## Chapter 262: Cruel Tenderness
The petite pink-haired girl was in a lush Small Grove, her small body swinging a Wooden Sword. If I hadn't happened to look over here, if that pink hair wasn't so eye-catching in the Rogue Encampment, perhaps I would have missed her.
Haha, who else could it be but my Little Sarah, with such a graceful figure? I chuckled softly and crept closer. A few days ago, I had planned to visit Sarah at the Training Camp and incidentally Intimidate those Kids who still hadn't given up on her. Unexpectedly, the Teacher said she had been arranged for private training by some Stinky Old Man, causing me to make a wasted trip. So, she was here.
Swordplay in the Darkness isn't like the Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers, silver light filling the sky, and countless sword shadows described in wuxia novels. Here, the focus is on Practical Sword Techniques for fighting enemies and killing Monsters. It's basically about speed, ruthlessness, accuracy, and skill. I don't know if there are also flashy yet practical Swordsmanship styles in the Diablo World, but I understand that any Swordsmanship must start from the basics. And speaking of basics, it's nothing more than a few movements like Thrust, Chop, Hook, and Lash. Each movement is divided into several types, such as upper thrust, lower thrust, flat thrust, and back thrust. Furthermore, based on the One-Handed Heavy Sword type in the Diablo World, many blade movements like Hack, Slash, and Sweep must be added. It's not a lot, but to truly build a solid foundation, to make the Body remember these movements, to control them from the heart, and achieve speed, ruthlessness, accuracy, and skill, it would take at least one or two years of Effort.
And what Sarah was practicing now was the most basic flat thrust. Beside her was a White-Bearded Old Man, wearing simple Civilian robes, slightly bent at the waist, with a stern Complexion. His Eyes, however, were extremely sharp, especially the inch-long white beard on his Chin, which looked prickly like a Quill Rat's fur, giving the first impression of a Stinky Old Man with a terrible temper. I saw him using his strong, stiff voice, constantly shouting instructions from the side, which made me feel annoyed – Look how accurate, how graceful, how cute her posture is! Aren't you tired of being so picky? Besides, is my Sarah someone you can show a stern face to?
In my heart, I fiercely Bossed that dead Old Man around, but seeing that he was indeed teaching diligently, I let it go. Looking at Sarah profusely sweating, her pink hair, and the glistening Sweat that flew up with every movement, I couldn't help but feel both heartache and pity. My Eyes rolled, and I felt that this kind of dead practice wasn't the only Method. It would be better to let Sarah experience a real Battle first.
Thinking this, my decision was quickly conveyed to Light Snow . It immediately lowered its Body slightly, let out a low roar, and its Body, hidden in the Jungle, went from still to moving, leaping out instantly. Like a Phantom, it silently pounced towards Sarah.
That Old Man indeed had some skill. The moment Light Snow leaped up, his sharp Eyes suddenly became piercing. The Wooden Sword he had tucked behind his back instantly thrust straight towards Light Snow 's forehead. Unfortunately...
"Crack..." Facing the fierce thrusting Sword, a hint of disdain flashed in Light Snow 's Eyes. It didn't even have the intention to evade, charging straight forward. The two met, the Sword broke, and the person flew.
Hmph, a Non-Equipable Weapon, and a Wooden Sword at that, trying to cause Damage to Light Snow ? It's still too early. And I heard this Old Man is only Soldier Rank. Even if he had a Divine Weapon, it's unlikely he could cause much Damage to Light Snow . Thinking of this, I couldn't help but feel sorry for this Old Man. He clearly had such high Swordsmanship Talent, but God just wouldn't grant him the corresponding Aptitude. Without the Aptitude to become a Mercenary, or even a Class-Changed One, he was like a swordsman without Internal Force; no matter how good his Swordsmanship, it was just a Showy Skill.
Seeing the White-Bearded Old Man of such a great Age fall to the ground in a sorry state, I was speechless for a moment. Actually, I just wanted to see Sarah's reaction ability. I didn't expect this Old Man, eager to protect her, to step forward himself. Light Snow , being stubborn, naturally wouldn't be polite to him. Now this is great, the test wasn't completed, but the person was knocked over. I hope this Old Gentleman's Physique is sturdy enough and nothing serious happened.
