Chapter 208: A Quick Change of Heart

Chapter 208: A Quick Change of Heart



Phil Krauz stared at the giant, obviously unusual white owl with a pale blue aura, initially startled and ready to turn back, but then quickly calmed down, muttering to himself, "That's not right, it doesn't seem to be a wizard?"

A god-archer's vision is exceptionally sharp. As soon as he turned the corner of the road, his gaze quickly swept past the carriage, but the two women standing next to it caught his attention.

Initially, it was their youth and beauty that attracted him, but upon seeing the giant white owl with a faint blue halo shimmering on its body, he realized this was not a typical response from a wizard.

In simpler terms, an experienced wizard or wizard apprentice would have a mature approach to dealing with a long-range archer, such as casting a slowing curse or mist-type wizardry at the beginning of the encounter.

However, it was highly unlikely to be the case here. Typically, a wizard would first cast protective spells on their contracted creature rather than themselves.

At that moment, Phil Krauz connected the dots, considering the youthfulness of the two women and the fact that the owl was a modified creature. He concluded that they were most likely not formal wizards and might not even be experienced wizard apprentices.

What was there to fear then?

If that was the case, the modified creature's strength might not be formidable.

Without hesitation, Phil Krauz nocked an arrow and aimed at the giant white owl, shooting at its wings.

"Whoosh!"

A steel arrow, accompanied by a piercing shrieks, flew towards the giant white owl's wings.

Phil Krauz was an extremely experienced combatant. He knew that when facing flying creatures, if there was no guarantee of hitting the body, aiming for the larger wings could be a wise decision.

Once a flying creature's wings were damaged, their flight speed would undoubtedly be greatly affected, and they might even become sitting ducks.

"Bang!"

The giant white owl flapped its wings, and the pale blue film on its body glowed slightly, deflecting the high-speed steel arrow that was heading towards it.

But Phil Krauz laughed at that moment.

Indeed, a wizard's contracted creature or a wizard's own modified creature would never be this weak.

Phil Krauz keenly noticed that there was a red dot on the owl's snow-white wings.

Clearly, this was because the protective spell couldn't completely negate the damage from his arrow.

Although the damage was minimal, he hadn't used his full strength yet!

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

His fingers moved like a pianist playing a rapid melody, drawing and shooting arrows without pause. The speed was so fast that it was hard to see his hands, only a blur of motion.

Heavy steel arrows flew towards the giant white owl, like bullets.

"Tsk tsk, the old man's using his bow technique, 'Rapid Fire!'" The black-sail pirates, who had been startled by the sudden appearance of the giant white owl in the sky, now calmed down and cheered as they witnessed their leader's prowess.

"Yes, it's been a while since I've seen someone withstand my attacks without a scratch. Even the twin hammer-shield knights in Fishing Harbor Town, but they were injured." Another pirate agreed.

".

Phil Krauz had just demonstrated his mastery of the bow technique, a skill he had honed to perfection.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

His arrows were incredibly precise, and although the giant white owl tried to dodge, its large size made it almost impossible to avoid the rapid-fire arrows.

The pale blue watery halo on the owl's body flickered constantly, its protective power seemingly reaching its limit.

Phil Krauz's expression turned solemn, and his entire body emanated a faint crimson aura. The veins on his skin stood out prominently, making him look intimidating.

The bowstring in his hand was stretched to its limit, and the steel arrow he held had an abrupt appearance of crisscrossing crimson patterns.

"Tweet!"

The crimson arrow shot out at high speed, aiming for the giant white owl in mid-air.

"It's here! The old man's using 'Blood Fury Strike!'"

"A rare sight indeed!"

"I've heard this move consumes a lot of energy, and the boss usually doesn't like to use it!"

".

The pirates cheered as they witnessed their deputy leader's display of power.

"Pfft!"

In an instant, a crimson lightning bolt pierced through the pale blue watery film's protection, hitting the giant white owl's wing and drawing blood.

The giant white owl couldn't help but scream, immediately turning back and flying towards the carriage where Veronica was.

Despite its large size, the owl was young and had never faced such a formidable opponent. It was overwhelmed by the enemy's imposing presence, causing it to flee in panic.

Phil Krauz couldn't help but laugh triumphantly.

