'How the hell did this happen?'
'We had planned this well in advance… How is it possible that this brat and his men can survive the attack of eleven experienced Golden Core Realm cultivators? It is simply impossible'
'Besides, that girl and the snake, I never thought they were so strong... Ah shit.' The lamentations passed through Wiltord's mind as he continued to engage in a tough battle of attrition with Ruvan in which he was obviously losing.
On the other hand, The Matriarch on top of the branches was quite impressed with Ruvan's performance.
'This boy surely has quite a powerful background however he doesn't seem to be here for training' The Matriarch murmured as she read the information jade that Nina had given her before leaving. Nina had dedicated herself to collecting all kinds of information about this 'Captain Jakob' using all the channels of her information network.
'Supposedly this boy appeared seven years ago or at least that's when we started to hear about him... Working as a mercenary from a very young age...'
'Apparently he has had all kinds of experiences...' The Matriarch thought to herself as she remembered the history of mercenary groups where Ruvan had been. Many of them had disintegrated or disappeared. Betrayals were the daily bread for mercenaries and it was not easy for a little teenager to survive in a sea full of sharks.
'It is also quite curious that there is no information regarding the boy's past... In my opinion this boy is hiding from something or someone... Nor would it be strange for him to be exiled here for having committed a crime after all that many families and clans do with its most rebellious members'
'They send them to hostile environments from a young age to discipline and temper them, and then if they need them they return to see their results'
The Matriarch assumptions were not entirely far from the truth after all, she was an experienced cultivator who had seen all kinds of events in her life. Of course, the functioning of martial families and clans was not something unknown or new to her.
'Now the main question here is whether this boy will be willing to accept my proposal' The Matriarch thought as she watched the exhausted Wiltord increasingly fall into despair in the face of Ruvan's merciless attacks.
At some point the three surviving wandering cultivators had surrendered to Lira and his men who were now restraining them with cultivation-sealing chains.
"COME ON CAPTAIN!!."
"CAPTAIN, DEFEAT THAT BASTARD!"
"COME ON BIG BROTHER JAKOB!!" Shouts of support could be heard around Ruvan. Even the mother and daughter who until recently had been in a depressed mood had revived their spirits.
'I never imagined that this young man and his soldiers were so powerful' Su Meiyao murmured as she saw the pile of corpses around the carriage where she and her daughter were.
"Master Jakob is invincible! Many say he has never lost a battle" Xin said with his starry eyes.
"Oh really?" Su Lingxi asked, clearly excited at the mention of Ruvan's feats.
"That's right… Captain Jakob has always been famous for defeating cultivators who are at cultivation ranks higher than his own."
"In the war of destruction of the Three Swords Sect, Captain Jakob fought and defeated one of the great Elders who was in the sixth stage of the Golden Core Realm while he was barely in the third stage," Xin said with pride in his voice.
While Su Lingxi and Xin were happily talking about Ruvan, Su Meiyao was deep in thought.
'Captain Jakob must be quite young... To be capable of such feats at such a young age we are talking about a true celestial genius...'
'It wouldn't be at all strange for some powerful sect to recruit him... Even kings would be more than willing to give him the hand of a princess as long as he fights for their side' Su Meiyao thought.
When she finally came out of his thoughts, she realized that her daughter and her new friend did not take their eyes off Ruvan under any circumstances.
'It's normal... After all, what woman wouldn't fall in love with a young man as handsome and talented as Captain Jakob...'
'If I were a little younger...'
'What the hell are you thinking Meiyao?' Su Meiyao thought as she shook her head.
"Hahaha, girls, you all look like damsels in love," joked Lira, who had returned from dealing with her chores. Lira's comment caused Su Lingxi and Xin's cheeks to turn completely red.
"Hahahaha so cute" Lira laughed funnily when she saw their reactions. The atmosphere was quite lively as they waited for Ruvan to finish his fight.
"Arrhggh"
"Boom" Wiltord's hammer failed again and this time Ruvan did not waste advantage as he launched a strong attack directly at Wiltord's ribs, breaking several of them.
"Crack" "Arrrghh" The sound of several broken ribs was heartbreaking to the spectators. Ruvan did not stop there and another series of attacks left Wiltord practically inert, as he collapsed to the ground on his knees.
"It seems that this is where everything ends Wiltord"
"I would say that you were a worthy rival but the truth is that it is not true... By the way I want you to know that one of your trusted men already told me where you keep all your treasure so don't worry... It will be in good hands" said Ruvan with a little smile as he pointed to one of Wiltord's soldiers who was standing calmly next to the Ruvan mercenaries.
"Cole!!
"Damn bastard!" Wiltord growled as he saw one of his most trusted men betray him.
"I'm sorry Captain, but your cause was lost from the first moment you pointed your hammer at Captain Jakob" The mercenary Cole said without a hint of regret in his voice.
"Since I came to this continent I have not left a single one of my enemies alive and of course you will not be the exception either" Ruvan said in a calm tone as he took out a dagger from his space ring.
"It's time to end this" Ruvan muttered as he pointed his dagger directly at Wiltord's neck however at the last moment Wiltord jumped and grabbed Ruvan with all his strength.
"Damn bastard. If I'm going to die, you'll join me in hell, kukuku" Wiltord laughed with a demented laugh as he took out a grenade from his space ring. This was a grenade that he had purchased at an auction. It was said that his attack power was capable of killing an Earth Realm Cultivator, meaning there would be no chance that Ruvan could survive such an attack.
"Captain" "Captain Nooooo" "Big brother" All kinds of screams were heard nearby as they ran away trying to stop what seemed inevitable.
Ruvan tried with all his might to escape but Wiltord put the last of his strength to prevent that from happening.
"I promise to kill you in the afterlife when we meet again, you kukuku bastard" Wiltord mocked as blood spilled from the corners of his mouth.
'Shit, I never imagined this' 'What a waste but it looks like I'll have to use that...' Ruvan lamented as he prepared to take out the lifesaving treasure that his grandfather had given him just before leaving.
When everything seemed inevitable, soft arms held him for a few moments before taking him completely away from where Wiltord was.
"What the fuck?" Wiltord realized that Ruvan had completely disappeared from his sight while his two pairs of arms fell to the ground completely severed.
"Damn bastard"
"BOOOOM" Before he could finish cursing his body was absorbed by a powerful explosion that shook the ground around him. Fortunately for Lira and the rest of the mercenaries who had run in the direction of Ruvan, the explosion had been at a distance far enough to avoid further injuries.
"CAPTAIN?"
"Shit… Does anyone see anything?
"For a few moments I saw that the Captain had disappeared." The mercenaries quickly began to shout in concern as they waited for the cloud of smoke to dissipate.
Lira was also tense but she was sure that just before the explosion the silhouette of a woman had appeared next to Ruvan and Wiltord.
"Ruvan, you can't leave me that easily, right?" Lira asked herself worriedly as she tightened her grip on her hammer.