Chapter 253: Obstruction Means Death

  The elves quickly did as Knight Tamika said. Without their elders, they were already completely lost. The prowess Knight Tamika had displayed also made them know they had no chance. Especially since Kaelin, the only elf who could draw the Phantom Divine Bow, had long been captured. Elder Lloyd should at this time be far away in the royal capital, a thousand miles away, discussing matters concerning the Whispering Woods, while Elder Luya had gone to the Tower of Fangs.

  Another reason the elves did not act up was that Knight Tamika's demands didn't seem too excessive; he only wanted the elves to retreat a mile away from this spot and not approach. Knight Tamika even swore that as long as the elves kept this one-mile buffer zone clear, he would never harm the elven elders. To the elves, this oath was undoubtedly the only way out and their only hope, so they had no choice but to believe it.

  Knight Tamika's reason for doing this was simple. His target was only the Leaves of the World Tree, not the elves here. The whereabouts of the Leaves of the World Tree and those two were easily asked from the elves, and this was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity. Whatever the method, the key was to empty enough space here to avoid any disturbance.

  An unexpected gain was several teleportation scrolls to Oufu found from the elven elders' possessions. These were undoubtedly for the elves to call for reinforcements, but unfortunately, there was no chance to use them.

  After eliminating all possible obstacles, the Templar immediately set up traps, waiting for the two who could return from the teleportation array at any moment. But when Knight Tamika continued to slaughter the remaining elven captives, using the elves' blood to conceal his subordinate's magic traps, Talise unexpectedly stood up to stop him.

  In fact, when Knight Tamika had taken enough hostages and was threatening the elves with his own unique and effective methods, the female knight was already finding it somewhat unbearable.

  She had killed people before, but she had never seen anyone kill like this.

  Generally, killing involves some emotion tied to the act—high, scorching fighting will; cold, sharp killing intent; boiling hatred, or even frenzied revelry. After killing, there would also be emotional fluctuations of varying degrees—satisfaction, pleasure, disgust, fear, or weariness. Only Knight Tamika killed without joy, without sorrow, without hurt, without worry, without even the slightest hint of killing intent, with the vacant eyes and practiced, precise movements of a housewife of many years doing chores. Such a person and such a method of killing were more chilling than any brutality.

  Most importantly, this behavior was truly diametrically opposed to the identity of a "Knight," especially as a Celeste Temple Knight. Even that beast-like bandit leader they encountered in Erathia seemed, in terms of bloody slaughter and ruthlessness, no match for this direct subordinate of His Majesty the Pope.

  "Lord Tamika. Must it be done this way? Just to conceal the traps and distract their attention, you need to kill hundreds of innocent elves?"

  "It must be done," Knight Tamika replied lightly. He didn't even glance at Talise, just cut another elf's throat. Hot blood rushed from the elf's throat, letting out a wisp of steam in the cold, dawn air. In the sky, the light of the fireflies made the fresh blood look purple. The elf's limbs twitched, a common reaction for all animals when their necks are severed.

  "No, it can't be done this way," Talise said in a low voice, stepping in front of Knight Tamika. "How is this any different from those villains who view human life as grass and kill wantonly? Although these elves are heretics, they are not evil..."

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  Knight Tamika's gaze made Talise subconsciously stop. He looked Talise up and down as if examining an object, then asked, "This is His Majesty the Pope's mission. Are you going to obstruct me?"

  "No. I'm just saying this method is inappropriate..."

  "Warning you, don't get in the way," Knight Tamika said lightly, turning his head to grab another elf.

  "No. It can't be done this way. Let's think of another way." Talise stepped forward to block him.

  Knight Tamika glanced at Talise, then suddenly looked up at the sky, a thoughtful expression appearing on his wooden face.

  Talise suddenly, for no apparent reason, felt a chill spread up her spine. In fact, when Knight Tamika had looked at her just now, although there wasn't the slightest killing intent in it, she subconsciously felt that she perhaps really shouldn't meddle further.

  But she immediately dismissed this intuition, which stemmed from a confidence deeply rooted in her mind. Such actions were undoubtedly evil, wrong, and completely unbecoming of a Temple Knight, so they must be stopped.

