Chapter 123: Departure

Chapter 123: Departure



"I'll leave when the time is right, as we discussed earlier. If things don't go as you expect, I'll seize the opportunity."

Under the night sky, Karl gazed towards the direction of the City Lord's Mansion.

"But rest assured," he added.

"Since I've agreed to take action, I'll do my best. However, sometimes our capabilities are limited."

Despite agreeing to intervene, he wasn't optimistic about the operation's success.

As long as John was alive, there was little hope for this group.

"Yes," Conn nodded. "I understand."

"We're already risking our lives to fight them. Now, with the help of Elder Karl and Miss Ana, our chances of success have significantly increased."

Karl was the top expert in Rapids City, second only to the Legendary Knight, so his skills were beyond question.

The key was...

The Blasphemy Knight!

Conn knew about the Blasphemy Knight from the Temple, and he was well aware of the importance of Ana, the Legendary Knight.

"Tonight, the Death Knight will use the remaining men and puppets to lure the Merfolk away from the City Lord's Mansion."

"Then we'll make our move."

Conn picked up a dry twig and drew the terrain on the ground.

"Based on how we've lured the outer Merfolk these past few days, we can deduce their upcoming route."

"We just need to lead the Merfolk back when the Death Knight approaches the City Lord's Mansion."

"That will trap the Death Knight in a dire situation!"

Undoubtedly, this was an extremely dangerous plan. Even if they succeeded in the end, they would likely be surrounded by the Merfolk.

Moreover, there were many legendary creatures near the City Lord's Mansion, making it even more perilous.

"Ron was one of my crew members on the ship."

Conn pointed at an inconspicuous young man in the crowd. "He has a special ability—his voice is very loud. At the critical moment, he just needs to shout..."

"Flynn has a coin, an ancient coin that can conceal his presence. The two of them will work together."

"Interesting," Karl raised an eyebrow. "Captain Conn's crew members are all talented!"

"The Endless Sea hides secrets, some dating back before the birth of the deities." Conn looked towards the Endless Sea, his voice carrying a hint of mystery.

"During our exploration, we'll inevitably encounter various situations, but more often than not, we'll end up dying in some place."

"Hmm!"

He steered the conversation back on track.

"At that time, Hawk, the Guild Leader of the Sea God Guild, will also take action. We'll try to capture all the Death Knights."

"Then..." Karl asked, "How many Death Knights are there now?"

"Over two hundred," Conn sighed. "These past few days, the casualties have mostly been civilians from Rapids City. The Death Knights rarely take direct action."

Over two hundred?

In other words, there had been almost no casualties among the Death Knights.

Karl shook his head again.

Each Death Knight was an expert, and among them, there were eight Grand Knights.

In the night, each of these eight Grand Knights was no weaker than Conn.

Some might even be stronger! Our chances are slim!"

However, it was evident that Conn held a deep grudge against the Death Knights, his eyes filled with unconcealed killing intent.

He seemed eager to devour their flesh and drink their blood, willing to risk his own life for revenge.

"I have some methods to set up in advance along their route. If necessary, I can trigger them."

Karl spoke up, "It should cause some trouble for the Death Knights."

"Oh!" Conn's eyes lit up. "That's even better!"

...

Time passed.

Gradually, it became late at night.

Dark clouds obscured the shattered crimson moon in the sky, enveloping the entire Port of Freedom in darkness.

An inexplicable aura began to gather in the air.

"Let's go!"

With a low shout, the remaining civilians from Rapids City, fewer than a hundred, and the nearly two hundred Death Puppets, set off towards the City Lord's Mansion.

Behind them were the Death Knights, fully armed and mounted on their warhorses.

Everything proceeded according to plan.

After clearing the way over the past few days, a path had been created by luring the outer Merfolk away from the outskirts of the Port of Freedom.

Now, it was up to the civilians and Death Puppets from Rapids City to continue the task.

Hawk, the leader of the Sea God Guild, looked decades older after just a few days.

