The Stellar Swordmaster — Chapter 138

GUH!

CHIEF!

WE'RE NEARING THE CANYON!

IT'S TIME WE PULL BACK!

GOT IT! I'LL BE DONE IN A MOMENT!

YOU BASTARD!

WHO SAID I'D LET YOU LEAVE SO EASILY?!

HE VANISHED...

TRASH LIKE THIS...

...CALL THEMSELVES THE BEST?

AGEH!

YOU PULL BACK FIRST!

GOT IT!

COME ON! LET'S RIDE!

THE ENEMY IS RETREATING!

SHALL WE PURSUE?

DO NOT PURSUE!

THE LEFT FLANK IS JOINING US HERE!

THAT GUY!

WE MUST TAKE THAT GUY'S HEAD AT ALL COSTS!

ALL UNITS, CHARGE!

NOIR.

DON'T GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO ESCAPE!

NOIR!

GAH... I CAN'T SEE!

HUH?

YOU BASTARD!

DID YOU THINK I'D LET YOU GET AWAY SO EASILY?!

HAHAHA!

TELL GODIN AND COUNT GAIDAR!

TELL THEM I'M TAKING YOUR PRIDE WITH ME!

THIS IS MY RIGHTFUL REWARD!

SO HE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO BROKE AWAY?

THAT'S CORRECT.

...WHAT A HEADACHE.

WAS THAT REALLY THE ONLY WAY?

IT WAS OUR ONLY OPTION.

IF WE HESITATED EVEN A LITTLE, WE WOULD HAVE RUN INTO THE LORDS' TROOPS ON THEIR WAY TO RETAKE NASSAU.

I SUPPOSE YOU WOULD HAVE...

EVEN I DIDN'T EXPECT THE WESTERN LORDS TO BAND TOGETHER SO TIGHTLY AND ADVANCE SO QUICKLY.

WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED?

WHY ARE THEY ALL SO FURIOUS?

IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WAS UNEXPECTED,

IT WOULD BE THAT THE STRIKE FORCE'S ACHIEVE- MENTS EXCEEDED OUR EXPECTATIONS.

WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH IT?

THEY WREAKED SO MUCH HAVOC WHEREVER THEY WENT...

...THAT THEY EARNED THE WESTERN LORDS' UNDYING HATRED IN THAT SHORT TIME.

WELL...

THAT DOES SOUND LIKE HIM.

IS THAT THE CHILD?

YES. THE LAST RAVNOMA.

WE'VE SECURED THE TARGET.

OUR CURRENT FORCE COULD HOLD OFF THE ASSEMBLED WESTERN ALLIED FORCES, BUT...

BEING WITHOUT 800 ELITE SOLDIERS AHEAD OF A FULL-SCALE WAR WOULD BE A MAJOR BLOW.

WE HAVE TO ABANDON NASSAU AND RETURN.

IT SEEMS THEIR OFFENSIVE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.

IS THERE ANY OTHER ESCAPE ROUTE STILL OPEN?

THIS IS THE ONLY ONE.

...WE HAVE NO CHOICE, THEN.

WE’RE GOING TO WAIT FOR SIR VLAD, AREN’T WE?

I HAVE TO GIVE HIM THIS.

HE SAID IT WAS PRECIOUS TO HIM.

...THOSE WHO ARE READY, BEGIN BOARDING.

YOU’RE NOT GOING TO WAIT?!

RECALL ALL THE SOLDIERS ON THE WALLS AS WELL.

I ASKED IF YOU WERE GOING TO WAIT OR NOT!

YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE KNIGHTS!

THEY ALL SAID THE SAME THINGS.

"GO ON AHEAD."

"I'LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU."

"WE'LL SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN."

"YOU HAVE TO WAIT."

"THEY'LL BE HERE SOON."

KARL RAVNOMA.

AS YOU SAY, HE IS OUR KNIGHT,

AND HE HOLDS THE PROMISE OF BAYEZID'S FUTURE.

GO ON AHEAD AND WAIT...

AND GIVE HIM THAT CLOAK YOURSELF.

...KEEP YOUR WORD.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

LEAVE ONE SHIP TO GET HIM OUT. EVERYONE ELSE IS TO WITHDRAW.

WILL ANY CAPTAIN AGREE TO STAY?

THEY'RE ONLY MERCHANTS REQUISITIONED FOR THIS OPERATION.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT.

THERE'S A CAPTAIN WHO'LL STAY.

OUR ROOKIE IS RUNNING LATE!

ANY VOLUNTEERS TO WAIT FOR HIM WITH ME?!

THAT BOY REALLY IS A HANDFUL.

STILL, HE'S GOOD AT RUNNING LIKE HELL, SO HE SHOULD BE HERE SOON.

AND THAT'S NOT ALL, IS IT?

HE CARRIES TWO HANDKERCHIEFS TUCKED AGAINST HIS CHEST.

A MAN WITH AMBITION DOESN'T DIE EASILY!

YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT.

A STUD RIDING A WILD HORSE? JUST IMAGINE HOW FAST HE'LL BE!

LORD RUTIGER.

IS THERE ANY NEED TO PICK OUT VOLUNTEERS?

EVERY KNIGHT WILL STAY.

GOOD.

LET'S BRING BAYEZID'S FINEST DRAGON HUNTER BACK TO THE NORTH.

DOROTHEA.

INSCRIBE FIRE-RESISTANCE MARKINGS ON THE KNIGHTS.

PARDON?

I HAVE NO INTENTION OF HOLDING BACK TODAY.