Turning my Head to look at Sarah, she was still maintaining the thrusting posture, staring blankly at me and Light Snow who had suddenly appeared beside her.
"Too slow to react, you little fool." I was both annoyed and amused as I pinched her cute little cheek and gently pulled it.
"Ah, Big Brother." The little one finally reacted, cheering in a sweet, soft voice. She immediately wrapped her arms around my waist, clinging to me like an Octopus, her little head constantly rubbing against my chest. I have to say, this move is truly effective everywhere. At least, I have no immunity to it. Every time she rubs against me so gently, all my annoyance disappears.
"You... who are you? Why did you Sneak attack us?" At this moment, the Old Man finally climbed up from the ground in a sorry state. Thankfully, he didn't seem to be injured, which made me feel much more at ease.
"Grandpa Jir, this is Sarah's Big Brother, and also Sarah's future Husband." Sarah said with a flushed face, not forgetting to cling to me completely.
"You—?" The White-Bearded Old Man glared at me, seemingly displeased with the way I appeared. "I don't care who you are, don't interrupt my training session!"
"Old Master, I want to thank you for your tireless Teachings to Sarah these past few days, but I've decided to personally give Sarah a lesson today. You can take this opportunity to rest well." The Old Man spoke impolitely, so naturally, I didn't need to greet him with a smile.
"Nonsense! You're just a Kid, what do you know about teaching people?" Hearing me say this, the Old Man immediately blew his beard and glared.
"I admit, in terms of Swordsmanship, I am indeed not your Opponent, and I couldn't find a more suitable Teacher than you. However, I believe that to make Sarah stronger, just training is not enough."
"Nonsense! This is utter nonsense! Sarah, hurry up and come here!" Seeing me "talking nonsense," the Old Man was so angry he beat his chest and stomped his feet. If it weren't for Light Snow glaring behind him, he probably would have rushed over and fought me desperately. As Aunt Shali said, he's indeed a rigid Old Man. Sarah trembled slightly when she heard the Old Man's roar. Her little head buried itself tightly in my chest, and the hands and feet wrapped around me tightened. Although she didn't speak, the meaning she conveyed was very clear. As expected of my Little Sarah, our many years of Feelings are not something this Old Man can erase.
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but smile slightly at the other party. I opened my Cloak and wrapped Sarah inside. "Old Master, if you truly want to be a qualified Teacher, then don't make requests that are both meaningless and put your Student in a difficult position."
After saying this, without waiting for the Old Man, who was still stunned by my words, I gently held Sarah, flipped onto Light Snow , and just as I sat steady, Light Snow let out a long howl and turned into a white shadow.
"Does it feel comfortable?" On Light Snow 's back, I held Sarah's warm, soft Body tightly in my arms, using my Cloak to shield her from the strong wind rushing towards us. Only her pair of crescent-shaped Eyes were exposed, satisfying the Little Angel's Curiosity.
Sarah excitedly looked at the Scenery flashing past on both sides, and couldn't help but nod heavily. Speaking of which, Light Snow is truly a qualified Mount. Its Phantom-like Speed is no less than a Sports Car, and it is extremely stable. You can't feel any bumps on it, and its fluffy white fur provides a comfortable frame to sit on. The only minor drawback is that the wind is too strong. If it runs at full Speed, even I have to lean down and squint my Eyes.
" Light Snow , Sarah is your Mistress. Remember her Scent. From now on, you must listen to her and protect her, understand?" I patted Light Snow and said. It immediately responded with an obedient whimper.
"Huh? Will Little... will it really listen to me from now on?" Sarah asked timidly from my arms. To be honest, she was a little afraid. If Light Snow could shrink a few times, with its pure, soft fur, slender and graceful Physique, and fluffy Tail, it would undoubtedly win the affection of all girls. But unfortunately, no matter how good-looking it is, when a Giant Wolf taller than yourself stands in front of you, full of killing intent, with two rows of sharp, Saw-like Teeth and a crimson, barbed tongue, it's probably hard for anyone to describe it as cute.
