Baron Loda was no fool. He immediately understood how decisive a hero's presence on the battlefield could be.
Just as he was about to respond, a sudden, searing pain exploded through his chest.
Nepheli's battle axe flashed with a cold glint. With a single clean swing and no wasted motion, she struck her target, splitting him in two in an instant.
Baron Loda's body tumbled from his warhorse, and Nepheli claimed the reward of ten thousand runes.
The armor worn by the nobles was far more ornate than that of ordinary knights, making them the most obvious and tempting targets on the battlefield.
Baron Will, standing nearby, froze in terror when he saw it. His mind went blank for a moment before a sharp scream rang out beside him.
He turned in horror and saw another baron skewered on a war spear.
The man had been lifted high into the air. As Vyke charged forward, the body was flung far away like a kite with its string cut.
Nepheli and Vyke seemed to be locked in a silent competition.
Each strike they delivered was precise and ruthless. One bounty after another fell into their hands, as if the lofty status of the nobles meant nothing to them.
The ancient ancestors once said that before the rise of the Golden Order, death was equal for all.
The powerful were no exception.
"Knights! Gather around me! Soldiers, protect me!"
Among the children of noble houses, there were certainly plenty of fools.
But anyone who could become the head of a family was not a complete idiot.
Unless there had been no other choice, the previous lord would never have selected a fool to inherit the estate.
Baron Will knew he could not resist alone.
But in terms of sheer numbers, their forces still held the advantage.
If he could regroup the troops and restore their morale, there was still a small chance he could escape this disaster.
"Damn it! Where did that Pureblood Knight run off to?"
Watching soldiers fall one after another around him, Baron Will burned with anxiety and cursed inwardly.
Just then, something in the distance caught his eye.
A spark of hope flashed in his gaze.
People began looking up toward the south.
In the sky there, faint points of fire flickered.
Those flames seemed to spread across the towering fortress walls and flow outward over the vast plains.
Gradually, a winding dragon of fire took shape, surging straight toward them along the road leading from the main gate.
The approaching riders looked like a mixed group. There appeared to be physicians, assassins, warriors, and knights among them.
At the very front rode a man clad in black robes and black armor.
Baron Will recognized him instantly.
It was the Pureblood Knight who had been absent for so long.
At last, he had arrived.
...
A group of so called golden nobles, yet this foolish.
Leonor rode closer to the battlefield. Everywhere he looked was chaos.
Soldiers ran about like headless flies, their formations completely broken.
He frowned deeply and let out a silent sigh.
When the barons' allied forces launched their attack on the earthen fortress, the Dynasty of Blood squad had already concealed themselves nearby, quietly observing everything happening on the battlefield.
After all, reports about the combat strength of that mysterious Tarnished One varied wildly and could not be trusted outright.
The Dynasty of Blood had already suffered severe losses. Heroes like Leonor were now extremely rare.
Under such circumstances, how could he recklessly throw himself into danger?
Still, no one had expected these so called nobles to be this useless.
Despite holding an overwhelming numerical advantage, they not only failed to take the fortress but were crushed in a very short time.
Even more frustrating, the silver haired knight had barely taken action.
When the Pureblood Knights of the Dynasty of Blood witnessed this scene, most of them were restless and irritated, feeling that a perfect opportunity had slipped away.
Only Leonor felt conflicted.
The Dynasty had been hiding beneath Caelid for a long time. Now that they finally had a chance to step out and expand their influence, they could only take the gamble.
The risk was high, but so was the reward.
If they could bring that knight back to the Dynasty, whether by tempting him with grand ideals or forcing obedience through cursed blood, gaining a hero level warrior would be a tremendous gain.
After weighing everything, Leonor clenched her teeth and made her decision.
So they rode out.
"Morok, you specialize in assassination. Keep a low profile. The rest of you come with me. We'll meet that Tarnished One."
Leonor's eyes were firm as he gave the order in a decisive tone.
On the battlefield, hesitation was not an option.
Their objective came first. As for the losses the barons might suffer, that was none of their concern.
...
Meanwhile, Baron Will had struggled to gather barely more than a dozen men, his face full of frustration.
The troops belonging to the other barons refused to obey his orders at all.
But when he spotted the distant figure clad in black armor, a trace of secret delight flickered through his heart.
Fewer people meant fewer rivals when the land was divided. And if they managed to defeat the enemy, there might even be a chance to seize the other barons' territories as well.
"You worthless rabble! No one is allowed to run! Damn it, what are the knights doing? Get over here and protect me!"
Baron Will raised his straight sword high and roared at the top of his lungs.
He had thought disappointment had arrived too quickly.
But he never expected good fortune to arrive even faster.
Fortune was found in danger, but it could also be lost there.
Blinded by greed, he had completely forgotten to consider the cost of failure.
"Attack! All of you attack together! Hold that damned Tarnished One back! Don't let him escape!"
Baron Will stood tall on his warhorse, waving his sword and shouting excitedly.
He did not notice that Vyke was already charging toward him like a storm, spear in hand.
But before the spear could pierce him, a battle axe struck first.
With a deafening crash, the axe slammed into the shield in Baron Will's hand.
The tremendous force blasted him away like a cannonball.
His body flew through the air in an arc before crashing heavily onto the ground. Momentum carried him rolling several meters before he finally came to a stop.
Baron Will struggled to his feet, his head still spinning.
The moment he lifted his head, his face went pale.
The blade of a battle axe was already resting across his throat, its cold edge sending chills down his spine.
"What do you think you're doing? I'm a Golden Noble! You dare kill me?"
Baron Will's eyes widened as he shouted angrily, though fear made his voice tremble.
Nepheli gave a scornful laugh.
"Why wouldn't I? Killing and being killed have always gone together, haven't they?"
Without hesitation, she swung her battle axe.
A flash of cold steel passed.
A blood soaked head rolled across the ground.