Chapter 253: Startling News
"During the Burning Hells Invasion, the Priests were indeed wiped out by them, and most of their information was burned. But think about it, thousands of years have passed. No matter how difficult it is, they should have been able to find a way to Class Change into a Priest again, right?"
"You mean the Rogue Encampment has been secretly training Priests??" My voice dropped several octaves.
"Don't worry, no one can hear."
Akara smiled nonchalantly. It was then that I realized a soundproofing magic had been cast around us at some point. My heart couldn't help but tremble slightly. It seemed Akara wasn't as lacking in combat power as the rumors suggested. At the very least, this kind of undetectable magic technique was probably no less impressive than Fara's.
"You're right. The Rogue Encampment has indeed been secretly training many Priests. Not just Priests, but also Monks, Hard Training practitioners, and many other Classes that were thought to be 'extinct'. We've actually found ways for them to Class Change long ago. This is the strength we Rogues have been hiding. You are now an Elder, and you have earned our trust through many trials, so I think it's time you knew some things."
"Understood, I'll keep it a secret." I quickly shut my mouth tightly, afraid that Akara's next sentence would be: 'Never mind, I'm suddenly worried again. It's better to just kill him to silence him.' Then, several masters would leap out from the shadows and chop me into meat paste.
"Do Kashya and the others know?"
"Of course."
"But it was Kashya who proactively told me the intelligence about Priests! Even if she wanted to hide it, she could have just not said anything. There was no need to lie and deliberately mislead me, right?" My expression was full of frustration. What kind of game were they playing?
"Heh heh, I doubt she intended to deceive you." Akara's tone carried a distinct sense of powerlessness, like a teacher whose student was hopeless.
"You should know, too, that whenever there's a meeting... as long as the matter doesn't concern her... *cough cough*. So, she probably wasn't very clear about this matter herself. She was likely just reciting what she heard."
Remembering Kashya drooling while slumped on the table, I nodded heavily, completely understanding Akara's current feelings.
"By the way, there's one more thing I need to tell you." Akara suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at me. Her expression was solemn.
"Do you know why the Priests were wiped out so quickly?"
"It's because their combat power was too low, right? *Cough*, Kashya said so." I added the last part at the end.
"That's just one insignificant reason. The real reason is that Priests posed too great a threat to the High Burning Hells Tribe—such as the Four Lesser Evils and Prime Evils—which is why they were completely wiped out. Wu, what do you think?" Before I could recover from my astonishment, Akara started playing an IQ quiz game.
Looking at Akara's mysterious smile, I couldn't help but recall everything I knew about Priests—what was so special about them? Right, their resistance to Demons and undead was particularly strong. But that wasn't related to 'threat', was it? At most, they were just super tanks. Then there was... Right!!
"Could it be... the Fourth Tier Attack Skill—Banish?" I said my answer with some hesitation. Thinking it over and over, I could only come up with this skill that seemed impressive but was merely like scratching an itch through a shoe against powerful enemies.
"That's right, Darling Wu. Your judgment is truly astonishing. It's Banish. A single Priest casting Banish might indeed struggle to succeed even against a normal monster, but this skill has a special characteristic: it can stack. Imagine, if a thousand peak level priests cast Banish together, even the Prime Evils might have a certain chance of success." Akara said excitedly, as if she truly already possessed a thousand peak level priests.
"Oh my, that would truly be..." Imagining the scene of a thousand Priests casting Banish together, I couldn't help but let my imagination run wild.
"That's why Baal and the others were so eager to eliminate the Priests. And now, we have no choice but to hide this strength of the Priests to avoid being discovered by them."
"Then haven't I been exposed?" My mind raced, and I suddenly turned pale with astonishment. Did my momentary impulse ruin everything?
"It's alright. If it's just you alone, it probably won't attract their attention. But just in case, I'm reminding you now: if they truly can't tolerate even a single grain of sand, you'll have to be a little more careful from now on." Akara waved her hand, wearing an expression that seemed to say 'you can rest assured', but her smile looked somewhat cunning no matter how I looked at it.
