The one who was sent flying so impressively was obviously Geiger Dole. He now had three cauterized slashes on his body, obviously an injury from the lightning claws of the Berserk Boltbear. Afterwards, Geiger was dragged out by it, curled up into a ball.
A powerful force rippled through the area once more, suppressing the lightning burns that Geiger Dole had sustained. "Get away!" he screamed, spiritual force sweeping out to send a few guards flying immediately. Blood and brain juices began to leak from their eyes and ears, pouring out like a flood.
Many Sacrificers liked to draw the support of offerings to suppress their injuries.
"Thinking of leaving?" The Elias governor's eyes flashed ominously, "Summon— Nighthawk!"
An enormous tattoo of a black hawk suddenly emerged from his forehead. The large hawk was so vivid it seemed alive, and after the governor issued a command the beast spirit instantly transformed into a streak of light. A high-pitched cry sounded out as it soared into the air, its enormous wings spreading to blot out the skies.
'Hmm? This beast spirit…' Leylin was amongst the onlookers in the distance, wrapped up tightly in a black cloak as he watched the battle attentively with his blue eyes.
'A giant beast at Morning Star! It looks like the governor isn't simply playing around…' Leylin knew very well that the governor was at least rank 4. The Berserk Boltbear he had previously summoned had only been rank 3, and it was obviously used to toy with Geiger and Geiger Dole.
No, instead he had not even taken notice of them. He was far more interested in the depths of the warehouse, and in the hidden presence in the cellar.
Leylin could sense a terrifying bloodline force hiding deep underground that was even draining most of the governor's strength.
As it were, the strength of a Morning Star was not something an elder like Geiger Dole could withstand. With a high-pitched cry, a pair of black wings streaked past Geiger Dole like a sharp blade, destroying the sacrificial spell formation behind him.
Losing its communication link, no matter how unwilling it was the figure of the large eye could only slowly dissipate. Geiger Dole crumpled to the ground. Having lost his dignitary's support, the frailty and injuries from the battle had resurfaced. His tendrils began to pale, the colour spreading until it reached Geiger Dole's eyes.
'Such temporary strength has a lot of flaws…' Leylin watched on from the sidelines, leisurely commanding the A.I. Chip to gather data. He was making use of this time to analyse the pros and cons of the power systems of the Purgatory World.
'The path of offerings is limited in the strength it can supply. No matter how powerful the Sacrificer is, such power is only borrowed. Once the communication is broken or the dignitary retreats, the Sacrificer will be trapped in a dire situation…'
Leylin's eyes flickered, 'The information shows that there are some who obtain a permanent bonus to their strength or racial upgrades. However, those require huge sacrifices and even require completing specific missions, such as offering blood sacrifices of higher-ups from an enemy organisation.'
The path of offerings seemed very primal to Leylin. He was even beginning to suspect that this system was the original path to power in the Purgatory World.
'In that case…' Leylin stroked his chin, suddenly thinking of other aspects, 'I'll probably need to dabble in the training the path of offerings. No, it can't be superficial. I need to be proficient in it in order to complete my final plan!'
The hawk's cry sounded once more at this moment, and outside the warehouse the hawk soaring into the air descended like a victor, its sharp metallic talons ripping Geiger Dole to shreds.
"AAAAH! FATHER!" Geiger cried out pitifully, but couldn't escape his own fate of death.
Seeing the two Beholders perish one after the other, Leylin's expression did not change at all. Everything that had happened was obviously a result of the information he'd spread to the governor and his troops in secret. He'd mostly done it because Geiger Dole had made a futile attempt at putting Leylin in an unfavourable situation. No matter how pitiful the two ended up, Leylin wasn't moved the slightest in his heart.
On the contrary, he was here personally so that he could see what happened, and remove all chances of Geiger Dole's survival. Even if he had managed to escape, Leylin would've acted afterwards.
Seeing the soul undulations of the two being extinguished completely, Leylin could relax slightly. At the very least, there was now nobody who remembered him. He was now focused on the black figure in the shadows.
'That person was clearly Geiger Dole's superior. They are unusually powerful and have been laying low all this time, waiting for the most opportune moment to strike.' Leylin surveyed his surroundings. With Geiger Dole's death, the merfolk sailors soon lost all willpower to fight on and sank to their knees, begging for mercy.
At the anchoring point of the port nearby, the Beholder tribe's ship was already completely surrounded and had surrendered. The giant Godric was already floating on the surface of the water, rolled over and revealing its white belly.
'It's all settled. If it were me, this would be the best chance!' Leylin's eyes were fixed coldly on the warehouse.
At that moment, a deafening bang sounded out. Leylin could sense that the black shadow had finally made its move!
Rocks and earth flew everywhere the moment it acted, turning into marbles in the sky that fired into the surrounding area.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!* These marbles formed of soil and rocks possessed a kinetic energy so immense that they could even penetrate through steel armour. A large number of guards fell with a miserable cry. Blood flowed out profusely from their wounds.
"Kill them!" A black cloak flew into the air, and a white figure was like an illusion as it arrived in front of the Elias governor so fast it was hard to see with the naked eye. Sharp fingernails tipped the scale-covered hand that sprung forth.
The governor's beast spirit was currently outside, so he lacked his most powerful defence.
"Monkdarse Turtle!" Dark rays appeared at the Elias governor's chest, and immediately after a dark turtle shell emerged to block the area in front of him. Mysterious patterns appeared on the shell, and it emitted a metallic feeling that made it seem indestructible.
Beast spirit masters could not only summon beast spirits to battle, but could also use part of the abilities of the beast spirits that had been sealed into their bodies.
The Monkdarse Turtle was a marine beast known for its defence, but the strongest ones were at the peak of rank 3. Still, although the Elias governor wanted to summon something more powerful, he had no beast spirits that were more formidable.
Beast spirit magic was a common strength system in the Purgatory World, and almost all intellectual races had their hand in this. Beast spirit masters were divided based on ranking, from rank 1 to the legendary rank 9!
However, in the Purgatory World now, masters at rank 6, 7 and above had been consigned to legend.
The requirements for each beast spirit master to advance were simple. One had to seal enough powerful beast spirits and have enough soul force to control the sealed beast spirits. However, beast spirit masters that wanted to advance in rank needed to subdue a beast spirit of a similar rank.
To advance to a rank 7 beast spirit master, it was necessary to subdue the soul of a rank 7 beast with laws, and seal it into one's body. Only the dignitaries of the various continents possessed such a strength in this world, which made it practically impossible. Just the thought of extracting the Snake Dowager's soul and sealing it into their body would leave a beast spirit master quivering in fear.
A rank 1 beast spirit master could at most only control a rank 1 beast spirit, while a rank 2 could control a rank 2 beast spirit. As long as one was powerful enough and one's soul could take the stress, there was no issue with sealing multiple beast spirits into one's body.
However, it was evident that the Elias governor was a newly promoted rank 4 beast spirit master. The most powerful creature it had was the rank 4 Nighthawk beast spirit. The others were at rank 1 or 2 and wouldn't be brought out, because they would only bring shame to him.
This rank 3 Monkdarse Turtle was the most powerful beast spirit he had left.
From Leylin's perspective, a beast spirit master was very much like a summoner. Though the beast spirits that could be controlled were powerful, the master was a weak point.
'No! Rather, a newly advanced beast spirit master is at a weak point. The largest difference between a beast spirit master and a summoner is that beast spirit masters can seal beast spirits into their bodies, and make use of some of the abilities of a beast spirit. If they bide their time and seal enough spirits, they'll gain a lot of power.' Leylin touched his chin, 'The beast spirits sealed inside the body can constantly nourish the beast spirit master's own body and soul. As long as no bottleneck is reached, he can keep advancing!'
*Crash!* With just one attack from the palm covered in alabaster scales, the turtle shell in front of the governor began to fragment, showing its powerful strength.
Whether it was the Berserk Boltbear or the Nighthawk from before, even if they were hurrying over they were still a distance away. The governor was in a very dire situation.
However, Leylin merely watched on coldly, not having any plans to make his move. In his opinion, the governor had obviously discovered the other party and still sent out his Nighthawk, evidently having plans of his own.
"Die!" A low voice that was distinctly feminine came from the person who had launched the sneak attack. The figure of a white python suddenly appeared, emitting a bloodline aura that caused Leylin's pupils to shrink.
-x-X-x-
This bloodline force… Alabaster Devilsnake?' Leylin's pupils shrank. As a Warlock, it was impossible for him to make a mistake in recognising bloodline force, but what this represented shocked him.
'A descendant of the Snake Dowager actually has such a high status in an organisation of the Trial's Eye. Is it for personal reputation, or is it some kind of exchange of benefits between the Snake Dowager and Trial's Eye?'
The large serpentine figure was covered in smooth white scales all over, its scarlet pupils emitting a chill that could almost suffocate a person. The tooth of the giant python merged with the palm of the attacker, bringing with it even more terrifying energy.
The white scales on Leylin's face were now beginning to flicker uncontrollably.
[Beep! Discovered undulations of bloodline of Alabaster Devilsnake that host is using for concealment. Accept or deny?]
The A.I. Chip prompted at this moment.
