Chapter 199: Blades and Swords in the Light of Battle
At this moment, Rod’s strength soared to the Imperial level. His combat energy was even darker than that of Nightingale and Silverwing, who were surrounding him—clearly, his power now surpassed theirs all. His blue-red eyes emitted a sinister glow as he coldly scanned the people before him. Instantly, his Shadow Sword activated, and eighteen figures appeared, charging at the Crows behind them. Though his consciousness was blurred, filled only with brutality and killing intent, his subconscious told him to start by eliminating the weakest enemies.
“Stop him!” Silverwing quickly understood Rod’s intentions. Without caring about the dangerous situation, he rushed toward those figures.
“Die!” Sensing someone approaching to stop him, Rod roared loudly as his figure swelled again, rushing forward like a flame. Like a tank, he left deep scars on the ground beneath him due to his brutal energy, as if scorched by fire, with traces of smoke rising and emitting a scorching heat. At this moment, Rod had brought his combat energy to its absolute peak.
Boom… Before anyone could see clearly, Rod turned into a red streak and appeared in front of the Crows! The Dark Dragon descended, slashing downward.
“Don’t think you can succeed!” Nightingale and Viper were trapped by Rod’s other figures, while only Silverwing, thanks to his formidable strength, managed to break free and shout at Rod.
Amid the Crows’ desperate expressions and pale faces, a deep roar erupted, sending sparks flying in all directions. Their long swords clashed, generating invisible waves of energy that spread outward. The fierce waves caused significant damage even to Rod and Silverwing, who were at the center—their bodies bore shallow wounds from which blood immediately flowed. Under the darkness, Rod’s blue blood appeared especially sinister.
As for the Crows, obviously, being outside the combat zone, they suffered the most damage. Their clothes were torn to shreds, and countless wounds appeared on their bodies. With a groan, they were blown away by the waves and crashed heavily into a distant tree. With a creak, the tree fell, leaving them even paler, with blood and blood bubbles constantly spilling from their mouths.
“Kill!” Feeling the strong resistance from his opponent, Rod’s heart grew even more savage, his eyes turning redder, his twisted face making him resemble a demon. With a roar, he increased the force in his hands further; the veins in his arms bulged, looking terrifying! Boom… A loud explosion sounded, followed by a muffled groan from Silverwing as he was flung backward. At the same time, muffled groans came from Nightingale and Viper. Just as Rod’s roar echoed, his clones also attacked simultaneously, dealing significant damage to Nightingale and Viper. Their disheveled and battered appearance, especially covered in blood, showed they were seriously injured! “Die!” With a ground-shaking roar, Rod pursued them again, not giving Silverwing a chance to breathe. His figure flashed continuously; before Silverwing could land, Rod was already in front of him, launching another attack. As the Dark Dragon was about to split Silverwing in two, a strange scene unfolded—although Silverwing hadn’t landed yet, he swung his sword in the air, his body twisting oddly mid-air, tracing a fan-shaped path before somehow dodging the deadly strike through evasion and blocking. “Get lost!” With a cold glint in his eyes, the sound of something cutting through the air behind him made Rod realize that Nightingale and Viper were charging at him again. With an impatient roar, he turned and charged back. The Bone Whip swung, Viper’s weapon flashed, and Rod’s Dark Dragon roared as the three fought fiercely, surrounded by danger. “Cough… cough… kill him! He’s crazy! We can’t give him a chance, or the continent will be in trouble!” Struggling to stand up, coughing up blood, he shouted at Nightingale and Viper. Under their combined assault and precise coordination, the situation gradually came under control, allowing them to match Rod’s strength for now. After all, they were fighting desperately, willing to risk everything. Meanwhile, since Rod’s bloodline awakening, his successive attacks and attempts had been blocked, greatly lowering his morale and removing his previous momentum. More importantly, the three had gradually adapted to Rod’s attacks, no longer panicking. Their fear and tension faded as the battle progressed. Even after becoming demonic, Rod wasn’t much stronger than them, so with their teamwork, they couldn’t gain any advantage.
