Chapter 222: Night Raid

Chapter 222: Night Raid



One of the guards thought for a moment and said to his companion, "Jeff, go and report this to Miss Veronique. She's an expert in birds, so she should know if there's a problem."

"Okay, I'll go right away," said the young guard named Jeff, his heart warming at the thought of the beautiful young lady who could control white seagulls. He immediately turned and went to report.

In fact, even without the young guard's report, Veronique was already aware of the situation. Her bloodfeather horned eagle chick, 'Bloodwing', was engaged in a fight with the storm crows in the backyard of the Town Hall.

At first, it was Bloodwing who noticed the sudden increase in the number of storm crows in the area. Although Bloodwing was still a chick, as a naturally brutal species, it had learned to fly just a few days ago.

Naturally, Bloodwing considered the area around the Town Hall, and even the skies above Fishing Port Town, as its territory.

Upon seeing the large number of storm crows invading its territory, Bloodwing launched an attack on one of the crows.

Initially, Veronique didn't sense anything amiss, thinking they were just some crow-like birds or perhaps mutated crows.

However, when Bloodwing fought and defeated a storm crow of similar size, the defeated crow quickly summoned over a dozen more storm crows, which startled Veronique.

She quickly cast a Water Film spell on Bloodwing to enhance its defense and began observing the crows closely. Soon, she noticed something peculiar about them.

Veronique realized that these crows were the rare storm crows, which were not native to the area around Myester County or even the entire Minster Province.

Storm crows were native to the Storm Fjord, located thousands of kilometers away.

Additionally, the eyes of these storm crows seemed slightly rigid, as if they were under the influence of a control or surveillance spell. This instantly put Veronique on high alert.

The enemy was conducting reconnaissance!

Without much thought, Veronique rushed to the nearby training room, knowing that Rain and Trevor had been practicing archery there for the past few days.

In the air, Bloodwing, with the enhancement of the Water Film spell, fearlessly fought against the dozen or so storm crows. Feathers and claws clashed as the battle raged on, and black feathers rained down from the sky.

"Knock knock knock!"

The rapid knocking interrupted Rain and Trevor's archery lesson.

A twin-tailed girl hurried in, saying anxiously, "Sir Rain, Sir Trevor, please come quickly! There's a wizard apprentice or wizard controlling storm crows to scout this area!"

"Hmm?" The two men exchanged a glance and immediately followed Veronique out of the training room.

As they walked, the girl spoke quickly, "I just saw at least a dozen storm crows around the Town Hall."

"Storm crows?" Trevor frowned, as if something had occurred to him.

"They're birds often controlled by wizards for attacks and reconnaissance. This suggests the presence of a level 3 wizard apprentice or wizard specializing in negative energy, controlling these storm crows."

When the three arrived at the backyard of the Town Hall, they found Bloodwing and a dozen storm crows of the play 'The Great Battle'.

Although Bloodwing was at a disadvantage, it remained unharmed thanks to Veronique's Water Film spell. The young eagle chick continued to fight spiritedly, pecking and tearing at the crows with its claws.

Rain observed the fight, impressed by Bloodwing's combat prowess, especially considering it was still a chick that had only recently hatched.

Instinctively, Trevor reached for the longbow on his back, ready to eliminate the storm crows.

As Trevor drew an arrow and prepared to shoot, Rain stopped him and turned with a smile, "Sir Trevor, as an expert archer, you should be prepared for the possible presence of the enemy nearby."

"I'll take care of these crows and test the results of our recent archery training."

Trevor agreed, realizing that the potential enemy was the greater threat. He nodded and said, "Okay!"

Rain quickly drew an arrow, nocked it, and aimed at a storm crow. With a 'whoosh', the arrow instantly struck a crow the size of a hen, which was besieging Bloodwing.

Bloodwing, encouraged by the strike, let out a loud cry, its morale boosted!

After the successful shot, Rain smoothly nocked, drew, and released another arrow, his movements graceful and fluid.

More importantly, after this period of training, Rain had gained insight into the predictive aspect of archery. With just a glance, he could predict the flight path of the storm crows.

Additionally, the gathering of over a dozen storm crows provided an ideal shooting condition for Rain.

For a while, Rain's arrows found their mark without fail.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

After seven or eight consecutive shots, the storm crows realized that their numbers were dwindling.

