Chapter 23: Would You Like to Try My Arrow?

Shasta quickly shuttled through the forest with Gwivelle.

The forest riot was beyond her expectations.

Morry intended to use Roman Riptide's power to find Gwivelle, but she could not trust the nobles, none of the nobles could be trusted.

As early as six years ago, a witch had awakened in the Duke Split Armor Domain.

But by the time she received the news, it was already too late; the Church had reached her first and burned her yet-to-meet sister alive in public.

And the famous Duke Riptide turned a blind eye to it.

Since then, she had regarded the nobles and the Church as one and the same.

If the Church was the murderer, then the nobles and the King were accomplices.

She did not know Roman Riptide was in the mountains, but now that she had found her target, there was no need to stay here any longer; the priority was to leave this place quickly.

However, luck was not on her side; on the way of her retreat, Shasta encountered a massive mountain stag.

It burst from the brush, attacking Shasta and Gwivelle with its large, hard antlers.

Although Shasta dodged the attack, seeing the beast's strong desire to attack, she knew she had to kill this demon beast if she hoped to escape gracefully with Gwivelle.

Shasta placed Gwivelle in a safe spot and with a clattering sound drew the twin short swords from her waist.

Despite the stag's weight of around seven to eight hundred kilograms, its flesh and blood body could not withstand the sharp blades and the witch's magic; the massive stag quickly fell in a pool of blood, its throat severed.

Shasta quickly said, "Gwivelle, follow me."

The fight had made a great noise and had cost them much time; it was imperative to hurry.

But this gentle girl avoided Shasta's outstretched hand, continuously backing away and shaking her head, her voice thick with tears, "Just go quickly, don't stay with me, I will only bring you misfortune."

Shasta said sternly, "Good child, this is not your fault. We've all gone through similar phases—you will be able to control this power eventually."

Gwivelle said in agony, "But, I might end up killing you before that."

Shasta hesitated; she couldn't explain the situation now—why, when she was about to take Gwivelle away, did it result in the uproar of the demon beasts?

Was the power this child held truly so immense? Could it influence the beasts of the forest, driving them mad, swarming and gathering here?

If it really was so terrifying, she wasn't sure if she could ward off all the disasters brought about by Gwivelle.

"I know you're afraid, but there are many witches in the Witch Forest far stronger than I am, and with our numerous companions, there will always be a sister who can help you, suppress your power, Gwivelle, come on…"

Yet, Gwivelle's emotions collapsed.

She blurted incoherently, "I don't understand, what Witch Forest, what spells, what life outside, what bread, what not to be afraid of, I don't understand at all, and I'm not your sister, why did you come to the mountains to find me, why do you insist on taking me away…"

She was like a little mouse that had its tail stepped on, desperately trying to burrow back into its hole.

Everything Shasta had told her felt foreign and frightening to her; after facing two attacks from demon beasts, the tightly stretched strings in Gwivelle's mind finally snapped.

Shasta stared blankly at her for a while, then took a deep breath and resolutely said, "Even if I have to use force, I will take you away…"

Otherwise, she couldn't bear to think about Gwivelle's future—homeless and constantly under threat. If it were said that Gwivelle could have barely survived before, then her and Morry's arrival had already disrupted Gwivelle's original life, not to mention the biggest variable, Roman Riptide.

Once the fragile balance was broken, only death awaited Gwivelle.

Just then, accompanied by the rustling of the bushes, a figure with a serene face holding a round shield appeared, and he said,

"Then I'm afraid that's something you cannot do."

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...

"Found it..."

In another part of the dense forest, Dota knelt on one knee before a bush, looking at the broken dry twigs, the shifted leaves, and the crushed fallen leaves.

Dota stared at these traces.

An image of a crazed figure briskly passing through here flashed through his mind.

The man was anxious and nervous, constantly looking around, leaving clear traces.

"Can you really defeat the bandit Bo Ge?"

Dota turned his head to look at Green, who carried a heavy sword.

Green, also scanning the surroundings, still managed to smile, "I've heard of Bo Ge's legend; he might be a third or fourth rank Transcendent, and that was before I was born, which gives him another twenty years to grow. I hope by now he is strong enough to fight me."

Hearing Green's unabashed words, the corners of Dota's mouth began to twitch.

Green continued, "I'm not afraid of a one-on-one fight, but Bo Ge has far more experience in these mountains than I do, so I'm relying on you to help me avert potential dangers at this time."

He lacked experience in wilderness activities, and the unfamiliar environment would limit his abilities.

Having a hunter would help him minimize risks to the greatest extent.

Dota silently nodded, following Bo Ge's trail with Green.

...

"Kill the evil dragon! Kill you group of evil dragons! I will kill you all!!"

That ragged, staggering figure murmured.

The Demon Beasts he had drawn did not form a wave to tear Roman Riptide apart, but he would not easily give up.

"Only if the evil dragon dies... As long as the evil dragon dies..."

...

Shasta stared at the Conquest Knight before her and coldly said, "Move aside!"

Aaron said, "The Lord has ordered, no one is to leave!"

Shasta scoffed, "You can't stop me; you are so young. Are you a first rank Conquest Knight or a second rank? You're far from reaching your peak, I've killed Fifth Rank Conquest Knights!"

Aaron said expressionlessly, "You are strong, but you cannot defy the Lord's command; otherwise, we will act according to the law."

The Guard's iron-headed spears stood erect in the bushes, and the remaining hunters were also hidden all around.

Shasta said, "You can't stop me, you will die!"

Aaron shook his head, "I only follow the orders of Lord Roman."

Shasta grasped two blood-stained short swords in a backhand grip, crossing them in front of her chest, and thick black smoke steamed from the blades, giving off a strange and dangerous sensation.

"Then do you want to try my swords?"

As soon as she finished speaking, a sense of danger enveloped her entire body.

She looked up toward a higher terrain in the dense forest and, through the dim forest, she could faintly see a robust figure wielding a giant bow, with a gleaming arrow aimed straight at her.

"Then do you want to try my arrow?"

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