Chapter 404: Teleport Strike

Chapter 404: Teleport Strike

As Ariada and Alida entered the villa, they soon arrived at a large hall.

The floor of the hall was adorned with intricate lines that emitted a faint green glow, clearly indicating that some kind of magic array had been set up inside.

"What about the movements of the other cults?" Ariada lifted her hood, revealing a beautiful face. If not for the red ouroboros mark on her forehead, anyone who saw her would assume she was a harmless, beautiful young girl.

"According to the plan, the Limb Reunion Sect, Black Flame Sect, Sea God Sect, Plague Sect, and others will all send people to the vicinity of the Imperial Capital, awaiting the operation," the elderly man named Olerian said respectfully.

"However, I am not clear on the specific personnel and locations."

Although it was a joint operation, the various cults were wary of each other and did not genuinely cooperate, merely because the empire was their common enemy.

---

Imperial City of Tamriel.

Second floor of Rayn Manor.

Suddenly, Rayn saw a tall, fiery figure in leather armor appear at the mansion's entrance through the window.

The figure wore leather armor that barely covered the essentials, revealing tanned skin and a defined abdominal line. She carried a large shield on her back and a single-bladed battle axe on her hip, which could only be Lagrel.

As the guards at the entrance prepared to ask who Lagrel was looking for, they saw their master, Rayn, already appearing with a smile on his face.

"Lagrel."

Rayn smiled and quickly walked forward, hugging her.

"Rayn, don't."

Lagrel initially responded with enthusiasm, but then her beautiful eyes glanced at the second-floor window of the villa, and her face turned red as she pushed Rayn away.

"Hmm?" This puzzled Rayn.

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

"Upstairs," Lagrel whispered.

Actually, for the open and outgoing Lagrel, being hugged or kissed by Rayn was nothing to be embarrassed about. After all, she had long since accepted Rayn in her heart.

But the problem was that on the second-floor window, Rayn's mother, Emma, was watching them with a motherly smile, which made her a bit uncomfortable.

Moreover, there was not just one of Rayn's relatives.

On the window of another room on the second floor, the young Mint was also smiling at the scene.

Following Lagrel's gaze, Rayn immediately understood and smiled. "Let's go inside."

"Okay."

As soon as the two entered the villa, Mint bounced down from the second floor, blocking their path.

"Lagrel, sister! Why did you take so long to visit me!" Mint smiled sweetly and rushed to hug Lagrel, then held her hand tightly.

"Mint, it's been a while." Lagrel kissed Mint's tender cheek.

At that moment, Rayn's mother, Emma, also walked down from the second floor with a smile.

"Aunt Emma, hello." Lagrel gave a polite ladylike bow.

Rayn, standing beside them, smiled inwardly.

He could tell that Lagrel was a bit nervous when she saw his mother.

It seemed that even with her barbarian blood, she was still dominated by the mother-in-law role.

Especially since his mother, Emma, was just an ordinary person, while Lagrel was a Berserker.

"Lagrel, you seem to have grown taller," Emma gestured and exclaimed.

Since Rayn had grown taller himself, he hadn't noticed this until his mother pointed it out. Now, he realized that Lagrel's height had likely increased due to her advancement to a Berserker, from about 178 cm to over 180 cm.

After some small talk, Emma, seeing that Mint was still holding Lagrel's hand, said, "Mint, let Lagrel sister rest a bit."

"Rayn, take Lagrel to rest." Emma turned to Rayn.

"Sure, Mother."

Lagrel's face turned red again. She felt that the phrase "rest well" seemed to have a hidden meaning.

Inside the room.

"Why did it take you so long to come to the Imperial Capital to see me?" Rayn gently held the young girl and asked.

Without his mother and sister peeking, Lagrel relaxed a lot, leaning naturally on Rayn and smiling.

"I arrived in Minster not long after that, and then got a message from Dean Baturov that the Dragon Soul Elixir for you was ready. So, I and Georgia from the Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Company went back to the tundra."

Rayn understood.

And Georgia too?

Rayn immediately recalled the bow-wielding leather-clad girl, Vandar's sister, who was initially a bit spoiled but later performed very well.

As Lagrel spoke, she took a long wooden box from her waist pouch and handed it to Rayn.

"Here, the Dragon Soul Elixir!"

Rayn took it but did not open it immediately. Instead, he looked at Lagrel seriously.

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

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

Lagrel couldn't help but feel a little strange.

Why was Rayn staring at him like that?

"Thanks!"

Just as Lagrel was about to say it was unnecessary, her small mouth was covered.

(Omitted 10,000 words here)



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

Rayn also experienced the power of the Berserker within him—a powerful transformation, his well-defined abdominal muscles clearly visible, a true deadly blade.