Soon, they sensed the presence of someone on the ground attacking them. Acting on instinct, the crows raised a ruckus of sharp and noisy caws.

Suddenly, all the Storm Crows in the Fishing Harbor Town were mobilized, and over a hundred of them gathered in the sky above the Town Hall, forming a dark and imposing mass.

The Storm Crows flapped their wings vigorously, flying in rapid circles, and Rain vaguely saw the shape of the swirling airflow, seemingly on the verge of forming a tornado.

Indeed, he had only mispronounced the name, not the nickname.

It seemed that the 'storm' in Storm Crows was not just an empty title.

Fearing for Bloodwing's safety, Rain immediately summoned it back.

However, as Rain watched the large group of Storm Crows circling in the sky, his heart grew even more calm and composed. He continued to draw, nock, aim, and shoot arrows without stopping, and his entire set of movements became increasingly faster.

In that moment, his shooting speed reached its current peak.

Rain felt that he had grasped a certain knack of the secret technique 'Rapid Volley' within the Blood Fury Archery.

"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"

Rain's arrows flew with a rhythmic precision, and the intervals between the vibrations of the bowstring were almost fixed, giving the onlookers a sense of musical performance.

Veronica and Nathaniel, who were about to cast spells, paused their incantations and looked at Rain in surprise.

Veronica's pretty face showed confusion, as she hadn't expected Rain's archery to be so powerful.

Previously, when she had faced the Federation Deceiver with Rain, she hadn't seen him display such formidable archery skills, and if he had, their battle would have been even easier.

Nathaniel, knowing that his teammate Trevor had been teaching Rain archery these past few days, was even more astonished by Rain's rapid improvement in arrow technique.

At this moment, Rain's archery had made a qualitative leap compared to a few days ago.

In less than a minute, the dense group of Storm Crows had thinned out, and they began to scatter in all directions.

The incipient tornado, which had been forming, also dissipated as the Storm Crows dispersed.

The sky above the Town Hall cleared, and the winter sunlight shone down, making Rain, holding his metal greatbow, appear like a pure gold sculpture, radiant and dazzling.

Around Rain's position, the fallen black feathers from the Storm Crows' flapping created a series of circular patterns in the air, swirling around him.

"Well done, Rain," Trevor said, raising a thumb in admiration.

As a Marksman, Trevor understood the difficulty of Rain's feat.

Even if he were to take Rain's place, his efficiency in killing the crows wouldn't be much higher.

Rain was slightly startled, as just then, a system notification appeared:

[Your skill experience has increased. Rapid Volley +1159]



[You have experienced a battle. Weapon Master (Legendary) profession experience +118]



(Note: The above skill experience has benefited from the exclusive talent 'Basic Extraordinary Insight', with a 30% increase.)



[Congratulations! You have unlocked the exclusive secret technique of Blood Fury Archery: Rapid Volley!]



Due to the 30% experience bonus from the exclusive talent 'Basic Extraordinary Insight' of Weapon Master (Legendary), the experience bar for Blood Fury Archery lv5 surged by more than half, reaching lv5 (1498/2000).

If the remaining two or three dozen Storm Crows hadn't escaped, Rain might have been able to raise Blood Fury Archery to lv6.

At this moment, Rain's attention was drawn to the last notification.

Simultaneously, Rain's mind gained some memories of the exclusive secret technique 'Rapid Volley' of Blood Fury Archery.

Huh?

Upon seeing the suddenly unlocked archery technique, Rain's face showed both delight and surprise.

According to his experience with Giant Bear Sword Technique, if one didn't have 'Bow Proficiency', they would only unlock secret techniques after reaching lv6.

Soon, Rain found a new icon on the Weapon Master (Legendary) panel, located above 'Blood Fury Archery'.

The icon depicted a drawn bowstring with an arrow about to be released, but the most striking feature was the three arrows in front of the first arrow, flying in mid-air.

In the lower right corner of the icon, there was a line of small text:

Rapid Volley lv1 (Secret Technique): Use a fast and continuous drawing and shooting method to fire as many arrows as possible in a short time.

(Note: Rapid Volley is a secret technique and cannot be directly improved through skill points.)



(Rapid Volley lv2 requires the following conditions: 1. Blood Fury Archery lv8 or higher (Bow Proficiency can offset part of the level requirement); 2. Strength 18 or higher, Agility 22 or higher, Constitution 16 or higher.)



