Chapter 1064

"I already said just now, I am one of the Seven Sages of the Divine Awakening Tree Court. If you feel the answer isn't crisp enough, I'll add another: I am actually the leader of the Seven Sages." Calypso said leisurely, "Here, little Death Goddess, it's your turn."

"May I ask: is your previous answer completely truthful, with no concealment?"

Calypso shrugged: "Being mysteriously obscure is pointless."

Xiaodie showed no weakness: "I'll return those words to you unchanged. But we harbor no hostility; we only wish to avoid potential malicious harm. To cooperate better, Lady Calypso, it would be best to answer our questions directly."

"Hehe... good. Everything I just said is true, no deceit, past and future alike."

Xiaodie said coldly: "Forgive my boldness, but editing facts can also be considered a lie."

"Is that so? Even then, I won't change my earlier answer."

Xiaodie voluntarily stepped aside from before her: "... Then please lead the way. 'Facts speak louder than rhetoric'—once we reach the Enlightenment Throne, right and wrong will become self-evident."

"Well, well." Calypso looked at Xiaodie in a new light: "I originally thought you were a bud sown by the Ashen Hand in the mortal realm... but now you look more like an overinflated poisonous mushroom."

Xiaodie turned without changing expression: "Just take it as your praise, then."

Calypso curled the corner of her mouth in a slight upward arc: "Exactly, I'm praising your lovable clumsiness."

—

Frieren's Funeral

"Eh... I find that Calypso seems very knowledgeable about the Death Titan; could this be the intelligence network of the leader of the Seven Sages?"

Zan Yin watched Calypso's relaxed expression, feeling that Xiaodie's threat toward her was like child's play, sensing no pressure at all. He couldn't help but feel quite strange: could it be that all members of the Lotus Eater School are such oddballs? Each one feels unfathomable.

If he could later pump this woman for more information, Xiaodie might even learn the whereabouts and location of the Death Titan.

"Lady Frieren, is Calypso a Golden Descendant? If she is, why doesn't Lady Aglaea actively seek her help?" Filien was utterly confused.

Given Aglaea's personality, there should be no reason not to maintain close contact with the chief sage of the Tree Court, yet why has she never mentioned her before? Although the Natsuka she worries about is indeed talented, in terms of knowledge of the Titan, she should not compare to this Lady Calypso.

"I think we could take a cue from those folks in the Genius Club." Frieren reached her hand toward the bonfire, feeling the warmth radiating to her palm, "These sages are geniuses in their respective fields, mostly eccentric, confident and arrogant, and probably unwilling to easily join forces with others."

"But now the Black Tide is near; if we don't set aside our differences and mobilize all conditions to support the Fire Pursuit Journey, we may only have a few months before Opherland is completely swallowed by the Black Tide."

—

The three rode the water lift upward and soon arrived outdoors, only to see Tipao already waiting here for them.

"Wow, little Gray, little Butterfly, and a pink puppy!"

Mimi's anger flared from nowhere: "I… oh well, a dog is a dog, tolerate—tolerate!"

Xiaodie crouched down and asked concernedly: "Tipan adult! Are you all right, uninjured?"

Tipan proudly put her hands on her hips: "No, Tipan flew high up; the monsters can't reach Tipan."

"Air supremacy secured!"

"Air supremacy secured!"… cool, but what does that mean? Tipan pulled out the spindle previously given to her from behind, happily said: "Anyway, back to the point! The spindle Aya gave is awesome; Tipan seems to have found little Natsuka—he's near the treetop! Although the sensation is very faint, it's different from the fairy trees just now."

However, Tipan, being alone, feared danger and didn't fly down to look.

Xiaodie smiled with relief: "It seems Tipan adult has kept our promise well. Teacher Natsuka is indeed still alive and is on the Enlightenment Throne… at least on this point, Lady Calypso hasn't lied."

"Huh? Calypso… who is that?"

Mimi was about to introduce the Calypso behind her, but discovered she had completely vanished, leaving empty space behind them.

"Coming and leaving without a trace… what a weirdo."

"Um, actually Tipan found this—could it be related to the person you mentioned?" Tipan pulled out a piece of black cloth from her person and handed it to Xiaodie.

"Is this… a piece of scorched cloth?" Xiaodie curiously took it, placed it under the light for close inspection; aside from a ring of burn marks around the edge, there was nothing noteworthy.

"Mm! Tipan found it not long ago on a branch. Tipan then followed the trail with a gold thread and discovered that similar traces exist throughout the Tree Court."

—

One-Punch Man

"What's there to look at in a scrap of cloth?" Atomic Warrior crossed his arms, somewhat displeased: "It's wasting time—Natsuka is still up there waiting for our rescue… aren't such scorched scraps of cloth everywhere in the Tree Court?"

"Indeed." Vest Lord sat in the association's chair, curiously examining the cloth piece in Xiaodie's hand: "This is probably just a relic left by some scholar during the Black Tide disaster; I myself might have been twisted into a Black Tide creation."

A gleam suddenly flashed in the Lord's eyes, with a hint of expectation: "Or perhaps… it's actually a fragment of a vest? If so, this fragment might grant Xiaodie vest power."

"Ahaha… Lord, Opherland probably hasn't yet spawned this modern garment called a vest." Child Emperor embarrassedly interrupted the Lord's unrealistic fantasy: "This shouldn't be a victim's clothing; the point is Tipao's last remark… since the aura of this scrap of cloth permeates the entire Tree Court, it shows its owner walked through every part of the Tree Court."

"But what does that prove?" Atomic Warrior asked.

"It shows the owner of this fragment is one of those Black Tide creations." Child Emperor said solemnly: "Do you still remember the memory of that deceased fairy tree? Black robe, cape, long sword… doesn't the black robe match this scrap of cloth?"

The footprints of the Black Tide monsters can blanket the entire Tree Court, rather than wandering aimlessly in some area; behind this there must be some kind of 'consciousness' directing these monsters. Either they are searching the Tree Court for any possible survivors to kill, or they are searching for something… in short, the Black Tide is certainly not a purposeless natural disaster, but an organized, planned 'invasion' akin to that of a monster.