"How should I be careful?" I swallowed a mouthful of drool and looked at Akara with anticipation.
"Well, they might try every possible scheme to get rid of you. But you don't need to worry too much. Because the Prime Evils' own strength is too great, they can't transmigrate through the World Barrier without the strength of the Worldstone. However, if they're willing to sacrifice some vitality/energy, they can still teleport back the weakest monsters. Just be careful about that." Akara's old woman face seemed to bloom like a flower.
"May I ask, what exactly does 'weakest' monster refer to?" I looked at her expressionlessly.
"Just the normal monsters from the Third World." Akara smiled so brightly it was as if she had become twenty years younger. Does my misfortune really make you that happy?
"And you call that weak? Even a normal Fallen One in the Third World is level sixty!" I almost fainted on the ground: "Protest! I demand a bodyguard!!"
"Protest invalid, application rejected." Akara laughed and waved her big hand, giving me two consecutive big stamps of disapproval.
"Wu, you're good in every way, just a bit lazy. This is a good chance to urge you on. Don't think we don't know; with the strength of just normal monsters from the Third World, even if you can't win, escaping is absolutely no problem."
"..."
Fine, you're ruthless. Don't blame me for luring the monsters back to the Rogue Encampment then. I'll see if Kashya and the others make a move. I followed behind the continuing Akara with a sense of powerlessness, walking for a while longer.
"Hey, where exactly are we going?"
"Look, we're here." Akara said, pointing at the doorway in front of us.
Following her direction, I saw three large characters, ancient and simple like magic runes, spelling out "Edward" under the crimson sunset.
Huh—? Edward??
Isn't that Linya's Old Home? The most famous Mage Family on the entire Dark Continent. But according to the Old Drunkard, its previous incarnation was the largest Priest Family. Could Akara bringing me here be related to that?
Following closely behind Akara, the two of us swaggered in. The Edward Family truly lived up to its name as a large Family. From the outside, the tall fence made of sturdy ironwood extended far out on both sides, making the inside seem no smaller than the Mage Guild at all. There were also several straight soldiers guarding the doorway, presenting the air of a city within a city inside the Rogue Encampment.
However, the inside was far less luxurious than I had imagined. Looking around, it was like arriving at a Small Village. Most buildings on both sides were stone bungalows, some were even wooden houses, or simply Tents. Thinking about it, under the living conditions of the Rogue Encampment, even if the Edward Family was as rich as a Country, they probably wouldn't dare to be overly extravagant. Moreover, the Edward Family might not necessarily be very wealthy. Don't forget what Fara said: Sorceresses doing experiments are essentially burning gems. And the Edward Family is almost entirely composed of Sorceresses. Calculating it this way, being able to support this scale is probably their limit.
This Place truly deserves the Title of 'Home of Sorceresses'. Along the way, besides family members like the old, young, women, and children, the most common sight was Sorceresses or Adventurers wearing Sorceress Robes. There were even many Classed Adventurers among them, including quite a few acquaintances. Most of them were people I had met during my adventures, I just didn't know they were members of the Edward Family.
Akara's prestige in the Rogue Encampment was very high, so even the prideful Sorceresses here would respectfully bow to her upon seeing her. As for me, it was much more casual. Those I had interacted with or even fought side-by-side with during my adventures would come up and chat, putting their arms around my shoulders. Unfamiliar faces would also stop their steps and look over curiously. Before long, I was surrounded by a crowd. It seemed my reputation in the Rogue Encampment wasn't small either.
After the crowd dispersed, we finally arrived at our Destination. Before us was a large courtyard house with white walls and red tiles. Guarding the doorway were actually two Sorceresses. Were Sorceresses worthless these days? I shook my head and gave a bitter smile. Of course not. It only showed that this Place or the people here were extremely important.
