Kingdom’s Bloodline

ere was a fierce look on his face.
With his desert accent, he slowly enunciated every word.
The language Mickey chose was the lingua franca he was not used to speaking, and Thales had spent several days getting accustomed listening to it.

”They will start hunting each other…
and prey on their own kind. ”

Thales was stunned.

The Barren Bone man said coldly, ”The Bloody Thorn Lizard that survives the entire ordeal can only rely on feeding on the bodies of its companions to fill its stomach and survive through this treacherous situation where food is hard to get by. ”

Thales widened his eyes and looked carefully at the struggling Bloody Thorn Lizard.

’This is… ’

Louisa sighed.
”Killing each other and eating their own kind in order to survive.
What creature in the world can do such a terrible thing? ”

Thales was stunned.

”What a coincidence. ” Dean sighed.
”I know one kind…
and they look exactly like us. ”

”So the Bloody Thorn Lizard is one of the most ominous creatures in the desert. ” Mickey frowned and said firmly, ”The Desert God created them to serve as a warning for us here.
The Desert God does not send disasters on us, the mortals are the ones who bring disasters upon themselves.
If you eat your own kind, you ’ll surely be punished by the heavens.

”It ’s the most frightening and ghastly omen in the desert, and it ’s worse than the crows that represent bad luck.
People who have seen it, or those unfortunate enough to have eaten it, will have a life full of ordeals. ”

Thales stared at the lizard with a dumbfounded expression.

’No way, this is just superstition, right? Wait.
It ’s definitely superstition.
It ’s some unreliable metaphysics, or something… It definitely is— ’

*Crack!*

In the next second, Mickey exerted strength into his arms and ended the creature ’s life without mercy.

Immersed in his panic, Thales jumped in fright again.

The Barren Bone man dug out a sandpit with an icy gaze and placed the Bloody Thorn Lizard ’s carcass in it.

”If the Desert God does not suffer from disaster, then the world will be filled with disaster.
If the Desert God does not forgive, then the world will be forgiven, ” he mumbled something and filled the pit with sand.

Quick Rope sighed and patted the slightly dazed Thales.
”Ignore him.
Those Barren Bone people are always weird. ”

The mood of the group instantly plummeted.

”Don ’t be nervous, guys. ” Louisa coughed and attracted their attention.
”It ’s dead.
We only saw it once, and even if we did run into trouble, it ’s nothing.
Besides, it ’s just a legend.
Asides, no one ’s stupid enough to eat it… ”

When he heard this, Thales touched his stomach with a stiff expression.

”Go to your shifts.
I ’ll go, too, ” Dean said with an aloof expression.
”Trust me, keep your spirits up… ”

At that moment…

”Wait! ” said Mickey suddenly.
His voice was stern.

Thales was stunned again.

Dean frowned.
”What— ”

Mickey gritted his teeth and looked at the Bloody Thorn Lizard that was partially buried.
”This Bloody Thorn Lizard did not come for no reason. ”

Old Hammer sighed and said, ”Mickey, that ’s just a legend— ”

Mickey lifted his head swiftly!

”No, when it was buried in the sand, it was terrified and fled to the surface! ” Mickey had a grave expression on his face, one that had never been seen on him before.
”And this means that… ”

In the next moment, Mickey laid down flat on the ground.
He buried his ear in the sand and did not move.

In a great show of teamwork, Dean lifted his hand and made a shushing sound while he said, ”All of you, be quiet.
Let him listen. ”

In an instant, everyone in the camp fell silent.
Even Quick Rope covered his mouth with a face full of terror.
The only sounds left were from the other camps in the distance, and they were like muffled background noises.

’What ’s going on? ’

Thales stared at them, dazed.
Even if he never had any experience being a mercenary, he still understood their actions in just a short moment.

A few seconds later, Mickey jumped to his feet.
He swiftly reached for his dual blades, and he spoke quickly and urgently, his expression savage.

”There are people nearby.
They ’re everywhere, and their footsteps are very heavy— ”

Before he finished speaking, Dean ’s expression changed.
He grabbed the battle axe beside him and roared towards the sky.

”Alert! ”

His roar was very loud, and it was a shout that came very abruptly in the desert ’s night sky.
The entire merchant group became quiet during this particular night.

In the next second, the merchant group ’s camp was enveloped in chaos.
It was filled with noise and bustling with activity.
There were all sorts of sounds in it.

But over on this side, before Thales could react to the situation, Dante ’s Greatsword shot up from the ground.
Even Quick Rope moved in tandem with the others. 

They pounced on their own weapons.
Kant picked up his two-handed greatsword with a flourish; Mickey drew his dual machetes; Old Hammer untied the sackcloth that wrapped around his hammer; Schubert lifted his straight claw hammer and shield; Quick Rope drew a machete that had a knuckle guard; Louisa brought out her quiver and unsheathed the longsword by her waist.
They had their backs facing the bonfire and, in a show of great cooperation, they spread out in formation.

Only then did Thales stand up and, in a flurry, he picked up the Crossbow of Time and started nocking an arrow on the crossbow.