His eyes were lined with wrinkles, his temples had turned grey, and his gaze was weary, concealing the endless pain he felt.

"Take care!"

He patted his companion's shoulder. "This time, after luring the Merfolk away, we won't be coming back. Our mission... will be considered complete."

"Leader..." The other man's eyes were red with emotion. "Take care!"

With that, he abruptly turned and charged into the darkness with three companions. Soon, roars could be heard in the distance.

This indicated that the Merfolk had been lured away, but whether the bait—the people—would survive was unknown.

The group continued their journey.

Every time, three to five people would split off to divert the Merfolk on the path ahead, inching closer to the City Lord's Mansion.

Under the dark night sky, the City Lord's Mansion resembled a colossal beast lying on the ground, motionless. The closer they got, the more dangerous it became.

The people from Rapids City were running out, and the Death Puppets, under the command of the Death Knights, began rushing towards the distance.

They ran with all their might, solely to lure the nearby Merfolk away.

The City Lord's Mansion...

...was gradually becoming discernible.

Clop!

The crisp sound of horse hooves echoed as over two hundred Death Knights, shrouded in darkness, approached silently.

"Ken!"

John's gaze seemed to penetrate the darkness, fixing on the City Lord's Mansion ahead.

"Wait for them to lure away the nearby dangers. Then, send a few dozen riders to charge from the side, and the rest will follow me in."

"Yes."

'Ken' was another Divine Blood Warrior.

He wore a ghost fox mask, his voice thin and grating, and his eyes were cold and eerie.

"Sordan is just a useless bearer of the Duke's bloodline. That bloodline should belong to you, Captain."

'Ken' looked up at John and smiled.

"With the Duke's bloodline and your talent, you're sure to become a Holy Knight. The Prince will bestow his favor upon you, and the City of Death will finally have a male master."

John chuckled, but he dared not laugh out loud. He merely smiled and waved his hand, saying, "It's too early to talk about that now."

"Sordan is, after all, of ducal blood, with the strength of a legendary knight at his peak. Even if he's in a deep sleep, he won't be easy to deal with."

"Moreover, the method that person suggested might not even work. Can the ducal bloodline really be transplanted into my body?"

"Let's go!" John waved his hand, urging the group forward.

As they approached the mayor's mansion, the number of merfolk and legendary creatures in the vicinity increased, and John's eyes lit up.

The ducal bloodline was right before his eyes!

He actually had deep faith in the mysterious person's method; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken action with the Death Knights on his own.

Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed from not too far away.

In the quiet night, the roar was like a gong, attracting all kinds of creatures.

In a corner of the ruins, the short Ron cupped his hands to his mouth, his belly swelling as he roared again.

"Roar!"

The sound waves rippled, covering half of the Port of Freedom.

Countless merfolk turned towards the source of the sound, and legendary creatures were startled awake.

"Damn it!" John, on horseback, clenched his teeth, his eyes fixed on Hawk, who was covered in blood, his expression distorted beneath his mask.

"The scum of Rapids City..."

"Captain!" Ken urged his horse closer, his eyes flashing. "What should we do now?"

With their strength, they could still retreat.

John glanced at the mayor's mansion not far ahead, a strong sense of reluctance welling up within him.

He was just one of the captains in the City of Death, and not the strongest one at that.

The three hundred knights before him were his entire foundation.

If they failed this time and suffered heavy losses again, there wouldn't be a second chance.

What should he do?

Gritting his teeth, John shouted, "Block them! Protect me as I enter the mayor's mansion!"

"Captain..." Ken's face changed, understanding his decision, and he nodded heavily. "Yes!"

...

On the outskirts of the Port of Freedom, Karl and Ana stood side by side, gazing towards the mayor's mansion and listening to the increasingly loud battle cries.

"They're here."

The first to arrive was Hawk.

His left arm was missing, and he tightly gripped a trident in his right hand, his face pale as he leaped in front of the pair.