At this moment, Lagrel was lying comfortably in Rayn's arms, her golden hair naturally falling, her delicate face still glowing with a lingering blush.

Judging by her face alone, Lagrel didn't appear to be a female Barbarian at all.

Only when looking down at her exquisite face, that unusually fiery figure, would reveal the wildness of a female Barbarian.

Unlike the voluptuous figure of Jennifer, Lagrel had a curvaceous figure, giving people a first impression of vitality and fitness.

Seemingly sensing Rayn's gaze, Lagrel slightly raised her head, her deep blue eyes looking at Rayn, and said,

"What are you looking at?"

Just as Rayn was about to speak, Lagrel seemed to remember something, blinked, and said, "By the way, Rayn, where's Anna?"

"I heard she's also in the Imperial Capital, why haven't I seen her?"

"You arrived a few days later, Anna left a few days ago and returned to Ferdinand Forest."

"Oh? Is that so, I haven't seen her in a long time." Lagrel's face showed regret.

"By the way, Rayn, aren't you going to look at the Dragon Soul Elixir?"

"Good."

For the Dragon Soul Elixir that Lagrel had brought, Rayn naturally cherished it.

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

As Rayn opened the wooden box, Lagrel suddenly remembered the instructions of Batalov, the Dean of Winterhold Academy, and said,

"By the way, Rayn, Dean Batalov said that after taking this Dragon Soul Elixir, your mental power will gradually increase, and the effect will last for about three months."

Looking at the cool blue elixir in his hand, Rayn could feel his body emitting a kind of longing.

He remembered that he was still planning to take it in the late liquid phase.

Fortunately, Rayn still remembered what Batalov had said.

The Dragon Soul Elixir, even for a Crystalized Wizard, has a very strong effect, of course, only the first effect is the best, the effect of the second intake will be greatly reduced.

After thinking about it, Rayn opened the bottle, and a strange scent wafted out.

He gestured to Lagrel to express his thanks, and immediately raised his head and drank the Dragon Soul Elixir in one go.

As Rayn drank the Dragon Soul Elixir, he only felt a cool liquid flowing down his throat into his stomach, followed by a warm feeling, and a stream of heat began to spread throughout his body.

Especially the Sea of Consciousness, became unusually active.

At this time, the system prompt also sounded:

【Ding! Detected host taking a special elixir that can enhance mental power and Crystalization degree. Note: System absorption can eliminate impurities and complete absorption at once.】

"The effect of the elixir, which was originally supposed to last for three months, can also be completely absorbed at once?"

Obviously, the side-effect-free accelerated absorption, quickly converting it into combat power, is naturally a good thing.

So, Rayn immediately chose 'Yes!'

In an instant, Rayn realized that the number of small crystals in the silver liquid in the Sea of Consciousness began to increase significantly.

It was like the sky had transformed from a few stars to a starry sky.

After a while, the increase in crystals came to an end, and at this moment, in that silver liquid, the proportion of small crystals had obviously increased significantly.

And Rayn's entire aura also became increasingly thick and deep.

Rayn glanced at the system panel:

Mental Power: 132 (Crystalization 13%)



"Since the three-month effect of the elixir can be completely absorbed, the mental power has increased by 12 points, but more importantly, the Crystalization progress has increased by 10%."

"The effect of the Dragon Soul Elixir is indeed good!" Rayn's eyes brightened, thinking to himself.

Although Lagrel beside him was not a wizard, as a Berserker, her perception was also very sharp.

She naturally also sensed the change in Rayn's aura, but she thought it was the special effect of the Dragon Soul Elixir.

Lagrel never imagined that this was the effect of the Dragon Soul Elixir, which was supposed to last for three months, after being completely absorbed at once.

"Is this the Dragonhide Underarmor you mentioned?" Rayn happily took it, examining it carefully.

The leather armor consisted of a short pants and a vest, a two-piece set, soft to the touch, as if made from tanned calfskin, it was hard to imagine that this was the rough dragonhide of Colas.

"Hmm, there's Karl, a disciple of the Tide Sword Saint, with a two-handed greatsword on his back. Do you know him?" Halowen couldn't help but look at Rayn and Kayla with a puzzled expression.

At that moment, Karl, with a bushy beard, stared intently at Rayn and said, "So, you must be Rayn, right?"

"Yes, that's me!" Rayn examined him in return.

He had a hunch about the other's intentions.

If his memory served him right, Karl had once studied swordsmanship under the Tide Sword Saint.

"I've heard of Rayn's achievements, and I'm quite impressed. It's understandable that Greenwood wasn't a match for you," Karl said.