The move he had just used was his signature technique, 'Blood Fury Strike,' which involved consuming a portion of his blood to unleash a strike with power far exceeding his usual capabilities.

This type of attack caused significant damage to the body, and he usually avoided using it. However, he felt that the two beautiful women across from him were not ordinary, and they might be big shots.

And from the previous attack, it seems that the opponent is indeed just a Wizard Apprentice, and most likely a novice, who is not very experienced in combat.

Additionally, from the previous white seagull to the current giant white owl, it seems that the opponent's expertise in wizardry is all related to 'controlling birds', which is completely countered by her own abilities.

"Attack! Capture those two women alive, and kill all the men!" Phil Krauz waved his hand, grinning triumphantly.

Instantly, a group of elite pirates grinned and brandished their weapons, charging towards the carriage where the two women were located!

Upon witnessing this, Veronica's face paled, as she feared that if Big White was merely injured, it would be a different story if it died in battle, which would be a significant loss to her.

At this moment, as she watched the pirates rushing towards her with fierce momentum, a sense of anxiety welled up within her.

Is this what real combat feels like?

The one-on-one battles she had experienced before were more like instructional fights, and the difference was immense.

"Everyone dismount and form a defensive formation behind the carriage!" Li Hua immediately shouted.

The twelve-person squad, consisting of ten cavalry and two Knight Commanders, reacted swiftly. Four of them, armed with swords and shields, took up positions in front, while the others prepared to fire their arrows.

"Charge!" Phil Krauz, the Bloody Archer, commanded with a leisurely demeanor.

The pirates, under the command of their vice-captain, surrounded the carriage and began hacking at the blue dome-shaped shield frantically.

Inside the shield, four to five cavalrymen with swords and shields were either pierced through their chests and abdomens by steel arrows or directly torn apart. Their injuries were severe.

Only someone with the nickname 'Bloody Archer' like Phil Krauz could inflict such devastating wounds with a single arrow.

He leisurely surveyed the Special Task Force members within the pale blue shield, saying, "Although wizardry is wondrous, even it has its limits in terms of duration or endurance. It's not possible for it to last indefinitely."

"How long can this shield protect you?"

Gazing at Phil Krauz's triumphant expression, Veronica couldn't help but clench her fists in anger, "Major Li Hua, why won't you let me use the 'Water Tomb' scroll?"

"As long as I use it, this so-called 'Bloody Archer' will surely die!"

Veronica, seeing the injured Big White and the equally severely wounded Special Task Force members, felt a twinge of self-blame.

"The 'Water Tomb' scroll you have is our last resort. Even if your mentor, Master Aenius, crafted it, it would still come at a significant cost. It's too precious!"

"By now, time has passed, and according to Lord Rain's speed, he should be here any moment."

"If it's truly urgent, you can use it then." Li Hua said calmly.

Although they were currently at a disadvantage, it was absolutely impossible for the pirates to break through the 'Water Barrier'

Once Lord Rain arrived, the tide of battle would surely turn in their favor!

For some reason, Li Hua felt a sense of reliability in Lord Rain, as if he was particularly dependable.

Just as Phil Krauz believed he had the upper hand, he heard a rhythmic sound of horse hooves approaching from behind.

This sound was heavier and more muffled than regular horse hooves, as if the horse was carrying a heavy load. Additionally, accompanying the sound of the hooves was a sizzling friction noise.

He immediately turned around and saw a black, tall warhorse carrying a knight, appearing at the end of the road.

Upon spotting them, the knight charged towards them, but strangely, he was holding a rope in his hand, as if dragging a human-shaped object.

As Phil Krauz turned to look at Lord Rain, the two women also caught sight of the distant Lord Rain, and their faces lit up with joy.

"Hold on, everyone! Lord Rain is here!" Li Hua exclaimed with delight.

Although she had just given off a calm and collected impression, her heart was actually quite flustered. But now, with Lord Rain's arrival, the enemies before them seemed less intimidating!

Lord Rain, sitting atop his horse, merely glanced at the scene and understood the situation.

The bloodthirsty archer, Phil Krauz, who they had been searching for, suddenly appeared before the Special Task Force.

Moreover, Veronica's blood magic seemed to have a limit, as the entire scene looked a bit chaotic, with the group taking shelter within a light blue water membrane shield.

Judging from the bloodstains on the ground, several cavalry members had likely been injured.

