Chapter 423 - 407: Mortal Hero: Roland’s Epic

Chapter 423: Chapter 407: Mortal Hero: Roland’s Epic

The sharp whistle of arrows splitting the air and the clang of clashing blades rang out incessantly.

Avril leaned against the rough bark of a tree, gasping for breath. Her once-bright, determined eyes were now clouded with a weariness she couldn’t shake.

The squad of Surface Elves she led was steadily being pushed back by the ferocious attacks and strange Magic of the Zor Elves, their defensive line on the verge of collapse.

A ghastly green bolt of acid whizzed past her shoulder guard, its corrosive stench making the hair on her arms stand on end.

Relying on her hard-won combat instincts, she threw herself into a sideways roll. At the same time, her Longbow almost reflexively returned fire, forcing back the Zor Elf Mage who had been trying to close in.

But the movement sent a wave of profound weakness and emptiness through her body, nearly causing her to stumble.

"If it weren’t for..."

Recalling everything that had happened, the Elf Maiden gritted her teeth, a fierce sense of indignation surging within her.

’Otherwise, how could an encirclement of this level possibly push me into such a corner!’

As these thoughts raced through her mind, she glanced back at the simple wooden cabin half-hidden by vines behind her and took a deep breath.

’Captain Meira, I will... I will get you out of here...’

As if drawing strength from this conviction, she straightened her back once more, suppressed her exhaustion, and her gaze sharpened. Nocking an Arrow to her bow, she continued to command her remaining subordinates in their near-hopeless resistance.

"Concentrate your fire! Suppress the Casters on the left!"

However, the Zor Elves had clearly identified her as the heart and soul of the squad.

The next moment, more attacks...

Poison-tipped Crossbow Arrows, twisting Shadow tentacles, and searing Dark Energy surged toward her all at once, like sharks that had smelled blood.

Avril gave it her all, her form like a butterfly struggling in a storm.

She narrowly dodged two entangling shadows and parried a Crossbow Arrow.

But just as her momentum was spent and before she could recover, a swift and sinister beam of Darkness shot toward her heart like a viper.

It was so fast, its angle so cunning, that she had no chance to dodge.

’Is this the end...’

The shadow of death fell over her. A flicker of despair crossed Avril’s eyes, and she listlessly closed them.

’Roland... I’m sorry...’

But in the next instant, the searing pain she expected never came. Instead, there was a dull yet powerful THUD.

Immediately after, a steady, low shout boomed over the chaotic battlefield like a clap of thunder.

"Stop this at once!"

’That voice...’

Avril’s eyes flew open in disbelief.

Before her was a familiar back, belonging to a figure who had appeared from nowhere to stand guard.

He was like a mountain that had suddenly descended, shielding her from the fatal attack and all other dangers.

Just the sight of his back caused the anguish and fear of the past several days, mixed with the sheer thrill of this last-second rescue, to surge through her.

The tip of her nose tingled, her eyes uncontrollably welled up and grew hot, and her voice trembled as she spoke.

"Roland!"

Hearing the trembling call from behind him, Roland didn’t turn around. He simply gestured back with his sword hand, a brief and clear motion.

It was a gesture of reassurance, one that said, "Leave this to me."

Then he focused all his attention on the squad of Zor Elves before him.

His astonishing speed and the ease with which he had blocked a fatal blow had put the Dark Elves on high alert.

They gripped their weapons, their crimson eyes filled with vigilance and uncertainty. The two sides were locked in a brief stalemate.

Just as Roland was about to speak and explain the situation, a slight commotion suddenly stirred within the ranks of the Zor Elves.

Following that, a female Zor stepped out from the group. Her crimson eyes landed on Roland, filled with a hint of surprise and recognition.

"Mr. Roland?"

Recognizing the newcomer’s familiar face, Roland felt a surge of relief, and the tense atmosphere eased.

"Miss Viconia?"

The appearance of an acquaintance instantly broke the tense, drawn-weapon standoff.

Roland concisely explained the situation to Viconia.

And since Elder Duadeng had already issued clear instructions, Viconia didn’t doubt Roland’s words in the slightest.

So, the next moment, she gave a crisp nod and waved for her subordinates to sheathe their weapons.

"Since it is your request, we will naturally comply."

Viconia bowed slightly, then pointed to another female Zor Elf beside her.

"I will leave her here to await your orders."

With that, Viconia said no more. She led her Zor Elf Warriors in a swift turn and departed for the next battlefield, moving like water flowing into the shadows.

Seeing the deadly threat depart, the battered Surface Elves who had been holding their ground in front of the house finally breathed a sigh of relief. Their taut nerves relaxed, and they nearly collapsed to the ground.

Only then did Roland turn to face Avril.

Just as he was about to ask her a question, his eyes suddenly narrowed. He had keenly sensed something was wrong.

Avril was now completely enveloped in an overly large, dark-colored cloak.

The large hood hid most of her face, and even her hands were wrapped in thick black cloth, leaving only her weary yet still-defiant eyes visible.

This attire was a stark contrast to her usual sharp and valiant image.

However, that wasn’t the only thing that alarmed Roland.

In his field of Perception, Avril’s aura presented an extremely contradictory state.

The outer layer still radiated the vast and majestic afterglow of Energy befitting a powerful Transcendent, as if her Power remained intact.

But her inner core was exceptionally feeble and hollow, like a bubble that had been blown up—gleaming on the outside but empty within, so fragile it seemed a light touch would cause it to burst.

What was worse, this already superficial aura was continuing to decline and fade at a visible rate.

By Roland’s estimation, if this trend continued, it wouldn’t be long before the last embers of Avril’s Extraordinary power were completely extinguished.

