Chapter 404: Teleport Slash

Chapter 404: Teleport Slash

As Ariada and Ariel entered the interior of the villa, they soon arrived in a grand hall.

The hall's floor was adorned with intricate lines, emitting a faint green glow, indicating the presence of a magical formation.

"What about the other sects' movements?" Ariada lifted her hood, revealing a beautiful face. If not for the red, serpentine mark on her forehead, anyone would mistake her for an innocent, lovely girl.

"According to the plan, the Limb Sect, the Black Flame Sect, the Sea God Sect, the Plague Sect, and others will send people to the vicinity of the Imperial Capital in succession, waiting for the operation."

"But I'm not sure about the specific personnel and locations," said an elder named Aurelian respectfully.

Although it was a joint operation, each sect was wary of the others and wouldn't cooperate wholeheartedly. The only reason for their temporary alliance was their shared enemy—the Empire.

---

Imperial Capital Tamriel.

Raine Manor, Second Floor.

Suddenly, Raine saw a tall, fiery girl in leather armor appear at the entrance of the manor through the window.

She wore leather armor that barely covered her vital areas, revealing her wheatish skin and defined abdominal muscles. With a large shield on her back and a single-bladed battle axe at her waist, it could only be Ragre.

Just as the guards at the entrance were about to inquire about her business, they saw their master, Raine, approaching with a beaming smile.

"Ragre," Raine greeted her with a smile and quickly walked up to embrace her.

"Raine, stop," Ragre responded with enthusiasm, but suddenly, her beautiful eyes glanced at the window on the second floor of the villa, causing her face to turn red. She pushed Raine away.

"Hmm?" Raine was puzzled by this.

Could it be that she was shy because the guards were nearby?

"Upstairs," Ragre whispered.

In truth, for the outgoing and open-minded Ragre, being hugged by Raine or receiving a kiss wasn't something to be embarrassed about. After all, she had already acknowledged Raine in her heart.

However, the issue was that at this moment, Raine's mother, Emma, was watching them from the window on the second floor with a motherly smile, making Ragre feel a bit awkward.

Moreover, it wasn't just one of Raine's relatives.

In another room on the second floor, Mint was also peering out of the window with a youthful face, grinning at the scene.

Following Ragre's gaze, Raine immediately understood and smiled, saying, "Let's go inside first."

"Okay."

As the two entered the villa, Mint came running down from the second floor, blocking their path.

"Sister Ragre, why did it take you so long to come and see me?" Mint smiled sweetly, rushed over to hug Ragre, and then took her hand, holding it tightly.

"Mint, it's been a while," Ragre kissed Mint's rosy cheeks and said.

At that moment, Raine's mother, Emma, came down from the second floor with a smile.

"Aunt Emma, hello," Ragre greeted her respectfully with a lady's curtsy.

Raine, standing nearby, couldn't help but smile at the scene.

He could tell that Ragre was a bit nervous upon seeing his mother.

Apparently, even with her barbarian bloodline, Ragre was still intimidated by the mother-in-law figure.

Furthermore, this was despite the fact that Mother Emma was an ordinary person, while Ragre was a Ferocious Warrior.

"Ragre, it seems like you've grown taller," Mother Emma gestured with her hands, expressing surprise.

Raine hadn't noticed this because his own height had increased at a faster rate.

Now, with Mother Emma's reminder, Raine realized that Ragre's height might have indeed increased due to her transformation into a Ferocious Warrior, from around 178 cm to over 180 cm.

After some small talk, Mother Emma noticed that Mint was still holding Ragre's hand and said, "Mint, let Sister Ragre rest for a while."

"Raine, take Ragre to rest," Mother Emma added, turning to Raine.

"Yes, Mother," Raine replied.

Ragre's face turned red again, feeling that the suggestion to rest had a hidden meaning.

---

Inside the room.

"Why did you take so long to come to the Imperial Capital to see me?" Raine asked as he gently held the girl.

Without Mother Emma and Mint around, Ragre relaxed, leaning naturally against Raine. She smiled and said, "Not long after I arrived in Minster, I received news from Dean Batralov that the Dragon Soul Elixir for you has been prepared. So, I went back to the Tundra with Georgia of the Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Corps."

Raine finally understood.

So, Georgia was there too? Raine immediately recalled the leather-clad girl with a bow, Georgia, the younger sister of Vandar, the leader of the Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Corps. She had started off a bit arrogant but later showed great improvement.

As Ragre spoke, she took out a long, rectangular box from her waist pouch and handed it to Raine.

"Here, the Dragon Soul Elixir!"

Raine took it but didn't open it immediately. Instead, he looked at Ragre intently.

