Chapter 1438 Limitations <TOC> Chapter 1440 Target Anchor
Translator: SumTLMan
At this thought, Angel felt he grasped the essence of what Frost had told Isabelle.
“The Gateway Vision will fade, but the actual gateway should remain intact,” Angel replied.
“That gateway? Are you referring to the one that stands alone, unmatched?” Isabelle cast a doubtful glance at Angel, “Why so?”
“The other gateways are mere phantoms, bound to vanish someday. But that particular gateway, barring unforeseen circumstances, likely isn’t just a Vision,” Angel answered.
“If it’s not a Vision, then what might it be?”
Angel didn’t respond immediately, pondering for a moment. “Regarding that gateway, even I have my uncertainties. Once I decipher it, you’ll be the first to know.”
Isabelle peered deeply into Angel’s eyes and finally nodded, “Alright then.”
Before departing, Isabelle said to Angel, “There’s something else I wish to discuss with you. Now’s not the right moment. I’ll find you next time.”
Angel acknowledged with a nod. Before his conversation with Frost, Isabelle had mentioned wanting to consult him. Yet, neither anticipated that even before their conversation could conclude, such unforeseen events would arise.
After Isabelle left, Angel noticed that atop the Sky Ghost Ship, Kimberly and Isabella were also departing.
As Kimberly departed, she mouthed the word “Congratulations” to Angel.
Isabella, on the other hand, showed no emotion, her head bowed as she flew past.
With the departure of these witches, the Sky Ghost Ship began its slow voyage into the distance. As it moved away, a speck of light descended from the ship, transforming into a letter that landed in Angel’s hand.
Angel opened the envelope to find a congratulatory letter, which was essentially filled with words of blessing for his advancement. It also expressed a hope that, should Angel have the time, he could visit Silent Hill for a discussion.
The signature below read: Ivan.
“Ivan, the wizard of Silent Hill, was just the captain of the Sky Ghost Ship,” Sanders paused for a moment. “He’s an academic wizard with quite a good reputation among peers. Now that you’ve stepped into the circle of formal wizards, it’s essential to build connections. He’s a significant figure, but the choice to engage with him is yours.”
“I’ll give it serious consideration,” Angel said, folding the letter and glancing in the direction of the Sky Ghost Ship.
It was a subconscious act, yet he saw Farja, dressed in pitch black, standing at the stern railing of the Sky Ghost Ship, gazing at him from a distance.
Angel was taken aback for a moment and nodded in acknowledgment to Farja.
Farja, in response, stumbled a bit, almost falling off the ship’s edge.
Seemingly embarrassed, Farja quickly lowered his head and disappeared from sight.
“We should head back. After your advancement, there must be many matters to attend to,” Sanders remarked, hinting at not just issues concerning Angel directly but also the ripple effects stemming from the promotion.
Angel nodded in agreement, “Alright, but before we return, I’d like to take a look at that gateway in the void.”
Sanders looked deep into Angel’s eyes and nodded. He sensed that Angel might be privy to some truths about that unique, unpaired gateway in the void.
To be honest, Sanders was curious himself: what was the true significance of that gateway’s existence?
As Sanders was about to tear open a rift leading to the void, a blanketing white light, seemingly from nowhere, illuminated the space above them.
As the radiant white light appeared, a thunderous roar echoed from the distance.
Angel lifted his gaze, only to see a solitary moon in the far-off night sky, at some point obscured by an enormous eye.
That preceding burst of white light had originated from the crimson pupil of this massive eye, targeting the Ghost Ship sailing through the sky.
“Cersabiras?” Angel stared at the colossal eye, surprise flashing in his own eyes.
He had encountered the ghost of Cersabiras in the Corpse Forest. Could he now be witnessing the true form of Cersabiras?
He was aware that Cersabiras hailed from the Middle Layer World. However, he couldn’t help but wonder why it would attack the Sky Ghost Ship?
As Angel pondered this, chaos erupted on the Ghost Ship.
The Sky Ghost Ship was a formidable vessel, a confluence of defense, offense, and mobility. Though Cersabiras was incredibly powerful, without its full form and relying solely on one eye, it couldn’t shake the Ghost Ship.
But fate had played a cruel trick. When Cersabiras launched its attack, it happened to catch the Ghost Ship off-guard.
Due to Angel’s act of Spell Creation, the World Will had descended not long ago, leaving the apprentices on the ship paralyzed by its overwhelming presence. To protect the apprentices from grave harm and prevent lasting damage, Wizard Ivan activated the ship’s protective barrier.
When Angel’s Spell Creation concluded, Wizard Ivan, aiming to conserve energy, deactivated the barrier.
Immediately after shutting down, the barrier entered a brief transition state, requiring some time to reactivate. This interval was the Ghost Ship’s unguarded moment. Wizard Ivan hadn’t expected an attack during this window, but reality dealt a harsh blow to his assumptions.