"No!" Leylin's eyes flickered and chose to deny it.
A trace of bloodline force emerged from his body, and in that instant, the attacker sensed it. Leylin could clearly see the moment where they looked over to investigate it.
At this moment, they definitely could not withdraw their attack. The terrifying palm that was reinforced by bloodline power grabbed the Elias governer's chest with their sharp nails.
Besides the silver armour on his chest, the governor had no other defences. There was no question that his stomach would be ripped through,
*Bang!* However, the palm with sharp fingernails halted in mid-air, not able to descend further. What grasped this slender scaly hand was another large hand that was like steel.
"Did you think… I only had my beast spirit magic to rely on?" The Elias governor's voice was low, and he exerted force from his hand. Like an iron hoop, it tightened around the attacker's wrist until creaking sounds were produced.
"Hnn!" The attacker made a sound, and an orb of white flame extended from their hand. The flames crackled as they crashed into the body, their boiling temperature causing even the surrounding air to distort.
However, it was to no effect. The governor's entire body was currently enveloped in a layer of dark grey light. In front of the flames, this powerful barrier wasn't the slightest bit damaged.
In the meanwhile, the phantom of a huge grey bird appeared behind the governor. Its feathers closed around him as if wrapping around him.
The large grey bird seemed to be very vivid. While it was a clone, there was a world of difference between it and the one summoned by Geiger Dole.
"My master, the mighty Flapwing! You are the master of chaos and the very personification of freedom!" Upon seeing the large grey bird figure, many residents of the port who were watching them immediately knelt to the ground, looking pious. This was what happened when followers saw the real gods they prayed to and believed in.
'Sacrificer! A rank 4 sacrificer!' The attacker quickly retreated, at the same time exposing their identity.
A face with patterned white scales was topped by a head of snow-white hair. This slender person was evidently a demisnake that had descended from the Alabaster Devilsnake. With the sharp voice and distinctive traits, Leylin could confirm that this one was female.
However, her right wrist began to twist at this moment, falling down without strength. She'd obviously received serious injuries from the governor's counterattack.
'A hybrid snake-girl? Interesting…' Leylin looked 'worried', as if concerned for her safety. Meanwhile, the A.I. Chip was constantly scanning the Elias governor. He was more interested in a rank 4 Sacrificer than the snake girl.
On top of that, the governor was at the fourth rank in both the paths of offerings and of beast spirits!
'Rank 4, comparable to a Morning Star in the Magus World. A Sacrificer at this level is a treasure to any dignitary. It's a devout follower who has complete faith in their path! The mighty dignitary even lets them borrow strength in advance, leaving the sacrificial offering for later…' Leylin immediately recalled the information he had gathered before. 'Furthermore… being a rank 4 Sacrificer is the base requirement for some ceremonies to strengthen one's body permanently!'
The snake girl had inherited the bloodline of the primordial giant Alabaster Devilsnake and had a vitality and strength that was so high it was frightening. However, he had been able to block the snake girl's attack, obviously having gone through multiple permanent power-ups. His strength and vitality was incomparably terrifying, and it even exceeded the power the snake girl got from her bloodline.
[Beep! Target is enveloped by an unknown force. Determined to be the law of chaos. Unable to scan.] At this moment, the A.I. Chip projected some information in front of Leylin, causing him to sink into deep thought.
'A Sacrificer has regular contact with their dignitary… The power of a rank 7 is something the A.I. Chip still can't analyse… Is that why it can't scan him?
'The snake girl is in danger!' Leylin looked at the demisnake, who was now secretly giving him a stern look.
'Hmm? She's warning me not to do anything!' Leylin was surprised.
'The governor of Elias is a rank 4 beast spirit master and Sacrificer. If he's from some special race his battle might could even be comparable to a Six Star Morning Star from the Magus World. The snake girl is no match for him, but she still worries about the life of someone from her race?'
In that moment, Leylin couldn't figure out whether to laugh or cry. Of course, his thoughts went further, 'Since she places so much importance on bloodline, I might be able to make use of that…'
The tables were quickly turning. With the advantages from being a rank 4 Sacrificer, the Elias governor had a terrifying physique and battle might. Added to his power of a rank 4 beast spirit master that allowed him to use all sorts of magic and long range attacks, he was practically at the peak of rank 4.
*SKREE! RRAAAAR!* At this moment, the Nighthawk and Berserk Boltbear had arrived behind the snake girl, sealing off her escape routes and teaming up with the governor to encircle her. Due to the soul connection between the beast spirit master and the beast spirits, they could be used like the governor's clones.
"Admit defeat! You aren't a match for me. In order to set this up, I've allocated a lot of elders here as well. Your subordinates and other organisations won't be able to run!" The governor slowly closed in, and a black gale sprung forth from the Nighthawk.
"In your dreams, follower of chaos and evil!" The snake girl's eyes went red, and a figure similar to that of the Alabaster Devilsnake appeared behind her. Profound dreamforce began to ripple slightly.
'The Alabaster Devilsnake originally inherited a part of the Snake Dowager's dreamforce. This is probably why this is her trump card…'
Dreamforce scattered out, forming a ring of dark red smoke. A few weaker commoners and guards had already fallen unconscious, evidently dragged into Dreamscape.
Things began to get chaotic, and taking advantage of this Leylin disappeared into a corner.
'It's a pity… if she really was a traditional Alabaster Devilsnake the sudden eruption of dreamforce would be enough to help her escape. Sadly her bloodline isn't pure enough, and the dreamforce she can muster is far too weak…' Leyln's mind kept working, and his thoughts quickly turned to another direction as he gazed upon the battlefield.
The governor grew dazed amidst the dark red fog for a while before he regained his senses, "This… Dreamscape illusion!"
He immediately sobered up, and the Nighthawk that his soul was connected to let out bright chirps. Its two wings created gales as if trying to blow the dreamforce away.
"You can't escape!" He stared at the snake girl, who now had scales all over her body and had completely entered battle mode.
"Lord Governor! Part of the enemies in the port have been eliminated. We're here as support!" With several bright sounds, three streaks of light hastened over, each of them having rank 4 energy undulations.
After seeing this, glee shone in the governor's eyes, and the snake girl was left in complete despair.
She secretly glanced in Leylin's direction, but when she realised he'd already disappeared, a wry smile appeared about her lips, 'Thankfully, that little guy escaped, or else he might have been involved…'
'Looks like it's time for me to take the stage!' Meanwhile, Leylin was standing on the rooftop of a building and watching on, eyes flickering with intelligence.
In his opinion, it was even more valuable to save her now. As for the fact that he intentionally spread this secret and attracted the enemy… Leylin had selective memory when it came to this.
Anyway, benefits were his primary goal. As for other methods like taking advantage of someone and helping them the next moment, there was no pressure on him due to it.
'Magic seems to require more effort in this world…' Closing his eyes, Leylin felt the difference between the Purgatory World and the Magus World.
'Just as well. I can recycle the dreamforce she left behind. Even if she's a descendant of the Alabaster Devilsnake, her usage of dreamforce is really too crude.' As he ridiculed her for a moment, Leylin's finger twitched.
It was like he was the most brilliant of weavers. Foggy dreamforce suddenly rose under Leylin's hands, rippling with a blood red glow. Great amounts of fog condensed to form a large spell formation.
"Crap, be careful!" The governor's expression suddenly changed, evidently not expecting that the snake girl who should have been waiting to be captured had a companion!
-x-X-x-
'What's going on? Isn't she the leader of the organization?' The Elias Governor doubtfully looked at the snake girl, only to find that she was similarly perplexed.
'It doesn't matter, the first task is to capture her! Those who try to insult our master's glory must be punished!' The governor would not have reached rank 4 as a Sacrificer if he didn't worship the Nefarious Filthbird so fervently.
However, how could Leylin really allow him to make a move?
'In any case, he is still a rank 4 elite from the Nefarious Filthbird's group, so it won't be possible to just take him down in one strike…' The power of dreamforce spells was amplified to an alarming extent by the array, like charcoal being transformed into diamond, "Rank 4 dreamforce spell— Distorted Labyrinth!"
Dreamforce surged out violently to create an enormous labyrinth which enveloped the governor and the three Morning Stars who were assisting him. The walls rumbled under impact, and the Nighthawk's cry could be heard as the dreamforce labyrinth began to morph and warp.
"Let's go! I can't trap them for too long!" Leylin transformed into a black hurricane that swallowed the girl up. Even though he'd conjured the spell himself, it was being sustained by the dreamforce the girl had summoned and not much remained. Leylin was not certain of how long it would last, so it was necessary to quickly flee the scene.
The snake girl's scarlet eyes flashed as she sensed the bloodline power within Leylin, and she did not resist. The dark hurricane screamed with destructive power, drawing life force from the miscellaneous fish along the way. Only mummified corpses were left behind.
As they continued on, there were still some who tried to stop them. Soon, however, they disappeared into the horizon.
*Bang!* *Rumble!* After ten seconds, a great amount of lightning appeared above the dark red labyrinth. Shortly after the lightning struck down, and the elated chirp was let loose by the gigantic hawk.
*Crash!* The entire labyrinth fell apart, exposing the silhouettes of the flustered Elias Governor and his companions, "Chase after them and send out a warrant! Do not let that woman escape!"
