LITMIR.BIZ

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Rein replied, – but you stand no chance against a Raiderian.

      – Listen… I get it. You’re just scared! You want to run away, but as long as I’m here, you hesitate.

      – I’m not hesitating. I just don’t want you to be killed just like that. After all, I’m sure you have something to live for!

      – You’re not the first Raiderian warrior I’ve seen, – the boy said. – Their scouts have visited our villages before, roamed through our forests. Once I saw a knight kill one of your Raiderians. As I said, I definitely have a chance. And I want to take advantage of it. It’ll toughen me up; I’ll become stronger – and someday, I’ll avenge my parents.

      – Alright. I’ve rested, – Rein said abruptly.

      – Finally, – the boy replied and went ahead.

      – Stop! – Rein said. – You won’t go any further.

      – What? Why? – the boy asked in surprise.

      – I won’t let you! If you can’t defeat me, then you certainly won’t handle an entire Raiderian legion on your own.

      – What? I won’t fight alone. I’m not the only one who went into the woods for reconnaissance! Besides, there are others with me, and knights are following us.

      – Don’t you understand? As soon as we encounter the Raiderians, everyone will scatter immediately – those who can, and the knights – they’ll run first!

      – No. They’re knights. They can’t just abandon everyone.

      – How naive you are if you really think so, – Rein replied.

      – Fine, I’ll just go; you won’t be able to stop me anyway, – the boy said.

      Seeing that the boy just continued walking, Rein followed him slowly and stopped him, grabbing him by the shoulder.

      – Let go! – the boy exclaimed angrily.

      – Fine… If you want to fight a Raiderian, fight me!

      Rein clenched his fist and struck the boy in the face with half force, breaking his nose and causing him to fall.

      – Well, how about now? Had enough?

      The boy was genuinely angered. He stood up, clenched his fists, and in response to his own roar, he struck Rein in the face with all his strength. However, Rein just turned his face, not even flinching. The boy then hit him once more in the body and twice in the face. After that, Rein, unperturbed, wiped his nose and said:

      – So, have you finally understood?

      The boy got even angrier, turned around, grabbed a stone lying by a tree, and with an apologetic look towards Rein, he ran at him, holding the stone tightly. The boy intended to hit Rein in the face again, hoping that the stone would make it more painful. But as soon as the boy approached a close distance for the strike and swung, Rein grabbed him by the hand holding the stone and by the shoulder with his other hand. Stepping slightly to the side and making a swift move, Rein effortlessly threw the boy to the ground. As the boy lay there, his face was now covered in tears.

      – You wanted to fight so badly! – Rein said. – Come on, I’m waiting! Why are you lying down?

      The boy, even more enraged, picked up a broken stick lying under him and ran towards Rein, aiming the sharp end at him. However, Rein simply took the boy by the wrist holding the stick and squeezed so hard that the boy couldn’t hold it anymore. The stick fell, and the boy began to cry. With his free hand, he started hitting Rein in the face. He struck Rein about ten times before Rein finally hit him back. Since Rein struck the boy below the belt, he fell to the ground, stopped crying, and almost stopped making any sounds at all, curling up into a ball.

      – I’m sorry, I had to do this to show you how it really is, not in your fantasies. If you don’t go back on your own, I’ll have to forcefully take you away from here.

      Meanwhile, a sound was heard from behind.

      – Well, you’ve made quite a spectacle here.

      – Bern… Can’t say I’m thrilled to see you either, – Rein said.

      – Mutual feeling! When I saw some commotion here, I tied my horse not far away and approached to observe you a bit. It was entertaining, but as I told you: “Move forward, or I’ll finish you.” And I wasn’t the only one who said that. You remember, right?

      – Yes, I remember… but I’m not going where you directed me anymore.

      – You’ve come almost to Raiderian lands… And now… you’ve decided to turn back because of this boy?

      – I just want to get him out of here. I want to save whoever I can! And if you decide to get in my way, I’ll push you aside.

      This statement offended Bern and elicited laughter from him, but he understood Rein’s desire to save the boy, even though it surprised him.

      – You were clearly told what to do and what would happen. You gave your word! Now I just have to fulfill it, and I’ll take care of this boy, for what it’s worth. But if you think you have any chance against me, you’re clearly delusional! I hope you’ll face your death with dignity! – Bern said, playfully drawing his sword from its sheath.

      Bern unsheathed his sword, holding it in his hand with a reverse grip. Changing the expression on his face, he assumed a combat stance. Reyn was curious about what to expect from this knight in battle. However, with little time to spare, Reyn made a leap and struck with his sword first.

      Due to the smaller size of Bern’s sword, which was only a few inches longer than his forearm and narrower than his wrist, he couldn’t effectively block Reyn’s powerful strike. Bern employed a special combat technique, guiding the opponent’s sword along the edge of his own blade as if the enemy’s sword were sliding off. At the same time, he moved slightly to the side, deflecting or, more accurately, evading the direct blows of opponents stronger than him. This was how he deflected Reyn’s swift overhead strike.

      As Bern was not encumbered by heavy armor and wielded a sword that weighed almost as much as he did, the knights of the Last Kingdoms were known for honing their combat skills to perfection over many years, increasing the speed of their execution. Almost instantly after deflecting Reyn’s strike, Bern changed the position of the sword in his hand, gripping it conventionally, and swiftly ran the blade along the gap in Reyn’s armor on the side.

      Only the fact that Reyn instinctively tightened the gap in his armor due to the pain saved him from death. After this wound, Reyn had to place his left hand on the bleeding injury and wield his sword with only one hand, also using a reverse grip. Bern almost immediately unleashed a barrage of new strikes upon Reyn.

      Bern changed grips between his strikes so quickly that it seemed as if he were merely showing off. All of this happened almost instantly. So fast that Reyn could only block the blows with the flat of his sword instead of counterattacking. Although at the moment Reyn thought that both his sword and armor were only slowing him down, the extensive blade of Reyn’s sword saved his life blow after blow from Bern. Each new strike from Bern pushed Reyn down to his knees.

      At some point, Bern hesitated for a moment, and Reyn caught him off guard. With one hand, Reyn turned his sword and swung it from left to right, piercing the horizon with the tip. As Reyn’s concentration momentarily weakened, he saw small metal knives flying towards him. He managed to deflect some with his sword, but some got stuck in his armor. Finally, Reyn was able to stand up from his kneeling position and release the still-bleeding wound.

      The guy whom Reyn had dealt with quite thoroughly caught Reyn’s eye. Still recovering from Reyn’s blows, he breathed heavily and silently watched the battle, leaning against a tree. Reyn turned his gaze back to Bern and said:

      “You’re

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