Chapter 137: Departure and Capture [1]
The morning passed quickly, with everyone ready for departure.
By the time the preparations were complete, Edgar had already decided exactly how he wanted to approach Soragon Bazaar.
He and Hera traveled together along the road while the rest of the soldiers moved separately through the forest.
They planned to keep enough distance that they wouldn’t attract unnecessary attention.
The plan was simple, but Edgar knew they couldn’t afford even a single major mistake.
Gordon would lead the main group toward the outskirts of Soragon Bazaar and begin attacking the Northern Sect’s outer forces.
They wouldn’t try to defeat them in a direct battle; instead, they would use hit-and-run attacks, disappear into the forest, and constantly force the enemy to divide their attention.
Their purpose wasn’t to conquer the outer settlement.
They only needed to keep the Northern Sect’s soldiers occupied long enough for Edgar to finish what he had started inside.
Edgar, meanwhile, would enter the Bazaar with Hera and head directly toward the second Fortress that had been taken over by the Northern Sect.
Once inside, he would eliminate the important members of the Sect as quickly as possible.
’We won’t have much time.’
Edgar’s expression remained calm as he walked beside Hera, both of them in disguise.
’The moment the news reaches them about the fallen soldiers in my Fortress, they’ll be ready for a counterattack.’
That was something he absolutely couldn’t allow.
If the Northern Sect had enough time to organize a counterattack, the situation would become much more complicated.
’I’ll cut off their head before they even realize what’s happening.’
Hera quietly walked beside him without saying much.
She wore a simple dress beneath a dark cloak, and her silver-white hair was tied to cover it completely.
Unlike Edgar, she wasn’t carrying a weapon.
She had no intention of participating in the fighting.
Her purpose was to make sure the ordinary people didn’t panic when everything around them began falling apart.
After several hours of traveling, the enormous stone structures of Soragon Bazaar finally appeared through the trees.
The familiar city looked completely different from the last time Edgar had seen it.
Even from a distance, he could feel the oppressive atmosphere hanging over the entire settlement.
Edgar and Hera continued forward without slowing down.
The guards at the outer entrance barely paid attention to the two of them, assuming they were simply travelers approaching the Bazaar.
Neither of them gave the soldiers a reason to become suspicious.
Soon, they reached the enormous underbridge that connected the two sides of the settlement.
The structure had been built beneath the enormous stone heads of ancient giants, whose faces had been carved directly into the cliffs on both sides.
Their massive heads leaned toward each other, creating a natural archway that travelers had to pass beneath.
Hera slowly looked upward as they walked underneath it. "...This place feels different."
Edgar glanced toward her. "Different how?"
She lowered her voice while looking at the nearly empty streets ahead.
"It’s gloomy."
Her fingers tightened around the edge of her cloak. "The people look like they’re suffering, Edgar."
Edgar remained silent as he had noticed the same thing.
The Bazaar was supposed to be one of the busiest settlements in the region, yet the streets were filled with tired faces and lowered heads.
Shopkeepers barely spoke to their customers, while ordinary people moved through the streets without making eye contact with the soldiers stationed at every major intersection.
The Northern Sect had clearly tightened its control over the place like some tyrant.
Hera quietly looked toward an elderly woman sitting outside a small shop.
The woman immediately lowered her head when a group of armed soldiers passed by.
"...They look afraid."
Edgar didn’t answer.
His gaze remained fixed on the road ahead as he continued walking toward the center of the Bazaar.
Eventually, the second Fortress appeared beyond the buildings.
It was considerably larger than Edgar’s own Fortress and had originally belonged to the previous rulers of Soragon Bazaar--the Yamhad Clan.
Now, the Northern Sect’s banners hung from its walls.
Soldiers stood on every tower. ’So this is their headquarters.’
Edgar’s eyes narrowed slightly.
He could already see several defensive structures surrounding the entrance.
Before he could take another step--
BOOOOOOM!!
A tremendous explosion erupted somewhere behind them.
The ground shook beneath their feet as smoke suddenly rose above the distant buildings.
Several people on the streets screamed in panic.
Hera instinctively turned around. "...Edgar?"
Edgar’s expression remained completely calm.