The Elias Governor's eyes had reddened and even his voice had become hoarse, frightening the surrounding bodyguards into chilly silence.
...
'The Purgatory World seems to be different from the Magus World. The atoms' chemical bonds seem to be sturdier. Consequently, more power is needed to manipulate them.' Leylin was thinking of what had happened before when he used his full magic power as he ran away with the girl.
Ever since he had snuck into the Purgatory World, he had always maintained an extremely low profile. He had previously used the Metal Activation spell formation once, and that remained the only time he had used such a large-scale spell in this world.
'This is worse than before, the physical laws here are even more severe. While the power of spells has decreased, the cost to activate them has instead increased.'
Leylin looked at the A.I. Chip as it projected the newest results into his memory bank.
[Beep! Based on on-site detections and theoretical experiments, all levels of magic from the Magus World are weakened by 89% in the Purgatory World!]
'This weakening effect is very strong. Could it be that the Purgatory World didn't allow entry to other strength systems in ancient times?' Thinking of this other idea, Leylin ordered the A.I. Chip, 'A.I. Chip, search the database. Find the most suitable strength system for the Purgatory World'.
[Beep! Mission established. Scanning.] The A.I. Chip found the answer immediately.
[Based on simulations, the two most suitable power systems are: 1. Path of Sacrifices 2. Beast Spirit Magic.]
Leylin wasn't surprised by the results, he had already guessed this outcome, 'As expected, these are the most suitable systems. They seem to be the Purgatory World's most fundamental paths.'
As a result of differing world laws, every world had its own unique points and paths to power.
This inspection made it clear that the path of sacrifices and beast spirit magic were the most suited to the Purgatory World.
'It looks like I'll have to rigorously train to a high realm in both methods…' Leylin stroked his chin in thought. Although he was restricted by the Allsnake Curse, it only affected his bloodline force. While it was still a weakness, the curse had no effect on other paths to power.
"Fireplume!" Leylin called out, and a ball of black flames appeared in his hand.
"Multilimb Strength!" The phantom of a Multi-Armed Race member appeared behind Leylin, boosting his strength. These other cultivation methods were what had allowed Leylin to retain strength at Morning Star even after his bloodline force was sealed.
His bloodline force, however, was the main source of his strength. If the Allsnake Curse was not removed, he would be drained until he fell. Even if he encountered success with other power systems, the outcome was still set in stone.
Since he chose the path of bloodline as his main path, he had even let his own soul be affected by the bloodline. Consequently, other paths could only be considered the icing on top of the cake.
'As expected, the Purgatory World will suppress the strength of those from other worlds.' Leylin's expression became gloomy. Dreamforce was another usable source, but its intensity was unpredictable. Therefore, Leylin did not hold many expectations towards it.
'My bloodline force has been sealed, so I can only rely on other methods. When these other methods reach their highest realm, I will probably be able to use them to remove the Allsnake Curse.'
Leylin steeled his resolve, 'The A.I. Chip will allow me to quickly advance in rank. The paths of sacrifice and beast spirit magic are of the utmost importance, and Fireplume and dreamforce come afterwards.'
As for Multilimb Strength, the original information that Leylin had gotten was extremely lacking. Even with A.I. Chip's calculations, it had hardly improved. Thus, Leylin decided to abandon it as it could at most serve as support.
By this time, the snake girl had opened her eyes. She said in a frigid voice, "Put me down!"
"This place is over 300 nautical miles away from Port Elias, it should be safe for the time being!", Leylin shrugged as he stopped on a barren island. The black hurricane disappeared, exposing both their silhouettes.
Only now did Leylin have the time to carefully size up the snake girl.
She had long, snow-white hair and scarlet pupils. The white scales on her face were patterned, giving her a distinct aura but not seeming sinister. These features paired well with her air of superiority, giving her a unique charm.
'It appears as though all bloodline descendents of the Snake Dowager have this characteristic, with charm to spare! Could it be that she specialises in illusion techniques?' Leylin was left speechless. The A.I. Chip, however, had had enough time to collect information.
[(Unknown Name), Snake Girl. Sex: Female, Paternal Bloodline: Alabaster Devilsnake (Mixed), Maternal Bloodline: Unknown (deduced to be a humanoid species) Strength: 79, Agility: 50, Strength: 65 Spiritual Force: 463, Soul Force: 46. Passive Abilities: 1. Illusory Forcefield: Shrouds the area around the body in a layer of illusion forcefield, lifeforms with spiritual energy below 200 cannot resist, losing their free will. 2. Dreamscape Attraction: The Alabaster Devilsnake bloodline possesses the ability to draw dreamforce.]
The A.I. Chip very quickly projected the snake girl's image and specific data.
'Morning Star realm. This snake girl's stats are actually pretty good.' Leylin nodded his head surreptitiously as his thoughts hovered around the 'Mixed' tag.
'Even though her bloodline is of a Rank 5 creature, it is clearly not concentrated. It can't even match the one I embedded in my Mask. No wonder I don't feel any suppression whatsoever from her and her ability to attract dreamforce is so weak...'
'But the ability to connect to Dreamscape is worth more intense research,' although he already possessed a number of Dreamscape spells, he had reached a bottleneck when it came to using dreamforce. The appearance of an Alabaster Devilsnake, however, gave him hope to resolve this issue.
This rank 5 species had inherited the Snake Dowager's talents in controlling dreamforce, to the point of being able to connect to Dreamscape. This ability was very useful to Leylin.
The most crucial point was that he now had in his grasp the pure bloodline of a rank 5 Alabaster Devilsnake.
'Although dreamforce isn't reliable, it is still useful as a contingency plan. This girl doesn't seem to have the ability to travel to and from Dreamscape, but she might be able to give me some inspiration,' Leylin shamelessly observed the girl, making her feel rather angry.
"Are you done looking at me?", the snake girl snorted coldly.
"Don't tell me you're going to treat a clansman and your saviour like this," Leylin smiled slightly, "After all, without me intervening I'm afraid you would not have escaped the Elias Governor's hands."
"So what?", the snake girl appeared to be unyielding, "I clearly warned you to run away, so why did you not leave immediately?"
-x-X-x-
"You and I are of the same type, and I had the ability to save you. How could I just leave you?" Leylin spoke in a righteous tone.
"Fool," the snake girl snorted coldly, but it pleased Leylin inwardly to notice her gaze softening considerably. She continued in a gloomy voice, "Mixed bloods like you are actually very rare."
Listening to Leylin's words, the snake girl immediately became uncommunicative. Her expression grew so damp it seemed like she could drip water. Leylin secretly nodded to himself as he saw this scene, 'I wasn't wrong. A half-breed will always suffer discrimination, no matter what world you live in.'
Leylin understood from the snake girl's bitter expression that she had suffered a lot. However, she was still able to show incomparable concern for those who were similar to her. He took advantage of this 'misery loves company' attitude to gain her full trust.
"Oh, that's right, I still don't know your name." Leylin smiled sunnily at her.
"Belinda. Yours?" Belinda stared at Leylin, focussing especially on his facial scales. Her eyes grew dreamy.
"My name is Nick, my lovely lady!" Just this little praise caused Belinda to flush, showing her lack of experience in dealing with others.
"So, Belinda, what do you intend to do next? And what was that at the port? Why were you attacked?" Leylin asked her as if he had no idea about what had happened. He acted as if he wasn't the one who spread information on her.
"Nothing, just the final struggle of a group of Beholders." The mention of the earlier incident caused Belinda's expression to turn cold. It was evident that she felt extremely resentful.
Leylin understood her feelings. After all, her organization hadn't planned to act against Port Elias. At most, their plan was to turn the port into a hub and use it to smuggle some goods. Thus, it was normal to feel resentful when their plans went down the drain.
"Nick, I have a question" Belinda looked at Leylin with a solemn expression, "Are you a follower of the Snake Dowager or a part of the Beholder crowd? Or do you believe in other dignitaries?"
Identifying which dignitary you followed was an extremely serious matter in the Purgatory World. The hostility between opposing factions often led to battles to the death.
"I am a wanderer. I have yet to choose an Exemplary" Leylin naturally caught the hidden meaning behind these questions and answered without the slightest hesitation, "I am, however, more inclined towards the Matriarch. After all, she is our progenitor".
The Matriarch! This was the title that the snake descendants, in the Purgatory World, mainly used to address the Snake Dowager.
"Since your belief is skewed towards the Matriarch, there is no risk of conflict between your belief and mine in the Beholders!"
Leylin expressed his understanding. It seemed as though the Snake Dowager and the Trial's Eye made an alliance.
"I am under the command of the Trial's Eye. I came to Port Elias to receive some resources to use in the rebellion against the powers of evil and chaos." Belinda told Leylin of her origins. She explained the conflict between the Trial's Eye and the Filthbird and went through the history of how civilization had developed in this world.
And in the Purgatory World, where the two Exemplaries' original bodies were located was an endless conundrum.
There was no peace at all between the Sacrificers on both sides. Every time they met, there would be a fight to the death.
"No wonder you were attacked. Port Elias is the territory of the Nefarious Filthbird," Leylin showed a shocked expression.
