"You..."
Vyke rode up on horseback. Just moments ago he had been fired up with a sense of righteous purpose, only to find the kill taken before he could act.
"You found him, so the bounty can be yours. But I wanted to kill him myself."
Nepheli shot a disgusted glance at the headless corpse on the ground.
This man had put them through hell. That grudge had to be repaid.
Being able to cut down her enemy with her own hands today finally released the anger she had carried for so long.
"You misunderstand. I had no intention of stealing your credit. You killed him, so the bounty naturally belongs to you."
Vyke shook his head earnestly as he explained.
He had far greater ambitions. Compared to those, a handful of runes meant nothing.
But as soon as the words left his mouth, Vyke's sharp instincts picked up something strange spreading through the air.
Killing intent.
From behind.
There was no time to think. Vyke turned his head almost purely on instinct.
A group of mysterious figures in black robes were pushing through the crowded streets.
The one at the front gripped a greatsword, bringing it down toward Vyke's head with a violent gust of wind.
At the critical moment, a sharp metallic clash rang out—
Clang!!!
Before Vyke could even raise his shield, the silver-haired knight had already stepped in front of him.
The two greatswords slammed into each other.
A shower of brilliant sparks burst out, like fireworks exploding in the night.
"Don't lose focus on the battlefield."
Nolan's magnetic voice came from beneath his helmet.
"Ah, my mistake!" Vyke snapped back to his senses, quickly speaking with obvious gratitude.
That was close. My ideals have barely begun and I almost died already.
"You two go deal with the other enemies. Leave this group to me."
Nolan spoke to Vyke and Nepheli without even turning his head. His tone carried no reproach, just calm certainty.
"Yes."
Vyke and Nepheli exchanged a glance and nodded in unison. After casting a thoughtful look at the black-robed figures, they quickly turned and left.
"Mohg's Dynasty? I didn't expect to run into you here."
Nolan stared at the conspicuous emblem on the black-armored knight's chest, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
What an unfortunate coincidence.
"You know us?"
Leonor, the leader, froze for a moment when he heard that.
Their eyes met as he looked up, meeting the captivating gaze visible through the slit of Nolan's helmet.
A strange sense of familiarity surfaced, yet he couldn't recall where he might have seen those eyes before.
Perhaps it was just his imagination. The Golden Needle Knight should have already returned to the Erdtree.
"Since you know our glorious Dynasty, I won't waste time with pleasantries."
"Will you join the Dynasty? Become a knight of my lord. Both you and the land beneath your feet will receive the Dynasty's protection."
"Not only that. Greater power, noble status. The Dynasty can grant you both."
Greater power likely meant the power of cursed blood.
As for noble status... what use was a noble title in a dynasty that lived in the shadows?
"The offer is generous." Nolan's lips curved upward, almost laughing.
Conditions like that might fool Tarnished who had never seen much of the world.
A flash of excitement appeared in Leonor's eyes. For a moment, he seemed to believe the persuasion might actually work.
He was just about to continue praising the greatness of their Lord Mohg when Nolan suddenly said:
"But I refuse."
Leonor's face changed instantly.
"Our lord—"
Before he could finish, Nolan cut him off coldly.
"I know exactly who your lord is. Mohg, right? Strictly speaking, I even have a score to settle with him. A life-and-death kind."
Negotiations shattered in an instant.
Leonor's fury exploded as he roared:
"Die!"
Before the shout had even faded, he swung his greatsword.
The blade tore through the air like lightning, carving a dazzling crescent arc as it crashed down toward Nolan.
Accursed blood could influence the mind, but it could not completely control a person's will.
Since this man was a mortal enemy of their lord, he had to die. The Pureblood Knight made the decision without hesitation.
Nolan didn't even glance at him.
He casually lifted his greatsword and cleanly blocked Leonor's strike.
At that moment, an arrow split the air, shooting past from beside him.
Nolan reacted instantly. He thrust out a palm, and a violent gust erupted from the strike, whipping up a powerful gale.
In the blink of an eye, the raging wind collided with the dark arrow in midair. The impact crackled sharply.
The arrow was shredded by the gale, torn apart into countless fragments that scattered across the ground.
The black-robed squad was stunned.
They could hardly believe what they had just seen. Since when had a storm combat technique possessed such terrifying power?
Whoosh.
Before anyone had fully recovered from their shock, Nolan tilted his head slightly and fixed a cold gaze on the Pureblood Knight holding the crossbow.
He raised a long finger.
In the next instant, a dazzling bolt of golden lightning burst forth.
The lightning flashed and vanished, piercing straight through the knight's heart.
It happened far too fast for anyone to react.
Too strong.
Is he a monster?
Everyone who witnessed the scene drew in a sharp breath, their faces filled with shock.
Leonor could hardly believe it. His body trembled slightly.
He had blocked Leonor's strike with one hand, and in the same instant still had the strength to kill one of his comrades.
This was no ordinary hero. At the very least, he was a warrior on the same level as Ansbach.
Thoughts surged wildly through Leonor's mind, but he had no time to dwell on them.
At that moment, a Pureblood Knight clad in dark gold armor burst out from the shadows.
The knight moved with astonishing speed. In a blink, he had already closed in behind Nolan.
The dark gold armor was extremely light, built for agility. A dagger thrust straight toward the silver-haired knight's neck.
Nolan suddenly exerted force through his arm. With a casual swing, he sent the black-armored knight before him flying.
At the same time, his wrist twisted and his body turned with the motion.
The greatsword carved a sweeping arc through the air, cutting the leaping assassin cleanly in half.
Leonor rolled several times across the ground. When he saw his companion's body split apart, his heart sank.
This was clearly one of the top great heroes in the Lands Between. With only a handful of them here, there was no chance of defeating him.
Even escaping would be difficult.
A radiant torrent like a river of stars suddenly streaked across the pitch-black night sky, illuminating the darkness as if the whole world had been lit.
Leonor raised the heavy greatshield in his hands. A faint glow spread across its surface, as though some hidden power had been awakened.
Ash of War: Barricade Shield.
Every muscle in his body tensed as he poured all his strength into holding the greatshield firmly before him.