Translator: SumTLMan
Sanders is to elucidate the current state of his disciple, Angel?
Sineva’s bewildering words had everyone in the room at a standstill. Weren’t they promised intelligence of vital importance? Why then, would the conversation abruptly veer towards an ostensibly unrelated individual?
Angel, a name most of the wizards present had heard of. An exceptional apprentice from the lineage of Phantom Island, who had made a stir due to a recorded alchemical creation. He was touted as an alchemist inching closest to the realm of mysterious. As of today, he had risen to the stature of a rising star in the alchemy world.
Judging solely from Angel’s exploits, he is an extraordinarily gifted apprentice, and owing to his prowess in alchemy, he had earned a seat at the table with the formal wizards.
Nevertheless, no matter how proficient Angel might be in alchemy, what correlation could there possibly be between him and the subsequent news? Why had Sineva, out of the blue, brought him up?
Of the wizards in attendance, perhaps only Mengke had a vague idea about Angel. Over recent years, he had spent his time navigating the deeper levels of the Abyss and paid heed only to significant matters in the Wizarding World. Angel, still a mere apprentice, even though he had made some ripples, was not sufficient to attract his attention.
Hence, with a touch of confusion, Mengke queried, “Sanders’ apprentice, Angel? Who might he be?”
In response to Mengke’s question, those around him began to share the known facts about Angel.
As Mengke gained an understanding of Angel, he gradually built a nebulous image in his mind. However, his heart was also riddled with puzzlement. Even though Angel had shown remarkable performance among his peers, he was still an apprentice after all. What could possibly be the implication of Sineva’s words?
Mengke promptly expressed his confusion.
On the other side of the communicator, after a moment of silence, Sineva’s solemn voice came through, “His situation is highly related to the information I’m about to convey. Depending on his circumstances, the words I’m going to utter may or may not bear fruit for discussion.”
“Could you elucidate why that is so?” inquired Mengke.
A bout of contemplation echoed in the air, following which Sineva unveiled a nearly farcical piece of news that left almost everyone dumbfounded: “The information I’ve received was personally relayed to me by him.”
News from Angel, imparted to Sineva?!
Wasn’t Angel just a novice? All wizards were flabbergasted. There wasn’t a single apprentice present amidst the sea of floating ice. The horrors of the demon city were far beyond what any apprentice could endure!
Yet according to Sineva, Angel was present in La Sutherland? Moreover, he even conveyed critical information to Sineva?
This news sounded nothing short of a fairy tale to everyone.
“Is your statement veritable?” Unable to contain himself, Mengke reiterated for confirmation.
“He identified himself as Angel. Also, I had a previous engagement with an awakened succubus, where I almost revealed my trump card. However, at the critical moment, the succubus ceased her actions. I speculate that it’s probably related to him.”
The new revelation was even more shocking. How could a mere apprentice have the power or merit to cause an awakened succubus to yield and cease her attack?
However, from Sineva’s statements, it didn’t seem like she was fabricating the tale.
Mengke’s confusion was no less than the other wizards around him. He glanced at the situation outside the floating ice. At the moment, Sanders was in a duel with a Great Demon. Judging by his expression, he seemed to be invigorated as the battle progressed. Even if Mengke sought answers from Sanders now, he feared it wouldn’t be feasible.
As everyone’s thoughts wavered and Mengke hesitated, a somewhat hoary voice suddenly rang out: “Indeed, Angel is in La Sutherland.”
The gaze of the crowd fell upon the speaker, Canter, who had previously been reticent.
“Lord Like the Night, is your claim authentic?” Before Mengke could inquire, another wizard beat him to the question.
Canter let out a deep sigh. Initially, he had no desire to divulge this matter. After all, the peculiar presence of Angel in the demon-infested city of peril could stir speculation. Initially, Canter planned to secretly seek out Angel once Sanders was preoccupied. But now, Sineva had unexpectedly run into Angel and judging by her tone, Angel had disclosed crucial information. After much deliberation, Canter finally decided to reveal Angel’s situation.
Seeing all eyes, including those of Mengke and Sineva on the other end of the communication device, were focused on him, he surmised that everyone was waiting for his answer. Canter finally nodded with some regret: “Half a month ago, when the personnel of Watchtower Fortress were being transferred to Sky Island, Sanders departed halfway with Angel, originally intending to bring him back to the Wizarding World.”
“Return to the Wizarding World? The energy tide of the interplanar passage just subsided, how could they go back to the Wizarding World?” A murmur questioned, voicing the shared doubt.
Canter shot a glance at the speaker and quietly stated, “Fragment Ephemera.”
The crowd was struck by a realization. At this juncture, Mengke nodded and supplemented for Canter, “When Lord Rhine visited the Abyss previously, he also arrived through the Fragment Ephemera.”
Having had the interplanar passage explanation, everyone was filled with varying emotions. They all knew how precious Fragment Ephemera was. For Sanders to use such a valuable item to send his own apprentice home, it clearly illustrated the weight the apprentice held in his eyes…
“But how could Angel have appeared in La Sutherland if he was taken back to the Wizarding World?” Mengke queried.