"The Port is a territory of the Chaotic power. There isn't much hope for them!" Belinda saw Leylin's expression and snorted coldly.
"Oh? What do you mean?" Leylin asked interestedly.
"I already reported what happened to my superiors. The organization will surely send support. The head of the organisation is, at the very least, a Rank 5 Sacrificer!", a flash of gloominess appeared on Belinda's face, "Port Elias dares to forcefully seize our goods and kill our members. This is the Hail Continent's territorial waters. No matter how powerful Elias' backer is, this place still belongs to us". At this point, Belinda was very confident.
Port Elias had been sneakily founded through the Bird's influence. It had not received approval from the Hail Continent's Holy City nor the Snake Dowager. After all, the Snake Dowager had allied herself with the Trial's Eye.
As a result, even if Belinda and her compatriots destroyed the entire port later, and even killed the Governor of Elias, nothing much could be done. The most Port Elias could do was to secretly order the arrest of Belinda and the others.
"A Rank 5 Sacrificer?" , Leylin was rather curious. He had seen the frightening abilities of a high-ranked Sacrificer from the Elias' governor and witnessed the capacity to go through your limits without any bottlenecks.
'This kind of high-ranked Sacrificer should be the favourite offering of hostile Exemplaries.' Leylin stroked his chin as the corner of his mouth curved into a smile.
Since Leylin decided to practice in the Path of Offering and the Beast Spirit Magic, he gained some understanding of these two cultivation techniques. Although it wasn't a lot, the information he got, the practical data and the A.I. Chips deductions allowed him to gain deep knowledge on the two systems.
In the Path of Offering, choosing an Exemplary was the most important step. It was also important to choose one whose doctrine aligned with your beliefs. Sacrificial rites were based on equivalent exchange; as long as an offering was made, power would be lent by the Exemplary you followed. But truly devout Sacrificers would be able to receive greater benefits.
Moreover, worshipping opposing Exemplaries was an incredibly stupid thing to do. Even if such a Sacrificer managed to not get targeted, his benefits would be greatly reduced.
'As for myself, becoming a Snake Dowager or a Trial's Eye Sacrificer would be courting death. The best option is the Nefarious Filthbird.' Leylin thought to himself, 'Furthermore, if I make a great sacrifice when I first communicate with the Exemplary, I should be able to reap great benefits. I might even receive the Unspeakable Baptism.'
Presumably, the Bird was enemies with the Trial's Eye and the Snake Dowager. Consequently, it would be happy to see Leylin grow strong and break through the Snake Dowager's seal.
The Bird was not an almighty Rank 9 so it couldn't remove Leylin's Allsnake Curse. But perhaps, it would be able to temporarily suppress the curse.
Leylin himself could only suppress the curse for 2 years, which was too short. Possibly extending the suppression time would become a great advantage.
Even though Leylin had gone through a great amount of thoughts, on the surface he only seemed to hesitate for a moment, "Belinda, you should be a high-ranked Sacrificer under the Trial's Eye, right?"
"Yes, that's right. I am already a peak Rank 3 Sacrificer and should be close to breaking through. Too bad I wasn't able to finish this mission." Belinda admitted it without the slightest hesitation.
"Why don't you follow the almighty Matriarch? She is our benevolent and beautiful progenitor", Leylin had an expression of incredible disbelief.
Although the Snake Dowager had allied herself with the Trial's Eye, it was still considered a betrayal for a descendant to believe in a different Exemplary. If she ran into a more radical snake, it might try to eliminate Belinda, the 'Disgrace of the Mother'.
"The Matriarch? It is true that she is everything to us but she is just too aloof and remote. We belong to the lowest rung of society so we only need fairness and justice. And the only one who can give us that is the God of Contracts."
Belinda laughed coldly at some unknown thought and became excited. Her expression revealed that she was remembering an unbearable event of the past. It was probably the oppression she had once suffered from the purebloods, something she could never forget.
"As a mixed-blood, don't tell me you have a good impression of those so-called 'pureblood' Alabaster Devilsnakes." Belinda stated as a layer of translucent tears appeared on her eyes.
Leylin pretended to become silent in response.
"Well, let's not speak of these unhappy memories! I have already issued the signal and reinforcements from the head of the Order will arrive very soon. You should leave!" Belinda exhaled a deep breath, glancing at Leylin.
"Alright." the organisation was approaching and, since they had different beliefs, staying any longer would arouse suspicion.
Besides, he had made a lot of profit today. Not only had he eliminated hidden dangers, he had even established a good relationship with Belinda. In the future, he would arrange another 'coincidental meeting', so there were no problems at all.
-x-X-x-
[Beep! High-energy magnetic field discovered. Determined to be from a Rank 5 being. Host is advised to be careful.] The A.I. Chip's immediate prompt surprised Leylin.
'Looks like I can't leave even if I want to at this point,' a mysterious smile rose at the edges of Leylin's lips. Still, he pretended to be oblivious to everything, planning to leave after bidding Belinda farewell.
Just as Leylin was about to move, tremendous soul force undulations full of Just as Leylin was about to move, a streak of tremendous soul force undulations full of astounding strength and intent was transmitted over, "Wait, he can't leave!"
A figure gradually appeared from the surface of the water. A layer of transparent distortions gradually dissipated, revealing a large Beholder.
This one, however, was different from Geiger. It had three different giant eyes of varying sizes. The three eyes were in triangular formation, with the central one connected to a few fleshy-red channels. Pure white tendrils drooped to the ground, forming the Beholder's legs. A great and powerful aura emanated from its body.
'This one should be an Elder Eye of the Beholders,' Leylin judged inwardly.
An adult Beholder had the strength of an ordinary rank 3 Magus. Elder Eyes usually had strength at Morning Star.
This Beholder was even more uncommon. Besides the power from its own race, it was a powerful Sacrificer! The power of judgement emanated from its body, causing Leylin's eyes to narrow.
"This Beholder should be the leader that Belinda mentioned. Doesn't that mean it is a rank 5 Sacrificer?"
As a Rank 5 Sacrificer, this Beholder had strength comparable to a regular Radiant Moon Magus. What was most terrifying, however, was that its body had been fully branded by the Trial's Eye and even the A.I. Chip was unable to scan and determine its stats.
"Greetings, Lord Bayclark!" Belinda knelt reverently while pulling at Leylin's clothes to do the same.
"Greetings to Sire Bayclark!" Leylin merely bowed slightly. This made him seem arrogant, and a hint of disapproval was evident in the Beholder elder's large eye.
It glanced towards Belinda, transmitting tremendous soul undulations. Fury was evident within its eyes and it criticised her, "Belinda! Your actions today have tarnished the glory of our master. And it's not just your failure at Port Elias' stronghold... All your decisions so far have been rash!"
"Lord Bayclark!" While still kneeling, Belinda straightened her back, "Your subordinate is responsible for the failure at Port Elias, but allowing Nick to leave was a very ordinary matter. He might not be a subordinate of our Master of Order, but he is a descendant of the Matriarch."
"And a fellow clansman of yours," the Beholder added coldly, "I have long warned you to not be too kind towards those of your kind with mixed blood. They can only bring trouble!"
"Lord Bayclark, I can vouch for Nick. He's on our side, he helped me at the port." Seeing Bayclark's eyes flash with red, Belinda gritted her teeth and spoke on Leylin's behalf.
"Alright, I'll let him go. I hope your luck continues, or else there'll be another pair of vertical pupils in my collection!" Bayclark twisted his body and turned towards Leylin, "Or should I say, two pairs."
Belinda was badly frightened by this rank 5's threats, ridicule and lack of trust.
Leylin obviously wasn't the same. Outwardly he seemed indignant at this, his face and ears turning red. However, he was making a calm analysis on the inside, 'It arrived far too quick. That means it was already nearby, perhaps it was the commander of this operation while Belinda was the one in charge of Port Elias…'
Numerous sea tribes arrived as Bayclark and Belinda conversed. Mermen, octomen, and sharkmen, each outfitted in custom-made armour, brandished their assortment of weapons that included pikes and choppers. There were even magicians among their rank, neatly spread out into rows that formed a huge legion of staffs behind Bayclark.
"Followers of the Master of Order! Evil, chaotic power has taken over Port Elias and even killed our companions. This entity has committed the worst sin under the skies. What should we do?" The Beholder elder turned, transmitting tremendous soul force undulations and radiating it in all directions.
"Eliminate them!" "Suppress them!" "Burn them to death!" The marine people in Bayclark's legion raised their weapons and roared.
"Very good! You are all devout believers of our master!" The Beholder elder's slit eyes seemed to be filled with traces of red, "I hereby order all of you to attack. The target is Port Elias!"
At that, the clamour from the cries of these beings was enough to disperse the clouds in the sky. The surface of the water split apart amidst their thundering voices, countless enormous sea creatures revealing expansive level backs.
All the troops climbed atop the enormous marine beasts in an orderly manner, making them look like terrifying war forts.
"You, mixed blood of the Alabaster, believer of the Mistress! You must come with me and use the blood of chaos to prove your loyalty!"
"What right do you have to do that?" Leylin exclaimed in annoyance, pretending to be a hot-headed person.
