Chapter 85: The Price of Power

A momentary silence descended.

No roar, no shouts—heaven and earth fell into a solemn hush, and all those on the ground remained silent.

The incredibly sharp edge had descended just moments before.

As the sword light, imbued with seven elements, permeated the air, the countless skeletal remains that had once blotted out the sky vanished into dust and ashes the very next instant.

This process was unlike a raging inferno consuming a forest; there was no violent struggle. Instead, the obstacles before them simply disintegrated, swept away with overwhelming force.

After breaking through the blockade, the blinding light that had hovered in the air suddenly shimmered with an orange-red glow, as crimson as a dying sunset.

You’s body remained rooted to the spot. Having unleashed his ultimate strike, he was left incredibly weak, unable even to perform a basic dodge.

Thus, as the sword-generated storm swept past, a spray of blood erupted from You’s front. His chest was suddenly a mangled mess of flesh and blood, a piece of skin and muscle tearing away.

Once the elemental damage extensively invaded his body, You’s physical form suffered even further.

No sounds echoed nearby, only the incessant rustle of countless dust particles falling.

A few drops of blood mingled within, tinging the dust with a vivid crimson hue.

The gash carved by the sword light stretched from You’s right shoulder down to his ribs. Although not deeply cut, it had severely wounded his body.

“Pah!”

You spat out a mouthful of blood. The moment his body bent over, his ‘Monarch-tier’ aura grew faint, and his power level rapidly plummeted.

Monarch-tier → Quasi-Monarch-tier → Life-Slayer → Army-Breaker.

He consecutively fell back three tiers.

Now, You could barely maintain the strength of a Monarch-tier expert; he was even weaker than his initial rank at the start of the war!

At this point, the outcome was beyond doubt.

Even though You had sacrificed the lives of numerous soldiers and entrapped several Legion Commanders, granting himself the power to confront Wang in single combat, he was unaware that power gained through illegitimate means would ultimately be as fleeting as a reflection in water, unable to twist reality!

“Damn it…”

You extended an arm, wiping away the conspicuous streak of blood from the corner of his mouth, and squeezed out a reluctant sound from deep within his throat.

Wang offered no words to him, merely stepping forward immediately. As she advanced, she raised her right hand high, her longsword poised to be lifted above her head at any moment.

Like an executioner, her cold gaze swept indifferently over the hunched figure before her.

Simultaneously, the sword was deliberately raised, its sharp edge twisting before thrusting out violently!

Pfft!

Fresh crimson liquid flowed across the slender blade’s surface. The penetrating sword had previously pierced flesh, accurately claiming its target’s life.

Wang tilted her head, her eyes narrowed into a dangerous slit. Her words, carried by the warmth of her breath, drifted out:

“No wonder I felt something was amiss, always sensing a fluctuating killing intent around me… So, you were also among those trying to kill me!”

Wang’s words were directed at the assassin behind her.

The unfortunate soul, whose vital point had been pierced, quickly lost its life force before hearing a single word, and the magic concealing its presence dissipated.

Indeed, the person Wang had just killed was not You, but a black-clad assassin who had silently circled behind her.

Had the longsword not turned in time, it was likely Wang would have lost her life before You could even be pierced by the blade.

The fallen individual was You’s secret bodyguard.

Whether in war or peacetime, assassins would employ ‘invisibility’ magic, lurking like shadows around their master.

If needed, these assassins would undertake important missions, such as reconnaissance.

Sometimes, as just now, they would protect their master through indirect support via sneak attacks.

The reason Wang only now discovered the assassin was because she was not proficient in magic. Against enemies hidden by spells, Wang could only rely on sensing killing intent to deal with such troublesome opponents.

Now that the lurking threat was eliminated, the longsword could finally, before its wielder’s stamina gave out, lock its life-claiming sharpness onto the weakening You.

There was no time to wait; the sword immediately swung down.

Clang!

Just before impact, the sword was struck by flowing ‘air’.

The blade’s edge was slightly deflected, grazing You’s face as it passed swiftly, then plunged violently into the ground.

The sudden anomaly sparked immediate vigilance.

By reflex, Wang pulled back her sword.

The next instant, the spot where she had stood was cross-slashed by blades attacking from left and right, sending chunks of earth and shattered rock flying high.

The rising earth, as it soared into the air, momentarily obscured the high-hanging sun.

As if a leaf had blocked her vision, the light around Wang inevitably dimmed.

From the darkening battlefield, a dense volley of weapons, numbering in the dozens, suddenly thrust out.

The black-clad assassins revealed themselves, each emanating a genuine ‘Army-Breaker’ tier power fluctuation.

Ordinarily, even twice their number would not have posed an obstacle to Wang.

But this was no ordinary time. Wang had endured a series of fierce battles; her condition was deteriorating, and her strength was less than a tenth of her peak.

Perhaps it was precisely because they perceived their target’s weakened state that the assassins emerged one after another.

The assassins’ true value could only be assessed by their master.

Originally, You didn’t hold these individuals in high regard. Even when he brought them to war, it was merely to assign them intelligence-gathering missions.

Indeed, on the day Wang entered the village and forcibly took Cai, the ‘air’ that reported the military situation to You was these very ‘invisibles’.

On that day, You had held little expectation for these assassins who also served as ‘bodyguards’.

His impression changed the moment they saved his life.

You’s joy was naturally immense!

He had never imagined that these subordinates, possessing only ‘Army-Breaker’ tier strength, could prove useful against such a powerful opponent.

