Chapter 166: The Strange Angley
It’s forbidden to fight in the market, but a certain degree of mental fluctuation won’t attract the expulsion of the rules.
Old Brin is a wizard proficient in illusions.
The skull he holds in his hands has ghostly flames flickering in its eyes, an invisible mental field emerges, creating an illusion out of thin air.
Karl raises an eyebrow.
Such powerful mental power…
A Middle Stage First-Circle Wizard!
No wonder Old Brin, a blind man, has been in the market for so many years, and no one has ever dared to provoke him.
Most wizards never break through the Initial Stage of the First Circle in their entire lives, and being able to reach the Middle Stage of the First Circle is definitely a minority in the Magic Forest.
As for the Late Stage of the First Circle…
Unless you provoke a Second-Circle family, you can live comfortably anywhere.
But looking at it this way, the Six Rings Tower is indeed a top power from the Kalim Continent. The Tower Wizards almost all have the opportunity to reach the Middle Stage of the First Circle, and with a little background, they can be cultivated towards the Second Circle.
This is undoubtedly a pipe dream for other forces.
It’s a pity,
Now that his identity as a Tower Disciple exists in name only, Karl can’t help but sigh as his thoughts turn.
“Respected Legendary Knight.”
Harvey holds his longsword, performing an ancient knightly salute:
“How should I address you?”
“…” Karl’s eyes flicker slightly:
“Connie!”
“You can call me Connie.”
“Okay, Senior Connie.” Harvey nods, grasping the sword hilt with both hands, his body in a charging stance:
“Please be careful.”
“Come on.” Karl reaches out, and a knight’s sword similar to the one in the other’s hand appears in his palm:
“Let me see your strength, don’t hold back.”
“Alright!”
Harvey nods, the ground beneath his feet trembles slightly, and he appears in front of Karl.
A straight thrust!
The knight’s sword blade is sharp, its forward thrust is unstoppable, causing a ripple in Karl’s eyes.
This kind of strength…
Is already considered good among Grand Knights, and considering his young age, even if he comes from a wizard family, one can see his hard work and effort.
“Clang…”
A melodious sound of collision rings out.
Harvey’s body sways, instead of retreating, he advances, rotating his body to sweep his knight’s sword horizontally, the sword’s edge flashing past.
“Clang, clang, clang…”
In an instant.
The sounds of collision are incessant, sparks flying in the illusion.
Harvey’s figure launches attacks from all directions, his extreme speed leaving afterimages in the field.
Compared to him, Karl, with one hand behind his back and the other holding his longsword to block, appears rather leisurely.
He sometimes steps and moves, sometimes swings his sword to parry, and although he doesn’t seem fast, he always manages to block the incoming attacks.
“Clang…”
The thrusting knight’s sword is once again knocked away by Karl, and his longsword follows up with a slap, sending Harvey flying.
After landing, Harvey looks bewildered, the muscles on his face twitching, he slams the ground and roars:
“Again!”
He charges forward with his sword, his expression somewhat crazed.
Karl shakes his head lightly, his eyes cold, and his longsword trembles suddenly, sending Harvey flying again.
This blow even causes the illusion to shake, and Harvey, blinded by anger and unwillingness, regains his senses.
“Sorry.”
Harvey collapses to the ground, his face pale:
“I just… I just…”
“You just don’t want to admit your weakness and defeat.” Karl sheathes his sword, signaling Old Brin to dispel the illusion:
“Someone is your sparring partner? And you always win?”
“Yes.”
Harvey supports himself up, nodding with difficulty:
“My grandfather found some knights or wizard apprentices to spar with me, but they didn’t dare to hurt me, so I always won.”
“I know this isn’t right, and it’s hard to know my true strength, so I asked Grandpa Brin to find me a mentor.”
“No wonder your swordsmanship is all attack and no defense. I guess no one dared to really hurt you during sparring, so of course you wouldn’t need defense.” Karl understands:
“Long-term victories and smooth sailing have made you unconsciously arrogant, and it’s inevitable that you can’t stand facing defeat.”
Harvey opens his mouth, then lowers his head in acknowledgment.
When he was knocked to the ground by Karl’s sword just now, his first thought wasn’t about his own shortcomings, but about boundless anger.
No one has ever hit me!
It’s always me bullying others!
Why?
I must get revenge!
Many emotions surged, directly destroying his reason, which is why he became so crazed and fierce.
And Karl naturally wouldn’t be as polite as the people hired by the Walker family, directly giving him a more ruthless blow.
And it also made Harvey wake up.
“Cough, cough!”
Old Brin coughs lightly:
“Harvey is a good boy, it’s just that his living environment has fostered some bad habits, but as long as you explain it to him, he will correct them.”