"Of course. You are my Little Wife, which means you are its Mistress. If it doesn't listen to you, who will it listen to?" I affectionately kissed her soft cheek.
"Mm!" Sarah responded with a red face, tilted her little head back, nibbled lightly on my Chin, and then turned her Gaze to the Scenery on both sides.
Doug stared intently at the tall figure on the Throne at the End of the Red Carpet, his hands trembling uncontrollably. He considered himself tall among Barbarians, but compared to it, Doug estimated that if Andariel stood up, she would only reach his chest. There was a disadvantage in Height alone, not to mention the pairs of Tentacles behind her, like Spider Claws.
"It seems it doesn't think much of us." Lars licked his cracked lips, his hands also trembling violently. What a powerful Presence! Just looking from afar made his legs want to tremble. Is this the Strength/Power of a Demon Lord Rank?
Saying this resentfully, Lars knew in his heart that if Andariel truly "thought much" of them and the other Monsters in the Great Hall swarmed them, they would have no choice but to retreat.
"Big Brother, nine Elites, thankfully no Minor Boss Ranks." Gus, who was cautious by nature, had already taken in all the Information in the Great Hall.
"Very good. Since the Demon King wants to watch a show, we'll put on a good performance. We can't disappoint her." Lars waved the Magic Shield in his hand, his sharp Gaze slightly narrowed. Leading the two Barbarian Brothers, he headed towards a corner of the Great Hall furthest from Andariel, where a Squad of Dark Ones led by an Elite Level Dark Shaman awaited.
"Big Brother?" Sarah saw me stop, staring intently at the Jungle ahead without speaking, and couldn't help but look at me with her beautiful Eyes full of Curiosity.
"Sarah," I smiled, my Gaze not leaving that patch of Jungle. "Can you hear anything inside?" In the rustling sound of Tree Leaves stirred by the breeze, there was a hint of unnatural noise, like the almost inaudible sound of oars paddling a small boat against the current in a big wave.
Sarah focused her Concentration on the Grass for a while, finally shaking her head. She seemed quite dejected, perhaps because she hadn't met my Request.
"Little one, don't worry. Just focus on practicing your Swordsmanship for now. You have to eat your rice one bowl at a time, understand?" I rubbed her pink little head, then summoned Poison Creeper and Xiao Er. Watching the Summon Magic Arrays light up one by one, the Little Angel's beautiful Eyes blinked, looking both envious and proud.
First, clear out all the Quill Rats in the Jungle. I assigned this nice job to Poison Creeper. Although I didn't care much for the Quill Rats' Attack, don't forget I had a little cutie in my arms who hadn't even reached Soldier Rank. Even if there was only a one-in-a-billion chance, I wouldn't want anything to happen to her.
"Squeak—squeak—"
As Poison Creeper infiltrated, a moment later, amidst the rustling of Tree Leaves, came a few sharp squeaking wails, which were immediately and abruptly cut off. This repeated for a while. The killing intent revealed in the stillness was even noticed by Sarah, and her Body in my arms began to tremble.
"Don't be afraid, my little darling. I won't let anyone hurt you." I gently kissed her and held her trembling Body tightly in my arms. "I just wanted you to see a Battle scene."
The comfort seemed to work. Sarah slowly stopped trembling. Her Gaze also changed from Fear back to determination. At this moment, Poison Creeper returned. I had it secretly follow nearby to be on alert, just in case. Then, under the escort of the other four Ghost Wolves, I rode Light Snow slowly into the Jungle.
The abundant Tree Leaves blocked out most of the Light. As far as the Line of Sight reached, everything revealed a dark and damp Aura. Walking inside, the Tree Leaves swayed, yet there was not a single rustling sound. It was eerily quiet, terrifyingly quiet.
Sarah instinctively grabbed my arm, leaning as close to me as possible, seeking more Warmth. Just then, an anomaly occurred. A red figure suddenly rushed out from behind a Tree Trunk a few meters away, charging straight towards me and Sarah.
"Ah!!"
