Chapter 298: The

The man with a slightly pale face said in a tone of indifference:

"Heh, perhaps he's just lingering in some young lady's bed and lost track of time."

"He's a living corpse. The panic and repression of these past few days need an outlet."

"Venting his desires? At a time like this..."

Skaer did not finish his sentence. Though somewhat dissatisfied, the other party was the leader of their group, and this was not a private setting—he could not give anyone leverage. These fellows were not as harmonious as they appeared on the surface.

He rationally restrained his emotions, but a faint unease lingered in his heart, as if something bad was brewing.

"Steel" Maiweit's subordinate, "Crimson Thorn" Huntly—his bounty seemed even higher than Daniz's. Reighton recalled what he knew about him, then pulled a pale yellow paper figure from his pocket and tossed it out.

The paper figure twisted and swelled in midair, finally dissolving into scattered points of light that slipped through the narrow gaps and burrowed into the villa.

Beside the fireplace on the villa's first floor, Skaer, Huntly, and the other Beyonders all turned their heads simultaneously.

They saw brilliant starlight surging forth, piercing through the walls and roof, pouring into the living room.

The scattered points of starlight instantly began to reassemble inside, revealing a humanoid figure clad in starlight armor, floating quietly in midair.

"Who are you?"

"Crimson Thorn" Huntly barked sharply, seemingly wanting to carry the sound outside the villa.

Opposite him, Skaer rose with a grave expression, simultaneously flicking his right hand, scattering what looked like ground pearl powder toward the nearby fireplace, as spirituality spilled outward.

"Fire!"

He murmured a single word in ancient Hermes.

Whoosh! Boom!

The flames dancing in the fireplace suddenly swelled and violently erupted, leaping out of the hearth and igniting the room.

"Heh, quite cautious!"

"You'd better pray that important figure Maiweit mentioned can arrive quickly. Once I lose patience, you'll be reunited with Maiweit."

Reighton chuckled softly but did not stop their actions, maintaining his starlight avatar floating in midair.

By the fireplace, the faces of Skaer and the others were either pale or rigid.

For a moment, inside the villa, apart from the constant crackling and roaring of the flames, only the heavy breathing of Skaer and the others could be heard.

Within the heavy shadows of the roof, a layer of pale blue fluorescence veiled Reighton's eyes as he silently counted the time in his heart.

8, 7, 3, 2, 1!

The next moment, the flames surging through the villa suddenly came alive, like a horde of evil spirits writhing out of hell, reaching out grotesque hands to grab at the starlight-clad figure floating in midair.

The instant those hands twisted from flame touched it, the starlight-clad figure suddenly burst apart, scattering into countless fragments of starlight that instantly enveloped the entire villa.

The starlight contracted in a flash, forming an enormous transparent amber that enclosed the entire villa.

The next moment, a streak of incandescent white light fell from high above.

It was a spear—pure to the utmost, incandescent white to the utmost, as if forged from pure sunlight.

The instant the spear touched the transparent amber, it violently exploded, swelling into a miniature sun so blindingly white it could illuminate an entire city.

All of Bayam was dragged into daylight in that instant, and the dense aura of the Sun was especially conspicuous in this city that belonged to the Storm.

Bayam's tranquility was shattered in that moment.

"You truly are a madman, madder than even our Rose School!"

A bizarre, low voice that did not seem to come from a throat echoed all around.

At the Wave Church in Bayam's city district, A'erjie Wilson, who had obtained the anesthetic gas provided by Emlyn the Moon and was preparing to set sail, was summoned by Qiaogeli, the bishop of the Storm Church's Bayam diocese.

The diocese bishop said in a deep voice:

"Due to the conflict between the Iceberg Vice Admiral and the Undying King, all the pirates across the Sonia Sea have been in an uproar lately, spreading word that a fifth King of the Sea has appeared."

"Our informants have noticed that the Iceberg Vice Admiral's Golden Dream is approaching the Rosterd waters. Her destination is very likely Bayam—keep an eye out."

"Find out who that powerful figure who repelled the Undying King Agalitu really is, and which faction they come from."

This elderly man, whose hair had already gone gray, remained vigorous in spirit, speaking faster than a young man, seeming ready to rush out at any moment and personally resolve every problem.

This was impossible to investigate—he couldn't exactly trust the rumors drifting across the sea, and it would very likely provoke the Undying King. No need to take such a risk; asking around the periphery would suffice. A'erjie grumbled inwardly.