“As for the battle…”
“I don’t really understand the Path of the Knight, but it feels like always attacking and not knowing how to defend is not quite right.”
Harvey nods.
“People are different, some people’s personalities are suitable for a strong offense to seize the initiative, while others are better at defense.” Karl says:
“Harvey…”
“You seem humble, but that might not be the case. Defense needs to be learned, but there’s no need to force it too much.”
He doesn’t say much about the battle, waving his hand:
“That’s it for today, you should go back first, come find me again in a couple of days.”
“Yes.” Harvey responds, performing a knightly salute, bowing and leaving the room to take his leave.
“How was it?” Old Brin watches Harvey leave, smiling:
“The disciple I found for you is not bad, right? He’s already a Grand Knight at such a young age.”
“Grand Knight…” Karl shakes his head lightly:
“Without an opportunity, he’ll be a Grand Knight forever, and without becoming a Legendary Knight, it’ll be difficult to gain a foothold in the Magic Forest.”
“This child’s personality is too strong, he definitely won’t be content to be a good boy at home, there will be trouble later.”
Old Brin nods.
The Walker family’s bloodline is very ordinary and won’t allow Harvey to become a Legendary Knight unless he takes a potion containing the source.
But even Second-Circle Wizards would covet such a thing, why would it fall into Harvey’s hands?
At that time…
Under despair, who knows what the situation will be like.
“The amulet is in hand.”
Karl touches the amulet, saying:
“Help me find a few more Middle to Late Stage First-Order Runes, preferably control-type or powerful Runes.”
“What do you want them for?” Old Brin asks curiously:
“First-Circle Middle Stage Runes sometimes appear, but Late Stage Runes are very rare. Besides, you’re not leaving the market, what do you want these things for?”
Amulets, Runes, and even a Wizard Tower…
These things are not what a wizard preparing for seclusion would need, and he probably can’t afford them.
“They’re useful.”
Karl doesn’t explain further:
“Let me know when you have news.”
…………
Back at the shop, before he could settle down, two unexpected guests came to visit.
“It’s you?”
Looking at the people, Karl’s eyes shift, then turn into a light smile, inviting the two to sit down, saying:
“It’s almost the deadline, I thought my loan had gone down the drain.”
The people who came were none other than Angley and Grey from the four-person group.
Having disappeared for several months, they look somewhat haggard, as if they haven’t rested for days.
“Senior…” Angley opens his mouth, his voice hoarse:
“Luya is dead.”
I know.
***
Karl purses his lips. Since he signed the contract, he could vaguely sense the condition of Luya and Grey.
About three months ago, Luya’s aura disappeared from his senses.
However, the four-person team was ambushed and forced to flee into the depths of the ruins. That situation was very dangerous, and he thought they would all perish, but he didn’t expect that two of them would survive.
“Although Luya is dead, the loan we promised is still due, here are the four floating stones.”
Angley takes out a spatial magic item, and with a flick of his wrist, releases four floating stones:
“Besides repaying the magic stones Luya and Grey borrowed from you, I hope to get a Green Potion from you with the rest.”
“Of course…”
“If you don’t have it, then exchange it at a price of one hundred magic stones per stone.”
Green Potion?
Karl actually has two, one of the spoils of war from when he ransacked the Andrew family’s beast market.
“You didn’t renege on the debt even after someone died, you’re indeed trustworthy. I like doing business with trustworthy people.”
Karl chuckles, waving his sleeve to collect the floating stones, and puts a Green Potion on the table, asking seriously:
“May I know your names?”
“Angley.” Angley looks at the Green Potion, his eyes burning with desire, but he doesn’t rush to take it:
“Wizard, my friend doesn’t have a place to go for now, can she stay here for a while?”
“I can pay a reward.”
“Friend?” Karl turns his head to look at Grey, his eyes flickering slightly:
“There’s no need for a reward, I happen to be short of a helper here, she can stay if she wants.”
“I’m willing.” Grey nods emphatically.
“Alright.” Angley picks up the Green Potion, nods at Grey, and walks towards the door.
The two are clearly close partners who have gone through life and death together, but they give off the feeling of strangers.
Grey watches Angley leave, her beautiful eyes flickering.
This person…
Is not the Angley she knows!
In the depths of the ruins, the two of them were surrounded by many ghosts, and she fell into a coma in despair.
When she woke up, she was already in a safe area.
From that day on, Grey noticed that some changes had occurred in Angley, and he became increasingly unfamiliar.
It was like…
He had become a different person!
The paths in the ruins were complex, and they affected people’s senses, making it a natural maze, but Angley could always find the correct path.
The old him definitely couldn’t do that!
Fortunately, he still treated her quite well, and he was even willing to repay the loan, so no disputes occurred due to various concerns.
“Grey.”
Karl taps the table lightly, his eyes thoughtful:
“It seems like something has been added to your friend?”