"What right do I have? Well, I can kill you whenever I want to," Bayclark chuckled, while vast soul force wrapped tightly around Leylin. This was clearly a threat. Leylin was playing the role of a mixed blood with at most Morning Star strength, so he immediately paled.
"Belinda…" he looked at Belinda who was still kneeling and giving him a pleading look, "Fine, I'll do it!"
"That's the spirit! Chaos is an old enemy of your Matriarch too. Your actions will surely earn her favour." The Beholder elder released his soul force. It went near the coastline where a large golden octopus appeared, which let Bayclark stand on its head.
"I merely approve of some of the Matriarch's ideologies. I don't follow the path of sacrifices. A bloodbath won't bring me any benefits." Leylin looked grim as he mounted a large marine beast with Belinda.
Belinda was apologetic, and she transmitted over to him, "I'm sorry, Nick. I I dragged you into this. When the time comes, just protect yourself. Leave the rest to me."
"It's not your fault," Leylin smiled with difficulty while a trace of coldness flashed in the depths of his eyes, 'A rank 5 Sacrificer, and someone with a high position in the organisation, would make a great gift for the Nefarious Filthbird.'
...
A curfew had been imposed in Port Elias due to the recent events.
Streets that were usually bustling with life were exceptionally quiet. Boat wreckage and blood could be seen floating in the ocean, and the houses that had been wrecked in the incident were left desolate, yet to be repaired.
Groups of troops jogged around in an orderly manner on the streets, occasionally charging into shops and demanding they be allowed to search the area. It was pure chaos.
At this moment, an urgent alarm rang out and a piercing defensive air signal sounded.
From a high vantage point, one could see a large wave of giant marine beasts with countless figures on their back surging forth like a tide on the surface of the waters. Aggressive beings approached the port from the sky as well.
This scared a few of the free merchants, and they secretly put away their goods and escaped. After all, they could not afford to provoke either organisation. Doing so would only lead to a horrible death.
Merchants were not the only ones. Even the most evil pirates ran from such a dangerous place. They would rather fight the local troops trying to run away than stay here any longer.
Just as the chaos was about to escalate, the bright cries of a hawk sounded out. A large Nighthawk beast spirit spread its wings as it circled above the port with a figure on top of it. Terrifying power descended that was at the peak of rank 4, and the pier finally managed to regain its calm.
A swishing sound could be heard as something surged towards them. Soon, numerous streaks of light flew in from various locations to stand behind Elias' Governor, bowing in greeting, "Lord Governor!".
They all had Morning Star-ranked strength, but they could not conceal the worry in their expressions.
"They are Trial's Eye's followers. I can sense that nauseating smell coming from their bodies even from here." A white-haired elder with a hook-like nose and hawk beak spoke coldly.
"This should be about what happened this afternoon. I've already asked for support from the headquarters. However, they are too far away. Even if they used a teleportation spell formation, they would still need to use it several times. It seems our enemies have been preparing for a long time," Elias' Governor looked grim as he clenched his fist, causing the air to explode with an ear-piercing shriek. It seemed that he had been thoroughly enraged.
-x-X-x-
"Hm?! That's…" At this moment, the opposing enemies had already drawn closer. Hundreds of large marine tribe beasts came to a standstill, just their enormous size enough to put immense pressure on others.
The governor of Elias also noticed there were a few acquaintances in their midst!
"We meet again, governor!" Belinda stood up, sounding light-hearted and cheerful, "You never expected we would meet again so soon, did you?"
"I just hate the fact that I didn't catch you back then. If not, I'd definitely have skinned you and turned you into a rug!" The governor exclaimed hatefully. He then shot Leylin who was beside her a glance. He evidently recognised this person who had rescued Belinda, causing a failure at the gates of victory. It was a pity that looks couldn't kill, else Leylin would've died countless times over. Leylin himself appeared aloof, the lord here had yet to speak.
The Beholder elder Bayclark cackled, "Keke… so you're the governor of Port Elias? I don't like the colour of your pupils. Eyes like these are far too common amongst my collection…"
"An Elder Eye, and rank 5 Sacrificer… Eye-Gouging Butcher Bayclark!" The governor quivered in fear as he called Bayclark's name. Upon hearing this nickname, even the Morning Star elders beside him took several steps back, evidently having heard of the notorious butcher.
"You actually dare appear here! Could the new cycle of continental wars have begun already?" Evidently, Bayclark's appearance was a huge shock to him.
"Keke, you seem too lenient. This is the territory of the Matriarch and not of the powers of chaos. Even if I killed you, what could they do?" Bayclark waved his white tendrils, "Attack!"
"Roar!" "Raarrr!" "Awooooo!"
The large marine beasts roared clamorously, setting off tremendous waves that gushed towards the port. The guards could only watch, frozen as the sea rose tens of metres. They were then drowned by the furious waves.
The marine legion that Bayclark had brought was evidently very powerful, and with the large marine beasts around to boost their morale, it was as if they had gained an absolute advantage in a flash.
Port Elias immediately descended into chaos. Many sea merchants turned to pirating to take advantage of the situation, waiting for their chance to gain some profit. They only worsened the situation.
"Keke! Henceforth, Port Elias shall become history!"
At this moment, the Elias governor and the rest did not have time to worry about the port any longer, because even they were in immense danger. With a rank 5 Sacrificer like Bayclark taking the lead, they were surrounded by a group of rank 4 beings.
"Nick, it's time for you to prove yourself! Choose your opponent and kill them!" Bayclark exclaimed, obviously harboring evil intentions.
"..." Leylin inwardly rolled his eyes. The governor and the others were still rather powerful for Morning Stars, but they were the underdogs. With his current fake strength, even the weakest of that group could overpower him. Perhaps after he had been soundly beaten to death, he would even be easy pickings for Bayclark's subordinates.
"Beast spirit magic— Summoning Godric!" While cursing inside, Leylin still went forward, summoning a figure that looked like a large manta ray, a Godric.
The Godric would be boosted greatly in the sea. While this beast spirit was only at rank 3, its mature form would have Morning Star strength so it had a good foundation. With Leylin's secrets modifications, it was halfway at the threshold of rank 4.
"Moooo!" Blue waves splashed out from the Godric, enveloping the opponent with the hawk beak.
"Kill them!" "Go!" As if this was a signal, light flashed fiercely on both sides, and many pounced forward for the kill. Bayclark leisurely ordered the large golden octopus to roam around the battlefield, as if searching for the opponent's weak point. This gave them immense pressure.
"Soldier on! Once I've dealt with my opponents, I'll help you!" Belinda's transmission sounded near Leylin's ear, and he couldn't help but laugh from on the back of the beast spirit.
'However, the role I'm playing now is a mixed blood Alabaster Devilsnake who has just entered rank 4. Some things must stay secret! Just as well, let me test this beast spirit magic!'
Due to the lack of appropriate sacrifices and not having made his decision yet, Leylin had yet to make any progress in the path of offerings. Beast spirit magic, on the other hand, was not as troublesome.
The largest issue with training in the path of beast spirits was the strength of a beast spirit master's own soul and its capacity. There was also the resilience of the body among other things, but all this wasn't an issue for Leylin. Magi were the most proficient at anything that had to do with spiritual force and the soul.
"Moo, moo!" The large Godric beast spirit disappeared under the sea, becoming a large shadow. Immense water pillars would gush out occasionally, and with Leylin's direction the Godric exhibited strength even more terrifying than when it had been alive. It was even able to make things difficult for his Morning Star enemy.
The one with an eagle beak was evidently a beast spirit master, and upon seeing Leylin's summoned Godric his pupils shrank. The tattoo of a blue snake appeared on the back of his hand, "Beast Spirit Summon— Azure Trench Serpent!"
Dazzling rays of light exploded, and the azure tattoo disappeared into the sea, instantly turning into an enormous figure of a blue sea snake.
"Hss…" The figure hissed, and engaged the Godric in a battle.
In battle, while the Azure Trench Serpent had the upper hand, the Godric could still persevere on. The summoner could not help but exclaim in his disbelief. "How is that possible? My Azure Trench Serpent is a rank 4 beast spirit, while this Godric is obviously only rank 3!"
"There are no weak beast spirits, only weak beast spirit masters! You're out of date, old man!" Leylin exclaimed, acting like some hot-headed fellow while snickering inside.
The process of sealing a beast spirit was very precise and painstaking, requiring the support of many diagrams. The higher the rank of the beast spirit, the more intricate the diagram for the seal would be required. Even if a grandmaster of spell formations were to do this, their chances of success would not exceed 50% and they might not complete the seal perfectly, and could perhaps damage it.
However, Leylin was different. Not only was he a grandmaster at spell formations himself, but he was also aided by the A.I. Chip. He could perfectly seal a beast spirit every single time, with a 100% success rate.. This meant that his beast spirits could utilise their full power when he summoned them.
That was not all. With modifications by the A.I. Chip, the Godric that had died immaturely as a rank 3 adolescent had gotten a great boost, basically making it on par with Morning Stars.
With all these factors and Leylin's extremely meticulous work, the Godric could defend itself against the Azure Trench Serpent, albeit with some difficulties. It performed the impressive feat of resisting a rank 4 beast spirit as a rank 3.