"That’s our signal." He immediately grabbed Hera’s hand. "Stay with me."
Without waiting for an answer, Edgar rushed forward.
Hera followed closely behind as the peaceful streets of Soragon Bazaar suddenly descended into chaos.
Shouts erupted from every direction.
"Enemies!"
"They’re attacking from the western side!"
"Sound the alarm!"
The Northern Sect soldiers stationed throughout the city immediately began moving toward the source of the disturbance.
Edgar used the confusion to his advantage.
He and Hera moved through the streets at an incredible pace, avoiding the main groups of soldiers as they approached the second Fortress.
The moment they reached the outer gate, several guards finally noticed them.
"Stop!" One soldier raised his spear. "You two, identify yourselves!"
Edgar didn’t slow down. Using his body, he shielded the girl from any potential attack.
The soldier stepped forward to block his path, raising both his hands to capture them.
WHOOSH!
Edgar’s fist struck his chest before the man could even react. The speed was too much for an ordinary soldier like him.
BOOM!
The soldier was thrown backward and crashed into the stone wall, which cracked from the force behind the punch.
Another guard immediately charged from the side.
Edgar stepped forward and struck him across the face, sending him spinning across the ground.
Hera remained close behind him, her expression pale but surprisingly composed.
"Don’t look at them," Edgar quietly told her, trying to keep her mind in check.
She nodded and kept her gaze away from the fallen soldiers.
As more and more soldiers rushed out of the Fortress--
"Enemy!"
"Stop them!"
"They’re heading toward the inner Fortress!"
Edgar’s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward.
He didn’t bother using his abilities yet, as it would be overkill on these poor soldiers.
Every soldier that came within his reach was knocked aside before they could even properly attack.
Some were thrown into walls while others collapsed unconscious from a single strike.
Hera followed behind him as the two of them pushed deeper into the Fortress, but the resistance quickly became heavier.
Dozens of soldiers poured into the courtyard.
Their weapons surrounded Edgar from every direction.
Hera instinctively stepped closer to him.
"...There are too many."
Edgar looked around calmly.
"They’re only ordinary soldiers." He moved slightly so Hera remained directly behind him.
"Stay beside me."
The soldiers slowly closed the distance.
Their weapons were raised, and several archers had already taken positions on the surrounding balconies.
Edgar stopped moving from his place as he looked around to make sure none of them were in close proximity to Hera.
His eyes then slowly swept across the soldiers surrounding them.
"...This should be enough."
Hera looked at him in confusion. "Enough for what?"
Edgar raised one hand as he used his mind to send a signal through the Soul Network.
A loud sound of something heavy moving around the Fortress echoed all over the place.
A faint golden glow appeared around his body as he activated his Invisible Sage Hands.
Then he looked toward the sky, which was filled with grey-black fog.
"Come."
For several seconds, nothing happened, and the soldiers stared at him with confusion.
One of them laughed nervously. He didn’t know if he should be terrified of the unknown or take him for a jester.
"What is he doing?"
Then a massive shadow suddenly appeared above the courtyard.
WHOOSH!
Something enormous tore through the air, and the soldiers instinctively looked upward.
Their expressions changed immediately as four enormous weapons fell from the sky.
The massive Sword-Clubs spun through the air before crashing into the courtyard one after another.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Stone shattered beneath their weight.
Dust and debris exploded outward, forcing several soldiers to stumble backward.
Edgar’s four Invisible Sage Hands immediately wrapped around the weapons.
One after another, the enormous Sword-Clubs rose from the ground.
They floated behind Edgar like four massive weapons of destruction.
The soldiers stared at the sight in horror.
Hera’s eyes also widened slightly.
Edgar slowly stepped forward while the four weapons moved with him.
"I advise all of you to move aside." He said calmly, offering one last shred of mercy. "Your deaths shouldn’t be related to a fallen Sect."
The soldiers remained conflicted by his words. They didn’t know what the right choice was.
"Kill him!!" One of them shouted and rushed toward Edgar with his spear.
The rest of the soldiers quickly followed him, which made Edgar let out a sigh of disappointment.
"...Let’s finish this quickly."
The first Sword-Club suddenly swung forward.
WHOOSH!
The courtyard erupted into chaos.