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In the midst of the pouring rain, how fast was the carriage moving?
Not fast.
But the forest was too close, and in this short time, it had already carried everyone into the entrance of the "shadows."
The sticky darkness in the rain.
The wind carried an unsettling "sound."
Allen looked out into the rain.
And then, the rain stopped.
Literally stopped.
The falling raindrops seemed to "freeze" in mid-air at a slow pace.
Frozen in the depths of his gray eyes.
Frozen in the "Flow Sense" that Allen had activated with all his might using the Dragon Saint Fighting Spirit!
The carriage curtain swayed gently in the wind! Through the candlelight shining from the curtain, the densely packed droplets of water "slowly" fell before his eyes, reflecting orange arcs of light that struck his eyeballs!
His brain was overloaded, his thoughts extremely active. While processing information, Allen couldn't help but compare this scene to a movie scene from his previous life—a visual effect that used lighting to "freeze" raindrops in a magical illusion.
In this world of swords and magic, Allen had truly achieved it.
Amidst the heavy raindrops, the "background" of the environment was fed back through "Flow Sense"!
The rain had ceased! The fierce wind had stopped! The forest leaves no longer swayed in the shadows!
What had just risen in the forest was the cold gleam of blades, their sharp edges glinting as they were drawn from their sheaths.
And above the rain curtain...
Arrows wriggled through the raindrops!!
This wasn't the imagined "spar" from Ghyslaine, but a meticulously planned assassination!!
Allen blinked, pulling himself out of the overclocked Flow Sense.
The curtain flapped wildly in the wind and rain before his eyes!
The sound of footsteps reached his ears. Behind him, Eris had already broken free from the cat-eared maid's "restraint" and was now right in front of Allen's face.
"Hey! Is Ghyslaine outside the window? Why are you staring out there? Did she come—"
Before she could finish, Allen's hand shot up in front of her face.
The back of his hand faced Eris, while his palm faced the window, effectively blocking her view.
You won't let me see, huh?
The little lioness had never been one to back down from a challenge.
Her drowsiness vanished instantly. Her fiery red brows shot up, and her lips parted as she prepared to speak!
In that very moment—
An arrow descended from the sky, piercing through the rain curtain and shooting through the window bars, striking Allen's palm with a resounding thud!
The arrow trembled and screeched under the force of its descent, its trajectory altered repeatedly by the Flow Sense, creating a blurry afterimage.
In the sudden chaos, Eris instinctively took a step back, but her stubborn nature made her stop almost immediately. Her primary-level Sword God Style dynamic vision and swordsmanship talent kicked in. Her crimson pupils dilated as she caught a glimpse of the arrow's trajectory through the gaps in Allen's fingers.
And then.
With a loud crack, the arrow shattered into splinters, scattering across the carriage!
Following this, several more arrows twisted and turned in the air before landing on the carriage roof.
The carriage had already entered the forest, and shadowy figures began to emerge from the trees, breaking through the rain curtain.
"Sylphiette! Earth Fortress magic, protect Eris and yourself!!"
Allen reached out with one hand, grabbing the still-stunned Eris, and tossed her into Sylphiette's arms.
"Got it!!"
Sylphiette reacted quickly. The day and night of battling monsters in the snow valley last winter had built a strong tacit understanding between her and Allen. Even though she couldn't fully grasp the situation, she instinctively followed Allen's instructions.
Mana surged from her palms, forming a protective "barrier" around the corners of the carriage.
Magic—Earth Fortress, leaving only a small observation hole.
Meanwhile, Eris, in the midst of this sudden turn of events, shifted her gaze from Allen's hand to the scattered arrow fragments on the ground. Her red eyes didn't show fear—instead, they sparkled with excitement!
The young lady was a fierce one, someone who could still curse at bandits even while being tied up during a kidnapping. How could a little commotion like this scare her?
Sylphiette, on the other hand, glanced at the arrow fragments on the ground and listened to the sound of footsteps splashing through the mud outside the carriage. She quickly deduced that they were under attack. When she looked back at Allen's face, which now carried a hint of anger, she couldn't help but feel puzzled.
"Allen mentioned Eris first... Does that mean he's already figured out that this sudden attack is targeting Eris?"
As she pondered this, Eris began to struggle in her arms.
"Sylphiette, let me go! I want to go out and see!"
Sylphiette, however, used a gentle gust of wind magic to keep Eris in place. Her voice was soft and soothing, but she spoke quickly.
"Don't do that, okay? If Allen asked me to protect you, it must be because he thinks it's dangerous. I know you're interested in Allen's swordsmanship, so I'll leave a 'window' for you to watch from here, alright?"
"I—!"
"Otherwise, if he gets angry, he might not teach you swordsmanship anymore."
Eris's mouth, which had been ready to retort, suddenly froze. She pursed her lips into a pout and let out a disdainful snort.
"Who needs him to teach me!"
Her body, however, betrayed her words as she relaxed into Sylphiette's embrace, her eyes fixed intently on Allen.
Sylphiette smiled gently, then looked up.
In that instant—
A blade thrust through the carriage window, aiming straight for Allen's face!!
Both Sylphiette and Eris's pupils contracted sharply. Eris's body instinctively tensed, ready to move, but this time it was Sylphiette who acted first, pulling Eris along with her.
In the next moment.
They both felt as if the candlelight inside the carriage had flickered strangely. A sharp, resonant hum filled their ears—whether it was a single sound or multiple overlapping ones, they couldn't tell.
"Hummm!!!"
Amidst the humming, the gleaming blade in front of Allen's face began to fall apart, just like the raindrops outside. From the tip to the hilt, the blade shattered into thin slices, clinking and clattering as they fell at Allen's feet!
The blade tip! The blade body! The hilt!
Fingers! Wrist! Arm!
Torn fabric! Gushing blood!
Outside the carriage, the person who had thrust the blade into the carriage now had their entire arm, along with the blade, sliced into thin layers due to inertia.
Layer by layer, the pieces fell before Allen.
Blood spurted from the severed upper arm of the attacker!
All of this happened in just one second!
Almost simultaneously, a piercing scream erupted from outside the window!
In the next moment, the scream was cut short.
A head rolled onto the windowsill, bounced off the carriage wall, and landed in front of the Earth Fortress where Sylphiette and Eris were.
Blood continued to gush.
The expression on the head was vivid, as if still clinging to life.
Both Eris and Sylphiette stared at the bearded, blood-soaked head on the ground, completely stunned.
Sylphiette's legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the floor of the Earth Fortress. Only then did she realize what Allen had meant by "Earth Fortress."
It wasn't meant to be a defensive barrier for Sylphiette to protect the two of them.
It was simply to prevent them from getting drenched in blood.
That was all.
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 162 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 40 power stones I will publish the next chapter.