Chapter 120: Quincy's Plea for Help

Chapter 120: Quincy's Plea for Help

"Interesting!" John's eerie laughter echoed as he sat high atop his horse. "It's been a while since I've seen someone put themselves in harm's way to buy time for others."

"Hehe..." Karl's actions seemed foolish to him.

In the times when the gods still reigned, such a person might have had a chance to serve in the Divine Realm, attending to the deities.

But now, it was just a senseless death.

"Elder!"

"Elder Karl!"

The members of the Dragon King Chamber of Commerce looked on in a daze, their eyes filled with sadness, as they watched Karl's figure being engulfed by the eerie mist.

When the mist dissipated, there was no trace of him left, likely devoured and dismembered by the Merfolk.

"Elder Karl," Quincy stared in disbelief, well aware of Karl's strength. Could he have died so easily?

Impossible.

Instinctively, he glanced at Conn.

Conn's brows furrowed in deep thought.

"Continue!" John waved his hand. "Send another fifty in a different direction."

A commotion rippled through the Sea God Guild's ranks, but eventually, fifty more people obediently stepped forward.

Time passed, and the sun set.

The group from Rapids City gathered around the campfire once more.

"Today, we lost over thirty people, including Karl," Hawk said, glancing at Conn by the fire.

He couldn't bring himself to believe that Karl was truly gone.

Conn, expressionless, changed the subject, "It seems the Death Knight is determined to reach the Mayor's Mansion. We have our own tasks to focus on."

The others nodded in agreement.

"The Death Knight's goal is the Mayor's Mansion, while we must draw away the nearby threats," Conn said, picking up a dry twig and sketching the surrounding terrain on the ground with remarkable accuracy.

As a legendary captain, creating such detailed maps was second nature to him.

He fell into deep thought, "Even if we manage to lure away the dangers, I doubt many of the six hundred will survive."

"Perhaps they never considered our lives in the first place."

The crackling of the campfire filled the silence.

Now, on the outskirts of Port of Freedom, the danger was already palpable. A misstep could mean death.

To lure the Merfolk from within was to risk their lives! But as Conn had said, the Death Knight likely didn't care about their survival.

Suddenly, a furious roar interrupted their thoughts. They looked towards the source of the noise, where several Death Knights had emerged among the injured, dragging out those who were severely wounded.

Death Enwrap!

The Death Knight, adorned in the garb of a leader, extended his hand and grasped a man's head, his eyes glowing with an eerie light.

As wisps of black energy emanated from his hand and seeped into the injured man, the victim's body began to convulse.

When the Death Knight released his grip, the injured man stood up as if healed, his face rigid and eyes devoid of life.

"Death Enwrap," Quincy whispered, fear in his eyes. "This is a unique rune, a Death Knight's ability to turn people into their controlled puppets."

"Puppets?" Conn's face twitched. "Living or dead?"

Quincy opened his mouth, then closed it again. "Dead."

Regardless of their previous state, once turned into puppets, they were as good as dead.

"What are you doing?" A man burst from the crowd, his voice filled with rage. "What have you done to my brother?"

"Stop!"

His outcry ignited the anger simmering within the others, and they surrounded the Death Knights, shouting in protest.

"Swish!"

"Pfft!"

In the darkness, several shadows flickered and vanished.

The Death Knight's spear pierced through the protesting men, lifting them high into the air.

With a flick of his wrist, the bodies fell to the ground.

"It seems you still don't understand your place," John said, having arrived unnoticed. He rode his horse in circles around the group.

"Die!"

"Or obey our commands!"

"Here, you have two choices. Choose wisely."

"Whoosh..."

The sixty riders moved as one, their whips and spears pointed at the crowd. Their gaze, looking down upon the six hundred, was one of superiority.

Perhaps before, they hadn't understood their position, but now it was clear—they were slaves.

Slaves to be commanded at will!

Or, perhaps, livestock!

Conn let out a bitter laugh.

Indeed.

They hadn't grasped their place in this hierarchy. Before the Death Knights, they had dared to bargain.

As the people from Rapids City finally comprehended their predicament, John turned his horse and signaled to another knight.

"Joseph, how is your preparation coming along?"

"I've located four places where I can sense the presence of the Great Divine Blessing," Joseph replied, his wolf-headed mask concealing his expression. "I will gather them all."

"Good," John nodded. "Do not disappoint the Princess."