Reading 'Bow Proficiency can offset part of the archery level requirement', Rain became thoughtful.

So that was the reason.

No wonder he could master the secret technique at lv5 Blood Fury Archery; the key was in this condition.

This truly demonstrates the value of the exclusive talent 'Basic Weapon Mastery' in the Legendary Weapon Master profession!

Suddenly, Rain thought of something else.

Given this exclusive talent, he could master the secret skills of an Extraordinary Combat Technique on other weapons faster and earlier than ordinary people.

---

As the death of seventy to eighty Storm Crows unfolded, Zenina, the black-robed woman, who was several kilometers away, staggered slightly.

The Storm Crows that were killed were the targets of her Wizardry 'Crow's Eye.' Therefore, she was subjected to a certain degree of magical backlash at this moment.

She frowned and rubbed her temples.

"Lord Wexman, perhaps I have found that Rain."

"But strangely, the situation does not match the description you gave me. He seems to be a Marksman, and he just killed over eighty of my Storm Crows in an extremely short time."

"Hmm? A Marksman?" Zenina was immediately taken aback by Wexman's words.

He was very clear that a few days ago, when Nehru approached him, he had described the target in great detail as a young Great Knight skilled in using a Two-Handed Warhammer, not a Marksman.

Such discrepancies between intelligence and reality were rare.

This instantly made the battle-experienced Wexman alert.

At the same time, Wexman thought of something and asked, "Can you describe in detail how the target discovered that your Storm Crows were problematic?"

"Yes, my lord. At the time..."

After a series of questions and answers,

Wexman paced back and forth on the beach for a while before asking again, "So, after the target realized something was wrong with your Storm Crows, he started shooting them with a bow alone? No one else interfered during the entire process?"

"Yes, Lord Wexman."

"Was there anyone else around the target that we should be concerned about?"

"There were, my lord. According to 'Crow's Eye,' there are at least two other Wizard Apprentices and another Marksman with the target."

"Two Wizard Apprentices and another Marksman? Their strength is comparable to a Dragon Empire Navy elite squad." Wexman blurted out.

"Yes, my lord, I am also surprised."

"But one male and one female used Wizardry, and another male wielded a warbow. I believe my judgment is correct," Zenina said confidently.

For a moment, Wexman hesitated.

The current situation of the target was significantly different from what Nehru had described.

Not only was the target's weapon of choice different, but the strength of the people around the target was not just one female novice Wizard Apprentice, as Nehru had said, but included another Marksman and another Wizard Apprentice.

This situation was a bit unexpected.

It wasn't that he couldn't handle it.

The key issue was that this would be a losing deal.

If he were to take on the job, Nehru would need to increase the payment!

"Zenina, keep the Storm Crows at a distance to maintain surveillance. If the target leaves the Fishing Harbor Town, inform me immediately."

"Additionally, send a message to Nehru, informing him of the current situation. If he wants me to act, he needs to increase the payment. I'm not trying to raise the price, but Nehru's information was incorrect. So, ask him if he agrees to two chests of Shadow Steel Ore."

"Yes, my lord!" Zenina bowed slightly, took two steps back, and began to cast her spell.

---

Fishing Town Administrative hall.

The sudden appearance of the crow flock startled everyone in the administrative hall, including Major Marika, who was drafting a letter, and they all rushed to the backyard.

Looking at the backyard covered in black feathers, Major Marika knew that the enemy was not simple.

Soon, they gathered in Governor Rain's office to discuss.

"Nathaniel, Miss Veronica, both experienced Wizard Apprentices, can we track the enemy's position through the Storm Crows?" Trevor asked proactively.

Trevor believed that offense was the best defense. As a Marksman, he had an advantage over Wizard Apprentices who needed to chant spells and had average defense, even if they were Wizards, he was not afraid.

Both of them thought for a moment and then shook their heads.

"Trevor, I cannot track them, but I can recognize that the opponent used Shadow Magic's 'Crow Summoning' spell."

"Of course, the opponent's spell seems to have been modified, so the crows summoned were far more powerful than ordinary crows," Nathaniel, with his rich combat experience, sharing his judgment.

Veronica pondered for a moment and explained, "Sir Trevor, the flock of crows was summoned through a spell and are not usually around the caster. This is different from our process of improving and taming them."

"However, based on the number of crows summoned, the opponent is likely a Third-Class Apprentice Wizard, not a full Wizard."

