“Once I cut off Adam Bennett this brat’s head, then kill Owen Foster to silence him, at the very least I can keep my rank in the Royal Guard. With this powerful magical weapon, I’ll definitely rack up countless military achievements with ease. By then, getting promoted will be a piece of cake. When I become a general of the Empire, this magical lightsaber with countless stories will be passed down through my descendants, generation after generation.”

At this most delightful thought, Luke Thompson couldn’t help but burst into loud laughter, causing a flurry of snow mountain bats to scatter. As for Owen Foster, the one both of them were plotting to kill to silence, he was now hiding in a corner, trembling. After encountering danger several times, he no longer dared to move recklessly, completely unaware that he had suddenly become so sought after!

“It’s Luke Thompson!”

Adam Bennett, who was searching for enemies in the shadows not far away, happened to hear Luke Thompson’s somewhat arrogant laughter. He was overjoyed and quietly teased, “Could it be that Lord Luke Thompson, after being repeatedly struck down by me, has gone mad? To be able to laugh so happily in such a situation!”

He quietly sent instructions to the mechanical warrior and began to pursue Luke Thompson’s location by following the sound. However, the sound of the magical flame jet under the mechanical warrior’s feet was far too noticeable for Luke Thompson. In the silent labyrinth, sounds carried easily, so by the time Adam Bennett arrived, Luke Thompson had already hurriedly hidden in another passage.

The two of them played a game of cat and mouse in the maze. Naturally, with a powerful helper like the mechanical warrior and a thorough knowledge of the labyrinth map, Adam Bennett had a huge advantage. After several failed attempts, Adam Bennett immediately realized that the mechanical warrior’s flame jet was the culprit, so he ordered the machine to pause and wait, blocking the path of the aimlessly wandering Luke Thompson from another direction.

Luke Thompson was very worried about unpredictable dangers in the darkness, so he kept his magical lightsaber activated. Hidden in the darkness, Adam Bennett saw the weapon in the Royal Guard captain’s hand and couldn’t help but pause for a moment. But soon after, he revealed a confident smile, placed his hand on the hilt of his own magical lightsaber at his waist, and quietly waited for Luke Thompson to approach.

The place where Adam Bennett was hiding was at a corner of a maze intersection. The blade of the magical lightsaber, with its concentrated beam, couldn’t illuminate far ahead and wasn’t a very good lighting tool. It was, after all, just a weapon and didn’t double as a torch, so Luke Thompson didn’t notice Adam Bennett. He had no idea that the sound of the flame jet often heard behind him was a tool commanded by Adam Bennett; he simply thought it was an ordinary mechanical warrior guarding the maze.

As he cautiously approached, the young man who had been waiting for a long time decisively drew his magical lightsaber, shouted, and with a textbook-perfect lunge, thrust the blade straight at Luke Thompson’s abdomen.

“Ah!”

Startled, Luke Thompson thought he had run into a mechanical warrior. His foot slipped and he fell to the ground, but the lightsaber in his hand reflexively parried and clashed with Adam Bennett’s attack. Adam Bennett was slightly amazed at Luke Thompson’s luck—such a clumsy move had actually let him dodge the sneak attack. However, the Royal Guard captain, now off balance, could only silently curse as he faced Adam Bennett’s next onslaught, which came like a raging storm.

It must be said that although Adam Bennett had maintained the upper hand all along thanks to his composure and cunning, his swordsmanship was not yet at the level where he could completely suppress a Royal Guard captain. Luke Thompson, though not very bright or calm, was more than ten years older than Adam Bennett. With sword skills honed over years of military service and the strength of an adult, it was still uncertain who would win in a head-on duel.

At the most critical moment of his life, Luke Thompson unleashed his greatest potential. Though he was rolling and crawling in a most undignified manner, he managed to defend all his vital points with his magical lightsaber, causing Adam Bennett’s repeated attacks to fail.

“Captain Luke Thompson, your swordsmanship is truly unique—what a remarkable talent! Why not follow the example of the sword masters from the Continent of Ice and, after returning to the imperial capital Golden Moon City, open a swordsmanship school specializing in this stray-dog-rolling technique? Who knows, you might earn more than you do in the Royal Guard, and your fame would far surpass that of an ordinary captain!”

Being mocked by a boy half his age, Captain Luke Thompson’s face turned so red it was about to drip blood. If they were both using ordinary longswords, he would rather take a hit than stay down. But since both he and Adam Bennett were wielding magical lightsabers, far sharper than mundane weapons, even a slight touch could mean instant death. How could Luke Thompson dare take such a risk?

However, after Adam Bennett’s taunt, Luke Thompson actually found that his rolling and crawling swordplay was becoming more and more effective. The orange-yellow magical lightsaber in his hand was wielded so tightly that not even wind or rain could get through, leaving Adam Bennett with no opening.

But Adam Bennett wasn’t worried. In this kind of fight, he and Luke Thompson were expending energy at very different rates—standing on two feet was far less tiring than scrambling on all fours. Besides, he took the opportunity to summon Number One. As soon as that mechanical warrior arrived, Luke Thompson would be finished.