One slash brought the soldiers to a halt.
The reason was naturally not the obvious slash mark across the stone road, but Maud standing on the other side of it.
That faint killing intent, enough to stain their vision red, was like the ubiquitous winter wind, slipping through the gaps in their armor and burrowing into their bodies.
It made their limbs stiff, and even their blood run cold.
Without exception, the soldiers were cowed by Maud.
"Good."
Seeing that the soldiers remained motionless, Maud nodded in satisfaction. He then sheathed his sword and turned away first.
Lafitte glanced at the terrified soldiers, the corner of his mouth twitching upward, and followed Maud.
Jim first deftly scooped up baby-5, who had passed out again, then followed after them.
Beli, meanwhile, nimbly hopped onto Jim's bald head and settled down there.
"Captain..."
Bepo looked at Luo, then at the backs of Maud and the others as they walked away.
Luo hesitated for a moment, hugged Oni-Kishin, and strode after Maud.
He had come to Leviathen Island to seize the roots of the Hanging Lantern Vine, the national treasure of the Aha Kingdom, and use them to solve the plague spreading across an island.
But now, Luo had tossed the matter to the back of his mind.
Wanting to solve that plague had merely been a passing whim.
Before taking action, he had not even asked the island's inhabitants whether they wanted his help, let alone discussed payment or anything of the sort.
After all, he was a pirate, as well as a doctor.
However, he had encountered Maud here, and Maud had brought him a crucial opportunity.
Between the two, he chose what mattered more.
His desire to make further contact with Maud led Luo to abandon his plan to seize