Badge in Azure

“What else can happen? The people of Alchemy City have all agreed that the magic nuclei business must not be snatched away by anybody else. Oh yes, Saleen, sell me some magic nuclei at a cheaper price. I’m afraid I won’t be able to buy them in the future when Metatrin City is gone.”

Hogina was someone without any conscience, so she was able to say what she said. What she meant was that if Saleen did not agree to the request, Metatrin City was finished. As for her, she wanted to buy as many things as she could from Metatrin City before that.

Saleen and Lex looked at each other and laughed. Lex said, “So this is an order and not a negotiation. Hogina, when is Alchemy City expecting a reply?”

“Ah? I forgot!” Hogina said and quickly adjusted her magic chords to search for the directions that had been imprinted into her brain through magic.

“Aiya, they want the reply now!” Even Hogina was shocked by this piece of memory that she had retrieved. In her opinion, something major like this would often require a few rounds of discussion before there was a chance of success. She could sense that demanding a response immediately was not appropriate either and so, her expression was no longer relaxed.

“We are mages, so we can’t possibly pretend to agree first then go back on our words later. Besides, Alchemy City will surely want a bond to be signed for something major like this. If we go against the bond, Alchemy City will surely not hesitate to attack us with full force.” Lex spoke with certainty.

Saleen continued, “We will just have to reject it. We will become the slaves of Alchemy City very soon otherwise.”

“Saleen, you will not stand a chance against them. Alchemy City is too powerful and you are just…”

“I am just a grade-6 mage, a small King. In the eyes of the grade-9 sorcerers, I’m not even worth as much as a magic beast. Hogina, have you seen any mages just give in like this?”

“Yes.” Hogina nodded. Saleen could not continue after her response.

“But we are not that type of mages. Hogina, what do you plan to do?” Lex asked.

“Nothing. I will stay for a while and see what items I can buy. When teacher comes, he will go to Cloudflow and I will follow him. With regards to Alchemy City’s request, this is all I need to do.”

“That’s all?”

“Hmm, I’m not here to pick a fight and I’m not a match for both of you anyway. Saleen, where will I stay?”

Hogina’s naivety still left Lex feeling guarded and she said, “Hogina, don’t you need to report back to Alchemy City?”

Hogina shook her head and said, “I only need to report back before the tenth of April. I had miscalculated the dates.”

There was nothing much that Lex and Saleen could say. She still got something that had been imprinted into her brain with magic wrong. Hogina must have invested all her intelligence onto the knowledge of magic. There were other mages like this and there were quite a number of them too.

“I’m not that stupid. If I report back now, I will not be able to buy any items here. It is as if I am going against Alchemy City otherwise. Teacher will not allow that. After I have bought what I need to buy, then I will report back to Alchemy City. No one will care about any transactions I make before that.” What Hogina said left Saleen and Lex completely dumbfounded.

“You can stay at…”

“You can stay here.” Lex interrupted Saleen in mid-sentence and said, “Your men will stay at the hostel. You can think about what you want to buy tomorrow.”

Saleen had no idea what Lex was planning, but she was already ordering someone to serve this young female mage. She pulled Saleen out of the small tower and back to the magic tower before saying, “Hogina’s stand reflects her teacher’s stand. How fond can she be of us? If not for her teacher’s instructions, she would have reported back to Alchemy City immediately.”

“Imposa, that guy… looks very unique.” Saleen could only use such a simple and crude way to describe him. For a mage to transform his lower body into alchemy equipment, someone like that was perverted and strange.

“What Imposa is trying to tell us is that the situation in Alchemy City is not as stable as it seems. There must be a number of mages that are unhappy with their current situations, but are unable to resist the power of Alchemy City. What Alchemy City is doing to us is giving us an opportunity.”

“What opportunity?”

“Your teacher is heading to Metatrin City. Alchemy City is actually fragmented. Once all the Sregl Island mages make their way to Metatrin City, many unhappy mages from Alchemy City will also follow suit. With the rules that we have in place in Metatrin City, these mages will find that they are much more respected there compared to Alchemy City.”

“But that’s in the future. What happens now?”

“Right now, it is true that Metatrin City will not be a match for Alchemy City. Saleen, Alchemy City intends to control the magic nuclei market and the exact sea route to oceanic ice block is known only to you, me, and the winged skeleton. Oh, and Irene. Alchemy City will not go after ordinary citizens or even armies. They will only come after the few of us.”

“Irene…” For some unknown reason, the intention to murder her suddenly crossed his mind. He quickly suppressed the emotion. If he killed Irene just because of this, was he any different from the people of Alchemy City?

