Chapter 317: My Father Is Everywhere (6)
The elite troops led by Duke Kundeline crossed the mountain range in the blink of an eye and entered Sefira’s territory. No matter how lax the watchout had become, a border was still a border. There was a fortress, and thirty sentries were standing guard with eyes wide open.
Since this was not a prearranged visit, lighting signal fires or beating war drums to warn of an enemy incursion would have been the proper response. Yet for some reason, there were no signal fires or thunderous drums.
“This can’t even be called a sentry,” muttered one member of the Black Serpent Unit as he looked down at the arrow lodged in his shoulder.
It wasn’t a fatal wound, but he could no longer move his arm. If he did, the muscles and nerves bunched in his shoulder would be torn apart.
“No matter how much the captain forbade killing... to be taken down by an arrow of all things.”
The Black Serpent Unit was Kundeline’s shadows. They were all Master-class warriors individually, and seven of them had moved together to neutralize Sefira’s fortress. Yet, in the process, three had been wounded. That alone was a blow to their pride.
“I thought bows were the weapons of the weak.”
The Black Serpent Unit had wondered why Kundeline held Sefira, the Masters of Archery, in such high regard. But after fighting Sefira’s knights firsthand, their thoughts changed immediately. Kundeline’s judgment had been correct—archery was far more threatening than they had imagined.
“I’d like to face them properly someday.”
Kundeline’s true goal was to demonstrate overwhelming force to Sefira by Adeusian standards. But there could be no killing in the process. True, absolute strength was proven not by killing the opponent, but by sparing them. And so, Kundeline’s three thousand troops continued advancing, disabling Sefira’s fortresses as they went.
When they finally reached a point where the main estate came into view, they encountered forces waiting for them. The force consisted of around three hundred people, which was less than half of Kundeline’s troops. They were mercenaries employed by Sefira.
“How dare you block our path? Do you know who we are?!” shouted the Desert Freak Troopers at the mercenaries blocking their path.