Chapter 36: The Legendary Battle (Part 1)
Night deepens. Continuous twelve-hour long-distance trekking has left many feeling extremely fatigued, even the warriors whose physical quality far exceeds that of ordinary people show signs of tiredness. The task of the Merchant Guards is not simply to follow the caravan; the constant vigilance and reconnaissance during the journey are mentally exhausting. Normally, they would travel less than six hours a day. However, the Mysterious Woman has not ordered a stop, and others can only continue on, even as many begin to complain.
Soren appears very quiet in the darkness. His figure seems somewhat vague, as if the night itself has wrapped him within it.
The road ahead grows increasingly worse. Having strayed far from Amber City, the path here has not been traversed for a long time. It is only when they are about fifty kilometers away from the next city that the road conditions will gradually improve, where traces of human activity will reappear. The Mysterious Woman looks cautious; she does not return to the large carriage but stands atop it, gazing ahead, occasionally looking back towards the direction of Amber City.
Suddenly, her brows furrow as she focuses on something in the distance, coldly scoffing, “Daring to use a prophecy spell against me!” A glint of cold light flashes.
A dark golden card appears at her fingertips, featuring a nine-pointed star array on the back, with the outline of a crown visible on the front.
Soren’s eyesight is not sharp enough to see it clearly.
In an instant, the stars in the sky seem to dim a bit, and the Mysterious Woman’s expression is filled with the anger of provocation as she utters a series of bizarre syllables, causing the air around her to seem to solidify. The Merchant Guards instinctively gather around her, and even the nearby merchants and their goods are forgotten; it seems to them that the safety of the Mysterious Woman is of utmost importance. Wizards are most vulnerable while casting spells, and at this moment, no one must approach her.
“su… au… so…”
The spell incantations consist of strange monosyllables and multisyllables, differing from the language typically used for communication; without specialized training, it is very difficult to produce these sounds.
A bright light emerges.
With a cold smile at the corner of her mouth, the Mysterious Woman slowly retracts the card and wearily gestures, “It’s safe now.”
“There will be a lake ahead; we will camp there.”
Amber City.
In a mysterious basement, the red-robed priest standing at the altar suddenly trembles all over, then opens his mouth to spit a mouthful of bl**d, his face turning pale as he mutters, “The prophecy has failed!”
“Someone interfered with my prophecy spell.”
“The other party may be a near-legendary wizard! The aura of the divine child has been concealed by him!”
“Immediately awaken the Fear Knights!”
“The divine child will awaken in an aura of despair and fear; at that time, the will of our lord can descend upon him.”
“Now begin the sacrificial ceremony.”
The dark basement echoes with twisted prayers as black-robed followers slit the throats of the sacrifices with daggers, bl**d flowing along the eerie magical array, gradually seeping into the nearby marble coffins. The wave of necromantic energy begins to spread, a destructive aura from the abyss enveloping the surroundings, and the marble coffins are reduced to dust in the raging energy storm. Accompanied by the heavy clang of armor, eight Fear Knights, clad in pitch-black heavy armor, rise.
They have bl**d-red pupils, as if flames burn within them. From the moment they awaken, ruthless slaughter encompasses the basement.
The Fear Knight draws out a heavy execution sword and begins to eliminate the accursed followers in the basement.
bl**d and limbs splatter everywhere!
The red-robed priest seems to not have anticipated such an occurrence, completely stiffening and collapsing upon the altar.
A loud, piercing scream echoes.
bl**d converges in the blasphemous words of the deities, the Fear Knights kneel on one knee, plunging the dark execution sword into the magical array, and accompanied by raging flames, nightmares burst forth from the deep bl**d-colored void!
Without a word.
The Fear Knights mount their steeds, their patchy black cloaks revealing the specters of vengeful spirits. The hooves of the nightmares ignite with searing flames, raising their execution swords, they charge straight into the two-meter-thick basement walls.
Boom!
The silence of collapse and fracture resounds.
The nightmares tread upon the air, leaving trails of flame, directly bursting through the basement walls and charging toward the ground above.
“Fear Knights.”
“Challenge Level 16, Biological Level 24, High-Level Undead Life.”