“You don’t have to worry too much about this. Alchemy City is not aware that Irene knows part of the sea route. Irene will not divulge on her own. If she was to switch her allegiances to Alchemy City, her status would become insignificant and she would never have the chance to progress there. Will Alchemy City care about a woman that is only of the level of a swordmaster? It may be possible if she was a golden grand swordmaster.”

“In other words, we still have time?”

“Hmm, right now we should send a letter to Sika, asking her to take control of Irene’s people immediately. Everyone that has been on board the ships before should vanish for the time-being. After half a year when your teacher is back, everything will be solved.”

“Lex, when will we finally be able to settle down in peace?!” Saleen could not help but exclaim. He had been confident of repelling Cloudflow’s attack and just when the future seemed bright, Alchemy City had to deal him with such a blow. Saleen was gloomy.

“When we have fulfilled the Goddess’ wish, I suppose.” Lex sighed as well.

The night of the ninth of April was spent with letters being sent back and forth between Daliang City and Metatrin City. Saleen and Sika exchanged their opinions and the former also repeatedly reminded the latter to be careful not to allow any new mages near the temple, in case they were sent from Alchemy City.

Lex was upset and it was directed at Alchemy City. If not for Alchemy City, Saleen would not be thinking about rushing back to be by Sika’s side on the eve of their wedding.

She had no choice. Sika was carrying Saleen’s child, so it was only normal for him to place her safety at top priority.

On the battlefield of Sanlian City, the demon army had almost destroyed the entire ten-thousand blood knights. The demons that had been injured retreated back to be with the foot soldiers instead of requiring reinforcements. The foot soldiers at the rear were up against the enemies at the back after they had received reinforcements from the main city. Tanggulasi never thought about attacking immediately as the main force in the south had yet to make their move. What they needed to do was to cut off the demon army’s route back to the city so that they would perish in the open battle.

Nailisi returned back to her original form and wore a death mage’s magic robe on the outside before heading straight towards the iron knights of Bitter Water Prefecture to look for the two death mages.

The two death mages felt more comfortable seeing Nailisi in human form. They only thought that it was weird to see her wearing a death mage’s magic robe.

Nailisi wanted the two mages to summon a skeletal warhorse for her. As she mounted the horse, a magic staff appeared in her hand and a few magic scrolls were put in a leather skin to be used later on. By keeping them in a leather skin, no one would notice even if she took a long while to use them.

In a battle, the use of spatial equipment could cause someone to become the target of powerful mages or holy priests.

“This, Your Excellency…” The two death mages had no idea how to address Nailisi. How should one address a powerful devil?

“There are grade-8 holy priests amongst the enemy. Neither of you will be their match. Let me handle them,” Nailisi said confidently before continuing, “The real battle has yet to come. The enemy’s main forces will be coming soon from the southwest direction.”

“What should we do?” The two death mages could only place their trust in Nailisi. They had no idea why Nailisi was so confident in defeating their enemies. Two grade-8 holy priests were equivalent to grade-8 mages!

“Pretend to be my students. When I look like I am in danger, just shout out loud and call me ‘teacher’. That will be enough.”

The two death mages opened their mouths awkwardly, but did not object. They never had proper teachers anyway and advancing to grade-4 was probably their ceiling. If they were to perform well this time, they should be able to fulfil the requirements that would allow them to cleanse their death soul flames. Although they might not be able to become sorcerers, becoming grade-6 mages before they died was still very possible.

After Nailisi had given her instructions, she rode forward along with the iron knights of Bitter Water Prefecture, beside the two mages and death knights.

Nailisi was confident of dealing with the two grade-8 holy priests because the Purgatory of Darkness of the twelve Notes of Purgatory had almost been fully repaired. If she could send those two holy priests into the Purgatory of Darkness, they would be her prey.

If there was a grade-9 opponent amongst the enemy’s main forces, she would still be able to deal with them with the twelve Notes of Purgatory. If there were two of them, she would have to abandon the demon army and run for her life. It was unlikely that there would be two of them. A grade-8 opponent would likely take command of the attack as grade-9 holy priests were few and far between and would rarely be involved in such battles.

Nailisi considered many different scenarios and ideas in her head before finally deciding to disguise herself as a death mage to spring a surprise attack on the grade-8 holy priests, which were the two red Bishops. After using the twelve Notes of Purgatory, the ripples of energy created would be too obvious. Nailisi could almost not bear to abandon the ten-thousand demons.

In the future, Nailisi was determined to develop demons that would be able to survive in the twelve Notes of Purgatory, so that she could receive more help while she was in the midst of combat.

Far away, the remaining survivors of the blood knights’ vanguard had met up with the rest of the army. The two red-robed holy priests were pale in the face as they looked at the demon army. They were shocked that the enemy had resorted to collaborating with demons. Could it be that what the Pope said was true? The end of days had come and the Myers Mainland must be cleansed!