"John has entered the mayor's mansion with a few others. The rest of the Death Knights are breaking through the encirclement. They're very strong."

A glint of fear flashed in Hawk's eyes. "Be careful."

"Without John?" Karl's eyes narrowed. "It's better than we expected."

If John hadn't been trapped, he would have likely chosen to leave, given the vast difference in strength.

But now, they could give it a try.

The rapid sound of hooves grew clearer.

Several dozen Death Knights appeared at the edge of their vision, breaking through the merfolk's blockade and charging towards them.

"There are still so many of them?" Karl's eyebrows furrowed as he slowly drew his swords. "The merfolk aren't giving us much of a chance!"

He looked around; apart from Conn, who seemed to be in decent shape, the others resembled beggars on the street.

Including the ones Hawk had brought, there were only about twenty of them, and many were injured.

No wonder they had insisted on bringing him along.

Otherwise, these few people would be like a mantis trying to block the carriage wheel.

"Guardian." Ana spoke up. "I'll go first."

Without waiting for Karl's response, she darted forward like an arrow released from its bowstring.

After a few breaths, a slender figure wielded a greatsword, colliding head-on with the Death Knights.

Seventeen consecutive slashes.

"Pfft!"

Four Death Knights, along with their warhorses, were simultaneously cut into irregular chunks of meat.

The scattered sword energy howled and swirled towards the front.

"Blasphemy Knight?" Ken's eyes narrowed. "Not only did they set a trap, but they dare to ambush us here?"

His rising anger transformed into a thick, dark aura.

He lightly waved his oddly-shaped greatsword, and a gust of chilling wind swept forth.

Around his body, blue smoke billowed, rushing towards Ana.

Super-Rune: Summon Wraith!

The wraiths automatically locked onto Ana, rushing towards her, while other Death Knights brandished their weapons and charged.

'A rune to summon wraiths?'

Karl's eyes flashed with realization, and he began to ponder, "At night, the strength of the Death Knights increases significantly.

"As expected..."

"Relying on a single Blasphemy Knight is far from enough to match them."

The vengeful spirits ignored physical attacks and pounced on Ana, causing her movements to become stiff as if weighed down by heavy objects.

The other Death Knights seized the opportunity, and within a short while, Ana was engulfed by the cavalry.

These cavalrymen lived, trained, and fought together, and their coordination was impeccable as they unleashed various tactics simultaneously.

Even a Legendary Knight would struggle against them.

Not to mention that Ken himself was a legend.

"Attack!"

With a loud roar from Conn, the others burst out from their hiding places and charged towards the cavalry.

However, compared to the fully armored Death Knights, they were like scattered rebels.

The disparity was evident.

Fortunately, there were still powerful fighters among them.

"Boom!"

Karl's feet slammed into the ground, propelling him high into the air, and his body transformed into a seven-meter-tall giant mid-air.

He then crashed back down.

Super-Rune—Earthshaker! With his own weight and the power of the Super-Rune, the ground nearby rippled like water.

"Boom!"

The majority of the Death Knights were shaken by the impact, and spikes erupted from the ground.

"Pffft!"

"Bang!"

Several Death Knights were impaled by the stone spikes, but many more managed to dodge thanks to the agility of their warhorses.

This outcome caused Karl to furrow his brows slightly.

Indeed, they were troublesome!

Under the cover of night, these Death Knights were either Peak Knights or Grand Knights.

Defeating them would not be easy.

Minor Force Field!

Minor Mage's Hand!

Chain Water Arrows!

An invisible force field enveloped the area, and the Mage's Hand grabbed a knight, yanking him off his horse and slamming him into the ground.

At the same time...

Hundreds of water arrows, each a foot long, appeared in the air and rained down on the surrounding knights.

"Pffft!"

"Pffft! Pffft!"

Warhorses and their riders were pierced by the water arrows, falling to the ground in agony.

Karl himself wasn't idle.

