Chapter 700: The Assassins Reveal Themselves

Three days earlier, Peace Haven's military and administrative leaders gathered for a meeting. Rawkins said, "All right. Chick has sent word back. Dilio in western Lumir isn't going to sit back and wait for death. His people have agreed to work with us and will begin putting strategic pressure on Obilian. Lumir's troops have withdrawn as well, and Ogiro is starting to panic. Ika is still wavering, but its resolve is clearly weakening."

The legion commanders immediately requested permission to reinforce Henwell, but Rawkins refused them all.

He then issued an order. "Every unit is to hold its defensive sector and guard against a surprise attack. The First and Second Garrison Legions and the First Cavalry Legion will head north immediately to reinforce Cellarwine City, with Dominic serving as commander-in-chief of the relief force. The Cavalry Patrol Legion will redeploy north and put strategic pressure on the kingdom's Southwest Governor's Office."

Victor, the administrator, rose to his feet. "The Administrative Office approves the military plan. All supplies are ready. You may depart at any time."

Victor then brought up another matter. "Should we inform my lord?"

Rawkins shook his head. "There is no need. The kingdom's noble system is still functioning, and those rules won't be broken in the short term. If they truly dare to act, that will change the nature of the matter entirely."

"Don't forget, my lord rules Blood Hill and is a top-tier extraordinary professional in his own right. If anyone truly makes a move against him, he can simply kill whoever is responsible."

"He also has a sizable escort made up of elite Lord Iron Guards. That gives the reinforcements heading north sufficient justification, even if that reason is only for appearances."

"By now, many people have already begun to waver. Sometimes all they need is a face-saving way out, and they will change sides at once."

"What worries me most is my lord's situation. From what we can see now, this is not a plot against Arius. It is a trap meant to kill my lord."

Victor replied, "My lord has faced many desperate situations to reach this point. This situation is dangerous, but it is not the worst he has ever faced."

"If we can see what is happening, then my lord must understand it as well. Since he still has not changed his plan, he must have made preparations of his own."

"All we can do now is guard Peace Haven for him and ensure that nothing here is lost."

Henwell, still fighting through a blood-soaked battlefield, has no idea that three elite Peace Haven legions have already been dispatched north to reinforce him.

Moments ago, a bone-deep chill swept through him.

He cannot determine where the threat is coming from, so he can only stay on high alert.

In an inconspicuous corner of the battlefield, a man is cradling a weapon that resembles a sniper rifle and aiming it at Henwell from afar.

The weapon is two meters long. Its barrel consists of two metal rails with a gap two fingers wide between them, open both above and below.

It has no scope, no magazine, and no trigger.

It only resembles a rifle. The extraordinary runes covering it mark it as an extraordinary weapon.

Stranger still, soldiers constantly pass the man amid the chaos, yet none of them seem able to see him.

He is not positioned on high ground, either. A great many soldiers stand between him and Henwell, completely blocking his line of fire.

Most peculiar of all, he has not opened his eyes once. He keeps them closed as he aims at Henwell.

A voice sounds beside him. "Steve, they've sent the signal. They want us to act now!"

The man named Steve shakes his head. "I can't. I can't lock onto him. I can only faintly sense his general position."

"The target is powerful, and we will only get one chance. If we miss, he will hide himself immediately. Finding another opening after that will be difficult."

The other voice says, "Then we'll wait. They aren't our employers anyway."

Steve sighs. "I'm afraid we can't. We have already delayed for too long. This is a joint operation between the Holy Spirit Church and the Veil of the Old Gods."

"This man must be extremely important, or those two sides would never cooperate so readily. Neither side is willing to wait any longer. If we still refuse to act, we may be driven out, and then we will never have another chance to complete our plan."

The other voice says, "Then I'll go over and guide you to his position. If possible, I'll leave a trace on him. Take the shot when you see the opening."

Steve hesitates briefly. "All right. Alex, be careful. He is truly powerful. I have never encountered anyone like him."

"Anyone capable of evading my Fate Sight is no ordinary opponent. You only need to find an opening and leave a trace on him."

"Once you do, I will lock onto him directly through the bond between us. The fatal strike will travel along the Fate Rail and land directly on his body."

"If that first strike does not kill him, run as fast as you can."

Once Alex agrees, Steve's body gradually turns transparent and disappears into the air.

Henwell has driven back the mobile arrow towers and is once again charging through the kingdom's troops.

As his war spear sweeps through the soldiers before him, smashing apart a broad swath of their ranks, he suddenly senses something and twists aside.

A large crater abruptly appears in the ground.

Before he can see his attacker clearly, Henwell retreats sharply again, only to feel something tighten around his left foot.

A spiked flail has somehow coiled around his ankle.

An enormous force yanks him off his feet. Feeling the rush of an incoming blow, Henwell thrusts his war spear backward and strikes his opponent's weapon with perfect accuracy.

Henwell had aimed the thrust at his opponent's head, yet somehow it went wide.

Even so, it forces his attacker back.

As his opponent is knocked away, Henwell shakes the chain loose from his ankle.

The instant he lands, he swings his war spear in a Night Sweep of the Eight Directions and hurls the surrounding soldiers away.

Henwell is not trying to cut down a few more soldiers. The moment his feet touch the ground, his attacker comes at him again.

He clearly felt his opponent being knocked more than ten meters away, yet she appears beside him almost instantly and launches a fierce assault.

Henwell's war spear fails to hit her. While he is blocking, the flail curls around his back and slams into him.

The blow sends blood surging into Henwell's throat as extraordinary power reverberates through his chest and abdomen.

For a single blow to injure him despite the Nightwind Armor and his formidable physique, his opponent must be immensely powerful.

Henwell arrests his forward fall. He drives both feet into the ground, plants his war spear, and launches himself into the air.

In midair, he reverses the war spear, points its blade downward, and smashes it into the earth.

The ground caves in across a twenty-meter-wide circle centered on his landing point.

Several waves of razor-sharp energy burst from the spear blade and tear through the entire area.

Henwell rarely uses techniques that let so much power spill across a wide area, but today he has no choice if he wants to force this opponent away.

Only then does he get a clear look at his attacker.

Henwell studies her curiously, then beckons. "Shorty, come on. Let's see how you get close to me next time."

The woman across from him stands only 1.4 meters tall and wears her hair in two braids. At Henwell's taunt, she bares two small fangs.

With a warhammer in one hand and a flail in the other, she charges at him.