The Kingmaker System
Chapter 271 - 270. The Predator’s Plan (2)

Chapter 271: 270. The Predator’s Plan (2)

When I reached the forest, where the next phase of the plan was to unfold, an unexpected and chaotic sight greeted me.

Suspended mid-air, I gazed down at the scene below. The forest floor had become a battleground, alive with the sounds of clashing steel and the cries of combatants. The Templar Knights were engaged in a fierce skirmish with a group of unknown attackers. Their movements were quick and disciplined as they formed a protective perimeter around the carriages. Yet, even their precision wasn’t enough to suppress the chaos.

As if that weren’t enough, a third faction had entered the fray. Their presence added to the confusion, attacking both the Templar Knights and the mysterious group of aggressors indiscriminately.

Three parties, locked in a chaotic triangle of conflict. And at the center of it all, the carriage—a clear and unyielding target for everyone but the knights.

I furrowed my brow and let out a sigh. "What’s going on down there?" I murmured, scanning the disarray. I deactivated the invisibility spell while I was observing the chaos making sense of the people present down there.

Lyall and his team were here on my orders, concealed and waiting for the signal to act. The Templar Knights, as expected, were dutifully protecting their charge. But who were these other two groups? Mercenaries? Rebels? Whoever they were, their interference was an unwelcome complication.

Not that it mattered. The battle was contained for now, and Lyall and Asher appeared to be holding their respective positions well. However, my focus sharpened when I noticed an attacker creeping around Asher’s blind spot, rushing straight for the carriage with a blade drawn.

"Careless," I muttered.

Without hesitation, I descended, cutting through the air with precision. The attacker was mere feet away from the carriage when I intercepted, landing a sharp, calculated kick to his side. The impact sent him flying through the air, his body crashing into a tree several feet away with a dull thud.

The force of the blow rippled through the clearing, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. Combatants on all sides froze for a moment, their gazes snapping toward me as I hovered just above the ground.

Lyall’s eyes met mine, sharp and assessing. I gave him a subtle nod as a signal to movbefore turning my attention back to the attackers.

An arrow whizzed toward me, its trajectory swift and silent. I caught it mid-flight with ease, my fingers curling around the shaft as if it were nothing more than a falling leaf. The archer—hidden among the trees—gaped, stunned by the casual display.

I shifted my gaze to the Templar Knights, whose expressions ranged from confusion to alarm. Asher, however, recovered quickly. His voice rang out, cutting through the tension.

"It’s the same attacker from the parade! Protect the Saint at all costs!" he commanded, his tone resolute.

The knights scrambled into action, their formation tightening around the carriage. Their shields locked together as they braced for another wave of attacks.

I raised an eyebrow at Asher’s quick thinking but didn’t bother with him, Lyall was going to take care of it while I had other work.

I walked up to the carriage and saw a man rushing towards me with his blade drawn, he was from the third party, I sidestepped avoiding his attack and gripped the back of his collar before throwing him off into the woods.

A couple more tried to come at me but they were too powerless to do anything.

Just as I was close to the carriage door, a wink of silver flashed in my peripheral vision and I saw a swift attacker slash his sword at my hand which was at the door.

I flicked my wrist and caught the blade turning my gaze to meet with Asher’s icy glare.

"Whoever you are," he grimaced, "stay away from the Saint."

I wasn’t a least bit intimidated by him. His defiance was unimpressive. Tilting my head, I spotted Lyall moving into position behind him, his sword pressing lightly against Asher’s neck. The knight froze, though his determination remained unshaken.

Asher still for a moment but didn’t seem like he was going to retreat.

"I’m here for my child and the one who made him suffer, if you want to live, stay away from this, human." I spoke up.

"I won’t. I have promised someone that I will protect the Saint at all costs." He spoke and I heard the sound of whimpers from inside.

I clenched my jaw as I heard that and shattered Asher’s sword before I gripped the doorknob ignoring Asher’s attack since Lyall was there.

I was just a moment away from ripping the door open when something was tossed at me, in a split second I saw a notification and bright white light exploding in front of me.

[Shield of Invulnerability has been activated.]

The impact of the explosion sent Lyall and Asher flying and the carriage also skidded and fell on its side. I gritted my teeth as I noticed the attackers grabbing the child and the Pope from inside the carriage. I launched ahead towards them and they jumped away throwing another one of the mana bombs straight at me, I grabbed the bomb using the mana manipulation ability that I had to contain the mana into it.

The man who threw it looked at me in horror as I tossed it back at him and he ran but it was too late.

I followed the men who were taking the child and the Pope.

It didn’t take even two seconds to reach them with my speed. I grabbed the back of the neck of the man who was at the end and tossed him at the tree like a rag doll. The others fared no better, their cries of pain cutting through the serene daylight as they fell one by one.

I reached in front of the man who was running with the unconscious child under his arm. He swung his sword and I caught the blade barehanded, snapping it in half with a flick of my wrist. He hesitated, his eyes flickering with fear. I threw the snapped half straight at the one who was approaching us, impaling his throat.

The man looked at his ally and when he turned to me, I gripped his throat making him cough. His legs flailed as I plucked him off the ground and he wheezed loosening his grip on the child. I used telekinesis to hold the child mid-air and threw the man into the boulder hearing his spine crack at the impact before I wrapped my arms gently around the child’s body.

My disguise crackled a bit but I didn’t let it last as I snapped his mana cancelling cuffs and covered his transforming body by my cloak.

I held the boy in my arms while I looked at Lyall’s men who had successfully grabbed the Pope who was actually escaping with the men.

I walked up to the Pope as he struggled against the grip of the men. The men had him on his knees.

"Do you-" he coughed, "Do you even know who I am?! Release me now! Of Holy wrath shall befall on you all!"

I looked down at the Pope who then glared at me.

"Who are you?! How dare you hold me down like this! I’m the Pope of this country!" He shouted at me and I looked once at the unconscious figure of the child. His head was resting on my shoulder with his face covered by my cloak.

"Take him," I commanded the men who bowed before me and I turned.

"Stop! How dare you! You fiend! You shall face divine punishment for this!" The Pope shouted and I looked at him.

"Dragons usually are the ones who bestow divine punishment, Marvoni Venil." I spoke and he grimaced.

"Yes, they do and they will bestow divine punishment on you!" He shouted instead and I rolled my eyes.

"Knock him out and take him. I don’t want to listen to him."

"How dare-"

He kept shouting despite the rag being stuffed into his mouth and hands and legs being tied.

I patted the child’s back gently feeling his heart beat seeping through my false body. He was finally free from one of his problems, now it was just one more which I would soon get rid of.

I looked at Lyall who limped over to me, I could see the black soot and blood running down the side of his face.

"Master, are you all right?" He asked with the same steel in his voice and I sighed before I reached out and touched his face.

I used the Healing spell on him and he straightened up with all of his injuries gone.

"Thank you, Master."

Asher was unconscious because of the explosion impact, a lot of Templar knights were either killed or had actually ran away. The third party on the other hand was completely annihilated and Lyall’s team was all that stood now.

"Let’s go back. We have more important work to do." I commanded.