Chapter 827 - 553: Heading to White Sand City, the Beginning of the War
Chapter 827: Chapter 553: Heading to White Sand City, the Beginning of the War
The sea of stars receded like a tide, and the magnificent light and shadow, along with the twisted space, were smoothed out in an instant.
Everything around him returned to normal. Raylo found himself still standing at the starting point of the starlight avenue, as if everything he had just experienced was merely a bizarre dream.
However, in the Sea of Spiritual between his eyebrows, the "Sage’s Seal" exuded a cool aura, clearly telling him that this was no illusion. He, Raylo, Count of the Black Stone Territory, had officially stepped into this chess game concerning the world’s survival from today onward, and even secured a place on the edge of the chessboard.
"Phew..." Beside him, Mage Delin let out a long breath. "Kid Raylo... No, I should call you Lord Advisor now," he said half-jokingly.
"Master, please don’t joke with me!" Raylo said with a hint of embarrassment.
Mage Delin laughed heartily, his gaze burning as he looked at Raylo. "You heard Austin Sage’s orders. I need to return immediately to gather manpower and coordinate resources. This battle at Baisha Port will be the first sword the Mage City has bared to the outside world in a thousand years. It must be sharp, and it must draw blood!"
Raylo could feel the soaring battle intent emanating from this Legendary Mage. "What do I need to do?" he asked.
"Baisha Port is the territory of the Thunder Dragon Duchy. This battle will break out on your lands or in the Outer Sea. I need your full cooperation." Mage Delin spoke rapidly, clearly having already entered the role of a wartime commander. "In half a month, we will rendezvous at Baisha Port.
"Your territory now has two Catastrophe Level Silver Dragons. The Mage City, including myself, will deploy eleven Catastrophe Level combatants, but one can never have too much Catastrophe Level Power. I hope you can bring your two Catastrophe Level Silver Dragons to join the battle."
Raylo nodded. "Alright. See you at Baisha Port in half a month."
"It’s a deal!" Mage Delin said no more. He raised his hand, and surging Space Magic Power fluctuated once again. "Remember, before the plan is launched, this information absolutely cannot be leaked. This is a highest Level secret!"
As his words fell, a silver door of light opened in front of Raylo. Raylo took a step forward, and the light door quietly closed behind him.
Returning to Black Stone City, Raylo went to his study. The firelight from the fireplace was warm and peaceful. The familiar scent of parchment and wood filled the air, pulling him back to reality from that magnificent sea of stars. He stood quietly for a moment, organizing his churning thoughts.
The Sage’s Seal, the battle of Baisha Port... The sheer volume of information today was so overwhelming that it left him feeling a bit dazed.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
"Come in."
Personal Guard Captain Ed pushed the door open and entered, his tall figure almost blocking out the light from the doorway. "My Lord, a handwritten letter from the Duke has arrived."
Raylo took the envelope, broke the wax seal, and pulled out the letter. The contents were quite long. The majority of the first half detailed the situation on the Yellow Mud River battlefield.
As Raylo had expected, the war between the Dragon Realm and the Light Holy See had reached a fever pitch. Along the hundreds of kilometers of the Yellow Mud River frontline, the total number of troops deployed by both sides had exceeded six hundred thousand, and there were already more than ten Catastrophe Level experts involved. Clashes between Catastrophe Level combatants occurred frequently, and the sky was torn apart by the light of Forbidden Spells almost every day. The Duke mentioned in the letter that both sides were seeing red. In just a short month, the number of fallen High Tier experts exceeded the total of the past ten years combined.
The battle situation had escalated into a cruel meat grinder, where the struggle for every inch of land had to be filled with hundreds and thousands of lives. Between the lines, Raylo could smell the suffocating stench of blood.
The second half of the letter consisted of instructions for Raylo.
"...Raylo, since I left, you have done a great job managing the Duchy, but the more critical the time, the more cautious you must be.
"Be especially wary of the Fiery Sun Kingdom adjacent to us, as well as the Radiant Duchy to the south. Intelligence suggests that the Light Holy See will bypass the Yellow Mud River defense line to open up a new front in the Northern Territory. Before I return, you must try your best to avoid large-scale conflicts and guard our home well."
After reading the letter, Raylo remained silent for a long time. He walked over to his desk, rolled out a fresh piece of parchment, dipped his quill in ink, and prepared to write a reply.
He initially wanted to tell the Duke about the Mage City’s decision and the earth-shattering ambush at Baisha Port in half a month. If this news were to reach the front lines, it would definitely maximize their morale in an instant. However, the tip of his quill hovered over the paper, hesitant to drop. He recalled the tragic meat grinder of a battlefield mentioned in the letter and the exhaustion seeping through the Duke’s words. If he were to reveal the plan at Baisha Port, given the Duke’s personality, he would undoubtedly become distracted by it. On the battlefield, even the slightest lapse in concentration could be fatal. Besides, this was the Mage City’s top secret.
"I should... just drop it," Raylo sighed inwardly.
He gathered his thoughts, and his quill swiftly glided across the paper. In the letter, he merely reported that all was well, stated that everything in the Duchy was fine, the army was well-trained, and the material reserves were plentiful. He reassured the Duke on the front lines, assuring him that the Northern Territory was as impenetrable as a fortress. Finally, he wrote in a relaxed tone, "When you return in triumph, you will see a much stronger Duchy."
After finishing the letter, he sealed it with wax and handed it to Ed, instructing him to dispatch a messenger to the Yellow Mud River battlefield.
Two weeks passed by in a flash.
During these two weeks, everything remained as usual in the Black Stone Territory. Ordinary soldiers would be of no use in the war at Baisha Port; the main force was the Mage City, and victory or defeat would primarily depend on Catastrophe Level Power.