Kanoru easily dodged the leader's fist, but he kept his gaze locked on the man, studying him with anticipation.
This was his first time fighting a physical warlock. He had fought and killed elemental warlocks before, but this was different.
He attacked the man's back, but his sword bounced off the golden light protecting him.
The leader turned with an angry scowl and growled,
"You're dead."
He unsheathed the wide sword strapped to his back. As he pointed it at Kanoru, golden flames erupted around the blade, blazing intensely.
He lunged at Kanoru, unleashing a flurry of fierce strikes.
Kanoru dodged each attack with ease but refrained from counterattacking. His sword was inferior—it couldn't withstand the leader's blows, nor his own full strength.
Glancing to the side, he saw Asuna easily slaughtering the low-ranked warlocks.
He sighed in frustration. He couldn't even get her attention.
Fighting with his current sword was pointless.
Even if he struck with his full power, it wouldn't break through the leader's defense.
He had already opened four of his gates when the fight began. Now, he unlocked his fifth.
His skin flushed red, and a fiery red aura erupted around him.
As the leader's flaming sword swung toward him again, Kanoru dodged and retaliated.
He swung his sword with his full physical strength, slashing at the leader's belly.
The blade collided with the golden light, sending the leader flying backward.
He slammed into the deck railing, shattering it, and tumbled into the river below.
Kanoru glanced at his sword.
Only half of the blade remained.
He walked to the railing and peered down, just in time to see the leader leap out of the water and land on the riverbank.
Kanoru frowned.
Even with his full strength and a weapon, he couldn't break through the golden light.
Meanwhile, his sword had been reduced to a fragment.
Without hesitation, Kanoru jumped from the boat, landing on the riverbank a few meters from the leader.
The man slammed his left foot into the sandy ground.
Instantly, a wave of sand surged forward, rippling like water toward Kanoru.
As it reached him, the sand rose to his height, forming a wall.
Kanoru punched through the wave, shattering it with ease.
But he leaped back as the leader charged from behind the wave, attempting a sneak attack.
Kanoru grimaced.
"If I had my sword, this fight would have ended in minutes."
But this battle also revealed his weakness—his combat strength dropped by more than half without his sword.
He could use wind power, but he had never fought without his sword before.
"Looks like today will be the day."
The wind began to swirl around his fists and legs, creating a faint whirling current.
The wind-enhanced movement made him faster, and he charged at the man.
Despite the pain from the whirlwind cutting into his hands and feet, Kanoru slammed both fists into the leader's chest.
The golden light still protected him, but this time, he noticed faint ripples spreading across the barrier.
Kanoru's eyes narrowed.
"I can break it."
The leader grinned wickedly, believing his defense was impenetrable.
He swung his flaming sword, but Kanoru darted around him with wind-enhanced speed, leaving a faint blur in his wake.
As the blade narrowly missed his neck, Kanoru retaliated with a fierce roundhouse kick to the man's side.
His whirlwind-coated leg collided with the golden light, creating another rippling wave, but the barrier held firm.
"Damn it..." Kanoru gritted his teeth as his own wind blades sliced into his shin, leaving a thin, bleeding gash.
The leader laughed,
"Pathetic! You're only cutting yourself!"
Ignoring him, Kanoru pressed on, his fists and legs swirling with gale-force winds, striking again and again.
He unleashed a flurry of attacks—each strike pounded the golden barrier, causing shockwaves in the air.
The leader's grin slowly faltered.
The ripples on the golden light grew larger.
He swung wildly, but Kanoru's wind-enhanced movements made him too fast, weaving around the flaming sword with blinding speed.
Minutes passed.
Then half an hour of relentless assault.
Kanoru's fists and feet were bloodied—torn apart by his own whirlwind.
His breath came in ragged gasps, his limbs trembling from exertion.
But he didn't stop.
With one final, roaring punch, he drove his whirlwind-coated fist into the leader's chest.
The golden barrier shattered with a thunderous crack, fragments of golden light splintering into the air like shards of glass.
