Chapter 440: Soulstealer

Chapter 440: Soulstealer

At the same time, in a suburban estate south of the Imperial Capital, Temriel.

The estate was quite spacious, and the most eye-catching feature was its main building, an ancient castle with a sense of history.

The castle did not have a watchtower, and the main structure was three stories high with four round arrow towers at each corner. The top of the towers had a row of crenellations, giving it a formidable defensive appearance.

However, judging from the wild grass growing in the cracks of the gray rock walls and the extensive moss covering the surface, this castle was probably built a long time ago.

Nevertheless, having such a rare ancient castle in the suburbs of the Imperial Capital was not something any ordinary noble could possess.

At this moment, on the third level of the castle, the second prince's butler, Count Buchanan, was standing with two fully armed squads of guards, waiting for something.

"Sir, look! That should be Lord Bostaph's airship, right?"

At this moment, one of the attendants pointed at a distant airship appearing in the sky, exclaiming with a hint of excitement.

Although there were many airships flying in the sky over the Imperial Capital, the design of this particular airship was quite unusual.

The front and back ends of the airship's gasbag were shaped like pointed oval, resembling a sharp date seed. The cabin hanging below was also spindle-shaped, and the tail had three propellers, providing strong thrust.

If Rein were present, he would have instantly recognized that this design was meant to reduce air resistance and increase speed.

Indeed, that was the case.

This streamlined airship was designed for long-distance travel.

"Yes, that's the one," Count Buchanan narrowed his eyes, examining it carefully, and his solemn expression turned into a smile.

Finally, he had waited long enough.

If Lord Bostaph didn't arrive soon, Rein might have returned.

Count Buchanan was afraid he would regret it if he didn't seize this opportunity.

A few minutes later, the airship slowly docked at the northeast corner tower, which served as the mooring point.

"Creak!"

A pair of sturdy iron boots stepped onto the long, iron gangplank, and the thick metal gangplank creaked under the weight, visibly deforming with a dip.

A figure, clearly over four meters tall, emerged from the cabin, bending down to exit the airship. He was a burly man wearing large iron shoulder guards and a half-body leather armor.

The shoulder guards had multiple deep scratches, and the leather armor had a few large tears, indicating a fierce battle. However, the exposed skin showed no signs of injury.

"How did this happen? Double the thickness of the gangplank next time!"

Seeing this, Count Buchanan immediately scolded the attendant beside him.

But the next moment, he greeted the newcomer with a smile.

"Lord Bostaph, welcome back."

"Thank you, Count Buchanan," a deep voice came from the man, who was clearly trying to control his volume.

Although he was speaking softly, the guards beside him still felt a buzzing in their ears, as if they had heard a distant thunder.

"Creak! Creak!"

In just two steps, the man covered the nearly eight-meter-long gangplank, and in his hand, he held a long, cylindrical tendril.

The tendril was dark gray, with irregularly sized circular spots, and its thickness was comparable to that of an adult male.

Just as Count Buchanan was about to say something, suddenly!

"Whoosh!"

Lord Bostaph gave a sharp tug, pulling a strange creature over twenty meters long out of the cabin.

He then gently placed the creature, covered in tendrils, on the ground.

Instantly, the guards around them panicked and stepped back!

Even though the creature was dead, the oppressive aura it exuded still made their hearts race. It was clear that this creature was terrifying when alive.

The creature's body was not large, about five to six meters long, and it was shaped like a huge ball with a large eye in the middle, lacking eyelids. At the bottom, several ten-meter-long tendrils hung down.

Lord Bostaph had just pulled out one of its tendrils.

It was evident that this creature walked and stood on its tendrils when alive.

"Is this the Soulstealer?"

"Lord Bostaph, you actually killed this creature?" Count Buchanan was shocked beyond words. Usually, he boasted about his extensive knowledge and experience, but this time, he was completely taken aback.

This creature was a totem worshipped by tens of thousands of indigenous tribes on the Forbidden Isles, and its origins were unknown.

According to legend, it was not from this world, possessing epic-level strength, and after countless years of indigenous worship, it had acquired a hint of divinity. This creature called itself the Soulstealer.

Even among epic-level warriors, it was a formidable opponent, and Lord Bostaph had managed to defeat it.

Count Buchanan remembered clearly that the second prince, Everton, wanted a part of this creature's body tissue.

This was because the dragon bloodline was already incredibly powerful, and they needed to use the blood of this formidable creature from another world for a special concoction.

He had also heard that the Federation was planning to kill this creature.

He never expected Lord Bostaph to bring back the entire corpse of this creature, which was truly impressive!

"Hmm, I didn't even get injured. I encountered the Federation's forces later," Lord Bostaph said nonchalantly.

"Lord Bostaph, you are truly amazing. His Highness will be delighted to hear of your achievement."

Excellent! Now, let's see how Rein escapes this time!

Count Buchanan, now fully confident, returned to the castle's banquet hall.

In the long banquet hall, a feast of wild game was laid out on a long table, and Lord Bostaph sat on a specially made large chair, enjoying the food and drink while casually asking, "Count Buchanan, why did His Highness summon me back so urgently?"