A situation of adding insult to injury began to form. With Silver Wing’s joining, Rod suddenly found himself at a disadvantage—three against one. Surrounded in the combat circle, Rod was trapped in the center, subjected to relentless attacks. His wounds kept piling up, but after transforming into a demon, his healing ability stunned everyone. Ordinary wounds healed instantly, and even severe ones recovered rapidly, allowing him to hold on. Meanwhile, the other three also suffered more and more wounds, their breathing growing increasingly erratic.
Pain-driven, Rod roared continuously. His eyes turned crimson, with only a hint of pale blue remaining in his irises. Blue blood turned him into a blue demon. With hair disheveled and gasping for breath, he launched desperate attacks. Rod’s assaults became more intense and erratic, as he used various techniques like Autumn Wind and Shadowless, making it tough for Silver Wing, Nightingale, and the other two to cope.
Blades flashed, the wind was biting, sand and debris flew, and leaves swirled. Four red figures moved in a circle, flashing rapidly, with weapons moving at speeds too fast to see with the naked eye. Blood splattered everywhere. At this moment, demons sang, and lives wept—every second could see a life taken.
The fierce battle turned the entire forest into a pitiful sight, like a woman ravaged by a warrior. The ground was in chaos, trees lay scattered everywhere, and what was once a dense forest had become a ruined wasteland.
The intense fighting outside also reached those outside the forest, drawing the attention of many!
……
At that moment, outside the northern gates of the capital, Kiro, John, and the others looked grave. Several people were gathered here, with a large number of soldiers and warriors in armor behind them.
“Are you sure someone saw them heading toward the northern suburbs?” Alice asked anxiously, looking toward the northern suburbs, to a middle-aged warrior beside her. The man was clearly an army member, clad in armor.
Previously, under Kiro’s command, Alice and John went separately to seek reinforcements, while Kiro and the others searched everywhere. Hard work pays off, and finally, thanks to the Potter family’s extensive information network, they obtained news about Rod’s whereabouts—the middle-aged man before them, who was the guard officer at the northern gate on the outskirts of the city. It happened to be his shift to guard the northern gate that day. After receiving Miss Alice’s instructions, he reported immediately, as Rod, who left the city at night, was too conspicuous, and all major factions were watching him, including the Potter family. As a lower-ranking member of the Potter family, he still knew about this matter and had seen Rod’s portrait, which was why he reacted so quickly.
“Yes, he left this way just as night fell!” the officer affirmed under Alice’s questioning.
“Kiro, Brother Kiro…” An urgent call came from afar, drawing Alice and everyone else’s attention.
“It’s Lucia and Linda! It’s them! Hurry, go check!” Following the sound, they looked over, and the sharp-eyed Kiro was the first to shout. Filled with excitement and tension, the two women had returned! He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but his heart tightened again—Rod was nowhere to be seen. Where was that guy?
“Where’s Rod? Where is he?”
“Captain, where is the captain?” Kiro and John asked loudly at the same time.
“Go save him quickly! He’s in the woods on the northern outskirts. After Rod left, those people let us go. Rod is fighting them now! Hurry! Otherwise…” Linda said anxiously, panting and crying.
Just before that, after being shooed out of the forest by Rod’s harsh words, the two women rushed toward the capital in panic. Although Rod’s words made them uncomfortable, they didn’t have time to think further—Rod’s safety was the most important, as it was because of them that he had fallen into trouble.
Realizing they lacked the strength, they rushed to the capital right away. Fortunately, they met Kiro and the others there.
“The northern outskirts! Damn it, hurry! Let’s go! You two stay here and rest first!” Hearing this, they were overjoyed. After urgently instructing Lucia and Linda, they rushed toward the northern woods without hesitation. Rod’s safety left them no time to worry about anything else.
As Kiro took the lead, the few people behind him hurried to follow. In addition to those few, they also brought the larger group that Alice and John had said to bring along. Knowing full well that they couldn’t defeat those people, they could only resort to a mass attack strategy. Little did they know that this move would stir up tremendous turmoil.
Chapter 200: Lucia’s Heartache
“Shall we… go?” Standing behind Kiro and the others as they rushed toward the northern suburbs, Lucia asked Linda.
At that moment, she felt a strong urge to go with them. Her heart hung in midair, feeling empty, as if something was missing—her heart seemed to have been lost. She was worried about the battle going on in the forest with Knightrod.
