Chapter 205: The Diligent Trio in the Sewer

The seven‑ring Enchantment Spell 【Nightmare Symphony】 is exactly the means Naimi Xisi employs to torture the shamans.

Those noisy symphonies and irritating, low‑quality singing coil around the target like maggots on the ankle bone.

For the Spellcaster, this spell is extremely lethal, because without eight hours of proper rest the Spellcaster cannot recover the Spell Slots expended the previous day.

If they cannot find a way to lift the curse, they will become neurotic lunatics with no strength to bind a chicken.

However, removing 【Nightmare Symphony】 is extremely difficult; 【Remove Curse】 can dispel it, but the caster's spellcasting level must exceed that of the one who cast the curse.

Just this alone makes the curse hard to lift; remember, Naimi Xisi's profession level has already reached 14, and with the staff and Aien Stone's augmentation, the spell's power is equivalent to that of a 20‑level Mage.

To lift the curse, that resurrected great shaman must at least reach the Legendary realm, and this does not yet account for the enhancement from power gems.

Even if he truly attains the Legendary realm, a curse fortified by power gems can no longer be dispelled by 【Remove Curse】.

According to Naimi Xisi's calculations, to forcibly expel his own curse before the spell naturally ends would require at least a spell of the level of 【Prayer】 or the nine‑ring Divine Spell 【Miracle】 to work.

The humanoid Juan Ce Long takes the small skull statue before him and toys with it in his hand; this is the implement required to cast 【Nightmare Symphony】. He cracks open the skull's mouth, revealing twenty tiny clay figures packed inside.

"Let you rest first; dying instantly leaves no joy left."

Naimi Xisi flashes an evil smile, pulls the little figures out one by one, and places them on the table.

At that moment, the shamans in the city who had been tormented all night finally find they can sleep peacefully; overjoyed, they leap onto their beds and within seconds begin snoring.

——

Flute playing, drum beating, marching, forming formations.

After a night's rest in the camp, Ge Lei Luo woke the next day and saw how the army from Frelen Sword Bay's greatest empire trains.

Knights gather outside the camp; the marching flute is sounded by a sentinel, and the lance corps spreads to both sides, forming camps of a thousand each, each camp subdivided into five squads of two hundred men, totaling four camps and fifteen squads.

In addition, foot guards wielding long swords stand behind the knights bearing giant shields and lances, numbering roughly four thousand as well, divided into four camps and fifteen squads.

At the rear are fifteen hundred archers, split into three squads.

The Golden Legion's troops have strict ranks and detailed organization; under the Deputy Leader's command they execute their duties methodically.

"Hi hi hi!"

Spearmen stand shoulder to shoulder in a dense line, forming a tidy square formation. The front‑row soldiers point their long spears obliquely, then the rear soldiers reverse‑grip their spears, lift them onto the front‑row soldiers' shoulders, one after another.

With each thrust of the spear, the knights emit rhythmic shouts.

These training methods are eye‑opening for a native like Ge Lei Luo; he doesn't understand what they're doing, but the Warrior's instinct tells him this formation would be very useful on the battlefield.

Ge Lei Luo has loved marching‑combat games since childhood; indeed, children born in the militaristic society of Du Zu La City all enjoy them. Watching everything before him, he thinks it would be great if he could stay.

He could learn these foreign continent's military knowledge and bring it back to teach the General; the Niksaran's army strength would then improve further.

Ge Lei Luo has long realized that compared with the Niksaran troops inside the city, this foreign continent's army is far stronger; whether in the soldiers' spirit, vigor, or their equipment, they far surpass the war‑worn Du Zu La.

If my people could have such an army, what would a kingdom matter?

Ge Lei Luo sighs deeply; at this moment he profoundly feels the gap between the foreign continent's people and his own.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

A voice suddenly comes from behind Ge Lei Luo; he turns and sees a silver‑haired man he has never seen before.

He looks at the man's sculpturally handsome face and his violet‑tinged pupils, feeling a hint of familiarity.

Naimi Xisi watches the soldiers' uniform, tide‑like movements with appreciation; this parade‑style training truly pleases the eye.

Perhaps sensing the approach of a humanoid dragon, the Deputy Leader's voice becomes even hoarse, and the soldiers' movements grow more forceful.

"The foreign continent's society is indeed far more advanced than yours," Naimi Xisi glances at the stunned Ge Lei Luo watching the troops, smiles, and says, "If in the future the Niksaran can coexist peacefully with the Golden Legion, someone like you would be ideal for studying at the military academy established by the foreign continent."

"Academy? What's that?" Ge Lei Luo repeats the two words with some effort, his eyes blank.

Naimi Xisi patiently explains, "An academy is a place that can teach you various knowledge; in a military academy you can learn the tricks of commanding troops, the tactics commonly used on battlefields, and so on."

