Chapter 2724 Shrew <TOC> Chapter 2726 Holy Light Descent
Translator: SumTLMan
“That happened fifty years ago.”
Vai began with a tone heavy with reminiscence; hearing that voice, Kael supposed it would be a long, turbulent, and moving story.
But in truth the episode spanned only a few months, and even if Vai spelled out every detail, he would soon finish.
Plainly speaking, it was simply a tale of a swindler and a fool.
The swindler was Youna, the fool was Daus… and, of course, there was another onlooker, Vai.
At that time Daus, combining information from friends with his own deductions, discovered an ancient laboratory. According to the intelligence, the laboratory had been left behind by an alchemist.
As a rule, laboratories abandoned by alchemists rank among the most valuable ruins and are the first choice for wanderer wizards seeking adventure.
After gaining the tip, Daus immediately invited Vai to explore with him. Only when they reached their destination did they realize that the so-called alchemist who owned the laboratory had in fact been merely an apprentice, more precisely, an apprentice in a sub-branch of potion-making, fragrances.
Although disappointed, they still harbored some expectations. Their search did indeed uncover a hidden chamber, but the chamber’s exterior was suffused with a strange fragrance that wind could not disperse, water could not wash away, and that penetrated every defense; even fully armored, one would be invaded by it.
Once affected, a person would fall into slumber.
To unravel the riddle they found a female apprentice who claimed knowledge of fragrances, this was Youna.
After Youna joined them they returned to the ruins, and once there Youna innocently confessed that her study concerned only mundane scents; this fell outside her field.
Vai and Daus were not fools; they immediately understood that Youna’s sole purpose in joining was to learn the ruins’ location. Youna possessed a secret art of wind, an exceptional escape skill: even besieged she could flee, then recruit others to seize the ruin’s treasures.
Yet although they knew her intent, Daus, the leader, forgave her, even allowing Youna to stay with the team and share any gains.
The reason Daus acted so was that, back then, he was still innocent, deeply influenced by his mother to show great tolerance and respect toward women. He had even told Vai that no matter what a woman did to him, he would never raise a hand against one.
Thereafter Youna perceived this “gentlemanly” trait in Daus and began, in Vai’s eyes, a series of speechless manipulations.
In only a few months of traveling together she had already cheated away more than half of Daus’ fortune.
And Daus still maintained his poise.
Later they managed to break the fragrance formation outside the ruin and inside discovered a casket shrouded in fragrance. From details it could be inferred that it contained the apprentice’s notes.
Youna immediately declared she needed it, whereas Daus wished to take it outside, find someone to dispel the scent, open it, and then each copy a volume.
Youna agreed at the time, but subsequent events… were beyond expectation.
They were ambushed by another group, the very comrades of Youna. From the start she had allies; she had shadowed them only to await the ruin’s opening and then summon her companions to intercept.
Vai’s combat instinct was keen; upon realizing they were surrounded he at once judged the situation and summoned an Earthen Rampart to trap Youna.
But Youna’s accomplices seemed utterly unconcerned for her life, attacking even with her inside.
Seeing Youna about to be slain by her own partners, Daus, at the cost of severe injuries, shielded her and released her from the prison.
Youna felt no gratitude; she stabbed Daus in the back, seized the casket, and to the dying Daus threw a line: “Remember the lesson I teach you today: women, like men, are not to be trusted.”
Amid mocking laughter Youna and her companions departed.
As for Vai, those people did not dare target him too harshly, perhaps Youna had covertly informed them that Vai hailed from the Noah family. Thus only Daus was truly hurt.
Perhaps Daus was spared death also thanks to Vai.
“The final ending was simply that I carried Daus to a wizard market and found someone to save him.” At this point the story basically ended; the follow-up was easy to guess.
Kael wore a pained expression: “So Lord Red Sword has such a past.”
Vai nodded, sighing: “Looking back now, I don’t quite dislike Youna. At least she truly taught Daus a lesson. Since that day, although he sometimes still acts the gentleman, when interests are at stake he’s no longer as inflexibly old-fashioned.”
Angel silently thought: I can see that… If he were still that Former Gentleman, he wouldn’t have directly ambushed Shrew.
“But it’s a coincidence,” Vai mused, rubbing his chin: “I didn’t expect Shrew to have met Youna and learned Daus’ past from her.”
“What’s coincidental about it? At a tea party, a witch’s favorite topics are no more than a few; ‘men’ surely ranks in the top ten.” The speaker was the Black Count, who snorted disdainfully.
“My lord has attended tea parties?” Kael asked in surprise.
The Black Count’s nostrils flared, then resumed ordinary breathing: “I myself have never gone, but among the Noah descendants there is no shortage of women.”
Kael nodded in comprehension: every Noah descendant carried a part of the Black Count; tagging along to a tea party with one’s descendant was odd but understandable.
Angel, however, sensed the Black Count’s sudden emotional shift and raised a brow.
There was no need for the Black Count to specially state he personally had not gone.
Also, men were banned from tea parties; for a man to enter, there was only one way.
Angel mused inwardly: It seems… I’ve stumbled on an astounding secret…
The Black Count wished not to dwell on the issue, hastening to say: “At tea parties, evaluating men is something many witches enjoy. So if Shrew encountered Youna, it’s perfectly normal they discussed this topic.”
Then, half redirecting trouble, he turned the slate toward Angel: “Soon, a new tea party will start. Without doubt you will become the focus among foci. If some ill-meaning witch draws you into a whirl of gossip, you’ll suffer later.”
