The setting sun was a particularly deep red today, draping the clouds above and the road below in a crimson veil.
But that crimson paled in comparison to the color of the blood flowing freely on the ground.
A slaughter was underway on the main road through this wilderness. An accompanying carriage had been cleaved in two, and the bodies of horses and Guards lay scattered everywhere, blood pooling around them.
On one side of the road, three sturdy Knights were locked in combat. A Knight with a blue lake crest tattooed on his right arm was fighting two others. He was barely holding on, but it was clear he wouldn't last much longer.
"My Lady, take the Young Master and run! Go now!" the Knight roared.
Behind a carriage, a pale-faced young man lay on the ground, his arm bleeding. A girl at his side was struggling to pull him away, trying to escape.
But it was clear she had twisted her ankle. Escaping with the young man on her own strength was obviously impossible.
Just then, another figure slowly approached. He carried a Longsword, its blade dripping with blood.
"Heh heh, trying to run?"
The man's voice was raspy. "Let me help you escape... to Hell!"
With this death sentence, the man raised his Longsword.
The girl's face was ashen. She was frozen in fear.
"Damn you! How dare you try to assassinate the bloodline of the Green Clan!" the embattled Knight roared, his fury helpless.
He was completely tied down. After the girl and the young master were killed, he would be next.
SWOOSH!
Just as the man raised his sword, an Inferior Longsword flew through the air like an Arrow, aimed straight for his throat.
'Someone's here?' The man was startled. He immediately abandoned his attack on the girl, twisting to the side to dodge the projectile.
SWOOSH!
Another Longsword sliced through the air, forcing the man to back away from the girl.
CLIP-CLOP, CLIP-CLOP, CLIP-CLOP...
Two warhorses arrived one after the other. It was none other than Ronin and his Knight, Macken.
Ronin hadn't wanted to get involved, but he figured any enemies on a road like this couldn't be too powerful.
So, after sending Macken ahead to scout and confirm the situation, they had rushed over.
Ronin wasn't about to miss an opportunity to rescue someone and curry favor with nobles.
"Honorable Knights, please lend us your aid! The Green Clan will reward you handsomely!"
the fighting Knight yelled. But in his moment of distraction, a sword slashed across his arm.
"Macken, go help that Knight," Ronin ordered.
"Yes, My Lord!"
Macken leaped from his horse, drew his Longsword, and charged forward with his Shield.
But just then, the man who had been about to strike threw his Longsword aside. He pressed his palms together, then quickly pulled them apart.
Ronin saw elemental energy gathering between the man's palms, forming a blade of Wind Power in the blink of an eye.
"Watch out, he's a Mage!" the girl managed to cry out as a warning.
SWISH!
The Wind Blade shot forward, so fast that it gave Ronin goosebumps.
"Macken, look out!"
But there was no need for a warning. Macken had already stopped in his tracks. He plunged his sword into the ground, and his Fighting Qi surged down the blade into the earth.
An Earth Wall erupted from the ground in front of him.
BOOM!
The Wind Blade slammed into the Earth Wall, slicing it cleanly in two and continuing toward Macken with its remaining force!
Macken had already raised his Shield to receive the blow.
Fortunately, the Wind Blade had been weakened. Its remaining force wasn't very destructive, and after it struck the Shield, Macken only had to take a single small step back to block it completely.
"An Intermediate Knight?"
The Mage's expression changed. "Fall back!"
Seeing the tide turn, he didn't hesitate. He immediately retreated, abandoning the two Knights still locked in fierce combat.
But Ronin had no intention of letting him get away.
'A Mage... such a rare find. And a Wind Attribute Mage at that, a perfect match for my own Attribute.'
"Macken, you handle the Mage! Don't let him escape!"
"And I want him alive!"
"Your will, my Longsword!"
Without a hint of fear, Macken charged forward without a second thought.
Meanwhile, Ronin spurred his horse into a gallop, charging toward the Knights locked in combat.
"Assassinating a noble in Wushan Territory... what power do you serve?"
He swept his Longsword, backed by the momentum of his charging warhorse. One of the two enemy Knights had to leap out to block the blow.
But the immense Power of the collision sent the man's sword flying from his grasp.
Ronin was now a Late-stage Basic Level Knight with a progress of 95/100. His Power was far greater than that of the Basic Level Knight before him.
Combined with the enhancement from his warhorse, it was far more than his opponent could handle.
He reined in his warhorse, wheeled it around, and charged again. The Knight who had lost his Longsword had no intention of fighting back; he turned to flee into the woods to escape his pursuer.
But as fast as he was, he was no match for the speed of Ronin's fine-quality warhorse.
SLICE!
Ronin caught up from behind and, with a single horizontal slash, sliced through the man's arm and the artery in his neck. Blood sprayed into the air.
["King of Slaughter" achievement unlocked: Attribute Points +30, Energy Essence +60]
As the fight on his end concluded, the Knight who had been on the defensive also finished off his opponent.
Now, only the battle between Macken and the Mage remained.
Ronin remained on his horse, watching from a distance.
A cyan Energy was currently flowing around the Mage's feet, and Ronin was surprised to find that it allowed the Mage's speed to match that of an Intermediate Knight.
Unfortunately for him, after he had fled some distance, the Energy around his feet vanished—perhaps due to a lack of Magic Power—and his speed dropped sharply.
Even though he had made it into the woods, Macken quickly caught up, kicked him from behind, and sent him sprawling to the ground.
"I'd advise you not to struggle. It'll be less painful for you that way!"
Macken followed up with two solid punches—CRACK! CRACK!—that broke two of the man's ribs. He then grabbed the man by the collar at the nape of his neck and dragged him back down the hill.
He tossed the Mage in front of Ronin as if he were a kitten, then placed his Longsword against the man's neck.
Ronin sheathed his Longsword and, holding his reins, looked down from his horse. "Who are you? Why were you trying to assassinate members of the Green Clan?"
"Hmph!"
The Mage snorted. "If the first fight hadn't used up so much of my Magic Power, you never would have caught me!"
Macken pressed the edge of his blade against the man's skin. "Watch your tone, prisoner!" he barked.
"They must be assassins from the Skull Society."
The wounded Knight walked over and bowed to Ronin and Macken.
"Thank you both for your assistance. The Green Clan will remember this debt of gratitude!"
Ronin gave a slight nod. "Go and see to your young master and lady. I believe they're injured."
Hearing this, the Knight dared not delay and hurried over to the carriage.
"The Seven Gods be praised! Young Master, the Wind Blade only cut the flesh; it didn't harm bone or sinew. My Lady, your ankle is twisted. You won't be able to move for a while."
Ronin turned his attention from the members of the Green Clan. This captive was going to be the biggest prize of the day.
"Chahar, bring a few Guards over here!"
Chahar, who had been observing from a distance, heard Ronin's call and waved five Guards over at a run.
"My Lord, your orders!"
Ronin pointed at the Mage on the ground. "Chahar, go see what help the young master and lady over there need."
"Guards, restrain this man. Macken, you search him. See if he's carrying any important intelligence."
Of course, the part about intelligence was just a pretense. What Ronin really wanted to know was whether the man had a Magic Book on him—or, failing that, any money.