A wave of shocked cries rippled through the cavalry. Their eyes widened in disbelief as the mysterious figure suddenly appeared before them.
Almost instinctively, they reached for their swords.
Nolan merely flicked his arm.
In that instant, the blade in his hand erupted with dazzling light, like a golden dragon rising into the sky.
A brilliant arc cut through the air, leaving behind a lingering golden trail.
Sunlight Blade!
A deafening crack of thunder followed as the lightning-charged blade struck the chainmail armor.
The violent clash of metal echoed through the night as sparks burst in every direction.
The chainmail offered no resistance at all. It tore apart instantly.
The blade cut through flesh and bone with brutal ease, producing a sickening crack.
For the cavalrymen, a blinding radiance filled their vision.
Then, in the next instant, unbearable pain exploded from their waists.
When they looked down, a crimson line slowly appeared across their midsections.
Their bodies had been split clean in two.
Blood burst out like a broken dam, spraying into the dark sky.
Nearby, the knight who had fallen earlier still lay pinned beneath his horse, his face pale with terror.
"What kind of monster is this?"
As he watched the white figure approach, a shadow of death seemed to fall over him. Desperately, he struggled to push the horse off his crushed leg.
When he finally looked up, the figure had already reached him.
Mounted on a tall horse, the man looked down at him from above.
"Do I really look that much like a monster?"
Nolan lowered his head slightly, a faint smile at the corner of his lips as he spoke softly.
His face was strikingly beautiful, almost unreal, as though it had been sculpted with perfect care by the heavens themselves.
"Who are you?"
The knight nearly stared in a daze, but the terror of death quickly forced him back to his senses.
With a desperate heave, he shoved the horse off his leg.
"I am the master of this land."
Nolan watched calmly as the knight struggled to his feet. The greatsword in his hand gleamed coldly as he swung it downward.
The strike carried overwhelming power.
The heavy armor could not hold for even an instant.
The knight was split vertically in two.
Nearby, Nepheli witnessed everything.
Her strength suddenly drained away. Her legs gave out and she dropped to her knees.
Her full chest rose and fell rapidly as she gasped for breath, bracing herself against the ground while forcing her head up.
The sound of hooves drew closer.
The man riding toward her was tall and straight-backed, his face gentle yet handsome. A strange, instinctive feeling rose from deep inside her.
"This man is really handsome…"
Nepheli muttered absentmindedly before her eyes slowly closed.
Nolan had sharp hearing. He caught the quiet murmur and looked down at the female warrior before him.
Her skin was a little dark and everywhere he looked there were powerful curves.
Good grief. No wonder Godfrey was built like a giant. Do all barbarians grow like this?
She was not especially tall, but her proportions were excellent. The lines of her muscles were tight and well defined, smooth and natural without looking exaggerated.
Combined with her bronze skin, she carried a wild yet healthy beauty.
No wonder she would eventually become one of the Tarnished who joined the Roundtable Hold, and the adopted daughter of the All-Knowing. She truly had the bearing of a champion.
Nolan casually stored the two battle axes into his spirit ring.
He then quickly took out a bottle of Neutralizing Boluses, gently pried open the girl's clenched teeth, and poured the medicine into her mouth.
This was a common antidote in the Lands Between.
He lifted her onto the horse and signaled to the Kaiden mercenaries who had finally arrived, ordering them to bring the remaining Tarnished away from the battlefield.
The weather was clear that day.
The vast grasslands stretched endlessly in every direction, with almost nothing to block the view.
From a slightly elevated hill nearby, one could see the entire battle from start to finish.
At that moment, a slender figure stood upon a horse.
The person wore a hood that cast their face entirely in shadow, making it impossible to see their features.
But from the outline of the body, it was clear.
The figure was a woman.
The warhorse beneath her was quite unusual. It was strong and well built, and a pair of curved horns grew from its head, making it look remarkably similar to Nolan's former mount.
To be precise, it was exactly the same.
Even the name.
"Torrent, what are you so upset about?"
The woman tilted her head slightly, her somewhat vacant eyes fixed on the restless little steed.
She reached out with a slender hand and gently stroked its back, puzzled by why the little bull-like horse had suddenly become so agitated.
The poor creature could not speak. All it could do was let out urgent whinnies again and again.
Its four hooves stamped and circled restlessly, kicking up clouds of dust.
"I see. You hate him? No? You hate the horse he's riding? Why?"
The girl blinked in confusion, clearly unable to understand.
She had to admit the Tarnished was impressive, and very handsome too. The kind of face that made you want to look a second time.
But this was their first meeting.
She had never expected Torrent to like him so much.
Just because that knight was riding another horse instead of her, Torrent had become this upset?
"Alright, alright. Stop making a fuss. I'll take you to meet him someday, but now isn't the right time."
"We carry a mission. We have to choose carefully. Let's observe him for a while first."
She continued soothing the restless horse, but suddenly her breathing halted for a moment, as if something strange had happened.
Had she been discovered?
The woman's eyes widened as she watched the group of riders gradually disappear into the distance. It felt as though someone far away had glanced in her direction.
Impossible.
She had always been confident in her ability to hide her presence. Yet somehow she had still been noticed?
...
"Nolan!"
When Nolan returned with the group, Vyke called out excitedly.
He quickly walked over and asked curiously,
"What were you looking at just now? You seemed completely absorbed."
"Nothing much. I just felt like someone was hiding nearby watching me. Maybe they took a liking to me."
Nolan smiled lightly and answered casually.
Vyke looked Nolan up and down after hearing that, then nodded seriously.
If anyone else had said something like that, it might have sounded arrogant.
But coming from Nolan, it somehow felt perfectly natural.
After sending the injured Tarnished to the physician and making sure everything was arranged properly, Nolan turned to Vyke.
"Nothing happened at the manor while I was gone, right?"
Vyke's expression changed slightly. He hesitated for a moment before answering slowly.
"Val is dead."
"What!?"
Nolan was genuinely stunned.
He had only been gone a few hours. Had that guy really acted that fast?
"Don't look at me like that. It wasn't me. When he went to inspect the prison, a Morton warrior grabbed him by the throat and tore his spine out on the spot."
It sounded unbelievable, but for someone at the level of a knight, ripping a man apart with bare hands was entirely possible.
The traitor had died at the hands of someone loyal.
What was that supposed to be? Justice catching up with him?
Nolan shrugged, not quite sure what to say.