Angel was unperturbed: the main venue this time was in the Wilderness of Dreams; whoever dared manipulate him would find their permissions revoked!
He said instead: “I don’t think so. I haven’t had much contact with formal wizards, and even fewer witches. I barely know any.”
The Black Count: “That may be, but you becoming a focus is certain. It just depends which way public opinion tilts.”
“Speaking of which, you could ask your mentor for advice.” His tone grew subtle: “Though labeled a black wizard and utterly merciless to witches, he enjoys extremely high favor at tea parties. Don’t know how he manages it, perhaps Mirror Lady and Ivannasha secretly steer the discourse.”
If Mirror Lady attended a tea party she was a bigwig outright. Ivannasha, as the resident witch of the Savage Grottoes in the City of Truth, wielded great influence, also at the top of the pyramid.
Angel did not reply; he had noticed a sour note in the Black Count’s voice.
Apparently the Black Count’s reputation at tea parties was not very good.
Indeed, even outside tea parties the Black Count’s reputation was poor. Had Angel not consulted Lord Rhine in advance, he likely would have viewed the Black Count through a pervert filter.
Though that filter wasn’t entirely gone yet…
…
While they chatted idly, the situation on the arena changed at great speed.
Because Youna had been mentioned, Daus was momentarily distracted.
In that instant Shrew’s bandages swatted him from midair, smashing him to the ground.
Yet Daus possessed remarkable physical resilience; he was not grievously wounded. He rolled over, and a plump worm phantom emerged from his spine.
The instant the worm phantom appeared, a torrent of sword spikes shot from its back straight at Shrew.
Her bandages, like countless tentacles, fended off the incoming blades.
What she had not anticipated was that Daus’ second volley contained even more blades, more densely packed.
A dark swarm like a cloud of bees.
While dealing with the blades, Shrew glanced at the ground: Daus, prone, now had vertebrae protruding; through torn skin, sword spikes drenched in blood sprouted along his spine.
Obviously Daus had activated his bloodline:
The Swordback Sandworm!
Besides its innate boosts, its greatest, most outstanding feature was the unlimited proliferation of spine swords.
As long as energy and blood were sufficient, the number could grow to terrifying levels.
Bloodline wizards cultivated blood recovery abilities from apprenticeship, and a formal wizard’s magic source vortex could draw infinite power. By controlling the number generated each time, one could maintain everlasting production without burden.
This talent was fine, but demanded high mental power and sword skill.
Daus’ swordsmanship was so renowned he was called “Red Sword.” Combined with the Swordback Sandworm, the synergy was more than double.
A person so matched to that bloodline, there was likely only Daus.
Facing the sea-like blades, Shrew’s bandages had limits. Many penetrated the defense, nailing into and even through her body.
Amid screams blood spattered.
Shrew, dragging her long hair, fell from the sky.
Seeing this, Kael showed excitement; though Vai remained silent, his eyes could not hide agitation.
Angel and the Black Count, however, displayed no emotion.
The Black Count was always so.
Angel sensed something wrong: Shrew’s miserable state was indeed horrific, yet the Gray Merchant’s party showed no reaction. That was odd.
He watched warily.
Sure enough, although Shrew fell, after the screams she began to laugh, at first suppressed, then louder and louder until wildly wanton.
Her drooping hair grew madly, cascading to enshroud her.
Daus noticed the anomaly; the blade rain did not cease, becoming even thicker.
Some blades were snared by hair; some shaved hair but had their force blunted; others pierced through to the core, but apart from more blood on the ground, Shrew’s laughter never waned.
Rather, the heavier her wounds, the more blood poured, the more ecstatic she became.
“Are you crazy!” Daus felt a chill even as her opponent.
The laughter continued, and then, mingling with it, a strange voice echoed:
“You… na…”
“Youna…”
It seemed to be Shrew, yet also like a mournful moan from an endless abyss.
Angel and the others merely found it odd, but over on Daus’ side an unforeseen change occurred.
The dense blades diminished at a speed visible to the eye.
What had been a swarm now, with each wave, grew sparser; and as the call of “Youna” grew more frequent, ever fewer blades remained.
In the end, Daus could command fewer than a hundred spikes.
Such blades could not breach the cocoon of hair, nor even pass the bandage layer.
“What’s happening?” Kael exclaimed: “Why are the blades dwindling?”
He looked at Vai, who was equally baffled: “Could Daus still have feelings for Youna? No, back then he never liked her, and besides, in front of him is Shrew; what does it have to do with Youna?”
While they spoke, changes on the arena came wave after wave. Shrew floated again, her body wholly cloaked in waterfall-like hair.
Blood dripped from her tresses.
Her eerie voice issued from behind them: “Do you know why I always wrap myself in bandages?”
Before Daus could answer, shrill laughter drowned him out; then she said: “Because…”
A blast of energy spread outward from within the hair, blowing it aside to reveal her “sorry state.”
Indeed sorry: her whole body a bloody mess, especially the torso, where countless shreds of flesh hung.
Yet her face bore a deranged grin: “Because beneath the bandages are wounds, this, this, that, it’s… your wounds, and… my own!”
She laughed maniacally, a horrific sight.
And at her laugh, the blood-soaked aura from every wound on the bandages converged into a crimson lance that shot toward Daus.
He tried to block with blades, but the eerie voice came again:
“Youna… You… na…”
Daus was momentarily dazed.
And this daze was fatal, because the bloody lance had already pierced his chest!