Book 1 - Rising Star Chapter 84: Sacrifice

Sacrifice

Three of the Archeron guards were immediately sent flying. Each around level 5 or 6, they qualified to be adventurers in the mainland, but in front of the Joseph Family's guards who were level 8 to even level 10, they couldn't even stall for time. In the meanwhile, Warren acted crazy as he charged everywhere wildly, smashing everything. By the looks of it, those young nobles and the Joseph Family's guards did not dare get too rough. This actually meant Warren could hold on for a while, though he did have to endure quite a few kicks and punches.

The sense of danger grew increasingly evident to Richard. However, everything had happened far too suddenly. Even as he tried to retreat a guard darted out and sent a flying kick towards his ribs. This attack was powerful, obviously infused with a lot of energy, and was definitely capable of breaking a normal mage's ribs!

A hint of fury flashed in Richard's eyes, which quickly turned icy-cold. He silently took a step backwards, dodging the kick before he grabbed the guard's boot and applied force. The guard's ankles creaked, completely deforming. However, at that very moment the whistling wind sounded from behind Richard!

In a small forest not too far away, Senma was sitting lazily on a tree, her upper body leaning on the trunk as she dozed off. However, her dazed eyes suddenly opened, her charming face immediately filling up with dense bloodlust. She raised her slender blade with a cold hum, jumping off the tree in the direction of the battle.

However, the Blood Paladin came to a stop after but a single step, as if spacetime itself had been frozen in this place. A wizened man appeared out of nowhere at the tree trunk behind her, decked up entirely in a dark grey. Even behind his hood, his hair was the colour of dry grass, with a few strands sticking out messily from the sides. While his features could not be seen clearly from the shadows of the hood, those sinister eyes were exceptionally bright. There was a large bulge at the front of the cloak, with some sort of weapon pointing at the middle of Senma's back.

Senma remained completely immobile and slowly twisted her head, stating in a voice as cold as ice, "Poison Snake!"

The man let out a hoarse and unsettling chuckle, "Senma, my dearest, this is the third time we've met. We're familiar with each other by this point, so I'll cut the bullshit. You better give up on rushing over to save them. If you try to hurry this, you'll immediately face a serious injury. You might even lose your own life here, without saving anyone! That's why the most intelligent thing for you to do now is to slowly, I repeat slowly turn around. Don't do anything funny, or this lousy crossbow worth a few thousand gold coins is going to open a hole in your adorable tiny waist. Do you want to use that pretty and impractical armour you have and test out its strength? I'm actually very keen on shooting it at your buttocks, but that will have to wait until I'm done with the first arrow."

Senma didn't take another step forward. As expected she began to turn, slowly but surely. However, she was not infuriated by Poison Snake's provoking words and exclaimed icily, "Poison Snake, I know fully well how capable you are. Once I turn around, it won't be so easy for you to escape. Don't assume that I don't have the guts to kill anyone in Faust!"

Poison Snake licked his lips and let out a giggle, "There's actually no need for us to make such a ruckus, no? Young master Faulk finally grabbed this chance to discipline your family's Warren, who doesn't know any better. Actually, Warren doesn't have any status in the Archeron Family, so why get so serious? Besides, the most you can do is seriously injure me, but you can't kill me. I'm confident that I can run to the church, and I'm sure you won't have the guts to kill someone in front of the church's guards. If you really want to attack me then, the famed Blood Paladin will be accompanying me in death, so that's still a profit."

Senma's expression became increasingly cold as she answered, "No matter how useless Warren is, he is still one of the Archerons. It's not up to you to dishonour him. I'm giving you one last chance. If you don't disappear in three seconds, this world will no longer have a Poison Snake."

"Is this a real threat, or are you just talking big? Let me help you count down!"

Poison Snake obviously thought nothing of Senma's threats, leaving the situation at a standstill. Meanwhile, the results of the fight at the street corner had grown clear. As expected, the Joseph Family's superior numbers and strength had won out.

The four Archeron guards were all on the floor, unable to get up. Even the one who'd run away to send word had been intercepted. The young nobles had surrounded them, kicking them mercilessly every once in a while as they called them names. On the other side, Warren had also been kicked to the ground and was being pressed to the ground by a guard. However, nobody dared kick him.

In the world of aristocracy, punches and kicks were just part of a fight. However, if one of the parties had lost the ability to fight back but the other still continued to attack, that was instead humiliation. These young nobles came from Faust itself, not any of the islands, and were mere vassals of the Joseph Family at best. Warren and Faulk were of similar status; if they dared cross the line, although the former might not be able to take down the latter he would still be able to take care of them. Their families definitely wouldn't come in his way. Although it was an old adage to look at a dog's owner before beating it, smart dogs had to learn not to attack everything in sight.

Richard was laid down on the ground as well, but the difference was that there were two guards holding him down. Two more from the Joseph Family were on the ground next to him, one cradling his right foot that had bent at an unnatural angle while the other was hugging his kneecap, pale from the pain.

Of the two, Richard had broken the ankle of the first when he'd thrown a flying kick his way. The second had tried to knee him, in reply to which he'd smashed the man's kneecap with a piece of ore he carried on him at all times. Richard had actually gained the upper hand after using Eruption, and his underworld skills allowed him to precisely target key weaknesses in his opponents' defense. However, when it came down to it, he was a mage and not a high-levelled warrior, which was why he had not been able to dodge the surprise attack from behind him. A third guard had mercilessly pounded the back of his head, and he had fallen down and was pressed to the ground.

Richard was now suffering badly, and the immense pain was making things go dark in front of his eyes. If not for the impressive physique he'd acquired at the Deepblue, that one full-strength punch alone would have been enough to knock him unconscious. The damage to his critical faculties could cause lasting damage that would affect his future as a mage, an injury that could only be healed by powerful clerics. Besides the head, Richard's arms and body were filled with an acute pain, and his shoulder was hurting so much that it seemed on the verge of separating from his body. His face was pressed to the ice-cold stone ground, and the only view he had of what was going on came from his right eye.

Great shock and humiliation flooded Richard's mind. All of the blood rose to his head, and he was on the verge of boiling from it. Mere guards were holding him down in such a humiliating pose, and they were gutsy enough to not lighten their attacks! For every second that he was held down, Richard felt like he'd been given another slap in public.

Everything had happened very quickly. Less than two minutes had passed from the beginning of the conflict to the current situation. Richard lost his calm, releasing an animalistic howl. Using all his strength, his upper body actually began to move up!

One of the guards holding him down was sent flying, as he had been caught unprepared. The other had rather quick reflexes, and used another arm to hold onto Richard's waist. However, the great power Richard had burst forth with caused him to sway, and it seemed like he would release his grasp.

The guard who'd been holding Warren down immediately used his strength and charged over, throwing a precise kick at Richard's back that caused him to crash down again, smashing head first into the stone floor. Blood immediately flowed from his forehead.

There was now a fair number of people watching by the road at this point, but after seeing the family emblem of the Josephs and Archerons, nobody dared come closer. Seeing the blood flowing from Richard, many exclaimed in shock. Richard was obviously wearing the colours of nobility; he was no guard!

Faulk only seemed to notice Richard now, walking over, "Who's this kid? Why haven't I seen him before?"

Richard somehow lifted his head, but just as he wanted to speak, Faulk used his foot and stepped on his head, forcing his face back to the ground!