Encirclement and Confrontation
‘Still…’ Leylin stroked his face which was covered by the cold Mask of the Dreamless, a mask which had traces of golden-red lines engraved upon it, ‘This mask is too conspicuous. It wouldn’t be good for hiding.’
A wave of pure white light suddenly emanated from Leylin’s body. Within the radiant and dazzling light, dense white scales appeared on the Mask of the Dreamless, and a bloodline aura unique to Alabaster Devilsnakes unceasingly strengthened.
In the end, the whole mask became illusory and disappeared into Leylin’s skull. However, a thin layer of white scales replaced the mask.
After the flash of light, Leylin’s face underwent a huge transformation. His brows became thinner and longer, his now crimson eyes emanating terrifying light. His tongue grew slightly forked, and finally his teeth became incomparably sharp and menacing.
He continuously radiated dreamforce, and it condensed to form a thin layer around him.
Leylin fashioned a mirror of water and looked at his new appearance in the reflection with satisfaction, ‘A mixed-blood descendant of the Alabaster Devilsnakes should look like this.’
A layer of serpentine skin and many white scales were left on his face, forming complex and intricate patterns that gave him a unique aura. He now looked exactly like a half-snake, a hybrid between a python and a human.
In the end, pretending to be a mixed-blood was a simple task with the A.I. Chip’s abilities and the blood of an Alabaster Devilsnake.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!* Leylin listened quietly to the dull sound of a gigantic copper clock hanging at the heart of Port Elias.
The large clock rang twelve times. Its piercing rings ceaselessly rang out and caused the glass window to shake slightly.
‘It should be midnight.’ Leylin put on a black cloak, quickly disappearing from the balcony. Since he had already changed his appearance, it was obvious that he would need to give up this residence. Besides, there was much that he needed to do in the depth of the night.
As for the port’s nightly curfew, it certainly was not as important as the preparations he needed to make.
‘The dark night is the perfect cover for a great many things’ Leylin gazed at the round moon in the sky emitting blue light, and chuckled slightly. His figure melded into the darkness.
……
What really happened that night would become an everlasting mystery. The only thing the residents of Port Elias knew was that the next morning, the guards in charge of security were encircling a warehouse.
Many patrols and battleships surrounded all of the Eden trading company’s ships in the sea. Even the Godric had been attacked, and its low roars rolled out with the white waves of the sea.
“What is this? We are honest merchants. The Eden trading company has always traded legally, you can’t do this.” Seeing the guards ready to attack, Geiger collapsed in fear but Geiger Dole maintained its calm. One of its tendrils was waving a badge around as it released intense spiritual force undulations, “Do you see this? This is the badge of your vice-captain Ayker. We are his guests. You can’t—”
“Ayker was captured long ago” an indifferent voice sounded from the back as the troops split in two, creating a passage. A human-like being with grey feathers stepped forth, exuding the aura of someone who had been a leader for a long time. The armour he wore had an image of the Nefarious Filthbird’s wings on the breastplate.
“There’s no need for you to wait for help. Ayker has been charged for corruption and colluding with the enemy, he’s as good as dead.” This being from a different tribe stared at Geiger Dole coldly, its eyes filled with bloodlust, “You damned Beholders, we open the port to you and you dare to conspire against our leader’s rule? Even the fires of the ninth level of hell cannot cleanse you of your sins!”
‘Elias’ governor? Isn’t he the one in charge of the chaos troops?’ Geiger Dole’s eye went cold, knowing that his cover had been seen through, “How did you find out about us?”
Piercing red light shone from his large eye, stunning a few guards for a moment.
“Dead people don’t need answers. Take them out, leave none alive! In the name of the almighty Flapwing!” the governor ordered coldly. The guards beside him roared with a fanatical expression in their eyes. They pounced forth while brandishing their weapons.
These guards were all natives of the continent, devout worshippers of the ruling Nefarious Filthbird. The Beholders were their greatest enemy.