"A place like that?" Ge Lei Luo's eyes light up, then dim again; putting himself in the generals' shoes, such a good place would never be opened to the foreign continent's people, and these foreign continent people would be the same. "Of course, the Golden Legion has already established the Heim Port Central Academy in the Pai Te region and permits Pai Te people to study there; I think in the future the Niksaran will also have a chance."

Ge Lei Luo feels a jolt in his heart, a spark of hope flashing in his eyes; if this is true, he wants to go too!

Naimi Xisi watches the boy, his mouth curling upward, hooked.

"Of course, the academy isn't easy to get into; someone like you is most likely not eligible," Naimi Xisi says, shaking his head with some regret.

Ge Lei Luo asks anxiously, "Why? How can one get in?"

Naimi Xisi looks at him complexly and says, "You are a trusted aide of the Du Zu La General, a relatively high‑ranking officer among the Niksaran; with such a sensitive status, the Golden Legion would not accept you."

He isn't lying; the reason Pai Te people can freely enter the Heim Port Central Academy is that the entire Pai Te tribe has been crippled by the Golden Legion, their heretical beliefs eradicated, and those who refused to worship the three gods of Heim Port were turned into slaves. The remaining are loyal insiders; although they sometimes face discrimination, their lives are no different from ordinary Sword Bay folk.

But the Niksaran are different; alliances and vassalage are not the same. Even if the Golden Legion eventually opens the academy's doors to the Niksaran, it will likely only admit some inconsequential genius commoners; the truly valuable knowledge they will not teach to a race as threatening as the Niksaran.

Compared with the art‑loving, peaceful Pai Te, the war‑like, cruel Niksaran have never been trusted by the Legion's high command from the start.

"However," Naimi Xisi smiles gently, "if you leave your high‑ranking military post and become a citizen of the City of Thousand Laws, I can arrange for you to enter the central academy with ease."

"City of Thousand Laws? What is that?" Ge Lei Luo asks, puzzled.

!

"It's my domain."

Ge Lei Luo looks intently at the man before him; even if he were foolish, from the tone, pupils, and various clues he discerns that the man is that huge unknown entity.

Dragon? Yesterday was his first time hearing that creature's name.

"I need to think it over."

Leaving the army would betray the General's trust, which he cannot do, but if he could acquire more important knowledge for the Niksaran, he believes the General would understand.

Facing this dilemma, Ge Lei Luo hesitates, a rarity for him.

"Of course, take your time to consider," Naimi Xisi says, then leaves satisfied.

——

Du Zu La City, sewer.

As a city with a heritage spanning millennia, Du Zu La City boasts a very long history; therefore, even though most Niksaran still live in the tribal age, Du Zu La City already luxuriously possesses a complete sewer system.

This news is a good one for Sai Fa Er and the others.

With the existence of the sewer, the ritual of inscribing 【Harmony Green Land】 will become more concealed and safe.

"Ugh, damn it, the duration of 【Endure Environment】 is up again, it reeks."

Xia Na covered her nose with a look of wanting to vomit; beneath her feet was a long sewage river, floating with all kinds of trash and excrement, the foul smell arrogantly displaying its dominance in the air.

A first-circle Abjuration spell — 【Endure Environment】!

Xia Na quickly added another spell to herself, and the stench disappeared—but she knew the stench wasn't gone; rather, her body had grown accustomed to the smell under the spell's effect, so she could no longer smell it.

Beside him, Sai Fa Er, who was inscribing runes on the wall with a whetstone knife, shook his head and said: "Xia Na, look at A Mai Ya—even a child can endure more than you."

Xia Na glanced at A Mai Ya, who was still struggling to tiptoe and inscribe runes on the wall, feeling a bit embarrassed; she flushed and picked up the knife, carving diligently.

Such days have already lasted half a month; Xia Na and the two others hide here, and according to the map given by the general, they inscribe the needed runes for the ritual in the interconnected sewers.

Duzula City is not very large, but the task of inscribing runes can only be entrusted to the three of them who know rune knowledge; the sewer environment is harsh, and despite spending so much time, they have completed only three-quarters of the area.

"Hang in there; after we finish today, we'll only have the temple area left." Sai Fa Er sighed.

He's not having it easy either—he's old, his beard's gone white, and he's ended up inscribing runes in the sewer.

Damn Boris—if he doesn't get enough reward, he's liable to turn hostile!

Hearing this, Xia Na's mood didn't relax; there's a reason they left the temple area for last—who knows what hidden defenses might lie beneath that pyramid.

Fortunately, as the central location, the temple area doesn't need many runes inscribed—just a simple miniature magic circle, into which the 【Manifestation of Abundance】 is inserted.

(End of chapter)