Although Rod’s words to her earlier had made her feel aggrieved, hurt, and heartbroken, she didn’t care. She truly wished she could be with Knightrod at that moment, fighting alongside him. Her whole heart was tied to him. Now, Lucia felt as though she had lost the entire world in an instant.
It was then that she realized how unbearably sad and worried she was. For the first time, she realized she could feel such things for a man. For the first time, she realized how important this man had become in her heart—her heart could no longer hold anyone else.
Her heart ached so much that Lucia couldn’t help but press her chest and bend slightly, overwhelmed by the pain and the urge to cry, to rush out.
“Let Kiro and the others go. It’s okay if we don’t go; they can handle everything!” Taking a deep breath, Linda said vaguely, her gaze fixed on the distant woods.
“Not go? Will he be in trouble? Why do I still want to go even after he scolded me like that? Why does my heart hurt so much?” Hearing Linda’s words, Lucia stood still, took a deep breath, and silently spoke to herself.
“No, haha, it’s better not to go. Let’s go!” After struggling with her thoughts for a while, Lucia sighed and spoke in a low voice. Then, she walked ahead blankly, while Linda unconsciously followed. Both women, each lost in their own thoughts, walked aimlessly down the street.
“Actually, Rod didn’t mean to say that intentionally. He said it just to get us to leave there as soon as possible. Lucia, don’t take it to heart—he meant it for our own good! Maybe none of us should have reacted that way!” After what seemed like a while, only Linda’s soft voice could be heard as she spoke to Lucia beside her.
Previously, the two of them had been upset because they hadn’t had time to think more. Hearing Rod’s words, his tone, and his urgency, coupled with the critical situation at the time, left them with no time to consider things further, so they hadn’t understood the reasoning behind his actions. But now, once they calmed down and reflected, many things became clear instantly.
Linda’s words stunned Lucia, who froze in place, her face paling as she bit her lip, her eyes flickering with emotion.
After realizing this, the two women felt relieved, but soon they were filled with guilt and self-reproach. Yes, such a simple issue—how could they not have figured it out before? Instead, they felt a bit resentful and aggrieved for not being able to appreciate Rod’s kindness toward them.
At this thought, Lucia felt an even sharper pain in her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes, making them red as if they might burst at any moment. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and turned around, running back the way she came.
“Lucia, what… what are you doing?” Startled by Lucia’s sudden action, Linda quickly turned and rushed forward to hold back her impulsive friend, asking anxiously.
“I can’t stay. I have to go back. I understand now—I can’t let him fight alone, face that danger by himself. No! I have to go back and fight with him. Even if I can’t help much, even if it’s dangerous, at least then he won’t be alone. He’ll have comrades who trust and support him. He won’t feel so empty, because there will be people who support him and understand him. Even if he dies, he won’t feel lonely!” Breaking free from Linda’s grasp, Lucia sped forward, tears unconsciously streaming down her cheeks.
“No, you can’t go! Come back quickly! Rod isn’t alone now—Kiro and the others have gone too!” Shouting loudly, Linda tried to hold back Lucia.
Frowning, she understood Lucia’s heart, knew what Lucia said, and even felt the same pain and distress herself. She even had the urge to turn around and run back at that moment, but she knew she couldn’t—she had to consider more things!
“Let go of me! Let me go back!” Struggling desperately, Lucia shouted loudly. For the first time, she acted capriciously; for the first time, she fought for her own desires; for the first time, she lost her usual grace and gentleness in front of others.
“Stop right there! Don’t you know that going now will only cause trouble? Do you really want to see Rod in danger? Have you forgotten why Rod is in danger? Have you forgotten? It’s all because of us. We only hold him back, distract him, give the enemy an opportunity, and mess things up. All we can do now is pray here, pray that Rod can hold on, pray that Kiro and the others will arrive soon, pray that everything can still be saved!” Linda turned Lucia around to face her and shouted loudly.
