"What are you talking about?" Nigan said impatiently, "Blood smell, do you think you're a dog?"

What was this guy babbling about? He didn't seem mentally sound at all—his tone was slightly flippant and teasing, which was not how normal people would talk to strangers they'd just met.

If it were any other time, he might have been interested in playing along, but escaping from Silentrock Bay was his top priority now. The best way to deal with an idiot was to shut her up completely.

Nigan increased the force on his wrist to convey his thoughts to his elder brother.

But the latter still didn't let go. "I think...you might be mistaken. This used to be a harbor. Killing and drying fish are common sights."

"The difference between human blood and fish stench is as vast as the difference between heaven and earth," the woman said, unmoved. "If it were just one kind of smell, it could be explained by a wound, but the blood smell on you is too mixed and strong to ignore. Some of it is very old, dating back months, while some is very recent, at most two or three days old—it's constantly emanating from under your clothes."

Under their clothes?

Nigan couldn't help but be stunned.

For most knights, a set of light and sturdy armor was their most prized possession, often passed down for generations if well-maintained, and the Moray family was no exception. They had given up the desolate land of Everwinter, but they had not abandoned their armor and weapons.

To avoid being noticed, the two of them wore wide coats and robes over their armor. It was winter anyway, so it wasn't strange to dress thickly. They only wore light armor when killing for pleasure—this not only made them more agile but also prevented the blood from staining their clothes. Afterwards, they could simply wipe the armor clean, and the soaking oil would help maintain it.

But this was something that no one should have been able to detect. How could she know?

Could it be...she really smelled it?

A wave of unease surged in Nigan's heart.

At the same time, the hand holding him suddenly let go.

He only saw a blur as Taros rushed in front of the woman—his elder brother didn't draw his weapon. For someone as well-trained as him, fists and joints were enough to kill.

The speed of this attack was lightning-fast, from stepping forward to striking was only a blink of an eye. If he were the target, he probably wouldn't have been able to react either.

In terms of ability and skill, his elder brother was definitely one of the top knights in Everwinter.

Whether she was an idiot, a lunatic, or truly had an extraordinary sense of smell, she was now a dead woman.

However, the sound of a throat being crushed didn't come. He only heard two soft "thump" sounds.

The woman raised her elbow, prying away the iron arm that was reaching for her throat, and then caught Taros's left fist with a single palm—

Nigan's eyes almost popped out of their sockets!

How was this possible?

Leaving aside fighting skills, the difference in strength between men and women alone was enough to determine everything, not to mention that his elder brother was known for his great strength. This was the first time he had seen someone catch a blow with one hand!

In an instant, the two exchanged several more blows, but Taros still failed to kill his opponent with a single blow. When they separated again, he finally tore off his robe and drew his close-fitting short sword.

"Brother, together!"

This low call was mixed with some urgency.

Only then did Nigan realize that his knightly brother had determined that he could not easily defeat his opponent alone.

"Who the hell are you?" he said through gritted teeth, drawing his dagger and crouching at Taros's side.

"Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that you don't seem to be ordinary refugees—so there's a need to explain your reasons for lying," the woman said, spreading her hands as if to indicate that she was unarmed and had no problems. "If you surrender now, you might suffer less. But murder is a serious crime. According to Graycastle law, once it's confirmed that the blood on you comes from innocent people, the end result is only death, no matter what."

This guy...is crazy!

She seemed to be trying to persuade them, but every action and every word was pushing them into a corner—who would sincerely tell them that they were heading towards death from the very beginning? Since they knew they were going to die, no one would surrender. In other words, she was forcing them to act!

There was no point in saying more!

As Taros thrust his short sword forward, Nigan followed closely behind, pressing on the woman's space to evade from the side, while also preventing her from turning around and running away.

However, she didn't seem to have any intention of running away.

Not only that, she didn't even try to call for help. She threw herself into the fight with them.

