Chapter 828 - 553: Heading to Baisha City, the Beginning of the War
Chapter 828: Chapter 553: Heading to Baisha City, the Beginning of the War
Avril straightened Raylo’s collar. She didn’t ask any questions, only saying softly, "Come back early."
"Don’t worry." Raylo held his wife’s hand, lying through his teeth with a straight face. "I’m just attending a Mage ’academic seminar.’ It’ll be over soon."
Avril rolled her eyes at him. Her gaze seemed to say, "Keep making things up," but she didn’t expose his flimsy lie. Instead, she stood on her tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on his lips. "Be careful on the road. Remember to submit an ’academic report’ when you get back."
Raylo chuckled. This woman.
"Coal Ball, Moonlight, and the others have been waiting for you for a while," she added.
Raylo walked out of the castle. Moonlight was lying lazily in the plaza, basking in the sun. Beside her, the orange cat Sun, the black cat Coal Ball, and the Blue Cat Lightning were gathered in a circle, holding what looked like a pre-war mobilization meeting for Mao De Academy. Next to them, a silver mountain coiled across the plaza. It was Silver Moon Blade, Princess Moonlight’s guard.
"MEOW!"
Coal Ball, in the form of a black cat, was the first to dart onto the Silver Dragon’s back, finding a comfortable spot to lie down. Sun and Lightning closely followed.
Raylo picked up Moonlight, leaped into the air, and landed steadily on the broad back of the Silver Dragon.
Silver Moon Blade let out a clear, resonant dragon roar. Its massive Dragon Wings suddenly spread open, and the intricate Magic Power patterns on its wing membranes lit up instantly. The wind howled as its colossal body soared into the sky, turning into a streak of silver light and disappearing over the horizon in the blink of an eye.
Just past noon, a damp, salty sea breeze carrying the scent of fish blew past them. Below, the azure ocean expanded into view, and a bustling port city appeared on the coastline.
That was Baisha Port—the pearl of the Thunder Dragon Duchy and the most important trade port in the South of the Duchy. At this moment, thousands of sails stood tall in the harbor, and the docks were bustling with noise and excitement. It was a scene of peace and prosperity. No one knew that a storm capable of overturning the world order was about to brew here.
The Silver Dragon circled thousands of meters in the air. Raylo looked down at the city and the sea below, his Spiritual Power spreading out like quicksilver. Suddenly, his gaze narrowed.
In the eyes of ordinary people, the city below was calm and peaceful. But within his Spiritual Perception, this port city was densely packed with an unknown number of "big shots"!
Raylo’s Spiritual Power enveloped Baisha Port below like an invisible net. With a rough sweep, he found that the number had already surpassed a hundred!
Over a hundred Domain Level Powerhouses?
"Good heavens..." Raylo thought, his heart skipping a beat.
Mage City, this colossal entity with thousands of years of heritage, had actually brought out such a terrifying arsenal just for an ambush. And these were only the Domain Level ones. The Catastrophe Level existences completely concealed their auras; unless they actively revealed themselves, no one would ever know where they were hiding.
Silver Moon Blade tucked in its massive Dragon Wings, its gigantic body diving toward Baisha Port like a bolt of silver lightning. The wind howled as a huge shadow cast over the ground.
In Baisha Port’s civic plaza, a group of people had long been waiting. Leading them was a noble dressed in luxurious formal attire, his hair meticulously combed. It was the ruler of Baisha Port, Marquis Orlando. At this moment, this Marquis, who had seen his fair share of grand spectacles, was looking up, dumbfounded, at the Silver Giant Dragon tearing through the clouds and descending upon them like a mountain.
Its terrifying body, over a thousand meters long, was covered in streamlined silver scales that gleamed coldly in the sunlight.
Catastrophe Level!
Marquis Orlando felt a suffocating pressure descending along with the colossal dragon’s body. The guards and servants behind him were deathly pale; the more timid ones had already slumped to the ground with a THUD.
BOOM!
Silver Moon Blade landed smoothly. The gale whipped up by its Dragon Wings sent the trees at the edge of the plaza swaying wildly. It lowered its hill-like head, its pale gold eyes sweeping indifferently over the tiny "bugs" on the ground, and snorted two streams of scorching air from its nostrils.
