Inside, I was seething with rage. These rebel skeletons had already surrendered, given up all resistance, yet they were still slaughtered so mercilessly. Though they are undead denizens, they still feel pain. They could have entered reincarnation, but instead, they were forcibly sent here.
"Listen, don't even think about resisting. I heard from the veterans that General Crimson Plume is the most brutal under Yuna Ji. You fight well, so let's rush over there together. If we can escape past the outskirts of Gatehold Fortress, we'll be safe."
The skeleton who had been holding me back from running spoke, tugging at me. All around, there were cries for mercy and sobbing, but Yuna Ji's army, following orders, ignored it all. Their only concern was slaughter, relentlessly killing these defenseless skeletons.
"War is such a delight, heh, hahahahaha..."
With a thunderous crash, General Crimson Plume drew near, cutting down swathes of skeletons. Each sweep of her crimson sword dropped dozens at a time.
The fleeing skeletons became living targets for the archers, falling one after another. Yet somehow, the skeletons seemed to be enjoying it all.
The situation was completely one-sided; not a single skeleton dared to resist. They could only await slaughter. General Crimson Plume ignored everything else, and I saw that even many of Yuna Ji's soldiers hesitated to approach her. Laughing madly, she charged straight toward us.
I stopped. The skeleton kept pulling me. Though I was unarmed, Hell's Sentinel was already merged into my Molting Skin. The fleeing skeletons were constantly being chased down.
I couldn't take it anymore—everything about Yuna Ji's army was unbearable.
"Hey, run! Just run and you'll be fine, you can..."
I yanked my hand free from the skeleton beside me, then looked over and stopped. General Crimson Plume was laughing maniacally, charging at us. I slowly raised my hand; the ghostly aura wrapping it began to loosen and fall away.
I raised my hand, slipped it inside my chainmail, and gripped Hell's Sentinel, quietly waiting for General Crimson Plume to rush at us.
At that moment, she noticed me. Instantly, the crimson light in her two skeletal eyes flared.
"Oh, is there one who isn't afraid to die?"
I said nothing. I'd seen her attack speed and power before. But I could see General Crimson Plume's blade already swinging at me. With a sharp swish, I drew Hell's Sentinel and blocked her strike with a clang.
With a thunderous crash, my armor shattered completely. The force sent me sliding back several steps. At that moment, General Crimson Plume seemed to hesitate.
I roared, and with another crash, my armor shattered completely. My ghostly soul broke through the enclosing aura—I shouted, black fiendish energy pouring out. As I steadied myself, I suddenly appeared before General Crimson Plume.
Raising Hell's Sentinel, I slashed at her. With a clang, violent fiendish energy surged from my blade. General Crimson Plume retreated; I steadied myself and instantly unleashed several wind blades.
As expected, the black wind blades were all cut down by General Crimson Plume. At that moment, a Desert Eagle formed in my hand. She was less than ten meters away—I aimed the gun at her.
Bang! I pulled the trigger, and a black bullet, under my intense gaze, shot straight for General Crimson Plume's forehead.