’What ’s going on? ’

Dean held an axe in his hand and looked at the sand dune as well as the terrain in the distance that was previously behind him as he asked in a level-headed manner, ”Enemies? ”

”Not sure. ” Mickey shook his head.
His tone was urgent, and he was still panting.
”I can ’t see the sand clearly at night, and sound transmissions through sand is horrid.
That ’s why they used this opportunity to… They ’ll soon surround us.
Our patrols… ”

”Let ’s be certain of their locations first. ” Louisa ’s expression was morphed.
She gritted her teeth and brandished her longsword, then roared loudly, ”Send a signal and notify Breeze and the others— ”

But before she finished speaking…

Thales felt his heart freeze.
A sharp sound suddenly rose in the darkness!

*Rip!*

Kant looked like he had been struck heavily, and he stumbled backwards.

”AAAHHH!! ” he roared in anger.
He stabbed his greatsword into the sand and steadied his body, but he was shuddering slightly.

The observant Thales saw that a long arrow with sharp fletchings appeared on the Northlander ’s shoulder.

”Enemy attack! ” Dean howled furiously, then swung his axe to block an arrow.

*Bang! Clang!*

Within a few seconds, the mercenaries either dodged or blocked the first wave of arrows that ambushed them amid the sounds of metal clashing against each other and of their boots moving against sand.

However, screams of fear and pained wails came from the camp belonging to the merchant group.
The merchants fled in panic, crying for help as they quaked.

”No! ”

”Ah! It hurts! ”

”This is— ”

Thales listened to the seemingly familiar voices in shock and anger.
He felt as if he had returned to the place he hated the most—the battlefield.

The battle began all of a sudden.
In fact, even the shadows of the enemies ambushing them had appeared suddenly.

Old Hammer swung his hammer with a steady swing.
His momentum was great, and the input of his strength was steady.
His hammer collided against a weapon that came attacking him in the darkness.

*Thud!*

While a loud bang that tortured the eardrums rose into the air, Thales saw in his shock that the strong Old Hammer swayed and took three steps back.
He knelt on one knee and began panting in agony!

Enemies.
Countless enemies.
As though they had agreed on this, they appeared suddenly from the endless darkness.

Schubert ’s shield came charging forth to ward off his enemy ’s subsequent hit.

”Come! ” Schubert roared, intending to call out to his comrades.
”We first deal with this— ”

But he soon noticed that he could not accomplish his goals.
Almost at the same moment, all the mercenaries ran into other enemies.

”F*ck! ” Mickey gritted his teeth and roared.
He swung his dual machetes and blocked a weapon that had a thick spine, a long edge, and looked like a blade but also resembled a sword.

However, before he could counterattack, he rolled on the ground in a dishevelled manner.
As sand flew in the air, he avoided a huge club that struck the ground.
”They ’re professionals! ”

Louisa worked together with Dean ’s axe in a level-headed manner and brandished her longsword, utilizing her nimble body to deal with three enemies laboriously.
”Don ’t panic! Gather into groups of two and get into formation! ”

Thales tried to stay calm with every ounce of effort he could muster.
Once he finished nocking his arrow by the bonfire, he lifted the crossbow and looked around him.

’How can this be? How can this be?! ’

The bonfire swayed due to the battle that had suddenly appeared.
It alternated between flashes of brightness and darkness.
Their enemies ’ figures did not seem real and appeared indistinct.
They surrounded the small camp and pounced on Dante ’s Greatsword.

”F*ck f*ckity f*ck— ”

Quick Rope screamed shrilly.
He forced back an enemy with his machete, but the pitiful newbie fell on the ground.
Fortunately, Kant drew his greatsword in a heroic manner and took over his spot.
With a swing of his greatsword, he forced back an enemy who wanted to seize the opportunity to attack.

Thales instantly activated the Sin of Hell ’s River. 

’Oh god. ’ Cold sweat broke out all over his body as he watched everything transpire before him.

”Ah! ”

”Kill them! ”

*Ting—*

*Bang!*

”Crowley! ”

Those screams of pain never ended.
The stench of blood was everywhere.
Enraged battle cries and the sound of weapons clashing against each other filled the dark moonlit night.

In fact, a terrifying animalistic growl rose with a pained wail not too far away.
Then, it was followed by frightening chewing noises.
It was as if there were teeth ripping flesh apart.

’Damn it.
Damn it! ’

With the help of the Sin of Hell ’s River, the tense prince freed himself from the misleading firelight and the deceitful darkness.
He could clearly see fifty burly, tall, and large figures on the sand.
Almost at the same time, all these people came charging towards all of the camps in the merchant encampment from the flatland, from the slopes behind them, and from different directions and angles.

In fact, there were even non-humans among their ambushers, with all their limbs on the ground and long tails swishing in the air.

They encroached like fire.
They gathered like ants before they attacked.
They killed without mercy.

*Whoosh—*

The sound of the wind came rushing towards him behind his back!

’F*ck! ’

Thales gritted his teeth.
With a speed he never managed to muster before, he lowered his body and avoided an axe ’s attack!

The wind from the axe grazed his hair.
Just one more inch and it would have cut into his head.

