Chapter 304: The First Battle

Ge Li Fulei Te inhaled deeply, finished checking every buckle of his armor, flipped onto his magnificent black warhorse.

He took a finely forged iron long spear from a nearby soldier, weighed it in his hand, his gaze steady.

He turned his head and locked eyes briefly with Arthur in the distance.

Then he twisted the horse's reins, spurred the warhorse, and galloped toward the towering figure standing at the center of the stone bridge!

Hooves struck the stone bridge, producing crisp, rapid sounds that shattered the riverbank's grim silence.

When he reached a short distance in front of Perinor, Ge Li Fulei Te halted his warhorse, pointed his long spear at the opponent, and boomed like a great bell:

"Perinor! Your opponent is me—Ge Li Fulei Te!"

Perinor lifted his head, his calm eyes sweeping over Ge Li Fulei Te:

"Then come at me! I will give you a respectable defeat!"

His words fell, and no further speech followed!

"Charge!"

"Ho!"

Both men spurred their warhorses almost simultaneously, like two arrows released from a bow, charging fiercely at each other!

The sound of hooves hammered the stone bridge like a sudden rain, awe-inspiring!

Ge Li Fulei Te, fully aware of his opponent's strength, sought to seize the initiative, and at the instant he entered attack range, launched his assault first!

His arm muscles bulged, the long spear shot forward like a poisonous dragon from a cave, emitting a sharp whooshing sound as it thrust straight at Perinor's face!

However, Perinor, faced with the fierce strike, calmly tilted his head slightly, and the long spear in his hand flicked upward with precise, lifelike motion!

Clang—!

Sparks flew!

Ge Li Fulei Te felt a massive recoil force travel up the spear shaft, his arm tingling with numbness.

And in the split second between his old strength fading and new strength not yet formed, Perinor's counterattack arrived!

The long spear, after being blocked, rebounded with an incredible speed and angle, borrowing force, bearing heavier and swifter power, like a roaring giant python, sweeping back toward Ge Li Fulei Te's waist and abdomen!

Quick! Too heavy!

Ge Li Fulei Te's pupils contracted sharply, alarms ringing in his mind! Without hesitation, his inner breath erupted thunderously, and he roared:

"Watch this!"

A surge of red energy rippled out of him instantly, his speed and strength suddenly soaring under the boost of his combat skill!

He twisted his body to the limit, held the long spear upright at his side, and blocked with all his might!

Boom!!!

Another deafening blast rang out! This collision was several times more violent than before!

The shockwave exploded outward from the two of them, sending dust swirling across the bridge.

Ge Li Fulei Te barely withstood the thrust, but his whole body and his warhorse were jolted backward several steps by the terrifying force, the web of his hand split open, oozing blood.

Yet he seized the tiny gap after Perinor's attack, roared, poured his entire strength into the spear, and unleashed a massive, heavy sweeping strike that surged back fiercely!

That thrust gathered all his battle will and power!

Perinor seemed not to have expected such a sharp counterattack from a disadvantaged position, and blocked the horizontal spear.

Bang!

Amid the heavy impact, Perinor and the fiery red warhorse beneath him were violently shoved backward two or three steps by the spear's massive force!

He looked down at the clear dent the spear wind had carved into his chest armor, and instead of anger his face showed an even stronger admiration:

"Not bad! Quite impressive!"

"You are far stronger than those who came before you! Among the many opponents I've faced, your spear technique ranks within the top ten!"

But immediately, the admiration in his eyes turned into hotter battle intent, his voice like a muffled thunder:

"However, this level alone is still far from enough!"

Before his words finished, Perinor's body suddenly erupted with solid-looking crimson-gold light!

"With this move, I will make you lose!"

His momentum surged again, his speed instantly soaring to a terrifying level!

Then, he kicked his stirrup hard, and his massive body leapt from the fiery red warhorse, soaring several meters into the air!

The next moment, a scene that left everyone gaping unfolded—Perinor's airborne form flickered rapidly, turning into countless overlapping afterimages!

All the afterimages moved in unison, hands gripping spears, tips pointing down, a lethal aura like a celestial net enveloping Ge Li Fulei Te on the ground!

Countless Perinors rained down like meteors, their long spears bearing a tearing force, stabbing Ge Li Fulei Te from every angle!

Ge Li Fulei Te looked up at the spear shadows that almost blocked the sky, his heart startled:

"So strong! All out!"

He had no time to think, clenched his teeth, pushed his whole strength to the limit, his long spear dancing like wind, Illusion Transformation a dense spear veil, attempting to absorb the sky‑filled onslaught!

Ding ding dang ding ding—!!!

A frantic cascade of impacts, dense as rain on a banana leaf, roared! Sparks continuously burst above his head!

At first, Ge Li Fulei Te could barely keep up with the rhythm, blocking each incoming spear shadow.

But Perinor's speed grew faster and his force grew heavier, as if endless!

Ge Li Fulei Te's arm was already numb, the web of his hand fully torn, blood staining the spear shaft red.

His defensive spear veil began to show a flaw, his movement slowed for a heartbeat—

That very instant!

Pfft—!

A muffled thud of a weapon piercing flesh and blood rang out!

A solid, true spear shadow, as if breaking through spatial limits, precisely seized that fleeting flaw and ruthlessly pierced Ge Li Fulei Te's abdomen!

Ugh——!

Ge Li Fulei Te let out a painful groan, his whole body flung from the horse's back by the terrifying power contained in the spear, like a broken kite flying backward, fresh blood spraying a striking crimson arc in the air.

He finally crashed heavily onto the stone bridge surface over ten meters away, emitting a dull thud, and the spear left his hand.

He raised his head wanting to say something, but finally his head lolled and he fainted!

Perinor did not pursue, nor even go to see the loser's fate.

To him, the battle was already over.

He walked back to his fiery red warhorse and nimbly mounted.

His gaze, like a circling hawk, instantly crossed the distance and locked firmly onto the motionless figure on the opposite bank—Arthur Pandragong.

He raised again the spear that had just defeated Ge Li Fulei Te, its icy tip pointing straight at Arthur across the space, his voice like rolling thunder, carrying undeniable resolve, echoing along the riverbank:

Arthur King! How long must you keep watching?!

If you dare not fight me, then withdraw your troops at once!

I, Perinor, swear here that as long as I draw breath, I will never let the Raisenor Kingdom be annexed by anyone!

His words, like his upright stance, are an insurmountable mountain defending the dignity of the land behind him.

On the opposite bank, Arthur watched the severely wounded Ge Li Fulei Te being carried off, listening to Perinor's earth-shaking challenge.

He said nothing, merely stepping forward.

The crowd parted as if by an invisible hand, automatically clearing a path for him to the riverbank and to that stone bridge.

He stepped forward steadily, each step as if beating the drum of the kingdom's advance.

The two kings' gazes met again in the air, this time with nothing between them.

Arthur's voice rose, responding to the other's declaration:

King Perinor, I respect your martial valor and admire your determination to defend your homeland.

But——

His voice suddenly rose, like a sword drawn from its sheath, its edge fully exposed,

I will not let my KaMeiLuo Kingdom halt its forward steps!

The words fell.

He picked up Ge Li Fulei Te's spear from the ground and mounted his steed.

Charging toward Perinor!