wanted to confirm just how far Lucas had grown.

If another Paul unexpectedly appears... well, does the Northern Territory have some kind of nurturing environment?

"Understood."

Thorne nodded, then dismounted, drew his sword, and stepped forward to block the cavalry squad's advance.

The cavalrymen began to slow down. At a distance of fifty meters, Lucas raised his hand to stop, plunged his lance into the ground, dismounted, and drew his longsword from his waist.

"The enemy is a hero known for his swift swordsmanship. We don't have enough numbers to create an advantage. We'll stay put and wait for the main force to arrive soon."

After saying that, Lucas strode forward, and behind him came the sound of crossbows being loaded.

Thorne raised an eyebrow at the sound. "No, are you sure this is the kind of setup a one-on-one fight should have?"

Without uttering a single wasted word, Lucas walked faster and faster, suddenly becoming like a swift shadow, cutting through the rain and splashing water as he swung his sword.

Clang!

The swords in their hands clashed, creating countless blinding flashes of light, and they passed each other as the raindrops fell. Thorne sighed slowly, realizing that he was superior in both strength and skill.

With a flick of his wrist, Thorne unleashed a sword flourish, a drop of blood flowing across the blade. Before he could even process what had happened, Thorne turned around abruptly, only to see his warhorse accelerate once more, a sharp arrow aimed directly at his brow.

The sword flashed like lightning, and arrows fell one after another from its blade. Thorne watched the charging cavalry with a look of pity on his face.

He briefly served as a member of the Northern Army, and in the battle against the demons, he finally gained everyone's recognition.

There's no need for explanation or defense. Regardless of what good deeds the newly formed hero squad has done, they are simply fulfilling the goddess's will, which is something the Northern Army cannot tolerate.

Click!

The wound reopened, and Lucas leaped from the ground, catching Thorne completely off guard. What Lucas received from the Saintess wasn't just an aura, but also an even stronger life force!

Thorne frowned and stepped forward, the two swords intertwining to create an impenetrable bloody light. Lucas roared, his courage driving him forward. Raindrops, blood, and mud mingled into a blur in his crimson eyes. He saw the trajectory of the hero's sword, and in the haze of his senses, he felt as if he had been reborn. The roar of the heavy rain echoed in his ears once again.

The swords were menacing; now, only battle remained between the two, an even bloodier battle!

The cavalry charged fearlessly, creating a chaotic scene. Thorne suddenly unleashed a swift sword strike, sending his galloping horse crashing into the mud. His armor twisted and deformed, and in his struggle, Thorne, unable to dodge, was pierced through the thigh by a spear. The cavalryman, severed at the waist, was still alive, his fingernails and teeth digging deep into Thorne's heel.

Thorne threw his head back and let out a painful howl, but he had no choice but to continue the fierce battle with Lucas. Lucas's body was covered in wounds, and chunks of rotten flesh were falling off, but his sword was constantly increasing in speed and power!

This was pure slaughter. Lucas did not stop attacking, nor did he fall! The forced, desperate fighting style gradually left Thorne with several wounds of varying depths.

Rain washed away the blood, and one cavalryman after another fell under Thorne's sword, trapping him in the filthy mud.

Thorne's expression finally changed. He remembered the true nature of war, and this was only the beginning. In the not-too-distant future, on the land of the Elven Kingdom, he would repeat the same slaughter until his feet were piled high with corpses.

Sylvie, who had just opened the magic circle, looked up in the direction of Thorne and froze for a few seconds. The last three cavalrymen and Lucas had already suppressed Thorne in place!

Meanwhile, out of the corner of her eye, she saw dark red smoke rising from a hill not far away, scouts running wildly in the rain, waving their flags one after another, and infantrymen further away already loading the next alchemical bomb.

"Don't let the sacrifices of the Special Forces and cavalry be in vain! Release them!"

The deafening roar of the cannons startled Sylvie, causing her pupils to shrink slightly. Shells filled with corrosive fuel streaked through the rain and mist, their perfect parabolic trajectories ending directly above Thorne's head...

Thorne cannot die, nor can Lucas, but these two wounded and trapped beasts are now locked in a life-or-death struggle.

"Fine, that's ruthless!"

Sylvie, who had just slashed her skin with her finger and instantly turned into a pool of blood, shot into the sky, weaving a vast net of blood. At the moment of impact with the alchemical bomb, it burst into an endless, dazzling sea of ​​fire in mid-air.

Before the flames had died down, blood gushed down, quickly sweeping away Thorne, whose wounds and flesh had turned pale in the rain and who was nearly drained of blood. Thorne then disappeared into the lit magic circle in the blink of an eye.