Cersabiras appeared out of nowhere and launched an attack on the Ghost Ship.
With a booming sound, a hole was blasted in the deck of the Ghost Ship.
Screams of horror and cries of pain immediately filled the air. Wizard Ivan turned to see the deck drenched in crimson blood. The apprentices who were on the deck had, to varying degrees, been affected by the blast.
At a glance, the extent of the casualties wasn’t immediately clear.
But judging by the sheer amount of blood, the situation was far from promising.
“Why now of all times!” Wizard Ivan’s expression darkened. The protective barrier was still in the preparatory phase, and it would take at least a minute to activate again.
A minute might seem short, but for a beast of Cersabiras’s caliber, it could inflict near-catastrophic damage on the Ghost Ship in a mere instant.
The only solution now was to push the Ghost Ship to its maximum speed, try to buy as much time as possible, and allow the protective barrier to reactivate, offering a chance of escape.
With that thought, Wizard Ivan shouted, “Farja, take the helm and push the ship to its top speed, heading towards the Endless Plains!”
Caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, Farja, upon hearing Ivan’s command, hurriedly dashed to the control room.
Meanwhile, from the blood-red eyes of Cersabiras, a beam radiating white light was released once more, aimed directly at the Ghost Ship.
Then, Farja’s voice echoed from the control room: “It’s no good! We can’t accelerate. It seems Cersabiras’s previous attack affected some of the ship’s machinery!”
It’s said that when it rains, it pours, and that seemed to encapsulate their current predicament.
Ivan muttered under his breath and took to the skies. He quickly caressed the ring on his index finger, and in an instant, a massive protective barrier enveloped the entire Ghost Ship.
Boom——
White light rays collided with the barrier, causing a loud noise. The rays dissipated, but cracks started to appear on the barrier’s surface.
This was a mid-rank defensive alchemy item. If it only covered a single person, it could withstand several attacks. However, now that Ivan had to shield the entire Ghost Ship, it could endure only one more assault before the barrier might shatter.
Just as Ivan had this thought, the second beam hit the barrier.
Not only did the barrier shatter upon impact, but the immense force of the collision also caused the Ghost Ship to shudder violently. Several apprentices were thrown off their feet.
Those who were already injured were dealt an even worse hand.
Even Farja, who was in the control room, was knocked senseless and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Dazed, Farja staggered to his feet. Looking out from the control room, he saw the bright light gathering again in the massive pupils of Cersabiras.
Ivan’s voice timely chimed in, “We might need to abandon ship.”
Hearing this, fear surged in Farja’s heart. Could the Sky Ghost Ship fall today?
However, just as despair and fear gripped the apprentices, the white glow in Cersabiras’s eyes began to fade.
Strangely, it seemed as though Cersabiras underwent a change in demeanor. The malevolent look in its crimson eyes slowly vanished. Simultaneously, it began to turn and drift toward the distant depths of the night.
In a blink of an eye, the massive figure disappeared from sight.
This anticlimactic episode left Farja momentarily taken aback.
What just happened? Why did Cersabiras depart so abruptly?
Such bewilderment occupied the minds of all the apprentices present.
As their confusion persisted, Ivan suddenly directed his gratitude toward a certain direction, saying, “Many thanks to Wizard Pat… for your assistance.”
Wizard Pat? Farja hesitated for a moment. Following Ivan’s gaze, he noticed a tall silhouette where Cersabiras had previously been.
Whirls of illusions that resembled steam swirled around this figure.
Complex emotions shimmered in Farja’s eyes. This so-called “Wizard Pat” was none other than——
Angel.
Farja then recalled a rumor: it was said that Cersabiras’s resistance to illusion spells was significantly weaker compared to other types of resistances. Angel specialized in illusions; could it be that he had beguiled Cersabiras with a spell, causing the latter’s premature exit?
Lost in his thoughts, Farja noticed that Wizard Ivan and Angel had already engaged in a conversation in mid-air.
Whatever they discussed remained a mystery to Farja.
However, witnessing the fluid conversation between Angel and Wizard Ivan, and seeing the unparalleled joy on the face of the latter, any remnants of Farja’s resentment towards Angel began to wane.
Previously, Farja had been in a state of disbelief regarding Angel’s advancement.
But now, he finally attained a lucid realization.
Even if Cersabiras isn’t particularly resistant to illusionary spells, beguiling it isn’t something a mere apprentice can achieve. Angel not only effortlessly pulled it off, but he also seemed to do so with great ease. This only means one thing: his power has genuinely evolved from the past.
Reality, as always, is so merciless.
When there’s a significant disparity in strength, no matter how much one resents it, they’ll be crushed by the harshness of reality.
The pride that once resided in Farja’s heart was truly shattered in this moment.
Whether this is good or bad for him remains to be seen.
But for now, at the very least, Farja’s heart is heavy.