Chapter 222: Endless Doubts

At this moment, Rod’s sense of resentment and anger continued to spread at an accelerating pace, to the point where it was hard to tell which shadow in the courtyard was his true form. The combat energy of a royal-level powerhouse was unleashed without restraint—vibrant red energy drifting everywhere, released without the slightest hesitation! The flashes of swords and blades filled the entire courtyard, creating a dazzling spectacle.

In the distance, Hori stood quietly, observing Rod’s every move, inwardly marveling at how formidable Rod’s stamina and combat energy were. Such an amount of energy was likely beyond even his own capacity. After such a long time, Rod still showed no sign of stopping. Even Hori must have been nearly exhausted by now. This made him wonder: Where did a beginner at the royal level get such immense combat energy? By this standard, it was far beyond what a beginner should possess!

Could this be the terrifying aspect of the demon race—their strength? Hori thought to himself.

Moreover, Hori was deeply impressed by Rod’s skills. Many of the techniques he used were entirely new to Hori, featuring fierce and aggressive attacks. There were even several moves that, even if he had seen them before, he wouldn’t be confident enough to counter in a fight. This filled him with shame and awe—what Knight Rod displayed truly shocked him.

“Lord, hey… he’s beyond our comparison. Knight Rod, your goals are too ambitious!” Watching Rod go wild, he sighed and spoke to himself.

He could guess many things without needing further explanation. Thinking of the Lord, his gaze turned solemn with reverence, filled with boundless admiration. That incredible strength—though he had only seen it once—was something he would remember for life, something utterly beyond what humans could achieve. Hori was certain that, in terms of strength, the Lord could easily rank among the top fifty in the continent. No, even stronger. Clearly, Knight Rod had chosen the wrong comparison. If he could defeat the Lord, then he surely had the strength to rank among the top thirty.

Watching quietly, after what seemed like an eternity, Rod’s movements finally slowed down—signs of exhausted combat energy and depleted stamina. He slowly walked into the courtyard. By then, Knight Rod had stopped his frenzied actions, standing there bent over, using one hand to support himself on the ground as he panted heavily.

“What are you here for?” Rod asked coldly, looking up at Hori as he stepped beside him.
“Just checking on you. It’s normal to lose to him; you don’t need to worry about it. He’s not someone we can confront. You can only regard him as a goal to surpass. Let me tell you—none of those so-called deans from your Holy Light Academy are his match. Not even one of them can hold out for three minutes under his full attack!” With a slight smile, Hori walked over to Rod, placed his hands behind his back, and gazed at the stars before sighing.
“Can’t hold out for three minutes!” Rod gasped upon hearing Hori’s words. The three deans were so incompetent in front of this man in black! The shock it caused him was unimaginable.
Strong… extremely strong. He didn’t know what other words to use to describe his power. At least Rod didn’t know how.
For a moment, the two fell silent. Who would be stronger—him or that old man? Rod couldn’t help but think to himself.
After a while, a determined look flashed in Rod’s eyes. He silently resolved that one day he would definitely surpass this man—definitely! Clenching his fists tightly, Rod told himself.
“Who exactly are you? Why do you know my identity yet still act like this… Heh, don’t you know I’m from the demon race? Don’t you know demons are the public enemies of this continent?” Rod asked calmly, his aura now back to normal.
“He’ll tell you himself when the time comes. Who you are doesn’t matter to us. Others may have their own opinions, but we have our own eyes to see. We don’t need to rely on hearsay. If necessary, I’ll kill you right away!” Taking a deep breath, Hori turned to Rod and spoke in a low voice. His resolute gaze sent chills down Rod’s spine.
“I hope that day never comes! Well, if I want to know, I’ll ask myself! So, you should tell me what your purpose is in bringing me here, right?” Only after calming down did Rod remember his main reason for coming here—to find out what purpose this organization had in helping him.
“Someone will tell you tomorrow. Rest well these few days. I’ll come see you tomorrow!” Without answering Rod, Hori spoke in a low voice.

