NOVPUBThe chief of the Grayhounds arrived in front of the stairway to the dungeon, through which all he could hear were screams. Panic rose within him, as he wondered just what was happening inside.
He had heard there was a strong intruder, but these screams…
He had sent so many of his people inside. Were they doing fine?
A stream of people ran out, trampling over each other, not even looking at the chief as they ran past him.
"What? What's going on?" the chief shouted, but none dared to remain a single moment longer.
The chief was astounded. These were proud warriors that would never run away, no matter how strong the opponent. What had gotten them this shaken?
The chief grabbed one of the last men that came out, limping slowly. "What is going on in there?"
"E-Extolite! He killed them all."
"WHAT?! Extolite?" the chief looked toward the door, smelling the horrible stench of blood coming through it. He feared now just how many of his people had died there.
'I sent so many to their deaths.'
Today should have been a day of victory, and yet—
"Chief!" the limping man grabbed onto the chief. "The young lord, he killed him too."
The chief froze, failing to take in those words for a few seconds. But when the understanding struck him, so did despair.
"T-Tailun?" he asked, his eyes hollow. "Tailun… was killed?"
He couldn't understand how that could be. He had only sent the other warriors. His son should have been with his peers in the hall, celebrating their victory.
'No, surely he's still in the hall. They saw wrong,' the chief thought in complete denial.
He heard footsteps and finally turned around.
Alex walked out, covered in blood from head to toe, carrying a simple sword, the only thing that had no blood on it. Behind him, Goyin carried her weaker mother out.
The chief took a deep breath, anger welling up in him. A spear appeared in his hands. "Are you the Extolite who killed my people? The one who killed my son?"
Alex stared at the chief, his eyes seemingly staring into the man's soul. "Are you the chief of this tribe?" he asked. "I have killed only those who stood in my way. So, I shall give you the same chance I gave others. Move aside and I won't harm anyone else."
The chief gritted his teeth. "Warriors!" he roared. "In formation! We shall deliver judgment for all the crimes he's done today."
Hearing the chief's words, Alex sighed and prepared for another battle.
The various warriors of the Grayhounds tribe fell into ranks, each one holding onto a spear that they slammed on the ground next to them. Wounded or not, they all overcame their fears and prepared to fight.
Alex expected them all to come for him, but to his surprise, they all remained where they were. From what he could see, only the chief was going to fight.
The chief moved instantly, dashing forward in a single step. His speed was one that took Alex by surprise, but not enough that he couldn't block him.
Alex struck the charging spear, feeling the weight behind it, and redirecting it to the side. The chief, however, immediately pulled back his spear and stabbed at him.
At the same time, he used a technique.
The incoming spear split into four different ones, each attacking him at a different location on his body. Three of those spears were clearly made with True Qi, which did nothing more than become a distraction in a battle where their physical bodies had the strength of an Immortal.
But of course, a distraction was all that was needed in a fight between two equal fighters for the victor to come out.
The chief was nowhere near Alex's equal.
The moment the spears came toward Alex, he could see which ones were the fake ones. The other three spears were far too cheaply created for him to be confused about them.
He swung his sword, going for the one on the top right, sending it to the side. Then, he kept the momentum of the sword, bringing it back down as he cut up at the chief in a diagonal line from the bottom to the top.
The other three spears landed on his body and did absolutely nothing at all.
The chief stepped back, barely dodging the attack at all. His eyes widened as he took a few more steps back, realizing just how strong Alex was.
Alex frowned as well.
'He's so much faster than anyone else I've come across,' Alex thought. 'Far more reflexive as well.'
Something didn't sit right with Alex. This should have been the level of an Extolite, and yet, the man should not have been one. If he was, Alex would've long since heard about it from Xichen or Goyin.
His eyes moved toward the back of the chief, at the nearly hundred warriors that were gathered in a formation. Each one stared at the battle with great concentration.
'They're clearly not doing anything to me,' he thought. 'Then… it must be the chief they're helping.'
This appeared to be a battle array that helped a single person, unlike the Sunwarden's battle array that hurt a single person.
This reminded Alex of the Dragon Battle Array that the people of the eastern continent had used against him back during the war. 'Everyone is working together to empower a single person,' he thought.
But this one was slightly different.
They weren't helping the chief with their Qi. From their serious concentration, it was clear they were helping him with pure Intent.
'Such a thing is even possible?' Alex thought.
Using Intent to hurt him mentally made sense to him since it was the same medium. But to empower someone to be faster, stronger, and even more reflexive, that was different.
Different and greatly interesting.
"Alright," Alex said with a sudden curiosity forming within him. "Let's see how far you can go with this array."
