Chapter 690: I Can Fight Too!

Steve stops about thirty meters from Henwell. "It is an ability I call Fate Rail."

"It bypasses every external factor and acts directly upon the target's body."

"But you are unusual. I cannot lock onto your trace in fate, so my wife had to leave a mark on you."

Henwell asks, "Her blood?"

"And yours."

Henwell nods slowly. "An impressive method. But an ability that powerful must have severe restrictions."

Steve is silent for a moment. "More severe than you can imagine."

Henwell points at the hole in his chest. "Then why did you pull the attack at the last moment instead of killing me?"

"Someone interfered with me."

"Oh? Someone saved me? Can you tell me who?"

"No. I can't say."

"I understand. So what do we do now? Your wife is in my hands, and I know you still have one attack left."

"We can't remain at an impasse forever. I suggest we call it even."

"You have already tried, and you know how difficult I am to kill. Even if you succeed, at least one of you will die."

"You can take your wife and leave now, and I will not pursue either of you."

Steve shakes his head. "I don't believe you."

"You must have learned something about me. Ask around. I keep my word, and the entire continent can testify to that."

"We cannot stake our lives on your honor."

Henwell points at the weapon in Steve's hands. "Leave your weapon behind, and I will let you go."

"I suspect that weapon is merely a medium for channeling your ability. Even without it, you can still use that power, but the price would be beyond imagination. It may cost your life."

"Neither of you wants the other to make that sacrifice. With my present injuries, I would also find it difficult to pursue you."

"You understand that I have many other enemies. I cannot waste more time and strength on the two of you."

Steve says nothing.

At that moment, an enormous blade of flame descends from the sky.

Henwell raises his left hand, the Dawn Greatsword held in a reverse grip above his head. Chains formed from the Light of Civilization rapidly gather into a massive shield.

The blazing sword of light, more than ten meters long, crashes down on Henwell.

The flames spilling from the strike incinerate everything within a hundred meters.

When the fire fades, glassy marks cover the ground.

The searing heat has killed or injured many soldiers even farther away.

At the center, Henwell still holds the shield of luminous chains aloft. He has clearly endured the attack.

Even Alex beneath him remains unharmed.

Henwell watches Steve materialize again after dodging the attack, then coughs up several mouthfuls of blood.

"Friend, you have seen my sincerity. I just protected your wife."

"My enemies are already losing patience. If we keep standing here, more attacks will follow."

Steve's expression darkens. He is clearly furious.

He raises his weapon and aims it at a point in the distance. After a moment, he throws the weapon to Henwell.

The instant Steve raises his weapon, Jeremy, who has just completed his attack, activates his escape method.

"Lady of Calamity, I'm leaving first. See you later!"

After Jeremy disappears, the Lady of Calamity suddenly spits out blood and collapses.

She struggles upright enough to take out a potion and drink it. Only then does she slowly climb back to her feet.

Steve had abandoned his attack partly because Jeremy was about to flee and partly because he could not afford to make the Veil his mortal enemy.

Henwell pins the strange weapon beneath one foot and slowly withdraws his sword from Alex's neck.

Alex bares her fangs at him and backs toward Steve.

Henwell curls his lip. "Your wife doesn't bite, does she?"

Steve pauses. "We will come for you again. Keep my weapon safe."

Alex points at herself. "Release these restraints."

Henwell withdraws the Chains of Civilization but remains vigilant, ready to bind them again at any moment.

Alex activates her ability, grabs Steve, and disappears with him from Henwell's sight.

Once he is certain they have left, Henwell drops to one knee and struggles to support himself with a greatsword.

He vomits a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of his organs.

Jonathan says in a low voice, "Kill Henwell. He can no longer fight."

The royal guardian hesitates, but finally chooses to attack.

An Iron Knight moves quickly. He crosses the one or two kilometers to the battlefield in moments.

The guardian remains extremely cautious as he studies the badly wounded Henwell. He circles behind him.

Only after confirming that Henwell truly seems unable to fight does he launch a wave of sword energy from a distance.

Henwell can only raise his sword and block as best he can, but the sword energy still hurls him several meters away.

The guardian's face lights up. Fighting spirit gathers around his body as he launches a Charging Strike at Henwell.

Just as everyone believes Henwell is about to die, a figure suddenly appears in front of him.

The newcomer raises a sword and blocks the attack, then turns and kicks the guardian away.

The newcomer's identity shocks everyone, Henwell included.

Arius rests his sword across one shoulder and holds out a hand to Henwell. "What? Am I not allowed to know how to fight?"

Then he looks at the enormous hole in Henwell's chest. "Tsk. Right through the heart."

Henwell curls his lip. "Take it easy. Don't get yourself killed, or this whole trip will have been for nothing."

Arius turns to the stunned royal guardian. "Great-Uncle Kamil, is it really that surprising?"

Kamil asks, "How are you an Iron Knight?"

Arius spreads his hands. "Why shouldn't I be? Don't forget, before Henwell appeared, I was the most talented young man in Vorry."

"My father sent me to train in the Western Federation. If I remember correctly, you even escorted me there."

"Henwell and I are different. He needs to fight often, while I only need to be a good prince and heir."

"That has given everyone the wrong impression. People think I am only an ordinary prince and have forgotten that I am also exceptionally gifted as a professional."

"With so many witnesses here today, I can prove one thing: I'm actually pretty good in a fight too."

Kamil is silent for a moment. "What will you do with me?"

Arius replies, "What am I supposed to do with you? You are still a royal guardian. You will simply have a few more restraints on you. As long as you do not betray the country, those restraints might as well not exist."

After a moment, Kamil bows to Arius and slowly withdraws from the battlefield.

Arius lets out a long breath. "I finally scared him away. If he knew I had only just advanced, he might have had other ideas."

Henwell scoffs. "He is afraid of me. He was worried I would ambush him while he fought you."

Arius says, "With your chest that wide open, the fact that you can still stand is already a medical miracle. You can still fight?"

Henwell replies, "If you hadn't come, I would only have needed to endure one more strike before twisting off his head."

The two trade barbs for a while, then suddenly burst into laughter and throw their arms around each other's shoulders.

At that moment, Cellarwine City's gate suddenly opens and more than three thousand cavalry thunder out.

Two warbands of infantry follow behind them and charge into the rear of the kingdom's army.