Maintaining a composed expression, he solemnly clenched his fist and struck his left chest:

"Understood, Bishop Qiaogeli!"

"May the Storm be with you!"

Diocese Bishop Qiaogeli was very satisfied with A'erjie's attitude and returned the same gesture:

"May the Storm be with you!"

A'erjie, having received this encouragement, gave a slight nod, then turned to leave.

He had not taken more than a few steps when he saw light filtering into the church from outside, bright as sunlight.

A'erjie was briefly startled. Sunlight? It was nighttime!

Then he felt a fierce gust of wind sweep past him. When he turned around again, Bishop Qiaogeli, who should have been behind him, was already gone.

Something is wrong with this light. A'erjie quickly strode after him.

Stepping out of the church and onto the plaza outside, he saw the brilliantly illuminated sky, bright as daylight, rapidly darken.

He hurried to the side of Bishop Qiaogeli, who was still scanning the plaza, and looked toward the direction from which the dazzling light emanated, his voice full of confusion and concern:

"Bishop Qiaogeli, what is this?"

"The Sun pathway—a demigod-level Beyonder ability."

"This is a provocation against the Storm!"

Qiaogeli's tone turned grave, his voice filled with anger.

The gray-haired old man clenched both fists, the fury in him nearly condensing into substance, as if it might erupt at any moment.

"Go back and keep watch over those pirates. At times like this, there are always some shady characters who want to stir up trouble amid the chaos."

After saying that, Qiaogeli didn't wait for A'erjie's reply and rode the gale toward the Ruen residential district, which was also the wealthy area of Baiyam where the upper class lived.

It's unbelievable that someone would use a demigod-level Sun Path extraordinary ability within Baiyam City, and it's clearly an attack method—this is provoking the entire Storm Church!

A'erjie pondered in his heart while also wondering what had happened.

In the Ruen residential district, that incandescent white light blazed to the extreme, illuminating Baiyam's miniature sun, which lasted only three or four seconds before quickly dying out.

It wasn't that Leiketon couldn't let it last longer; it was unnecessary, and the fierce light's prolonged duration would greatly affect nearby ordinary people.

In the sky, the silhouette of the one who had just hurled the incandescent white spear appeared.

He was shrouded in a layer of pale golden light, making his appearance somewhat blurry; only his brown long windbreaker fluttered loudly in the gale.

His icy gaze fixed on the villa district below that had lost its outline, like an emotionless doll.

"You're really crazy!"

"Are you worried I pose a threat to you, or do you want to use the Storm Church's power to encircle and annihilate me?"

The surrounding temperature rapidly dropped, and the water vapor that had been evaporated re-condensed in midair.

Soon, a layer of translucent ice crystals appeared; at the same time, an illusory, drifting figure clad in a white robe trimmed with gold thread swiftly materialized and stepped out from within.

His hair was light yellow and slightly wavy, his face thin and bony, his brown eyes filled with uncontainable malice and madness.

On his relatively thick lips were rows of gold studs covered in fine patterns, sealing his mouth shut, giving an eerie and terrifying impression.

He made no effort to hide the malice in his eyes, his gaze locked firmly on the midair; though his lips, sealed by the studs, did not move, a chilling voice sounded around him:

"A demigod of the Sun Path? No wonder you have the courage to face me directly."

Leiketon's hazy figure, shrouded in pale golden light, slightly raised his hand, and golden illusory flames ignited around him, these flames exuding the mighty aura of the sun.

Along with these flames appeared a cold voice:

"The Silent One, Mahamusi, for the Blood-Flesh Tree? It seems the rumor is true."

As his words fell, the surrounding golden flames instantly condensed into spears that shot toward Mahamusi.

Mahamusi's figure suddenly turned translucent, then appeared on another ice crystal, then turned translucent again and appeared from yet another ice crystal.

As Mahamusi repeatedly leapt among the mirror-like ice crystals he created around him, the reflection of Leiketon in his eyes grew ever clearer.

In midair, Leiketon felt a growing ominous premonition that was becoming increasingly intense.

Whoo~

The surrounding howling wind suddenly intensified, blowing Leiketon's golden flames to sway constantly, while the ice crystals Mahamusi created with his extraordinary ability were also swept up into midair.

The howling gale turned into a tornado, trying to sweep them away from the urban area.

The golden flames and ice crystals laden with death and decay repeatedly collided within the tornado, staging a fierce clash of ice and fire.

(End of chapter)