Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Marcus

As the only two Awakened in the caravan, Finn and Bal also won a significant breathing room for the caravan at the start of the battle. But likewise, they faced immense pressure. Bal was bearing the brunt of the largest scale attack, with even several Apprentice Awakened specifically targeting him. Fortunately, Bal excelled in defense, and without worrying about offense, he could still hold out temporarily, though not for long. Finn had an easy time harvesting the Gray Forest Thieves at the start, but it became difficult once two Apprentice Awakened began dealing with him. It seemed Marcus wanted Finn and Bal to join him, so he didn't allow his subordinates to strike to kill. After all, for him, Apprentice Awakened were an important and rare resource; for a force, the Awakened were the most important foundation, while ordinary people were merely expendables. After watching the battle of Finn and Bal for a while, Marcus developed some interest in them and said to the two, still fighting: "You two are not bad. Interested in joining the Gray Forest Thieves? Much better than sticking with this lousy caravan." Bal gritted his teeth and struggled to hold on, saying, "Bal has accepted the caravan's commission and will work for it!" Finn glanced over at Bal and said, "He's my brother; we would never consider defecting at this critical moment." Both of them knew today's situation was dire, but they never considered turning traitor. Having grown up together, the two had been through many things over the years and had seen plenty of betrayal. To them, under any circumstances, betrayal was unacceptable. Marcus' face turned icy: "Hmph, a hard-shelled turtle and an annoying flea. Since you won't join, then die." He sneered, taking a deep breath, and the surrounding air temperature plummeted again, visible white breath condensing into small ice crystals falling. His one eye locked on Bal, struggling to support the shield wall like a rock, determined to remove this hardest nail. Bal's defensive ability was indeed strong; typical Apprentice Awakened could not break through this defensive layer quickly. If Bal held out for even one more minute, the Gray Forest Thieves could lose more people, something Marcus didn't want to see. Since others couldn't solve it, Marcus had to take action himself; with his level one Awakened power, he could easily eliminate Bal. Marcus roared, like rolling thunder. Gripping the warhammer with both hands, he lifted it high above his head, a thick layer of ice, exuding biting cold, instantly formed on the hammer's head. This ice wasn't pure and transparent but rather a murky gray-blue, as if condensed with countless grievances, filled with destructive and violent energy. His entire body bulged with knotted muscles, channeling full strength of a level one Awakened, swinging it down onto Bal's earthy-yellow shield of light, like throwing a mountain. A massive gray-blue icy shockwave, wrapped in bitter cold, accompanied by the shriek of ripping through the air and the crackling of freezing everything, descended unstoppable from above like a breath from the deep frozen abyss. Bal's pupils shrank, feeling a deadly threat he had never faced before. It wasn't just a physical impact but also one imbued with a soul-freezing chill. He roared furiously, veins bulging on his forehead, wildly injecting all his will and strength into the Tower Shield. The earthy-yellow glow was brighter and more solid than ever, like it was turning into a substantial rocky barrier. He tried his utmost, yet still felt unable to withstand the incoming energy. The vast energy in Marcus' attack far surpassed Bal's defensive capacity, beyond what he could resist. Bal understood in his heart that today might be his end, ready for a final struggle, pouring almost all energy into the Tower Shield, just to absorb more energy so the ones behind him might perish a little less.