The Great Divine Blessing! A treasure capable of awakening Divine Blood, not only needed by the Duke but also by Princess Mavia.

...

"Guardian," Ana spoke softly. "I believe that joining the Death Knight, especially one with Divine Blood, will ensure your safety."

As a Blasphemy Knight herself, she couldn't help but acknowledge the power of the Death Knight, especially those with the blood of the gods.

"Is it safe?" Karl asked, gently shaking his head.

"Not necessarily," he added.

With his advanced Apprentice High Mage's formidable mental power, Karl could clearly sense the indifference in John and the others' hearts.

Those who travel together aren't always companions.

"Shh..."

Karl raised a finger to his lips, signaling to slow down as they approached a chaotic ruin ahead.

This place used to be the Sea God Guild's territory.

The reason they came here first was that Hawk's information provided the most detailed description of the Sea God Guild.

It even included the location of the treasure chamber where precious items were kept.

Hawk probably never imagined that someone would infiltrate the treasure chamber, surrounded by countless merfolk, to retrieve something.

"We're here!"

Karl paused, frowning at the scene before him.

In the not-too-distant ruins, there were hundreds of merfolk wandering around, including a Blue-Eyed Mermaid as formidable as a Grand Knight.

But most importantly, in the center of the ruins, two giant hounds with fiery red fur lay on the ground, snoring loudly in their slumber.

"Flamehounds," Ana tensed up and whispered, "Legendary creatures said to possess the bloodline of three hellhounds. They usually move in pairs, one male and one female."

Karl nodded.

Flamehounds were among the most common legendary creatures on this continent, but their prevalence didn't imply weakness.

On the contrary.

Hordes of flamehounds were known to be troublesome among legendary creatures.

After a moment's thought, Karl asked, "Can you handle them?"

"Well..." Ana hesitated, then replied, "I'm about seventy percent confident about dealing with just these two flamehounds, but there are also many merfolk here."

"Taking action will attract more trouble."

They were already close to the core area of Port of Freedom. A single shout could bring over a thousand merfolk.

For a legendary knight to show up would be a death sentence.

Seventy percent?

He was a little surprised that she had a seventy percent chance of defeating two legendary creatures on her own.

"Do you see the stone slab next to those flamehounds?" Karl pointed at the slab, "Below it is a treasure chamber with a treasure chest containing the Sea God Guild's prized possessions."

The distance was close, but opening the stone slab to enter the treasure chamber would certainly alert the two legendary creatures.

Hmm? Ana furrowed her brows, deep in thought.

"Heh..."

Karl chuckled, "You're not thinking of taking action, are you?"

This girl probably had the strength, but she was too straightforward, believing everything she was told.

No wonder the Temple only treated Blasphemy Knights as weapons, and nothing more.

"Watch this."

Karl took out a palm-sized 'Beehive' and, after stepping back, placed it on the ground. He then moved away from it.

Magic Item - Beehive!

A high-quality item among similar ones found in many places in the Black Swamp, this Beehive contained ten Magic Stones and twenty small bees with impressive maneuverability and lethality.

"Go!"

Karl commanded, and with his mental power, the twenty bees flew out of the Beehive, buzzing towards the flamehounds.

Ana was astonished.

'Does the Guardian have the ability to control these bees?'

"Buzz..."

As they drew closer, the buzzing grew louder.

Several bees suddenly accelerated, charging at the flamehounds.

The flamehounds were massive, making them easy targets, but as they approached, they missed, dodging the bees with incredible speed.

So fast!

Karl's eyes widened in surprise.

The two flamehounds' speed was astonishing; he could only see blurry afterimages with his eyes.

From their slumber to waking and then standing up, the entire process happened in an instant.

"Wow..."

Karl retrieved several boxes and stacked them together. He then lifted them and stepped into the Divine Realm Fragment, returning quickly.

"Let's go!"

Exiting the treasure chamber, Karl gestured to Ana, "On to the next location."

...

Night.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, and the ruins of Port of Freedom were pitch-black, enveloped in darkness.

Ana opened her eyes behind the low wall, glancing at the Blasphemy Knight beside her.

The two were currently within a Wizard Trap, the breath-concealing mechanism conveniently allowing them to evade the Merfolk's sensing abilities.

"There's movement," Ana observed, keeping a close eye on the surroundings.

"Some of the nearby Merfolk have been lured away."

"Death Knights gain strength at night, so they won't be resting at this time."

"Mhm," Karl nodded. "Let's wait a bit longer."

