Chapter 53: One Against Three – Part One

He sees a blinding red light on his left; his recent combat experience makes him act without hesitation, instantly lunging to the right.

At almost the same moment, a Black Energy Projectile, like a small shell, whistled and struck the spot where he had just been standing.

With a deafening blast, the battlement was shattered, bricks and stones scattering. Robin was tossed to the ground by the shockwave, dust and debris coating his body.

"Wizard!" Robin's heart tightened; he rolled to his feet, his eyes scanning the crowd like a hawk.

In that split second, the myriad doubts that had clouded his mind cleared completely, as if parting clouds to reveal the sun.

He instantly understood why the Lord of Buluote Territory was so obsessed with hunting that Wizard.

The Black Bear Thieves Guild having a Wizard as an ally was no coincidence; it stemmed from both sides being locked in a life‑or‑death, never‑ending stalemate from the start.

As for the death of the Damia Great Knight Leader, it was merely a casualty of the two sides grinding against each other in their power struggle, tainted by the nobles' laughable yet fragile balance.

The very next second, Robin rose from the battlement ten meters away like a phantom.

His movements were clean and swift; the Pulley Composite Bow in his hands was fully drawn, the string taut as a full moon, humming with a buzz.

The Feather Arrow nocked on the string faintly glowed with a pale earth‑yellow light, its radiance swirling with a mysterious, potent force.

"Earth Explosion Arrow!" Robin shouted low, his voice small yet charged with unstoppable momentum.

"Whoosh!"

The Feather Arrow, imbued with great power, shot out like a meteor, its sharp whoosh slicing the air, precisely targeting the Giant Python that was closing in on the Malizi Knight.

The Giant Python was a modified creature commanded by the Wizard, its presence posing a huge threat to Malizi and his companions.

The Feather Arrow struck the Giant Python's seventh inch instantly, as if a bomb exploded upon it.

Then a deafening boom rang out, the massive shockwave radiating outward from the blast point. The Giant Python's body was split in two, blood gushing like a fountain, its huge form crashing to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Malizi and the others were startled by the sudden turn, but quickly realized it was Robin who had come to their aid.

They dared not linger, seizing the brief chaos in the Thief Guild caused by the Python's death, and hastened southward in their flight.

Robin stood on the city wall, his gaze fixed on their retreating silhouettes, silently praying they would escape safely.

The next instant, Robin sensed a surge of intense energy; turning his head, he saw a Black Energy Sphere enveloped in destructive aura, hurtling toward him like a black meteor.

Robin's eyes hardened, yet he remained calm; his form flashed like a phantom, evading the lethal strike with an almost casual grace.

The Black Energy Sphere skimmed his cloak and slammed into the wall behind him, bricks scattering as the wall was blasted open with a huge gap.

Immediately, Robin shifted position, silently appearing on another section of the wall.

His gaze swept the battlefield, and at last he saw the two spellcasters.

It was the Wizard he had once fought, only now accompanied by another Wizard clad in black robes.

Both exuded an eerie aura, their black robes rustling in the wind, as if messengers from the Dark Abyss.

"Two Wizards!" Robin inhaled sharply, a silent alarm ringing in his mind.

Facing a single Wizard was already tricky; now two working together made it an almost unwinnable battle.

"Now you're scared," at that moment Leimeng also climbed the wall, a smiling grin on his face, yet the smile was as cold as winter frost, his eyes flashing with dangerous greed.

Clearly, with the gate breached, their goal was achieved; in Leimeng's eyes, Robin no longer had any reason to continue living.

"Heh, what a grand gesture!" Robin chuckled wryly, shaking his head, his heart full of helplessness and resentment.

He knew his situation was dire and his chances slim. He slowly retracted the Pulley Composite Bow into its quiver, his gaze still steadfast, without a hint of fear.

"Still want to resist?" Leimeng's cold, mocking voice echoed off the wall. He waved dismissively, and three knight puppets with hollow eyes and eerie auras, like controlled killing machines, surged toward Robin without hesitation. Their steps were heavy and synchronized, weapons flashing cold light, slicing the air with sharp whistles.

Robin's expression grew solemn, his eyes as steadfast as iron.

He hesitated not a moment, swiftly drawing the Tang Sword at his waist.

The blade sang a crisp note as it left its sheath, standing out sharply on the tense battlefield.

He inhaled deeply, his gaze drifting to the second‑stage sword technique in his mind, a surge of mixed emotions rising—confidence in his own strength and a clear awareness of the dire situation before him.

He slowly closed his eyes, regulating his breath, trying to detach his heartbeat and breathing from the chaotic rhythm of the battlefield.

Gradually, his breathing became steady and deep, each inhale and exhale seeming to store limitless power.

Simultaneously, he summoned his internal Life Force, just as he had when forging the Earth Explosion Arrow,

carefully yet decisively coating the Tang Sword with Life Force.

This Tang Sword bore Robin's countless sweat and hopes.

When he first forged it, Robin spared no effort.

He not only employed the exquisite craftsmanship of Great Horse Leather Steel, giving the blade unique grain and resilience, but also spent countless hours and effort testing dozens of metals. Through endless failures and trials, he sought the material that minimized Life Force consumption while best channeling its flow.

When Life Force merged perfectly with the Tang Sword, the blade emitted a faint glow, as if it had been given life.

Robin snapped his eyes open, a fierce light flashing within, gripping the Tang Sword, feet slightly apart, assuming a battle stance.

At that moment, he resembled a leaping cheetah about to pounce, his whole body exuding a chilling aura.

The first knight puppet lunged at Robin, raising its long sword high, wielding a force of a thousand pounds, slashing down on him.

Robin's eyes hardened, unhurried, he tilted slightly, evading the fierce strike with an extremely deft angle.

Simultaneously, he swung the Tang Sword in a fluid motion, like lightning streaking across the night sky, striking at the knight puppet's throat.

(End of Chapter)