Rising from the Ashes BY Only For You Novel

---- Chapter 2898 The sun slowly sank toward the horizon. Andrew lay prone behind a low, unremarkable ridge and remained still. He was waiting for full darkness to fall, because only then would it be easier to move. From his position, he could barely see the town gate and most of the settlement beyond it. It was deathly silent, with not a single sound to be heard. Thin smoke still lingered over one corner of the town, as if the fires there had only just burned out. Andrew's heart was as still as his gaze, calm and without the slightest ripple.

Without stepping inside to confirm it himself, he already knew what had happened to this town where fellow Holtriens had lived. If he had felt pain when he first sensed it, then now even that pain was gone. All that remained was absolute calm, and beneath that calm was a killing intent ready to erupt at any time. Blood debts had to be repaid with blood. Andrew drank the remaining half-bottle of liquor Louie had given him. Although he had already done something for the town, he intended to do one last thing for them. ---- Finally, the sky became completely dark.

Night in the wasteland was real darkness, and this night, there was no moon and no stars. Andrew moved just like a leopard on a hunt, closing in on the town at high speed. He did not use the main entrance but instead vaulted into the town from the side. The overwhelming smell of blood and burning assaulted his senses, enough to make anyone vomit. Yet, his expression did not change in the slightest. He slowly shouldered his greatsword on his back and walked toward the town square. The first thing Andrew saw was that small, charred human- shaped piece of coal.

Just from that short stature, his mind immediately conjured the image of the boy called Timmy. The boy had dreamed of becoming a warrior someday, protecting the town and his family. Beside Timmy lay Louie, his head shattered, The elderly town mayor and guardian looked strangely peaceful. Within that calm was deep bitterness and helplessness, but there was no fear at all It was as if, at the moment of death, Louie no longer feared anything. All he had wanted was for the killers to spare the innocent townsfolk. As for himself, dying did not matter.

---- Unfortunately, the attackers clearly had no intention of honoring that wish. A mere nobody like him could not influence them anyway. Thus, Louie died, and soon after, the rest of the town died with him. Andrew swept his gaze over the piles of bodies that had not yet entirely burned. He recognized one familiar face after another. Fear, despair, screaming, pleading; a myriad of expressions were frozen there. Andrew walked toward the pile of corpses and noticed a pale hand was pinned beneath the bodies near the center. He pushed the others aside and revealed the girl named Lucille.

The light in her clear eyes was gone. All that remained was terror and the tremor of her final moments. Andrew noticed that all her clothes had been stripped away, and there were several bloody marks across her back and chest. Between her legs was a deep crimson stain, and what had happened needed no explanation. At that moment, the wind stopped In the dead silence of the town, Andrew heard his own heartbeat, ---- pounding faster and faster. His muscles began to tighten, and the veins on his wrists bulged one by one, as if they were about to tear through his skin.

The blood surging through every vessel in his body grew violent and restless. Everything inside him urged him to act, but Andrew's eyes remained calm, without the slightest ripple. He retumed to Timmy's charred body and said, "You were a good warrior." Facing the corpse, Andrew suddenly smiled. Then, he turned and vanished beyond the edge of the town. There was no need to search carefully, because the tracks left by the convoy on the main road pointed exactly where he needed to go. Under the night sky of the wasteland, his figure streaked forward like a falling star.

Andrew unleashed the fastest speed he could possibly muster, pushing himself without limit. He was going to catch that convoy, and he was going to wipe out every last one of those Ludendorff family bastards. Rough, scorching breaths burst from Andrew's chest. His speed now kicked up a visible whirlwind across the wasteland. ---- Several hungry wolves were drawn by the movement and gave chase in the night. However, the moment they drew closer, the terrifying killing aura made them tuck their tails and retreat silently.

Pairs of glowing eyes watched as that lone figure crossed hills and valleys, racing into the darkness.