A few days later, Jasper's body had mostly recovered, and his strength was back to about ninety percent.
Sable and Skyhawk had gotten much more fluent with their class skills, and they trained hard as well. Skyhawk was faintly showing signs of breaking through to Bronze Tier, Rank 5. Sable was still a bit short. Jasper also felt he was on the verge of reaching Bronze Tier, Rank 6.
As usual, Jasper spent noon reading in his room—outside was too hot—while Sable and Skyhawk had been having the time of their lives around the village.
But today was different. Sable and Skyhawk stormed into the room, both looking furious.
Jasper asked, "What's got you so angry?"
Skyhawk said indignantly, "Hmph. Those self-important idiots—just because they've got someone backing them up, they think they're untouchable. I could take ten of them alone. If it weren't for Tomas Trell's lackey, that Bronze Tier, Rank 6 Subaru, we wouldn't be afraid of them at all."
Sable sat down beside him, face dark.
Just then, Garrick Forge rushed in, shouting, "Jasper—bad news! Elder Rowan was captured by Tomas Trell!"
Jasper shot to his feet. "What? How did Elder Rowan get caught? Even if Tomas has the Cloudpiercer Sword, it shouldn't be enough to take him alive. Didn't Elder Rowan still have a summoning book?"
Garrick panted as he spoke. "Tomas played dirty. He tricked Elder Rowan—said you were all captured by his men, and that he wanted a duel with Elder Rowan. He even said neither side could use enchanted books or the Cloudpiercer Sword. Then Tomas went back on his word and used the Cloudpiercer Sword anyway. Elder Rowan had no choice… and got taken."
Garrick grabbed Jasper's arm. "No time—hurry and save Elder Rowan!"
Sable and Skyhawk exchanged a look and immediately geared up. Jasper saw that and snatched up his hidden weapons as he rushed out the door.
At Tomas's base, Tomas sat high on an elevated seat. Elder Rowan was covered in blood, bruises all over his face, tied up with rope. If you looked closely, you'd see his hands and feet had already been broken. His body lay twisted unnaturally, and only his faint breathing proved he was still alive.
Tomas said in a grating voice, "Hahahaha! Elder Rowan—never thought you'd end up like this, did you? Once I'm done with you, I'll kill that stinking blacksmith and those little brats. Then I'll be the boss of this village—hahaha!"
Outside Tomas's base, Jasper said, "Uncle Garrick, you stay outside and cover our exit. Skyhawk, you and Sable work together—support each other and cause as much chaos as you can. I'll use the opening to get in and bring Elder Rowan out. Skyhawk, don't get reckless. Got it?"
Skyhawk wore a confident expression. "Don't worry. I've been sick of them for a long time. This time, I'll hit as many as I can. Oh, Boss—can we kill people?"
Sable also stared at Jasper, clearly eager.
Jasper didn't look back. He only said, "Wait for my signal," and then vanished onto the rooftops.
A patrol thug from Tomas's side swaggered up to Skyhawk and said arrogantly, "Oh? What are you doing here—coming to beg Boss Tomas for mercy?"
Skyhawk kicked him flying. Most patrol thugs were only Bronze Tier, Rank 3 or Rank 2. If Skyhawk couldn't beat that kind of trash, it would be an insult to the Watchwarden Knight class.
Jasper crouched low and sprinted across the rooftops. When he heard the alarm go up, he knew Skyhawk's side had started fighting.
That would thin Tomas's guard detail. With Eagle Eye, Jasper slipped through without a single sentry noticing him.
He reached the rear of Tomas's hall and looked down at the scene below.
Tomas lounged lazily on his seat, holding an enchanted book. Jasper narrowed his eyes— it was the very one Elder Rowan had shown him before.
The person sprawled on the floor, torn and bloody… was Elder Rowan.
Seeing Elder Rowan tortured like that, Jasper's rage surged. Elder Rowan had saved him before—otherwise Jasper would've died from a zombie bite long ago.
Damn you, Tomas.
Jasper activated Shadow Assassination, and his wrist blade stabbed for Tomas's neck.
Tomas reacted fast, raising the enchanted book to block. Jasper's blade pierced straight through, shredding the precious book—pages scattered everywhere, and every copied monster inside was released at once.
Tomas grabbed for the Cloudpiercer Sword, but the summoned monsters clogged the path. He had to cut down the zombies in front of him first.
The first zombie lunged at Tomas the moment it was struck, and two more charged in right behind it.
Jasper used the opening to reach Elder Rowan and cut the ropes. Elder Rowan was barely conscious—if he wasn't treated soon, he'd die.
Tomas finished the three zombies and snarled, face twisting. "Hahaha! That old man's beyond saving. I put dozens of spider venom bugs inside him. Even if you drag him out, it's useless. Who here can detox him? Hahaha!"
Jasper set Elder Rowan down, about to go all-in against Tomas—
when Elder Rowan grabbed him.
Elder Rowan slurred, "Ja… Jasper… come… come closer…"
Jasper rushed back to his side.
A sudden burst of force slammed Jasper to the ground—Elder Rowan pinned him down, then hurled a fireball.
Tomas dodged it easily.
But Elder Rowan wasn't aiming at Tomas.
He was aiming at the three Creepers behind Tomas—one of them different from the rest, its green body flickering with faint blue lightning.
A Charged Creeper!
"BOOM!"
The blast hit Jasper so hard his head swam. When he looked up, Elder Rowan's charred corpse lay beside him—Elder Rowan had used his own body to shield Jasper from the Creeper explosion.
Where Elder Rowan had been, there was a single character written in blood: "Wang."
Jasper fell to his knees beside Elder Rowan's body and shouted:
"I, Jasper Cole, swear this oath here and now. In gratitude for Elder Rowan saving my life twice, I will protect Uncle Garrick forever. If anyone dares harm Uncle Garrick, I will make them pay!"
Jasper stood. Tomas had been at the center of the blast—there was probably not even a complete corpse left. Jasper brushed the ash off his clothes and walked outside.
Outside, Skyhawk planted his shield and activated Faraway Ideal Homeland. A pale yellow barrier wrapped around Skyhawk and Sable.
Sable kept firing rapidly, only using Elven Arrow once in a while. Even so, very few people died—most were only wounded.
When Jasper stepped out of Tomas's hall, he instantly became the focus of the entire battlefield.
Jasper drew the Lazuli Blade and said in a low voice, "Kill them all."
Sable and Skyhawk both froze for a beat. From Jasper's expression, they could already guess it—Elder Rowan was probably dead. And with Tomas nowhere in sight, Tomas had likely been finished too.
Hearing Jasper's signal, the two stopped holding back and switched from defense to slaughter.
Sable drew the arrow with the strongest energy fluctuation, nocked it, and fired into the densest cluster of enemies. The explosion turned everyone around it into torn flesh. Ancient elven script flew outward and formed a ten-meter magic circle, and a green dragon surged out from it.
Skyhawk refused to be outdone. He poured battle qi into his knight sword and thrust— a pale yellow lightfire flame burst forward, instantly wiping out a wide swath of enemies in front of him.
Jasper moved through the crowd, harvesting lives without pause.
Off to the side, an enemy who looked somewhat like Tomas watched Jasper's trio butcher his companions. Terror filled his eyes. He scrambled over the village wall and fled—judging from his speed, he was clearly Tomas's Bronze Tier, Rank 6 confidant.