Masked Knight

When Rody entered his room, Sky’s lazy expression disappeared as he looked at Rody seriously. He slowly walked towards the corridor and smiled as he breathed in the cold night air.

“Boy, you are truly an interesting person... to have so many people stalking you all along the way.” He slowly closed his eyes as if he were listening to the sound of the wind. When he opened his eyes, he whispered. “Hm... One of them is that girl we met in the mountains. The other one is an interesting person. He seems to have been following us since we entered the city...”

Sky sighed as his smile faded. He then pursed his lips and said, “Who cares, I just want to watch your masquerade. I want to see how you continue playing that interesting impostor. As long as I get to watch undisturbed, everything will be fine.” After that, Sky slowly walked away.

Rody sat in his room and watched the flickering flames from the candles on the wall.

Frankly speaking, Rody did not want to stop and rest. If he could, he would immediately sprout a pair of wings and fly back to the Imperial Capital. However, even if he did not need to rest, his horses did. When he looked at his extremely exhausted subordinates, he had no choice but agree to their suggestion.

However, what could he do when he returned to the Imperial Capital?

To fight with the Emperor over a woman would be laughable. Even if his opponent was not the Emperor, what did he have that gave him the privilege? After all, at that moment, he was still Nicole’s ‘little brother’.

Rody stood in front of a mirror and looked at his handsome face, deep eyes and blonde hair. It would be a lie to say that Rody had never been secretly delighted at having this handsome appearance.

Rody was secretly delighted when his yin yang face suddenly became handsome. But at that moment, he really hated this face.

He hated the face that brought him countless power and glory. Even more so, he hated his identity.

I just want to be me! I do not want to be Seth! I do not want to be the Duke of the Tulip Family! I do not want to be... her little brother!” Rody thought as he forcefully rubbed his face. He rubbed his face in hope that his face would fall off...

After that, Rody thought of Nicole...

He remembered that night when he was at the stable of the Tulip Family mansion, He saw Nicole crying helplessly in the shed— a gentle, helpless, young girl; a girl carrying the burdens of her family...

There were those who said that once a person was caught in a relationship, it would be difficult to wake up.

Because of a word she said, Rody was able to take the arduous training. Day in day out, he was like a horse under the whip of Instructor Carter to cultivate himself. Day in day out, he had to study a variety of strange things from the detestable scholars.

Because of a word she said, Rody went to war without batting an eye. He was also able to draw his weapon and take the lives of his enemies.

Because of a word she said, Rody had transformed from a simple juvenile to a famous ’killer’ general.

However, that bastard Emperor! That bastard who should have died a thousand deaths!

I am at the frontline, shedding blood for the Empire and in the mountains dealing with monsters like Wuya. From the Northwest to the South, I have traveled thousands of miles and in exchange. This is my reward?

“Haha...” Rody gave a tragic laugh and there was a trace of malice in his eyes.

“I will not be weak,” Rody looked at himself in the mirror and spoke in a low voice. “I will not be weak! In the Northwest, ever since hundreds of my companions had sacrificed their lives in exchange for my safety, I am no longer the same person as before!”

“The Emperor? Hmm...” Rody slowly pulled out his sword. He ran his finger across the sharp blade edge, making a low crisp sound, and spoke in a cold voice, “I don’t care if it’s the Emperor or the Empire! If you want to take away my beloved, I will not hesitate to fight back, even if it’s me against the whole world! Even if it’s a heavenly god or beast, I vow to destroy him with my sword!”

Rody did not notice that when he was agitated and saying all that, the black dragon imprint on his left arm started to wriggle.

Dark quietly sat on the roof and looked at the moon in the sky as if he was meditating. He held his chin in his hands as he looked at the sky and gave a meaningful smile.

“How long do you plan on looking at me?” He suddenly sighed.

There was silence as if only the wind was replying.

Dark then stood up and stretched before he lightly said, “Go back. The wind is strong tonight, and the weather might change.” He paused for a moment before he slowly said again, “I do not know why you are following the Duke, and I do not know if your motives are the same as mine. However, I hope you do not have any ill intent. Whoever it is, for the next ten years, those who wish to harm the Duke would first need to do one thing.”

He walked on the long gutter on the roof and calmly said, “That is to walk over my dead body.”

