Wolf Assault!
The sword skill used by Blaidd, who is a Half-Wolf, is a Combat Technique that involves attacking the enemy in a beast-like posture.
The broad sword was wreathed in frost. Blaidd spun around to face Darryl, stomped his foot, and leaped high into the air, spinning like a wolf tearing into its prey as he fiercely stabbed down at the enemy below.
But Darryl merely stomped his feet heavily on the ground, and his weapon, Long Fang, met Blaidd's Greatsword with an upward slash. The clash of the two weapons instantly produced a harsh, grating friction sound.
Kaka kaka!
The icy blue cold, fueled by Blaidd's magic power, quickly spread from the Greatsword onto Long Fang. Seizing this opportunity, Blaidd pressed his entire weight onto the Greatsword. Cracks already appeared where Darryl stood, and his arm began to tremble slightly.
Although he had lost his mind, Darryl's combat instinct immediately made him realize he couldn't clash head-on!
Just as the ice was about to spread to Darryl's hilt, Darryl slightly shifted the blade and then exerted sudden force, causing Long Fang to slide past the Greatsword's edge.
Boom—!
The two figures crossed paths. Blaidd drove his Greatsword fiercely into the ground, causing a violent burst of magic power. Bone-chilling cold instantly spread everywhere, freezing a large area.
Darryl, who had managed to dodge, was slightly panting, and half of his body was already covered in frost.
The moment Blaidd stabbed the ground, he used the signature Combat Technique of the Hound Knights, the Hound Swordsmanship, to spin and create distance.
But Blaidd's magic burst range was simply too massive, causing him to still be affected.
Taking advantage of the moment Blaidd's Greatsword was stuck in the ground and hadn't been pulled out yet, Darryl stepped forward with a special Hound Stride, launching a heavy attack and pursuing with his raised sword.
Seeing Darryl's defenseless pursuit, Xia Yu, who had been silently observing from the side, shook his head slightly. Darryl was going to lose.
Blaidd's Wolf Assault has a second phase of attack. When he drove his Greatsword into the ground, Darryl should have immediately retreated.
Seeing Darryl truly pursuing him, Blaidd subtly curled his lip. The moment the opponent slashed towards him, he pulled out the Greatsword.
Boom boom—!
The cold air spreading throughout the entire jail instantly exploded, sharp ice shards flew everywhere, and even tiny ice crystals appeared in the air.
Xia Yu, standing nearby, silently cast a Magic Shield on himself and ignited Sorcery Flames within his body. He couldn't understand why Blaidd, who was quite sensitive to the cold, would use frost as a means of attack.
Was it because Ranni was the cold Dark Moon, so to follow her, he deliberately made himself use frost attacks?
Suddenly, he felt like Blaidd was a simp... No, Blaidd is a wolf, and Wolf Bro is a good person. How could he speak ill of him like that?
Xia Yu silently slapped himself mentally twice. He couldn't think like that next time.
Meanwhile, in the center of the battlefield.
After Blaidd unleashed the Frost Explosion, Darryl, having faced the blast directly, was covered in frost. Seizing this chance, Blaidd gripped the hilt with both hands and fiercely swung down at Darryl.
The icy coldness made Darryl almost stop thinking, but physical instinct requires no thought.
Just as Blaidd's Greatsword struck, Darryl wanted to raise his sword to defend, but the frost had completely stiffened his body, preventing him from moving smoothly.
Sizzle!!!
The sword strike, using all of Blaidd's strength, mercilessly cleaved into Darryl's chest. The special Hound Armor instantly caved in.
The chest plate, pointed at the chest and engraved with complex patterns, was violently torn open, leaving a large gash. The warm blood solidified into crimson ice crystals in the air before it could hit the ground.
"Pfft!!"
As Darryl flew backward, blood mixed with foam sprayed out from the gaps in his helmet.
Darryl then slammed heavily against the jail's barrier behind him. Like a dead dog, he slowly slid down the barrier and collapsed on the ground, motionless.
Hit him while he's down!
Blaidd leaped up with a backflip, intending to use another Wolf Assault to finish off Darryl, but Xia Yu, who had been observing from the side, suddenly stepped forward.
"Give me some face, let's temporarily stop the fight."
"..."
Blaidd, who had leaped into the air, retracted the frost spreading along his sword. After landing, he didn't sheathe his Greatsword but stared fixedly at Xia Yu.
"Reason."
"Didn't I already say?" Xia Yu raised his hands and waved, signaling he posed no threat. "I don't think a Hound Knight would betray his master. Something is suspicious about this. Can you let me examine him first?"
Hearing this, Blaidd squinted at Xia Yu for a moment, then silently retrieved the Greatsword onto his back without speaking.
Seeing Blaidd put away his weapon, Xia Yu smiled at him: "Don't worry, if he truly betrayed his master of his own accord, you won't need to step in. I will personally make him disappear from this world."
Blaidd didn't reply, but silently nodded towards Darryl, seemingly motioning for Xia Yu to hurry up.
Xia Yu didn't delay. He turned and walked towards Darryl, who seemed to have passed out. Just as he stood in front of Darryl, the latter suddenly erupted, holding Long Fang and slashing upward towards Xia Yu.
"!"
Blaidd's pupils contracted. He hadn't realized Darryl was faking unconsciousness. Reacting quickly, he was about to step forward and push Xia Yu away when Xia Yu, moving faster than he could see, suddenly reached out and grabbed the upward-slashing Long Fang.
"You bastard, I was trying to help you, and you tried to cut me."
Xia Yu yanked the weapon Long Fang out of Darryl's hand, then stepped heavily on the opponent's injured chest, speaking calmly.
"Pfft!!"
Darryl, whose chest was injured again, spat out a mouthful of hot blood and let out a resentful growl, looking like a wounded wild dog.
Seeing that Xia Yu was unharmed, Blaidd, who had reached out, breathed a sigh of relief, yet was secretly startled. This new friend of his seemed stronger than he had imagined.
But then again, he was a Tarnished aiming to become the Elden Lord, so being powerful wasn't surprising.
Thinking this, Blaidd lowered his raised hand and walked over.
Allowing Xia Yu to approach without confirming if Darryl was neutralized was partly his fault.
"Alright, alright. Good boy, let me take a look at your brain."
Xia Yu stepped on Darryl's chest with his right foot, squatted down, and reached out to undo the clasp on his helmet. This type of helmet was standard issue armor for the Hound Knights—a metallic helmet with a pointed muzzle.
As the helmet was removed, a face full of weariness and messy stubble appeared before Xia Yu.
Looking at the middle-aged man's face before him, Xia Yu slightly raised an eyebrow and said, "So you're a human after all. I thought you were a Beastman like him."
Blaidd, who had walked over, realized the comment was directed at him. He paused and said, "Hound Knights are warriors who undergo the Hound Training Method. They learn beast-like combat skills through special means."