The leader staggered back, eyes wide in disbelief.
He looked at Kanoru's bloodied fists, dripping with his own blood.
But Kanoru stood firm, his gaze unwavering despite the pain.
Realizing he was outmatched, the leader's expression twisted with desperation.
With a snarl, he slammed his foot into the sandy ground.
The earth quivered as a massive sand cloud erupted around him, swallowing the riverbank in a blinding storm.
Kanoru instinctively shielded his eyes with his arms.
Through the swirling dust, he heard the leader's furious bellow,
"RETREAT!"
From within the sandstorm, he saw figures scrambling—the remaining sand thieves fleeing toward the desert.
Kanoru lowered his arms, his vision clearing as the dust settled.
The whirlwind around his hands and legs vanished, leaving his limbs mangled and bleeding.
He glanced at his shredded skin, crimson dripping onto the sand, but his face remained stoic.
He watched the fleeing silhouettes disappear into the night, but he didn't give chase.
Exhaling slowly, Kanoru turned back toward the boat, his hands and feet throbbing with every step.
From the deck, Asuna spotted him. Without hesitation, she leaped down to the riverbank and walked beside him.
"I'll carry you," she said firmly.
Kanoru nodded weakly and wrapped his arms around her neck.
With a powerful jump, Asuna soared onto the deck, landing gracefully despite his weight.
She shouted at the captain,
"Bring medical supplies to our room!"
Without waiting for a reply, she carried Kanoru inside.
In their room, she gently laid his bloodied body on the bed, her brow furrowed with worry.
"Come out," she called sharply.
From a small side room, a woman around their age emerged, wearing men's clothes.
Her eyes widened at the sight of Kanoru.
"What happened to him?" she asked.
Asuna's voice was cold,
"To protect you, he got injured."
She knew full well Kanoru hadn't fought to protect the woman, but she said it anyway.
The woman's eyes filled with guilt.
"What can I do?" she asked.
Before Asuna could answer, the door suddenly swung open.
Three people entered—two men and a woman.
The woman strode past the guards and rushed to the one who had been hiding in their room.
"Highness! Are you alright?" she asked, her voice trembling with concern.
Asuna, kneeling by Kanoru's feet, began wiping away the blood with a wet towel.
Without looking up, she asked,
"What kind of 'Highness' are you?"
The woman glanced at Asuna and hesitated for a moment before saying,
"I am the princess of the Desert Kingdom, Gu Mingzhu."
She gestured toward the others.
"This is my caretaker, and they are my two guards."
Asuna's eyes narrowed.
"What kind of princess has such weak guards?" she said, her voice dripping with disdain.
Before Gu Mingzhu could respond, the captain appeared at the door, carrying a wooden box.
"I brought some medical supplies," he said.
Asuna didn't look at him.
"Put them on the table."
The captain nodded and set the box down, then quickly left.
Just then, Kanoru's eyes fluttered open, and he sat up.
Asuna glared at him.
"Lie down. Let me clean the blood," she ordered.
Kanoru shook his head.
"No need. The wounds are closed."
He rose from the bed and walked into the bathroom, leaving a faint trail of blood on the floor.
A minute later, he emerged, his hands and feet covered in fresh scars, but no longer bleeding.
Without a preamble, he faced Gu Mingzhu.
"Why were the sand thieves after you?"
Gu Mingzhu's lips parted, but before she could speak, her caretaker cut in sharply,
"Princess, you can't!"
Gu Mingzhu's mouth clamped shut, her expression uncertain.
Kanoru immediately recognized her hesitation—there was more trouble ahead, and he wanted no part of it.
His voice was flat.
"No need to explain. You can go. I need to rest."
Without another word, he fell back on the bed, eyes closed.
Gu Mingzhu bit her lip and said softly,
"Thank you for helping me. I will repay you someday."
Without looking, Asuna waved dismissively.
"Yes, later. But for now, you can leave."
As soon as they were gone, Asuna shut the door with a quiet click and let out a heavy sigh.