One Sword!

Seeing the middle-aged man suddenly appear, Matthew’s pupils constricted slightly, a trace of surprise flickering in his heart. This Beast Whisperer’s speed was significantly faster than he had anticipated!

The arrow had only just left the string, and the lingering vibration of the bowstring was still echoing in his ears.

Yet, that dark figure had suddenly lunged from behind the carriage shaft, pouncing directly in front of him.

The pair of short daggers flashed coldly in the sunlight, carrying a lethal chill as they aimed straight for his vitals.

Matthew could even clearly see the hideous expression in Valentine’s eyes—a mixture of hatred and sadistic glee.

‘However... that’s all there is to it.’

In the time it took for a thought to flash, the combat technique within Matthew’s body was already in motion.

A familiar and fluid power surged from his limbs and bones. His perception, reactions, and physical coordination were instantly elevated to a whole new level.

To his own senses, Valentine’s long-premeditated ambush moved in a trajectory so clear it was almost slow.

His feet shifted slightly, and his waist retreated at an angle that seemed minor but was actually exquisite. The cold wind brought by the twin blades brushed past the fabric of his chest, failing to nick even a single thread.

After all, Matthew’s physical attributes were already comparable to the Silver Rank. Once his combat technique was active, his reactions were even superior, making it easy to dodge this strike.

However, in the eyes of the onlookers, this evasion was a heart-stopping spectacle.

To Aidan, Nathan, and Porter, it looked as though Matthew had just fired two arrows and had no time to recover his stance for defense.

The dark figure had erupted with terrifying speed, the blade light nearly touching Matthew’s body.

At the critical moment, Matthew seemed to react belatedly, twisting his body in a clumsy and panicked manner. The movement appeared rushed and perilous, with the blade tips nearly grazing his neck and chest as he barely escaped!

This scene caused everyone watching the battle to have their hearts leap into their throats. Aidan couldn’t help but cry out in alarm,

“Brother Matthew!”

At that moment, the one feeling the most intense surge of wild joy was the attacker, Valentine himself.

Seeing Matthew’s “clumsy” and “narrow” escape, Valentine was momentarily stunned before an uncontrollable ecstasy flared up like wildfire!

‘I knew it! I knew it!’

He almost wanted to scream it out in his mind.

Matthew’s previous display of godlike archery—deadly shots from a hundred paces—had truly filled him with dread and even a hint of worry that the youth might also be skilled in close combat.

But now, that “barely managed” dodge completely confirmed his most hopeful suspicion:

This kid was a pure archer!

Perhaps due to some talent or grueling practice, his archery had reached a terrifying level, but once the distance was closed and the fight became a melee, he immediately showed his weakness.

Matthew didn’t care how others interpreted his seemingly “strained” dodge.

For him, that split-second exchange had allowed him to weigh Valentine’s true strength with the precision of a scale.

Speed, power, timing, and trajectory...

That strike had indeed been threatening enough to instantly kill an ordinary Black Iron Rank and would have sent a novice Brass Rank into a panic.

However, after Matthew activated Eagle Eye Gaze—a combat technique that vastly boosted his reactions and dynamic vision—his perception and body control were on a completely different plane. It allowed him to deconstruct every detail of Valentine’s onslaught within the span of an inch.

‘Brass Rank... and he’s still quite a distance from touching the threshold of the Silver Rank.’

Matthew quickly made his judgment, and a faint trace of disappointment quietly crossed his heart.

He yearned to face stronger opponents, not out of bloodlust, but because he wanted to more clearly measure the sharpness of the edge he had honed. Only a life-and-death struggle against a true Silver Rank expert could give him a deeper understanding of his own limits. The Valentine before him clearly did not meet that standard.

But that disappointment was fleeting, washed away by a more pressing sense of reality.

Out of the corner of his eye, he swiftly scanned the other side of the battlefield.

In the clash between Porter and Nathan, sword qi and blade light collided violently, each impact erupting with a heart-shaking screech.

Porter was still resisting tenaciously, his longsword firmly guarding his vitals.

However, in Matthew’s view, Porter’s footsteps were heavier than before, and the swaying of his body during parries was becoming more pronounced.

Nathan’s scimitar was like a relentless shadow, each strike faster than the last. His blade momentum was as heavy as a continuous mountain range, constantly crushing Porter’s defensive space.

Even if Porter was still holding on and might even have a hidden trump card, the increasingly obvious strain sent a clear and unmistakable signal:

Time was running out.

‘I must finish things here quickly and go support Porter.’

Matthew’s gaze sharpened, and he banished all stray thoughts.

Opportunities to test his strength would come later, but if he delayed the battle due to a desire for combat or by underestimating the enemy—leading to the collapse of the defensive line or Porter’s defeat—it would be a total disaster.

At this moment, time was more precious than gold.

He no longer hesitated. He slung the White Fang Bow across his back and swiftly reached for his waist—the longsword named Dawn left its scabbard with a clear, ringing chime.

Under the slightly dim sky, the blade shimmered with a restrained but undeniable cold radiance, like the first light of daybreak.

He looked up, his gaze sharp as a blade, locking onto the rapidly approaching Beast Whisperer. Deep within his calm eyes, no hesitation remained—only pure, icy resolve.

Seeing Matthew put away his bow and draw a sword, Valentine’s mouth curled into a sneer.

“What’s the matter, kid?” his voice was raspy as he crossed his short daggers in front of him. “Can’t use the bow anymore, so you want to try a sword? You think changing weapons will scare me?”

His footsteps didn’t stop as his figure closed in again like a ghost, attempting to use words to disturb his opponent’s mind while searching for the angle for a fatal blow.

“Archers should stay in the back and shoot from the shadows! Thinking you can handle close combat? You must be in a hurry to die—”

Before he could finish, Valentine erupted!

He pushed the Brass Rank life energy within his body to its limit, increasing his speed by another thirty percent. Like a lunging venomous snake, his pair of short daggers aimed for Matthew’s throat and heart. The eerie blue glow on the blades left afterimages in the air, and a faint, sickly sweet scent could be smelled.

However, at the very moment Valentine made his all-out charge—

Not far away, Nathan—who was swinging his scimitar like a whirlwind and suppressing Porter with his ferocious blade momentum—faintly caught Valentine’s mocking words.

...

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