However, that was the limit to what it could do. After all, there was a huge disparity between rank 3 and 4 that was difficult to surpass. No matter how close the Godric was to rank 4, it was not a true rank 4. No matter how battered the Azure Trench Serpent became, it was a still a rank 4 beast spirit, which was why Godric being able to stay on equal grounds while obviously at a disadvantage was a startling achievement. As for trying to kill the rank 4 spirit? That was something that couldn't even be considered.
Leylin watched the scene and smiled wryly inside, 'This Godric's rank is far too low, and there are no cases of beast spirits advancing either. Its strength is limited to rank 3, which just isn't enough. I'll need to replace it immediately!'
Without taking cost into account, beast spirits at rank 4 or above above needed the soul of a beast at Morning Star. This was enough for many large organisations to treat them as important strategic resources/
Rank 1 to 3 beast spirits were common on the market, but rank 4s were very rare. Unless one entered some large organisation and poured in blood, sweat, and tears to gain enough merit points and contributions, a rank 4 beast spirit was unattainable.
Of course, beast spirit masters could opt to hunt large beasts on their own and extract the beast spirit. However, before even considering if they could complete such a technical task, how could one kill a large rank 4 beast using a group of rank 1 to 3 beast spirits, even if one was a master at extracting beast spirits?
Hence, it was understandable why rank 4 beast spirits were so valued.
Even the governor of the port, with his elevated and important status, only had one rank 4 beast spirit.
'However, not only do I have the strength of a rank 3 beast spirit master, I'm also a rank 5 Warlock. Killing these rank 4 giant beasts and extracting their souls is just too easy…' Leylin's eyes flashed.
When it came to calculating strength in the Purgatory World, one always looked at the highest rank. Bayclark, for example, might only be a rank 4 Beholder, but he was also a rank 5 Sacrificer under the Trial's Eye, which made him rank 5. He was comparable to a rank 5 Radiant Moon Magus in the Magus World.
Leylin's highest rank was a rank 5 Warlock, and despite being weakened by the Allsnake Curse it was no problem for him to kill rank 4 Morning Star beasts. With some prudent setup and some luck, he was confident he could kill even a rank 5 beast.
If he could successfully seal a rank 5 beast spirit, then he would immediately become a rank 5 beast spirit master, catching up to his power as a Warlock.
'Sealing beast spirits, augmenting the original soul and then managing the beast spirits, then killing giant beasts to obtain more powerful beast spirits… This turns into a positive feedback cycle. As long as one's body is strong enough, advancing in the system of beast spirits in the Purgatory World can be achieved fairly quickly…'
In reality, after sealing the Godric's beast spirit, Leylin could already feel the boost to his soul.
Though his truesoul had already reached half-moon and this tiny boost couldn't be considered much, it was a huge event for those rank 1, 2, and 3 Magi.
-x-X-x-
'Sealing a rank 3 beast spirit could perhaps bring forward the advancement of a rank 2 Magus to a rank 3 Magus by 20 years!' Leylin stroked his chin and began to ponder the A.I. Chip's precise analysis of the situation. 'Of course, the strength of soul and body of an average rank 2 Magus could never endure a seal from a rank 3 beast spirit, unless they were a Warlock…
'Besides, there is a limit to the soul's capability and strength, which serves as a bottleneck to beast spirit techniques. As such, in the Purgatory World, rank 6 beast spirit masters have never been seen, let alone anyone above that, either Sacrificer or beast spirit master…'
At this time, the enemies were dumbfounded at the swift defeat of their rank 4 Azure Trench Serpent by the Godric. How could a rank 3 beast spirit contend with a rank 4? It shook their beliefs.
"Beast spirit summon——Four-winged Bird!" No matter how shocked and unwilling, they had to accept the reality. When the Azure Trench Serpent could no longer withstand the Godric's attacks, a tattoo flashed once again on the body of the hawk-nosed man.
A giant four-winged bird emerged from him, wind elemental particles around its body circulating ferociously to form a violent energy— a wind blade!
A giant pale green light blade split the ocean apart, revealing the silhouettes of the Godric and the Azure Trench Serpent's battling it out.
Upon seeing that the Godric could not be beaten, the enemy once again called upon their rank 3 four-winged bird. When it was coupled with the Azure Trench Serpent, Leylin's Godric was caught in a tough battle. The wind blades sliced its body apart over and over, if not for having transformed into a beast spirit blood would have been gushing from its wounds.
Even as a beast spirit, the Godric's voice gradually grew more muffled, and its soul dulled.
'Indeed, when beast spirits are involved a rank 3 fighting head on against a rank 4 is kind of a stretch…' Leylin vaguely swept his eyes across the field. At this moment, Belinda was already fighting her opponent in their own small battlefield.
Not entering the stage himself, Bayclark focused on the governor of Elias, occasionally turning with a hint of gloating in his eyes.
'What a narrow-minded and prejudiced old fool!' Leylin was filled with disgust, and he secretly afforded him the death penalty.
'I can't use my energy and magic as a Warlock, which extends to the Kemoyin Emperor magic. I can only hide myself by using Alabaster Devilsnake magic…' A thought flashed across Leylin's mind, and a layer of white scales emerged from his body.
With the Mask of the Dreamless and an Alabaster Devilsnake bloodline, it would be difficult for anyone, even Belinda, to discover that his abilities were just an imitation.
[Beep! Host is currently using Alabaster Devilsnake bloodline. Scale simulation accuracy at 99.99%. Vitality and defence have increased, dreamforce has strengthened] the A.I. Chip's voice transmitted over. Having completed the transformation, Leylin's body was covered in a layer of delicate white scales, and sharp fingernails burst forth from his hand. The scarlet tint in his eyes seemed to grow deeper and purer.
"Devilsnake bloodline!" The enemy shouted.
"Die!" Leylin shouted, a white phantom as he launched towards them. His sharp claws chilled the air. Though he was confident in his own disguise, fake was fake. He was bound to leave a clue with the passage of time, so it would be good to end the fight quickly.
"Damned hybrid!" The hawk-nosed man opposing Leylin glowed red with anger, and he started hitting himself in the chest. A faint blue circle sprouted blue flames that engulfed his body, and a hard mane grew on his face.
"Beast spirit union! Rank 3 Blueflame Phantomwolf!" At the lowest point, the opposing beast spirit master had already completed the union, turning into a half man half wolf monster. His energy grew tremendously.
'Blueflame Phantomwolf? It seems to be some kind of advanced creature, powerful with fire and close combat. It's strong physically too…' Leylin managed to identify the beast spirit's characteristics from an archive he'd found on the market. He also remembered its strengths and weaknesses.
A beast spirit master at rank 4 or above could fuse with his beast spirit, using some secret techniques to acquire the abilities of the beast spirit they'd sealed. With an increasing number of beast spirit, the beast spirit master became more terrifying as well. This technique solved the problem of a weak body, so much so that one could say that without it any beast spirit's value would be halved.
*Awooo!* Blue flame covered the enemy's palm, one that had already turned into a furry paw. It looked like a layer of glass. The giant wolf claw shot out, sharp and on fire. He charged violently towards the white phantom.
A huge explosion sounded in the air, and a flash blinded onlookers. Leylin and his opponent retreated, and a few white scales fell to the ground with blue fur.
'Borrowed strength is still borrowed strength. Even if I were to use the rank 4 Giant Kemoyin Serpent power I could defeat him easily.' Leylin's eyes filled with pity, and his opponent grew furious.
This half-snake half-human wielded massive power, able to fight on par with and sometimes overpower a rank 4 beast spirit master. He hadn't gained much of an advantage from the four-winged bird, and it was obvious that this battle would continue for some time.
However, that would prove fatal in this battle. Belinda would come upon ending her own fight, and even otherwise Bayclark's presence shook his confidence in being able to defend Port Elias.
At this time, the battle at the port was already near its end. Engulfed in thick smoke, the port was left in tatters, with large paw prints all over the once bustling street. Walls everywhere were destroyed, and the road was steeped in blood.
Obviously, Bayclark had made meticulous plans so that the backup team at the port couldn't fight back. In this instant, unless a rank 6 warrior joined the fight, their defeat was inevitable.
Unfortunately, they were near the Hail Continent's coast. This was the territory of the Snake Dowager, and the Nefarious Filthbird sending a high-ranked warrior here would be a command of suicide.
As the battle on the ground drew to a close, the battle in the sky ended as well.
"The Alabaster Devilsnake Devours!" Belinda's applause sounded as a giant Alabaster Devilsnake phantom emerged, its scarlet eyes focused on a broken-armed Filthbird phantom from a sacrifice.
A dark red mist filled the surroundings, bringing with is a psychic power that instilled fear into even the Morning Star fighters. They did everything they could to avoid it. This dreamforce posed a threat to those that hadn't come in contact with or couldn't comprehend Dreamscape.
In the meantime, this Nefarious Filthbird who Belinda was focused on melted like wax into a mixture of blood and fat.
"Nick! Hold on!" The giant Alabaster Devilsnake phantom suddenly turned and charged towards Leylin.