Clearly, this barbarian girl was more concerned about his affairs than her own safety.

"Raine, aren't you going to open it and take a look?"

Why was Ren staring at her like that?

Raglara couldn't help but feel a little strange.

Why was Ren looking at her that way?

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome."

Just as Raglara was about to say it was unnecessary, her words were cut short.

(One hundred thousand words omitted)



Two hours later, the two, with their incredible stamina, finally took a break.

Ren also experienced the exceptional power of the Berserker—the Brutalized Warrior, whose resilient and well-defined abs were a true sight to behold.

At this moment, Raglara lay comfortably on Ren's chest, her golden hair naturally cascading down, and her delicate face still carried a lingering blush.

Judging by her face alone, one would never guess that Raglara was a female Berserker.

Only when one followed her exquisite features down to her unusually curvaceous figure would they appreciate the wild beauty of a female Berserker.

Unlike Jennifer's voluptuous figure, Raglara's well-proportioned body exuded a sense of vitality and fitness.

As if sensing Ren's gaze, Raglara slightly lifted her head, her deep blue eyes meeting his, and asked, "What are you looking at?"

Just as Ren was about to speak, Raglara seemed to remember something and blinked, saying, "Oh, right, Ren, what about Anna?"

"I heard she's in the Imperial Capital, but I haven't seen her."

"Oh? I haven't seen her in a long time," Raglara said with a hint of regret.

"By the way, Ren, don't you want to take a look at the Dragon Soul Elixir?"

"Sure!"

Ren cherished the Dragon Soul Elixir that Raglara had brought with great effort.

When he opened the wooden box, he saw a bottle of deep blue liquid emitting a faint magical glow, sitting inside.

As Ren opened the box, Raglara suddenly remembered the instructions of Winterkeep Academy's Dean Batalov, "Oh, right, Ren, Dean Batalov said that after taking the Dragon Soul Elixir, your Spirit Energy will gradually increase, and the effects will last for about three months."

Looking at the cool blue elixir in his hand, Ren felt his body yearning for it.

He recalled his initial plan to take the Dragon Soul Elixir during the later stages of the Liquid Phase.

But due to the rapid progress caused by the Divine Crystal, he had already advanced to a Rank 3 Crystal Wizard.

Fortunately, Ren still remembered what Dean Batalov had said.

The Dragon Soul Elixir was effective even for Crystal Wizards, and the first dose had the best effect, with subsequent doses significantly reducing its potency.

After some thought, Ren opened the bottle and a strange fragrance wafted out.

He gestured to Raglara to express his gratitude, then tilted his head back and drank the entire elixir in one go.

As Ren consumed the Dragon Soul Elixir, he felt a cool liquid slide down his throat and into his stomach, which soon became warm. A wave of heat began to spread throughout his body.

His Spirit Sea, in particular, became unusually active.

At that moment, the system notification sounded:

【Ding! Host has consumed a special potion that enhances Spirit Energy Crystallization. Accelerate absorption? (Note: System absorption can eliminate impurities and complete absorption in one go.)】

"Can the effects that were supposed to be released gradually over three months be absorbed all at once?"

Obviously, accelerating absorption without side effects and quickly converting it into combat power was a good thing.

So, Ren immediately chose 'Yes!'

In an instant, Ren noticed that the number of tiny crystals in the silver liquid in his Spirit Sea had increased significantly.

It was as if the sky, once sparsely dotted with stars, had transformed into a starry night.

After a short while, the increase in crystals slowed down. At this moment, within the silver liquid, the proportion of small crystals had clearly increased.

Ren's entire aura also became thicker and more profound.

Ren glanced at the system panel:

Spirit Energy: 132 (13% Crystallized)



"By absorbing three months' worth of effects at once, my Spirit Energy increased by 12 points, but more importantly, my Crystallization progress rose by 10%."

"The Dragon Soul Elixir's effects are indeed remarkable!" Ren's eyes lit up as he thought to himself.

Although Raglara by his side wasn't a wizard, as a Brutalized Warrior, her senses were also very sharp.

She naturally perceived the change in Ren's aura, but she attributed it to the special effects of the Dragon Soul Elixir.

Raglara couldn't have imagined that this was actually the result of Ren absorbing three months' worth of the Dragon Soul Elixir in one go.

"Oh, right, Ren, here's a set of inner armor made from Corachus' abdominal soft leather. The wizards at Winterkeep Academy added special Engravings to further enhance its elasticity and defense."

Raglara, wearing a robe, stood up and took out a set of gray leather armor emitting a faint magical glow from her bag, and handed it to Ren.

"Is this the Dragon Skin Inner Armor you mentioned?" Ren happily took it and examined it carefully.

