He could not afford to be careless. Thorne had buried quite a few daggers in the withered leaves, and several sorcerers had already fallen for it, their soles pierced, rolling on the ground clutching their legs. Otherwise, there was poison in the puddles; some soldiers accidentally drank a mouthful and collapsed on the spot, convulsing. With no physician brought along, they could only watch these people die in agony. It was torture to the extreme, making one wonder if they were tracking a sorcerer or a top-tier hunter.
there were just too many of these despicable gadgets—how did he carry them all on his person? "Whoosh." With a sharp whistle, a soldier on the edge of the queue clutched his throat and slumped down limply. By the time those nearby heard the commotion and turned their heads, they caught the sight of him collapsing. "Hey, are you alright?" Slightly startled, a soldier rushed over to help, but just halfway there, he felt as if he had tripped something. "Clang." An oil pot was smashed in mid-air, black oil spilling down and immediately igniting upon contact with a torch.
It was like poking a hornet's nest. Knights, sorcerers, and Cuckoo Soldiers scrambled to dodge, while several human torches screamed wretchedly, frantically leaping into water puddles, never to make a sound again. The surrounding people lay on the ground, blankly watching the embers ignite the leaves, threatening to turn into a forest fire, when fortunately, a steel puppet taller than a man appeared. It had a lobster head and opened its mouth to spray a jet of water, extinguishing the flames. "Get up, all of you, and continue the search!"
Seluvis stood at the back, his expression beneath the mask livid. It was so annoying, like mosquito bites; the damage wasn't great, but it was enough to be disgusting. More than a hundred people had dragged their feet, taking half the night just to reach the mountainside. Several knights reluctantly climbed up, turned their heads, and asked: "My lord, are we really tracking a sorcerer?" "Of course it is a sorcerer." "Then why is he better than the top scouts in the legion?" The knight asked again.
Seeing that Seluvis couldn't answer, he simply stated: "I suggest we wait for the legion to send scouts before continuing. In any case, the target is already heavily surrounded in this area." Experts must be dealt with by experts. It was precisely because the mission briefing said they were hunting a sorcerer that they hadn't brought scouts. Who the hell knew the target would be so good at running, and even setting up fake targets everywhere, making the search party run in circles. Seluvis didn't speak. He hadn't expected the kid's abilities either.
Logically, a Carian Knight shouldn't know such vile skills.
I rejected the knight's proposal instantly. Sellen's Primeval Sorcery couldn't see the light of day. My soul puppets were also taboo. Combining the two... a taboo among taboos. Using a Primeval Sorcerer as a puppet? Anyone would suspect I intended to walk that same path. "Continue."
"My lord, we can't find the target. Those caves behind us both show signs of entry. What if the enemy hides inside?"
"Then send people in to find him! Whoever encounters the enemy... fire a signal flare. I will lead the reinforcements immediately!"
"But how do we fire a signal flare inside a cave?"
"It doesn't matter. My puppets will follow. This range... cannot be hidden from me." This was using the Cuckoo as cannon fodder for reconnaissance. Given the strength of the two targets, whoever found them would suffer heavy losses. The knights wanted to object. I said, in a sinister tone: "Commander Matthews ordered total cooperation. Which means I can execute you on the spot, at any time!"
"You wouldn't dare!"
A knight jumped up. The Cuckoo and the Academy knew each other's intentions. Yet no one had ever put it out in the open. Wasn't I afraid of retaliation? How could they know I planned to run away? The Academy became increasingly unbearable, while Caria was a sanctuary. Since we would be enemies in the future, why save face? "You can try it." Several puppets stepped from the shadows.
Besides the mass-produced Academy ones, there was the lobster head that extinguished the fire. A steel knight in heavy armor. A naked, strange-looking pot-man. The atmosphere turned heavy. The sorcerers looked at each other. The Cuckoos gripped their weapons. A faint trend — former companions, killing each other. The knights looked at the puppets, especially the three special ones, and finally gritted their teeth. "Understood!"
With a fierce flick of their cloaks, they left with their subordinates. They left me with just one look: You just wait.
The sorcery professor gave a disdainful smile, not taking it to heart at all. He glanced at the remaining dozen or so sorcerers and called out to the Cuckoo Knight walking at the back. "Hey, you, stay behind. I need a scout." Rogo turned his head in surprise. His near-death survival instincts told him staying behind was extremely dangerous. He glanced at the surrounding sorcerers and suppressed his anger. "Yes!"
In the dead of night, the brilliant flames were eye-catching, and the scattered torches were reflected in Thorne's eyes. There was no dense forest behind him; the ninety-degree cliff was impossible to climb, and a Glintstone Dragon was flying back and forth in the sky, monitoring the gentle slope that led to the mountaintop. Even if he could sneak up, the Bellum Highway was right above. The wide highway had no cover, and there were certainly people intercepting on it.
