Chapter 51: What, Am I the Pitiful One Again? (Eighth Bonus Chapter for Signing List)

“Form ranks!” Unlike the other native warriors, the man clad in eagle feathers slid down the chute without the slightest disturbance, landing firmly on the ground before raising his head to look toward Liu Zhi.

At his command, all the native warriors scrambled to their feet, forming a haphazard line and readying themselves for battle.

Liu Zhi noticed these men likely belonged to different tribes. Upon arriving here, they seemed unsure of their purpose—some charged forward recklessly, while others obeyed commands.

Only the man who appeared to be their leader watched everything unfold with a disdainful smile.

What was going on here?

Such a question flashed through Liu Zhi’s mind.

At that moment, the man reached behind his back and drew his weapons—a bronze sword and a diamond-shaped leather shield, painted with a flying eagle.

He lifted both sword and shield high and bellowed, “I am Black Kite of the Eagle Tribe. You must have heard my name. We are here to slay the demon. Now heed my command and gather around me. I shall protect you from the demon’s influence.”

Hearing Black Kite’s words—and comparing Liu Zhi’s fearsome image to his own—a majority of the native warriors chose to trust him. After all, on one side stood a bizarre woman with four arms and a serpent’s tail, along with a golden skeleton; on the other, their comrades who had entered this place together to confront the demon. Clearly, it was obvious whom they would rather believe.

At that moment, Liu Zhi heard a rustling behind him. Without turning, he knew his undead minions had arrived.

Relief washed over Liu Zhi. With a surge of power, he released the wind blade gathered at his sword tip, sending it slicing toward the native warriors ahead.

Invisible and colorless, the wind blade carried immense force. In previous trials, it had even split stone.

This time was no different. When Liu Zhi unleashed the wind blade, only Black Kite barely noticed; the rest of the warriors had no idea what was happening. They merely felt a sudden chill as the blade cut through the bodies of the three warriors at the front.

Even Black Kite was taken aback. The reason he had proposed sending thirty men—and even joined the expedition himself—was entirely due to his designs on the City of Gold.

Unlike the other six tribes, as a true heir to the Aztec eagle warriors, he possessed greater knowledge.

This City of Gold was established in the name of the Feathered Serpent. In ancient times, to suppress the demon, the Feathered Serpent had even invested a projection of itself here.

The projection’s influence on serpents was obvious to all—the giant snakes that lived outside and guarded this place were proof enough. But no one realized this projection also affected eagles.

Black Kite believed that the part of the Feathered Serpent’s divinity belonging to the sacred eagle was still hidden somewhere within the City of Gold. If he could find this divine essence, he would have a chance to become a new god.

Initially, he thought this so-called demon’s resurrection was just an excuse concocted by the Snake Attack Tribe to gather everyone, or perhaps someone had snuck into the City of Gold while the giant snake left its nest (as it did every seven years), only to be discovered.

He brought the native warriors inside, believing he could quickly resolve the situation and then have several days to search for the sacred eagle’s power within the City of Gold.

But he never expected to witness the current scene—especially that four-armed, serpent-tailed woman, who clearly looked nothing like an ordinary human. Could it be she had gained power belonging to the serpent aspect of the Feathered Serpent?

This thought made Black Kite’s expression grow grave.

“Listen to me,” he called out. “When I give the order, attack that four-armed monster with all your might! She is the demon that was released. The pale-skinned man is just a poor soul lured here by the demon—he seeks the god’s power but has become a puppet. Do you see the staff floating behind him? That is the string controlling him. Ignore him—focus on taking down the demon!”

Liu Zhi understood every word. Hearing Black Kite’s declaration, Liu Zhi stood there bewildered, gazing at himself with doubt and thinking, Am I truly just a pitiful soul lured in by a demon?

He quickly realized Black Kite was simply rallying the native warriors.

After all, he couldn’t claim Liu Zhi was the demon and the serpent naga merely its servant. Such a statement would terrify the native warriors half out of their wits.

But he couldn’t allow Black Kite’s morale to rise unchecked.

Comparing their numbers, Liu Zhi knew that if the enemy’s spirits rallied, his own side might not withstand the assault.

So he reached back, and the Staff of Death fell into his grasp.

At this point, the native warriors had just accepted Black Kite’s words, believing the staff floating behind Liu Zhi was some tool used to control him.

Now, the situation clearly wasn’t as they’d been told.

How could a poor soul controlled by a demon possibly wield such power?

Those who had believed Black Kite now grew doubtful. The warriors’ morale wavered and fell.

Black Kite realized things could not be delayed any longer. If he waited, the situation would grow dire.

He pointed his bronze sword skyward and shouted, “Prepare to attack! Eagle warriors in front—follow me and charge!”

This renewed the warriors’ spirits, for a leader who led from the front was always more trustworthy than one who simply commanded others forward.

But just then, Liu Zhi, having locked onto Black Kite, activated the lightning coral embedded in the Staff of Death.

A bolt of lightning shot from the staff’s tip, striking Black Kite squarely.

Black Kite, foolishly holding his bronze sword high above his head—as if daring the lightning to miss—was blasted backward, his body instantly charred black.

Seeing this, Liu Zhi seized the opportunity. He released his left hand and, with a heavy slash of the wooden sword in his right, sent another wind blade from its tip.

“Charge! Take them down!”

The native warriors, thrown into chaos, had no idea what was happening. They only saw Black Kite blasted away, and the skeleton on the other side raising its weapon and charging.

Fortunately, a few braver warriors realized that if they didn’t fight back, death was certain. Gripping their weapons, they rushed forward to clash with Liu Zhi’s skeletons.