’Damn it.
Damn it! ’

This was… a battle that intended to take their lives!

While the wind howled around him, Thales, in his surprise and anger, tightened his grip on his crossbow.

Their enemies ’ rude curses traveled into the air, and they did not sound real to his ears.

The Power of Eradication surged into the prince ’s thighs.
Thales widened the distance between him and his enemy before he swiftly turned around to face the other party.

He directed the Crossbow of Time to his tall opponent ’s chest and fiercely pulled the trigger.

*Swish! Clang!*

A loud bang shot up.
The enemy swayed in pain.
His attack stopped, and his axe fell limply to his side.

Thales shuddered, but it was not out of fear or panic.
Those emotions had long since been almost entirely erased over the countless dangers he had experienced.
The unfair match between him and Nicholas had also let him sense how direct and brutal these fights to the death were.
No, he was shuddering because that was his instinctive reaction when the Sin of Hell ’s River filled his entire body.

…It was the desire for battle.

The prince sucked in a sharp breath, then threw away the crossbow while he moved forward.

In the chilling wind, sand chafed against the soles of his boots and fell away.
It felt so familiar Thales felt as if their presence was like JC ’s dagger, which he had immediately drawn from behind his back and held in his hand.

After his fight against the Star Killer, his Power of Eradication had improved, and even his reaction in battle had very clearly become better.
The Sin of Hell ’s River also constantly burned in his blood.

He knew that this was the desert.
No one would save him here.
He could only fight.

’Kill him.
Kill him! ’

With a speed his past self could never imagine, Thales instantly pounced on an enemy who was bent over due to pain.
Then, as he exerted force on his legs, he climbed up and thrust forward with his right arm!

*Rip!*

The dagger burrowed deep into his enemy ’s neck!

”Ah! ” Thales roared in anger and twisted the dagger with all his strength while he felt blood leave behind a wet, sticky, and warm sensation on his arm.

He hated, and despised this feeling the most.
It made him remember the day his destiny changed.
On that day, he had done this as well…

”NAAAHHHHHHHH!! Kukala! ” With a sonorous voice, his enemy cursed in a language Thales could not understand while it was in pain.

In the next moment, Thales felt a huge force attack his chest, and pain burst forth in him!

*Bang!*

With the huge force that struck him, the prince was violently thrown to the ground.
Pain, and the feeling of something pressing against his chest, appeared within him at the same time.

’This is bad. ’ This thought rose in Thales ’s head as he breathed in discomfort.

His large enemy wailed in agony.
Blood gushed out fiercely from his neck, but he did not look as though he had felt it.
He yanked the single bit axe from the ground, an axe that was practically as tall as Thales, and whose ferocious and wide blade even took up half of the axe handle.

Thales, having crashed hard into the ground and was still trembling from the crash, could only stare helplessly at that black-red greataxe.

’This is bad.
This is bad! ’

He wracked his brains amid the pain to think of a way to escape, and breathed with difficulty.
But he could not move his body because it had not recovered just yet.

”Sel, sel, sel! ”

His tall and strong enemy roared at Thales while he was on the ground, as if he wanted to pour all his energy into his shout.

Above Thales, his dangerous opponent raised his arms above his head, bringing the greataxe high above him like an executioner.

He swung his head furiously, as if he had gone mad.
Crimson blood gushed out of his neck and spilled onto the sand.

”Sel licca! ”

’Wait.
Sel? Sel licca? This sentence… ’ Thales felt his skin crawl.
’Where have I heard this before? ’

In the next moment, his enemy ’s ferocious axe cut down without mercy.

*Whoosh!*

During that instant, his face was directed straight at Thales ’.
In that moment he could see his enemy clearly, the prince was stunned.

’This face… Just what sort of face IS this? ’

His enemy ’s huge face contorted and shivered in pain.
His facial color was dark gray, his forehead was wide, his hairline was high, and his eyes were thin and narrow.

The flesh on his cheeks connected with each other in a zigzagging fashion, and it shrank violently under his course, gray skin.

There were practically only two thin slits acting as its nose.
It opened its big, black mouth, and as it roared, it showed its terrifying fangs.

Hideous, ugly, and jagged.
　

These were the words Thales could think of to describe those fangs.

*Whoosh!*

As his enemy roared furiously, the terrifying axe blade sliced through the air and went down towards the ground, aiming for Thales ’ chest.

In the dark, the sound of battle seemed to be much more muffled.

In the end, Thales gritted his teeth, then stared at the falling greataxe, feeling hopeless.

’No, ’ thought the prince in despair.
’He is not a ”he ”.
He ’s not human, but an ”it ”.
It! ’

”F*ck this f*cker ’s balls! ”

Old Hammer ’s indignant roar exploded in the night on the flat desert.
His voice was shrill, and his tone was firm.
It was as if the entire world ’s hatred and pain had gathered inside him.

”It ’s those gray mixed breeds! Those damned, b*tch-raised orcs! ”

Translator ’s Note:

[1] Likin: A form of tax in the Chinese Empire or Republic which was first introduced as a means of financing the largely locally recruited armies to suppress the Taiping Rebellion.
(Source: Wikipedia)