Jiggs murmured, "It looks like that's all he has to offer."
Juggs and Jiggs shared a glance and burst out laughing. Happy to be those to defeat Carl. The two brothers were grinning proudly and looking around, enjoying the admiration of everyone.
The sound of crushing wood woke the twin brothers from their jubilant mood. Turning in unison, Jiggs' mouth fell open and Juggs just looked shocked.
Carl was back on his feet and this time he looked very angry. He straightened himself and, in response, his bones made cracking sounds audible to the rest of those in the hall. Carl's beautiful face lost its beauty, his deep breaths echoed with each intake of air.
Jiggs rushed towards Carl. Carl threw a punch without raising his head, a fresh gust of wind threw Jiggs back. Jiggs broke his fall by bouncing on a pillar with the aid of his feet and bouncing back, attacking once more alongside Juggs. Carl stood his ground and the fight accelerated to another level all together. The soldiers around were finding it hard to follow their movements. The flashing of lights everywhere as the battle advanced, dazzled the soldiers who had by now become spectators. The battle raged on and the focus of everyone remained fixed on the battle. The white flashing of Carl's clothes made it clear he was dominating the battle.
The three stopped simultaneously to catch their breath. Juggs spat out a mouthful of blood, while blood dripped from Jiggs' chin, and Carl's clothes were soaked with sweat. Carl swung his right hand, two fingers protruding; a sharp swirl of air struck Juggs before he could react. The wind sliced through his neck and cut the pillar and wall behind him. The decapitated head fell from his shoulders, landing on the floor with its face turned toward Jiggs. The head bounced like a ball, creating a surreal and unsettling scene.
Jiggs looked at the head bemused and dumbfounded. His brain couldn't register what had just occurred. A few seconds ago, both of them were alive. How can Juggs be gone?
"Nooooooooooo!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, looking at Carl with disdain and hatred. "You will pay for this! How dare you?" He let out an ear-splitting scream and launched himself forward, power accumulating in his right fist. Carl avoided the punch by bending beneath it and connected his fist to Jiggs' chest. The result was mind-boggling; Jiggs was thrown diagonally backward.As Jiggs was still in mid-air, he thought, "Is this the end?" He spat out blood before crashing into the wall. When he opened his eyes, he saw a visible slash of wind coming toward him. It cut him diagonally in two and shattered the wall behind him.
Reaching out his hands, a sword flew into his grasp. With each swing of the sword, a man fell. Carl moved swiftly from person to person, bringing the sword down on each one he encountered. Those defending the front were taken down from behind. It was almost as if he were teleporting all around.
The sounds of slashing, piercing, and cutting flesh and bones, accompanied by screams as the victims dropped dead, filled the air. It was no longer a battle but a massacre. Carl noticed three arrows targeting him; with a swirl of his hands, the arrows paused midair and turned back toward the assailants. All three dropped dead.
He raised his right fist and executed the Rain Sword technique. The swords on the floor rose high above the remaining wounded soldiers before falling in one swift sweep.
"Ahhhhhh! Aiii! Oh! Ah! Thump, thump!" echoed everywhere as the remaining soldiers fell to the ground.
Nathan said to his master, "Sir Tim, I believe the reinforcements are getting ready. Let's join them outside. We are the only ones left standing."
Carl saw them from the corner of his eyes retreating. With the flick of his arms, he hurled two swords with amazing precision at them.
Tim summoned a statue to stand in the way, blocking the swords as he and Nathan made it out. They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, never looking back.
"That was a close one," Nathan gasped for breath.
" It is not over yet,'' Tim said to his aide, as they took cover behind the approaching troops.
The statue stood tall and mighty. It rushed at him with a punch, which he avoided by stepping aside. It swung its arm sideways in an attempt to still reach him. This time Carl somersaulted midair and the statue missed once more.
Creating a distance between himself and the statue, he picked up a spear, imbued it with manna and hurled it at the statue.
The spear halted the advancing statue in the space of a millisecond, and then it exploded into many pieces.
After handling the statue, Carl was about to step out to pursue Tim and Nathan when he saw the troops surrounding the place. Imagining himself being the leader, he knew what he would have commanded them to do. He retraced his steps to the center of the hall, knowing very well that most of their attacks would not reach the spot or would miss.
Tim studied the hall and sighed," the building will reduce our attacks and disperse them, thereby reducing our attack power."
"The building is nothing but rubble before my men. We will destroy it along with everyone inside. But are you sure he wiped out everyone inside?" Dean inquired.
"Indeed, he wiped out everyone, including Jiggs and Juggs."
"What? Both Jiggs and Juggs?"
"Yes, at the same time."
"What about Clark?"
"He left before we started."
"Why?"
"We didn't loop him in, so he was unaware of this operation. Now I see that was a big mistake; he could have turned the tide in our favor."
"Is Carl responsible for all the dead bodies of our men along the way here?"
"Yes, they were strong men sent to finish him, but none returned. Carl came instead and caused mayhem—mayhem like I have never seen before—caused by a single individual."
After giving instructions on how to attack, Dean exchanged words with Tim and stepped forward.
"Carl! Just give up, surrender, and come out with your hands up. We have you completely surrounded. Submit and pay the price for your betrayal."
No sound could be heard. There was no fidgeting as they waited. No one moved. Many of them prayed within themselves that he would surrender so that they would not have to engage in a fight with the Lazy General. Carl's might was well known, and many stories exaggerated his conquest.
Carl seethed with anger. He had never, not even once, betrayed the empire. Every battle he fought and every effort he made was for the betterment of the empire, and yet here he was, being falsely accused of treachery. The weight of the accusation felt like a heavy chain around his neck, constricting his thoughts and fueling his rage.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself and understand the situation. It became painfully clear to him that he had been framed. If that were true, then his men and fiancée had paid a devastating price for a crime he did not commit. The thought sent a wave of disbelief through him, mingled with sorrow and frustration.
"But who would want to frame me?" he pondered, his mind racing through the possibilities. He scanned his memories for any hint of betrayal or deceit among those he trusted. The question gnawed at him, intensifying his anger as he realized that someone had orchestrated this betrayal with malicious intent.
"I must survive to find out who is behind all this," he resolved, determination hardening his resolve. "Who could it be? The magnitude of the operation is such that only the Emperor, the Absolute Commander, and the Council could orchestrate it. This isn't just a simple betrayal; it's a calculated move against everything I stand for. I can't die until I uncover the truth."
Carl's mind raced as he considered the implications. Each of those figures held immense power, and if one of them was involved, it meant that the stakes were higher than he had ever imagined. The thought sent a shiver down his spine. He recalled moments of tension and whispers in the shadows—could those have been signs of a deeper conspiracy?
He clenched his fists, fueled by a mix of anger and resolve. "I need to stay alive," he thought fiercely. "I owe it to my men and my fiancée to seek justice for what has happened." With renewed purpose, he steeled himself for the challenges ahead, knowing that he would stop at nothing to expose the truth behind this treachery.