'Finally. I just had to endure for a little while and Belinda's come to help. She's defeated her own opponent, and I won't have to reveal anything else.' With everything within control, Leylin let out a smile, expressing his relief.
The enemy's eyes were filled with despair, and he gave up the fight with Leylin. The Azure Trench Serpent was forcefully ordered to retreat. Blocking Leylin's path, he jumped onto the back of the giant four-winged bird, ready to escape.
"Trying to run away?" An icy voice came from under the Alabaster Devilsnake phantom, "Dream on!"
Under the enormous Alabaster Devilsnake, the Azure Trench Serpent looked negligible and weak. Even Leylin could not help but feel pity for him.
...
Leylin's opponent escaping was a signal to the others. After seeing their comrade flee, the rest of the Morning Star guards were prompted to plan their escape too, and the governor of Elias was no exception.
A rank 4 beast spirit master on top of being a rank 4 Sacrificer, he could unleash the full power of Morning Star. If not for Bayclark, the fight would've been much easier for him. Unfortunately, this giant Elder Eye set his eyes upon him the moment they met.
"Let me handle him! You try to block the other Nefarious Filthbird followers!" The Elder Eye's soul force radiated outwards, and he wrapped himself and the governor up completely.
;What a ruthless and vicious way to claim victory!; Leylin was left completely speechless, and he took the initiative to retreat backwards and gave up the battlefield to others.
-x-X-x-
After the fierce battle, the Morning Star military were all injured and had wholeheartedly broken out from the enemy's siege. Without having any fight left in them, they had put in so much work for nothing.
Leylin chose to withdraw at this moment- a selfless and noble model of action that many were grateful to emulate. Of course,there were some who took him for a fool.
But Leylin paid no heed to this, and expressionlessly retreated to the back to rest and watch the great battle.
"Although our enemies continue to battle half-heartedly, if they can't find a way out, a fight to the death with them would be frightening! The most important thing is that I am not a follower of the Trial's Eye, so there is no incentive for me to risk my life for this battle..."
Leylin shook his head and formed his own thoughts.
"And now is the chance!"
"A.I. Chip! Execute Plan 1!"
[Beep! Mission established! Initiating plan! Intelligent Body No. 1 is ready!] The A.I. Chip replied faithfully.
"Very good, undo the bloodline seal!"
With Leylin's will, his body's formerly dormant bloodline power became berserk, although the Thousand Snake Curse had absorbed a lot of bloodline power, the strength of a rank 5 Warlock could still awaken in Leylin.
"This feeling is the strength of a Warlock! Shadow puppet! " Leylin almost wanted to roar loudly, but managed to hold back. This was urgent after all, and a spell formation was transferred out immediately.
A shadow puppet that looked exactly like Leylin began to take shape, and with the help of A.I. Chip, it simulated Leylin so perfectly to life, to the point where even acquaintances could not differentiate between the two, let alone these strangers.
The enormous shadow of a serpent emerged like a black arrow shooting out from under the surface of the sea where Leylin was standing, and quickly disappeared into the deep sea. Due to the secretive nature of the giant snake, with the help of the power of the shadow, those fixated on the battlefield failed to notice anything.
"The Evil King's True Eye! Death Ray!"
At this time, the battlefield had reached its climax. Several Guardians tried to flee but were stopped, and the war continued. In the core of the battle, an enormous illusory shadow of a Beholder emerged.
The elder Beholder Beyclarke demonstrated the power of its innate skill, which was stronger than the power displayed by Geiger Dole. Not only did its phantom look real, the death ray that emerged from its pupils was also substantial, with a strong aura of death.
"My lord Flapwing, the Ruler of Chaos! Please watch over us and come to the aid of your loyal subjects, and resolve our current predicament..."
In the face of this death light, even the governor of Elias did not dare to be careless.
In the midst of the high-spirited chanting, the bird Dignitary behind the governor unleashed a enormous grey-coloured power, without even asking for the slightest sacrifice.
This was also the privilege of a rank 4 Sacrificer, they were able to receive power first, then sacrifice later.
The grey power was all over the governor's body, not only suppressing all his injuries but steadily flowing into the body of the Nighthawk under him.
"Oh oh!" Accompanied by loud and clear cries of the hawk, the giant Nighthawk seemed to be covered in an extra layer of gray feathers. Its body even enlarged considerably and began to change from its original form as a Nighthawk, transforming into the appearance of the bird dignitary.
After the transformation, the Nighthawk's aura became even more powerful, and its aura even suggested a breakthrough from rank 4. With a terrifying gale, it suddenly charged into the death ray.
A massive red ray of light exploded with a faint roar, and even those with the strength of Morning Star could not look directly at it. From the core of the explosion, a few pieces of grey feathers seemed to float down softly.
After the glare had dissipated, the Nighthawk flew back to the governor. It barely suffered any visible injuries, but the death ray from earlier had disappeared without a trace.
"Haa! Using both Sacrificer and beast spirit magic to this level, governor, you are pretty good!"
Bayclark seemed to be rather surprised and said, "Your eyes are now worthy of being in my collection!"
While emitting the soul undulations, the shadow of the Trial's Eye emerged from behind Bayclark, along with gold lightning flickering midair.
"Trial's Eye!" "Trial's Eye!" "Trial's Eye!"
The friction from the thunder and lightning caused a sizzling sound, along with the faint whistle of a gale. The sounds all came together to form a defeaning roar, as strong Trialforce descended through an unknown channel, Belinda and other priests were affected, seemingly reaping benefits from that.
"Haaa! The gap between ranks renders all efforts futile. I am still a rank 5 Sacrificer, and I can unleash a little Trialpower! Under the Lord's trial, everything will be burnt to ashes!"
Bayclark looked incredibly pious as he made the announcement, which seemed more like a declaration. With that, a golden light fell and swept away the gray power.
The gray power clashed with the golden light, and like snow melting away from the sun, it quickly began dissipating. The Elias' governor's face turned deathly pale as he watched this scene.
The reason why this had happened was not because the Filthbird was not as good as the Trial's Eye, but it was due to their Sacrificers being of different ranks, resulting in the different level of power being called upon.
The ranking of the Sacrificers were of the same as the Magi, with an insurmountable chasm between each rank.
If a rank 4 Sacrificer's communication channel was like a river, then the rank 5 Sacrificer's communication channel was like the ocean; the quality and quantity were unrivalled. Therefore, Elias' Governor's defeat was inevitable.
"Dignitary! My clan and my dream will all fail just like this?"
The great Trialpower, even when it was isolated to this area, made the transmission of the Filthbird's power much more difficult. It even severed his final escape route. The governor immediately looked all around him, and was utterly devastated at the sight of their soldiers and elder guards' defeat.
The time where he had come to the Hale Continent and established the colonial base was filled with hardships. The subsequent crises where he had faced life or death choices all came back to him, and the governor went into a trance-like state.
This sort of situation happening to this formidable person was almost unconsciable.
"Haaa! Have you lost all hope? Heathen, I'll completely restrict your ability, and then complete the final ritual. With your physical qualities, you might give me a pleasant surprise! Heee…"
Bayclark laughed sinisterly, and suddenly, three vertical eyes widened.
"That's wrong! In this instant, he hadn't slipped into his fantasies of his own accord, but this is...dreamforce! Retreat!"
A massive force of Trialpower flowed into Bayclark like a golden electrical current, forcing out traces of a dark red fog.
It was then that Bayclark discovered they had already been surrounded by a layer of dark red fog.
It was also because of the influence of dreamforce that made the governor of Elias see illusions.
"Belinda, Nick! What are you both doing?"
Under the influence of the dreamland, even Bayclark's men displayed a certain degree of a trance-like state, allowing some important targets to escape. Upon seeing this, Bayclark immediately burst out shouting.
"What's going on? Is there someone from the same clan here?"
'Nick' looked at this scene in shock, his eyes were filled with surprise. The shadow puppet and A.I. Chip's intelligence worked together, vividly projecting Leylin's gestures and actions.
"No! This ability to connect to dreamforce is not a mixed-blood's ability. This was the work of a pure-blooded Alabaster Devilsnake!"
Belinda also recovered from her trance, but the price was the opponent fleeing the battlefield, though now she couldn't pay any attention to that.
Although some of the mixed-blood Alabaster Devilsnake had the ability to connect to the Dreamscape, when it was so large-scale and it could even pulled Bayclark into its illusory trap, it could not be the work of a mixed-blood! Belinda was very sure of this.
Belinda shuddered at what this could mean.
"Even if they were a direct descendant of the Matriarch, is it possible for them to fight against the Filthbird? Perhaps they have fully matured, otherwise they absolutely couldn't have concealed themselves from Lord Bayclark…"
Thinking of this, Belinda quietly moved to Nick's side.
"Something is wrong! Take care of yourself and pay attention to my command!" Belinda whispered to Nick secretly.
"Do not worry! I know we don't have to force ourselves. If we face a pure-blooded noble, the bloodline suppression would be enough to make us lose most of our strength..."
The A.I. Chip's imitation of 'Nick' was filled with a look of worry.
"Who is that? Come out!"
Golden lightning swept across and the increasingly concentrated red fog tangled together continuously.
