Chapter 39: Battle Conditions

“Shadow magic?”

“Sharp eyes, half-wolf lady.” A man’s laugh echoed from the shadows.

A robed mage gradually emerged, his wide hood casting his face in darkness, revealing only a scruffy chin.

“I hope to share a drink with you after the mission, beautiful lady.”

Boom!

From another corner, the sound of a wall being smashed rang out.

“Amy hates shadow magic!”

A two-meter-tall green-skinned female orc stepped out of the shadows, wielding a crudely forged cleaver.

“Let Amy fight!” she swung the cleaver, her voice thick and simple.

Unlike overly muscular male orcs, Amy’s body was more proportioned, with sculpted muscle distributed evenly across every inch.

Even more rare was her face, which perfectly matched human aesthetics.

“Two sixth-rank high-tier.”

Cassidy stood frozen in shock.

Adding himself, Bishop Hugo, and the cult’s ghoul mage, this operation had five sixth-rank combat specialists, plus over a hundred brothers from the Ruins Brotherhood.

This force could conquer a small nation without a seventh-rank!

“Just a single Stonecrumb Town”

Is this necessary?!

Bishop Hugo spread his hands.

“This is all we have, Lady Cassidy.”

“The legendary mage of Stormwind City will surely—”

“Our goal is to draw out the legendary mage of Stormwind City!”

Cassidy’s pupils contracted.

“This—”

“Lady Cassidy, the church personnel in Stonecrumb Town have reported that the Stormwind City witch will launch an attack today. We ask your Brotherhood to repel her. At that time, Shadow Mage Kelvin and Amy will lend you their aid. If possible, attempt to capture the witch.”

Bishop Hugo narrowed his eyes: “Be careful—not to slaughter them outright. We will slowly reveal our strength, creating threats on all fronts until the legendary mage arrives.”

“The legendary mage surpasses your imagination. Seventh-rank legendary spells can even kill a dragon.”

The half-wolf lady’s face darkened.

Had it not been for her contract with the guildmaster, she would already be planning her escape.

“No matter. My sect is prepared.”

Hugo displayed two magic rings in his hand.

“Seventh-rank magic rings?! Has the Heavenly Flower Kingdom opened its channels?”

Mid-sentence, Cassidy suddenly understood.

Not just the Igao Sect—the Heavenly Flower Kingdom’s forces are involved too!

“I’ve said enough, lady. Prepare for the coming battle.”

Hugo waved his hand.

He dismissed the half-wolf, the shadow mage, and the orc Amy from the room.

The small room fell instantly silent.

He closed his eyes in pain.

Owen the priest unavoidably surfaced in his mind.

A devout and promising believer who, on the very night he joined the Igao Sect, voluntarily surrendered his wife and daughter’s Divine Peach.

Even in the end,

he was forced to leave as a heretic of the sect.

“Forester Luo De”

In his view, Luo De—then only fourth-rank—could never have killed sixth-rank Father Owen.

This must have been Isabella’s doing, but Luo De must have played a crucial role; otherwise, Owen’s spiritual mark would not have clung to him.

As for the probability of a strike team composed of three fourth-rank warriors and one fifth-rank mage failing—

Before they departed, cautious Bishop Hugo had granted them a sixth-rank magic ring.

Luo De reached his designated position.

It was a narrow mountain path near Double Finger Mountain.

In the distance stood the dense Giant Locust trees.

Recalling the [Supreme Strength] boost these trees provided, he felt a flicker of reassurance.

Back then, he hadn’t even possessed any offensive spiritual arts, yet he’d slain a sixth-rank with ordinary strikes.

Times have changed.

Luo De eagerly anticipated the power of [Giant Slash] and [Aetheron’s Flash] under [Supreme Strength].

“Did I do wrong, Master~?”

Tally’s time of confinement had ended; she had been released.

She transformed into a veiled night elf assassin. For the impending battle, the little bunny had shrunk herself down to barely a faint bulge.

Now she tugged at Luo De’s cloak, twisting and wriggling.

“Forgive me~ I won’t dare again~”

Luo De was not alone in defending this route.

Beside him stood a dozen or so garrison troops.

They kept their distance, their glances toward the two filled with envy and fear.

Along the entire mountain path, they had built a crude barrier of stones and wood.

“One meal per day. I said it already.”

Luo De spoke coldly.

“Aww~ Don’t be like that~”

“We’ll see how you perform from now on.”

Boom—

Far to the north.

A thunderous explosion, shaking the earth.

The crowd erupted, then quickly calmed.

“Has it begun?”

“Master, are you worried?”

Tally stopped her antics and leaned against the side.

“Of course I am. Two elves have divined recently, and both warned me things won’t go well.”

“Divination is just an understanding of celestial movements—whether it truly predicts anything is doubtful.”

She took Luo De’s hand and placed hers beside it to compare sizes.

Noticing her palm was too large, she activated her transformation magic to adjust it.

“You understand this too?”

“Heh, if you want prophecy, better seek out the half-deer folk—they’re the most accurate predictors on the continent. If only their mating season weren’t so short.”

“You’re a sentient race—do you still have mating seasons?”

Tally dragged the conversation back to this again.

“Of course. Do you think anyone can breed year-round like humans?”

“.You succubi are no better.”

“Not at all. We feed on essence—that’s appetite. Besides, as the price for our long mating season, humans have the weakest sexual capacity on the continent. Of course, Master, you’re an exception.”

Luo De laughed.

Succubi always know the strangest trivia.

Boom—

Crash—

As magical explosions continued to rumble in the distance,

everyone’s nerves tightened.

Though Luo De doubted anyone would even come down this path…

Sure enough,

half an hour passed, and aside from scaring off a few passing rabbits, they saw nothing.

“Perhaps Lord Dimia has already won,” one soldier said.

“Those Ruins Brotherhood trash? I catch a few every year.”

“I should’ve applied for the front lines. Better than watching others bicker here.”

“.”

Everyone fell silent.

Over there, Tally rested her head on Luo De’s shoulder, smiling sweetly as she played with his hand.

The sight filled the crowd of singles with envy.

Suddenly.

One after another, purple and yellow fireworks shot into the sky.

“Purple and yellow—that’s the signal for help and defense.”

Luo De looked up at the sky, expressionless.

It was hardly surprising.

But the garrison troops’ faces changed; after a brief moment of panic,

they immediately began organizing forces to return to Shi Ying Town.

“My lord Luo De, please return with us to defend Shi Ying Town—the bandits cannot breach the protective array; we’ll contact the legendary mage of Stormwind City afterward.”

“No.”

Luo De waved his hand: “I’m going ahead to see what’s happening.”

(End of Chapter)