This place was still under the control of the Sea God Guild, another treasure chamber located in the core area of the Port of Freedom.

The swarms of Merfolk made their skin crawl; if they were surrounded, neither of them would stand a chance.

"Let's wait until they lure the Merfolk away, then we'll make our move."

"Speaking of..." Karl turned to face her.

"6◇9◇book◇bar"

"What breathing technique do you cultivate?"

"Blasphemy Knights don't cultivate breathing techniques," Ana shook her head. "As we age and our bloodline concentration increases, our strength naturally grows."

"We cultivate prayer."

"Prayer?" Karl raised an eyebrow. "A priest?"

Prayer, as in the faith cultivated by priests in the Main World's churches.

A doubt emerged.

"Prayer needs a divine response to become a source of power. Without a deity, what's the use of prayer?"

"Prayer can purify the mind," Ana lifted her head, a glimmer of adoration in her lifeless eyes. "The radiance of the Moon Goddess always shines upon this land, protecting us from the encroachment of evil deities."

Karl furrowed his brow, then understood.

Blasphemy Knights possessed the bloodline of an evil deity, which granted them strength but also eroded their minds and bodies.

Prayer, on the other hand, could enhance their resistance to this encroachment.

In theory, the better their prayer cultivation and the purer their faith, the greater their resistance to encroachment and the higher their potential strength.

"Your guess is correct," he shared his speculation, and Ana nodded in response, her expression growing more complex. "But..."

"Often, the stronger Blasphemy Knights are the ones who betray."

Hmm? Karl asked curiously.

"Why?"

"Because their faith is not in deities," Ana explained. "It's in themselves."

---

Blasphemy Knights were a pitiful lot.

From birth, they were implanted with the bloodline of an evil deity, forced to cultivate, fight, and kill.

Due to this bloodline, they were also outcasts in the church, considered anomalies.

Blasphemy!

These two words summed up their predicament.

Their very existence was a form of blasphemy against the deities.

Most Blasphemy Knights were female because the 'evil deity's corpse' had unique properties, and male infants had a high mortality rate.

Those who were male had more delicate features.

In theory, they were all siblings, children of the 'evil deity's corpse'.

They were also vessels for the 'evil deity's' resurrection.

To prevent the deity's revival, the church placed numerous restrictions on them.

For instance, they could not attack Holy Knights.

Regardless of what Holy Knights did to them, they could not resist; otherwise, the restrictions within their bodies would execute them.

Not all Holy Knights were gentlemen; Ana had encountered some truly twisted and disgusting individuals.

"Great Moon Goddess, please save your believer and rescue her soul from the abyss."

As usual, Ana finished her daily prayers and turned towards Karl, who was resting nearby with his eyes closed.

Guardian!

A hope to find the Guardian.

Recalling the church's mission, Ana's eyes flickered, and she instinctively touched the hilt of her sword.

'Bring back the Guardian to the church by any means necessary!'

'If necessary, force can be used!'

"We've had no luck in the last two locations," Karl opened his eyes, "Let's head to the Scythe Brotherhood next."

"Yes."

Ana bowed her head.

Their movements were based on the actions of those outside; wherever the Merfolk were lured, they would go.

Combined with Karl's myriad Wizard techniques, they had faced no danger thus far.

---

As evening fell, the time when people's spirits were most fatigued.

Yet, the Death Knights were at their most invigorated, urging the group to advance towards the Port of Freedom.

A team of fifty took advantage of the night's cover and infiltrated the wandering Merfolk.

"Be careful," said Knight Quincy, gripping his long spear and constantly scanning the surroundings.

Two figures appeared within their line of sight.

"Kill!"

Quincy's spear trembled, and two cold glints flashed, instantly piercing the throats of the two Merfolk that had just appeared.

With extreme speed, the Merfolk fell without a sound, dead before they hit the ground.

"Let's go," Quincy took a deep breath and waved his hand backward. "Fifty more meters, and our mission for today will be complete. The Sea God Guild will handle the rest."

"Fifty meters?" Conn's face paled at the words, and he shook his head. He saw the situation more clearly than Quincy.

"The Death Knights want us to attract the Merfolk. If we don't make a scene, things might not end well."

Chapter: A Desperate Plea

"Careful!"

Before the words could fully escape his lips, several Merfolk appeared from behind a wall, their shrieks piercing the air as they pounced.

"Charge!"

"Kill them!"

