Chapter 817

Chapter 56: Appearance

Boom boom boom boom boom!

The thunder continued to rumble, but the female swordsman nearby was completely indifferent about exposing her appearance. She seemed intent on silencing everyone, and the merciless slaughter unfolded under the night sky. Amidst the intertwining lightning, blood and severed limbs splattered everywhere. The knights fell one by one, struck down by the surging electric arcs.

Overwhelming power and agility rendered the knights of the Second Order unable to retaliate. They were disemboweled or beheaded, fleeing in disarray under fierce pursuit. The entire clash lasted no more than half a minute, with fewer than half of the knights left standing on the open ground.

“Hold the cargo—”

“Don’t run! Running is just death!”

In the chaos, a knight at the rear shouted loudly, seemingly a knight captain. He was immediately struck down by an electric wave, falling alongside others. The cloaked female swordsman continued her frenzied attacks, while the women and children had already fled into the night.

What should I do?

I watched the scene, hearing the cries and roars, my gaze flickering with the flashes of fire and lightning. My heart wavered with indecision.

Given the sudden situation, I couldn’t discern the cause, but I knew there must be more complex reasons behind it.

Regardless of whether she was a Papal Knight, the female swordsman was undoubtedly affiliated with the Church, at least once obeying Angel’s orders. Yet, she launched a ruthless assault on the knights of the Second Order, cutting them down like wheat stalks with nearly genocidal ferocity.

Is this civil war?

Could Angel be purging someone internally?

But why so extreme? What happened within the Church during my absence? Didn’t Cardinal Saint George fall from grace? Could the Second Order have turned against the Church too?

Or was it because of those goods?

As my thoughts raced, my gaze shifted from the female swordsman enveloped in lightning to the restless rhinos nearby. The two wagons were there, their draft rhinos now free from their long stakes. Several terrified knights attempted to climb onto the rhino backs, trying to escape with the cargo.

However, these rhinos were clearly not trained war beasts. Panicked, they refused to obey and struggled upon release, throwing off one knight before jumping and breaking free, dragging the wagons into chaotic flight.

In the next moment, lightning flashed, and the female swordsman vanished between the fallen knights, soaring above the wagons in an instant.

Her small figure flipped in mid-air before swinging her sword downward. The knights hastily defended, but before their swords could rise, the lightning struck—

Boom!

Blinding lightning spread wildly through the air, like countless electric snakes. In the brilliant light, several knights’ hair and faces ignited instantly. They opened their mouths but made no sound, collapsing backward like wooden statues.

The scattered electricity set ablaze the surrounding dry grass, climbing up the wagons. The white cloth covering the cargo boxes caught fire, spreading to the wooden crates. Soon, a large fire engulfed the wagons.

“Damn it!”

“She destroyed the wagons!!”

“We can’t stop her! Let’s go! Go—”

“Don’t throw your lives away here!”

On the other side, the tents around the open ground were also burning. The surviving knights dropped their longswords and fled in screams.

Yet, they couldn’t escape this place.

The female swordsman showed no intention of sparing the knights. Ignoring the burning wagons, she transformed into lightning, chasing down the fleeing knights in the dark night.

The process was swift, breathtakingly so. Within seconds, the knights were struck by lightning arcs from behind and fell, their charred bodies emitting a pungent smell. Even from dozens of meters away, I could sense the deathly aura akin to a battlefield.

The battle concluded before I could make up my mind. They were all dead…

The female swordsman shook her cloak, which remained spotless amidst the burnt and still-burning corpses. She sheathed her sword in the firelight, seemingly lost in thought for a moment, then turned to look in the direction the refugees had fled.

Sigh—

In the darkness, I exhaled deeply. How could she—

She didn’t just kill the knights but also intends to attack the refugees? If that’s the case—

You will die today.

Clang—

Suddenly, one of the burning wagons collapsed, sending blackened wheels flying in all directions. Then came the clinking sound of metal hitting the ground.

Oh—

I saw the so-called ‘cargo’ scattered amidst the flames. It was gold coins—

Gleaming gold coins, all of them.

Even as the blazing flames licked at the coins, they retained their dazzling luster. Two seconds later, another explosion, and the second wagon crumbled, scattering more gold coins.

Two full wagons of gold coins, countless in number, dizzying to the eye and heart-pounding. For a moment, even I felt the urge to pick some up.

At least, with money, I could buy more delicious food—

These knights were transporting full loads of gold coins, pure Valen currency, perhaps destined for Silence Castle?

I almost couldn’t contain myself, rising again. By now, I had completely forgotten about the salt. Subconsciously, my gaze shifted to the lone, small figure standing in the flames.

Enough gold to drive anyone mad, yet the small female swordsman showed no interest, merely glancing indifferently. Then, she lifted her foot, seemingly ready to leave.

She wasn’t here to intercept the goods—

But her direction of departure—

Was exactly where the women and children had fled. “Ha.”

Is she planning to exterminate everyone? Angel,

do you know what you’re doing?

Moonwalk.

Crouching slightly, I pivoted, pulling out the fox mask and placing it on my face. In the next second, the rock beneath me shattered explosively, a gale rushing past my ears. The scene blurred momentarily, and when I stopped, I had crossed the flames, blocking the path of the small cloaked figure.

Since there are no more knights—

I can appear in front of her without hesitation. Clang!

Her reaction was extremely quick. Hearing the wind, she leaped back, drew her sword, and distanced herself from me in one fluid motion. She did not put on her hood nor rush to attack, holding her sword tightly. Her fair face was filled with shock, surprise, and intense wariness, her eyes fixed on my face.

Then, she slowly spoke.

“Hawk.”

“What?”

I intended to play cat and mouse with her, leading her away to save the refugees and the forest rangers who might return. But her first words after seeing me confused me.

Hawk?

What does she mean by calling me a hawk?

Do I look like one of them? Wait a moment.

From afar, she appeared particularly short, despite her sharp skills, making her seem ridiculous among the knights. At least, that’s how I perceived it, taking it as a mocking point.

But up close—

She seems taller than me.

Unpleasant to look at.

—

End of Chapter