After Akara, who was ahead, chatted with the Sorceresses for a few moments, she led me inside. Beyond the door was a quiet and secluded large Front Yard, filled with flower forests, gardens, rockeries, and flowing water, everywhere revealing an elegant Eastern style. It could be considered top-notch in the entire Rogue Encampment.
The crushed stone paths laid between the Courtyards connected to the various Rooms inside. Akara seemed very familiar with this Place. She led me through the Courtyard with practiced ease, looking around as if searching for someone.
Just as I couldn't help but speak up to ask, someone suddenly walked out of the Room next door. With both hands seemingly carrying something, she rushed out of the doorway less than half a meter away from me, looking clumsy and reckless with her head down...
"Whoa—"
The other party let out a sweet, naive cry of pain and plopped down onto the ground on her behind. The thing she was holding also fell, hitting the ground with a clanging metal impact sound.
"Are you alright?"
As the other victim of the accident, I was completely fine. Unless the other party was a Barbarian, there was no way I would be the one sent flying. It was just the softness I felt against my chest, the clear voice I heard, and the faint lingering fragrance that lingered at the tip of my nose that made me realize the other party was a Young Girl.
Her behind hit the ground, and it seemed to hurt a bit. She sat on the ground with her legs spread. If she had been wearing a short skirt, everything would probably have been exposed. Mhm mhm, what a pity...
Maintaining a sitting posture that made men's minds wander, the Young Girl lowered her head and kept rubbing her sexy, perky behind. Her dark green long hair fell down, covering half of her round face. After hearing my voice, the Young Girl's body suddenly stiffened. Ignoring the rubbing of her behind, she abruptly raised her head, and the long hair hanging over her face scattered to the sides...
"Eeek—" Both of them cried out in unison.
"Linya, what are you doing here—" My eyes widened.
That's right, this Young Girl with an unbelievably sweet face was the first beauty I met after arriving in Sanctuary, and one of the three beauties of the Rogue Encampment, whose temperament/aura and appearance were in no way inferior to Sarah and Sister Sharna—the beautiful Sorceress, Linya Edward Springfield.
"Eeek—? Mr. Wu... Fan, I should be asking you, why are you here?" Linya was clearly more astonished than I was. Her pure face was full of astonishment, confusion, panic, and a hint of inexplicable resentment.
"Well—" It was then that I remembered this was Linya's home, so it wasn't surprising to run into her.
Before I could explain, Akara, who had turned around at the sound, came to my rescue.
"Linya, that's great! So you were here. The Sorceresses outside said you were back, so I came to see. I hope I didn't disturb you." Akara seemed very happy. I didn't expect the person she had been looking for was Linya.
"Huh—" This time, Linya was even more confused, but she didn't freeze up because of it. Seeing me naturally extend my hand, her pretty face flushed slightly. Her soft, boneless jade hand trembled and hesitated before resting in my palm, causing me to instinctively give it a light squeeze. After standing up, Linya quickly withdrew her hand and silently glanced at me.
"What are you saying? It is an honor for our Edward Family that Elder Akara would personally visit." She quickly came to her senses from her panic and confusion and bowed gracefully and naturally. As expected of a direct descendant of a large Family.
When she stood up, I noticed she was wearing an apron over a light blue casual outfit, a white apron. And her smooth hair was simply tied back with a hair clip. This added a hint of mature temptation to the pure sweetness she displayed. Looking at Linya, whom I hadn't seen in over a year, this Young Lass was truly becoming more and more mature. In over a year, her height hadn't changed at all. She was still a petite figure around 1.6 meters tall, but her figure was becoming increasingly alluring.
Linya's figure had always been good, it was just that she often wore loose Sorceress Robes, which didn't attract much attention. According to my assessment, when we first met, about three years ago, she already had measurements no less impressive than Little Ghost's. And now, she was even more curvaceous. The apron tied tightly around her body revealed her beautiful curves completely—slim where it should be, and full where it should be. The overly loose top was pulled very tight across her chest, looking as if it would burst at any moment, making one unable to resist the desire to hold her body in their arms and wantonly knead and possess her.