Only after experiencing it himself did Nigan realize how terrifying she was.

Every blow of hers was heavy and powerful, requiring almost all of his strength to resist. Even the seemingly gentle parries required a firm grip on the dagger's hilt, otherwise, the weapon could easily be knocked away.

He couldn't imagine how such amazing power could be contained within her body.

"Stop holding back! She's not a threat to us!"

Taros's low roar jolted Nigan out of his shock. That's right, they were wearing armor now, and she had no sharp weapons in her hand, so there was no need to follow the normal methods. Even if they took a punch or two, it wouldn't be a big deal. Trading injuries for injuries was beneficial to them!

He threw the dagger at the woman. After it was easily dodged, he opened his arms and lunged directly at the target—

This would undoubtedly be suicidal in a normal competition, but now, with just her fists and feet, what could she do to him?

Then, a burst of intense pain exploded on Nigan's face.

He felt his nose sink into his bones, his throat filled with the taste of rust, and his vision suddenly became blurred.

Damn it, this really hurts...

But you're finished!

He gritted his teeth and closed his arms with all his might. This range was much larger than the short sword and dagger. Being hugged meant certain death! And to dodge, she would have to break her current defensive posture, which would inevitably expose a weakness! He believed his brother would be able to seize this opportunity!

Sure enough, due to the excessive dodging movement, the woman's entire body fell forward, obviously unable to stop his elder brother's next encroachment.

Taros stepped forward and thrust his sword upwards, a ray of gray light slashing diagonally into the woman's head—the latter's head tilted upwards, as if being lifted by this viper's tongue-like strike.

Before he had time to breathe a sigh of relief, the woman, who had leaned forward and then back, did not scream as expected, nor did she directly cover her face and fall to the ground. Instead, she used the momentum of her leaning back to kick out two consecutive kicks, sending him and Taros flying sideways!

Nigan even felt that it was not a kick but a siege hammer! With a loud bang, he crashed directly into the four-wheeled cart behind him. The armor on his body couldn't offset the force from both sides, and the force transmitted into his body made him spit out a mouthful of blood.

After landing, the opponent regained her footing. The hood on her head slid down from both sides, revealing smooth long hair and...a pair of pointed furry ears, but no sign of the wound he had expected.

Nigan's heart sank to the bottom.

That strike only seemed to hit the other person's head because of the long brim of the hat—the only thing his brother had cut open was the other person's hood!

And those inhuman ears...

"Cough...you ugly...monster!" Taros clutched his chest and slowly stood up. "I'm clearly wearing a God's Stone of Retribution, how could you...not be affected!"

"Because I didn't use my ability," the woman said regretfully, touching her hood. "As for you saying I'm ugly, that's just your low appreciation level. The people of Neverwinter don't think so. The Grand Chieftain even praised me."

"That's utter nonsense!" Nigan coughed up a mouthful of bloody phlegm. "My brother is a knight conferred by the Queen of Everwinter. Even in the Royal Capital Knights, there aren't many who can steadily defeat him! If you weren't relying on evil abilities, do you think you could defeat my elder brother? Don't dream!"

"Is that so? Perhaps you haven't realized...what kind of changes have taken place in you," the woman said, lowering her eyelids. "I ask you, did the blood on you all come from equally strong opponents?"

"What are you...trying to say?"

"It's not, is it? Although you strike fiercely, you lack a sense of sharpness and the will to fight to the death," she said slowly. "I've seen too many people like you. Once you've achieved some success, you're unwilling to move forward and only dare to turn around and bully the weak to maintain your status. Over time, this spirit will seep into your bones and be remembered by your body—no matter how many victories you achieve like this, you won't become any stronger."

"And the opponents I've faced include both those who are so strong that they inspire despair and those who are proficient in various martial arts, like the ancient witches. That's the difference. Maybe you used to have considerable strength, but now..." She paused. "You can't be called strong at all anymore."