Grey’s heart clenches.
“It doesn’t matter.” Shrugging his shoulders, Karl doesn’t intend to delve deeper, throwing a book to her, saying:
“In a few days, someone named Harvey will come here, you can practice your martial skills with him.”
“Take a look at the things inside, and communicate with him more.”
His time is precious, he doesn’t have much time to teach people, and Grey’s strength is not bad, so she can help, which is also why he’s willing to take her in.
*
*
*
Several years later, the group of people who had escaped from the Free Port, pick up their weapons and head towards the road they came from once again.
Connie and Susan, who have already become husband and wife, stand side by side, looking at the front with complex expressions.
“I didn’t think…”
“That one day we would be able to go back!”
The people they were once familiar with have now left one by one, and their lives have also undergone earth-shattering changes.
“Yeah.”
Aya catches up on horseback:
“Connie, are you sure you want to hand over command of the army to me?”
“Yes.”
Connie nods:
“Your ability to command an army has been recognized by everyone, and the armies of the Dragon King Trading Company and the Sea God Society have agreed that you should take over.”
“Anyway, neither of the two presidents are here.”
The situation in Rapid Flow City is very special. Because of the suppression by the Legendary Knight and mysterious alchemist, Karl, the two major trading companies hardly have a chance to clash head-on, so they focus on developing the economy.
This has also led to a very peaceful atmosphere in the city, and even the members of the two major trading companies can work together.
“Alright!”
Aya doesn’t refuse, taking over command and beginning to deploy the army.
Shield soldiers in front, spear soldiers behind, followed by archers, with an armored knight observing the surroundings every ten people.
People with Runes in their bodies are also arranged in suitable positions according to their Rune abilities.
These arrangements may not seem complicated, but they actually test the commander’s grasp and understanding of the army.
Looking at the entire Rapid Flow City, only Aya is capable of this.
On the other side.
Karl narrows his eyes, looking in the direction of the Free Port, reaching out to grab a carrier pigeon, and taking the note from its leg.
The note contains the information that Merlin has investigated during this time.
“Besides Rapid Flow City, among the forces heading to the Free Port to hunt down the Merfolk, only three truly possess Legendary combat power. The Dark Market, Death City, and Cold Spring City, which has the Cold Moon Knight.”
“The Dark Market sent the Ghost-Faced Knight, Death City sent Mevia’s right-hand man ━ the Blood Knight, and Miss Aviana, as for Cold Spring City, it’s naturally the Cold Moon Knight.”
“I just don’t know if there are any other experts?”
These people, except for the mysterious Aviana, are all experts who have been famous for decades.
The strongest of them,
Should be the Blood Knight from Death City!
“The Blood Knight once single-handedly slaughtered a village with thousands of people with ease. His strength is very likely to be at the Late Stage of the First Circle, or at least at the Peak of the Middle Stage of the First Circle.”
“Hmm…”
“If I were to confront him, I wouldn’t have a good chance of winning without using wizardry.”
“The Ghost-Faced Knight and the Cold Moon Knight should be at the Middle Stage of the First Circle, or even possibly just the Initial Stage of the First Circle.”
“As for Aviana…”
Karl touches his chin:
“This woman has Mevia, the ruler of Death City’s aura on her, so her strength shouldn’t be too weak.”
“The City Lord’s Residence has been captured, and City Lord Soden is likely dead. Maybe he’s hiding somewhere, but the others in the City Lord’s Residence have definitely been mutated by the power of the Evil God and become monsters. I wonder where the warehouse storing the Great God’s Grace is?”
“Uncle!” Aya’s voice comes from beside him.
“Hmm.” Karl comes back to his senses:
“What’s wrong?”
“The personnel have been deployed, and with our current strength, we can resist the Blue-Eyed Merfolk, but the Legendary Merfolk…”
“Understood.” Karl understands:
“I’ll take care of the Red-Eyed Merfolk.”
He flicks his sleeve, releasing his magic carpet, and his figure sways, standing on top of it, driving the carpet to rise into the sky.
Being high in the sky, he can see more clearly.
Sitting cross-legged on the flying carpet, Karl flips his hand and takes out a few wizard puppets, activating them one by one and throwing them out.
These wizard puppets are all in the shape of birds, lifelike, and won’t attract suspicion.
It’s different from the Magic Forest.
There, wizards are very common, and wizard puppets can’t escape the mental perception of wizards, so only living creatures like insects and birds can be used to observe the situation.
The Other World is the opposite.
Merfolk will eat insects and birds, but they don’t react to dead things like wizard puppets.
A few puppets fly in all directions, one of which, a falcon-like bird, flies straight towards the Free Port.
Before the others arrive, Karl plans to explore the City Lord’s Residence first.