“I… I’m so scared. I don’t know why, but I’m so scared. I don’t want anything to happen to him. He’s sacrificed his life for me before, lost dozens of his comrades for me, leaving only three. He’s been in danger for me before, and now it’s the same. I’m so useless. Why is it always like this? Why do I always need someone’s care and attention? Why do I always have to hold him back? Why…” Finally, all the emotions accumulated since hiring the Windy Mercenaries up to everything that had happened since burst out. Hugging Linda tightly, Lucia cried sadly.
“I owe so much. This time, I’ve owed another life. He’s in danger again. How can I repay this? What should I do?” With a sobbing voice and tears streaming uncontrollably, Lucia whispered helplessly to herself.
Listening to Lucia’s confession, Linda was also stunned. Though she didn’t understand exactly what had happened, she could tell a lot from her words. With a confused and shocked expression, she looked at Lucia, who was crying bitterly in her arms, her face unreadable. She hadn’t expected so much to have happened between them, nor had she expected such a story to exist.
“Let’s go back. Don’t worry him!” With a sigh, she patted Lucia’s shoulder. Ignoring the curious looks of passersby at the two stunning women crying on the road, Linda comforted her softly.
“Can we not leave? This time we can’t let him fight alone. Fighting alone too many times will tire him out. I know—he hasn’t felt at ease since the Storm Mercenaries were destroyed. I know he has so much pain he can’t express. I know he feels lonely because he’s always been by himself on this path. He needs friends and support. We can’t leave; we can’t let him stay alone anymore. Please, he needs help, and we can offer some!” Lucia asked softly, looking up at Linda with a pitiful expression.
“But…” Linda hesitated. Under Lucia’s pleading, she wavered. After hearing about Rod’s situation, she hesitated further—it was hard to imagine a man having such a story!
“We can find someone to go with us. I’ll go back and find people. Grandpa will definitely send someone to help us. Definitely. Come on, hurry up and find people. Let’s go quickly—we can’t let Rod be in danger!” Seemingly realizing something, she panicked and pulled Linda along, rushing toward the marshal’s residence.
……
Inside the forest, four figures moved swiftly. The chaotic woods kept howling, with roars breaking out from time to time. Rod’s fury was erupting, his anger burning. Unable to overcome his opponents after prolonged attacks, his sanity gradually turned mad, and he began attacking every moving object around him indiscriminately.
With every attack, he poured in all his strength. He forgot the pain, the exhaustion, and himself. His anger and bloodthirst dominated him. Even with his abnormal recovery ability, his body was covered in dozens of terrifying wounds, bloody and glaringly visible.
His face was pale, breathing heavily, filled with resentment and hatred.
“Damn it! This way, none of us will benefit!” Glancing at Rod, feeling his own injuries, and seeing that Nightingale and Viper were also wounded, Silver Wing cursed. The three of them had failed to defeat this Knight Rod—they could only control him without being able to land a fatal blow.
His Shadow Sword, Autumn Wind Sword, and other fierce attacks filled the others with deep fear. Silver Wing knew that if this continued, their inner energy would be completely drained, while that guy’s seemed like an endless pit—never running out. The balance was heavily in their favor.
“Over there, hurry! It’s right there—go quickly! Rod is still alive, he’s fine! Hurry over!” After a rapid sprint, Kiro and his group quickly reached the edge of the forest Lucia had mentioned. Seeing lights flashing inside and faintly hearing roars and the sound of weapons clashing, they smiled excitedly and shouted loudly.
Seeing this, he felt relieved. At least there was still fighting inside, which meant Rod wasn’t dead, and the battle continued. As long as he was alive, everything was possible—there was still hope. He hurriedly led his group inside, silently shouting, “Rod, hold on! Keep fighting!” He knew that once they arrived, everything would get better.
Unbeknownst to him, their entry would trigger a terrifying storm across the continent, bringing chaos and bloodshed.
Chapter 201: Enemies Turned Against Each Other
A muffled groan came as Viper Snake was flung away by Rod, suffering a massive wound inflicted by the Dark Dragon. In return, Rod also endured fierce attacks from Nightingale and Silverwing, forcing him to take several steps back. With another groan, he coughed up a trickle of pale blue blood.