“Maximum Attribute 25, Minimum Attribute 15, Total Attribute Value 95—110.”
“Specialties: Execution Sword, High Charge, Nightmare Mount, Raise Undead, Blasphemous Words, Aura of Fear, d*ath Aura, Abyss Knight, Destructive Attack, Shatter Slash, Sword Intent, Sword Intent, Sword Intent.”
“Challenge Difficulty: A+.”
………………
“Nightmare.”
“Challenge Level 12, Biological Level 18, Large Otherworldly Life.”
“Maximum Attribute 21, Minimum Attribute 12, Total Attribute Value 90—100.”
“Specialties: Flaming Hoof, High Charge, Dark Vision, Flight Run, Powerful Charge, Demon Resistance, Otherworldly Life.”
“Challenge Difficulty: A-.”
………………
This night is quiet.
After an entire day of long-distance trekking, everyone cannot help but cheer upon reaching the campsite.
Finally, they can rest.
Although it is already close to midnight, the workers hurriedly draw water and make a fire, putting some food into a large pot to cook. Having eaten dry rations all day long, they now just want a sip of hot soup and a good night’s sleep. The Merchant Guards still dare not relax their vigilance; they begin to arrange for night watch and set up simple barricades. The water source is a place where beasts gather, and it is generally not advisable to camp here. However, since it is the Mysterious Woman’s arrangement, they can only follow orders.
The only two people in the group looking uneasy are Soren, who did not expect the Mysterious Woman to be a witch of profession level over 16, effectively stepping into the legendary domain. Witches of such caliber are not many throughout the Northern Region, and at the very least, they are members of the Witch Council, holding a position equivalent to that of a minor lord in the Southern Duchy.
There is no reason for such a distinguished Spellcaster to be out here escorting a merchant caravan; ordinarily, even witches in merchant caravans in the Northern Region would not exceed level 12.
Unless she has some special mission!
If she truly bears some special task, then following the caravan may not be a good thing for Soren and Vivian.
It is highly likely they could be caught up in other dangerous incidents.
The other person with an uneasy expression is the Mysterious Merchant Caravan Mistress, her gaze fixed on the distance toward Amber City, as if something terrifying has occurred; there is an unspoken hint of worry on her face!
Time passes slowly.
The workers prepare the food for midnight, and the Merchant Guards begin to take turns to eat. Soren is also given a portion of fragrant, thick soup.
Perhaps it is from being truly exhausted today; the little girl eats quickly, a trace of drowsiness appearing on her delicate face.
Soren does not eat.
He first sets up the camping tent, then sprinkles some powder to disperse insects around, and finally carries the sleepy Vivian inside.
However, just as Soren prepares to eat something.
Suddenly, he feels a sense of foreboding, abruptly raising his head to look in the direction of Amber City, and in an instant, draws his curved blade and rushes up to the nearby hillside.
The Mysterious Merchant Caravan Mistress has reached there a step ahead of him.
In the distance.
A blaze of fiery red appears on the horizon!
It looks as if a large patch of fire clouds has suddenly emerged at midnight.
At this moment.
They are already over a hundred miles away from Amber City, and cannot see the extent of the fire clouds, but both know this likely occurs in Amber City.
Nine-ring Spell!
—Meteor Explosion!!!
This is not the first time Soren has seen this spell being used, but seeing it again, he cannot help but feel a jolt of shock.
This is the easiest legendary spell to learn.
It requires the wizard’s profession level to reach 20, and there were professionals who calculated its destructive power, equivalent to eight assault-class bombs conducting concentrated bombardment on a target within a five-kilometer range. Back then, a legendary warrior jested that being able to endure an attack from this spell would mean being able to withstand the coverage of ground-to-ground missiles in reality.
Among all professionists.
It is likely only legendary warriors and barbarians in the legendary domain would dare claim they could withstand a Nine-ring Spell.
The first warrior to ascend to legend once filmed a video of himself bathing in magma, which left many people greatly shocked!
The warrior, once considered the most arduous profession, finally welcomed an explosive period of glory.
Unfortunately.
Very few warriors can survive to enter the legendary domain.
………………
