Chapter 1374: Worthiness of the Strong
“What did you say?” Negan’s voice went flat with irritation. “Smell of blood? Do you think you’re a dog?”
What is this person on about? Her tone carries ridicule — provocation, even. No ordinary person says something like that to a stranger at first meeting.
Any other day, he might have found it amusing to engage her. But right now, getting out of Sedimentation Bay was everything, and the cleanest solution to a fool was silence.
He tightened his grip and sent the thought to his brother through pressure alone.
The hand holding him did not release. “I think you’re mistaken,” Talos said. “We’re at the docks. The smell of fish and blood together isn’t unusual.”
“The difference between human blood and fish is like the difference between heaven and earth.” The girl remained entirely unbothered. “If there was only one smell, perhaps you could explain it as a wound. But what’s on the two of you is layered — different ages, different sources. Some of it is months old. Some is only two or three days. All of it seeping out from beneath your clothes.”
Beneath our clothes.
Negan stilled.
To any knight worth the title, a well-made suit of armor was the most important asset he owned. Maintained carefully, it outlasted generations. The Murrays had left their land in Everwinter with almost nothing — but they had taken their armor. They wore long coats and robes over it, which was unremarkable in winter. When they killed, they removed the outer layer for mobility and to protect the fabric. The metal surface only needed a wipe and a coat of grease to come back clean and bright.
But this was something no one could know. She could not have reasoned it from sight.
Which meant she had actually smelled it.
A slow unease settled into Negan’s chest.
The hand restraining him went slack.
He had one blink to register it before Talos was already moving — a burst forward that consumed the entire distance between them and the girl in a single motion. No drawn weapon. To a trained veteran, fists and joints were instruments enough. Talos moved with the efficiency of a man who had long since stopped thinking about what he was doing in the moment of doing it.
Even Negan would have had difficulty reacting.
In terms of technique and raw capability, his elder brother was the finest knight Everwinter had ever produced.
Whether this girl was a fool, a lunatic, or simply someone with an extraordinary nose — she was already a dead woman.
Except the sound of breaking was not her neck.
Two crisp, clean cracks. The girl’s elbow intercepted the hand aimed at her throat; a single palm caught Talos’s left jab. She took both impacts standing.
Negan’s eyes nearly left his head.
Forget technique — the raw difference in strength between a grown man and a girl should have decided everything. He had never in his life seen his brother blocked with one hand.
What followed happened in a compressed flicker. Multiple exchanges, Talos unable to land anything final. He separated, tore off his outer robe, and drew a dagger.
“Brother — together!”
The low growl had an edge of urgency Negan had never heard before.
He understood immediately. Talos had made a fighter’s assessment: this was not someone to take alone.
Negan drew his knife and dropped into position beside his brother. “Who are you?”
“Who I am isn’t important.” The girl spread her hands wide, seemingly content to remain unarmed. “What matters is that you two aren’t ordinary refugees — and so you need to explain why you lied.” She paused. “If you surrender now, perhaps you’ll suffer less. But murder is a serious crime. Under Graycastle law, once innocent blood is confirmed on your hands, there is no verdict but death — whatever reasons you give.”
Has she gone completely mad?
She spoke as though she were offering counsel, but every word backed them further into a corner. No one who was told they would certainly die sat quietly to be taken. She was forcing their hand — deliberately, clearly, without pretense.
There was nothing left to say.
When Talos thrust with the dagger and drove forward, Negan came from the side to close off her angles, cutting off her ability to dodge right or run.
She didn’t try to run.
She didn’t call for help either. She simply fought.
It was only when they were fully engaged that Negan understood how wrong his first impression had been. Every strike she threw landed with a weight he had to brace his whole body to absorb. Even the light, casual-looking blows required him to lock his grip on the dagger handle — a moment’s looseness and she would have sent it skittering across the dock.
Where did a frame like hers hold that much force?
