Good Brothers Swordsmen
After leaving the town, Yang Ning made his way toward the small hill at the center of the island. According to the locals, the Blood King's palace rested atop the mountain.
Along the path, Yang Ning saw no outposts, no lone pirate henchmen—just the eerie quiet of a territory that feared him. The group that had disrupted his meal the previous day had seemingly shrunk back into hiding.
Scratching his face, Yang Ning muttered:
"Am I really that scary? Doesn't anyone want to go out and relax?"
If any pirate henchmen had overheard, they'd probably explode with rage at the thought.
"Brother, don't you realize how many you've slaughtered in a single day and night? One cut splits a man in two, yet here you are strolling around?!"
Yang Ning wasn't concerned. With his current strength, the number of enemies didn't matter. In the past, a single opponent was intimidating; now, even dozens were trivial.
---
The Blood King's Palace
Following the mountain road, Yang Ning soon reached the Blood King's feared palace.
Standing at the base and looking up, the palace was imposing. Its architecture resembled a medieval European castle—rough, massive, and built directly against the mountain using enormous gray-white boulders. From the walls, pirate henchmen kept watch, giving the fortress a fortified, intimidating aura.
The gates were open, but a small squad of pirates stood guard.
Yang Ning assessed the situation.
Attacking head-on would inevitably draw out the Blood King himself. On the sparsely grassed open ground, his movements would stand out like a louse on a bald head.
The henchmen weren't stupid—they had eyes and mouths—but the mountain's cliffs left no alternative routes. Without Moonwalk or climbing abilities, he had to deal with them strategically.
"If only someone could help me lure these pirates out in batches…" he murmured, hiding behind a tree.
---
The Sword General Appears
A sudden voice interrupted his thoughts:
"Even if you lure them out, the Blood King's power doesn't come from these lackeys. Killing them won't change anything."
Yang Ning looked up in alarm. Against the sunlight, a dark shadow descended and crashed before him.
Thump!
Dust billowed as a figure in heavy armor slowly rose from the debris—it was the Sword General, the heavily armored swordswoman.
Yang Ning's eyes darted between her and the high tree branches, bewildered.
Impatient, the swordswoman demanded:
"Answer me. If your answer satisfies me, I will help you."
Yang Ning fixed his gaze on her. Though he didn't know her motives, something about her tone told him she was sincere.
"Killing the minions won't weaken the Blood King," he said. "But it will make me stronger. If I clear them all, I'm confident I can take down the Blood King myself."
The Sword General's tone turned cold. "Strength from killing, huh? What is your purpose, outsider? Do you want to take over this island?"
Yang Ning laughed lightly. "No, that's not it. I just want to travel, taste foods from around the world, see beautiful scenery and people. Ending up here was pure coincidence."
"And going against the Blood King?" the swordswoman pressed.
Yang Ning stroked his chin. "I guess… you could say the restaurant owner hired me with a meal. And it was truly excellent."
Her eyes, hidden beneath the visor, glimmered with a complex mix of surprise and calculation.
After a long pause, she finally nodded and began moving toward the palace.
"You wait here. I'll bring people over. I hope you keep your word."
Yang Ning grinned. "That's a given."
---
Pirate Henchmen, One by One
Within minutes, a small group of pirate henchmen approached the woods from the palace gates.
"One, two, three, four… six," Yang Ning counted, smiling. Six was perfect—enough to handle without letting anyone escape.
He drew his sword behind a tree and struck with lightning speed. Two henchmen fell silently, asleep before they could react.
The rest froze, seeing him, and lost all will to fight.
"Help! That foreign demon!"
"Damn it, I shouldn't have come out!"
Yang Ning moved among them, intercepting each fleeing pirate.
"Don't run away. Free sleep aid, no bad reviews," he joked.
The captured pirates morphed into pointy-mouthed, big-headed monsters, screaming in futile rage.
"You talk too much," he muttered, lulling them to sleep one by one.
Even without high-speed mobility, Yang Ning's current stats allowed him to outrun and overpower the average person. A 49-meter head start was useless.
After neutralizing the six pirates, he dragged their bodies together, finished them off, and covered them with dry branches. Then he hid behind the big tree, ready for the next wave.
With the Sword General's efficient guidance, Yang Ning slaughtered three dozen pirates from five squads in just over an hour.
The experience leveled him up, improving all his stats significantly.
---
A Silver Glimmer on the Palace Wall
After eliminating the fifth squad, he waited, but no more pirates came.
Then, atop the palace wall, a figure in a dark red high-necked robe appeared, holding a glittering silver object carelessly.
Yang Ning's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Holy crap… isn't that my good brother, the Sword General?!"