Additionally, all magic had endurance limits.

So, Rain needed to break the stalemate quickly!

Initially, Phil Krauz didn't consider Rain a formidable opponent, assuming he was perhaps a lone knight.

Suddenly, upon witnessing this scene, Rain decided to intervene.

Just as he was about to mind his own business, he took a closer look at Rain's water film steel knight armor and his expression changed slightly.

Such expensive knight armor was definitely not something a lone knight could afford, indicating that Rain was likely a noble knight or employed by the Empire.

Therefore, there was a high probability of some connection between him and the group before him.

Consequently, Phil Krauz carefully scrutinized Rain, and when he noticed the person Rain was dragging on the ground, his face changed dramatically.

He rubbed his eyes and took a closer look.

"Holy shit! Isn't this the messenger of the Sea God Church?" he couldn't help but curse.

Indeed!

It was him!

Although the messenger looked exceptionally disheveled, with a face swollen like a pig's head, there was no mistaking his identity.

Observing the captured messenger, Phil Krauz's eyelids twitched, and his pupils constricted!

The opponent's strength was formidable!

Even the Sea God Church's messenger, Miarko, had been beaten to this state!

So, when Rain dismounted his horse, drew the double-handed sword from his back, and approached them with each step, Phil Krauz felt a sense of impending danger.

At that moment, he could no longer hold back and immediately began shooting at Rain.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

"Rapid Fire!"

Within seconds, Phil Krauz's arrow bag hanging at his waist, containing twenty specially crafted steel arrows, was emptied in an instant!

Seeing the incoming arrows, almost forming a straight line, Rain's heart also sank.

The power of this 'Bloodthirsty Archer's' arrow technique had reached such a level.

It was truly awe-inspiring!

Unfortunately, he didn't have a shield at the moment, or he could have easily deflected the attack. Now, it would be more challenging.

"Swish!"

Rain immediately dodged the opponent's attack, but the arrows were too fast, and the rate of fire was too rapid. Unable to dodge all the arrows, Rain immediately started slashing.

"Clang! Clang!"

After deflecting two steel arrows, Rain barely managed to evade the opponent's secret technique.

"Whoosh!"

Rain quickly charged towards Phil Krauz.

If he relied solely on his sword for defense, he would eventually be overwhelmed.

The best defense was a good offense!

"Blood Fury Strike!" Phil Krauz once again unleashed his signature attack.

In the past, he would deliberate for a long time before using it, as each time he employed this attack, it would take him ten to fifteen days to recover his peak state. But since he participated in a prayer ceremony of the Sea God Church, he was granted a strand of Sea God's power.

The Sea God's power could negate the side effects of this attack at least three times!

Basically, the high-ranking members of various large pirate fleets had received numerous benefits from the Sea God Church, while the smaller pirate fleets did not enjoy such treatment. Instead, they were subjected to more punishments. Otherwise, the unruly pirates would not listen to the Sea God Church's commands.

Under the policy of both carrot and stick, the pirate fleets in this sea area were almost united by the Sea God Church.

Facing the rapidly approaching blood-colored arrows, Rain's Level 3 'Danger Sense' strongly warned him, indicating that this attack's power could pose a serious threat to Rain.

"Defensive Stance!"

Rain rarely employed the only defensive technique in the Giant Bear Sword Technique, firmly planting his sword into the ground and using the palm-wide thick sword spine to counter the 'Bloodthirsty Archer's' strike.

"Clang!!!"

The blood-colored arrows seemed to have a life of their own, heavily striking the sword, and at the same time, hovering in mid-air, they fiercely drilled towards the broadsword's spine, with such force that Rain was pushed back.

However, no matter what, the opponent's killer move was firmly blocked by Rain!

The tiny dent on the broadsword's spine, no larger than a grain of rice, made Rain's heart ache.

Seeing that his strongest attack couldn't affect the opponent, Phil Krauz's heart skipped a beat.

Then, he quickly glanced at the black, tall warhorse beside it, where the Sea God Church's messenger was tied up like a dumpling. Phil Krauz knew that this time, he couldn't rescue the messenger.

Even if he didn't want to repeat the other's mistake, he had to retreat immediately!

So, without the slightest hesitation, Phil Krauz quickly shot several arrows at Rain and then rapidly retreated!