“Stop holding back. She’s not armored!” Talos’s growl cut through his thoughts. He was right — they were both wearing armor. Whatever she hit them with, it could only hurt so much. Attrition favored them absolutely.
Negan threw his dagger at her as a feint and then lunged — arms wide, full commitment. A suicidal move in any clean fight. Against someone relying only on fists and feet, it was a trap: dodge it and she breaks her stance, leaves a gap for Talos; take it and he folds her arms in close.
Either way, she was finished.
What he felt was a detonation through his face.
His nose drove backward into his skull. His vision dissolved into white and then red, and the taste of rust flooded his throat.
That hurt.
But you’re finished.
He clenched through it, threw every remaining ounce into the fold. The distance was exactly right. She couldn’t escape a close grip — and if she gave up her guard trying to escape him, Talos would cut right through the opening.
Sure enough, her oversized dodge forced her whole body to drop low and left her exposed for just a beat.
Talos stepped in and swung a gray arc down at an angle toward her head.
She moved like a snake’s tongue — upward, barely. The blade missed.
And then, before either of them could exhale, the girl borrowed the momentum of her crouch and drove a pair of kicks outward.
Negan felt not a kick but a battering ram. He hit the side of the four-wheeled carriage so hard the metal frame rang. His armor absorbed some of it; the rest drove through into his body and forced a mouthful of blood up his throat.
He hit the ground and looked up.
The girl stood straight again. Hood gone now. Smooth hair. And a pair of fur-tipped ears that had no business being on a human face. The wounds he had expected to see on her — from Talos’s blade at least — were absent.
The strike had shaved nothing but the rim of her hood.
And those ears…
“Ahem—” Talos had one hand braced against his ribs as he rose. “You ugly… monster. I carry a God’s Stone of Retaliation. How are you… unaffected?”
“Because I haven’t used my abilities.” She touched the torn hood with something like regret. “As for calling me ugly — that’s simply poor taste. No one in Neverwinter would agree with you. I’ve even received compliments from the chief.”
“What rubbish!” Blood still in his mouth, Negan spat out the words. “My brother is a knight conferred by the Queen of Everwinter herself. Knights from the King’s City Knightage couldn’t beat him. You think you win because you’re a fighter? You win because you used demonic power! If the Church of Hermes still stood, you’d never dare show your face. The only reason freaks like you walk openly is because that damned king from Graycastle tore down everything right — you and your witches belong in Hell!”
“Is that so?” Something in her voice shifted, not louder, only quieter and more deliberate. “Perhaps you haven’t noticed yet — what has changed in your bodies.”
“What is your point?”
“The blood on your hands — was any of it from opponents as strong as you?”
Silence.
“No?” She looked between the two of them. “You’re technically proficient, but you lack something — the sharpness of men who have fought for their lives against real enemies and won.” She spoke evenly, without heat. “I have seen many like you. A knight reaches a certain height, wins a certain number of easy victories, and then he stops. Forward is terrifying. Backward is familiar. So he turns around and bullies the people beneath him to remind himself he is still strong. In time that habit soaks into the bone, into the muscle. Those victories keep coming, but none of them make him better. None of them make him more.”
She paused.
“I have fought Transcendents whose power makes despair feel reasonable. I have fought Ancient Witches who have spent centuries perfecting a single skill. That is the difference.” Another pause, shorter. “Perhaps you were once the best Everwinter had. But now—”
She looked at them without cruelty. Simply with recognition.
“You’re no longer worthy to be among the strong.”
Chapter 1374 - Worthiness of the Strong
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
“What did you say?” Negan said, frustrated. “Smell of blood? Do you think you are a dog?”
What is this person babbling about? He doesn’t seem sane in any way. His tone has a hint of provocation and ridicule. No typical person would ever say such things to a stranger that they are meeting for the first time.
If it was any other day, he would have had the interest to entertain her, but at that moment, their escape from Sedimentation Bay was of utmost priority, and the best way to deal with a fool was to silence her.