The leather armor consisted of a pair of shorts and a vest, a two-piece set. It felt soft to the touch, almost like tanned calfskin, making it hard to believe it was made from Corachus' rough dragon skin.

Although Ren wasn't familiar with leather armor crafting, as a master Engraver, he had a good understanding of the difficulty and quality of this armor.

"I managed to borrow a set of armor, but I used the thick hide from Corachus's back." Raglara pointed to the leather armor she had taken off beside her and smiled.

Knock, knock, knock!

At that moment, a knock sounded from outside the door.

Matteo's voice came from beyond the door, "Lord Ren, Lord Luther and Lord Halowen are waiting for you in the reception hall downstairs."

"Alright, I'll be right there."

At this moment, Ren recalled that he had made plans with Luther and Halowen to visit the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp.

"Ren, go ahead with your business. I could use some rest too," said the young barbarian woman who had just received the nourishing treatment. A little rest would be most welcome.

"Sure, you can give any instructions to the servants."

In the reception hall...

Read the error-free version at 69 Book Bar! 6=9+Book_Bar, the first to release this novel.

As Ren entered the reception hall, Luther's eyes widened slightly as he sensed something, "Hmm? Lord Ren, I feel like your strength has improved again?"

"Hmm?" Halowen, standing beside him, was taken aback at first, but then he mirrored Luther's expression, looking at Ren with surprise.

"Hmm, you've noticed it too. I just took a potion to enhance my mental strength," Ren smiled, intentionally keeping some details hidden.

Luther and Halowen exchanged glances, both with a hint of astonishment in their eyes.

It seemed that Lord Ren before them was gaining more and more attention from the Swordsmen Headquarters, even managing to obtain such a precious potion.

Since all three of their flying mounts had been registered, they quickly mounted their respective rides and arrived at the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp located in the Sixth Ring.

As they entered the majestic camp, which resembled a colosseum, Ren noticed that there were even more people than the last time he had visited.

"Let's go, Lord Ren. I'll take you over there to practice," Luther suggested, familiar with the place.

"Okay."

For Ren, he was the one among the three who had visited the least frequently. Even Halowen had been to the camp multiple times recently to refresh his flight combat skills.

Suddenly, from their left, three robust men approached, clad in grayish-white linen overcoats, their simple attire contrasting with the imposing double-handed greatswords on their backs. The leader, standing at around two meters tall, had particularly prominent leg muscles.

"Hmm? Is that Karl, a disciple of the Tide Sword Saint? Do you know him?" Halowen looked at Ren and Luther with curiosity.

At that moment, Karl, with his bushy sideburns, fixed his gaze intently on Ren, "Is that Lord Ren?"

"It's me!" Ren observed him in return.

He had a hunch about the man's purpose.

If he remembered correctly, Greenwood had studied swordsmanship under the Tide Sword Saint.

"I've heard of Lord Ren's achievements, and I admire them greatly. It's understandable that Greenwood wasn't a match for you. However..."

"Lately, there have been rumors that after defeating Greenwood, Lord Ren's words showed a lack of respect for my teacher, the Tide Sword Saint. So, I'd like to have a spar with Lord Ren."

"Hmm?" Ren pondered for a moment and understood the situation.

Someone must be spreading negative rumors behind his back, and Karl was being used as a pawn.

Furthermore, judging by Karl's expression, the misunderstanding seemed deep-rooted and not something that could be easily resolved with a few words.

However, after some thought, Ren felt the need to clarify his stance:

"Lord Karl, the facts are not as you've heard, but if I say I didn't say it, you probably won't believe me."

"It's alright. I accept your challenge."

Karl was taken aback at first, seemingly not expecting Ren to deny it, but he quickly recovered, "Well then, I appreciate Lord Ren's guidance."

The others nearby, upon witnessing the challenge, became excited.

After all, at their level, reputation was highly valued, and they wouldn't easily engage in sparring matches.

Luther and Halowen exchanged glances but remained silent, instead giving Karl a meaningful look before quietly stepping away.

Lord Ren had just made significant progress in his strength, and now he was offering himself as an opponent.

How could they possibly stop him?

Soon, a large area was cleared for the match.

"Hey, who's the wizard sparring with Karl? I don't think I've seen him before," many in the crowd asked, as Karl was relatively well-known, while Ren was only making his second appearance at the camp.

"Karl is a true disciple of the Tide Sword Saint, having mastered the art of teleportation slash in water. He has a significant advantage when fighting wizards," some explained.

However, others held different opinions.

"That's true against others, but not necessarily against him."

"Oh? Who is he? He looks so young."

"You don't know him?"