The pirates who had come with Phil Krauz were speechless, looking at each other in bewilderment.

They didn't understand what was going on! Because just now, their vice commander, Phil Krauz, nicknamed 'Bloody Archer', had engaged in a battle with this sudden stranger that lasted less than ten seconds.

In their eyes, the outcome was undecided!

As a result, their own vice commander, Phil Krauz, started to retreat.

Damn it, he's selling us out? What about the rest of us?

The members of the Naval Expeditionary Force who witnessed this were instantly invigorated, almost wanting to cheer! The uninjured seven or eight of them quickly emerged from behind the pale blue water membrane and began to counter-attack in coordination with Rain.

They had been humiliated for quite some time.

A group of people was suppressed by the 'Bloody Archer' Phil Krauz alone, unable to lift their heads.

But now, they felt relieved!

Rain, from a distance, shouted to Marika, "This... the one being dragged behind the black horse is the messenger of the God of Sea Church!"

Amidst everyone's stunned silence, he darted forward like an arrow, quickly chasing after Phil Krauz.

Upon hearing Rain's words, Marika was taken aback. She turned her head slightly, looking bewildered, and asked Veronica beside her for confirmation, "Veronica, did you hear what Lord Rain just said?"

"Did he just say that the one being dragged by the black horse is the messenger of the God of Sea Church?" Marika pointed in the direction of the black horse.

Veronica's expression was equally astonished, her beautiful eyes blinking a few times. She also looked at Marika and nodded, saying,

"If I heard correctly, I think Lord Rain just said that!"

So, the two slightly excited women quickly reached the messenger of the God of Sea Church and began to examine him.

Sure enough, after Veronica cast a wizardry spell, 'Evil Detection', the dense evil demigod power on the messenger immediately verified his identity.

The two women instantly realized that what Rain had said was true!

He had indeed captured the messenger of the God of Sea Church! This made both Marika and Veronica extremely excited.

Their mission was to use these landed pirate groups to search for possible strongholds of the God of Sea Church and other major pirates, making it easier for the Imperial Navy Southern Sea Fleet to carry out targeted eliminations.

But unexpectedly, the pirate leader they had planned to capture through meticulous planning and a long time of effort was caught so quickly.

Moreover, it wasn't just an ordinary pirate leader but a higher-ranking messenger of the God of Sea Church. They had achieved their goal and even exceeded expectations.

This sense of delight made the two women overjoyed!

At this moment, Marika also recalled that when Rain was handling the fourth location, he had gone to chase after someone. It turned out to be this messenger of the God of Sea Church!

As for Veronica, she watched the 'Bloody Archer' Phil Krauz and seemed to have an idea. She immediately cast a wizardry spell, summoning white seagulls and kingfishers to track and harass the messenger.

With the birds' positioning, it not only facilitated Lord Rain's search but also provided an opportunity to disrupt the messenger at a critical moment.

'Bloody Archer' Phil Krauz, you injured my Big White! This time, Lord Rain will surely give you a good thrashing! Veronica couldn't help but feel delighted.

As for 'Bloody Archer' Phil Krauz, he was feeling extremely frustrated. Damn it, those stupid birds in the sky were exposing his tracks in the forest!

If he had known, he should have shot down those birds from the very beginning!

Rain followed the guidance of the white seagulls and kingfishers, quickly closing in on Phil Krauz.

The two were getting closer and closer!

Suddenly, seven or eight white seagulls and kingfishers dove towards Phil Krauz's head, causing him to scramble and defend himself.

Rain seized this perfect opportunity.

With a swift stride, he reached behind Phil Krauz, and a long, cold glint appeared!

A minute later, Rain returned to the carriage, dragging the 'Bloody Archer' Phil Krauz like a dead dog and throwing him next to the half-dead messenger, Miarko.

At this moment, the barely conscious Miarko opened his eyes, and the next second, his eyes widened in shock.

Damn it! How could it be Phil Krauz? Was he also captured?

Phil Krauz and Miarko, two brothers in misfortune, stared deeply into each other's eyes, both seeing the same look of helplessness and despair.

Damn it, who could have predicted this!

Just two hours ago, the two had eagerly discussed their plans, full of confidence in the future. But two hours later, they had both become prisoners of a young man.

This transformation was too sudden, too fast for anyone to accept!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end