MTLNOVEL Chapter 21: Chapter 21
The scorching yellow sand rolled, and the dunes stretched endlessly, dust swirling as the breeze blew.
Watching the approaching knights as they removed their armor, Lyra's exquisitely beautiful face twisted in pain, a hint of panic showing through.
Instinctively, she wanted to retreat, but then she thought of her unborn child. If she didn't satisfy these men's desires, her child would undoubtedly die. The last bloodline of the snakefolk would be wiped out!
Her heart ached, but in the end, she did not retreat.
"Given up, have you? Good, no need to waste time."
"I hear the snakefolk taste quite good!"
Several knights laughed lewdly as they pounced on Lyra.
...
Suddenly, a voice called out.
"The mighty Kyrik cavalry has fallen to the point of gang-attacking a woman?"
Though not loud, the voice thundered in their ears, making the knights' heads buzz as they halted in their tracks.
"Who?"
Bada and the other knights frowned, looking in the direction of the voice.
On a distant sand dune, a handsome young man moved like lightning, arriving in an instant. It was Owen who was on his way to the capital.
Owen looked at the pitiful Lyra lying in the sand and sighed slightly. He had been aware of the situation ever since the knights started shooting arrows at her. The snakefolk were being hunted.
This thought connected with a distant memory in his mind — the Kyrik prophecy: the kingdom would be destroyed by the snakefolk. An order had been given to massacre the snakefolk.
They were slaughtered until rivers of blood flowed, nearly exterminating them. The Kyrik priests believed they could rest easy, but years later, a snakefolk who had escaped the massacre trained diligently and eventually destroyed Kyrik. The prophecy came true.
This event was quite significant in the original story.
Thinking of the terrifying power of the snakefolk in the future and the immense goodwill he could earn with such a simple act, Owen knew he couldn't miss this opportunity! Moreover, the methods of these knights were too cruel!
If they were merely trying to break the prophecy, the massacre of the snakefolk could be somewhat understood. But such brutal killing? It was purely to satisfy their perverse desires!
As Owen suddenly appeared, Bada and the others frowned slightly. They didn't recognize Owen, but from his ordinary gray robe, they assumed he must be a lowly commoner. How dare such a person speak in front of them?
Cold glares immediately focused on Owen, their eyes filled with icy killing intent.
"A silver-tier level 7 mage, so eager to meddle in others' affairs?"
"Kill him too! Anyone friendly to the snakefolk is an enemy of the Kyrik Kingdom!"
Bada glared at Owen, thinking how insignificant and laughable his silver-tier level 7 status was compared to his own gold-tier level 3 and the surrounding knights, all above silver-tier level 5.
Upon Bada's command, the furious knights unleashed their silver-tier strength, stirring the yellow sand. An elemental spear formed and flew towards Owen.
Lyra, watching the spear lock onto Owen, showed deep concern on her pained face. When Owen arrived, she had felt a glimmer of hope, but now, sensing he was only a silver-tier level 7, she wished he would leave quickly.
These knights were too ruthless; if Owen got involved, his life could be in grave danger.
In Lyra's worried gaze, the elemental spear shot through the air like a black streak of light, instantly reaching Owen. The sharp tip of the spear seemed ready to penetrate everything in its path.
The knight who launched the attack chuckled; this spear was extremely powerful. Any cultivator below silver-tier level 5 would be instantly obliterated if hit!
But just as a smile appeared on his face, he suddenly noticed thumb-thick arcs of lightning dancing on Owen's body, precisely striking the elemental spear.
Crackle—
A destructive aura spread.
The elemental spear was instantly annihilated!
The dozen knights, who were about to turn and look at Lyra, suddenly froze, their faces reflecting astonishment.
"What just happened?"
The elemental spear had actually been blocked!
Bada, the highest-ranking and most ruthless among them, narrowed his eyes. Although the thunder flickered briefly around Owen, he could clearly sense the terrifying power that had erupted in that instant, sending a twinge of fear through him.
"The Kyrik people are as shameless as ever," Owen said, surrounded by arcs of lightning.
His figure flickered as he appeared in front of Lyra, coldly eyeing the dozen knights. Kyrik was notorious for enslaving spellbeasts and was considered the most ferocious and warlike among the kingdoms.
The moment he appeared, the knights attacked, attempting to kill him without any justification.
"Who are you?" Bada demanded, staring at Owen.
As he spoke, the other knights surrounded Owen and Lyra, encircling them.
"The one who will take your lives," Owen replied, his voice growing colder as he faced the knights closing in with killing intent.
As he spoke, he formed a sword with his fingers and pointed at a nearby silver-tier level 8 knight.
The air rippled like water as a thumb-thick bolt of lightning shot from Owen's fingertips, spreading forward to form a large web of electricity that struck the knight.
The lightning struck with unimaginable speed.
The knight's pupils contracted, but soon his face twisted into a sneer.
He thrust his spear forward, its momentum powerful and surrounded by golden mana, exuding an aura strong enough to break through all defenses.
However, just as he thrust his spear, the lightning struck.
The moment his spear made contact with the lightning, it was instantly enveloped in black smoke, beginning to crack like porcelain.
At the same time, the lightning spread from the spear along his body, causing him to feel a numbing sensation.
His vision blurred, and then he collapsed, charred and breathless.
"Brandon is dead?"
Seeing Brandon, who had withstood the lightning strike, fall instantly, Bada and the others' eyes widened in disbelief.
Brandon was a silver-tier level 8 knight, a full level higher than Owen.
Yet now he had been killed in a single strike by the lightning Owen controlled!
Even witnessing it with their own eyes, they couldn't believe what had just happened.
Lyra, who had been ready to close her eyes, felt a shock in her heart as she witnessed Brandon killed by the young man in front of her with a single move.
This young man, who seemed not to be of a high tier, possessed terrifying strength!
She had fought against Brandon and the others before. They were battle-hardened knights, stronger than mages of the same level.
She couldn't handle even one of them, and if it weren't for her speed, she would have been killed long ago.
Yet, with just a casual strike, Brandon was dead!
What terrifying power!
But in the next moment, her face turned pale again.
Although this young man could kill Brandon, he was still just one against more than a dozen pursuers, including the gold-tier leader.
Owen couldn't possibly hope to match them.
"This kid is tricky; attack together!" Bada declared, his killing intent growing even stronger after a brief moment of shock.
Brandon was as close as a brother to him, having fought in many battles together and survived countless life-and-death situations.
Now, with Brandon dead, blood must be repaid with blood!
"Kill! The Kyrik knights cannot be insulted!!" the other knights roared, their aura becoming even more terrifying, exuding a thick smell of blood.
"Sir, their strength is too great; you should escape! I'll hold them off!" Lyra urged, her magic surging as she prepared to fight to the death.
"They don't have the strength to make me run; just watch," Owen said confidently.
Suddenly, lightning appeared on his forehead, sending an ominous wave straight into the sky!
In the clear sky, dark clouds gathered, thunder roared, and flickering lightning illuminated the heavens and the earth!
The next moment, Owen waved his hand downward, and thick bolts of lightning, as dense as rain, struck down, engulfing all the knights in their fury!