The crowd roared, brandishing their weapons and surging forward.

Over the past two days, they had become well-acquainted with the Merfolk's nature, and their attacks were swift and precise.

However, despite quickly dispatching their opponents, the commotion attracted more Merfolk from the vicinity.

More and more Merfolk appeared, their numbers swelling.

"Die!"

Quincy's eyes turned crimson, and his spear danced, leaving afterimages as he skewered one Merfolk after another, sending them flying.

As a Grand Knight, his offensive power was astonishing, and within a few breaths, he had carved a path through the Merfolk.

An inconspicuous Merfolk rushed forward.

The Merfolk had a slender build, their movements stiff and rigid, a clear sign that they had only recently transformed.

Quincy thrust his spear, aiming for the Merfolk's heart.

"Ding..."

The spearhead struck the Merfolk's chest, emitting a metallic clanging sound.

Hmm? Quincy's expression changed, feeling as if he had collided with a mountain. The recoil sent his spear flying from his grip.

How could this be? Before he could comprehend the situation, the Merfolk was already upon him, swinging its arm.

So fast!

Quincy's eyes narrowed, and he swiftly retreated, his feet a blur.

Combat Technique—Swift! But even with his speed, the Merfolk was faster.

"Bang!"

As the Merfolk swung its arm, a terrifying force erupted, sending Quincy flying.

At the same moment, a pair of blood-red eyes came into view.

Red-eyed Merfolk!

Legendary!

Damn! Quincy's eyes widened in shock.

"Swish!"

Still in mid-air, before he could stabilize his body, a figure appeared once more, delivering a punch.

A simple punch, yet it carried an unimaginable explosive force.

"Pfft!"

Quincy coughed up blood, his body tumbling across the ruins, a gaping hole now pierced through his abdomen.

"Quincy!"

"Careful!"

"It's a red-eyed Merfolk!"

"..."

The sounds of battle, roars, and screams filled the air, but Quincy could barely hear them. He opened his mouth, and a gush of blood spilled out.

He could feel his life force rapidly slipping away from the wound in his abdomen, and he was powerless to stop it.

He could only watch as death approached.

Death?

Am I going to die?

Quincy's eyes widened, his desire to survive turning into madness.

No! I don't want to die!

The fear of death clenched his teeth, and his body convulsed uncontrollably, but his life force continued to ebb away.

Gods!

He opened his mouth, his desire palpable:

"Save me! I'll offer everything I have, please, just give me an answer!"

Countless names of deities flashed through his mind, even the name of the Demon God appeared.

Emperor of Jade...

Hmm? A strange emotion suddenly stirred within him.

During this time, he had been 'studying' the books he had stolen from Karl.

Compared to other deities, this book contained a complete method to establish a connection with the gods.

But due to Conn's repeated warnings and the numerous terrible legends about the Demon God, Quincy had never attempted it.

He feared death!

But now, on the brink of death, what was there to fear?

Even if he summoned the Demon God, it would only be death, could the outcome be any worse than this? The thought turned, and his instinct for survival drove Quincy to struggle, drawing a strange pattern on the ground.

Simultaneously, he whispered:

"Source Essence Sovereign."

"King of Many Forms!"

"Lord of Fear!"

"Emperor of Jade!"

Amidst the chaos, the red-eyed Merfolk slaughtered the Knights of Rapids City, even the Grand Knight Conn was swept away by a mighty force.

In a corner of the ruins, Quincy, barely conscious, muttered.

His weak voice went unnoticed, his life force fading, even the passing Merfolk ignored him.

The voice stopped.

Quincy's eyes filled with despair, he opened his mouth, and his consciousness began to blur. The sounds of battle, roars, and howls around him gradually faded.

I'm going to die!

Silence!

Darkness!

Utter fear engulfed his mind.

Hmm? Something's wrong!

Quincy's eyes twitched.

Suddenly, he realized the world around him seemed to freeze, the battle cries not disappearing but being blocked by an invisible force.

The mist around him stirred, and in the void, a pair of deep, terrifying, and enormous eyes appeared, gazing down upon him from another world.

"A dying man..."

A deep voice echoed in his ears, carrying a hint of mockery and amusement, as if from a distant void:

"Then..."

"What is your prayer?"

Quincy's eyes widened, his once-still heart began to race, his pulse pounding with fear and joy, driving him to scream.

Demon God!

Not far away.

Conn, as if sensing something, turned abruptly, staring at Quincy's position, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end