Canter shrugged his shoulders, recounting the incident of how the Spatio-Temporal Paradox had trapped Sanders. He stated that Angel had waited in Whispering Wind Valley, not entering the passage. Eventually, when Sanders finally escaped the predicament, he had to return to the Wizarding World first, which resulted in Angel being left behind in the Abyss.
By the time Sanders and Rhine returned to the Abyss, Angel was nowhere to be found.
“According to the information left at the scene, Angel was taken away by an extraordinarily powerful being. During this period, Sanders has been constantly searching for traces of Angel.”
With the conversation having reached this point, everyone had more or less comprehended the general circumstances. Nevertheless, Canter was rather vague about some details of the scene, but that didn’t impact the main direction of the story.
The notion that Angel was taken away by an extraordinarily powerful being, then later appeared in La Sutherland, seemed somewhat sinister, yet not impossible.
Mengke questioned, “How can you be certain that Angel is indeed in La Sutherland?”
“Because I saw him,” Canter replied. “When I was investigating La Sutherland by blending into the night with my bloodline, I saw Angel. He was in that mysterious shop. I was injured then because a dark-skinned woman in the shop attacked me. Therefore, from this perspective, the information Angel initially left behind is accurate — a supremely powerful individual indeed accompanies him.”
When Canter’s words fell, the crowd was still savouring the hints of suspicion within, only to be startled by the resolute voice of Sineva through their communication device, “I knew it! He is indeed connected to that mysterious shop!”
Sineva swiftly relayed the words that the Succubus had uttered upon its departure.
“She claimed that the shopkeeper asked her to spare me. So, this influential shopkeeper must be linked to the mysterious shop that facilitated her awakening,” Sineva paused for a moment before continuing, “I had speculated earlier that Angel might have something to do with this mysterious shop. More so, he could be the shopkeeper himself!”
These shocking revelations, akin to thunderclaps splitting the heavens, kept bombarding their minds relentlessly. At this juncture, they were no longer interested in probing why Canter hadn’t disclosed his encounter with Angel previously.
If Sineva’s words held any truth, the news that Mengke had received earlier that the mysterious shop stirring up the storm in La Sutherland was backed by a human, was mind-blowing. Moreover, this human was just an apprentice wizard?!
How was this conceivable? Even though everyone had their doubts, the facts were glaringly evident, compelling their acceptance.
“There must be more to this situation than meets the eye. What is the relationship between Angel and that incredibly powerful entity? We need to pay close attention to this,” Mengke, who had encountered many a marvel, responded rather calmly. Yet, the fact that a mere apprentice could stir such a commotion truly astounded him from the core.
Sineva added, “If we were to assume that Angel was nearby at that time, then that supreme entity would also be around. The fact that it didn’t attack me might indicate its unwillingness to get involved in the fight.”
“It’s difficult to ascertain,” Mengke paused, “Nevertheless, we must remain vigilant. We can be fairly certain that Angel is in La Sutherland now. So, what kind of message did he pass to you?”
Although the crowd was in a daze, they perked up at Mengke’s inquiry.
“Angel said he has met Olucia,” Sineva tossed another thunderbolt into the conversation.
Mengke calmly nodded in affirmation, “That I can confirm as well. My spies in La Sutherland saw Olucia visiting that mysterious little shop. If Angel is indeed related to that shop, it’s likely he did meet Olucia.”
“He also told me,” Sineva continued in her serene tone, revealing a bombshell, “that the target location you assigned me to explore, Mengke, houses a demon who is on the verge of ascending the throne.”
The calmness in Sineva’s voice made the shocking news reverberate even more among the crowd, intensifying the impact concealed within her words.
All the wizards shivered slightly at this moment.
The one thing the wizards from the Southern Region feared the most while navigating the Abyss was encountering a lord. The demon lords, equivalent to legendary wizards, were formidable adversaries; even Mengke would find himself bereft of any resistance against them.
Was there truly a demon on the brink of seizing power in La Sutherland, on the surface of the Abyss?!
While the crowd was left reeling, their minds a jumbled mess from the shocking news, Mengke, who had maintained his composure till now, finally lost his cool. Until now, he had remained unfazed by all the information, as they had yet to reveal any of their trump cards. With their morale and resources still intact, even if they were besieged by a host of mighty demons, Mengke was confident of escaping unscathed.
But then, a piece of news arrived, hinting at the imminent emergence of a Demon Lord, an Astonishing Revelation that threw Mengke into disarray.
Even a newly ascended Demon Lord possesses might capable of pulverizing them all. No matter the secrets they held, they’d be as insignificant as chaff before a storm in the face of such indomitable power.
“Did he really say so?” Mengke’s voice remained eerily calm, but everyone present knew the tranquility barely skimmed the surface.
“I can assure you, it’s the very magnitude of this news that compels me to verify Angel’s condition,” Sineva replied.
Mengke’s demeanor turned somewhat grim, his gaze penetrating his mask to fixate on a building in the southern outskirts of La Sutherland. All the floating fire patterns in the sky originated from that singular structure.
He had noticed the peculiar ambiance of La Sutherland before, wondered why the sky was aflame. Now he had an explanation, but it only served to heap a mountain of pressure upon Mengke.
Could it be true? Was the Lord of Fire really on the brink of ascension?