Negan increased the strength in his grip and conveyed his thoughts to his older brother.
The latter did not loosen up. “I think… you are mistaken. We are at the docks, killing fishes and drying them isn’t a rare occurrence.”
“The difference between the smell of human blood and the smell of fish is like comparing heaven to earth.” The girl remained nonchalant. “If it was just a single smell, you could have explained it away with a wound, but the smell of blood on your bodies is a mixture and difficult to miss. Some of them are old, probably separated by several months, while some are relatively new, afflicted maybe two to three days ago—they are currently emanating out from beneath your clothes without end.”
Beneath our clothes?
Negan was startled.
To majority of knights, a portable and sturdy armor was definitely the most precious asset they could have. If meticulously taken care off, the armor could last for a few generations, and that was what the Murrays took pride in. They had given up on their land in Everwinter, but they had never abandoned their armors and weapons.
The two had donned large coats and robes to hide their armor, which was nothing strange during winter. It was only when they killed others for pleasure would they remove the coats and robes—Besides gaining more mobility and flexibility, the action of removing their outer clothes removed any worries of staining their clothes. As for the armor, they only had to wipe clean the metallic surface to restore its bright and clean state, at the same time maintaining the armor with grease.
But this was information no one knew, how did she come to know about it?
Could it be… that she had really relied on her nose to detect the blood?
Unease immediately surged in Negan’s heart.
Right at this moment, the force that held down his hand suddenly loosened.
All he saw was a blur as Talos appeared in front of the girl with a charge. His elder brother did not even draw his weapon out. To a trained veteran, fists and joints were sufficient to doom an enemy.
Talos movements could be considered as fast as lightning, only taking a blink to move and unleash his hand. Negan felt that even he would have difficulty reacting against his brother.
In terms of techniques and capabilities, his elder brother was definitely Everwinter’s top knight.
Whether or not the other party was an idiot, a lunatic, or an ordinary person with an extraordinary sense of smell, she was already a dead person.
However, the sound of her neck breaking did not sound. Instead, Negan heard two crisp, cracking sounds.
The lady lifted her elbow and deflected the metallic hand which was aimed for her neck, then intercepted Talos’ left jab with a single palm—
Negan’s eyes almost popped out of his eye sockets!
How is that possible?
Ignoring fighting techniques, just based on the disparity of strength between a male and a female was enough to determine everything. But, it was his first time witnessing his elder brother being intercepted by someone with a single hand!
In that instant, the two exchanged multiple moves, yet Talos was unable to land any fatal strikes on her. After separating, he finally tore off his robes and drew a dagger.
“Brother, together!”
The low growl had a hint of anxiousness.
Negan immediately realized that his elder brother had used the judgment as a Knight and realized that the other party was not someone who could be taken down alone.
“Who are you exactly?” he clenched his teeth and drew out a knife and stooped beside Talos.
“Who I am isn’t important. More importantly, the two of you aren’t ordinary refugees—So the two of you have to have to explain the reason for lying.” The lady spread out her hands, as though indicating she was fine emptyhanded. “If you surrender now, maybe you’ll suffer less. But murder is a serious crime. According to Graycastle law, once it is confirmed that the blood on your hands comes from innocent people, you will be condemned to death regardless of whatever reasons you give.”
Has she gone… crazy!?
She looked as though she was advising them, but her words and actions were obviously forcing them to a corner—who in the right mind will ever mention
death as the outcome so sincerely at the onset? Anyone who was informed that they were bound to die would definitely not sit idle to be captured. In other words, she was obviously forcing them to take action!
Saying anything more was pointless!
When Talos moved forward and stabbed out with his dagger, Negan followed right on his heels. He came from the side, reducing the girl’s ability to dodge and also preventing her from turning and running away.
But the other party showed no intention of escaping.
Aside from that, she did not even attempt screaming for help, but engaged them in combat.
