The Third Hand of the Whispering Shadow. Freon's jaw slackened in shock. They were so well-known throughout the world that anyone would have heard their name at least once and Freon was more read than others. The Whispering Shadow had five primary forces under their command: the Hands. The First Hand, a mysterious and near-legendary existence. He knew nothing much about it, except their frightening power allowed them to reign supreme over the organization. Indeed, with Sword King Sin's power of Instinct Realm, he could suppress any infighting with a single strike! Then there was the Second Hand, an elusive assassin group, which posed a threat to the Alzar Kingdom's heir apparent. Finally, the Third Hand… From this, it was clear how insurmountable of a foe Freon was facing. Worse yet, the leader here was neither Captain Murvin nor Vice-captain Uldat of the Third Hand.
You got to be kidding me, he cringed.
All along, he was planning against an enemy on a similar level to the attackers before. The ones who attacked his home had numbers and that was all really. Freon had confidence that his uncle if his strength recovered, or the city guards could defeat them. Despite the current situation, Freon believed that sufficient numbers could compensate. They might be strong, but they were not invincible! That was the normal thought anyways… However, if the Whispering Shadow was involved, then it became an entirely different matter. The Whispering Shadow was an apex organization, standing near the top of the ladder! It might be below the three great civilizations, but Freon was nothing in comparison! He could only look up and prostrate himself! Even with his uncle's triple-casting, he did not feel confident.
Freon slowly unsheathed a short sword and swallowed his saliva. "You think I'd believe everything you'd say?" he shouted.
The man raised a single eyebrow. For Freon to use a sword rather than magic, was there a reason? Then again, was there a reason to think so much? Freon was a mere brat! Might as well wrap everything up and go home. He spoke, "It seems our conversation is over. About time anyways, the weather was beginning to ruin my mood." He glanced to his left. "Careful not to rough him up too much. Otherwise, the captain will be complaining to me."
Upon being called, a burly man stepped out of line, his figure as mighty as a bear. His muscles were so large that they burst with explosive power. His hands were large enough to crush Freon's head like a melon. His body looked big enough to bend metal in half. It was so ridiculous that it likely approached the limitations of the human body! He was releasing a horrific surge of pressure and intimidation from his body alone, not even accounting for his spirit. If he was a mighty tree trunk, then Freon was as fragile as a twig. He did not use any weapons because he did not need to. His entire body was his greatest weapon! Freon was slightly speechless seeing this.
There was no need for words. The man stomped on the ground, shaking pebbles and water up while sending tremors throughout the small alleyway. The rain seemed to momentarily pause in the air. Within an explosion, the man propelled himself like a crossbow bolt toward Freon. He crossed that distance nearly instantly. His palm was opened wide, aiming to grab Freon's face! The boy was so surprised because that his guard was penetrated like nothing. It was like his enemy ignored the sword in his hand! That was expected since Freon was never trained in the sword like Benedict or possessed abnormal instincts like Shirley. He was wholly pathetic like Elizabeth. The only difference was… he was fighting against the Third Hand!
His face was grabbed without resistance as it felt like a carriage was running over him. The force was impossible to defend against! Slam! He was forcefully slammed into the ground knocking the breath straight out of him. Even the ground vibrated slightly. Just from the impact alone, Freon gained a concussion and a few broken bones. His skull was likely fractured! The man continued to hold him down like a stubborn child and once he saw Freon's arms grow limp, he snorted and turned away. Freon had fallen unconscious! Everyone else saw this as natural while the leader frowned a little. The leader was about to chastise his subordinate for his rough handling when the glimmer of sword light flashed!
It was so surprising that everyone momentarily paused. This tiny pause was enough for the sword to close in on the man! He instinctively moved out of the way, feeling the sword graze his chest. He might be outrageously well-built but only a fool would dare to take a slash directly onto bare skin. There was confidence and then there was stupidity! Once the dust settled, everyone glanced at Freon, who was barely standing up. Blood coated his forehead, which began mixing with the rainwater. It was clear that he struggled to remain clearheaded. The leader had to admit that Freon had extraordinary willpower!
"You…" Freon's enemy started. "How are you still conscious?" That attack had enough power to neutralize a grown adult. Although he held back to avoid killing Freon, it should be too much for Freon to handle.
Freon sneered. "Did I disappoint you?"
"The kid's mocking you!" one of them laughed.
"Do you need any help?" another added. "I don't mind dealing with him for you."
The man's veins pulsed in anger as he glared at Freon. "You think you're impressive for landing a hit on me? You're asking for it!"
"Don't let him rile you up," the leader frowned. He was not afraid that Freon would defeat his man, but rather the inverse. If his subordinate killed Freon in a fit of anger, there would be no way to explain things to the captain…
"You're worrying too much-" the man turned around to say when Freon pounced!
Why should Freon let such a massive chance go? Forget about honor! He needed to win this fight to protect his family and friends. If Gunther really met his end like they said, then better the reason! It was his enemy's fault for underestimating him. His sword skill might be weak, but Freon did not hesitate at all. He aimed to kill! Unfortunately, the move was clear as day to his enemy. Such an ambush was completely within his expectations. In fact, his enemy even looked down on Freon for such a disgusting strategy.
Nevertheless, he shifted out of the way with ease. The blade glided over his body harmlessly. Next, he pulled back his fist and delivered a heavy blow straight to Freon's chest! Everything happened so quickly that Freon had no time to register anything. Freon spat out a mouthful of spit, bile, and blood as his ribs fractured. He felt a whirlwind of pain from his collapsing chest. Like a spring, his body shot backwards before crashing into a brick wall. Freon slumped down and collapsed again, his condition unknown. It was such a one-sided beating that onlookers would have to look away. It was simply brutal.
The man picked up Freon's fallen sword with disdain. Tossing it away, he said, "Do you think this is a game? This is why you're weak!"