"It's like this, Your Highness. The Prince wants you to help obtain the essence of a person's blood. This person is named Ren, and he is very powerful. He also possesses a special dragon bloodline, and his strength after transformation is said to reach epic levels."

"Most importantly, His Highness believes that the essence of this person's blood will greatly promote the final experiment!"

"Oh?" Bostaff wiped the corner of his mouth where the Bordeaux liquid had trickled down, and he couldn't help but laugh, though his expression looked a bit sinister.

Bostaff was more concerned about the experiments of the Second Prince Everton than anyone else, as he himself was a survivor and beneficiary of Everton's experiments.

He knew that if he wanted to further his own strength, the subsequent experimental results of the Second Prince would be especially important to him!

"A day and a half ago, we learned that he suddenly went to Ferdinand Forest. This is a great opportunity; otherwise, it would be difficult to act once he returns to the Imperial Capital." Buchanan began to elaborate.

"I understand. Is the airship ready? I'll set off now."

"Er... Your Excellency Bostaff, won't you rest for a while?"

"Go and check if my iron shoulder guards and leather armor have been repaired." Bostaff waved his hand and spoke to the attendant beside him.

Seeing this, Buchanan naturally wouldn't stop him. Instead, he said, "Alright, by the way, Your Excellency Bostaff, we have three relatively elite capture squads in Ferdinand Forest. They will be responsible for the search, and you only need to make the final decision at the critical moment!"

"Mmm."

Bostaff nodded and took a needle tube from the nearby box, then quickly pierced his own arm. As the crimson liquid was injected, the redness in his eyes quickly subsided.

Ferdinand Forest, Seventh Sentinel Post.

Colonel Ian knew what to say and what not to say.

"Colonel Ian, sorry for the disturbance." Ren glanced at the other's shoulder badge and smiled.

"Colonel Ian, this is Rein, a liaison officer from the Swordmaster Headquarters. I'm Olenna, Rein's dedicated liaison officer. This time, Rein's visit to the Seventh Sentinel Post is top secret. I hope you can ensure confidentiality, Colonel Ian."

Olenna's beautiful eyes swept across Ian and the two behind him, then she spoke.

Since Olenna was naturally not going to reveal too much information, as she was part of a special operation.

"Rest assured, Your Excellency Olenna. We are all Imperial soldiers and understand the principle of confidentiality." Ian and the two behind him nodded quickly.

"No need to rest, Your Excellency Olenna. The rooms in the post are relatively simple, but they are our barracks converted into accommodations."

Rein waved his hand and said, "Colonel Ian, no need to worry. Olenna and her team will be staying for a few days."

Olenna smiled at Rein and then turned her head to say, "Colonel Ian, sorry for the trouble. However, we can stay on the airship, but we'll need your help with meals."

"Not at all!" Colonel Ian's heart skipped a beat when he saw Olenna's smile.

This young woman is quite something! She's efficient, speaks eloquently, and you put her in the army, she'd at least be a Colonel. But now, she's merely the liaison officer of this young man before him.

Colonel Ian has risen to his rank through his own abilities, but he couldn't quite see through the strength of this young man, Rein.

"Colonel Ian, have you observed any significant new developments recently?" Olenna's expression turned solemn as she asked.

Due to the distance, there is some delay in the transmission of headquarters' intelligence, but this young woman should have some firsthand information.

No mistake, the complete version is in Book 69! Book=69

"How about we go to my room and sit for a bit? I'll give you a detailed report." Colonel Ian thought for a moment and suggested.

"Okay." Rein nodded.

Colonel Ian's room.

Rein and Olenna sat across from each other.

After pouring a cup of tea for both Rein and Olenna, Colonel Ian began to race as he spoke.

"Rein, Your Excellency Olenna, we at the Seventh Sentinel Post have discovered that the number of teams entering Ferdinand Forest has increased several times compared to usual, and their attire doesn't resemble the typical capture squads."

Rein nodded, indicating for Colonel Ian to continue.

"Over the past few days, some of these teams have even shown signs of aggression towards our post, but they quickly disappeared after we fired signal flares."

"Since their strength is clearly formidable, I didn't dare to send people to track them. Don't laugh, but my men, though they are army elites and can handle those capture squads, would definitely not be a match for those teams."

"Mmm."

"Yes, acting with strength is the wise decision, Colonel Ian. Thank you for your understanding." Rein smiled.

"Ha, thank you for your approval, Rein. But we haven't been idle either. We used magic arrays to monitor their direction, and they seem to be heading towards the southern forest's elf villages."

"Oh?" Olenna's eyebrows arched.

Elf villages? Are they planning to capture elves?

"Your Excellency, look at this map, right here and here."

Ian took out a map of the area around the Seventh Sentinel Post, with several green dots representing nearby elf villages and red lines indicating the suspicious teams' paths. As Ian described, their paths were purposeful, almost directly heading towards the elf villages.

As if to confirm Ian's words, one of the red lines was heading straight towards the elf villages.

