Book 8, The Ten Thousand Kilometer Journey – Chapter 11, Hands

Under the glow of the campfires, everyone’s faces were half-lit, half-shadowed. The smell of blood still infested the area, but now, the men on both sides of the battle only stared in shock at that corpse that had been transformed into a pile of flesh and blood, then at Linley and the adamantine heavy sword he carried.

A combatant of the eighth rank had been killed in one sword stroke…

This…

Was hard to believe!

“My brothers, let’s kill these bandits!” Big Beard Malone was the first to react, and he immediately shouted in excitement. “Kill these bastards and avenge our slain comrades!”

Hearing this roar by Big Beard Malone, all of the bandits woke up as well. Their leader, the One-Eyed Viper, McKinley, was killed in one stroke. Even if the mercenaries weren’t there, Linley alone could lay waste to them all with that heavy sword.

“Vengeance! Vengeance! Kill!” The mercenaries’ eyes were blazing as they were suddenly filled with confidence. One after another charged forward, weapons at the ready.

“Flee, quick!”

The bandits shouted loudly, as they all began to flee, forgetting everything else. The archers of the mercenary company immediately began to nock their bows. Staring coldly at the backs of the fleeing bandits, one sharp arrow was shot out after another. “Swish.” “Swish.” Six bandits were hit by arrows and fell...