The Devil's Cage

The cypress ent's powerful smash caused the ground to tremble again.

From that robust branch palm of the ent, the smaller branches spread out like a spider web on the ground. Thick dust flew everywhere, enshrouding the entire street.

Herbert opened his eyes wide, trying to see how Kieran was managing. However, all the elderly scholar could see with his common level intuition was thick dust shrouding the area.

"2567!!? 2567!?"

Herbert screamed for Kieran, trying to confirm whether he was safe.

"Anyone who gets hit by Thaad's powerful branch will be smashed to bits!"

A voice sounded behind Herbert. The words were filled with certainty and carried a mocking tone.

The voice was certain of his ally's strength and was mocking Kieran's overconfidence.

"No one can be sure of the results until the very end. Witness our victory with your own eyes!"

Herbert said in an unusually steady tone as he turned around, noticing that the two wagoners who concealed their faces with their mantles appeared behind him without a sign.

"You underlings! Always so full of themselves!"

One of the wagoners laughed coldly before casually reaching with his powerful palm to grab Herbert.

They knew what their missions were: to capture Herbert. There was no need to argue with them.

It was a simple mission for them and everything was unfolding just as how the two Mutants expected it to.

Herbert was captured so easily!

As a scholar, Herbert's knowledge and understanding were far beyond what anyone could comprehend. But in battle?

Although Herbert was much more healthy and energetic than his peers, any common young man had the capabilities to take him down. Obviously, two Mutants that far surpassed common human capabilities would easily capture Herbert.

Herbert's hands were then tied with a sturdy rope by one of the wagoners while the other opened the carriage door. Herbert could tell with a glance that the hostages inside the carriage were his butler, Pierre and his students,though four of them were not in good shape. Not only were they suffering from countless wounds, they were also unconscious due to the pain.

"Pierre! Harold…"

"Move!"

Herbert wanted to call out each of their names but before he could finish, the wagoner beside him interrupted him brutally. The wagoner forcefully pushed Herbert forward and he couldn't resist his push, causing him to stagger into the carriage and trip on the wooden steps. He hurt his abdomen in the process.

The pain made Herbert lie down. He tried pushing himself up with his hands but it was a futile attempt. The pain in his stomach forced him to give up halfway and he fell down on his stomach helplessly.

Hahahahahaha!

Both the Mutants laughed hysterically when they saw Herbert's disorderly manner.

One of them grabbed Herbert by the leg and attempted to stuff him inside the carriage while the other prepared to start the wagon.

Everything was unfolding as they expected, wasn't it?

Yet the true outcome was far from what they had actually expected.

The broad, dark, red blade's edge stirred up the turbid dust and dirt, slashing horizontally with an unstoppable force like a dragon that burst out of a muddy pool.

Pum!

The two Mutants were cut in half at the waist before they could react to the blades.

Like how the two Mutants captured Herbert, Kieran killed them just as easily; it was probably even easier.

Kieran walked over to Herbert, helping him up after putting his [Arrogant Word] away.

"How are you doing?" Kieran asked.

"I'm fine! But we have a bigger problem here!"

Herbert smiled bitterly and pointed at the unconscious bunch inside the carriage.

Kieran frowned. Truth be told, he never thought that they would be held inside the wagon.

When he saw the tightly shut wagon, the first thing he thought was that the wagon was empty and that everything was a hoax. Now, he realized it was another countermeasure set up by the enemies.

The countermeasures to prevent unexpected events...

The unconscious Pierre and the others would be a burden for him and Herbert shackling their abilities to leave the area.

Sou Sou Sou!

A volley of arrows poured down at the two wagons.

Kieran grabbed Herbert and hid into the carriage, while the horses outside weren't able to escape their demise. They fell into their own puddles of blood with an agonizing neigh.

After the final neighs from the horses, Herbert's face turned sour.

The elderly scholar knew that they lost their last chance to escape.

Without the horses, the wagons were like two giant coffins, binding them down on the spot.

"2567, you…"

"Stay here!"

Herbert wanted to say something but Kieran interrupted him with a wave.

Kieran knew that Herbert was going to ask him to leave by himself but given that he still had the main mission to carry out, how could he leave?

Aside from that, a new submission appeared!

[Discovered submission: Escaping threats!]

[Escaping threats: The setup from the Mutants forced you and the group into a difficult position. You need to break through this difficult situation!]

[Note: Ratings will increase based on how many natives you successfully rescue!]

...

Just as the words subsided, Kieran jumped off the carriage without waiting for Herbert to say anything.

Outside the wagons, the dust and dirt had settled down. The Mutants that were hiding in the shadows stepped out, one by one, and surrounded them.

The giant ent turned around clumsily. Its robust palm branches had vines that did not belong to its body. However, the ent was quite fond of the vines.

When the ent saw Kieran who broke the vines that it loved again, it bellowed a thunderous roar.

ROAR!

It sounded like a real thunder strike emanating from the trunk hole. The ent even entered its frenzy mode as it charged towards Kieran without regarding the consequences.

Dong Dong Dong!

Every step it took was ground-trembling, producing an ear-deafening thump!

With the ent's height, it only took two steps for it to reach the wagons. It raised its robust branches up high like an oar of a sailship, ready to slam Keiran.

Just as the branches were about to fall, a voice sounded behind the ent.

"Thaad! Stop!"

The voice was cold and emotionless as if a bucket of ice water splashed the ent's head, freezing its movements.

The cypress ent moved its body away clumsily, providing a clear path. The rest of the Mutants even kneeled down in reverence with one knee.

The voice that carried an icy cold presence slowly walked in from the end of the street.

Each step the figure took, a layer of frost as thick as a thumb covered the ground beneath it.

The crystal clear, glittering frost formed a long trail as though a small, icy path was carved out.

The temperature along the street started to plummet. The breeze even turned into the harsh winter wind.

The figure that appeared acted like the God of Winter who was inspecting his territory with his majestic prestige was unchallenged.

Any soul who dare defied his will would suffer a punishment of the extreme winter.

Kieran who stood still without kneeling was one.