Michael responded with a quiet, knowing smile. The warriors, who had montarily been thrown off by the dragon's presence, regained their confidence. After all, these were individuals who had once shaken the very foundations of the continent. While a one on one battle against a Class-1 beast might be daunting, they believed that together, they could triumph.
Watching from near the fortress walls, Miaomiao's eyes glead dangerously at the ntion of being "hunted." The feline flew over, her presence adding to the tension. Michael, maintaining his composure, plucked an arrow from his quiver and prepared his next move.
"It's ti they learn what it feels like to be hunted," he said, his voice cold yet resolute. "Marcus, Miaomiao—let's show them."
The first arrow sliced through the sky, heading straight for the center of the courtyard. It moved as though alive, the light radiating from its tip blindingly intense. All those watching from the fortress walls held their breath, their eyes locked on the arrow's path.
The gathered warriors imdiately erected barriers, knowing they couldn't afford to take a direct hit. The energy emanating from the arrow was pure and imnse, as if it contained the very essence of the sun. When the arrow struck the ground, it exploded into a radiant burst of light, engulfing the courtyard.
The air rippled with searing heat, and the soil and gravel were obliterated, scattering like ash. The explosion unleashed waves of light that blanketed the area, heating the surrounding atmosphere and setting the air ablaze. The warriors had no choice but to shield their eyes from the overwhelming brilliance.
Despite the sheer magnitude of the attack, Michael's expression remained unchanged. From the fortress walls, soldiers and knights erupted into cheers for their commander, a rising star among the modern era's warriors. Watching the legendary fighters scatter in the wake of his assault filled their hearts with awe. Mounted atop Marcus, his dragon, Michael stood amidst the light like a hero of a new age.
Scanning the scattered fighters below, Michael raised his bow once more. A small light ford at his fingertips, traveling along his wrist and arm before coalescing at the tip of another arrow. This second arrow radiated power akin to the sun, sending vibrations through the air as it was released.
The arrow soared skyward before splitting into multiple fragnts, each veering toward the warriors who had yet to recover from the first blast. While these fragnts lacked the concentrated force of the initial arrow, they were still powerful enough to challenge even the strongest among them.
These arrows, infused with the energy Michael had refined through his training and the ancient weapon he acquired from a forgotten temple, unleashed trendous destructive force. Despite their efforts to block or evade, the targeted fighters failed. Waves of heat and light erupted from the impact, sending dust billowing into the air like a thick fog.
The lingering dust revealed charred and groaning figures scattered across the battlefield. Those who had been classified as defeated were gathered near the fortress walls by their peers, who had chosen to sit out and analyze the battle. They whispered among themselves, relieved not to have faced Michael directly, while placing bets on who might erge victorious.
All eyes remained fixed on Michael. Amidst their laughter and quiet banter, there was an undercurrent of tension. One knight, his gaze skeptical, muttered, "That bow… it's no ordinary weapon. It must be of ancient origin."
His eyes betrayed a hint of greed.
"Even so," another warrior interjected with a dismissive snort, "wielding such power isn't sothing anyone can do. Who here doesn't own a relic from the past? Yet none of us can match that."
The red haired veteran knight folded his arms, letting out a low whistle of admiration. "Ha! The kid's impressive. Sure, the bow is remarkable, but he's channeling power directly into the arrows."
A gray haired warrior narrowed his eyes, disagreeing. "It's more than that. He's compressing energy into the arrow and releasing it in a controlled explosion."
"What difference does it make, you old fool? It's the sa thing!" retorted the red haired knight, pointing an accusatory finger.
Their bickering drew laughter from the surrounding group. Age hadn't tempered their personalities. These warriors, once titans of their ti, now watched a new hero erge, their expressions tinged with awe.
"Hmph, I suppose most of us only worried about his dragon and sphinx," one of them remarked quietly. The others nodded, their smiles tinged with a bittersweet recognition of Michael's prowess.
"Ah, so you're the ones he bested," soone teased loudly, earning glares from the defeated warriors.
"Nobody said we were beaten!" one of them snapped, his voice rising before he sighed and slumped his shoulders in resignation. "Still… sotis, you have to know when to bow out. We all climbed over others to get where we are, after all."
Though their words carried the sting of defeat, they laughed to lighten their spirits. What had happened, happened. Another defeated warrior, kicking at the dirt with the tip of his boot, muttered, "Well, he's the real deal. I guess I should be glad he didn't use that bow against ."
His casual remark drew a nod and a long sigh from another. "No kidding. If he'd used the bow, we wouldn't have even had the chance to draw our swords before it was over."
"Even putting up a barrier wouldn't have been fast enough. Ti spares no one, I suppose."
A brief silence settled over them, their faces etched with the quiet understanding that only warriors of their caliber could share. Even among the strongest, there was always soone stronger.
The air over the courtyard grew heavy. The midday sun blazed through the clouds, its light spilling over the land. Beyond the fortress, the grass on the surrounding plains swayed gently in the breeze, a stark contrast to the scorched battlefield. The dense forest beyond the plains stretched into the horizon, its mysterious allure catching Michael's eye.
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