“It seems there’s nothing you can tell me from your side! Well, fine!” With a sigh, Rod looked at the stiff Horri and spoke with resignation. This guy must have received some orders and couldn’t say much; even if he kept pressing, he wouldn’t get any answers. It seemed he could only start with that man in black—only he could tell him something.

“If there’s nothing else, go back. I’ve prepared your room. Stay there for now and don’t go outside. Everyone is looking for you right now. If they find you, you’re dead for sure. There are hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Iron Bar Town—even the lord can’t protect you!” Horri patted Rod’s shoulder and said solemnly. Rod, now under everyone’s gaze, really didn’t know what to do next. He was like a time bomb, ready to explode at any moment.

“Could you do me a favor? You know I’m being hunted in the capital. Help me find out who those people are—four of them: Nightingale, Silverwing, Crow, and Viper. Those are their codenames!” Thinking of his other goal, Rod asked Horri, hoping to use their strength to uncover the identities, backgrounds, and current locations of those men.

“I know. It’s those four who leaked your identity, right? They form a group—a fairly famous assassin squad in the underworld. They’ve become quite powerful over the past couple of years and are quite capable.” Horri was momentarily stunned by Rod’s question before responding indifferently. But from the slight disdainful smile on his lips, Rod could tell Horri didn’t take those men seriously at all.

“Tell me which organization they belong to, their exact identities, and where their hideout is!” Hearing Horri’s words, Rod raised an eyebrow, realizing he wasn’t wrong—Horri definitely knew a lot about those men.

“They belong to the most powerful assassin organization— a vassal squad under Dark. They aren’t part of any other organization. These four have been active since five years ago, carrying out 131 missions without a single failure, which is quite impressive. No one knows their real names, not even us. Dark has erased all their information, leaving us with no leads. What you mentioned could be considered their names. As for portraits, I’ll give them to you tomorrow. If I’m not mistaken, they’ll be punished by Dark after this failed mission and are likely resting now. Their base is in the Imperial Capital— their stronghold. I’ll compile all the information for you tomorrow, but it’s best if you don’t act rashly. You’re not a match for them even together, and Dark is watching closely. If you don’t want to die, stay here!” Frowning and taking a deep breath, Horie thought for a moment before telling Knightrod everything he knew.

“Dark! They…” Rod’s expression changed drastically. He didn’t know what to say anymore. One surprise after another had struck him today, constantly shocking him. Even though he had become numb, hearing these things still made him shout out loud.

They were a vassal squad of Dark. Clearly, Horie had revealed one piece of information to him: Horie and his group weren’t Dark, not that mysterious organization. Then who exactly were they? Even if they were this powerful, what about the real Dark? He had almost been deceived. But why hadn’t the man in black denied it when he said they were Dark? This left Rod confused. Everything became even more bizarre.

“There are some things you can’t imagine. Even if I told you the complexity, you wouldn’t understand. Forget it. Come on, it’s time to rest!” Horie pulled Rod along quietly. They walked forward in silence, but Rod no longer cared. He stood behind, tilting his head in confusion, lost in his own thoughts.

The identities of Horie and the others grew increasingly mysterious. That Dark became even more enigmatic, and Nightingale, Silverwing, and the others also seemed inexplicable. All this made Rod’s mind a complete mess.

In such a state of mind, he didn’t even realize how Horie led him into this room—a very simple room with basic tables, chairs, and a bed. The furnishings were plain, without any trace of luxury or opulence. Yet, a familiar feeling permeated this unassuming room!

Looking around, there was only one painting on the left wall—a fierce tiger roaring. Its simple brushstrokes conveyed an imposing aura that instantly filled one with a sense of awe. A slight tremor in his heart made Rod pause his previous thoughts and turn his attention to the room. It seemed as though something inside was calling to him, drawing his senses and thoughts, making everything seem strange. Unable to resist, he stepped inside and began to observe his surroundings. “Rest now; someone will come to see you tomorrow. I’m leaving!” Horri said indifferently, not noticing Rod’s strangeness. In response to Horri’s words, Rod instinctively nodded, his entire focus now on the room.