The seven-meter-tall giant wielded two terrifyingly large swords, sweeping through the cavalry ranks.

In terms of true strength, Karl might not surpass Ana, but his abilities were more suited for the battlefield. Various spells and combat techniques reaped the lives of the Death Knights.

It was like an adult bullying a group of children.

"Hmm?"

A strange sensation beneath his feet caused Karl's expression to change slightly.

He looked down and saw black smoke rising along his legs, quickly engulfing his lower body.

Rune—Death Tentacles! The troublesome part was that these smoke-formed tentacles were not restricted by the limitations of phasing, and their strength continued to grow.

Seven Death Knights simultaneously cast the same rune, pulling Karl to the ground and launching a fierce assault.

Combat Technique!

Rune!

...

"Boom!"

Amidst the dust and smoke, Karl's body was covered in wounds, and his movements slowed down.

In this chaotic onslaught, even the Phantom Amulet couldn't provide much protection.

Huh...

With a light scoff, the last rune on his body activated instantly.

Rune—Potent Plague! A thick cloud of smoke materialized out of thin air and expanded rapidly, engulfing the surrounding Death Knights.

"Cough! Cough!"

"Pffft!"

The warhorses became listless, stumbling and staggering, and the Death Knights coughed up blood.

Although the Potent Plague couldn't kill directly, its effect on humans was terrifying.

At the same time...

Numerous tentacles, each several dozen meters long, emerged from the smoke, grabbing and pulling in a Death Knight, only to toss them back out as a pile of bones.

Soon...

There wasn't a single living person left in the area.

"Bang!"

Karl, once again in his giant form, burst out of the rune's range, his gaze falling upon the Divine Blood Warrior, Ken.

The battle!

It was time to end this!

Not long after...

Ana curled up like an injured kitten, licking her wounds in a corner.

Karl, covered in blood, sat cross-legged on a small hill, cleaning his broadsword while gazing towards the direction of the Mayor's Mansion.

"What needed to be done, I have done," he said.

"If John comes out, I won't interfere," he added.

Conn nodded.

This battle was primarily won by Karl and Ana's efforts. Without them, even if the entire group had fought to the death, they wouldn't have left many Death Knights behind.

John's power surpassed that of hundreds of Death Knights. These few remaining individuals were of no use against him.

"Elder Karl..."

Conn opened his mouth, asking in a low voice, "Are you now a Legendary Knight?"

Karl raised an eyebrow.

"No," he replied, not intending to hide this fact.

"Without the blessing of a deity, one cannot become a legend," Conn's eyes shifted, "How did you achieve this?"

"Quincy also became a Legendary Knight before his death."

"Is that so?" Karl smiled, "I know what you're implying. I did not worship a Demon God, nor did I borrow their power."

"My advancement was merely an exception."

He didn't explain how he had advanced, nor did he plan to, as the Emperor of Taiwei Jade would likely be busy.

"Let's go!"

After a brief wait, Karl stood up, "It seems John won't be coming out."

The Mayor's Mansion still stood amidst the ruins, appearing like a man-eating beast in the night, its gaping maw waiting for prey.

Black Swamp.

Alysia led someone to the treehouse.

As Karl flipped through the book, he looked up and was surprised to see who had arrived.

"Senior Strale!"

Strale!

A formal wizard over a hundred years old, an expert in psychic and earth-based spells, and one of the founders of the Swamp Alliance.

"Young Karl," Strale greeted him, leaning on his cane with a smile.

"We meet again. I'm leaving for the Magic Forest from the Black Swamp tomorrow, and you're still busy?"

"I have some things to take care of," Karl closed the book.

"Do you need something, Senior?"

He had been busy in the Port of Freedom these past few days and only just had some free time. Currently, he had too many things to handle.

It seemed like there was no rest for him tonight.

Strale asked casually with a smile, "I heard you're collecting spells related to nightmares and the psyche?"

"Yes," Karl replied.