She would become a completely ordinary person, utterly powerless.

Noticing Roland’s scrutinizing gaze, Avril subconsciously pulled her large cloak tighter around herself.

She shrank within it, looking like a tightly wrapped bundle.

Seeing her attempt to conceal herself, Roland no longer hesitated and spoke in a low voice.

"Avril, tell me, what happened?"

His voice was filled with a concern that couldn’t be denied.

Avril looked up. From under the shadow of her hood, her weary eyes flickered. She seemed to hesitate for a moment before her expression turned to one of open bitterness.

She shook her head gently, her voice emerging through the cloth with a gravelly texture.

"It was Tula..."

It was only then that Roland pinpointed the source of that "unfamiliar feeling" he’d sensed earlier.

Avril’s voice, once as clear as a silver bell, had now become somewhat murky and low, even carrying a hint of something that didn’t match her age...

A world-weariness.

His brow furrowed. He was about to ask about the change in her voice, but Avril’s next words sent a jolt through him, temporarily suppressing all his questions.

"Stealing Divine Favor?"

Roland’s voice was filled with disbelief.

This method of directly stripping away a Deity’s Divine Favor was something unheard of, even in the ancient texts he had read.

"That’s right."

Avril nodded gently.

She then recounted the entire process: how she was imprisoned by Tula, threatened with her mentor’s life, and ultimately forced to "offer up" the portion of Divine Favor Power within her that belonged to the Spider Queen Rose.

’How... absurd...’

Roland took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his mind, and asked in a low voice.

"So, this Tula... what is his purpose for stealing Divine Favor?"

"I’m sorry, Roland."

Avril’s voice was laced with exhaustion and helplessness.

"He never revealed his true intentions to me..."

The two exchanged a few more brief words. After confirming that Avril couldn’t provide any more information about Tula, Roland asked about her plans.

Avril glanced back at the simple, vine-covered wooden cabin, her voice low.

"My mentor, Meira... she was imprisoned for too long. Her body is extremely weak. I have to get her out of the Eternal Song Forest first and find a safe place."

Roland nodded gently and then spoke.

"I need to go rescue Galvis. After I find him, I’ll meet up with you as soon as possible."

With the plan settled, Roland turned to the female Zor Elf Viconia had left behind. He explained the situation and requested that she escort Avril and her group safely out of the combat zone.

The Zor Elf agreed to Roland’s request without hesitation.

Soon, Avril and her subordinates, supporting the weak, elderly mentor Meira, quietly departed with the Zor Elf guide.

Roland silently escorted them for a distance. Only after seeing that they were not attacked under the Zor Elf’s guidance did he feel relieved and prepare to turn back.

Avril noticed his movement and couldn’t help but call out a warning.

"Roland, you must be careful. I don’t know Tula’s true intentions, but his Power... is unfathomable."

Roland gave her a knowing look and nodded solemnly.

Without another word, the two parted ways in the dim forest.

As his figure once again blended into the surrounding shadows, speeding through the woods guided by the faint pull of the [Destiny Red String], the information Avril had just revealed couldn’t help but surface in his mind again.

’Stealing Divine Favor... This Tula, what is he really trying to do?’

’Could it be... he’s trying to use a mortal body to peer upon the Divine Throne and forge a Divine Format?’

The thought sent a chill down Roland’s spine.

What made him even more wary was, if Tula possessed such terrifying Power and ambition, why hadn’t he shown himself, even now when the territory was almost completely overrun?

His gaze swept over the distant Surface Elf buildings, which were falling back under the Zor Elf assault, with signal fires burning everywhere. Roland shook his head slightly, forcibly suppressing the doubts swirling in his mind.

’Now is not the time to dwell on it. The priority is to find Galvis.’

With this in mind, he focused his thoughts and pushed his speed to the limit, pursuing the source of the [Destiny Red String]’s connection.

...

...

In a dark, secret chamber, Galvis was breathing heavily.

His once-vibrant, youthful face was now covered in deep-set wrinkles, like a parched landscape.

His once-lustrous long hair had become like withered reeds—dry and gray.

He was curled up on the floor, facing the dim light of the chamber, his violently trembling hand gripping a quill as he painstakingly scratched it across a page.

The tip of the pen traced a crooked, faint path; the handwriting was far from its usual fluid elegance.

Finally, he wrote the last symbol, then very slowly turned the notebook back to the title page.

Looking at the blank title page, Galvis mumbled to himself, his voice so hoarse it was almost unintelligible.

"What should I... call it... *Heroic King Roland*? No... too plain..."

"*Legend of Roland*? ...Not quite... not fitting enough... He... he isn’t some distant, untouchable legend..."

As his thoughts drifted, the Minstrel’s gaze fell on the crossed-out marks, and his mind seemed to float back to that brief but profound time he had spent traveling with Roland.

The perilous journeys, the figure who always responded with calm composure, that spark which never went out even in the direst of straits...

The light of "humanity."

Suddenly, a faint glimmer of understanding flashed in his cloudy eyes.

"That’s it... His... his strength... comes from his will..."

At this thought, Galvis summoned the last of his energy, gripped the pen, and—above the chaotic, crossed-out lines—wrote a title, extremely slowly, yet with immense determination.

*Mortal Hero: Roland’s Epic*.

After finishing, it was as if he had fulfilled his final wish. A look of calm, almost of release, appeared on his face.

Taking a deep breath, Galvis tremblingly flipped the notebook to the end. Beneath the words he had just written, which chronicled the final adventure, he signed his name.

Galvis.

The pen slipped from his withered fingers, making a soft sound as it hit the floor.

Then, there was only the sound of breathing, growing ever fainter.