437 Fantasy-scape (2/2)
Bru's nervous voice appeared in Sherlock's mind. Sherlock lifted his head and observed the world disintegrating. He frowned and said, ”Someone destroyed the Mana impression.”
…
Five minutes ago.
When Sherlock vanished, the ”loyal” Polio and Phoenix became nervous. They looked around for Lord Sherlock.
”Lord Sherlock, meow—!”
”Lord Sherlock?”
Sherlock was nowhere in sight.
As they couldn't find Lord Sherlock, they became anxious.
”Lord Sherlock… is missing?”
Phoenix stood in place, bewildered. He looked around and didn't find Sherlock.
”Does that mean… we can leave, meow?”
Polio showed his gleeful expression. Phoenix was dumbfounded, then he shouted, ”Lord Sherlock! This stupid cat is going to escape! Kill him!”
Phoenix shouted for a long time, but Sherlock was nowhere in sight. He lowered his head and thought hard.
”Why did you do that, meow?”
Phoenix replied to Polio's accusation, ”I wanted to confirm whether Sherlock was around. That really is the case. Most likely, it's due to the Mana impression. He could have been killed by it!”
”Ha! Dead? Why are you shouting for him? That Devil deserves to die. He beat me up real bad. Now that he's dead, it's cause for celebration, meow!”
Polio would be tempted to applaud if he could achieve such a difficult action.
”Lord Sherlock! Polio is saying bad things about you!” Phoenix shouted again. This time, Polio's hair stood on end.
Phoenix waited for a while, but there was no response.
”Ah, Sherlock's really dead.”
”Are you a fool? Or are you trying to fool me, meow!”
Polio stood up angrily. He looked as though he was going to duel Phoenix, who said, ”Now isn't the time for our personal grievances. Let's leave this dangerous place. I was trying to confirm Sherlock's absence. It's not personal.”
”What if Sherlock's still around?” Polio questioned the parrot with a malicious gaze.
Phoenix lowered his head and thought for a while before saying, ”Let's go. Let's escape together.”
He said after contemplation, ”No, you'll escape on your own. I won't escape with you, meow!”
Polio chose a direction and was about to leave when the parrot behind him shouted, ”Ah! Eggface, you're here at the right moment. I saw Polio escaping! That stupid cat, he's betraying Lord Sherlock!”
”No, not me. I didn't. He's framing me! He's escaping!” Polio rebuked as Eggface walked over with his obese body.
”What are you doing? Where's Lord Sherlock?”
Eggface was puzzled. He noticed the Mana impression on the ground.
”What's this?”
The parrot and the black kitten looked at each other. Then they looked at Eggface and asked, ”Don't you know? Don't you know where Lord Sherlock is?”
”Of course, I don't. I'm here to look for Lord Sherlock…” Eggface said as he moved to the front of the Mana impression. He then said, ”Let me take a look… is Lord Sherlock inside?”
Eggface lifted his claw and slammed down on the Mana impression.
A crisp slapping sound was heard, and the Mana impression disintegrated. To be more precise, the entire floor disintegrated.
”What are you doing, meow?” Polio gaped at Eggface in astonishment.
”To save Lord Sherlock! He's likely trapped inside. If I break the Mana impression, won't Lord Sherlock appear?”
”Why did you do that? What if he appears?”
Phoenix shook his head wildly, as though he was going crazy.
”Ah! You did that? Lord Sherlock! I had no intention of escaping, meow!”
Though Sherlock hadn't appeared, Polio started explaining himself.
While Phoenix was going to be the prosecuting witness to expose Polio's escape, the Mana impression broken by Eggface started glimmering. Once the light rays vanished, Sherlock appeared before the Black Dragon, parrot, and black kitten.
The three of them became quiet as they stared at Sherlock.
Sherlock frowned. He looked at them and asked Eggface, ”Did you break the Mana impression?”
”Lord Sherlock! I've saved you!”
Eggface looked excited, but Sherlock frowned and asked, ”Who is Master of Dark Flames?”
”Ah?” Eggface looked befuddled. Sherlock raised his sandbag-sized fist and punched at Eggface.
Sherlock's fist landed on Eggface and penetrated his fat body as though it was a paper window.
Eggface didn't bleed or wail in pain.
Phoenix and Polio were terrified. Sherlock killed the Dragon with a single punch because he was unhappy. Sherlock was too violent.
Eggface fell to the ground, but he didn't die. It wasn't Eggface on the ground.
The Black Dragon's body melted like a piece of chocolate in the hot sun and stuck to Sherlock's body. The black mud wrapped around Sherlock's arms.
Sherlock's arms emitted white rays, and the black mud writhed in pain before falling to the ground and hardening into gray blocks that looked like dried mud.
”What's that, meow?”
Polio walked over and touched the gray blocks with his paw while sniffing them. Polio was shocked.
”That's the Ancient Gods clan!” Phoenix said confidently.
”Interesting.” Sherlock used his leg to gather the mud together.
Bru said, ”I didn't expect the Ancient Gods to be involved. Why did the imprisoned Ancient Gods stop you from investigating the missing Professor Bacon? Are they involved in this matter?”
”Who knows? I guess so. The Ancient Gods have been imprisoned for too long. It's understandable for them to create some trouble during their free time,” Sherlock said.
”But the leads are broken again, Lord Sherlock.”
”No, there are leads. We're going to Specter College.”
…
At Victoria City.
”All members, get ready! Put the carriage behind the horses!”
Lancelot was in Moonlight Forest or the outer boundary of Victoria Forest, supervising the gamers to create a horse-pulled carriage. It was improvised for the invasion of the York Territory.
Queen Victoria was serious about conquering the York Territory.