Heart of Burning Steel

Chapter 18: Power, Not an Inconvenience

Chapter 18: Power, Not an Inconvenience

Stepping through the gate, the boots made of beast leather struck the wooden floor, the clear sound of footsteps echoing through the enclosed reception hall.

Joshua's gaze moved slightly as he looked at the surroundings.

The hall spanned dozens of meters in diameter, forming a square. The floor was covered with beige carpets, the walls adorned with portraits of past lords, and slightly withered potted plants stood in the corners. At the center of the hall was an ornate weapons rack displaying various weapons—all of it felt so familiar.

The lord's manor was where he was born and raised. It held his past. That large hole in the carpet, not far away, was where he'd once played with fire as a child. He'd been scolded harshly by the Earl for that—if not for the old butler's plea, he might not have escaped a thorough beating.

Joshua raised his eyes, taking in the sight. To him, this place was filled with memories, but now, apart from himself, everyone who used to live here was gone... His father had passed away, the old butler was missing, and the original maids and stewards had been dispersed. In this huge mansion, there was no one left whom he knew.

Worse still, now the place was occupied by a group of despicable people trying to claim it for themselves.

Ying looked up at her master, sensing Joshua's emotions. However, as a newly created Divine Armament, her still-simple mind couldn't comprehend such complex feelings.

"I'm home."

Joshua didn't suppress his voice, nor did he speak loudly—he just greeted the empty hall as he normally would.

But as soon as Joshua finished speaking, a flash of cold light appeared at the stairway's turn, ten meters away!

"Whoosh—"

An arrow wrapped in faint light shot silently towards Joshua's neck, almost at the speed of sound! By the time the faint hum of air reached his ears, the arrow should have already hit its mark.

Swish.

Two fingers lifted slightly, firmly catching the incoming projectile. With a turn of his hand, the force behind it was completely nullified. Joshua held the arrow, looking towards the corner, and scoffed, "Elemental archer... If I were you, I wouldn't use a silent arrow."

"To a battle-hardened warrior who's survived countless arrows on the battlefield, this arrow lacks power, lacks concealment. Aside from some magical effects, it's laughable."

"...You can only talk big."

Having failed his ambush and been discovered, the ranger holding a hand crossbow, with a short knife at his waist and a large bow on his back, simply stepped out from the shadows. His face was obscured by a hood, with only his eyes visible. After a gloomy retort, he pulled out seven or eight different iron bolts engraved with magical runes from his pouch. He sneered, "From the rumors, I thought you'd be someone impressive, but you're just a fool—facing an archer without armor, without even a weapon. My employer was right, those mercenaries are trash, being defeated by someone like you."

As he spoke, the ranger swiftly loaded his crossbow and repeatedly pressed the trigger. In the blink of an eye, eight magically glowing crossbow bolts shot from different angles.

Meanwhile, Joshua simply shook his head. He clenched the arrow in his hand, the steel twisting with a creaking sound.

"Weak."

With a flick of his wrist, a sound of air being split echoed.

The crushed iron bolt turned into a black streak, shooting forward. The fierce gust it created knocked all the arrows off course. In an instant, it was right in front of the ranger, who was still recovering from his rapid fire, a blank look on his face, unable to react.