“True Eye of the Nefarious Monarch, Death ray!” Rays of death that were even more terrifying than before burst out from Geiger Dole’s eye. A few giant sea lions nearby crumbled to the ground, and even their soul undulations were completely destroyed.
This time, Geiger Dole did not collapse after using the rays of death. A few ash-grey tendrils extended from his body, at the very tip holding eyeballs of an unknown creature.
“Almighty Ruler of Justice! Protector of all Contracts! Selfless Judge, Extraordinary Dignitary! The Trial’s Eye that has existed across the past, the present and the future, accept this offering from your humble servant!”
Geiger Dole released strange spiritual force undulations, causing the air to shimmer. A multitude of light rays transformed into a small spell formation. An orb of red flames floated atop the spell formation, wrapping around the animal eyes in Geiger Dole’s tendrils.
*Tss…* A shadow of the Trial’s Eye appeared behind Geiger Dole, and its expression showed approval. Threads of pure energy surged forth from this phantom, pouring into Geiger Dole’s body.
“Ah…” Having gained strength from the Trial’s Eye, Geiger Dole’s body expanded. A berserk aura was released, and any weakness from before disappeared completely.
*Swish!* Large pure-white tendrils grabbed a guard with the head of an ox, lifting him into the air. Geiger Dole snarled, and the guard made pathetic sounds as the tendrils slowly tightened around him. Blood and crushed bones leaked out of the gaps, dripping to the ground.
“A rank 3 Sacrificer, we’ve caught a big one!” Elias’ governor looked extremely solemn as he watched Geiger Dole who seemed to have gone insane.
In addition to the abilities of his own race, Geiger Dole had evidently trained the Path of Offerings to the third rank. The Path of Offerings seemed very simple, as it only required a suitable item to sacrifice in exchange for power. However, it was quite troublesome when it came to raising one’s rank.
After all, there weren’t that many things a dignitary would covet. A rank 3 Sacrificer not only had offered something unique to the dignitary, but also devoutly followed the dignitary’s doctrine. In other words, this was someone who had been brainwashed.
For the Trial’s Eye, a rank 3 Sacrificer was a devout believer that should have its wishes answered very quickly.
Furthermore, other than the territory of the Dignitary they followed, Sacrificers weren’t welcome in any other places. Hence, when the Thornback Ironwhale appeared, Geiger Dole decided not to show his power as a Sacrificer.
After all, using this power would show that he was a crazed believer of the Trial’s Eye. A person with that status would not be accepted in a free port like Elias. Sacrificers of this rank had to be closely monitored any time they went to a continent that was not under the rule of their dignitary.
“A Rank 3 Sacrificer can use the power of their dignitary to reduce fatigue and replenish spiritual force. If one becomes a Sacrificer of the highest rank, it is said that the dignitary will even be willing to share the power of laws.”
Elias’ governor muttered to himself as Geiger Dole went crazy, “As expected, that enormous eye doesn’t harbour good intentions. He even used such a high rank Sacrificer to infiltrate our territory…”
At this thought, the governor’s face went grim and he patted his chest. With a deafening roar, a giant bear over ten metres tall sprung out of his chest. This giant bear had coarse orange fur all over its body. Its paws were very big and had dark, thick fingernails. At its chest, white fur converged to form a strange rune.
“Beast spirit magic summoning technique- Berserk Boltbear!”
*Crackle! Crackle!* The white lightning rune flickered on its chest, and sparks converged on the bear’s paw. The paw was now sheathed in powerful lightning. The giant bear summon snarled, smacking downwards with its sharp lightning-enhanced claws.
*Crackle!* *Rumble!* The roof of the warehouse was completely lifted and sent flying away, and thick smoke spread out on the ground, which rumbled as if an earthquake had occurred.
Once the dust had settled, a huge pit was left behind on the ground, with scorch marks around the edges.
The Berserk Boltbear continued to roar thunderously, and with a single swipe a red figure was sent flying out.