Thorne's target was the Malenia army on the other side of the highway. 'I must race against time; after all, the reinforcements coming from the Academy's south gate will be faster.'
The footsteps of death were approaching. This was the last chance to break through the encirclement, and as for the missing pieces, he could only gamble. "Snap." The sound of branches being cut reached his ears. Led by a knight, about seven or eight Cuckoos were climbing the mountain.
Thorne had at least rested for a while, but these Cuckoos had been tortured enough by the vampire-like Seluvis. 'With this level of force, is it really just reconnaissance?' No normal person would think that a mere few Cuckoos could take down Sellen; it was just that Thorne had set up a maze, forcing them to split their forces. As I expected. Thorne's suspended heart eased slightly. After all, Seluvis was just a sorcery professor with a nasty personality and no high attainments in tactics. He turned his head.
A few meters behind him was Sellen, carrying the Bloodhounds Fang and wearing ronin armor. The two were similar in height, and once they put on their hoods, they were indistinguishable. Thorne, meanwhile, had changed into a sorcerer's robe and had even deliberately padded his chest a bit. The light was dim, and no one could see his two hairy legs. "Teacher, in three hours, have you learned that sorcery?" "I understand a bit of the principle, but I haven't tried it yet." Three hours? As expected of a genius. Thorne's gaze steadied a bit more. He said softly: "Then go, Teacher."
Sellen didn't move. A muffled voice came from under the Azur Glintstone Crown: "Are you serious?" "Stop talking nonsense, go!" Thorne gave the latter a direct push. Sellen stumbled a few steps, asked no more, and ran headlong toward the heights. "There!" Almost as soon as Sellen moved, the Cuckoo Knight had spotted her and hurriedly tapped the soldier beside him. "Quick, signal." As soon as the words fell, a Glintstone flew into the sky with gunpowder propulsion, exploding into a ball of blue light. This light could be seen for miles around.
Seluvis, perched on the mountainside, twitched. Then, a dismissive wave. "It's the kid. Get moving, and be quick about it."
The sorcerers scrambled up. No room for arrogance. Thankfully, the Cuckoos had intel: treat this one like a swordsman, and keep your distance. Thorne's survival was irrelevant. Even with flight, a dozen hand-picked elites could obliterate him.
One signal flare.
Sellen, Sellen, where did you run off to?
A shooting star streaked across the sky, exploding into a red signal flare.
Seluvis barked a laugh. So you really used the kid as bait? Sellen, still as ruthless as ever. He knew Sellen well; he'd sent the sorcerers out early, anticipating this exact moment.
With a thought, the steel knight puppet hoisted him up. He waved at the remaining Cuckoo Knight. "What are you waiting for? Follow me and take her!"
A few hundred meters away, the Cuckoo Knight relentlessly pursued the sorceress.
He sidestepped, wary of a sneak attack. Simple enough, really. Even the quickest sorcery left a magic sigil.
Is the magic exhausted?
He didn't understand magic, but those clumsy steps spoke volumes. If Seluvis hadn't specifically demanded her alive, he'd have plunged a blade into her back already.
A few more meters. The distance closed to ten. The knight couldn't restrain himself any longer. He raised his hand, throwing his long spear.
"Whoosh."
Precise, swift. The spear landed just in front of the sorceress.
She dodged in shock, sprawling onto her face. Then, she struggled to turn, raising her staff.
Now!
The knight lunged, slapping the sorceress's left hand. A Glintstone Pebble shot out, grazing past the spear's tassel. His other hand clenched into a fist, slamming towards her abdomen. No mercy. Knock her out.
But a cold light moved faster than his fist.
"Thwack."
The knight froze. His gaze dropped. A long blade pierced through the gap between his breastplate and helmet.
Crimson blood dripped down the blade, splattering onto the sorceress's hood.
"Congratulations, you've caught up to me." A low male voice.
The long blade twisted, tearing the knight's cervical spine. The burly man, over two hundred pounds, collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.
Footsteps approached. Several Cuckoo Soldiers, panting from their run, finally arrived. Seeing the knight had already pinned the sorceress, they cheered.
"Great, the sorceress has been captured alive by Lord Miller..."
The cheers died.
The knight in their sight was shoved aside.
The sorceress, pinned beneath him, rose.
Dust billowed from her robe.
She raised the dripping blade.
"Hurry up, I'm in a rush."
The voice, low and flat, was more shocking than the blood-stained blade.
Cuckoo Soldiers exchanged glances.
"The sorceress... is a man??"