After he said that, he slowly floated down from the roof like a leaf and disappeared into the night.

The silence of the night was restored for one moment before it was once again broken by an ear-piercing laughter. A hoarse voice, with a strange accent, shouting out an inexplicable song.

“The river frogs croaked noisily.

Croak! Croak! Croak! Oh, how frustrating for the Lord.

Gulp down with a mug of wine happily.

Croak! Croak! Croak! Oh, where did they go?”

That weird song was repeated over and over again and finally caused countless people to curse at him. The singer became more and more excited. He then started to sing louder and his tone got higher.

One of the servants in the inn had an embarrassed expression. He looked at Allier and bitterly said, “Boss... you see. Don’t know what’s wrong with that guy...so noisy... you see...”

Allier also showed a strange expression. He thought for a moment, then stomped his feet and spoke in a soft voice, “Ignore him! Let him be! I cannot stop him from making noise!”

Sky held a bottle of wine in his hand and drank another mouthful. After that, he shouted that verse and drank yet another mouthful. He heartily sang and loudly laughed.

“Fascinating! Damn fascinating! I have not done anything so fascinating for hundreds of years!” He then listened for a moment and said, “The two small toads have really run away... Looks like my casual singing has scared them away. Wait a minute...” Suddenly, in a flash, the fat body disappeared from his place.

That night, some clouds drifted and gradually covered the bright moonlight.

A row of black clothed figures appeared outside, near the low walls of the inn. They wore the same clothing. They had also wrapped their sharp swords in black cloth in case they reflect the light.

“Have you checked properly?” One of them whispered in a hoarse voice.

Another person from behind nodded his head.

The man who spoke nodded his head and lightly said, “Good! Master has given the order. The reward is ten thousand gold coins for beheading that boy! I don’t need to say more about the rest! He has only brought a few bodyguards with him. However powerful they are, there is still a limit! Don’t leave anyone alive. Kill all of them!”

That man from behind hesitated and asked, “Are you sure? We went all the way to the Purple Leaf City, but we achieved nothing. We never expected this boy to secretly return to the Imperial Capital... Shouldn’t we first report this to Master? If he secretly returned to the Imperial Capital, it is also a crime with a death sentence. Maybe we don’t even need to raise our hands! Let us first tell Master Simao and have him decide what to do.”

The first person who spoke looked back and gave an awe-inspiring gaze as he asked, “Are you afraid? The young boy of the Tulip Family is just a Grade 4 swordsman. Don’t tell me you are afraid?”

The person at the back replied coldly, “Afraid? Hmph. A Grade 4 swordsman is not even worth my attention. However, Master has given strict orders that we must not make mistakes in this matter. Regardless of what happens, we cannot expose our identities. Aren’t you afraid that you might cause trouble for Master?”

“Hey...” The person in front glared and continued, “The chance to gain merit is right in front of you. If you are afraid, then leave!”

After that, the man’s figure distorted and vanished in a puff of black smoke!

“Hmph... Damn fellow. Let’s see how you are going to fail! Idiot, does he really think this target is so easy to kill? I think that fatty beside him is suspicious!” That person behind whispered and sighed. The other people looked coldly at him before they walked through the wall.

If anyone were to see that, they would doubt their own eyes. Those figures did not jump over the wall nor used any other method. The green stone wall, in front of them, was like air to them. They casually walked up and went through the wall. Their bodies disappeared and reappeared on the other side.

That man then gave a wry smile after he saw his companions walk in. “A gang of people who do not know the difference between life and death... It takes a stupid leader to train stupid subordinates!” His eyes then glinted as he gave a cruel laugh. “Oh well, I might as well help you all. Leave that fatty to me. His flesh and blood look delicious.”

That man smiled and revealed his white teeth. After that, he raised his black cloak and disappeared into the night.

Two Wolf Fang bodyguards guarded downstairs, just below Rody’s room. Although it was in the middle of the night and they had been rushing for several days, they were still spirited and were on guard vigilantly.

Suddenly, one of them showed a serious expression and whispered to his companion, “Can you smell it?”

“Yes...” His companion seemed tense as he replied, “Seems like the smell of blood...”

Before he could finish his words, his eyeballs turned white and a clicking sound was heard. In the dark. A pair of hands had stretched out of thin air and snapped his neck. He then slowly collapsed next to the other guard.