Sweet appearance, petite height, and a hot figure, tsk tsk. This Young Lass, after Sha'erna left, was probably the dream lover of all men in the entire Rogue Encampment. Although Sarah wasn't bad either, she was still too green. Unless someone had a special preference (like a certain person), she couldn't compare to Linya in all aspects.
"Mhm mhm~~"
Seemingly sensing my fervent gaze, Linya's round, delicate face became even redder. She habitually covered her chest and behind with both hands. These two overly developed areas had always bothered her, but at this moment, there seemed to be a hint of smugness...
"Cough cough—Speaking of which, what were you doing, Linya?" Seeing my lecherous gaze caught red-handed, I quickly averted my eyes and focused on the thing she had dropped on the ground.
As expected, yet making one didn't know whether to laugh or cry, the clanging metal semi-circular item was a small iron pot. Combined with the apron Linya was wearing and looking at the sun setting on the Mountainside, one could probably guess what she was doing even with their behind.
"Waaah—!!!"
When my gaze fell upon the iron pot on the ground, Linya cried out in astonishment like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She quickly bent down and hugged the iron pot to her chest, looking at me with her face red. Was there a need to be so dramatic? It wasn't like it was something shameful.
Linya, who was already at the limit of shyness, didn't even bother with a greeting and rushed back into the Room with astonishing speed. After a flurry of sounds, when she came out again, the iron pot in her arms was gone.
"Please excuse the sight, both of you. Come, please follow me this way."
Linya, having calmed down, walked ahead with a smile, but her pace became slower and slower. Akara seemed not to sense it, letting Linya fall behind while she herself took the lead, acting more like the host than the guest, clearing the way ahead.
"Little Lin Ya, I haven't seen you in over a year. How have you been?"
Seeing Linya gradually slow her pace and walk alongside me, how could I not know her meaning? It was just that Old Geezer Akara had incredibly sharp ears. Teasing Linya in front of her... Ah, no, that's wrong. It should be discussing topics about youth and sexiness with her. That didn't seem appropriate either, so I could only give a serious greeting and then listen to her experience over the past year or so.
"That guy Miss, just rushed forward recklessly by himself... And Fat Ai Si, actually got stuck by his own Guilang... Sister Mi Xi La always says I'm too short, I can't even see the enemies when standing at the back, boo hoo~~..."
"..."
As the tone, which was both like a complaint and like cuddle up, continuously came from Linya's mouth, I felt as if I had returned to over two years ago, to the figure of the timid and shyness Young Girl sitting alone in the Bar, with dark green long hair, eyes as clear as the blue sky, and a bone staff clutched tightly in her hand. My gaze towards Linya couldn't help but become infatuated.
"Mr. Fan..." Linya murmured softly, immersed in memories with a telepathic connection. Her face revealed a shyness and sweet smile. Her small hand slowly extended, touching the big hand beside it, sometimes close, sometimes distant. Each connection felt like an electric shock, making her heart pound. That increasingly fervent gaze made Linya feel like her body was constantly melting...
"Cough cough—It seems we've arrived."
An untimely cough sounded. The fingertip that was about to slip into my palm was suddenly withdrawn. Linya's pretty face was so red it looked like it was about to burn. She stepped forward in a panic. It was then that I came to my senses. Looking around, I realized that at some point, the three of us had arrived at the Hall. Akara was sitting properly on a chair, revealing a mysterious smile that said 'I'm blind, I can't see anything'. Oh please, stop pretending.
Sitting down next to Akara, Linya quickly poured a cup of tea and sat across from us. Her expression was still somewhat red with shyness, and her gaze avoided making contact with mine.
"The Tribe Leader and the others are all out. Please forgive any lack of hospitality, Elder Akara."
"No need to be so polite. Don't follow your father's ways, this Old woman isn't used to it." After a smile, Akara's expression gradually became serious.
(end of chapter)