"Colonel Ian, is there anyone particularly memorable?" Olenna asked.

"Yes! In one of the teams, there's a person who, with just a glance, made my blood run cold. His eyes were like venomous snakes, piercing into one's soul."

I could vaguely see that the other party's robe had patterns of snakes on it.

"It's probably the Serpent Sect's team. We've received related intelligence, but we don't have specific personnel information. Lord Rayen, if there's any definite news, I'll contact you immediately." Olenna whispered in Rayen's ear.

"Okay."

Rayen nodded. From such a distance, a mere glance was enough to make a peak Grand Knight feel chilled. The other party's strength was indeed impressive.

"I can't make out anything else."

"Since the coverage of our reconnaissance through telescopes at Sentinel Post Seven is approximately seven to eight kilometers in radius, if there's a team any further away, we can only roughly monitor their movements through the magic array." Ian explained.

Rayen nodded.

If the other party had intentions to capture the elves, the situation on Anna's side might not be favorable. He had to set off immediately.

He decided to first find Anna and Lambert, ensuring Anna's safety before heading to the Valezig Ruins to meet with Master Moriah.

Of course, if he could find the 'Ancient Tree Heart' while reuniting with Anna, that would be even better.

"Olenna, I'm setting off now. Leave the Hellfire Golem here. Claire can barely control it, and if not, just self-destruct it." Rayen instructed.

As he needed to find Anna first, he required stealth in his movements. The Hellfire Golem's movements were too loud, so it was more suitable for guarding the sentinel post than accompanying him.

With Bianca, Claire, and the improved Hellfire Golem, the safety of Olenna and the rest of the logistics squad was also somewhat guaranteed.

As a peak Level 1 Wizard, Claire was also responsible for communication with Rayen. This time, they brought a small communication device, similar to the previous thin sheets, allowing communication within a certain range.

"Okay, Lord Rayen, I wish you a safe journey." Olenna, understanding the priorities, did not try to persuade him otherwise.

Colonel Ian was surprised at Rayen's sudden departure but, considering the other party's likely involvement in a top-secret mission, he refrained from saying more.

"By the way, Lord Rayen, there's something strange about that forest. Whether it's animals, plants, or even the water, there's something odd about them. After my team suffered injuries, I thought it was more important to guard the sentinel post, so I haven't sent anyone in since." Ian added, as if remembering something.

"Oh? What's so strange about it?" Olenna couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Those animals seem to have gone mad, attacking people with red eyes. Moreover, the plants seem to be alive, and when you cut them, they bleed!" Ian said solemnly.

"Hmm! Thank you, Colonel Ian. I'll be careful." Rayen nodded and headed outside.

However, instead of continuing downward, he returned to the top of the sentinel post.

With a slight movement of Rayen's mind, a large blue-purple raptor emerged from the bottom of the airship and soared into the sky, letting out a cry. Meanwhile, a giant hound affectionately rushed to Rayen's side.

Just as everyone thought Rayen would leave on the Bloodplume Wyvern, he cast two spells and, along with the Spirit Hound 'Cookie,' leaped from the twenty-meter-high sentinel post, floating towards the forest.

This surprised everyone, including Colonel Ian.

In fact, Rayen was considering that before finding Anna, he didn't plan to ride the Bloodplume Wyvern, as it would be too conspicuous in the air.

As Rayen and Cookie entered the forest, the Spirit Hound seemed to be in its element, sniffing around excitedly.

For these two mind-linked pets, Rayen didn't need to use whistles or gestures like others to give commands; a slight movement of his mind was enough for them to coordinate.

After about ten minutes, as Rayen gradually approached the problematic area, he keenly noticed that the small animals that frequently appeared in the forest seemed to have suddenly decreased, and the surrounding trees began to exhibit strange twists and deformations.

Additionally, the ground had numerous large, slightly out-of-place pits.

These pits didn't resemble the scattered impact craters caused by heavy strikes; instead, they looked like something had been pulled out from the ground.

"Could it be the Ironwood Guardians of the elves?"

Rayen thought of the Ironwood Guardians, a unique lifeform of the elves mentioned in the headquarters' intelligence.

These guardians usually disguise themselves as giant trees, almost indistinguishable from ordinary trees, but they can actually move by extending their root systems.

Furthermore, they are incredibly strong, with immense strength, and can cast Nature Magic. They are formidable combatants.

After observing for a while, Rayen continued forward.

A few minutes later, as the large patch of fog came into view, Rayen realized that the surrounding trees seemed to have a strange dark red color.

Even the ground had a faint red hue, as if washed by blood-colored rainwater.

This caused Rayen to slow down slightly. With a thought, a blade formed in his hand, and he lightly slashed at a tree.

"Hiss!"

A deep scratch suddenly appeared on the tree bark, and a light red liquid immediately flowed out. At the same time, Rayen felt a strange vibration spreading from the tree.

"It seems to be contaminated by some kind of special energy." Rayen observed, pondering.

"Woof woof!"

Suddenly, the Spirit Hound 'Cookie' barked a few warning barks, looking around alertly, and quickly moved closer to Rayen.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end