"Because, I heard from my mentor that if a full Wizard were to cast this spell, they could summon thousands, even tens of thousands of crows for an attack."

Rain nodded.

"But isn't he just a Third-Class Apprentice Wizard and not a full-fledged Wizard?"

That was indeed odd.

Given this new information, it was unlikely that the enemy was the same Federation Deceiver from before.

However, Rain's peripheral vision caught Major Marika, who had been silent until now, knitting her brows in deep thought. He decided to ask her opinion.

"Major Marika, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

"The storm crows you mentioned earlier reminded me of several reports from the Empire's Southern Fleet. They mentioned the presence of crows."

"Oh, Major Marika, if you don't mind, could you elaborate on that?" Rain's eyebrows arched in curiosity.

"Let me think. In one of the reports, there was a mention of these large crows during the assassination of Rear Admiral Zhu Kuiyin of the Fourth Fleet."

"The second time was during the assassination of Fourth-Class Ship Captain Bravo of the First Fleet. The report also described the presence of a black bird."

"As for the third time, I can't quite recall the details."

"So, I believe this is likely just a reconnaissance mission by the enemy, and they will soon launch their actual attack!"

Major Marika's words caused everyone to grow solemn.

If the relatively weak Wizardry 'Crow Summoning' was just an appetizer, one could only imagine how difficult it would be to defend against the enemy's real offensive.

"I've heard that there are a few tricky individuals in the Federation Navy's combat squads who are extremely skilled in decapitation operations," Nathaniel said gravely.

"The Federation Navy? So, they're working with that Deceiver."

"Then their target must be Lord Rain!" The twin-tailed girl suddenly realized something and blurted out.

The remaining three immediately turned their attention to Rain.

Rain smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, I'm not that fragile."

After some thought, Rain continued, "Major Marika, regarding the two Rear Admirals you mentioned, were they both Grand Knights? What were the causes of their deaths?"

"Yes, they both died by the blade. According to the autopsy reports, they were killed by daggers, and apparently, they weren't ordinary daggers. Both Rear Admirals had lost a significant amount of blood."

"Moreover, the combat duration was extremely brief. In Rear Admiral Bravo's assassination, from the time the alarm was raised to when the guards rushed in, only ten seconds had passed."

Killed by a dagger? And a Fourth-Class Ship Captain with extensive combat experience only lasted less than ten seconds?

Rain fell silent, his eyes gleaming as he pondered.

He tried to put himself in the attacker's shoes, imagining the duration of the kill and comparing it to his own abilities to estimate the enemy's strength.

Even if it was an ambush, Rain thought it would be difficult to take down a seasoned Grand Knight in ten seconds if the enemy kept evading or fleeing. From this, he could deduce two things: the enemy was incredibly fast, and their attack, possibly with a dagger, was extremely powerful and hard to defend against.

Lastly, the enemy seemed to favor assassination, suggesting they might not be adept at or prefer direct combat.

"Is there any way to slow down the enemy's movement within a certain area?" Major Marika seemed to have been thinking along the same lines as Rain and spoke up first.

"Also, if their target is Lord Rain, do any of you have any items that can enhance defense?"

"Slow down the enemy's movement?" Trevor looked pensive for a moment before replying, "I don't have such a Wizardry item, but I do have paralyzing poison, which I use to coat arrows for dealing with large sea beasts."

"Should Lord Rain prepare some? It's fast-acting; with one arrow hitting the target, it only takes a few seconds for it to take effect. For larger beasts, you might need multiple arrows."

Meanwhile, the twin-tailed girl weakly suggested, "I've used a Wizardry item for defense before. How about the Substitute Doll?"

---

Nighttime.

On a secluded beach in the fishing town, a bonfire burned amidst several tall rocks.

As the firewood crackled, the sound of flapping wings filled the air, and a black crow landed on the shoulder of the black-robed Zenina.

"Master, Lord Nehru has finally replied. Although he was reluctant, he agreed to your request for two boxes of Shadow Steel Ore," Zenina said respectfully.

"Zenina, in that case, let's go!"

"Look at the beauty of tonight's sky," Wexman said as he slowly stood up, gazing at the night sky shrouded in dark clouds with only a faint glimmer of starlight.

"Yes, Master!"

Zenina followed Wexman, half a step behind.

As the two moved away from the bonfire, their shadows elongated, and soon, they disappeared into the darkness as if merging with it.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end