However, before he died, he had completed his duty. He had forcefully flung out his scimitar as a last ditch effort.

“Clang!” The scimitar fiercely flew out and hit the ground. The others upstairs were immediately warned. More than a dozen voices then shouted simultaneously, “What happened?!”

There were rapid footsteps as a few Wolf Fang soldiers converged from different directions in the corridor. They gathered into groups of twos and threes and formed a triangular formation. Everyone held a scimitar and rushed to the front.

“Shoot!” Suddenly, a sound of something being shot could be heard in the dark. The shooting sound was uninterrupted. When the battle-hardened Wolf Fang soldiers heard that, they immediately realized they were in a bad situation. They then crouched and looked for shelter. Some hid behind the stone pillars on the corridor while others just laid down on the floor.

However, they did not expect that the things being shot out were not arrows. There were a few muffled popping sounds and then a few trails of black smoke shot over at unparalleled speed.

Those that tried to stay hidden could not protect themselves from the black smoke. The three Wolf Fang swordsmen that hid behind the pillars groaned and fell.

The captain of the bodyguards whispered, “The opponents are magicians! Be careful! ” He paused for a moment and then commanded, “Wolf Fang... Shoot!”

Although they did not have any bow and arrow, the remaining Wolf Fang warriors immediately stood up. They took their scimitars and flung them out. Several lights shot out as they flung their scimitars. As soon as their scimitars left their hands, they immediately raced from their positions.

They understood that ordinary soldiers could not defeat magicians. Their only chance was to get close to the magicians as they were all warriors.

Without a doubt, their training was strict and their tactics were correct. Unfortunately, their opponents were not normal magicians.

In the dark, those men in black clothes did not expect that their opponents would suddenly rush over. They had just dodged the scimitars but their opponents were already right in front of them.

The head of the black clothed men then stood up and whispered, “Good! You guys are skillful.” He revealed himself. He lifted his black cloak, revealing the blood red lining and turned up the high collars. His silhouette was like a black lightning as he then rushed ahead.

Before anyone could see what happened, the nearest Wolf Fang warrior cried out and fell down. In the dark, the air immediately reeked with a strong smell of blood... However, the lightning-like figure did not stop and continued to rush towards the next person.

The other black clothed figures also rushed forward. They were bare handed but they rushed at an incredible speed towards the Wolf Fang warriors. Miserable cries started to follow. The ordinary soldiers were like infants and could not defend against these mighty, black clothed figures.

The soldiers felt themselves come into contact with their opponents. However, before they could act, they felt a severe pain at their necks and lost consciousness.

As the uproar continued, the captain of the bodyguards immediately retreated and shouted, “Protect the His Excellency the Duke! Retreat!”

“Retreat? Too late...” A cold voice suddenly came from behind the captain. The captain’s expression changed, and he reacted extremely fast, immediately using a backhand wave.

“Clang!” There was a loud clash. He felt his sword slashed against something extremely hard and stopped there. The captain’s heart sank. He had always been confident of his strength. He had desperately used all of his strength in that attack. He was even confident of splitting a rock into two.

The captain’s hands felt a strange suction effect, then his strength inexplicably disappeared. He just had enough time to turn around and take a look. He noticed his sword was grabbed by a black hand and a pair of red eyes was looking at him. The figure then opened his mouth to reveal two sharp fangs ... to sink into his neck...

The captain was desperate and frightened. As he closed his eyes, he heard a light rustling sound.

That black figure beside the captain suddenly trembled and uttered a sharp, loud scream. A wolf fang arrow, with a burst of red light, had pierced through the figure. After a miserable cry, the figure disintegrated into a mass of black mist and disappeared.

A tall figure jumped onto the roof with a huge long bow, He grabbed some more wolf fang arrows from his back and started to shoot.

He was fast like lightning and had shot five arrows in one breathe. Besides that, four of his arrows had found their targets with the last one being avoided by an extremely quick black-clothed person. Those shot by the arrows screamed and disintegrated into masses of black mist and disappeared.

Dark saw that the black-clothed figures had started to react. They threw open their cloaks and stretching out their arms, began to fly towards him. Dark drew his sword and cried out, “Wolf Fang! Quickly! Protect the Duke. I will handle this!”