"I've been quite interested in this field lately."

Quincy's memories remained in the Divine Realm Fragment, greatly impacting Karl after his death.

Just the other day, when he fought the Divine Blood Warrior 'Ken', he was also injured by the 'Wraith' in his psyche.

He desperately needed spells in this area.

Unfortunately, Nightmare Wizards were already rare, and the spells Alysia could provide were not of high quality.

They weren't very useful to him.

"I have two spells here that I can still use even after becoming a formal wizard," Strale said with a smile.

"Are you interested?"

"Oh!"

Karl straightened up.

"Which two spells? What do I need to offer in return?"

"I obtained these two spells a long time ago, and they helped me through many difficulties," Strale explained. "I need you to make a contract, not to share them with others, and also to give me a copy of the spells you've collected during this time."

Hmm...

It seemed Strale also wanted to take these spells to the Wizard World to make a profit by buying low and selling high.

But he realized this too late; there wasn't enough time, so he decided to come to Karl to get the spells.

"Senior," Karl frowned.

"I've collected a total of thirteen wizard legacies, all of which can help one advance to become a formal wizard."

"You only have two spells..."

"It's not worth it!"

In fact, he had fifteen wizard legacies, but he didn't plan to trade two of them.

"One of my spells is useful even if you're a second or third-circle wizard," Strale said, tapping the table with his hand. "In terms of value, it's much stronger than the legacies you have."

"Really?" Karl's eyes flickered.

"What spells are they?"

"Heh..." Seeing Karl's reluctance, Strale smiled and shook his head. "One is a psychic attack spell called 'Sinister Thorns,' which can turn psychic energy into invisible thorns to attack others."

"The other one is called 'Phantom Charge.' It's a spell that allows you to attack with a phantom image of yourself."

"Hmm..."

Karl's expression remained unchanged, but his heart began to race.

'Sinister Thorns' was one thing.

But 'Phantom Charge' was a spell he desperately needed to trap the invading spirits in his psyche.

Now, whenever he entered the Divine Realm Fragment, he would suffer the onslaught of Quincy's memories. With 'Phantom Charge,' he could solve this problem.

"This..."

After feigning contemplation, Karl slowly nodded.

"Since you've already asked, of course, I'll agree. I hope our cooperation goes well."

"Haha..." Strale laughed heartily.

"My friend."

Looking at Karl, he smiled and said, "Since we're cooperating, let me give you a word of advice. Be careful of Marianne in the Magic Forest."

Marianne? The disciple of the Grey Robe Wizard, a formal wizard.

"Oh!"

Karl looked puzzled.

"What's wrong with Senior Marianne?"

In his impression, Marianne was a female wizard with a good temper and a wise elder.

"This woman has a peculiar personality," Strale said, pointing to his head. "She has a special attachment to her mentor, the Grey Robe Wizard Addison, to the point of madness."

"However..."

"As long as you don't provoke her, you should be fine."

Karl nodded thoughtfully.

...

The next day, a group gathered in front of the Star Portal.

"Junior Brother," Siebel's eyes turned red. "Take care and cultivate well over there. We'll see each other again in the Wizard World."

This separation would be at least ten years.

For the young ones, it was undoubtedly an extremely long time.

"I will," Karl nodded.

"Take care, Senior Sister!"

"Amy! Take care, Alysia!"

"Take care," Amy's voice choked. "Big Brother Karl, take care of yourself. I'll come to the Magic Forest to find you."

"Mhm."

Karl nodded.

"Alright," Marianne turned and waved. "The Star Portal is about to open. Come on over."

The group slowly parted, with some inevitable cries, especially from the more emotional women.

But there was no time for them to dwell on their emotions.

"Buzz..."

With a dizzying sensation, the space before them transformed.

Hmm? Karl's eyes flickered.

This...

It's similar to traveling to another world through the Divine Realm Fragment!

Thanks to the generous reader who rewarded 4000 Qidian Coins!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end