The battle continued fiercely under such brutal conditions. Rod’s wounds grew more and more, as did those of his opponents. The entire forest was filled with a faint scent of blood. Stimulated by this smell, Rod’s rage surged. With blood-red eyes, driven by the scent of blood and pain, he launched wild attacks in a desperate struggle. The forest was filled with the clash of swords and blades—a chaotic and thrilling scene.
Suddenly, flames appeared outside the forest, along with the sound of footsteps and noisy shouts.
“Silver Wing…” Sensing the situation, Stabbing Snake coughed up blood and urgently called out to Silver Wing. Clearly, many people were coming this way, and without a doubt, they must be Knightrod’s friends—coming to find him. Their identities were hidden, and they had originally planned to assassinate Knightrod. Even now that they knew he was a demon, they had no reason to stay; it brought them no advantage. As for this demon before them, they didn’t need to worry about him. Once those people arrived, given the current situation, they would quickly realize Knightrod’s demon identity. By then, they wouldn’t even need to act—those who came would take care of it. After all, there was a rule on the continent: anyone who encountered a demon had the duty and responsibility to eliminate it, and the entire continent would launch a hunt against demons. Even if they were best friends, humans would never tolerate the existence of demons.
“Let’s go, retreat!” Frowning and enduring the pain, Silver Wing pondered for a moment as he felt the footsteps outside growing closer, then made a decisive decision.
With a full-force slash, he forced Rod back a step, then dashed over, shouting at Nightingale while grabbing Crow and dragging him away as they tried to flee into the distance.
“Leave me behind!” Sensing the other party’s attempt to escape, Rod roared hoarsely. He moved swiftly, blocking their path like a gust of wind, and launched another fierce attack.
“Damn it, this won’t work! Silver Wing, you guys go first! I’ll stay behind to hold them off—hurry up!” Swinging his whip fiercely, Nightingale shouted anxiously at the people behind him. If this continued, they wouldn’t have any chance of escaping.
“Be careful yourself. I’ll meet you at the old place!” Taking a deep breath, Silver Wing spoke decisively without hesitation. Then, taking advantage of the moment Nightingale was distracted by Knightrod, he coordinated with Stabbing Snake to carry Crow and flee into the distance. Under the cover of the dark night and the trees, they vanished from sight in an instant.
“Bastards, die!” Feeling the enemies leave, Rod roared in frustration, directing all his anger at Nightingale, who remained behind.
He unleashed Autumn Wind Sword, attacking with overwhelming force. With a muffled groan, Nightingale flew backward like a kite with its string cut.
Just as Rod was preparing to pursue her, he saw her flip in mid-air, her long whip sweeping out and wrapping around a large tree in the distance. With a strong pull, she was dragged over. Ignoring the pain, she clutched her chest and kept jumping and darting through the woods, soon disappearing into the night.
…
“Over there! Hurry up!” Hearing a furious roar, Kiro shouted anxiously at the people behind him. It was Rod’s voice—he couldn’t be mistaken; it was a very familiar voice! Hearing this, he breathed a sigh of relief. At least it proved they hadn’t arrived too late, and at least Rod was still alive.
“Hurry! It’s right ahead, we’ll be there soon!” John urged anxiously. He could already sense the captain’s presence and even smell a faint scent of blood, which made his heart pound. With a mix of excitement, he rushed toward that direction, followed by the others, all looking anxious and hopeful.
…
Ah… Feeling his enemy escape, Rod roared in frustration at the spot. Yet before his roar could fade, rustling footsteps behind him made him freeze. Turning around, his piercing eyes, like two blood moons, illuminated the entire forest, piercing through everything to reveal everything clearly.
“Kill…!” Losing his mind, sensing someone approaching, he turned around without hesitation and charged toward them.
“Captain… you…”
“Rod…”
“Ah…” But before Rod could rush out, he saw hundreds of figures quickly diving into the chaotic woods. Kiro and John, leading the way, couldn’t help but shout loudly at this sight, while Alice screamed in shock.
The scene was in chaos—trees lay scattered on the ground, as if the area had been turned upside down. Along with the mess, a faint green smoke rose, and the slight scent of blood made people frown.
“Demons! Bad news, everyone! It’s a demon!” Immediately after, an officer brought by Alice let out a shocked cry.