"Lately, there have been rumors that after defeating Greenwood, Rayn spoke disrespectfully about the Tide Sword Saint. So, I'd like to spar with you," Karl continued.

"Hmm?" Rayn pondered for a moment before understanding.

Someone must be spreading negative rumors behind his back, and Karl seemed to be the one influenced by them.

However, after some thought, Rayn felt the need to clarify:

"Karl, the truth isn't as you've heard. But I never said those words, and you probably won't believe me."

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

Karl was taken aback for a moment, seemingly unprepared for Rayn's denial, but he quickly recovered and said, "Alright, then thank you for the guidance, Rayn."

Meanwhile, the others in the room became excited upon seeing the upcoming spar.

After all, at their level, they valued reputation and rarely engaged in casual spars.

Kayla and Halowen exchanged glances without saying a word, but they gave Karl a meaningful look before silently stepping aside.

Rayn's strength had just improved, and now he was about to face an opponent.

How could they stop this?

"Hey, who's the wizard sparring with Karl? I don't think I've seen him before." Many in the room were curious about Karl, as Rayn had only appeared in the camp for the second time.

"Karl is the true disciple of the Tide Sword Saint, having mastered the art of Teleport Strike. It's no wonder he's sparring with a wizard," someone explained.

Nevertheless, many had their own opinions.

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

"You don't recognize him?"

"The Sculptor, Harold, was defeated by him."

"What?! Is that the Elite Swordsman Rayn?"

Many exclaimed in surprise.

As participants in the examination, their strength and Harold were at the same level, but it was precisely because of this that they could better understand Harold's strength, the so-called strongest legendary.

In the arena, there were several individuals whose strength was not inferior to Harold's, but defeating Harold, who excelled in Earth Sorcery, would not be an easy feat.

"It seems the outcome is hard to predict."

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

"Can you give me a moment?"

"Lord Hernandez, the teacher's reputation must not be tarnished," Karl bowed slightly and said.

"This..." said the elder named Hernandez, hearing Karl bring up the topic of Tide Sword Saint, unsure of how to persuade him.

"Alright, you two must hold back." Hernandez nodded and took a few steps back.

In the arena.

Rayn glanced at Karl a few times, focusing on the opponent's muscular, sturdy legs. After a few seconds of observation, combined with the information from the surrounding crowd about the tide, underwater sword training, Teleport Strike, and other such words.

As a top-tier Weapon Master, Rayn quickly understood the opponent's sword style.

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

"Haa!"

In the next second, Karl's left foot stomped on the ground.

This stomp seemed to contain a special force, and the ground in front of Karl, several meters away, suddenly shattered into large and small pieces of rock that rose into the air.

"Swoosh!"

Just as the rocks rose to the highest point, about two meters from the ground, Karl drew his sword! His sword speed was so fast that it was almost indistinguishable to the naked eye, and one could only barely see Karl's wrist move, and a flash of circular light disappeared! In an instant, hundreds of large and small rocks in front of him seemed to be propelled by electromagnetic force, transforming from a suspended state into a fired cannonball!

For a moment, the rocks and dust obscured Rayn's vision, burying him in a 'Dust Storm'.

Suddenly, Karl moved.

He pulled his body into a long, curved, broken line.

And on this broken line, Karl's figure was everywhere.

Overall, it looked like a slow-motion animation, each frame a different image, all clear and distinct.

The spectators could clearly see Karl's two-handed greatsword, from the tip to the high point, and then a heavy strike, each movement decomposed into dozens of consecutive, orderly figures, each clear and distinct.

But the hundred-plus figures, lasting less than a second, started from the last one, as if absorbed by the previous one, fast-forwarding at extreme speed!

In an instant, Karl charged into the dust cloud and appeared in the air above Rayn's position, delivering a heavy strike downwards!

"He's here! Teleport Strike!"

"I didn't expect Karl to use the top-tier ultimate move, Teleport Strike, right at the start! It seems he has great respect for Lord Rayn."

"Harold was defeated by him."

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

Even though they had great confidence in Rayn, at this moment, a trace of worry arose.

Because the opponent's speed was too fast, and in trials, it was not uncommon for someone with superior strength to be defeated due to a momentary lapse in attention.

There were examples every year of people with strength above their opponents being defeated due to a moment of carelessness.

"I didn't expect Karl to use the top-tier ultimate move, Teleport Strike, right at the start! It seems he has great respect for Lord Rayn."

"Harold was defeated by him."

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

Even though they had great confidence in Rayn, at this moment, a trace of worry arose.

Because the opponent's speed was too fast, and in trials, it was not uncommon for someone with superior strength to be defeated due to a moment of carelessness.

There were examples every year of people with strength above their opponents being defeated due to a moment of carelessness.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end