It was very obvious that after the initial rage and shock, Bayclark also realised that the huge amount of power used to summon dreamforce could not have been the work of Belinda and Nick, both rank 4 mixed-blood.
To its knowledge, this could only be done by a mature Alabaster Devilsnake or a Pale Devil clan member. Also, the Pale Devils had always been loyal to the direct descendants of the Snake Dowager. The meaning behind these actions aroused the suspicion of Belinda and Bayclark.
With loud rumbling sounds, the crimson dreamforce began to stick together, forming a few red silhouette which surrounded Bayclark and the rest.
"Let's go!" A giant force pulled the governor and several other survivors into the red fog.
-x-X-x-
Watching the Governor of Elias and the other survivors scurrying to flee the waters, Leylin revealed a trace of an evil smile.
There was no doubt that Leylin was responsible for secretly constructing the massive field of dreamforce.
Originally, due to the restrictions of dreamforce, although Leylin was familiar with most of the Dreamscape spell formations below rank 5, he was ineffective in bringing out its full power.
However, with the appearance of Belinda, and the rank 5 Alabaster Devilsnake's bloodline on the Mask of the Dreamless, Leylin met the necessary requirements to do this.
The Alabaster Devilsnake had the ability to connect to the Dreamscape, and through the analysis of Belinda's energy pathways, Leylin was able to quickly familiarise himself with the details of doing this. Belinda was completely not wary of 'Nick' since he was one of them, it was relatively easy to gather intelligence or scan her system.
Taking the next few steps would now be simpler. Leylin, who had secretly escaped from the battle, had decided to draw on the Alabaster Devilsnake's bloodline and summon a huge wave of dreamforce, saving Elias' governor and the others in a single move.
After all, compared to the Snake Dowager and Trial's Eye, the Nefarious Filthbird was still an ally and Leylin had to be more considerate when it came to the Filthbird's power.
In addition, there was still a need for him to keep in contact with the Nefarious Filthbird, hence he could not risk performing poorly now.
To conceal his identity, the dreamforce was clearly the best choice and the blame could even be placed on the Alabaster Devilsnake's clan, which killed two birds with one stone.
"Benevolence has been shown, and next, time for the greetings!"
Leylin stared coldly at the centre of the huge dark red fog.
Within it came a huge golden flash of lightning, which seemed to pierce the sky like a sword, carving out a terrifying channel.
"Who exactly are you? Why do you want to rescue the governor and the others?" Golden thunder filled with overwhelming Trialpower surrounded Bayclark completely.
The crimson wall of fog exploded in an instant, revealing an indistinct figure.
What appeared in front of them was a giant over five meters tall, whose body was enveloped in the crimson fog.
The overwhelming dreamforce formed into a malevolent-looking armour on the giant. There were dark red spirals on the surface of the armour which once again gathered shattered pieces of dreamforce.
"I'm obviously here to take your life!"
An oppressive voice came from the fog giant.
Bayclark's face darkened upon hearing the rude answer, "I will kill this shady fellow!"
Although the fog giant possessed a powerful aura, it had failed to break through to the realm of rank 5. Bayclark was relieved at this discovery. Shortly after, Bayclark got more frustrated at this thing- it was unforgivable to disturb the great Bayclark when he was enjoying his games! Also, its behaviour was so secretive, which unexpectedly corresponded with what Bayclark had in mind.
He had always considered Leylin as a powerful member of the Alabaster Devilsnake's clan, and his presence in the coastal area of Hail Continent as well as his rescue of the Nefarious Filthbird's disciples put Bayclark in a tough position.
It was much simpler now that this fog giant did not reveal its identity, Bayclark could treat this thing as hostile and exterminate it!
Thereafter, Bayclark instantly used his greatest attack.
"True Eye of the Evil Monarch, Death ray!" A more terrifying death ray than before shot out from its eyes. The golden ray of lightning filled with overwhelming Trialpower faintly enhanced the death ray.
From afar, the death ray resembled a powerful rifle with a handle decorated with gold lines, with a sense of determined and courageous advancement, and it fired directly towards Leylin.
"A blitzkrieg strategy? [1 A strategy to resolve everything in the shortest period of time] Great!" Leylin looked at Bayclark's performance, nodding in agreement as if this was also his plan. After all, Bayclark was a rank 5 Sacrificer. Leylin feared that this opponent would have a hidden ace up its sleeves. And it would be an even more incredible feat if Bayclark managed to summon a clone of the Trial's Eye.
They had only used a portion of the dignitary's power in the previous battles. If Bayclark had called out a clone with the main body's intelligence, Leylin did not have the confidence to keep up his pretense.
"Its power is rather good, it's comparable to a rank 5's killing move!"
Watching the approaching death ray, Leylin evaluated the situation calmly, but the strange thing was that although there was only a small distance between him and the death ray, it never seemed to hit its target. This feeling of confusion sickened Bayclark to the point where it wanted to throw up blood.
Although Leylin had sealed his bloodline and had the Allsnake Curse absorbing his bloodline energy, he had now been restored to full strength. He possessed the power to usurp the Blazing Monarch! For Leylin, the fact was that Bayclark was just an ordinary rank 5 and therefore insufficiently strong.
"To capture Bayclark, I must hide my true identity. The only thing I can use is the Alabaster Devilsnake's bloodline and dreamforce!"
Leylin glanced at Bayclark as though he was looking at an ant and said, "You have the privilege of having a taste of the power of a former peak-ranked Radiant Moon Magus..."
For a moment, Bayclark was rather puzzled, but his attention immediately turned to Leylin's hand that emitted brightly coloured rays of light. It was fascinated by the countless streaks and fast-moving spell formations.
[Bleep! Alabaster Devilsnake bloodline depleting, drawing energy from the Dreamscape!]
With the A.I.Chip's reminder, the golden red lines on the Mask of the Dreamless faded a little, and immediately Leylin's true soul connected to an incredible world.
A violent wave of dreamforce surged and converged on Leylin, the power that formed was enough to shake the heavens.
"Rank 5 Dreamscape Spell Formation——Splendid Lunar Illusion!" Leylin's currently strongest Dreamscape spell formation which could trap even Breaking Dawn Magi burst out violently.
Dreamlike undulations spread out suddenly, and Belinda and others were the first to space out, glassy-eyed. Bayclark bore the brunt of the attack and lost vision in its three giant vertical eyes, and even the energy shield on its body dissipated.
Splendid Lunar Illusion——utilised by Leylin, the A.I. Chip's projected Dreamscape spell formation was able to penetrate through all defenses, directly transporting the opponent's true soul into the Dreamscape with a 90% attack accuracy against a Radiant Moon Magus!
Bayclark was clearly not a strong rank 5, and after getting hit by the Splendid Lunar Illusion, had completely lost all its will to fight.
"Let's go!" Leylin's silhouette instantly appeared in front of the despondent Bayclark, and many seal charms entered into its body, the most important point being it's now sealed three giant vertical eyes.
When the seal was complete, the place where Bayclark was standing initially was left with only a huge iron chain sphere.
[Beep! Hidden Triple Seal complete! True seal has been completely sealed! Dreamscape seal has completely penetrated! The target's energy undulations: 0]
A.I. Chip returned the the updated information from the scan.
Leylin held onto one end of the iron chain, his whole body instantly changing into a long crimson streak, as he was dragged by the iron ball to leave this place at lightning speed.
...
Belinda and the other Morning Stars only recovered after the red streak disappeared from the horizon.
"This is too scary...Is this the power of a pure-blood? I have a premonition that if I were to face that power, my true soul would probably be forever stuck in the Dreamscape, never to return to my body..."
Belinda's eyes blurred and she was shocked by a loud scream.
"Lord Bayclark!! Lord Bayclark!! Lord Bayclark was captured by the attacker!!!"
Another Morning Star shrieked with sorrow, reminding Belinda of their current predicament.
Although the operation had been very smooth in the beginning, their main target - the governor - had escaped, and even their commander had been taken away. This was the utmost insult to their dignitary, the Trial's Eye!
It was highly likely that everyone involved would be punished, being frozen was considered the most lenient punishment.
Belinda felt bitter and bewildered about her future.
"Don't worry, Belinda, no matter what happens, I'll always help you!"
At this time, a familiar figure came over. 'Nick' gave a smile that warmed Belinda's heart.
With Nick's support and encouragement, Belinda regained her strength.
"Everyone!" She stepped forward with great strength, looking over her panicking comrades.
"Things have happened, whatever we do now will be useless. The most important thing we have do is to report this back to the headquarters and inform them of this incident. A loss of a rank 5 Sacrificer is enough to alert the Master of Order… Now, we can only wait... "
The role of a leader was important in times of crisis.
Those Morning Star warriors left the ocean surface with the sea creatures and soldiers as if they were awakening from a dream. They did not seem too concerned about the ruined Port Elias.
From Nick's point of view, they just wanted to find a scapegoat. Belinda being here was just what they needed, being able to pin all responsibilities and blames on her. Afterall, by the time the headquarters sent someone to here, Belinda would draw most suspicion. Her Alabaster Devilsnake bloodline would make her an easy target .
"It seems that even with the dignitary's influence, corruption was unavoidable..."
The intellectual body of Nick looked coldly at this scene.