Sarah subconsciously let out a cry of surprise. Before she could react, a huge white shadow collided with the red shadow rushing towards us. Then the red shadow disappeared, and the white shadow darted a few meters away, holding a red Corpse in its mouth. It took a while to describe, but in reality, from the moment the red shadow appeared until now, it was just the blink of an Eye.
Looking at the Corpse Xiao San held in its mouth, Sarah gasped lightly, "Fallen!?"
"That's right, just a Fallen that didn't know its place." I watched indifferently as Xiao San flicked its Head forcefully, throwing the Corpse into the depths of the Jungle like trash. To be honest, this was truly a courageous Fallen.
"Lady Kashya showed us one at the Training Ground, but it was a Magic Saber Cat." Sarah looked at the thrown Corpse with some Fear. "Many of us Students were beaten badly by it back then."
Students? Beaten badly by a Saber Cat? I thought for a moment and suddenly had a Realization. So that's how it is. Remember that weird "Maldas's Cleaver"? It came with the Attribute of controlling 10 Saber Cats. No wonder Kashya dared to let the Students go on an Adventure. But being beaten badly was inevitable. One-on-one, a Saber Cat is at least Soldier Rank, and only an experienced Warrior can handle it. Students who had only studied for a year or two were no match.
After dealing with that Fallen that didn't know its place, we continued forward. Along the way, a few more came to us, either from behind trees or hiding in the Grass. Some even climbed onto trees. Of course, they were all unceremoniously accepted by Xiao Er and the others. These little tricks of the Fallen couldn't fool us. If it weren't for wanting to train Sarah, we could have cleared out all the Fallen inside in just a minute.
However, after a few Minions' Sneak attacks, there was no more Movement/Activity. The Information from Lazy Crow in the Sky made me smile slightly. So that's how it is. I didn't expect this group of Fallen to have some brains. But for me, it's perfect to wipe them all out in one go.
Entering the depths of the Jungle, the Line of Sight became darker. After walking for a while longer, our clever enemies finally showed themselves. No, I should say we finally poked their Lair – a Cave about three meters wide at the foot of a Hillside. A huge Campfire was lit inside, with a Large Pot hanging over it, boiling Hot Soup. Animal Carcasses occasionally floated to the surface, which was quite terrifying. Dozens of Fallen surrounded an Elite Level Fallen Shaman, huddled at the Opening of the Cave, relying on the Geographical Advantage to bare their fangs and claws at us, shouting with the Cleavers in their hands.
Seeing the Elite Level Fallen Shaman, I couldn't help but furrow my brow, which earned me a look of Wronged from Poison Creeper: You only said Quill Rats.
Never mind, as long as it doesn't Approach the Range. Looking at the Fallen opposite, who were posturing but didn't dare to charge, I smiled coldly, leaned down, and bit Sarah's glistening little ear, saying, "My Little Angel, I hope you watch the Battle later carefully."
Inside Andariel's Throne Room, Lars and the other two were struggling. When the last Corrupted Monster Elite was Slashed by Doug's sharp and cold Great Axe, dark green Blood sprayed everywhere.
"Two more." Doug nonchalantly wiped the foul-smelling dark green Liquid from his face. More than an hour of Battle had not made him feel tired; instead, it had aroused the Madness of the Barbarian in his bones. The Tattoo Totem on his face and the blatant Battle Intent in his Eyes made him look extremely ferocious.
Gus wasn't much better. For a Barbarian, once Battle Intent is aroused, if it's not properly vented, it's a more frustrating Matter than having their sex life interrupted.
Among the three, only Lars was the most Calmness. He looked thoughtfully at the depths of the Great Hall. There were still two Elites closest to Andariel.
"I'm afraid Andariel won't give us another chance," he said with a bitter smile.
As if to confirm his words, Andariel, who had been watching the show, finally couldn't bear it anymore as her subordinates fell one by one. She threw the Cup made from a Human Skull in her hand, and the bright red Hot Blood spilled onto the red Carpet.
"You hateful Humans."
With a sharp roar, Andariel suddenly stood up from the Throne. With a wave of her Large Hand, a huge fan-shaped Green Aura burst out from her center. Andariel's Signature Skill - Poison Nova.