“Consider this ‘waste utilization.’ You who are fighting nearby, listen well. I am about to issue my final command!”

The black-clad assassins were absolutely obedient to You, their loyalty akin to that of fanatical devotees.

All of the assassins were individuals who had lost everything in the war. They held no hope for life, having survived as wanderers before You took them in.

Long ago, You had sought out useful ‘pawns’ everywhere. He would bring promising individuals he encountered back to the army, indoctrinating them with a near-brainwashing approach, personally teaching them life-for-life combat techniques.

These individuals possessed no personal will, like flesh-and-blood puppets. Even if You ordered them to die, not a single assassin would hesitate to comply.

This description was no exaggeration, for shortly thereafter, the assassins’ master retreated to a safe zone and then sharply commanded:

“Die for me, and remember to drag one down with you before you fall… Archers, fire!”

The nation’s archers, waiting in the distance, finally had no chance to see the drama to its end, moving in unison at You’s command.

Bowstrings were drawn to a ‘half-moon’ tension, metal arrows nocked. In the instant the strings hummed softly, they were shot forth.

On the battlefield, where the arrow rain was about to descend, the assassins still had no intention of retreating.

They surrounded Wang, one by one, using their lives to entangle their target in this death trap.

By now, only two assassins remained.

One of them, despite having been run through by a sword, still raised their blade, hacking back towards Wang.

The ferocity of the attack brought to mind the phrase ‘trading life for life’.

In response, Wang abruptly brought her sword horizontally before her, blocking the incoming slash.

Then, she bent her body, controlling the blade to strike outwards. This immediate reaction was incredibly clever, and the angle of the sword’s sweep was exceptionally tricky, cutting down that assassin in the blink of an eye.

Only one assassin remained. This individual, risking their life, hooked a foot and fiercely kicked a large stone, dislodged by the crumbling ground, directly forward.

The large stone whistled through the air, aimed at Wang’s head, which was not far away.

Wang twisted her wrist, raising her sword to block the incoming stone. Using her weapon instead of her fist, she retaliated with force, sending the large stone flying back.

The stone, returning along its original path, struck the assassin squarely in the chest. Wang’s sword then descended, landing on their shoulder.

Before their body could be cut in two, the assassin did not abandon their mission. They dropped their weapon, using both hands to press against the sword, recklessly delaying for a few more seconds.

Once the final obstacle was cleared, Wang realized she could no longer move.

An inescapable rain of arrows densely covered her. Wang desperately twisted her body and swung her sword repeatedly, yet some still slipped through.

Puff, puff, puff, puff, puff!

Five arrows struck her, creating several new bloody holes in Wang’s body.

No sooner had she pulled out these arrows than more sharp shafts came flying in succession.

Under continuous mortal threat, Wang did not pause for a moment, darting like a cunning rabbit towards the edge of the battlefield.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Innumerable sharp arrows whistled past, barely grazing her scarred body.

Her movements were swift, and her forward lunge carried immense force, propelling her several meters through the air. Upon landing, she didn’t stop, continuing to rush forward.

When there was no longer any space to evade, she pressed one knee to the ground, swinging her sword alone, a seemingly endless flurry of rapid movements.

Within a mere five minutes, nearly a third of the countless arrows, enough to cover the battlefield in a layer, were mercilessly broken, and the rest failed to hit their mark.

Aside from the initial five arrows, Wang had not been hit by a single arrow afterward, acquiring no new wounds on her body.

Yet, the battle had to end.

Her body was almost drained of blood; no matter how violent her movements, no new blood spilled onto the ground.

The flesh that contained such terrifying power had been overexerted, pushed to and beyond its limits, only to finally come to a standstill.

Her body was completely immobile; precise evasion was out of the question. You felt victory was at hand and waved his hand, issuing the same command again:

“Fire!”

There was no response, not even after several repetitions.

In his anger, You looked toward the soldiers and quickly received his answer:

It wasn’t that his subordinates were disobeying orders, but that they were unable to carry them out, because:

“The arrows are all used up, not even a single reserve arrow remains!”

The emboldened general reported the grim news to You. The latter was greatly enraged by this, though not for long.

Then, You paused, a twisted, sinister smile spreading across his lips.

“It doesn’t matter. The Demon Leader has no power left to resist. The entire army, surround her! Whether it costs a thousand men or ten thousand, she must be killed!”

Upon receiving the order, tens of thousands of soldiers formed ranks and closed in, encircling their sole target, layer upon layer.

Watching the endless tide of people, Wang felt her efforts were in vain, perhaps destined from the very beginning.

Though individuals capable of ending an entire war alone existed in the world, even such a person, even she herself, could not always conclude everything when alone.

“But it doesn’t matter anymore.”

Wang had no lingering worries. She naturally lifted her head, murmuring to herself:

“As long as everyone is saved, everything I’ve done has value. Everyone, Little Eagle, and you silly woman, farewell…”

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

The battlefield, which should have been entering its final moments, inexplicably roared to life once more.

The soldiers turned back in astonishment, but the dense figures in front of them obscured their view of the distance.

Though they couldn’t see, shouts carried from afar.

These were not meant for the executioners to hear; the content made that clear.

The shouts that reached that person’s ears were filled with apology, overflowing with a distinct personal style:

“Better late than never! My Lady, I cannot recall your name, but I have come nonetheless. Have you grown impatient waiting?”

📚 Also on NHV Novels

What Should I Do When Girls Keep Trying to Win Me Over After Rebirth?

CampusRomanceHaremlove

Read Now →
Not interested