It was only after experiencing her abilities did Negan realize how terrifying she was.
All her attacks were filled with vigorous strength which he had to withstand with all his strength. Even her seemingly light and easy attacks required Negan to hold onto his dagger handle firmly, otherwise the impacts could have easily disarmed him.
It was simply unimaginable how the other person’s build could conceal so much strength.
“Stop holding back, she isn’t a threat to us!”
Talos’ growl jolted Negan back to his senses. That’s right, they were equipped with armor, but she was unarmed. There was no need to fight according to conventions. Even if they suffered a punch or two, it was nothing. A battle of attrition was only beneficial to them!
He threw his dagger at the girl, then nimbly extended his arms out as he pounced straight towards her—
This was undoubtedly a suicidal move in a normal battle situation. But the girl was relying on her fists and legs, what could she do?
In what followed, Negan felt an acute pain erupt from his face.
He felt as though his nose had sunken into his skull as his vision instantly blurred with the taste of rust filling up his entire throat.
What the hell, this hurts…
But you’re finished!
He clenched his teeth and endured the pain as he exhausted all the energy in his body to fold his arms. The distance was perfect for daggers or short swords. Being restricted in such a hug was undoubtedly the end! And if she wanted to dodge his hug, she had to break her defensive stance and bound to reveal flaws! Negan believed that his brother would definitely grasp the opportunity!
Sure enough, due to her excessive movements to avoid him, the lady’s entire body stooped down and became helpless in stopping Talos’s intrusion.
Talos took a step forward and raised his sword. A gray light slashed in an inclined angle towards the girl’s head, but the latter raised her head upwards like a snake’s tongue.
Even before having the time to exhale, the girl that had stooped down did not scream in pain as anticipated, or fall face first to the ground. Instead, she borrowed the momentum of her actions and kicked twice, sending him and Talos flying!
But what Negan felt was not a kick, but a battering ram slamming into him! A loud bang occurred as he slammed right into the four-wheeled carriage behind him. His armor was unable to offset the impact from both sides, causing the power to transmit into his body and forced him to cough blood.
Upon falling to the ground, the girl stood up firmly once again, the hood removed from her head and revealing her smooth hair… and a pair of furry ears, but the wounds he had expected were absent.
Negan’s heart fell to rock bottom.
The strike that he thought landed was a misconception from touching the rim of her hood. The only thing his brother slashed open was the girl’s hood!
And those unusual ears…
“Ahem… you ugly… monster!” Talos had a hand on his chest as he stood up slowly. “I have a God’s Stone of Retaliation, but how are you… unaffected!”
“That’s because I haven’t used my abilities.” The girl touched her hood wistfully. “As for you calling me ugly, it’s just your poor appreciation for beauty. No one in Neverwinter will agree with you, I have even received praises from the chief before.”
“Really—a load of rubbish!” Negan coughed blood out and spoke, “My brother is a Knight conferred by the Queen of Everwinter, even the Knights from King’s City Knightage can’t beat him! Do you think you can defeat my brother if not for you relying on your demonic power? Stop dreaming!”
“Is that so? Maybe you haven’t realized it yet… the changes in your body.” The girl closed her eyes. “May I ask, is the blood on your body from opponents with strength comparable to yours?”
“What… is your point?”
“It’s not? Although the two of you are fierce in your techniques, you lack the drive and the determination in surviving a life and death battle.” She spoke slowly, “I have seen so many like you. Upon gaining some success, you become unwilling to move forward and only dare to turn back to bully and humiliate the weak to preserve your own position. With the passage of time, this mentality will have soaked deep into your bones and become muscle memory—No matter how many of such victories you have, they will never make you stronger.”
“Compared to the opponents I have faced, there are Transcendents wielding power that leads you to despair and Ancient Witches extremely proficient in their respective skills. That is the difference. Maybe the two of you used to have your unique strengths, but now…” She paused, “You’re no longer worthy to be amongst the strong.”