Looking at the blood-soaked, disheveled man across from him, his pupils contracted instantly. Blue blood, blue-red eyes, wounds that kept healing, muscles bulging all over… Everything made it clear—he was a demon. He never expected it to be a demon.
As the officer spoke, the scene immediately became chaotic. All the soldiers and visitors stepped back a few steps, struggling to swallow their saliva as they stared at the man across from them, their faces pale. They had all recognized the traits of a demon.
Heavens, to encounter demons here—this is something no one could have imagined.
“Demons! Impossible, Rod—he…” Seeing the reactions of those around him, Kiro couldn’t help but defend him.
But he stopped mid-sentence, unable to say anything more. His mouth hung open as he stared in disbelief at Rod across from him. Rod was now in tattered clothes, covered in pale blue blood, his face twisted, breathing heavily with his muscles tensed. His eerie blue-red eyes made him look utterly monstrous—typical demon traits, recognizable to almost everyone on the continent, the legendary characteristics of demons.
“How… how is this possible! Captain…” John was also stunned, eyes wide as he swallowed hard before speaking in disbelief.
The captain was a demon? He refused to believe it, but the evidence before him forced him to accept it.
“Scoundrel…” Alice muttered blankly. The scene became chaotic as the soldiers began to tremble.
“Kill him! We can’t let him stay! He’s a demon—we can’t let him threaten the continent!” After a moment, the officer shouted at everyone around him. It was hard to believe such a thing could happen during this mission!
At his command, all the soldiers mustered their courage and quickly surrounded Rod, while the warriors and mages brought by John and Alice prepared to attack. If it had been a demon at his peak, these people might have fled at the sight of him. But clearly, the man before them was severely injured and posed little threat. They weren’t afraid—they saw an opportunity to profit. If they could kill this demon, they would become heroes, and anything they wanted would be within reach. Human nature was cruel; greed showed through at such times.
As for Rod himself, he stood frozen in place. He had heard a familiar voice just now—very familiar, but he couldn’t recall where. Veins bulged on his forehead as a headache set in.
“What’s going on? Who are you… why… I…” Fragmented thoughts flooded his mind, the red in his eyes fading as confusion took over. He tried to make out the people across from him—why did they seem so familiar? He just couldn’t remember.
After being possessed, his mind was filled only with the desire to kill; no other thoughts could fit in. He had become a bloodthirsty demon. The appearance of people like Kiro began to change him, forcing him to think. These people he spent his days with helped calm him down a bit. He panted heavily, trying hard to recall something.
“Wait, that’s impossible! A ruffian can’t be a demon! How is that possible! Ruffian! What’s wrong with you? Answer me quickly!!” Alice, the officer about to give the attack order, shouted anxiously.
“Miss Alice, look carefully—he’s a demon, not that Knightrod. With demons appearing, the continent must flee for safety. If we don’t kill him now, we’ll face serious problems later!” The officer shouted anxiously, looking at Alice who was standing in front of him. Seeing that the demon’s body was rapidly recovering, he knew that if it fully recovered, the consequences would be unimaginable. He couldn’t let it get that chance!
“Kill him! Kill him now!” Ignoring Alice’s attempts to stop him, the officer yelled loudly.
“Young Master Kiro, Young Master John, leave this to us! Hurry up!” The officer then called out to Kiro and the others. They were all nobles of high status, and nothing could go wrong. Facing demons meant facing certain death. If anything happened to them, the consequences would be beyond his control.
Hearing the conversation from across, those familiar voices and names gradually calmed Rod’s mind, reducing the brutality and bloodthirst in his thoughts.
“Huh… Possession… Damn it, it’s really terrifying. Rod, are you okay now?” Xuan Yuan, who was observing inside Rod’s body, let out a sigh of relief and asked.
Indeed, Rod’s fierce gaze quickly faded. The blood-red tint disappeared from his eyes, and the confusion and bloodthirst vanished as well. He covered his head and bent over in pain. All his thoughts rushed back to him in an instant—he remembered everything, the whole story.
“Ding…” A clear sound came. Ignoring those who were about to attack him, Rod quickly raised his sword to defend himself. He then moved swiftly, dodging and twisting, finally managing to avoid their fierce assault.