  Ever since following that person from the royal capital to this place, and then inexplicably joining Knight Tamika's ranks, she had been in a very confused and hazy state of mind. She neither knew what she should do nor was clear about her own position. Until now. She seemed to feel that she had finally grasped a belief she could hold onto, so she felt she must persist.

  Although intuitively she felt something very wrong from Knight Tamika, she immediately told herself she must persist, so she went forward to block him again.

  Knight Tamika was looking up and pondering, his expressionless face showing no ripple, but it was clear this was a purely rational thought process, like calculating a math problem. Soon he lowered his head again, as if he had figured it out, and then the black light of his blade suddenly flashed out like a bolt of lightning.

  With a "clang," Talise's figure flew backward, trailing a spray of blood.

  She staggered as she landed, and Talise looked in horror at Tamika, who was walking toward her with his sword raised. The gray-armored knight's face still had that completely expressionless woodenness, without a trace of emotional fluctuation or killing intent; this was merely him carrying out the action concluded by his rational thought process.

  "Obstruct, and you die."

  Knight Tamika raised his sword to strike again. Talise barely managed to parry with the sword in her hand and retreated again. If it weren't for years of training that made her instinctively draw her sword to block and dodge, Knight Tamika's first strike would have already sent her head flying.

  Compared to the wound on her shoulder and the curse taking effect within it, the shock Talise felt in her heart was even more unparalleled. She had never imagined that for such a simple reason, this person, also a Temple Knight and a direct subordinate of His Majesty the Pope, would suddenly try to kill her. She was completely stunned.

  Talise didn't understand, but Knight Tamika understood perfectly. His judgment was simple: he could see that this disciple of Lancelot would most likely get in the way, unable to become the assistance he envisioned but instead becoming an obstacle, so she needed to be eliminated.

  At this moment, someone suddenly darted over from the side. Knight Tamika's eyes swept over and saw it was that kid named Yabin who had just joined them in the forest.

  When he had run into this inexplicable kid in the forest, Knight Tamika had originally intended to kill him with one slash. But just as he was about to make his move and explain to the two Templars, Talise, who had just rushed over, recognized him. Talise explained that this young man was her friend, and the kid himself had declared that he had only captured a Pegasus but was unable to control it and had been inexplicably drawn into this battle. After some explanation and questioning, Talise asked Yabin to join their team. Knight Tamika had agreed, figuring that his not-so-weak physique and white magic might be of some use.

  But now it seemed that anticipated use would not come to pass. They all had to be killed.

  But just as Knight Tamika was about to chop this kid named Yabin in two, he saw him draw his sword and stab Talise in the hand.

  It was indeed Talise's hand he stabbed. That stab of his was heavy and deep, almost piercing through the female knight's arm and into her ribs. Then he kicked her to the ground and pinned her down.

  "What are you doing? Are you crazy?" Talise had just snapped out of the horror of Knight Tamika attacking her, but immediately fell into an even greater shock and anger.

  Yabin didn't answer her, just looked at Knight Tamika and asked, "Lord Tamika. Although Knight Talise is being obstructive, you don't have to kill her. Just tie her up and throw her to the side, right?"

  "What? Aren't you her friend?" Knight Tamika asked him lightly.

  "I am indeed Knight Talise's friend, so I don't want her to die," Yabin revealed a pitiful smile, a bitter smile. "Also, I myself don't want to die even more. I know you don't want anyone to get in the way, so we definitely won't get in the way, alright?"

  "A smart young man, much smarter than Knight Talise, at least," Knight Tamika nodded woodenly. To be able to see from these clues that he absolutely would not allow anything to obstruct him, this young man was indeed smart enough.

  "Please spare her, and also, let me follow you. I will definitely be useful." Yabin looked at Knight Tamika and said. He knew that just saying he wouldn't get in the way wasn't enough to be believed; he had to show that he would not only not be an obstacle but would actually help things succeed.

  Knight Tamika sized up the young man before him. Smart people were indeed very useful, but a smart person whose stance wasn't very clear and whose intentions weren't obvious was also hard to control. Unless there was a special way to be certain. He suddenly said, "I'm telling you now, Talise must die."