"'Sculptor' Harold was defeated by him."

"What?! Is that the Platinum Swordmaster Ren?"

Many exclaimed in surprise.

As participants in the assessment, their strength was on par with Harold's, making them even more aware of the renowned strength of the so-called strongest Legendary.

Several individuals present were actually not inferior to Harold in strength, but when it came to defeating Harold, who excelled in Earth Magic, they weren't so confident.

"Looks like it's hard to predict the outcome."

At that moment, an elderly man in a gray wizard's robe, holding a short staff, smiled bitterly, and said, "Lord Rayn, Lord Karl, you are both pillars of the Empire. If you accidentally injure each other, it won't be good."

"Can you give me some face?"

"Lord Hernandez, the teacher's reputation must be upheld," Karl said, slightly bowing.

The elder named Hernandez heard Karl mention the Tide Sword Saint and was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Alright, both of you must hold back." Hernandez said, shaking his head and taking a few steps back.

On the field.

Rayn glanced at Karl, focusing on his muscular, sturdy legs. He paused for a few seconds, combining the words 'tide', 'sea training', and 'teleport slash' that the surrounding crowd had just mentioned.

As a top-tier weapon master, Rayn quickly understood Karl's swordsmanship style after a moment of thought.

At that moment, Karl slowly drew the two-handed greatsword from his back and bowed slightly to Rayn.

"Haa!"

The next second, Karl stomped his left foot on the ground with immense force.

This single stomp seemed to contain a special power, causing the ground several meters in front of Karl to shatter violently, sending stones of various sizes flying into the air.

"Whoosh!"

Just as the stones reached their highest point, about two meters above the ground, Karl drew his sword! His sword speed was so fast that it was almost invisible to the naked eye; only a slight movement of his wrist could be seen, followed by a fleeting arc of light!

In an instant, the hundreds of stones in front of him seemed to be propelled by electromagnetic force, transforming from a suspended state in midair into cannonballs that shot towards Rayn!

For a moment, the sky was filled with stones and dust, obscuring Rayn's vision and burying him in a 'sandstorm'.

Suddenly, Karl moved.

His entire body stretched out in a long, curved, broken line.

Along this line, Karl's figure appeared repeatedly.

From a distance, it looked like a slow-motion animation, with each frame seamlessly continuing the action from the previous one.

The onlookers could clearly see Karl's two-handed greatsword, pointing downward, then raised high above his head, and finally leaping up to deliver a powerful slash. Each movement was broken down into dozens of consecutive, orderly silhouettes, each one distinct and clear.

But in less than a second, the hundreds of silhouettes seemed to be absorbed by the previous one, fast-forwarding at an incredible speed!

In the blink of an eye, Karl burst through the dust and appeared above Rayn's position, delivering a heavy overhead slash!

"There it is! Teleport Slash!"

"I didn't expect Karl to use the ultimate secret technique, Teleport Slash, right at the start! It seems he's very wary of Lord Rayn."

"Indeed, even Harold was defeated by him."

Upon seeing Karl's attack, Halowen and Luther couldn't help but furrow their brows.

Even though they had confidence in Rayn, a hint of worry crept into their hearts at that moment.

Karl's speed was astonishing, and accidents due to carelessness were not uncommon in trials.

Every year, there were examples of individuals who, despite having superior strength, lost due to a momentary lapse in concentration.

"Clang!"

A deafening clash of metal rang out.

"Wow!"

Two or three people in the crowd seemed to have a special ability or magic that allowed them to see through the dust and smoke, and they exclaimed in surprise.

The others craned their necks and squinted, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening inside.

Suddenly, a transparent circular air current burst out from the dust, clearing the smoke and dust in an instant.

Inside, Rayn remained in his original position, unmoving, but now he was wearing a thick suit of armor that emitted a dense magical aura.

Karl was still in the middle of his overhead slash, his greatsword slanted and embedded in Rayn's shoulder armor. However, it had only penetrated two-thirds of the way into the magic armor before getting stuck.

Karl, surprised, was about to retract his sword and retreat when Rayn smiled slightly and slowly raised his hand, grasping Karl's greatsword.

The next second, Karl's greatsword began to melt like a candle in Rayn's hand, quickly turning into a lump of iron that Rayn held in his palm.

As Rayn's strength reached the level of a Tier 3 Crystalized Wizard, he could now display a bit more of his metal magic compared to before.

Although he had the innate ability to deform metal weapons instantly, he prolonged the casting time to just over a second to avoid attracting too much attention.

Even with this precaution, the crowd was left in awe!

"Wow, that's..."

"That's a rare metal magic!"

"If I remember correctly, that's metal transformation magic."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end