A few figures leaped nimbly down from the broad dragon’s back. Leading them was Raylo. Behind him followed four cats of varying appearances.
"Marquis Orlando, it’s been a long time." Raylo wore a gentle smile.
"Your Highness...!" Marquis Orlando shuddered, finally snapping back to reality. He hurriedly took a few steps forward. "Baisha Port welcomes your arrival!"
His gaze, however, couldn’t help but steal glances at the Silver Giant Dragon. He saw Raylo nod at the Giant Dragon. The behemoth let out a clear dragon roar, flapped its wings, and soared back into the sky, disappearing deep into the clouds in the blink of an eye.
Marquis Orlando swallowed hard. He knew Count Raylo was the Regent and held an exalted status, but he never expected the young Count’s personal strength to be... this outrageous. In such a short period, he had actually conquered a Catastrophe Level Giant Dragon as a mount! Thinking of this, he secretly rejoiced and marveled at his own good judgment.
"There’s no need for such formalities, Marquis," Raylo said. "With the Duke on the front lines, we must work together on the Duchy’s affairs."
"Yes, yes, yes! Your Highness is absolutely right!" Marquis Orlando quickly agreed.
"Are our friends from Mage City settled in?" Raylo asked casually as he walked toward the Marquis’s Mansion.
Marquis Orlando immediately caught up. "Following your supreme secret order, I have cleared out several of the finest manors in the city specifically to host the Lord Mages. All material supplies are provided at the highest standards; there will absolutely be no mistakes! The Mages also seem unwilling to interact with the outside world, so everyone has been keeping a very low profile."
Raylo nodded. "Well done. This matter is of great consequence; secrecy is our top priority."
"I understand! All those who know are my trusted aides, and I have already issued a gag order!" Marquis Orlando assured him.
Upon entering the main keep of the Marquis’s Mansion, someone was already waiting in the luxurious hall. It was Mage Delin. He was still wearing that plain Mage Robe. Seeing Raylo enter, a smile appeared on his face.
"You’re finally here. We were just waiting for you."
"Master Delin." Raylo placed a hand over his chest and bowed.
There was no unnecessary politeness between the two. Marquis Orlando tactfully bowed and took his leave, dismissing all the surrounding servants and leaving the entire hall to them.
"How is the situation?" Raylo asked directly.
"Everyone has arrived." Mage Delin’s tone was flat, yet it carried the heavy weight of an approaching storm. "Ten Catastrophes, one hundred and thirty-seven Domains, five hundred Grand Mages, and over three thousand High Tier Mages are all in position in Baisha Port."
Raylo’s eyelids twitched violently.
Good heavens! Mage City was really playing for keeps!
It seemed that Austin and the other two Sages were determined to let the world witness Mage City’s resolve in this opening battle. They wanted to prove they possessed enough power to go toe-to-toe with the seemingly invincible Light Holy See—and even the strength to emerge victorious.
Ideals and beliefs were only part of the equation. Only when you are strong enough to show the world the hope of victory will more people follow you and join your great cause.
"An inescapable net has been cast. Now, we just wait for the fish to swim right into it." A confident light gleamed in Mage Delin’s eyes. "However..." His tone shifted. "To ensure that absolutely nothing goes wrong, I’ve made another preparation."
"Oh?"
"Yesterday, I sent out a colleague." Mage Delin walked over to the massive floor-to-ceiling windows and gazed out at the distant sea.
"He went to the Radiant Sun Islands?"
"Exactly." Mage Delin nodded, his tone composed. "Your ’prophecy’ provided the strategic direction, but concrete tactical execution requires more precise intelligence. I need to know the exact scale of the enemy fleet, their specific departure time, their sailing route, and... most importantly, how many Catastrophe Level powerhouses they have holding the line."
Raylo agreed. "Know the enemy and know yourself, and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. You have considered this thoroughly, Master."
Although he was confident in his own intelligence, Mage Delin’s grounded and rigorous attitude was the true foundation for victory in a war.