Chapter 542 - Capturing the Ethereal Prince (1/2)
Chapter 542: Capturing the Ethereal Prince
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
On the outside, the South was bustling with activity as always.
Golle Kingdom, which housed the largest port in the South, had grown so prosperous that it was known as the “money bag of the Free Trade Federation.”
The accumulation of wealth naturally drew much-unwanted attention to the kingdom. This had always been the case in the past. The thieves of the Syndicate were not immune to the lure of the kingdom’s prosperity.
The Syndicate issue was especially serious in Golle Kingdom.
…
Golle Kingdom, Port Antique
Ding, ding… A clear bell sounded as a merchant vessel slowly entered the port. As it approached the dock, ten or so people disembarked from their sampans. These were the passengers of the merchant’s vessel.
Once on the dock, two men and two women quickly left the crowd. All four of them were disguised as normal travelers. The clothes they had put on were somewhat worn. One of the men had black hair, while the other had dark green hair. They were dressed in almost the same way, wearing leather armors, and equipped with steel swords dangling from their waists. One of the two women was wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a long dress woven with a coarse fabric. The other woman had hidden her face behind a mask and was wearing a conspicuously oversized leather armor which had tufts of fur coming out of its edges.
The party of four walked along a small alley and before long integrated themselves with the throng of people like fish in the great ocean.
Half an hour later, the four people appeared before the entrance of an inn called “Adventurer” to the west of the port city. The black-haired man was first to approach the counter. He handed ten silver coins to the innkeeper. “One large room for the four of us.”
“No problem.” The innkeeper giddily put the silver coins in a drawer and took out a large copper lock. “Third floor, just follow the signs, and you’ll find it. Here’s your key and lock. Don’t lose them.”
The black-haired man nodded and beckoned at his companions. The other three followed behind him as they walked up the stairs.
Once they were inside their room and the door was securely locked, the black-haired man cast a magical barrier around them. The young woman wearing the leather armor let out a long sigh and laughed. “Finally, some fresh air. It was really stuffy back in the ship.”
Saying this, she sat on a chair in the corner and began wiping her long magic rifle with a piece of deerskin cloth.
The magic rifle was a pale blue from tip to stock, and it gleamed with the faint light of magic runes. Three delicate lenses were equipped on its barrel. There was also a rune crystal with a diameter of about an inch on the middle of the barrel.
Its user was apparently quite fond of its exquisite details, which contrasted with its rather crude design. Such a magical item befitted the woman’s status, which one could infer from her luxurious garment.
The woman was Celine. The other three in the room were Link, Eliard and Evelina.
Link had seated himself on a chair as well. He held in his hand a dark red, hollowed-out metal ball which was as big as a fist. He began inspecting the magical runes contained within. He then said, “Evelina, I trust your injuries have healed by now?”
Evelina took down her wide-brimmed hat and handed it over to Eliard. She then undid her cape and threw it onto a clothes-rack nearby. Finally, she stretched out her arms rather sensually before Eliard, who could not help but stare at her.
She glanced at Eliard and grinned, satisfied by his reaction. Evelina then said, “My father’s part of the dragon race. I’ve been recuperating for half a month. I would be damned if my injuries were not healed by now.”
Link began infusing his Dragon Power into the hollow metal ball. With a whoosh, a spherical display of countless magical runes with a diameter of more than twenty inches spread out. The runes floated in the air, twinkling like intricate constellations. They felt almost palpable.
The ball was an Ethereal Trapper of the highest level that they had created. Its main purpose was to capture the entity pulling the strings of the Ethereal Warriors, the Ethereal Prince.
The Ethereal Prince was extremely crafty. Even with the leads that Evelina had provided, Ferde’s scouts had searched for him for half a month and was only able to estimate that the Ethereal Prince was currently in Golle Kingdom.
The Ethereal Prince was also very powerful. He was not something a normal Warrior would be able to deal with himself. Naturally, any Ethereal Crystal made using the Prince as its material would also be extremely powerful. Link needed such a crystal to forge a strategic-level set of magical equipment, and so he had personally come down south with the other three to capture the Ethereal Prince.
He tested the magical runes for a bit. Then he said, “I think that should do it.”
After completing another one of his tests, Link spoke again, “I think I’ve found an answer to the problem concerning the purification of Dragon Power that you asked me back on the ship. My answer is: I can’t do it, but Gretel the Red Dragon Queen may be able to.”
Hearing him mention Gretel, Celine raised her head to look at Link. She was a bit sensitive about any subject concerning the Red Dragon Queen. When she saw that Link remained expressionless, she lowered her head in relief and resumed inspecting her magic rifle.
Evelina was disappointed. “I see. I hear that the Red Dragon Queen isn’t an easy person to get along with. She’s a fossil like the High Elves. If she actually agrees to help me purify my Dragon Power, chances are she’ll apply limitations to it as per the customs of the dragon race. I am curious, though. Link, you managed to receive the Heart of the Dragon, and yet, here you are, far away from Dragon Valley. How did you do it?”
Link was almost finished with his adjustments of the Ethereal Trapper. He put away the metal ball and walked to Celine’s side. He then began looking over her new rifle for her.
For this mission, Link had made some improvements to her rifle. A large number of Ethereal runes and an Ethereal crystal had been added to it. Her shots were now capable of inflicting Level-11 damage. With its spatial acceleration ability and Celine’s clairvoyant talent, there was no escaping from her bullets.