Chapter 738 - 511: New Intelligence on the Jade Swamp and the Three Sages of the Mage City

Chapter 738: Chapter 511: New Intelligence on the Jade Swamp and the Three Sages of the Mage City

Upon the Rainbow Bridge, iridescent light flowed beneath their feet like a silent river.

No one spoke.

Even their breathing sounded heavy.

Before long, the group returned to Black Stone Territory, materializing in the main hall of the Alchemy Workshop.

Just then, the Space Array in the center of the workshop—used for long-distance communication and Teleportation—lit up at almost the exact moment the group returned.

A brilliant, silver-blue radiance flared, and complex Magic Runes swirled rapidly across the floor, outlining a Magic Array.

Within the light, a slender figure slowly materialized.

It was Master Fran.

"Frank? You’re back?"

Mage Delin asked.

Master Fran’s gaze swept across everyone present.

He sighed. Instead of asking for details, he got straight to the point.

"I reported our findings to the Mage City and received a reply from the three Great Sages."

"They..."

Master Fran paused, as if gathering his thoughts.

"They’ve received the message."

"And... they are on their way back from Beyond the Heavens."

On their way back from Beyond the Heavens!

The three Great Sages, who had all but withdrawn from worldly affairs, had been roused to action and were personally rushing back from the endless void!

This alone proved the situation was far more serious than any of them had imagined!

"Did the Great Sages... say anything?"

Mage Morpheus asked in a grave voice.

Master Fran nodded.

"The Great Sages sent back just one word."

"’Wait.’"

Wait.

"I understand."

Mage Delin nodded slowly.

"We will wait here for the Great Sages to return."

Master Fran nodded.

The Legendary Mages exchanged a look, each seeing the grim understanding in the others’ eyes.

"It seems we’ll have to stay here until the Sages return."

Master Wendel pinched the bridge of his nose.

No one objected.

Returning to the Mage City now would only sow unnecessary panic.

Besides, the vast collection of books brought back from the world of the Heart of Arcane required time to be properly studied.

Raylo bowed slightly to the Legendary Mages.

"Masters, if you’ll excuse me."

"Go on."

Mage Delin waved his hand, looking somewhat disheartened.

Raylo said nothing more, turning and walking out of the Magic Workshop.

He also needed some time alone to think.

...

「Back in his study.」

Raylo pushed open a window. A cold night wind instantly gusted in, stirring the dark hair on his forehead.

He stood at the window, his gaze traveling over the brightly lit castle toward the distant Black Stone Mountain Range, which crouched in the night like a slumbering Giant Beast.

Child of Light.

Light Deity.

World Destruction Level Power.

The Great Sages returning from Beyond the Heavens.

’These words swirled in his mind, each one representing a level of reality he was utterly incapable of touching, let alone challenging.’

’It was the kind of gap between dimensions that made him feel utterly powerless.’

’It was like a colony of ants. No matter how strong they were, how diligently they carried food and built their nests...’

’...they could do nothing to stop a mischievous child who, on a whim, decided to destroy them and their Kingdom with a pot of boiling water.’

’The child wouldn’t even care about what he’d just destroyed.’

’Perhaps, to him, it was all just... a game.’

’And in the eyes of this so-called Light Deity, what was he, right now, if not one of those fragile ants?’

Raylo stood there for a long time, letting the cold wind whip against his face.

He understood with perfect clarity. A conflict on this level was far beyond the capabilities of a minor Lord like himself.

This was a war for the Legendary Mages, the three Great Sages, perhaps even for all the most powerful beings in the world.

He wasn’t even qualified to be cannon fodder.

Once he understood this, the panic and helplessness that stemmed from the unknown paradoxically began to subside in his heart.

He slowly let out a long breath.

’Since I can’t change any of that...’

’...then...’

’I’ll just focus on what’s in front of me.’

’And I’ll forge my territory into a Solid Fortress that can stand firm no matter what storm comes its way!’

’That was the most important thing he should—and could—do right now.’

...

「The next few days.」

Raylo threw himself completely into the affairs of his territory and the Duchy.

It was as if he was trying to use the sheer busyness of it all to temporarily banish the shadow of world destruction from his mind.

Mountains of official documents required his personal approval.

The implementation of various administrative affairs needed his follow-up and supervision.

The expansion and training of the army, the upgrading of Weapons and equipment...

Every single matter was a complex web of details.

Amid these complex but concrete matters, his mind rediscovered that familiar feeling of having everything under control.

「One morning.」

Two items in the system’s intelligence reports caught his attention.

[8. Thirty kilometers north of the Jade Swamp, Demons have discovered the hidden surface entrance to a large Caveman tribe with a population of over twenty thousand. A Snake-man Legion has invaded the tribe. The bodies of all the Cavemen were carried back into the depths of the Jade Swamp by the Legion.]

[9. In the depths of the Jade Swamp, supplied with sufficient "blood food," two of the Nine-headed Demon Serpent’s Demon Heads, "Disaster Poison" and "Earth-shattering," are absorbing Power through an ancient blood sacrifice ritual. In an estimated seven days, these two Demon Heads will successfully coalesce into Catastrophe Level avatars!]

Raylo slowly rose and walked to the window.

’Jade Swamp.’

’Nine-headed Demon Serpent.’

’The die is cast.’

The blood sacrifice was taking place in the depths of the Jade Swamp, where the true body of the Nine-headed Demon Serpent Hydra slumbered. Without absolute certainty of success, Raylo had no intention of personally venturing into that hornet’s nest.